The Desire of the Righteous: Gospel Today Devotional - 12th, September, 2023

LESSONS FROM PROVERBS (2)

That which men think many times in their hearts if revealed will be very disheartening. The scripture in Genesis 6:5 records that, "And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually".  And it was recorded thus in Jeremiah 17:9, "The heart is deceitful above all things , and desperately wicked: who can know it?. So, it will be safe to say that the one who is not regenerated cannot see things in light of God's word. That which lies in the heart of such a one are only evil thoughts and how to carry them out. Praise God.

Jesus in one of the gospels talked about that which happens in the heart as well, didn't he? Let's see that particular scripture, shall we? "Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught? [18] But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. [19] For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies". Did you see that? We can also infer by the reason of that scripture that  a lot of things happen in the heart of man that are contrary to God's word, isn't it?

Today by the help of God, we shall be seeing that which differentiates the one who has been born of God and the one who hasn't. That which comprise the thoughts of God's own people or should be their thoughts and that which comprise the thoughts of those whose hearts have not been regenerated. The passage of scripture to be considered is seen below:

"The desire of the righteous is only good: but the expectation of the wicked is wrath" (Proverbs 11:23).

It is impossible for a man who thinks evil in his heart to do that which is good. Also, the reverse is the case for one whose heart is full of good thoughts. The Lord Jesus made this clear in this particular passage, "O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. [35] A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things" (Matthew 12:34, 35). The proof that the things you think of are good is shown in your action and vice versa. Praise God.

You see, that which differentiates those who have been born of God from those who are yet to come to the knowledge of him is that the thoughts (desires) of those who have come to know him are good. This means that they think no evil in their hearts, they devise no mischief, their thoughts are pure before God and towards men. This is that which the scripture above refers to, "That the desire (thoughts, meditations) of the righteous (the one who has been born of God through faith in Christ Jesus) is only good (void of evil and mischief). This is because the nature of God is now at work in him, and it is not of God to think evil or do mischief (Jeremiah 29:11).

It however says, but that the expectation of the wicked is wrath. The word 'but' compares the first statement with the last statement in that text. This implies that while the thought of the righteous is only good, that of the wicked is not. The wicked which refers to the one who carries out mischievous deeds because he is not of God only expects (thinks) of wrath, and nothing more. God is not wicked and so those who are his do not have this trait of wickedness in them.

Now that you have come to God through Christ, you're now the righteousness of God through Christ. Hence, your desires should be only good not otherwise. God help us to be doers of his word. Amen.

Thought for the day: 

The desire of the righteous distinguishes him from the wicked because his desire is only good. Do you profess to be righteous? If yes, are your desires only good?

Gospel Today is a comforting, exhorting, edifying and inspiring devotional published by the Delightsome Land Christian Ministry. For questions, enquiries/testimonies, please call/WhatsApp: 08174915361, 08161655758 or Email: [email protected].