What's with Your Clothes (Part 2) Do You Need A Garment?

For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil." 1 Peter 3:12

God has made ample provision that we may stand perfect in His grace, wanting in nothing, and waiting for the appearing of our Lord. But are you ready? Have you made every provision to be covered with His wedding garment? Better still! Why does Christ's righteousness need to be imputed to us? In Matthew 5:20, Jesus says that, if His hearers want to enter into the kingdom of heaven, their righteousness must exceed that of the Pharisees, who were the experts in the Law. This is no difference today. We have a number of people who have become experts of the law outwardly. But inwardly, they are nothing more than dead man’s bones.

Then, in Matthew 5:21–48, He proceeds to radically redefine the law from mere outward conformity, which characterized the “righteousness” of the Pharisees, to an obedience of both outward and inward conformity. He says, “You have heard it said, but I say unto you” to differentiate between the way people heard the law taught from how Jesus is reinterpreting it. Obeying the law is more than simply abstaining from killing, committing adultery, and breaking oaths.

It’s more than just getting angry with your brother, lusting in your heart, or making insincere oaths. At the end of Jesus discourse He says, “If you are going to enter the kingdom of heaven. You must exceed the righteousness of the Pharisees, and that comes from being perfect.” At this point, the natural response is, “But I can’t be perfect,” which is absolutely true.

“It is impossible for man to save himself. Christ's righteousness alone can avail for his salvation, and this is the gift of God. This is the wedding garment in which you may appear as a welcome guest at the marriage supper of the Lamb. Let faith take hold of Christ without delay, and you will be a new creature in Jesus, a light to the world. Christ is called "The Lord our righteousness." And through faith each one should say, "The Lord my righteousness." When faith lays hold upon this gift, the praise of God will be upon our lips, and we shall be able to say, "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world."

Have you a sense of want in your soul? Do you hunger and thirst after righteousness? Then this is an evidence that Christ has wrought upon your heart, and created this sense of need, in order that He may be sought after to do those things for you through the endowment of His Holy Spirit which it is impossible for you to do for yourself. The Lord specifies no conditions except that you hunger for His mercy, desire His counsel, and long for His love. "Ask!" The asking makes it manifest that you realize your necessity, and if you ask in faith, you will receive.

So are you covered with Christ Righteousness? That garment will never cover deceit, impurity, corruption, hypocrisy, or a relationship with someone while you are married to another, which is adultery. That garment will never cover fornication which is cheap sex, uncleanness, which is a stinking accumulation of mental and emotional garbage; frenzied and joyless grabs for happiness; idolatry which is the worship of trinket gods; magic-show religion which is sorcery.

That garment will never cover hatred, paranoid loneliness; cutthroat competition; all-consuming-yet-never-satisfied wants; a brutal temper; an impotence to love or be loved, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, and envy. That garment will never cover a divided home and divided lives; small-minded and lopsided pursuits; the vicious habit of depersonalizing anyone into a rival; uncontrolled and uncontrollable addictions; ugly behavior to your community like murders, drunkenness, and revelry.

The Bible says, “The word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Hebrews 4:12. We may conceal our sins from the eyes of men, but we can hide nothing from the Omnipotence - all-powerful God; Omniscience - all-knowing God; and the Omnipresence - all-present God. It is high time for the youth and the little children be taught to choose for themselves that royal robe woven in heaven’s loom—the “fine linen, clean and white,” which all the holy ones of earth will wear. This robe of righteousness, which is Christ’s own spotless character, is freely offered to every human being. But all who receive it will receive and wear it here.

Today there is someone saying, “Decisions must be made, and now I have a choice. I need your wisdom Lord; I need to hear your voice. I’m facing challenges, and the walls are closing in. I'm crying out to you, my one true, Faithful friend.

Hear my prayer oh Lord; I need you in my life. I cry to you Oh, lord. Please lead me to the light. Show me the way, Oh lord, and cleanse me from my sin. I need you Father. I need you once again. I need you today. I ask for forgiveness, I need you once again.

Is this your prayer today? Do you have on God’s clean robe of righteousness? Have you washed your clothes in the blood of the Lamb? If not, why not? Today God and all heaven are working for your good. “Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe:" Romans 3:22-23. “The conditions upon which you may come to God are, not that you shall be holy, but that you shall ask Him to cleanse you from all sin, and purify you from all iniquity. Then why wait longer? Why not take God at His Word, and say, "Here, Lord, I give myself to Thee, 'Tis all that I can do."

A prayerful moment: Today I come to thee my God. Please cleanse me, and clothe me in every way according to your will. Amen!

Song of the day: I Need You Once Again - The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, I'll Say Yes

Thank you for your prayers for this ministry, and may the blessings of the Lord rest on you, and your family always. If you have a comment, write to  comments      

Blessings, Blessing, Blessings

Garden Ministry Devotionals are written by Chaplain Kevin J.T. Santucci

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