THE RIGHEOUS - PART 3

MONDAY 01 AUGUST 2022

The righteous is raised in the house of God through the Spirit of truth and holiness appointed to run the body of Christ in wisdom and power. It is where we receive spiritual gifts and use them for the common good of all, which in turn, strengthens our faith convictions and positions us to be mutually encouraged by each other's faith. Let's find out more.

Reference: Psalm 92:12-15 New International Version (NIV) "The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, "The Lord is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him."

In part three of this wonderful topic, I'm going to share the benefits of being planted in the house of the Lord, which is the third reward of the righteous, in the order of mention, according to above referenced verses. Taking into consideration as a whole, the house of the Lord is a place of worship and honour and we must treat it with favourable conviction because the church has a good report, which supports the development of our Christian faith by means filling us with knowledge and understanding of the Word that empowers us to fully participate in the divine experiences, as we face the world.

When a crop is a planted or sown, it is watered and grown extensively to become fruitful. When plants of the same kind are cultivated at one place on a large scale, they become stronger and richer in demonstrating their faith, in all manifestation and in all aspects of emergence (I mean the people of God). However, planting and cultivating any crop involves a solid knowledge of the soil conditions. This is why it is important that you are planted at the right place of worship where the Word of God is taught with the revelation of accurate truths. When you are planted at the right place or spiritual environment, you'll have fewer concerns about soil contamination, because of the Spirit's ability to control or govern the temperature and other aspects of the growing environment. For instance, when the Spirit of God is in charge in a church, He creates favourable conditions for good spiritual growth, successful soul germination, emergence and raising of young plants (babes in Christ), root depth, plant development, grain formation and sustained productivity or fruitfulness. This is what our referenced Scripture means by "planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God."

To be planted in the house of God, specifically the right place, means that you are properly established in a spiritual environment where you can achieve the best yields. Just as it is essential to provide plants with the best soil conditions for their development, it is of paramount importance that you worship God at the right place. To be planted in the house of God also means that you have zero tolerance for worldly distractions. You are like a tree in God's garden and nothing will ever move you. You are quick to shun evil and its appearances because your root is located in eternal fountain, which is the Word. Thus, your establishment cannot be affected by any outside force or negativity because you're taught and inspired to practise the right and great principles, prescribed, and derived from the Holy Scriptures as specified, which eliminate unwanted weeds in your life to a large extent.

The righteous serves and worships in the house of God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings. What is that assurance? They are designed to flourish in the courts of our God. They practise their task of witnessing Christ, because their hearts are filled with the inner workings of the Spirit. In the courts of the Lord, we are divinely clothed with the armour of power by which we face the world with a "victory" mindset. Functioning effectively in the house of God is not time wasting because it empowers us to hold on to the hope we profess unswervingly, bearing in mind that we serve a faithful God. It positions us to grow strong in faith and to spur one another on toward love and good deeds. No wonder Hebrews 10:25 encourages us not to give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but to often gather together, encouraging one another—and all the more, as we expect the day of the Lord's return. Stay tuned for part 4. Shalom!

Scripture Reading - Psalm 122:1; Acts 2:42-44; Roman's 12:1-2; Hebrews 12:28-29.

Exuberant declaration: I thank God for my access to the power of the Holy Spirit and the enduring truths of the Scripture which empower me to serve Him in spirit and in truth. In the house of God, I experience true worship because I'm consciously trained, reproved, corrected and instructed in righteousness, thereby taking root downward on a firm foundation and bearing fruit upward. My progress unfolds and sprouts in the right soil, and I fill my world with the fruit of righteousness, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. Blessed be God!