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Our "second or more" generation Christians are like anvils: cold, black, hard! It ought not to be this way!

Every week I travel to churches and see, nearly every day I open letters from Pastors and read how God is using the tool of RU to develop hardened addicted sinners into the most active, vibrant members of their church. It ought not to be this way!

A month does not pass when I am not approached by someone wanting to get a fallen church staff member into our homes. It ought not to be this way!

BUT IT IS THIS WAY! Why? It is because it is easier to take a step from unrighteousness to righteousness than it ever has been to take a step from self righteousness to righteousness.

The truth is RU Directors see more growth in a addict in sixteen weeks then pastors see in most church members in sixteen years. The reason is simple. It is not that churched people are doing the wrong works. It is more that he work is simply being done by the wrong workers! It is He that doeth good. No! Not one of us!!

This process of doing the work of the Lord ourselves has been a problem with God's children since the beginning. Paul warned us of it in Romans 10 when he prayed with a great desire for the children of Israel to be saved. But he indicated there was something keeping them from such great salvation. What could it have been? It was there self-righteous ways, of course! Let's look at the passage, I will dissect and define it as we go along. Look carefully for beneficial personal revelation. We may see our own error as we look into the error of others.

"Brethren, my heart's desire (the desire that consumes my meditations) and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God (they are excited about God), but not according to knowledge (personal intimacy with Him)."

Let's pause and consider what Paul is saying about the children of Israel. He indicates they know a lot about God and it produces great zeal. But that zeal is not a byproduct of a personal, intimate relationship with Him. Rather it stems from personal information about Him. They are excited about what they know, not Whom they know. But the real mistake is what takes place as a result of this "information over personal relation" zeal. Read on.

"For they being ignorant of God's righteousness," Who's righteousness is it? Is it mine? No! It's God's righteousness of which they were ignorant. Next he says as a result of this ignorance they were "going about to establish their own righteousness" That's the key mistake in today's circles as well, folks: they (and we are and) were ignorant of the work that belonged to the Lord, so they (and we) established their (and our) own work of righteousness. That is self-righteousness! How sad, but understandable in lieu of ignorance. They wanted to do a good work, but they didn't realize He was the Worker and they were to be His work! So as a result of this mistake (which was done in ignorance), they "have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God."

Now remember that the word of means "belonging to". So the righteousness to which they failed to submit was the righteousness that "belongs to God". It's His ability, my availability! Paul concludes by telling us that something transpired and it is that event that ended the reign of self righteous works on the earth and ushered in the righteous works of God. What was that event? The Christ! "For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth." (Romans 10:1-4 dissected and defined).

When Christ was finished, He fulfilled the law, made amends for our mistakes and created a communication and occupation between God and man. We can now talk to God and He can occupy man. As our occupant, He carries out His occupation. His occupation is His righteousness. The righteousness of (that belongs to) God, not my righteousness but His righteousness is now fulfilled IN me, through God by the Spirit in Jesus Name, Amen! Do you believe? Lord, slow, stunt, stop our unbelief and forgive us of our ignorance.

A PRAYER FOR TODAY: Good Morning, Father! I see my ignorance in my this certain situation in which I find myself. I know I am trying to get the victory in mine own power. I must forfeit the fleshly talent I have and turn to humble obedience in every prompting of your Spirit that I may find my way out. Lord, help keep me from establishing mine own righteousness by allowing my efforts to produce vanity. This failure on my part will assist me in recognizing my futility and lead me to your righteous works on my behalf. Then may you empower me by your Spirit of Wisdom to do as You, what I could never do as me. I pray these things in the blood stained name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen!"