August 2009 - Put On The Breastplate Of Righteousness

PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

Everything and everybody on Planet Earth is moving quickly now and it is clear that the “Day of the Lord”, The Coming of Jesus Christ, is approaching fast!
There has never been a time such as this in the history of the world where everything is indicating that the end of this present world is near. It is also obvious that we are seeing a “Great Spiritual Separation” taking place in people’s lives.
2 Corinthians 6:14 - “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawless-ness? And what communion has light with darkness?”
Verse 17: “‘Therefore come out from among them and be separate,’ says the Lord.”
I remember working for a company that decided to have a picnic on a Sunday, because they did not have a Christmas Party in December. The picnic entailed a lot of drinking and partying. I remember my wife saying to me, “Are you sure you want to go?” I said, “Yes, it is expected from me to be there.”
The Sunday morning I woke up early and clearly the Holy Spirit spoke to me from Psalm 1:1 - “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.”
I phoned my colleague and said to him, “Please tell them I won’t be coming.”
Psalm 1:6 - “For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.” Fact is - God reserves His wrath for the wicked. Romans 1:18 - “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men…” Thus, if you have confessed Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, you need never fear the wrath of God.
1 Thessalonians 5:9 - “For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.” You obtain the righteousness of God as a gift, and you become righteous because of what Jesus has done on your behalf on the cross.
Romans 5:17 - “For if, by the trespass of one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness, reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.” So righteousness comes from God through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. Faith occurs when you cease trying to do something by your own efforts. Salvation (in the New Birth) is entirely a free gift of God!
Romans 4:6 - God imputes righteousness apart from works. The word imputes means that God imparts righteousness to those who believe by faith that Jesus died on the cross to forgive them of their sins. So righteousness is God’s gift to the guilty (you and I) which removes all condemnation from us and includes a full acquittal from all charges against us.
The breastplate of Aaron’s priestly garment is described in Exodus 28:15-29. As Aaron carried all the people (in symbol) on his heart, Christ Jesus, our High Priest, in reality carries all His people in His heart. Satan’s attacks are especially aimed at those who walk righteously before the Lord.
Paul writes to the Ephesians in chapter 6:14 - “…put on the breastplate of righteousness…” The breastplate of righteousness protects the spirit of man!
Proverbs 4:23 - “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” When by faith we accept Jesus as our Saviour, the righteous character and nature of God is imparted into us by the Holy Spirit.
FAITH + LOVE = RIGHTEOUS-NESS, AND RIGHTEOUSNESS = THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT.
Galatians 5:6 - Nothing is really noteworthy, but faith working by love.
The other night on a Christian TV Channel I heard a person say that America has an epidemic of fear. But we do not need to fear, because in 1 John 4:18 we read, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love drives out fear.”
Fear is sin and because of the righteousness of God, we have authority over fear. So righteousness protects the spirit of man. Remember, God hears the prayers of a righteous man and His eyes are upon him! I encourage you: SOW IN PEACE AND YOU WILL REAP A HARVEST OF RIGHTEOUSNESS! (Read Proverbs 10. I am sure it will bless you)!