Growing in righteousness should be the focus of every born again believer of Jesus Christ. As you are reading this page, please pause for a moment and reply to this statement, (If you love Jesus say, AMEN.)
 
In the Bible book of John 14:15-17 it reads, " If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you."
 
The unmistakable meaning of the passage is that obedience to Christ's commandments is both a sign and a test of our love for him. And please remember that neither race, language, intelligence, beauty, height, culture, richness, family ties, or any other things or persons on this planet earth can help any of us grow into righteousness without the help of God Holy Spirit, who is here with us now, dwelling with the people of God, and is residing in everyone that has been born again.
 
One thing that is very unfortunate in many Churches, is that they are not spending enough time on the subject of spiritual growth, and growing in righteousness. There are many conversation of sowing seed and reaping, obtaining earthly wealth, paying of tides, and not much concern about the lifestyle, moral living of the born again disciples of Christ. Many preachers are not trying to step on anyone toes with the true standard of righteous living.
 
In John 14:23-24 in response to a question, Jesus replied, " Jesus answered him, " If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. Whosoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father's who sent me." 
 
1 John 5:3 reads, " For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome." 1 John 2:3 reads, And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments."
 
Please let us taking a moment to read John 15:1-10 " I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear frouit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. As the Father hath loved me, so I have loved you: continue in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love."
 
Jesus plainly stated that He kept his Father's commandment, and abide in His Father's love. We cannot have a disobedient heart and expect to accupy a righteous space in the Heavenly realm. It just don't work that way. I 1 Peter 3:12 the Bible reads, " For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil." 
 
Plain and simply put, a lot of prayers are floating in thin air because people are praying but do not want to submit themselves totally to the will of God. Straddling the fence is a thing, because people want to have one foot on the broad road side of the world exciting sinful fleshly lust and evil side that the Bible says will lead to destruction, and one foot on the narrow path that lead to the kingdom of God, like in the church door, dressing up really good every Sunday  as if they are doing Christ a favor.
 
Decision in our own Heaven or hell choice of where we want to spend everlasting life or eternity after we are called from this fleshly earthly realm have to be made in the heart. straddling the fence will never work, choose God's will over Satan influences, Righteousness over sinfulness, good over evil, positive of negative, right over wrong, and peacefulness over troublesomeness.
 
In the Bible book of Galatians 5:19-25, The Holy Spirit who is the administrator and Guardian over the Church that Jesus began that not even the gate of hell can prevail against it, have laid out what is on both side of the fence in plain and easy to understand language for us all. I will lovingly take the time now to quote the reading of these verses to anyone that is truly interested in growing in righteousness with the blessed hope of gaining everlasting life.
 
Galatians 5:19-25 reads, " Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.  
 
But the fruits of the Spirits is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections of lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit." 
 
Growing up spiritually in righteousness is not a joke, it is easier said than done, we become a target of God's enemy satan. Sisters, and brothers in Christ, we cannot do it without the help of God's Holy Spirit. Sometime in our lives journey, it will feel like we are travelling down a lonely road because Jesus said only a few will find the narrow path that leads to his Father's Kingdom. Righteous living takes on a certain lifestyle, sometime we will feel like people takes our meekness for weakness, the more a person is truly born again the easier it will be to be led.
 
Even the BEATITUDES, of which Jesus spoke concerning in Matthew 5:1-12 are nothing to laugh about because not everyone that even goes to church every Sundays is taken them seriously, to received the blessing that are associate with them. I will quote them for everyone now.
 
Matthew 5:1-12 reads, " And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake: foe theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you-falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you."
 
My sisters, and brothers in Christ, I have been on the battle field of the Lord approaching sixty years, and will get the same reward as the one that came to Christ today or tomorrow, which is everlasting life if I stay the course. We are living in perilous times in which many Scriptures are being fulfilled right before our very eyes, the enemy of God is influencing many leaders to communicate in a way to established wrong to be seen as right, and right to be seen as wrong, making it very harder for the younger generation to choose between right and wrong.
 
With all of the modern day computer technologies, Artificial Intelligence is helping, and even making personal decision for many humans, the people of God have to be rooted in the scriptures, the words of God that nothing is to be added to it or take away from it, because the Holy Bible was inspired by the working of God's Holy Spirit, and should not be watered down to not step on anyone conscience toes, or to fit in anyone's agenda, or even in any preacher's church financial budget.
 
The times that we are living in now seems to bring reflections of Joshua, who was Moses successor that leads the children of Israel, who is Jacob, his name was change from Jacob to Israel by an angel, into the promise land. Joshua seeing the sinful condition, and lives of these people who he knows God had been blessing, and how they have become very disobedient and lawless. One day he told them as recorded in Joshua 24:14-15.
 
reads, " Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD. And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."
 
And in closing my writing of this encouragement to all the faithful readers who have been visiting this inspired website, I would like to declare that all of us that love the Lord are on the same ship, and in the same battle, needing to pray and encourage one another as we gain spiritual strength from day to day, thank you very much for visiting with us.
 
I will close with the reading of the heartfelt, inspired words of the Apostle Paul in Philippians 4:4-8, reads " Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
 
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." 
 
May God continues to truly blessed you and you families in Jesus name I pray, AMEN.