Being Happy in an Unhappy Worldනියැදිය

Jesus dramatically demonstrates that happiness is inward. It’s living life “from the inside out.” Happiness begins by allowing the Architect of the Ages to place our life on His potter’s wheel to mold and make us according to His design.

When we come to Him battered, blemished, and broken, He places our clay frame upon His wheel, breaks us, remakes us, and releases us as a vessel of perfection, beauty, and honor. The next time you look in the mirror, tell yourself, “God doesn’t manufacture junk, and He doesn’t sponsor flops. I’m an original expression of God’s creative genius.”

Righteousness is right living according to God’s standard of holiness. As it is written, “Be holy, because I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16, NIV). Our standards of right living are not to be chosen by the herd instinct of our humanistic society.

Humanism has defied man and demoted God to a cosmic bellhop responding to our patronizing tips. Humanistic society states, “I am the captain of my soul and the master of my fate.” But God has published His standard of righteousness in the Word of God, the Bible.

The Bible is the ultimate standard of righteousness for all people all over the world. What is sin in Alabama is sin in Montana, in Europe, in Africa, in Asia, and everywhere else. “In the gospel,” writes Paul, “the righteousness of God is revealed” (Romans 1:17, NIV).

- What attitude should the church take toward a sin-saturated world that protests God’s standard of righteousness as being “out of step with the times”?

- Shall we lower the standard of righteousness so that immoral and godless rogues can sit with comfort in the house of God?

It’s not in our power to lower the standard of righteousness. God has forever established that standard on earth through the life of Jesus Christ. Those who profess to lower the standard to appease complacent congregations are hirelings, not shepherds. They are preaching a false gospel.

Churches are falling away from God’s standard of righteousness. Exchanging eternal, immutable precepts for passing fads. Exchanging Heavenly wisdom for earthly rationalizations. In other words, exchanging the truth for a lie. Righteousness is not living “just a cut above” the pagan next door. It’s right living according to the Word of God.

What about you? The true test of our righteousness comes when the restraints are lifted. Do you hunger for righteousness?