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Bible studies |
Dear God, Cause us to hunger and thirst for your Word and your righteousness so much so that we will seek it first. Fills us with your righteousness so that our lights will shine for your glory. Let us be so righteous that we are like a city on a hill that can not be hid. In Jesus’ name, Amen Matthew 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Song: As A Dear https://youtu.be/sVoQjxVGy-0 Like 6:21 Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh. Hunger Definition of Hunger: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hunger 1a : a craving or urgent need for food or a specific nutrient b : an uneasy sensation occasioned by the lack of food The small meal wasn't enough to satisfy his hunger. c : a weakened condition brought about by prolonged lack of food died of hunger 2 : a strong desire : craving a hunger for success from hunger The main definition that sticks out to me in the merriam-webster dictionary the most is a strong desire or craving. Here is what Wikipedia says. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hunger “the commonly understood meaning of hunger as a painful or uncomfortable motivational condition” Hunger means that I am in need. It brings an awareness of my condition of being in need.Hunger doesn't usually go away until it is aleviated by food. It can get painful if you don't eat when you are hungry. They say if you don't feed your hunger for so long though, it will eventually go away. You won't feel it anymore. In the same way, if you ignore your hunger for righteousness too long, you will lose it too. Don't ignore your hunger for righteousness. It is a blessing. Even as babes in Christ (new Christians) we should hunger for righteousness and God's Word. 1 Peter 2:2-3 ▼ Just try seeking him first for awhile and see if he doesn't bless you. Hunger for righteousness so you can be filled. Psalms 34:8 ▼ Effects of hunger: https://bcbstwelltuned.com/2017/12/08/physical-mental-effects-hunger/ https://la.utexas.edu/users/hcleaver/357L/357Lsum_s4_Aykroyd_Ch2.html https://www.dw.com/en/how-the-body-copes-with-hunger/a-15478749 https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20190429-why-food-poverty-is-a-health-time-bo... Thirst Definition of thirst: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thirst 1a : a sensation of dryness in the mouth and throat associated with a desire for liquids also : the bodily condition (as of dehydration) that induces this sensation b : a desire or need to drink 2 : an ardent desire : CRAVING, LONGING a thirst for success thirst verb thirsted; thirsting; thirsts Definition of thirst (Entry 2 of 2) intransitive verb 1 : to feel thirsty : suffer thirst 2 : to crave vehemently and urgently thirsted for revenge thirsting after justice The definition that stands out to me in the merriam-webster dictionary is an ardent desire, a craving, a longing. Here is what Wikipedia says. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thirst While a dear pants because it is thirsty, it will also pant with thirst because it is seeking shelter from something chasing it. The instinct of the deer is to put the water between itself and what is pursuing it. From this example, we can put Jesus between us and our problems. Water is restraining as well a refreshing, restoring, and rejuvenating. Psalms 42:1-2 ▼ The woman at the well was thirsty. Jesus didn't start out condemning her, he talked to her about what was needed. He talked to her about her thirst. John 4:7-15 ▼ Be thirsty for God. Psalms 63:1 ▼ Psalms 143:6 ▼ Effects of thirst: https://www.medicinenet.com/thirst/symptoms.htm https://www.popsci.com/dehydration-death-thirst-water/ https://sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2019/neuroscience-thirst-brain-tells-look-wat... https://www.healthgrades.com/right-care/symptoms-and-conditions/thirst Jesus as food Jesus is the bread of life. Jesus is what satisfies people’s hunger and thirst for righteousness. John 6:32-35 ▼ Jesus gives living water. John 4:10 ▼ God's Word is food for our souls. Here is a link to 100 Scriptures about it. https://www.openbible.info/topics/the_word_of_god_is_like_water Righteousness Song: I Am Tine I Lord https://youtu.be/IMrgaV9pqUo Definition of Righteousness: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/righteous 1 : acting in accord with divine or moral law : free from guilt or sin 2a : morally right or justifiable a righteous decision b : arising from an outraged sense of justice or morality righteous indignation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Righteousness https://www.gotquestions.org/righteousness.html Righteousness is to be in the right standing in your relationship with God. It is justification and sanctification, desiring a continuing righteousness. Jesus died in our place so we could have righteousness through him. 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 ▼ Justification is being legally declared innocent, not guilty. We receive this justification when we accept Christ as our Savior. God wipes our sin-slate clean. He removes our sins and guilt from us as far as the East is from the West. Justification wipes away all sin and guilt regardless the level of our sanctification. Psalms 103:12 ▼ Romans 3:20-26 ▼ Our righteousness is not our own self-righteousness. We are given the gift of the righteousness of Christ to put on like a garment. Philippians 3:8-11 ▼ Righteousness is the sacrifice of our self-wil in exchange for following God's will. Our self-will is saturated in unrighteousness. This is why self-righteousness doesn't work. Unrighteousness is the reason for fighting, wars, and unrest. James 4:1-3 ▼ After we are saved, we grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ This is known as Sanctification. Sanctification is an ongoing process and a once completed action. Sanctification causes us to hunger and thirst for righteousness. 2 Peter 3:18 ▼ Salvation, righteousness, justification, and sanctification are gifts from God. Ephesians 2:8-10 ▼ Effects of righteousness: Good works and deeds should be viewed as a fruit (result) of righteousness because we have Christ’s righteousness, a gift given by God in someone's life as apposed to self-righteousness. True righteousness starts and ends with God. Man has nothing to do with it. It is impossible for man to produce that kind of righteousness on his own. Romans 3:10-12 ▼ Righteousness is concerned with what is best in the long run. It brings a much deeper satisfaction than if you choose what goes with immediate gratification. We have joy and anticipation waiting to reap our righteous rewards. Hebrews 12:2-4 ▼ Where are you looking for your satisfaction? Money? Family? Job? Hobby? Routine? Career? Possessions? Food? Anything physical in this world will not fulfil your need spiritually for righteousness. Everything physical is only temporary. We should pay attention to what we are hungry for. What are you hungry for? Pizza? Chips, hamburgers, fries, salad, fruit, etc...? There are certain foods that will fill you with nutrition. Then, there are “junk” foods that are not very nutritious. Do you hunger to have your nutritional needs met and to be satisfied with better health and a better lifestyle in the long run? Are you hungry for righteousness? Or do you hunger for “junk” that will temporarily satisfy you now loaded with flavor enhancers, preservatives, carbs, fat, calories, and sodium? Do you hunger to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season or will you crave what is better for you in the long run? The first set of four beatitudes describe righteousness in justification. These first four have us broken, greiving over our sin, quietly waiting upon God, and lingering and thirsting for righteousness (with all of our mind, heart, soul, and strength). The second set of four beatitudes describe righteousness in sanctification. This second set of four have us merciful towards others, pure, peacemaking, and being persecuted for righteousness. We realize we are empty and in need of the first four beatitudes. After we are filled with righteousness, the next four beatitudes describe what we become as a result of having the Holy Spirit in us and producing his fruit in us. Righteousness produces peace. Isaiah 32:17-18 ▼ Righteousness makes our prayers efficient and effective. James 5:15-16 ▼ Proverbs 15:29 ▼ Righteousness renews us. 2 Corinthians 5:17 ▼ Romans 12:2 ▼ Righteousness is a defense against sin. 1 John 5:18 ▼ Proverbs 2:7-9 ▼ Righteousness makes us more Christ-like. 2 Peter 1:3-4 ▼ Righteousness leads us into the kingdom of heaven. Romans 14:17 ▼ Righteousness results in blessedness and happiness. Jesus was known as a man of sorrows, yet because of righteousness, he was happier than his fellows. Isaiah 53:3 ▼ Hebrews 1:9 ▼ Paths of Righteousness: Psalms 23:1-3 1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Proverbs 2:1-9 1 My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; 2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; 3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; 4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; 5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. 6 For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. 7 He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly. 8 He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints. 9 Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path. Psalms 11:7 For the righteous Lord loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright. Romans 10:9-10 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. John 6:28-29 28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? 29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. 2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Ephesians 3:17-19 17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. The path to righteousness is found through faith in Jesus Christ. It is the righteousness of God within a person put into action by faith that produces the desired result. Confession is good for the soul because we are cleansed from unrighteousness by God. If we are truly repentant of our sins, there will be a desire to change. He cleanses us from ALL unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 ▼ To Be Filled Fill means 1. cause (a space or container) to become full or almost full. "I filled the bottle with water" 2. become an overwhelming presence in; pervade. Being filled means to be completely satisfied, lacking nothing. God fulfills your deepest desires when you look to him for satisfaction. You must seek him with an earnest passion. Luke 11:9-10 ▼ The Holy Spirit fills us with the righteousness of Christ. The same Spirit that filled the temple in the wilderness and Solomon's temple, fills us. We are now the temple. Exodus 40:34-35 ▼ 2 Chronicles 7:1-3 ▼ 1 Corinthians 6:19 ▼ We need to be careful what we seek to be filled with. Do you seek temporary pleasure? Do you seek spiritual fulfillment or physical fulfillment? John 6:26-27 ▼ To be filled in a spiritual sense is, “My cup runneth over”. However, seeking the world will always end in emptiness. Ecclesiastes 2:10-11 ▼ Putting It All Together The first 3 beatitudes have to do with us. We take a good hard look at ourselves. We see weakness and sin. We see selfishness and pride. We see the poor condition of our spirit. Then we mourn because of it. We go to Jesus, the solution to our sinfulness, and surrender our lives to him. We humble ourselves and become meek. Our relationship to others and the world has changed. Our focus begins to change. We realize the helplessness of our own condition. We desire to be righteous but aren't able to be righteous without the grace of God through Jesus Christ. We need the righteousness of Christ. Hunger and thirst both means our body is in need of something. We don't need to filled with food and drink if we aren't empty. We become hungry, thirsty, and in need when we are lacking something. Pain and discomfort is often our body’s way of telling us it is lacking or in need. Don't stop reading the Bible because it convicts you of sin and makes you feel bad about it. The Bible never tells you to dislike, belittle, or hate yourself because you are a dirty little sinner. (I used to self-loathe too.) The Bible makes you aware of sin to push you to run into the arms of our loving God, not away from him, for forgiveness. He desires us to be in right relationship with him, and he has laid out in the Bible exactly how to do that. He has set boundaries and laws in place for our benefits, not to be a buzz-kill. He wants to give us every good thing. His laws lead to stability, peace, joy, and overall well-being. James 1:12-17 ▼ Hunger and thirst are signs of life and evidence of health. Zeal is great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or an objective. Hungering and thirsting after righteousness creates in us a great zeal to obtain righteousness. The righteousness we hunger and thirst for is to be made right with God. We have a great need to be changed from a guilty sinner before God to an innocent and uncondemned righteous person. We can not do anything to earn this righteousness.It is a gift from God for putting your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. After we receive this legal justification, God gives us the Holy Spirit. Through the Holy Spirit, we receive conviction and sorrow for our sins. We become repentant, mourning over our sin, and desire to change our sinful behavior to be more like Christ and free from sin. We desire righteousness to be set free from the power of sin so that we can have a perfect relationship with God the Father. We know we are hungry for righteousness when we are aware of our unrighteousness, we don't have to be persuaded to spend time with God, when we only take in what will satisfy, when we take advantage of the opportunity to obtain this righteousness, and when this righteousness is always on our mind because we are continuously thinking about it. A desire to spend time reading the Bible and in prayer, spending time with the savior comes naturally for the true Christian. God always satisfies the longing and hungry soul with goodness. Psalms 107:9 ▼ We hunger and thirst for righteousness by first being poor in spirit, mourning over our sin, and being meek. When we are emptied of self, we can be filled with Christ and his righteousness. We can then delight ourselves in the Lord. Psalms 37:3-5 ▼ My mother used to explain Salvation to me unintentionally in a way that was false. She would tell me there was Salvation when someone asked Jesus into their heart. Then later as the knew more about God then they would surrender their will to God and dedicate their life to him, like it was 2 different levels of commitment in Salvation. Surrender was a choice. She thought you could be saved without being fully surrendered to Christ. Let me tell you it is not enough to just accept Jesus as your Savior and “believe” he exists. We must act upon this belief. True faith is backed by action. James 2:19-26 ▼ If we believe Jesus is the Messiah and the King of Kings, we need to act upon that belief and surrender our will to his will. We must be willing to be transformed by God. We must be born again, remade by him spiritually. We can not be truly saved and be comfortable to remain in our sin at the same time. I had to learn this the hard way. John 3:3 ▼ Romans 12:1-2 ▼ One day, when we are in Heaven and God takes away all of our pain, suffering, and tears, it will be because we will no longer be in need. We will no longer lack any good thing. We will be glorified with Christ and filled with his righteousness. Hallelujah! Revelation 21:3-7 ▼ Don't take the word of God for granted. It is a gift from God too. Amos 8:11 ▼ Here are some of my thoughts about applying spirituality to the physical. "Spirituality and physical food"  Reputation A reputation is the beliefs or opinions that are generally held about someone or something. "His reputation was tarnished by allegations that he had taken bribes." It is a widespread belief that someone or something has a particular habit or characteristic. This is a definition got from the Internet when I googled the word reputation. We are what we eat. What we take into our bodies becomes a part of us. As you think you are. If you constantly take in violence, materialism, money, or anything else this world has to offer, you become personified by it. What we take in also comes out one way or another. The things we do will define who we are. Other people define our reputation by the things they see us do. Even a child is known by his doings. Proverbs 20:11 ▼ If you want to be known as righteous, do what is right. Romans 14:18-19 18 For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men. 19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. Blessed We are blessed because we are spiritually wealthy, even if we are poor physically. We have a blessedness inwardly that lifts us above the shadows and care of our physical life. We hunger and thirst for righteousness because we are alive in Christ. Dead people don't physically hunger or thirst. 2 Corinthians 8:9 ▼ When the world and the church objectively seek success, happiness, acceptance, fame, popularity, wealth, earthy possessions, or anything else before righteousness, they will never achieve it to the fullest. They will never be completely satisfied. They will always want more and more. There will always be something missing. To reach the ultimate state of happiness and blessedness, you must seek God and his righteousness first, above anything else. It just won't work any other way. Before the fall of man in the Garden of Eden, man had perfect righteousness and was declared good by God. Even though we have not yet been restored to the righteousness we had before the fall, we are blessed by simply desiring it and seeking it wholeheartedly. True blessedness only comes with the pursuit of righteousness. Do not make the mistake of seeking after your physical needs above your spiritual need of righteousness. Genesis 1:26-31 ▼ Matthew 6:24-34 ▼ The pleasure of sin is only temporary. Unrighteousness does not bring blessedness or perfect happiness. It only brings temporary pleasure and usually more pain. Sin is spiritually a crime against God or his laws. Hebrews 11:24-26 ▼ We were made to want to be a part of God's kingdom. While we should desire to avoid sin, we must still live in this physical world. I have thought to myself before that if you want to live a completely holy life, you might need to live off the grid out in the wilderness somewhere away from everyone and everything. However, we are to live peacefully with others and not completely separated from any and all contact with anyone else. When Jesus prayed in the garden, he didn't pray God would remove us from the world all together. He prayed God would protect us from the evil in it. John 17:15-18 ▼ If our relationship with Christ is about serving others and putting others before self, it would makes more sense to be in contact with others and to learn to get along with and interact with other people. Wrapping It Up We must passionately commit our life to the righteousness and glory of God. We should pursue righteousness like we pursue food and drink every day as though our life and strength depends upon it because it does. If you want to truly be satisfied and filled, we must seek God and his kingdom above anything else. The righteousness and glory of God should be our number one priority. Matthew 5:48 ▼ The purpose of righteousness is to restore the relationship between God and us, to protect us from sin, to make us more like Jesus, and to bring us into the kingdom of God. A righteous person: 1. Turns from evil and avoids unrighteousness. Isaiah 33:15-16 ▼ 2. Values justice, judgement, and wisdom. Psalms 106:3 ▼ Psalms 37:29-31 ▼ 3. Doesn't worry or fear in difficult times. Psalms 112:6-8 ▼ 4. Relies on God to provide. Matthew 6:33 ▼ 5. Has integrity. Matthew 5:20 ▼ 6. Lives by the Spirit and not the flesh. Romans 8:1-6 ▼ 7. Spends time in God's Word. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 ▼ 8. Lives by faith. Romans 1:17 ▼ 9. Obeys God's commands. Romans 2:13 ▼ James 2:21-24 ▼ 10. Loves like God loves. 1 John 4:11-12 ▼ 11. Is generous. Psalms 37:21 ▼ 12. Seeks peace. Colossians 3:12-17 ▼ 13. Sows Righteousness. Hosea 10:12 ▼ Revelations 19:7-8 ▼ Our righteousness must exceed the self-righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees in Jesus’ day. Matthew 5:20 ▼ Matthew chapter 5 is about righteousness. Verses 21-26 tell us not to kill or sustain anger against our brothers. Verses 27-30 tell us to not commit adultery or look upon others lustfully. Veerses 31 and 32 Don't make peace with a hardness of heart or divorce. Verses 33-37 talk about keeping oaths and not giving oaths just to be believed. Verses 38-42 say to turn the other cheek and repay evil with good. Verses 43-48 Tell us to love both our neighbors and enemies and to pray for them. If you will notice here, the motive and intent of the heart counts when God judges our thoughts, words, and deeds. A lustful look is the same as adultery. A covetous desire is the same as theft. Uncontrolled and unprovoked anger is the same as murder. What is in your heart? Righteousness is showing mercy to other people. It seeks peace. It is having a pure heart before God because he looks on the heart. Righteousness seeks peace with all men with everything you have in you. It is pursuing peace passionately. Romans 12:18-21 ▼ The sermon on the mount ends in Matthew chapter 7 with a warning. Only the people who do God's will can enter into the kingdom of heaven. Just because you call on him, “Lord! Lord!”, and do good deeds or even miracles in his name does not mean you will be in Heaven. Matthew 7:21-23 ▼ What are you looking and seeking for? What do you truly want? What are your priorities? Are you seeking the kingdom of God first and God's righteousness? Or are you seeking a job, a different car, a bigger house, more money, more possessions, other relationships, drugs, alcohol, food, etc...? All these things are just things. They might bring temporary pleasure, but in the end they bring emptiness and vanity. Seek righteousness first, then all your physical needs and then some are promised by God. Make yourself delighted in the Lord and he will be delighted in you. What are you living for? What is your life’s purpose? Hunger and thirst for righteousness. Seek God's will. Get your heart right with him before it is too late. Get to know him and let him really know you and search your heart. Psalms 139:23-24 ▼ Quote by C. S. Lewis: “If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.” Song: You Are My All in All https://youtu.be/zC617kE1maU Resources ▼  |
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