Aug 9,2008

For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Matt 5:20 NKJV.

What does it take? J.Harkins

 It takes courage to stand up for truth, justice, and what is good. How often have we all stood by and heard a friends twist the truth Or commit an injustice for their own gain? And we just stood by and said nothing out of fear that; if we did we would loose their friendship? It takes serious courage to stand up for what is right even when we know that we may loose something because of it. It takes a very strong man or woman to see an injustice done to someone and speak out, we are called to stand up for those who cannot stand for themselves, it is written: Defend the poor and fatherless; Do justice to the afflicted and needy. Deliver the poor and needy; Free them from the hand of the wicked. Psalm 82:3-4 NKJV. If you should find yourself in a particular situation whereas a grave injustice is being committed, do not keep silent don’t think to yourself that: (it was just a coincidence that I was there) It is written: The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD….Psalm 37:23 NKJV. If this is true then wherever we find ourselves at any given time, it has already been preordained by God, One of the many attributes of our God is that he is omnipresence, that is; he is everywhere at once! And it is written: I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings Jeremiah 17:10 NKJV.

I see God as a master chess player, moving his pieces across the board. The pieces are me and you and the board being the earth. Placing us in situations to see if we will keep his statues, precepts and commandments, to see if our ways are the ways of his son! It is written: For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him…… 2 Chronicle16:9 NKJV. Is your heart loyal to him? If it is then you have learned to love the things that he loves: He loves his saints Deut. 33:3 NKJV. He loves righteousness Ps 11:7 NKJV. He loves justice Psalm 33:5 NKJV.He also loved the world that he gave his only son for it John 3:16 NKJV. And last but not least, He loves a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:7 NKJV. And we must also hate the things that he hates. A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil, A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren. Proverbs 6:17-19 NKJV. We must embrace the former and shun the latter.

What does it take?
For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Matt 5:20 NKJV. Our lord has said that our righteousness must exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees, In other words we are called to come up a little higher, if we are to enter into the kingdom of God. Now I want you to pay close attention to this next scripture, now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; 21 nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.”Luke 17:20,21 NKJV. The kingdom of god is within you! Those are profound words, to put it simply the kingdom of heaven is a state of being! In scripture we have been likened to pilgrims and sojourner’s in this life, Moving from one state to another always evolving, Ever changing, Little by little being conformed to the image of the son. Paul says in Philippians 2:12 NKJV. Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; In other words we must be diligent to practice what we hold dear.(The word of God). Paul said: For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.Romans 7:15 NKJV. With practice comes perfection, Therefore we must allow the fruit of the spirit to have precedence in our lives: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. Gal 5:22,23 NKJV. If we put these characteristics into practice long enough they will become second nature.

What does it take? It takes patience to support another person who is trying to rehabilitate himself patience is not just waiting, but waiting with a good attitude, and with hope knowing that god has said: So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please,  And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. , Is 55:11 NKJV.
 It takes concern to donate your time and money with people less fortunate. It takes love to consume less so that more can be shared with others. Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; When you see the naked, that you cover him, And not hide yourself from your own flesh? Is 58:7 NKJV. It takes commitment to follow through on promises made. But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one. Matt 5:37 NKJV. It takes compassion to see “Christ” in every other human being. It takes dedication to continue loving those who act in “unloving” ways. It takes perseverance to work through a personal crisis. And most of all it takes faith to keep believing God’s light will shine in the darkness.

Few serve truth in truth because only few have the pure will to be just, and of those again very few have the strength to be just (Nietzsche).

GEM Ministries is published out of Phoenix, Arizona. I would like to extend my sincerous thanks to all the writers who help make GEM Ministry what it is. Sherri Lynn our resident poet. Anna Popescu and Jannie Davidson, I thank God everyday for each and every one of you. John Christopher.