| BLESSED
ARE THOSE WHO HUNGER AND THIRST FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS
- [Part: 2] |
Matthew 5:6
"As the deer pants for the water brooks,
So my soul pants for Thee, 0 God. My soul thirsts
for God, for the living God; When shall I come
and appear before Him?" - Psalm 42:1-2
Righteousness and fellowship with God go together.
Only as we come into the presence of our King
and remain hidden in Him, will His true righteousness
be expressed through us. To remain in His presence
every moment becomes our essential activity;
for apart from Him, we can do nothing. No matter
how much we desire to please God, unless our
words and action flow from His life within us,
we will only produce self-righteousness which
has no eternal value.
Since hunger and thirst for righteousness spring
from awareness of personal need and emptiness,
dependence on the life of Christ begins to replace
self-effort and self- seeking. Therefore, His
hungry and thirsty ones are those who daily
seek to be hidden in Christ, totally yielded
to His will, and desiring only to have His thoughts
and ways expressed through their lives. As hunger
and thirst for Him and His righteousness grows
to be the motivating force in our lives, the
song of our hearts becomes:
Fill Thou my life, 0 Lord, my God,
In every part with praise.
That my whole being may proclaim
Thy being and Thy ways.
FIRST DAY: Review Matthew
5:6 and read Romans 7:18--8:2.
Growing in His righteousness may be described
in terms of three stages. First, at spiritual
rebirth, an initial transaction occurs whereby
Christ’s righteousness is imparted [through
the indwelling Holy Spirit] to the hungry and
thirsty ones who come to Him. There may or may
not be immediate outward change. The struggle
which often characterizes this stage of spiritual
growth is shown by Paul in the following verses.
[Ask God to give you His understanding.]
1. In spite of some of his actions, what did
Paul know about himself and his righteousness?
[What desire shows his true nature in Christ?]
See Rom. 7:20-22, 25.
2. Which statements express his hunger and thirst
for righteousness?
3. Describe the conflict Paul experienced.
4. [Personal] Can you identify with this conflict?
Explain.
5. Paul makes a joyful announcement in Romans
8:1-2. What is it?
6. What does this announcement mean to you personally?
SECOND & THIRD
DAY:
The second stage of righteousness is gradual
and progressive. By the Holy Spirit in us, a
transformation takes place whereby the righteousness
of Christ is increasingly manifested in thought,
word and action. As we continue to hunger and
thirst for His life and therefore choose His
ways, we realize the joy, peace and purity of
living in harmony with the heart of God.
1. To those who hunger and thirst after righteousness
the Bible offers specific practical steps to
fulfillment. When followed, these will clear
the way for His righteousness to be manifested
through your daily life. Identify these steps.
How can you follow them?
1 John 1:9
Romans 6:11, 13
Psalm 119:8-16
2. Read Phil. 4:13,19. As you set your mind
to follow the preceding steps, what helpful
message do you find in these verses?
3. I Timothy 6:11 has an exhortation [encouragement
to act] for you concerning righteousness. What
is it?
4. 2 Tim. 2:22 affirms the above exhortation
and gives additional guidelines. What are these?
5. [Personal] As you consider your circumstances
this week and your own areas of weakness and
vulnerability, how can you carry out the above
exhortations? [Remember also what you have in
Christ and what He promises to be and do for
you.]
FOURTH DAY: There is an ultimate righteousness
or perfection that will only be realized when
we meet Jesus “face to face” in
our new bodies at the final resurrection.
1. How is hunger and thirst for this completed
righteousness expressed by Paul in...
Romans 8:18-25
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24
1 John 3:1-3
2. [Personal] Can you identify with this longing?
[Whether you can or not, express the thoughts
and heart to God. Such transparent two-way communication
is essential to an intimate love-relationship
with God.
FIFTH & SIXTH DAY:
Read Jude 20-25.
1. State God’s exhortation to you in verses
20-21. [Notice the attitude and action that
keep you in His love.]
2. Sharing in Christ’s righteousness,
what will you find yourself doing? [vs. 21-22].
3. What is His promise to you in v. 24?
4. What does v. 25 tell you about your Lord
and King?
5. [Personal] Write your response to Him.
>BACK |
