“. . . and Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness.”  Genesis 15:6 “Behold, I long for Your precepts; revive me through Your righteousness.”  Psalm 119:40 Father, I thank you for the words and the promises that you speak.  I thank you that ALL of your promises are ‘yes’ and ‘amen’ – that when you have given your word – the word of your promise there is no turning from it on your part.  For the very words that you speak are the words of life, of hope and of promise to He that would only believe. Father, I thank you that your word is true; that through receiving the word of life from you, which is Jesus life in me, that it is credited to me as righteousness.  Your righteousness dwelling in me – the hope of glory, through the power of your Holy Spirit and the mystery of your character revealed.  Christ in me – the hope of glory – the promise of your life – the promise of a renewed mind and a clean spirit and a pure heart. For it is Your righteousness in me that reveals Your heart for I know that on my own no good thing dwells within me but by my faith in you, Your righteousness dwells. Father, may I have the hope of glory, the promises of Your life and Your righteousness dwelling in me.  May I have the faith to believe in and of your promises, even the faith of Abraham that it may be credited to me as righteousness. Forgive me, Lord, for myself – for any form of righteousness which I have assumed outside of you.  Fill me Lord with Your righteousness – I confess every sin and every assumption which has held itself against the glory of You.  Every area of unbelief I turn over to you.  Every area where I have believed I have had to work, to strive, to acquire Your righteousness, I submit to you.  Every area where I have sought my own glory, my own righteousness and every area where I have confused your glory and your righteousness with the works of man, every area where I have sought after man and his works I confess to you.  In the futility of my mind, my thinking, I have done this and I turn it over to you and ask for the faith to believe in each and every one of your promises that I might be filled with Your righteousness.  Keep me from myself, Lord, I pray, keep me from myself.  May you, Lord God, be glorified through me as Your righteousness shines forth.  I pray, Lord, that you would reveal Your righteousness in me, that all praise, all glory and all honour may be given to you.  May Your name be glorified.  Keep me from myself, that You would be revealed.   Even as the promise of life had by all appearance been taken from Abraham’s loins through his very age and that of his wife – may my life, too, be considered dead to my own thoughts and desires yet alive in you, alive to the promises of Your life in me.  May the good seed, the deposit of your Holy Spirit in me birth Your righteousness and bring glory to Your name Oh Lord. Forgive me, Lord, for neglecting the seed of Your righteousness that you have implanted in me; that I have buried and kept hidden inside of me when I should have touched and reached others with it – bearing fruit and causing seed to grow – that others may be touched by, and receive, the seed of Your righteousness, Jesus Christ.  May I now bear your fruit in season and out of season, that all would see Your goodness, Your glory, Your righteousness.  Let me be as a tree planted by the river of righteousness that bears an increase of your glory, that your light would shine and I may become a reflection of the righteousness of which you have borne.    For further study and reflection (ABSOLUTELY key!!!): Psalm 40:9-10 – Read and consider.  How have you displayed, (demonstrated), and not hidden the righteousness of your Lord.  Remember – the fruit of righteousness is sewn in peace – not in anger, not in discord, not in jealousy, not in self-seeking but in peace!  (James 3:18) Proverbs 11 – Read, consider and meditate on the benefits, the results, of righteousness.  Examine yourself in the light of these verses asking that the eyes of your heart would be opened to the righteousness of God in you that you may bear the full fruit of righteousness.  Remember and reflect upon this as you examine yourself before the Lord, “Lovingkindness and truth have met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed each other.  Truth springs from the earth, And righteousness looks down from heaven.  Indeed, the Lord will give what is good and our land will yield its produce.  Righteousness will go before Him and will make His footsteps into a way.”  Psalm 85:10-13. Go and be at peace with God and all men, growing and increasing in favour with God and with man as you bear His fruit.  With love, Deborah. Journaled August 14, 2005 – edited for study and reflection October 6, 2005