October 5

Jeremiah 4:19-6:15, Colossians 1:18-2:7, Psalm 77:1-20, Proverbs 24:23-25

Pray: Lord Jesus, You are the head of the church of whom I am a part. My righteousness is a gift from You. All I must do is receive it and declare it when accused. Help me to receive and share what You have done for me.

Read: (Colossians 1:21-22) "This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault."

Edify: Our righteousness is not a result of anything we have done. Rather, our righteousness is imputed to us through Christ. It is His gift to us. By one man, Adam, sin entered into the world and defiled the whole creation. By one man, Christ Jesus, the price and penalty for all sins was paid. He reconciled us to God by taking our places on the cross. His righteousness is a gift but it is a gift we must receive. We can tell we have opened His gift for us because we find ourselves hungering and thirsting for His presence. Paul goes on to say that we must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it.

Practice: See yourself as God sees you…forgiven, righteous, and reconciled. See yourself beginning on a journey towards perfection. You are right with God, so like the game of monopoly you may pass go and begin a walk towards total restoration.