In Romans 1:18 it says, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness.”

Here is a contrasting verse. Psalm 119:147 says, “I rise before the dawning of the morning, and cry for help; I hope in Your word.” Developing a quiet time with the Lord keeps us embracing rather than suppressing the truth ~ walking in righteousness.

I love this verse. It has been my testimony for years. My quiet time habit was established in the early 70’s. Then in 1976 I was introduced to keeping a spiritual journal. That laid a foundation for my future writings.

Suppress means to hold back. Anything that we do in our own strength will hold back (quench) the Holy Spirit’s empowerment that we need to conquer and overcome. Being an authentic and victorious follower of Christ requires absolute dependence on Him.

2 Timothy 1:9 says, “Who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began.:

In 2 Timothy 2:1 Paul instructed Timothy, yet we can make personal applications. It says, “You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.” Paul wrote that just before he was executed. He learned about God’s empowering grace through a thorn in his flesh. 2 Corinthians 12:9.

We find our strength for our trials through His empowerment ~ our flesh profits nothing. John 6:63. Romans 8:5 says, “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.” Bearing fruit for His glory ~ abiding in the Vine. John 15:5 ~ without Him we can do nothing.

Colossians 2:11-12 says, “In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ,

buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.”

2 Timothy 2:21 says, “Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.” Sanctified means set apart. In this verse the latter was referring to cleansing ourselves from folks who dishonor the Lord. 1 Corinthians 15:33 says that evil company corrupts good character.

Moses took his tent outside the camp to meet with the Lord. Exodus 33:7-11. Hebrews 13:12-13 says that “…He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate. Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp…”

Romans 1:4 says, “And declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.” As I read this, I stopped and began singing “Nearer My God To Thee” written by Fanny Crosby. 

Here is the second verse. Consecrate me now to Thy service, Lord, by the pow-r of grace divine; let my soul look up with a steadfast hope, and my will be lost in Thine.” Here is the crux of living in holiness…through grace losing our will by embracing His.

I just finished reading the biography of Harry Ironside. Mighty preacher. He used to struggle to be holy ~ striving to not sin in word, thought, and deed. Found out that he could not ~ neither can you nor I. Anything that we do in our flesh will fail. It is all by grace. The same grace that saved us is the grace that empowers us to walk in the Spirit.

Psalm 119:137, 138, 142, 144 all were written about the Lord and His righteousness and His word being righteous ~ interlocking oneness. Verse 137 says, “Righteous are You, O Lord…” Verse 138 says, “Your testimonies…are righteous and faithful.”

Verse 142 says, “Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness…” Verse 144 says, “The righteousness of Your testimonies is everlasting…” 2 Corinthians 5:21 says that we are the righteousness of God in Christ.

Romans 3:10 says, “…There is none righteous, no, not one…” Isaiah 64:6 says, “But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags…” Those two verses were our state before salvation. By His grace, with no works on our part, we are clothed with His robe of righteousness in exchange for our filthy rags. 

God’s word is the embodiment of His righteous character. As we bring it into our hearts, we are transformed from the inside out ~ partakers of His nature of righteousness. 

In Ruth 1:20 Naomi charged God for her bitterness. Contrast that with Job. After all he lost in rapid succession, Job 1:22 says, “In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong.”

Many times in counseling others I have heard their bitter words charging God with wrong. Asaph started to blame God. Psalm 77:4 says, “You hold my eyelids open; I am so troubled that I cannot speak.” Then he began to review in his mind Who God is at all times.

Verse 10 he admitted, “…This is my anguish…” Naomi received a gift. Boaz married Ruth and she bore him a son. The women proclaimed change to Naomi. Ruth 4:15 says, “And may he be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age…” Restorer means to turn away from one’s sin and toward God.” You are not hopeless! Your life can also be restored and nourished through His love.

When Namoi encouraged her two widow daughters-in-law to return to their homes, Ruth made a declaration. Ruth 1:16-17. She was determined. She had no idea what her destiny would be, or what the Lord had preordained for her to walk in. 

Ruth was tenacious, hard working, dedicated, and faithful. Boaz commended her, then asked the Lord to bless her. Ruth 2:10-11, “…fully reported to me…The Lord repay your work, and a full reward be given you by the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge.”

Note: Deuteronomy 23:3 says, “An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter the assembly of the Lord; even to the tenth generation none of his descendants shall enter the assembly of the Lord forever.”

The Lord used Boaz to redeem Ruth. She bore him Obed, the father of Jesse, the father of David ~ whose line our Redeemer would come. Ephesians 1:7. Nothing is in vain ~ the Lord redeems it all.

Years ago my parents wrote out all the meaning of names for the children in their lives. I think they did it one year for youth camp. My first name is Judith. It means praise. Marilyn is the root to mara meaning bitter. My dad wrote, “You have the opportunity to turn all your bitter situations into praise.” Talk about prophetic!

I am reading the book of Ruth. Elimelech means my God is King; Namoi means pleasant, delightful, lovely; Mahlon means weak, sickly; Chilion means failing, pining. Can you imagine naming your child with such negativity? Every time you called their name you pronounced sickness on them.

When Namoi went back to Bethlehem, she said in Ruth 1:20, “…Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.” Note. Bitterness is a choice. Proverbs 22:1 says, “A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, loving favor rather than silver and gold.”

Psalm 5:3 says, “My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning I will direct it to You, and I will look up.” Psalm 119:5-6 says, “Oh, that my ways were directed to keep Your statutes! Then I would not be ashamed, when I look into all Your commandments.”

I love it when I am praying for someone, and the Holy Spirit puts words in my mouth. He desires to direct our prayers into God’s perfect ways. He uses our adversities, hardships, and trials to keep us centered on Him. It is easy to stray into our own way ~ iniquity.

The Lord hears our prayer, whether audible or silent. Psalm 86:7 says, “In the day of my trouble I will call upon You, for You will answer me.” Psalm 17:6 says, “I have called upon You, for You will hear me, O God…” Cry out, then quiet your heart to listen. Psalm 131:2.

Have you ever wondered what you should do? I have countless times. Psalm 119:133 says, “Direct my steps by Your word, and let no iniquity have dominion over me.” Years ago I heard this definition for iniquity: anything that I do independent of the Lord. It caught my attention because I was a very independent person.

It reminds me of Isaiah 53:6 which says, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” Our steps will be directed into His righteousness when we walk upright. Psalm 85:13.

Our feet go where our heart dictates. Here is one of Paul’s prayers we can adopt. 2 Thessalonians 3:5 says, “Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ.”