Proverbs
21:21 NKJV He who
follows righteousness and mercy Finds life, righteousness, and honor.
Pursues
(follows)
B1 The word pursue (follows)
is רָדַף
râdaph
(Strong’s H7291). It means “to run after (usually with hostile
intent; figuratively (of time) gone by).”
B2 We need
C1 Desire
C2 Motivation
C3 Ability
C4 Strength
C5 Dedication
B3 God’s grace awakens the
desire and need. God’s grace will give the ability and strength,
and we have been delegated the motivation and dedication.
Righteousness
B1 Is doing God’s will in
thoughts, desires, words and deeds.
B2 The Lord Jesus is our
example: Hebrews 1:8-9 NIV But
about the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, will last for ever and
ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom. You
have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your
God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil
of joy.”
Mercy
B1 The foundation and
motivation for mercy is love.
B2 Showing mercy does not mean
forgive and forget.
B3 Mercy is a kindness.
B4 Ephesians 2:4-5 NLT But
God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we
were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ
from the dead. (It is only by God's grace that you have been saved!)
C1 Mercy because of love.
C2 Even though we deserved
death, He gave us life when He raised Jesus from death. This is for
us who believed and put our trust into Jesus.
C3 Without God’s grace to
initiate salvation, we would have no salvation.
Find
B1 Something that was lost,
hidden, not available.
B2 It implies our effort.
B3 God’s grace is
necessarily.
Life
B1 We can best understand what
life means when we consider what dead is.
B2 Starting human life is
important, but the most important choice is eternal life or eternal
death.
B3 We find eternal life after
being awakened by God’s Spirit and place our trust in Jesus.
B4 The contrast shown; a
choice to be made:
C1 Matthew 7:13-14 GNB Go
in through the narrow gate, because the gate to hell is wide and the
road that leads to it is easy, and there are many who travel it. 14
But the gate to life is narrow and the way that leads to it is hard,
and there are few people who find it.
C2 The choice between luke and
fate (Gad and Meni) or Yahweh. Of the Jews, God said: Isaiah 65:11-12
GNB But it will be
different for you that forsake me, who ignore Zion, my sacred hill,
and worship Gad and Meni, the gods of luck and fate. 12 It will be
your fate to die a violent death, because you did not answer when I
called you or listen when I spoke. You chose to disobey me and do
evil.
Righteousness
as already mentioned
Honor
B1 To a lesser extent, it
refers to honor and blessings in this life. To Israel God gave the
blessings and curses (Deuteronomy 30:19), which are mainly to the
things in this life.
B2 To a much greater extent,
it refers to the honors and blessings we receive after death (if we
are believers). 1 Corinthians 2:9 NLT That
is what the Scriptures mean when they say, "No eye has seen, no
ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for
those who love him.
If
God is our shepherd, then Psalm 23:1, 6 NIV The
LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. ... Surely your goodness and
love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the
house of the LORD forever.
So
let us pursue God and His ways.
John
14:15 NLT If you
love me, obey my commandments.
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