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Apples of Gold
Radio Script for July 12, 2010
“The Kingdom of God is a Matter of These”
Hello, I’m Doug Apple…with Apples of Gold.
The kingdom of God is a matter of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
That’s what it says in Romans 14:17.
So let’s look at those three, starting with righteousness.
Some people’s eyes are glazing over already, just thinking about a five dollar word like righteousness, so just look at the first five letters: right.
We’ve been told to do the right thing, to say the right thing, to think the right thing. If everything about us is right in God’s eyes, from our actions to our attitudes, then we have righteousness.
The problem is, we all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. There is none righteous, no not one, the Bible says.
That’s why the world can be such a wretched place, because it is full of unrighteous people. If everyone lived according to God’s righteousness, the world would be a wonderful place!
But there is good news. God will give us His righteousness. Romans 3:22 says, “This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.”
The kingdom of God is a matter of righteousness, and here is where that righteousness comes into our lives – through faith in Jesus Christ. It’s called being “born again.” I was lost in sin, but Jesus saved me and gave me His righteousness.
And then I lived happily ever after, right? I wish, but that’s not the way it works. Christians still have the choice to sin. We come to forks in the road and we make choices. Romans 6:13 says, “Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God…offer the parts of your body to Him as instruments of righteousness.”
The good news is that we are empowered by the Holy Spirit inside of us to choose righteousness. Ephesians 5:9 says that a fruit of the Spirit is righteousness.
I remember as a young man kind of wanting to do what was right, but feeling powerless to do so, not even really wanting it that badly.
Now, as a believer with the Spirit of God inside me, I have a deep passion to do what is right, and I feel the Spirit stirring within me to empower me to do what is right. I still have the choice to sin, but I am not a slave to sin.
Paul said in both First and Second Timothy to flee evil desires and to pursue righteousness. And he said that all Scripture is useful for instruction in righteousness.
So by faith we receive righteousness from God because we are powerless to be righteous on our own. Then we are empowered by the Spirit to learn and to pursue righteousness.
This all sounds very spiritual, and it is! If you haven’t experienced it yourself, it may all sound like nonsense. But everyone who has truly put their faith in Jesus Christ as the savior from their sins will know what I’m talking about. God makes you right with Him, and gives you the desire to live right for Him. You have a new sense of right and wrong, and a new ability to choose what is right. Yes, it’s an ability that must be trained and sharpened, but this is a cornerstone in the kingdom of God: righteousness.
Second, the kingdom of God is a matter of peace.
First of all, as Christians we have peace with God. Romans 5:1 says, “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
This is something you hear from new believers all the time. They feel a peace inside that they’ve never felt before.
Galatians 5:22 says that one fruit of the Spirit is peace. The Holy Spirit inside of us is producing peace, among other things.
Now once again, we have a choice. We come to forks in the road, and we can choose peace or not. Colossians 3:15 says to “let the peace of God rule in your hearts…” It’s a choice, but clearly the best choice.
Just as Paul told Timothy to pursue righteousness, he also told him to pursue peace.
First Peter 3:11 says to “seek peace and pursue it.”
The good news is that the Holy Spirit will empower us to pursue peace, and to live in peace with God, with others, and with ourselves.
Third, the kingdom of God is a matter joy.
Once again, this is something new Christians often experience, a joy like they have never known, a joy that bubbles up within, almost tangible.
And again, this is a fruit of the Holy Spirit inside of us. First Thessalonians 1:6 calls it “the joy given by the Holy Spirit.”
Galatians 5:22 says that joy is a fruit of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit inside of us is producing joy, among other things.
First Peter 1:8 talks about “joy unspeakable and full of glory.” It says “…you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy.”
Righteousness, peace and joy – these are cornerstones of the kingdom, experienced widely by new believers, but often buried by the struggles of day-to-day living.
So maybe it’s time to renew these in your life. It’s time to pursue them and make them a priority. It’s time to step back and the let the fruit of the Spirit come alive!
For according to Romans 14:17, the kingdom of God is a matter of these: righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
Comments?
E-mail me: dougapple@wave94.com.
May God bless you today! With Apples of Gold…I’m Doug Apple.
© 2010 The Arrow’s Tip
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(Proverbs 25:11 – “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.”)
Why “The Arrow’s Tip”? Each morning, after diligently seeking the Lord, I write Apples of Gold. Then before I release it to the public I pray one final prayer, “Lord, send forth your arrows.” I envision Apples of Gold as arrows, tips dipped in the river of the water of life that flows from the throne of God (Rev. 22:1), sailing toward the hearts and minds of men and women around the world.
Doug Apple
General Manager - Wave 94
Christian Radio for Tallahassee
PO Box 4105
Tallahassee, FL 32315
(850) 926-8000
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