righteousness Archives

What Are You Doing to Your Robe?

November 2, 2015 By Lynn H Mosher

“For He has…wrapped me with the robe of righteousness.”Is. 61:10b Voice

Enwrapped in a free gift. Covered in a robe of rightness, justice, and virtue.

In His delight, the Lord clothes a believer in a robe of spiritual refinement beyond compare, beautifying the soul with heavenly grace.

If we want to receive this gift, we cannot work to purchase it or work to keep it, no matter how hard we try. It cannot be rented; it cannot be put on lay-away. It cannot be tried on for a while and, then, taken off.

It is a forever gift and comes with a great price tag to the Purchaser: the blood of Jesus.

In Matthew 22, Jesus told The Parable of the Wedding Feast about the king who arranged a marriage for his son. When the king went to greet his guests, he spotted a man without a wedding garment.

It was the custom of many countries in Jesus’ day to wear long, white robes at public festivals, weddings, and other occasions. Royalty and the wealthy provided wedding garments for those invited to a wedding. Noblemen also gave a garment to someone they wished to honor.

Refusing to accept or wear the gifted garment was not only the highest insult and deepest disrespect, but, in some countries, also worthy of punishment.

The robeless attendee to this wedding presumptuously entered in his own attire, in his own way, without the garment given him by the king and, therefore, he dishonored the king.

As Christ died to purchase our wedding garment, we cannot enter the heavenly wedding feast without it.

When this garment or robe is new and we first try it on, it may feel uncomfortable. It doesn’t seem to fit right. It’s scratchy like burlap. We may squirm beneath it or struggle to throw it off.

How do we wear this regal robe of righteousness…

* inside out?
* backwards?
* upside down?
* all rumpled and scrunched up?
* casually tied around our waist or over our shoulder?

What is our behavior beneath our robe? Do we use it to hide under while we misbehave, dragging our precious robe of beauty through the mud of disobedience? Crushed by Israel’s adulterous behavior and attitude, God said to them, ‟You dragged your beauty through the mud.” (Ezek. 16:25a GNT)

Paul reminds us, ‟Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires.” (Rom. 13:14 NLT)

When we relax in the robe’s perfect fit, we find it falls in luxurious folds of peace and joy around us.

Wherever we go and whatever we do, we need to remind ourselves we are clothed with Christ’s presence, His robe of holiness and righteousness, and we are to be “without a single spot or wrinkle or any other blemish, being holy and without a single fault.” (Eph. 5:27b TLB)

How are you wearing your precious robe? Are you keeping it clean?

*This post is a remix of the original My Robe is All Scrunched Up.

Hooking up with…
Soli deo Gloria Sisterhood
Laura Boggess
Purposeful Faith
Words of Life

Pondering Again

September 26, 2013 By Lynn H Mosher

I love diving in, digging deeper, opening up treasure in God’s Word. I have another pondering for you today.

In prayer the other morning, the Lord led me to a verse I had marked in my Bible some time ago. It blessed me again, so I thought I’d share it with you.

“You meet him who rejoices and does righteousness,
Who remembers You in Your ways.
You are indeed angry, for we have sinned —
In these ways we continue; and we need to be saved.”
(Is. 64:5 NKJV, bolded words mine)

I think my favorite version of this verse, and possible a more correct one, is the Hebrew Masoretic Text, “You meet him who rejoices and works righteousness; they recall You in Your ways. Behold, You were angry, for we sinned. In them is eternity and we shall be saved.”

Let’s look at the definitions.

In Hebrew, meet actually has two sides to the word, a positive and a negative. The positive side of to meet (which is also used of kindness) means to encounter, light upon, to touch, reach, join, impinge, entreat, and so on.

Rejoices means cheerful, bright, exult, and display joy.

The word for does means fashion, work, accomplish, make, produce, deal (with), act with effect, produce, prepare, to attend to, to put in order, observe, celebrate, etc.

Righteousness is a legal term meaning what is right, uprightness, and justice.

The meaning of continue, when used of the past, means ancient time or world, antiquity, long time, days of old. When used of the future, it means forever, everlasting, perpetual, always, indefinite or unending future, eternity, and so on.

The word used here for saved in Hebrew means to be open, wide or free, to be safe, to free or succor, deliver, liberate, or to be victorious. Vine’s Expository Dictionary says, “Essentially the word means to remove or seek to remove someone from a burden, oppression, or danger.”

Years ago, I wrote this beside the first part of the verse in my Bible, “You fall upon, meet together with, make intercession for him who rejoices.” Though only part of the verse, that part is what stood out to me at the time.

I love the thought of the Lord meeting with me, lighting upon me, joining me. But am I a whiner or a rejoicer in His presence? Oh, He’s there no matter what my mood or attitude might be, but I’m sure He would much rather join me when I exult in triumphant joy.

Doesn’t it bless you that the Lord makes intercession for you? The New Testament tells us just this thing, “Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” (Rom. 8:27 NKJV)

The Isaiah passage tells us we will encounter God when we produce the effects of righteousness in our lives. He meets with us when we recall Him, mentioning His ways in our lives, praising Him for all His works. “In [His ways] is eternity and we shall be saved.”

Once in a while, we need to have a sit-down with ourselves and do a little probing, asking ourselves:

* Am I joyful when I enter the Throne Room to meet my Beloved?
* Do I exult with rejoicing just to be in His presence?
* Are the effects of righteousness seen in my life?
* Am I thankful for His ways in my life?

Still pondering…

My Robe is All Scrunched Up!

March 14, 2013 By Lynn H Mosher

‟For He has clothed me with garments of salvationand draped about me the robe of righteousness.”(Is. 61:10 TLB)

God wrapped a covering of deliverance, prosperity, rescue, liberty, safety, welfare, and victory around me as a believer, to cover and clothe me in His garment of rightness, justice, and virtue.

Why? David said, ‟For the Lord takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the humble with salvation.” (Ps. 149:4 NKJV)

In His pleasure, He clothed me in a robe of spiritual refinement beyond compare, beautifying my soul with heavenly grace. I cannot work to purchase this robe or work to keep it, no matter how hard I try.

This robe cannot be rented, and it cannot be put on lay-away. It cannot be tried on for a while and, then, taken off.

It is a forever gift…but it was not free. It came with a great price tag to the Purchaser: the blood of Jesus.

Jesus told The Parable of the Wedding Feast in Matthew 22 about the king who arranged a marriage for his son. When the king went to greet his guests, he spotted a man without a wedding garment.

It was the custom of many countries in Jesus’ day to wear long, white robes at public festivals, weddings, and other occasions. Royalty and the wealthy provided wedding garments for those invited to a wedding. Noblemen also gave a garment to someone they wished to honor.

Refusing to accept or wear the gifted garment was not only the highest insult and deepest disrespect, but, in some countries, also worthy of punishment.

The robeless attendee to this wedding presumptuously entered in his own attire, in his own way, without the garment given him by the king and, therefore, he dishonored the king.

As Christ died to purchase my wedding garment, I cannot enter the heavenly wedding feast without it.

So, what am I to do with this gifted garment? How do I wear my regal robe of righteousness, my beautiful wedding garment…

* inside out?
* backwards?
* upside down?
* casually tied around my waist or over my shoulder?
* all rumpled and scrunched up?

Do I drag my robe of beauty through the mud of disobedience? Crushed by Israel’s adulterous behavior and attitude, God said to them, ‟You dragged your beauty through the mud.” (Ezek. 16:25a GNB)

What do I do to de-beautify my robe? What is my behavior beneath it? Do I use it to hide under or try to throw it off to misbehave?

In the past, I would sometimes squirm beneath it or struggle to throw it off, to act and do the way I wanted to. But instead, Paul reminded me to ‟Throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.” (Eph. 4:22-24 NLT)

And I’ve learned to follow Paul’s other advice, ‟Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires.” (Rom. 13:14 NLT)

When I first tried it on, it felt uncomfortable and scratchy like burlap. It felt as though it didn’t fit right; it was too large.

But now, I think I’m growing into it! It’s comfy, falling in velvety smooth folds of peace and joy around me. I love twirling around in it and praising the Lord, for He has given me ‟the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.” (Is. 61:3 NKJV)

So, wherever I go and whatever I do, I must remind myself I am clothed with Christ’s presence, with His robe of holiness, and, therefore, I must keep that robe clean and unscrunched!

How are you wearing your precious robe? Is it all scrunched up?

Hooking up with…
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What is Righteousness?

June 30, 2012 By Lynn H Mosher

Righteousness…

What is it?

Righteousness is holy, upright living, which conforms to God’s standards and is based on His character.

In former days, righteousness was spelled rightwiseness, which is the clearer meaning. It comes from root words meaning rightness, equity, justification, just, holy, or innocent.

*How is it attained?

It cannot be obtained (possessed) or attained (accomplished) by obedience nor by works… It is by grace alone, for “by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (Eph 2:8-9 NKJV)

*What does it do?

It makes us right in God’s eyes… We are not righteous because of any inherent goodness; we are righteous because of our identification with Christ by faith. Because of the blood Jesus shed as our sacrifice for sin, we have been justified in the eyes of God. We have been made righteous by Christ’s righteousness within us.

It gives us God’s wisdom… “It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God — that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.” (1 Cor. 1:30 NIV)

Things are added to our lives… When we seek God’s kingdom and righteousness first, Scripture says, “all these things shall be added to you.” (Matt. 6:33 NKJV) All what things? All the things necessary for life.

*How does it look/behave?

It is not hypocritical… If our righteousness does not surpass “that of the Pharisees…[we] will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt. 5:20 NIV)

It hungers and thirsts for more… “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” (Matt. 5:6 NIV)

It produces right living within us… “The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever.” (Isa. 32:17 NIV) We will, therefore, behave in a Godly manner, with peace, quietness, and confidence as distinguishing marks of God’s character at work within us.

Is rightwiseness at work in you?

I Once Was Blind

February 23, 2012 By Lynn H Mosher

Dust particles stick in his nostrils and his throat, causing a constant cough. Dirt, imperceptible to him, accumulates between his toes and under his fingernails.

His garment looks like an old, shabby rag, needing a good washing and mending.
Why? Because he sits in the dirt on the side of the road.

Darkness surrounds him, even in the hot, noonday sun. He is blind. He is a beggar.

Bartimaeus is his name, but he is usually called more unpleasant things.

He begs for coins, any coins, just to buy some bread.
An occasional mite plinks in his meager cup.
Gratefulness is always offered to his benefactor.

People pass by. Their gestures and stifled laughs go undetected.
If he could see them, they would be a rushing blur of avoidance.

Hunched over with dejection, he sits in the grime, day after day, his soul shriveling a little more with each sundown.

“Alms? Alms for the poor?” he cries out each morning, awaiting a response. His voice slowly grows softer by evening, as a sea of discouragement drowns his plea.

What’s that sound? cupping his hand to his ear. It’s growing louder and closer. He’s puzzled. “What is that commotion?” he asks someone nearby.

“It’s Jesus, Jesus of Nazareth passing by.”

Jesus? I know that name. The One in the prophecies. They say He’ll rule from the throne of David. Isn’t He the One I hear Who heals? I need to…

“JE-SUS,” he yells. “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

“Shhh! Be quiet!” some reprimand him.

But their stern warnings only spur him to cry louder, “SON OF DAVID! HAVE MERCY ON ME!”

The footsteps halt.

What’s happening?

“Bring him to me,” commands the authoritative voice.

“Be of good cheer!” the men say. “Take courage! Get up! Jesus is calling you.” Strong hands grip his arms but Bartimaeus jumps up. Yanking off his old, pauper’s garment, he throws it aside. He walks definitely in Jesus’ direction.

“What do you desire Me to do for you?” asks Jesus.

Can this be true? I stand before Jesus? “Please, Rabboni!” he begs, for he knows no other way. Four small words loom large in his heart and catapult off the end of his tongue, “I want to see!”

“Receive your sight; it is given to you, for your faith has saved you,” declares Jesus.

Immediately, the familiar darkness dissipates and unfamiliar light fills his eyes. Shielding his eyes from the brilliance of the sun, what does he see? Jesus! Before him stands a crownless King with gentle, loving eyes, crinkled up in pleasure.

He falls to his knees in gratitude. Gratefulness is an understatement! With a myriad of visuals before him, a rush of exhilaration then triggers unrestrained jumping.

“I can see! I can see! Thank You, Lord! Thank You!” All those in the entourage rejoice in praise with him.

He “saw” his chance and he seized it. His darkness dissipated. And the Light of the world flooded his heart and soul.

He left his squatter’s residence, his beggar’s perch. Never to return. For from that day, he became a companion of Jesus, following Him on His journey.

I once was blind. I sat in the dirt on the side of the world, my filthy, old garment needing to be cleansed, my life needing to be mended. Darkness surrounded me. I was a beggar of life. My soul shriveled a little more with each sundown.

Then, Jesus of Nazareth passed by one day. Standing before Him, I heard Him say, “What do you desire Me to do for you?”

“Lord, I want to see!”

He said, “My grace is sufficient for you. Receive your sight. Your faith has saved you.”

After falling to my knees in gratitude, I yanked off my dirty rag of unrighteousness and threw it aside. I received my sight and the robe of righteousness. The darkness dissipated; His Light filled my heart and soul.

And His eyes crinkled up with pleasure.

Unrestrained gratefulness is the order of every day. I can see! I can see! Thank You, Lord! Thank You!

I am His companion. I follow Him, day after day, glorifying Him and giving Him praise.

Amazing grace! How sweet the soundThat saved a wretch like me!I once was lost, but now am found;Was blind, but now I see.’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,And grace my fears relieved;How precious did that grace appearThe hour I first believed!~~~
I once was blind…but now I see!

Hooking up today with…

Reflections of His Grace

…and with…

Persecuted?

June 28, 2010 By Lynn H Mosher

photo courtesy of INSPIKS
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’
sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Matt. 5:10 NKJV
The Living Bible states that verse this way, “Happy are those who are persecuted because they are good, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.”

Happy? Happy? How happy are we when we try to live righteous, upstanding lives and get berated for it? What puny vapors compared to the persecution others around the world suffer.

But scripture says you’ll be happy. You’ll be blessed. You’ll be rewarded. It is hard to imagine, isn’t it? But that is what the Word says. Let’s see…

“God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are My followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.” (Matt. 5:10-12 NLT)

Jesus told the disciples, “Do you remember what I told you? ‘A slave isn’t greater than his master!’ So since they persecuted Me, naturally they will persecute you. And if they had listened to Me, they would listen to you! The people of the world will persecute you because you belong to Me, for they don’t know God who sent Me.” (John 15:20-21 TLB)

Does scripture say that persecution will end? No. We cannot escape it, as Paul said, “Yes, and those who decide to please Christ Jesus by living godly lives will suffer at the hands of those who hate Him.” (2 Tim. 3:12 TLB)

Rarely was Paul not persecuted. He continued to live with it shadowing his life. He wrote the Philippians, “For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for Him. We are in this struggle together. You have seen my struggle in the past, and you know that I am still in the midst of it.” (Phil. 1:29-30 NLT)

And remember that when they persecute you, they persecute Jesus.

Paul, the worst of all persecutors of Christians, tried desperately to destroy the church. One day, on the Damascus Road, he encountered a blinding light as the Lord surrounded him, and said, “‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’ And he said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ Then the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus, Whom you are persecuting.’” (Acts 9:4-5 NKJV)

In persecuting the Christians, Paul had persecuted the Lord Himself.

When persecution comes, remember what Peter said…

“Usually no one will hurt you for wanting to do good. But even if they should, you are to be envied, for God will reward you for it. Quietly trust yourself to Christ your Lord, and if anybody asks why you believe as you do, be ready to tell him, and do it in a gentle and respectful way. Do what is right; then if men speak against you, calling you evil names, they will become ashamed of themselves for falsely accusing you when you have only done what is good. Remember, if God wants you to suffer, it is better to suffer for doing good than for doing wrong!” (1 Peter 3:13-17 TLB)

What did Paul tell the Roman Christians? “If someone mistreats you because you are a Christian, don’t curse him; pray that God will bless him.” (Rom. 12:14 TLB)

And the reward? The Kingdom of Heaven is yours!

Hungry? Thirsty?

June 18, 2010 By Lynn H Mosher

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst
after righteousness, for they will be filled.”
(Matt. 5:6 NIV)

Continuing in the beatitudes series…

Did you ever feel hungry or thirsty? Fainting? Tired? Need recharging? What did you do? More than likely, you nurtured yourself with food, water, rest, and whatever else your body needed.

David got hungry and thirsty. He said to the Lord, “My soul thirsts for You; my whole body longs for You in this parched and weary land where there is no water,” (Ps. 63:1b NLT) and “You constantly satisfy the hunger and thirst of every living thing.” (Ps. 145:16 TLB)

While in the wilderness, Israel hungered and thirsted, as David tells us, “Hungry and thirsty, they nearly died. ‘Lord, help!’ they cried in their trouble, and He rescued them from their distress.” (Ps. 107:5-6 NLT)

Just as it is possible to get weary physically, it is equally possible to get weary spiritually.

Jesus said, “I am the Bread of Life. No one coming to me will ever be hungry again. Those believing in me will never thirst.” (John 6:35TLB) And “For the Scriptures declare that rivers of living water shall flow from the inmost being of anyone who believes in me.” (John 7:38 TLB)

God “gives food to the hungry” (Ps. 146:7 NKJV) and “turns deserts into pools of water, the dry land into springs of water. He brings the hungry to settle there.” (Ps. 107:35-36 NLT) But the Lord’s offering of refreshing, spiritual bread and water, is not from without, but from within.

When you become tired from your journey and your weary soul shrivels up, feeling bone-dry, what do you do? When every last drop of spiritual vitality has evaporated, where do you go to fill that lack? Do you reach outside to the world to replenish yourself? Or do you seek solace within to refresh yourself with the Bread of Life and the Living Waters?

When you reach within to draw from the Lord, just as Elijah, He will lead you to drink of the Brook Cherith and command His wings servants to feed you. And when you hunger and thirst after the things of God, you will be filled.

That is God’s promise to you!

Be Ye…

May 7, 2010 By Lynn H Mosher

Part of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount includes the beatitudes. In each one, a blessing is attached when we are…

* poor in spirit
* mournful
* meek
* hungry and thirsty for righteousness
* merciful
* pure in heart
* peacemakers
* persecuted

As has been said, these are be attitudes. We are to have these attitudes within us; we are to be before we can do. Many Christians try to do before they be. I know, bad grammar but correct theology.

After the beatitudes, Jesus says we are the salt of the earth and light of the world. This comes from within, from being righteous. But what is the extent of our being righteous? Jesus said, “For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt. 5:20 NIV)

The lack of the proper righteousness has an eternal downside. If the righteousness within us is not above the righteousness of those Jesus called “hypocrites,” then we will never peek inside heaven’s gate.

What is the blessing of the fourth beatitude? “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.” (Matt. 5:6 NKJV)

After years of doing, I had a lot to unlearn, for much that I did was not of eternal value. I had to reprogram my brain, my heart, and my spirit to first be. I hungered and thirsted after that righteousness and I was filled.

Scripture tells us many times to be something, such as followers, steadfast, separate, kind, thankful, or patient. Peter recaps God’s command from the Old Testament in 1 Peter 1:16 as the King James puts it, “Be ye holy; for I am holy.” He did not say to do holy but to be holy.

Matthew 5:48 says that we are to be perfect as the Father is perfect. I found a translation of this verse that I love. It’s in the Bible in Basic English, which says, “Be then complete in righteousness, even as your Father in heaven is complete.”

If we cannot be as the Word tells us first to be, then we certainly cannot do what the Word tells us to do and have it be of eternal value.

All our being emanates from the heart, for, as a twist on Proverbs 23:7, as one “thinks in his heart, so be he.”

Are you being or doing?