THE BENEFITS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

Matthew chapter 6
















Today we are walking in: The Benefits Of Righteousness




Today we look to the word-SOW- H2232 zara` --producing, yielding seed; to be sown; to become pregnant, be made pregnant; cultivate










The Torah testifies...............






Genesis 47:23




Then Joseph said unto the people, Behold, I have bought you this day and your land for Pharaoh: lo, here is seed for you, and ye shall sow H2232 the land.













The prophets proclaim..................




Hosea 10:12




Sow H2232 to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.








The writings bear witness...........................






Psalm 97:11




Light is sown H2232 for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart.
















“Life contains but two tragedies. One is not to get your hearts desire; the other is to get it.”—George Bernard Shaw




THE BENEFITS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS




Have you ever wondered, “What’s the use of being righteous?” What good does it do to try to live right and do the right thing? After all, it often seems as though the people who live only for themselves get along better than anybody else. They lie and cheat, they follow dishonest and unscrupulous business practices, yet they always seem to prosper. In the meantime, honest, hard-working people labor day after day just for the daily food on their table. If righteousness is so important, why do the wicked prosper?




This is an age-old question. An ancient Hebrew psalmist named Asaph asked the same thing. When he saw evil men do well, it made him question why he tried so hard to live right:




But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. They are free from the burdens common to man; they are not plagued by human ills…This is what the wicked are like—always carefree, they increase in wealth. Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure; in vain have I washed my hands in innocence. All day long I have been plagued; I have been punished every morning (Psalm 73:2-5, 12-14).




Asaph was so troubled over this that he almost gave up. He almost abandoned his attempt to live righteously, until the day he received a revelation from Yah. When he began to see things from the vantage point of the Kingdom of Heaven, his entire perspective changed:




When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me till I entered the sanctuary of Yah; then I understood their final destiny. Surely you place them on slippery ground; you cast them down to ruin. How suddenly they are destroyed, completely swept away by terrors! As a dream when one awakes, so when you arise, O Most High, you will despise them as fantasies (Psalm 73:16-20).




Things look different when viewed from a Kingdom perspective. Unrighteous people who so often appear to us to be stable, successful, healthy, wealthy, and trouble-free are actually on a slippery slope toward destruction. Their stability is only apparent, not real. As it says in another psalm, the wicked “are like chaff that the wind blows away” (Ps. 1:4b). They are here one day and gone the next.




It is a different story with the righteous. The same psalm says of the righteous person, “But his delight is in the law of the Most High, and on His law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers” (Ps. 1:2-3). The psalm concludes with a powerful contrast: “For the Most High watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish” (Ps. 1:6). Which would you rather be, chaff blown away by the wind or a tree firmly planted, well nourished, and prosperous?




So what good is righteousness? It gives us true stability, success, health, wealth that lasts, and positions us to overcome all the troubles that life throws our way.

Even though the righteousness we receive in Hamachiach is not given for us alone but also for the purpose of the ministry of reconciliation, righteousness does bring with it significant personal benefits.




SEED FOR THE SOWER




You heard in the last teaching that one of the fruits of righteousness—one of its by-products in our lives—is a Ruach of generosity. A giving Ruach is second nature to the righteous because righteousness molds us into the likeness of Yah, who is a generous giver. Giving is also a fundamental principle with regard to the benefits of righteousness because what we receive is proportional to what we give. The more we give, and the greater the generosity with which we give, the more we will receive in return. Yahusha said, “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you” (Luke 6:38).




When we start to give as Yah gives, He gives us even more in return. That is what Yahusha meant when He said, “a good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over.” The King of Heaven is not stingy with His treasures. No one can outgive Yah.




Every time we give generously in the Ruach of Hamachiach as Kingdom citizens, we lay up for ourselves treasures in Heaven, as Yahusha said, “where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal” (Matt. 6:20b). One common biblical metaphor for giving is the image of sowing seed. Whenever we sow seeds of generosity we are setting ourselves up for a harvest of greater righteousness and prosperity:




Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for Yah loves a cheerful giver. And Yah is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work…Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion…(2 Corinthians 9:6-8, 10-11a).




Generous sowing will reap a bountiful harvest. A farmer who is stingy with his seed will realize only a tiny return. Yah gives seed to the sower. This is an important principle. You must be a sower if you want to attract seed. It is no good trying to wait, saying, “I’ll sow once I have plenty of seed.” No! Sow now with whatever seed you have and the Seed Supplier will give you more. The seed you receive and the increase you experience are linked to your generosity. Increase and prosperity are not given for us to consume ourselves but that we might be generous toward others. Once again it is the issue of stewardship versus ownership.




As you give generously, Yah will also increase the harvest of your righteousness because giving brings you into alignment with Him. He will strengthen your right standing and firmly anchor your positioning. Every time you sow you line yourself up with Yah, who then gives you more seed to sow, enabling you to stay lined up even as you continue to sow generously toward others. According to these Scriptures, Yah’s desire and intention is to make you “rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion.” Have you ever wished you could contribute to a worthy cause or project but could not because you lacked the means? Yah wants to bring you to the place where you can give on every occasion.




As far as Yah is concerned, everything He gives you is a seed. In fact, seeds are all He gives. Seeds have virtually unlimited potential but they must be sown in order for their potential to be released. Yah gives you seed to see what you will do with it. If you hoard it and keep it for yourself, it will never sprout, you will never grow and you will miss out on the joys and benefits that come from greater righteousness and a generous Ruach. Sow your seed faithfully, however, and Yah will replace it with even more seed so you can increase your generosity. Be faithful with a little and He will give you much. And He will continue to do so as long as you use what He gives for His sake and for the sake of others rather than for your own sake.




THE BENEFIT OF THE KING’S FAVOR




Righteousness attracts Yah because He is righteous. He looks favorably on all who seek to live righteously in faith. Just as people in earthly kingdoms long for the favor of their king, so we too should seek the favor of the King of Heaven. We should look for Him to extend His scepter over us:




… Your throne, O Yah, will last forever and ever, and righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom (Hebrews 1:8).




As you heard in the previous teaching, the scepter is a king’s symbol of authority. Anyone under the scepter of the king was under his protection and care. None could enter the king’s presence unless he first extended his scepter to them. If a king wants to show you favor, he will extend his scepter over you, and the next thing he says becomes law over you. What you were or what you are now do not matter. What happened yesterday is of no account. All that matters is what the king says right now. You could walk into his presence penniless and homeless, hear the king say with extended scepter, “I grant you 10,000 acres of prime woodland and a manor house,” and walk out a rich man with a fine home. When you enjoy the favor of the king you don’t have to work for what he gives you. He gives because he wants to; that’s why it is called favor.




Traditionally, a king would hold his scepter in his right hand. The Bible uses similar imagery to refer to Yah as King. Those under Yah’s favor are said to be at His right hand, while those under His judgment are at his left. If the right hand of the Most High is upon you, it means that He has appointed His authority toward you; He has given you access.




What does this mean in practical terms? Simply this: if you line yourself up with Yah in righteousness, He will extend His scepter, He will direct His favor toward you and things that you’ve worked all your life for He will give you in two minutes. That’s the power of kingly authority. Authority is better than work. In fact, authority can cancel or override a lifetime of work. A king has authority over his entire kingdom.




The Bible says that the way to get Yah’s authority to work for us is by maintaining righteousness in our lives. That is why Yahusha told us to seek first Yah’s Kingdom and His righteousness and then everything would be added to us. The righteousness must come before the addition. But when Yah has decided to add the addition to you, nothing in Heaven or on earth will keep Him from giving it to you.




THE BENEFITS OF UNDERSTANDING AND DISCERNMENT




The pursuit of righteousness is the secret to maturity, understanding, and discernment in Kingdom living. Lack of righteousness in our lives leads to misalignment with Yah and stunts our growth so that we never progress beyond the stage of Spiritual toddlers. It is the Spiritual equivalent of moving from a milk diet to a solid food diet, as the writer of the Book of Hebrews explains:




Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil (Hebrews 5:13-14).




People who are not experiencing the benefits of Kingdom life are like little children who are still living on milk, not having yet progressed to solid food. And, in fact, they cannot progress. Just as the digestive system of an infant cannot handle solid food, the mind of an immature believer cannot handle the “solid” demands of righteousness.




If we never seriously commit ourselves to pursue a life of righteousness, we will never mature; we will remain Spiritual babies all our lives. Only those committed to righteousness will reach maturity. They alone will know the riches and joy of Kingdom life lived to the full. A life of mature righteousness also carries a strong protective element because it brings discernment of right and wrong, helping us to embrace the first and reject the second.




One of the biggest problems plaguing much of the Western Church today is that believers are not being taught the importance of personal righteousness in daily life. Consequently, many of them do not know how to align their lives with Yah or how to tell when they are out of alignment. As a result, they do not experience the blessings, benefits, provision, or prosperity of the Kingdom because their unrighteous lifestyle has shut down their access to these things.




Among other things, Yah desires every citizen of His Kingdom to be financially free. This does not mean never having any bills, but rather always having the means to pay them on time. Wealth in the Kingdom of Yah is not storing things up, but always having access to everything. Whenever we need something, it’s there. There is no need we have that is too big for Yah to meet.




As believers and Kingdom citizens, we have a “pipeline” to the supply chain of Heaven. Yah uses this pipeline to meet our every need, physical or Spiritual. But our pipeline must be clean, clear, and open, and righteousness is what keeps it that way. The pipeline is always open from Yah’s end. Our lifestyle determines whether or not it remains open at our end. Living righteously keeps our end clear.




THE BENEFITS OF YAH’S PROTECTION AND PROMOTION




When we actively pursue righteousness in our daily living in obedience to Hamachiach’s command, we enjoy a level of security and protection that those outside the Kingdom of Yah do not have. This does not mean we never face trouble or difficulty or negative circumstances—these are an inescapable part of living in a sin-corrupted world. It does mean, however, that even during such times—and especially during such times—the favor of our King rests upon us and He delivers us safely and triumphantly through. And the watching world will be amazed, wondering not only how we survived but also how we came out on top.




Why are we so secure? Because the Most High never takes His eyes off of us: “He does not take his eyes off the righteous; He enthrones them with kings and exalts them forever” (Job 36:7). Not only does Yah protect us; He also lifts us up. Under Yah’s protection and favor we do more than cope with life. He enables us to overcome every obstacle and meet every challenge so that we live life to the fullest. This verse says that Yah exalts the righteous. That means if we stay right with Yah, He will promote us in every situation we go into. We will rise to the top and no one will understand why.




In the world, promotion often depends on whose back you scratch, whose palm you grease, whose ego you stroke, or whose bed you sleep in. Getting ahead is dog-eat-dog, cutthroat competition where anything goes as long as it works. Promotion in the Kingdom comes from above—from the King Himself and rests on His favor as well as correct alignment through the pursuit of righteousness.




The key to promotion by the King is to keep our pipeline clear of any obstructions. This means working hard to keep ourselves in line with Yah and avoiding anything that will move us out of position. Don’t lie, don’t cheat, don’t curse and don’t covet. Let go of anger, envy, and jealousy. Be quick to forgive and always ready to extend mercy. Treat everyone with kindness, dignity, and respect. Love everyone, even enemies. Always return good, even to those who are hostile or hateful.




We often have little or no control over what comes into our lives or how people act toward us but we always have control over how we respond. Keeping our pipeline clear is up to us; Yah will not do it for us. He will not force us to live righteously. But unless we do, we will never experience the benefits and blessings that righteousness brings.




Yah’s protection is linked closely with His favor, like two sides of the same coin. King David of Israel was familiar with this connection:




Let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. For surely, O Most High, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield (Psalm 5:11-12).




Yah’s favor surrounds the righteous like a shield. A shield, of course, is a defensive weapon that protects the user by deflecting and turning aside the attack of an enemy. When Yah’s favor surrounds us, nothing harmful can get through to us; we are perfectly safe in His presence. When Yah’s favor surrounds us, everything that He desires for us will come to pass.




Do you want to live under Yah’s protection and favor? Then commit yourself consciously and deliberately to think and live righteously according to the laws of Yah’s Kingdom. If you do, then no evil planned against you will succeed. Nothing will be able to touch you except what the Most High allows. Your business will flourish while others’ are struggling. A way will be made for you where no way seemed possible. You will experience abundant provision when others around you are suffering shortages. At the right moment in Yah’s timing He will exalt you, seemingly overnight in the eyes of many watching.




The best biblical illustration of this is found in the story of Joseph from the Book of Genesis. Sold into slavery by his jealous brothers, Joseph spent many years as the slave of the captain of the guard to Pharaoh, where he distinguished himself by his ability and incorruptible integrity. Yah prospered Joseph so that he was placed in charge of his master’s entire household. Joseph’s integrity cost him a heavy price. When he refused to sleep with his master’s wife at her invitation, she retaliated by accusing him of attempted rape, which landed him in prison. Even there, however, Yah blessed him and he once again rose to leadership even among the other prisoners.




Finally, the day came when Joseph had the chance to interpret a dream that Pharaoh had, a dream that prophesied seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine. The pharaoh, recognizing Joseph’s peerless integrity and character, promoted him on the spot from slave to prime minister. In a moment, Joseph was elevated from prisoner in the dungeon to second-in-command in all of Egypt. And from his new position, Joseph was directly responsible for preserving the lives of countless thousands of people, including his own father and brothers, during the severe years of famine that followed. Joseph’s time had arrived and Yah exalted him. But if Joseph had not been faithful in pursuing and living in righteousness all those years, his elevation probably would never have happened.




Many people today, including many believers, blame “the system” for their troubles. It is time for believers everywhere to get out from under “the system” in their thinking and behavior and get under the Kingdom of Yah and its laws. All the Most High asks us to do is seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness and, system or no system, He will add everything else to us. If you are a believer and a follower of Hamachiach, you are not a victim of your job or of the system. On the contrary, if you will diligently pursue righteousness in your daily life, He will bless you in spite of your job and in spite of the system and, because of your presence there, even bless the company you work for.




Righteousness is such a strong shield that it protects even in the face of disaster. The Bible says that Yah will not destroy the righteous along with the wicked. So the presence of even one righteous person is enough to protect all the unrighteous people around him or her. Once again, Joseph’s experience is a good example. Joseph may have been the only righteous person in Egypt, yet Yah preserved the entire nation through Joseph and because of Joseph.




Being under the protection and favor of Yah means not only that He watches over us but also that He listens to what we say. When we pursue and walk in righteousness, Yah focuses His eyes and ears on us: “The eyes of the Most High are on the righteous and His ears are attentive to their cry” (Ps. 34:15). The Bible assures us that we can be completely confident that when Yah hears us, He will answer us:




This is the confidence we have in approaching Yah: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we have asked of Him (1 John 5:14-15).




Asking “according to His will” means not only asking in agreement with Yah’s will but also asking from the place of righteous positioning, because righteousness is always Yah’s will. We have the clear promise that whenever we pray from the position of righteousness, Yah will answer and give us what we have asked of Him. This is perhaps one of the most important reasons of all for us to be careful to do nothing that will bring us out of alignment with Yah and interfere with our relationship with Him.