Memorize: 1John 2:28-29
28 And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. 29 If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.
Read: Luke 13:24-30.
When a person becomes born again, there is so much joy in heaven in that the angels of the Light rejoice. Just like when a family has an addition on earth, no one knows at the time of birth what the child would turn out to be. Some children turn out later to be imbeciles, street thugs, drug addicts, criminals and the like. No father at birth wishes that his child should so become. But somehow, they just happen to be. If most of the vagabonds in society had stayed to listen to the counsel of their ‘good’ father, they would perhaps have turned out better. In the end, when they turn out in terrible forms, the parents are not proud to point them out. So is the way also in the Kingdom of God.
When a child is born, the Father expects him to remain under the tutelage of the Father till he attains full growth and can mind his own. To become full grown is the ability to grow in righteousness from infancy (point of birth) to a point where you need no more be taught but you attain the posture of a teacher in righteousness. Those who fail to so grow are accounted wayward. The bane of their waywardness will show at night after the head of the family has arrived and they are not found within the premises. They are shut out without a remedy. They will cry and sing choruses, quote scriptures and all of that to no avail. It is not the half knowledge that they acquire which they fail to truly act on anyway, that the Master is keen on. Rather, it is their full obedience in righteousness that makes them the true children of the Father. Judas Iscariot was one of the Apostles Christ Himself appointed. He was nurtured with the same spiritual meal as others. They were meant to grow together. But one day, because the teachings he received did not find root in him to grow righteousness, the vagabond posture in Judas showed and he became an outcast.
God is the Father of the righteous. He is your Father if you remain within the confines of righteousness. If for any reason you had strayed, you can be restored if you will quickly return home before He returns. Why must you, after having endured hardship on earth by not so living like a man of the world, still forfeit your sonship? Come back home today.
Pray:
Father, please help me to remain in you forever in Jesus’ name.
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