Today’s Bible Reading
February 21

Old Testament 1
Exodus 12:21-51

12:36 And the LORD had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they granted them what they requested. Thus they plundered the Egyptians.

As God’s children, we receive God’s favor and His favor speaks for us.


Old Testament 2
Psalms 45 & 46

God loves righteousness and hates wickedness.

How can we be righteous? What is wickedness ?

What is wickedness?

According to the Scriptures, Wickedness is simply Sin. (Matthew 7:23, Mark 7:22,  Acts 3:26, Romans 1:18, Romans 6:19).

Let’s flee from sin/wickedness.

How then can man be righteous before God?

– Job 25:4 (NKJV)

This is the most important question one can ever ask.

It then behooves us to answer it correctly because our life, literally, depends on it. We must settle this question biblically, for it is a matter of life and death.

The Bible talks about two ways man can be righteous before God.

The first one is by the works of the Law.

To be justified (or declared righteous) by the Law is to seek to be righteous before God by keeping the Law of Moses. In other words, it is to be righteous by works.

And the Bible says that no man can be justified before God by works. This is because the Law demands perfect obedience of all it commands–in thought, emotion, motive, word and deed–in order for man to be justified by it.

Paul tells us this when he writes, “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is everyone that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: …” (Galatians 3:10-11).

The Law demands that curses befall anyone who doesn’t keep it perfectly (see Deuteronomy 28:15-68). Those who keep the Law are under a curse, because they are not keeping the whole of it perfectly. And because they aren’t, they cannot be righteous before God by the works of the Law.

Since utter perfection is beyond any human being, no one therefore can be righteous before God by works.

The other way, which is the only way, to be justified by God is by faith.

Paul writes, “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous” (Romans 5:19 NKJV).

All human beings are born as sinners, even before they sin, because Adam’s disobedience of eating from the forbidden tree made them so.

Those who keep the Law are under a curse, because they are not keeping the whole of it perfectly.

But once anyone gets born again by believing in what Jesus did at the cross, he ceases to be a sinner, and becomes righteous because of the obedience of Jesus Christ at Calvary.

This is what it means to be righteous by faith.

And this righteousness, once received, cannot be lost. It is an “everlasting righteousness” (Daniel 9:24). This righteousness cannot be lost by sin, because it never came by the believer’s obedience to begin with, but by Jesus’ obedience.

This is the gospel.

“How then can man be righteous before God?”

The answer: by faith alone.

(Contributions :Charles Mwendwa.

Visit: www.charlesmwendwamusamba.wordpress.com for more explanation).


New Testament
Acts 6

6:1 Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution.

When your community starts growing, there are some types of challenges that start showing up. It's normal because different people have different views and values. It's how you manage the situation that counts. The Disciples and the few new converts earlier had no problem with sharing what they had together. But as they grew bigger, the distribution became an issue and they managed it well by appointing more leaders to handle it. They didn't just appoint those leaders though, they appointed worthy leaders filled with the Holy Spirit and faithful. These were not preferences chosen by the Disciples, the rest of the people bear witness.

Some of the issues in church today require wise strategic management as much as prayer. The Disciples didn't just start casting the spirit of disunity or confusion away. They prayed and chose more leaders to manage.


Action point

Live a Godly life that others can testify about

Live righteously


Quote

“God will allow His servant to succeed when he has learned that success does not make him dearer to God nor more valuable in the total scheme of things, We cannot buy God's favor”
-A.W Tozer


Prayer

1. Thank God for His favor for you

2. Thank God for being your strength and refuge

3. Ask for God’s mercy

4. Pray for the power of Holy Spirit

5. Pray for God's favour on your life

6. Pray that God increase your faith

7. Pray for the wisdom of God for the leaders in the church and for yourself

8. Pray for the manifestation of God's power through you


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