INSPIRED BY RIGHTEOUS APPRECIATION
Ninth of Kingdom Kids devotion series explaining Jesus’ LORDship over our lives.
Ecclesiastes 12: 13: “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.”
Believers-in-Christ are free. Jesus brought God’s new covenant of grace so that people are set free from obeying God’s Law. Aren’t we grateful for that freedom? No person (except Jesus, God’s Son) successfully obeyed God’s Law perfectly. Jesus could only keep His Father’s Law because He IS God!
It is only from our faith in Jesus and His finished work on the cross that we are forgiven, aligned with, adopted as God’s, and offered eternal life.
Righteous appreciation stops short of people’s obligation to keep God’s commandments, His Law. God NEVER begged His kids to obey the Ten Commandments. (That’s the whole purpose of God gifting people free will). See the lesson linked below to learn how Moses received those Ten Commandments that God wrote on two chiseled stone tablets and what happened to them.
If we want to claim God’s authority and power to achieve victory over our circumstances, then we must align our personal lives accordingly. The Bible teaches truths for us to copy for a victorious living. We either choose victory over our circumstances or allow our circumstances to reign over us. Victory ought to be all the inspiration we need.
We can imagine Jesus’ eye roll at one Pharisee who was an “expert” in God’s Law. He tested Jesus in Matthew 22:26: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
Matthew 22:27 says that Jesus answered, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
In John 13:34, Jesus added, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”
Take Home Nugget
The opening Scripture is Solomon’s teaching that no one attends seminary to learn. It applies to every person. When we obey this one specific instruction—it ought to inspire obedience—because the righteous know that the unrighteous live in fear of judgment!
God’s kids appreciate God’s grace. It’s only by grace that we’re righteous. It’s only by grace that we’re here. What is the connection between your obedience to God and His grace?
Holy Father, Your commands challenge me to obey. My obedience is the only way that I can demonstrate, or show appreciation for the grace that You bless me. Thank You for sending Jesus! Thank You for the freedom that allows me to live by Your grace. Amen.
Adapted from “Our Motivation” by Dr. Tony Evans. January 23, 2018. Check out Alternative at www.LightSource.com
J.D. Griffith
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