The Sun of Righteousness

Tradition and Wisdom
Teaching and Learning:
Righteousness and Wisdom

Malachi 4:1-6

The Message

The Sun of Righteousness Will Dawn

 ^1-3 "Count on it: The day is coming, raging like a forest fire. All the arrogant people who do evil things will be burned up like stove wood, burned to a crisp, nothing left but scorched earth and ash— a black day. But for you, sunrise! The sun of righteousness will dawn on those who honor my name, healing radiating from its wings. You will be bursting with energy, like colts frisky and frolicking. And you'll tromp on the wicked. They'll be nothing but ashes under your feet on that Day." God-of-the-Angel-Armies says so. ⁴"Remember and keep the revelation I gave through my servant Moses, the revelation I commanded at Horeb for all Israel, all the rules and procedures for right living.
 ^5-6"But also look ahead: I'm sending Elijah the prophet to clear the way for the Big Day of God—the decisive Judgment Day! He will convince parents to look after their children and children to look up to their parents. If they refuse, I'll come and put the land under a curse."

For Reflection
Those that believe in the Now and Future Christ will be bathed in the light of the sun while those who do not believe will still suffer the flames of their disbelief.  The God of the Angle Armies says that we who believe will be bursting with the energy of the Holy Spirit.  Righteous is achieved by those wise enough to follow the laws of Moses.  Wisdom is knowing what to do.  Righteousness is having the courage to follow through.

Pray
that you have the courage to follow your faith.  Pray for the wisdom that leads to righteous living.  Pray that you seek opportunities to improve your faith knowledge and that you continue to grow in grace.

Following Community

God Instructs the People of God

Listening for God in Changing Times:

Respecting Community Standards

Job 2:1-9

The Message

The Second Test: Health
 1-3 One day when the angels came to report to God, Satan also showed up. God singled out Satan, saying, "And what have you been up to?" Satan answered God, "Oh, going here and there, checking things out." Then God said to Satan, "Have you noticed my friend Job? There's no one quite like him, is there—honest and true to his word, totally devoted to God and hating evil? He still has a firm grip on his integrity! You tried to trick me into destroying him, but it didn't work."

 4-5 Satan answered, "A human would do anything to save his life. But what do you think would happen if you reached down and took away his health? He'd curse you to your face, that's what."

 6 God said, "All right. Go ahead—you can do what you like with him. But mind you, don't kill him."

 7-8 Satan left God and struck Job with terrible sores. Job was ulcers and scabs from head to foot. They itched and oozed so badly that he took a piece of broken pottery to scrape himself, then went and sat on a trash heap, among the ashes.

 9 His wife said, "Still holding on to your precious integrity, are you? Curse God and be done with it!"

For Reflection
Even in you most intimate community there are those whose council, while given in good faith, seduces you into doubt and unGodly thought and deed.  Think of a time when you felt pressure to walk away from commitment to God.  Like Job, are willing to suffer for God's sake?

Pray
prayers of confession.  Seek God's forgiveness for those week moments of doubt and transgression.  Pray for His help in forming and participating in communities that reflect The Way.

Walking in Integrity

God Instructs the People of God

Listening for God in Changing Times:

Respecting Community Standards


Psalm 26:1-11

The Message

A David Psalm
 1 Clear my name, God; I've kept an honest shop.
   I've thrown in my lot with you, God, and
      I'm not budging.

 2 Examine me, God, from head to foot,
      order your battery of tests.
   Make sure I'm fit
      inside and out

 3 So I never lose
      sight of your love,
   But keep in step with you,
      never missing a beat.

 4-5 I don't hang out with tricksters,
      I don't pal around with thugs;
   I hate that pack of gangsters,
      I don't deal with double-dealers.

 6-7 I scrub my hands with purest soap,
      then join hands with the others in the great circle,
      dancing around your altar, God,
   Singing God-songs at the top of my lungs,
      telling God-stories.

 8-10 God, I love living with you;
      your house glows with your glory.
   When it's time for spring cleaning,
      don't sweep me out with the quacks and crooks,
   Men with bags of dirty tricks,
      women with purses stuffed with bribe-money.

 11-12 You know I've been aboveboard with you;
      now be aboveboard with me.
   I'm on the level with you, God;
      I bless you every chance I get.

For Reflection
What joy the psalmist must feel.  He declares his commitment to God and sings praises to His glory. He tries to hold council with other good people and asks repeatedly for God to purify him and to guide his daily activity.

Pray
the prayer of the psalmist.  Read the passages again as a prayer and add actions which are specific to you.

Integrity of Heart

God Instructs the People of God

Listening for God in Changing Times:

Respecting Community Standards

1 Kings 9:1-5

The Message

 1-2 After Solomon had completed building The Temple of God and his own palace, all the projects he had set his heart on doing, God appeared to Solomon again, just as he had appeared to him at Gibeon.

 3-5 And God said to him, "I've listened to and received all your prayers, your ever-so-passionate prayers. I've sanctified this Temple that you have built: My Name is stamped on it forever; my eyes are on it and my heart in it always. As for you, if you live in my presence as your father David lived, pure in heart and action, living the life I've set out for you, attentively obedient to my guidance and judgments, then I'll back your kingly rule over Israel, make it a sure thing on a solid foundation. The same guarantee I gave David your father I'm giving you: 'You can count on always having a descendant on Israel's throne.'

For Reflection
Integrity.  Easy to say -- not always easy to do.  God answers prayers.  God only asks that we be obedient to His word living in His presence.

Pray
that you remain faithful to Gods will.  Pray that you will listen closely to God's guidance. 

The Blameless Walk

God Instructs the People of God

Listening for God in Changing Times:

Respecting Community Standards

Psalm 15

The Message

A David Psalm
 1 God, who gets invited to dinner at your place?
   How do we get on your guest list?

 2 "Walk straight,
      act right,
         tell the truth.

 3-4 "Don't hurt your friend,
      don't blame your neighbor;
         despise the despicable.

 5 "Keep your word even when it costs you,
      make an honest living,
         never take a bribe.

   "You'll never get
   blacklisted
   if you live like this."

For Reflection
Walk blamelessly,  How are you doin'?

Pray
That you live a blameless live.  Pray for forgiveness when you feel that you have not met the blameless standard.  Focus your prayer on one troublesome area where you missed the mark.

Pray for the Faith Community

God Instructs the People of God

Listening for God in Changing Times:

Respecting Community Standards

Philippians 1:3-11

The Message (MSG)

A Love That Will Grow

 ^3-6Every time you cross my mind, I break out in exclamations of thanks to God. Each exclamation is a trigger to prayer. I find myself praying for you with a glad heart. I am so pleased that you have continued on in this with us, believing and proclaiming God's Message, from the day you heard it right up to the present. There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears. ^7-8It's not at all fanciful for me to think this way about you. My prayers and hopes have deep roots in reality. You have, after all, stuck with me all the way from the time I was thrown in jail, put on trial, and came out of it in one piece. All along you have experienced with me the most generous help from God. He knows how much I love and miss you these days. Sometimes I think I feel as strongly about you as Christ does!
 ^9-11So this is my prayer: that your love will flourish and that you will not only love much but well. Learn to love appropriately. You need to use your head and test your feelings so that your love is sincere and intelligent, not sentimental gush. Live a lover's life, circumspect and exemplary, a life Jesus will be proud of: bountiful in fruits from the soul, making Jesus Christ attractive to all, getting everyone involved in the glory and praise of God.
 

For Reflection
Can you imagine what it must have been like in those first formative years of the Christian faith?  How confusing it must have seemed to the new converts, to say nothing of the confusion Jews faced.  Paul writes often to confirm their covenant relationships and to support their new found faith.  Paul focuses them on the central issue, love.  Still today Christianity can confuse.  How does it help when you become confused to turn to that central principle, LOVE?

Pray
that you live a live a live guided by sincere love.  Pray that you live a life that is attractive to all.

Ready to Share

God Instructs the People of God

Listening for God in Changing Times:

Empowering the Needy

1 Timothy 6:11-19

The Message

 ^11-12But you, Timothy, man of God: Run for your life from all this. Pursue a righteous life—a life of wonder, faith, love, steadiness, courtesy. Run hard and fast in the faith. Seize the eternal life, the life you were called to, the life you so fervently embraced in the presence of so many witnesses. ^13-16I'm charging you before the life-giving God and before Christ, who took his stand before Pontius Pilate and didn't give an inch: Keep this command to the letter, and don't slack off. Our Master, Jesus Christ, is on his way. He'll show up right on time, his arrival guaranteed by the Blessed and Undisputed Ruler, High King, High God. He's the only one death can't touch, his light so bright no one can get close. He's never been seen by human eyes—human eyes can't take him in! Honor to him, and eternal rule! Oh, yes.
 ^17-19Tell those rich in this world's wealth to quit being so full of themselves and so obsessed with money, which is here today and gone tomorrow. Tell them to go after God, who piles on all the riches we could ever manage—to do good, to be rich in helping others, to be extravagantly generous. If they do that, they'll build a treasury that will last, gaining life that is truly life.

For Reflection 

Timothy is asked to forsake his worldly persona and be transformed into a Christ centered person who lives in the hollow of God's hand.

Pray
for "a life of wonder, faith, love, steadiness, courtesy.  Pray that you "Seize the eternal life, the life you were called to, the life you so fervently embraced in the presence of so many witnesses.