The LORD is Fixed on the Righteous

It is again not surprising, but amazing that the LORD leads me to passages again and again to learn. Where this morning I was brought to 1 Peter and a passage I have studied a number of times, the LORD has a different learning for me today. Even the verse I was lead to is a citation from Psalm that I have studied before with my exploring of the word “righteous”.

“¹²For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,

and his ears are open to their prayer.

But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

— 1 Peter 3:12 (ESV)

This morning I was struck, not by the eyes or ears of the LORD being on the righteous and their prayer, but by the intense focus He has in doing so. The LORD is fixed on the righteous. He is fully devoted to His people. His eyes and ears are fully engaged with all that we are doing and saying. He is so fixed on us that all others He has turned away from. Those who do evil are not in His sight or earshot. The LORD is with us always looking and listening for our needs and work completion for Him.

I know, this seems pretty ominous for those who are evil. How is it they will be found by the LORD if/when His eyes and ears are not focused on them. This is where the world gets the wrong idea of the LORD. The world seems to think that if the LORD does not bless everyone, then the LORD is not good. How could this loving god (lower case “g” intentional) not be loving to everyone and keep all from evil?

Well here is my visualization of it all. Imagine that the righteous are seen under a spotlight and that spotlight allows for audio (like the optical audio cable for your media). The LORD sees and hears that which is in the spotlight. All that is outside the spotlight is there yes, but not seen or heard by God. It is the work of those in the spotlight to bring others in through evangelism and love and the carrying of the gospel to them. Once those outside the spotlight step in, they are now seen and heard by the LORD.

This may be a bit of a simplification of what I read and study this morning. It is not that the LORD is not loving to those who are evil, it is that they are not the focus of His attention. It is those who are focused on and devoted to Him who get His immediate attention. To get the LORD’s immediate attention and be the focus of His eyes and ears, one has to turn to Him and devote to Him and the carry of His Word forward to the rest of the world.

As I write and study this morning, the world is in darkness. There is evil throughout. Yet, there are those who are in the light and that is where the LORD is fixed. He is looking to and listening for the righteous to bless them and guide them. The LORD is looking for the righteous to carry His Word and Grace forward to the world to bring more into the light. You see, the LORD loves all and wants all to experience salvation, and He will fix on all once they have turned to Him. Until then, He will remain fixed on the righteous and lead them to their reward in heaven.

What is your view of where God should be focused? Are you one that believes that God should give all the same regardless of standing with Him? What if you realized that the LORD loves all, and is fixed on the righteous and waiting for you to join them in the light?

Pray as the Righteous

I had a realization this morning that I should have had for some time, and likely did, it is that this morning it just seemed to hit me in a strong way. I have to pray as though I am righteous.

I know that I do not know of my righteousness. I only know that I am doing the work that God has for me and am actively taking righteous actions that are from my heart and for the LORD. So all that I am may not be righteous, yet I have to pray to the LORD with all of me as if I am righteous. All of my actions and work are for the LORD and are to be of righteous intent. I will learn of my righteousness when my time in this world is done. But while I am here, I am to function as though I am righteous in the LORD.

You see, it is my righteous actions that impact the world from the LORD. And yes, my impact is from the LORD, not from myself or my actions on my own. I have to be in the LORD as though I am righteous in Him.

“¹⁶Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” – James 5:16 (ESV)

We do not know if it is our work for and in the LORD that “does the trick”. It may be that our work is the starter of the work. I may have been only here to plant the seed and it is the work of another that waters and still another that harvests. I do not know if it is my prayer that has the “great power” or if it is the prayer of another. As I do not know, I have to take action as though it is to ensure that the work of the LORD is manifest. I have to pray as if I am the only one, and illicit others to pray as well since I do not know if it is my prayer that has the “power” from the LORD.

As a human it is common to think that “if you want something done right, do it yourself”. This is a great approach to our prayer, with one exception. I have to ensure that others are praying as well as I do not know which is right. It may be that I am the righteous one and my prayer “has great power” or it could be another. This is an area where the more prayer we have, the greater the power of the LORD will be. Not that the sheer number of people praying is the thing, it is the idea that when there are more taking action there will be someone righteous bringing the prayer, not to mention as Jesus said,

“¹⁹Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. ²⁰For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” – Matthew 18:19-20 (ESV)

I may be righteous and when I pray I have great power, yet, I do not know that to be true as only the LORD can declare righteous. But as Jesus said, where there are multiple followers together, He will be with them and as they pray, He will hear their prayer and great power will come. I have to pray as though I am the one, but bring as many together as I can in the name of Jesus and His Will will be done.

What is your approach to prayer? Are you avoiding as you don’t know if it is working? What if you prayed as though it is you that is righteous, but since you don’t know, bring others in to magnify your prayer?

Righteous are Strong in Faith

The righteous live by faith as I have studied in God’s Word (Romans 1:17 and Galatians 3:11) and written my thoughts here. So, there is not the question of faith and righteousness. What I see this morning is that when our faith is strong, righteousness stays.

“’³⁸but my righteous one shall live by faith,

and if he shrinks back,

my soul has no pleasure in him.’

³⁹But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.” – Hebrews 10:38-39 (ESV)

The writer of Hebrews sites from Romans and Galatians, those passages that I have studied and noted above, that the righteous live by faith. We have to know that it is our faith, and not our works that lead to our righteousness. Yes, we are to do the work of the LORD and that work is the demonstration of righteousness. It is not the works, but the faith in the LORD and that we are doing the work for Him and not ourselves that lead to righteousness.

There is the chance of “shrinking back” away from faith. When that does happen, the LORD will not be pleased with our action of falling away. We are human and I know, from experience, that the evil one will pull on us to draw us away from the LORD and our faith in Him. It is easy to be distracted by the world and all that it contains. It is easy to fall away from the LORD as the road to Him is hard and is filled with challenges and what we perceive as delays.

The thing is, we have to read verse 39 above to find encouragement and know that we are on the right path. The writer points out that “we are not of those who shrink back”. We are strong and will remain in the faith and therefore will be preserved in righteousness.

From here I take away that it is in the faith I have to remain. I have to stay in the Word of God for the encouragement to keep on keeping on. God’s Word is filled with that encouragement. In Romans, Galatians, Isaiah, Psalms and frankly all books of His Word. It is in our dedication to His Word that we are able to drown out the noise of the world and build our strength in the Faith that leads to righteousness.

Where are you finding strength for righteousness? Are you looking to the world? What if you were to find your strength in the Word of God to remain in the faith that will lead to righteousness?

Steadfast and Faithful, Evidence of Righteousness

“⁴Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring. ⁵This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering” – 2 Thessalonians 1:4-5 (ESV)

The people of the church of the Thessalonians were sticking to the LORD. These people were under persecution for their following of Christ and Paul was fast to recognize it. He wanted them to know that they were not unnoticed. They were recognized to be righteous in their actions and their faith.

I know, I am reading into things a bit here as the righteous reference was to the judgment of God. I will not claim to know that the people were righteous. I simply see that their acts of faith and steadfastness are evidence of righteousness. They held to the LORD under all sorts of persecution and affliction and suffering. And, as you read on further in the passage, they are rewarded for it with the destruction of those persecuting them. Yet, they do not follow the LORD for their persecutors to be destroyed, they follow Him for the reward of heaven and communion with Him.

I have to let this be a lesson to me. I have to love the LORD and do His work, not for what I would receive here in this world, but it is what I am to do thanks to the grace He afforded me through His death. I have to give evidence to the LORD for his declaration of righteousness. I have to be steadfast and faithful through all, the good times and the persecution. The LORD will see my dedication to Him and ensure that I am given relief. He will judge my actions according to my heart. I will be rewarded with glory in heaven.

What evidence do you present of your dedication to the LORD? Are you hoping that you have taken a few actions to show it? What if you were steadfast and faithful always as your evidence of righteousness to the LORD?

Righteous by Faith

How many of us are out there waiting to be told what direction to go and what to do? I know that is a common thing in the world. It seems as though there is minimal knowing what to do and lots of doing what told to do.

“¹¹Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for ‘The righteous shall live by faith.’ ¹²But the law is not of faith, rather ‘The one who does them shall live by them.’” – Galatians 3:11-12 (ESV)

Paul is writing to the church at Galatia and explaining to them that we should not rely on the law to keep us going in the right direction. You can see in verse 12 above that when relying on the law, one is slave to the law. One is unable to move forward unless there is a law or decree or word that tells them. It requires obedience to the law to follow the law. One cannot be focused on the law and being guided by it and still follow the LORD and being guided by Him.

Yes, I know that the basis of the law is in the idea of doing right. But, right as to who says. Where the law allows for something, say squatting in a property and taking ownership, that does not make it right under the LORD. The law is not inherently bad or good, it is set up to benefit those who have generated it.

One should be faithful to the LORD and not the law. When we are, we will be on the side of right, without relying on the law. Squatting in a property is not inherently good or bad. Where one may be able to borrow a property for a short time, once the owner returns, that property is theirs because it is right. The squatter was simply borrowing while unused. It is in the LORD that caring for others in their time of need is allowed, and allowing for someone to borrow property is in the LORD.

It is not under the law that we are following the law. It is through faith in the LORD. We are doing good, not as the law instructs through dos and don’ts, it is as we follow the LORD and have faith in His divine work and care for us and those in need. We are an extension of Him in this world as we do the work He has for us. All that we know and do as relates to the work of the LORD is found in His Word and as such, we know all we need to know about the law.

I personally find it exhausting reviewing each and every word of the law or the rules in order to function. Trying to keep up with them does nothing but create more and more confusion and anxiety as I try to keep every rule in all situations. I choose to relieve myself of the confusion, anxiety, and exhaustion by doing what is right by way of the LORD. When I do, I am able to simply move through this world knowing that I have pleased the LORD and as a follow of Him, I have done that which is important and allow myself the chance to be counted as righteous.

What is your approach to being righteous? Are you seeking to follow all the laws and that will get it done? What if you were to follow the LORD and were okay with just doing as He commands, allowing Him the opportunity to declare you as righteous?

Thanks to Jesus the Law is Righteous

I should finish with “in us”. God’s Law is righteous as it comes from Him. It is our now new understanding of what His Law provides that we now sin. It is Jesus, who was sent to die for our sin that brings God’s Law back to righteousness in us.

“³For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, ⁴in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” – Romans 8:3-4 (ESV)

I need help each day with my sin. I am predisposed to sinning and “NEED” help with it. I know God’s Law as I read and study each day to ensure of it. But, as noted, knowing the law only drives me to sin. I ask God each day to help me with my sin. I as for His guiding hand through my day to keep me busy with His work so that I can avoid the sin that is surely to come.

I do not have it in my own self to avoid sin. Sin I of the flesh and I am of the flesh. Thanks be to Jesus for taking my sin. Thanks be to Him for giving me the chance to avoid sin. Thanks to Jesus, I have the Word of God to keep me looking to Him that I might be able to avoid the sin. Thanks be to the LORD for providing the Holy Spirit to walk with me.

The Law of God is righteous yet, as I am of the flesh there was a need for the Law to be shown as righteous to me. Jesus was sent to do just that. He took my sin and offered me grace. The Law was demonstrated to be righteous through His actions. As such, I was brought to the righteousness of the Law so that I could use it as the guide it is.

Where do you attribute the righteousness in the Law of God? Are you looking to yourself to avoid sin? What if you were to recognize that the Law of God is righteous thanks to Jesus and you can use it to guide you to avoid sin?

Who Can Be Righteous

Anyone.

“¹⁶For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. ¹⁷For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, ‘The righteous shall live by faith.’” – Romans 1:16-17 (ESV)

Paul lays it out simply for all. Salvation is for everyone. Faith is the difference. Those who accept the gift of salvation and live by faith shall be righteous. I know that seems to good to be true. But it is. There is no hidden meaning. There is no cryptic approach. Accept salvation and live by faith to be righteous.

There is a thing that we must consider though. All is by the acceptance and living in our heart and not on the surface or to ensure that others have heard and know. The only one who needs to know is the LORD and that will be exclaimed through our relationship and communication with Him. In our relationship, we have the opportunity to speak with the LORD and know Him. It is in these communications (prayer) that we find our tasks to spread the gospel and do the work of Christ. It is in this relationship that we reveal our hearts to God and He sees and knows our faith in Him.

Righteousness is not for the Jews or the Baptists or the Catholics. It is for all who accept the salvation gift from God and live by faith in Him and in actions He tasks. It is offered and for everyone that will accept and live in their heart and demonstrate that through the relationship and communication with the LORD.

Who do you believe can or is righteous? Are you of the opinion that one somehow has to be special or of a certain group? What if you were to see that it is anyone who accepts the gift of salvation and lives by faith through their heart?

Have Faith and Wait on The LORD

But when will the LORD reveal Himself and rescue us? This is a good question and one that is likely on the minds of most of us in this world. Here is what we know from God’s Word.

“³For still the vision awaits its appointed time;

it hastens to the end—it will not lie.

If it seems slow, wait for it;

it will surely come; it will not delay.

‘⁴Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him,

but the righteous shall live by his faith.’”

— Habakkuk 2:3-4 (ESV)

The time will come. We have to just have faith and wait for it. So, the question of when is a good one, but a better one to me would be, to me, what righteous actions should I be taking as I wait on the LORD?

I know that the LORD is coming and will rescue us. I know that He will do so in His own time. I have to remember that His timing is perfect and that I am not able to see all that goes into the timing and the rescue. There is so much that I do not know as I can only see that which is in my immediate view. I have to be the one taking action for the LORD and allow Him to work in His time and way to impact me and the rest of the world.

It is my faith in Him that should be leading me, not my questions of Him. I have to approach things knowing that He is in control and that He will prevail in the end. I have to know that I have been saved and that I now have work to do in the arena of spreading the gospel and that is done through the work He has for me. As I do that work, I am waiting on the LORD to complete His work in this world with me and know that when the time is come, I will be rescued from this world.

Waiting does not have to be something that consumes us. Thinking even of my own waiting. When I am working and focused on actions, time seems to fly by. I think back to being asked how much time I spend working on my posts in the mornings. I replied that I spend between 30 minutes and an hour each morning. The thing is, I seem to lose track of time and have to rush through the action of the post as I have spent more time with my reading and writing than I initially gave myself when I began. Due to the work I am doing for the LORD (my study) I lose track of the time passing as I wait on the LORD and am not thinking about when, only on the work.

I have to have faith that the LORD will rescue me. I have to know that my role is to do the work. When those two things go together, I am able to wait on the LORD and His timing in my rescue.

How are you waiting on the LORD? Are you watching the clock and sitting idle? What if you were to dive into the work of the LORD having faith that He will come and when is not the important part?

By God’s Word Not Bread

God’s Word is more than enough for my life to proceed in this world. I only need His Word and that which He provides for me.

“⁴But he answered, ‘It is written,

“Man shall not live by bread alone,

but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”’”

— Matthew 4:4 (ESV)

Here we find Jesus being tempted by the devil. Jesus lets the devil know in no uncertain terms that bread of the world is not enough to live by and that it is the Word of God that we should be hanging on.

I know, but we need nourishment for our bodies. I agree, but that is not what is needed for us to truly live. Living is doing the work of the LORD and not eating a meal. Last night in my home we had a wonderful steak and some potatoes and green beans and honeydew melon for dinner and topped it off with some homemade banana pudding. It was delicious and a wonderful fulfilling meal. Yet, this morning I am hungry again. I have to decide what to have to eat and locate it and cook it. So my living was only for a moment.

Jesus spoke to the Samaritan woman at the well and offered her living water.

“¹³Jesus said to her, ‘Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, ¹⁴but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.’” – John 4:13-14 (ESV)

Jesus made it clear to the woman that we cannot live on the nourishment of the world and that even when received it is only for a short while and we will again be looking for more. Yet with the Word of God, we only need to turn back to Him and we will receive. I only need to pray to the LORD and He will hear me and provide for me.

Now I am not saying that we do not need the nourishment for our bodies, because I do need to be physically well. The thing that I am saying is that it is not the physical bread that gets me through and provides for my ability to serve the LORD and do His will. It is the love, direction, comfort, and guidance that gets me through. He will provide the physical bread as He did for the Israelite people in the wilderness and for Himself and the disciples as they traveled in ministry. I have to look to Him for all and know that when doing so, I will never go hungry for His guidance nor for the food to eat.

What bread are you looking for daily? Are you in constant lookout for the next meal? What if instead, you were to be on the lookout for the LORD and His will and allow Him to provide all that you will need in accomplishing His work?

Prayer of Faith

One has to mean it. I remember growing up and doing something that was not exactly nice to my brother and sister (I am sure most of us have been there). And then, after being ratted out to the parents, I was “forced” to give the obligatory apology, the “sorry”, under the breath and includes the roll of the eyes just to satisfy the parents. Everyone knew it was not sincere, yet it satisfied in the moment. Prayer, can be similar to that apology.

This morning I was brought to the passage in James titled “The Prayer of Faith”. After reading the passage, I was reminded of the sincerity that is to accompany our prayer. I even have some notes in my bible from earlier study that identifies the depth to which we are to pray.

“¹⁵And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.” – James 5:15 (ESV)

This verse brings home the power of prayer. But not just any prayer, the prayer of faith. When praying, I have to remember that I have to have faith in God to answer those prayers. I have to know and approach God with the knowledge that His will be done in all that we ask for and seek from Him. And that is where my prayer has to be the right prayer and something that I recently explained to someone asking for me to pray for their situation. I have to pray for the will of God and not just for Him to give me the answers I may be looking for. I have to understand that my “want” is of less importance than God’s Will.

“Pray for God’s will with Faith. Remember to pray deeply, not just on the surface. Not our request for action we want, but action for and about God’s Will.” This is the note I have in the margin of my bible in this passage. This is the message of the prayer of faith. It is not about me and what I want. It is about God and His will be done. I have to pray deeply, with the faith that His will be done. He will answer our prayer as He says He will. By praying deeply and for His will to be done, I am prepared for the result of His actions and not looking for the outcome I want.

What kind of prayer are you lifting up to God? Are you going through the motions and giving your obligatory prayer to Him for your wants? What if you were to pray with faith, deeply, and pray for His will to be done?