OF THE RIGHTEOUS

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In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

The prospect of the righteous is joy, but the hopes of the wicked come to nothing.

The lips of the righteous know what finds favor, but the mouth of the wicked only what is perverse.

The desire of the righteous ends only in good, but the hope of the wicked only in wrath.

The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and the one who is wise saves lives.

The plans of the righteous are just, but the advice of the wicked is deceitful.

The wicked are overthrown and are no more, but the house of the righteous stands firm.

The wicked desire the stronghold of evildoers, but the root of the righteous endures.

The light of the righteous shines brightly, but the lamp of the wicked is snuffed out.

The house of the righteous contains great treasure, but the income of the wicked brings ruin.

The heart of the righteous weighs its answers, but the mouth of the wicked gushes evil.

The Lord is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous.

Proverbs 10:28, 10:32, 11:23, 11:30, 12:5, 12:7, 12:12, 13:9, 15:6, 15:28, 15:29

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

The Phantom of the Opera.

The Constitution of the United States of America

The Lord of the Rings

The Supreme Court of the United States

The Wrath of the Titans.

The Seven Wonders of the World

There is no shortage of titles we see that include the two words, “of the”. The words when used the way above simply means that something either pertains to, is related to, or is relevant to another thing.

The phantom is related to the opera. The Constitution and Supreme Court are relevant to the United States. The rings pertain to the lord. The titans are angered and their wrath is related to that. And the seven wonders are related to the world and its other wonders.

All these examples give us worldly examples of the words “of the” but what about spiritual examples? Fortunately, as we find in everything else in life, God’s word comes to the rescue. Look at these proverbs:

The prospect of the righteous is joy, but the hopes of the wicked come to nothing. Proverbs 10:28

The lips of the righteous know what finds favor, but the mouth of the wicked only what is perverse. Proverbs 10:32

The desire of the righteous ends only in good, but the hope of the wicked only in wrath. Proverbs 11:23

The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and the one who is wise saves lives. Proverbs 11:30

The plans of the righteous are just, but the advice of the wicked is deceitful. Proverbs 12:5

The wicked are overthrown and are no more, but the house of the righteous stands firm. Proverbs 12:7

The wicked desire the stronghold of evildoers, but the root of the righteous endures. Proverbs 12:12

The light of the righteous shines brightly, but the lamp of the wicked is snuffed out. Proverbs 13:9

The house of the righteous contains great treasure, but the income of the wicked brings ruin. Proverbs 15:6

The heart of the righteous weighs its answers, but the mouth of the wicked gushes evil. Proverbs 15:28

The Lord is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous. Proverbs 15:29

Note that all of these focus on the phrase “of the righteous”. In other words, those who believe and trust in Jesus as Lord and Savior will receive His promise as found in Matthew 5:6, blessed because they will be filled with righteousness when they hunger and thirst for it. Accepting a personal relationship with Jesus carries with it the gift of righteousness and the associated benefits which are plentiful as we have read in the scriptures.

Indeed, be counted with the righteous and the following things will be related to you:

1.  The prospect of the righteous is joy.

People have lots of prospects for life. They can work hard to have the prospect of success and upward mobility as well as the chance to achieve wealth. They can work out and eat right with the prospect that they will be healthy and live longer. They can save money with the prospect of buying a car or a home or to save money for use at a later time, possibly when they retire so they have a chance to enjoy the extra time they will have.

For the Christian, the one who has chosen righteousness through Jesus, their prospect is one of joy in life, no matter what it brings. The Apostle Paul said it like this:

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:12-13

Paul didn’t write these inspirational words from the comfort of home but rather from prison, unsure if he would ever be free again. How could Paul be content despite such harrowing circumstances? It was because he realized that his joy wasn’t to be found in any earthly things but rather from the Lord, the One through which he found strength to make it through all situations, whether in plenty or want.

The good news is that Paul chose to not keep it a secret and through his sharing, we find our way to the same prospect of joy that he had through the same Lord who is with us and always working things for our good.

2. The lips of the righteous know what finds favor.

We have already studied many cautions in the word of God concerning the tongue and things we say when we don’t have it controlled. When we live each day in communion with the One who is righteousness, then we embody righteousness in the way we live. And when we embody righteousness in all that we do, every action, every word, and every thought become an extension of His. In particular, the things we say find His favor as we speak in ways that honor and glorify Him.

3. The desire of the righteous ends only in good.

Another by-product of our communion with the Lord and the accompanying reception of righteousness in our lives comes in the way of our desires changing. Before the Lord, our desires were shaped by our own needs and wants. But when we chose to follow Jesus and received Him as Savior, His desires replaced our own and the end result was goodness, goodness in what we did and goodness in what we received through the blessing of satisfaction that comes when we have done something good for another.

4. The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life.

When we model the life of Jesus, part of what we sow through our righteous acts of goodness comes through the fruits of helping others to life by pointing them to their Savior who is the way and the truth and the life. Our efforts to make disciples, carrying out Jesus’ Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20), results in others being connected to life, now and eternally. In other words, Jesus uses us to branch out to others and connect them to Him.

5. The plans of the righteous are just.

Jesus is just and fair. There’s no debate about that. Those who are in unity with Jesus reflect His principles including the exercising of just and fair treatment of others. The plans of the righteous are just because the One they consult to make those plans is perfectly just.

6. The house of the righteous stands firm. The root of the righteous endures.

Jesus had this to say about the one who chose to build their life’s foundation on Him:

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.” Matthew 7:24-25

The old hymn would proclaim, “On Christ the solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand”. The righteous build upon Christ who is the cornerstone and in doing so stand firm and rooted in Him. Building on anything else, sinking sand or otherwise, places the structural integrity of one’s spiritual house in peril.

7. The light of the righteous shines brightly.

Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life (John 8:12).” We have the light within us because we have accepted to follow the One who is the Light. We’re to let it shine brightly wherever we go so others might get a glimpse of Jesus through us.

Listen to this great song by Kari Jobe: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8cX6SHtxeE

8. The house of the righteous contains great treasure.

Jesus exhorted His disciples to not store up treasures on earth but rather treasure in heaven (Matthew 6:19-20). When we pursue and receive Christ’s righteousness then we also gain the treasures of heaven that come through our daily relationship with Him, treasures of heaven that consist of abundant riches only found in Jesus.

9. The heart of the righteous weighs its answers.

Wisdom and discernment come to those who place their faith and trust in Jesus. Thus, the heart of anyone in Christ will carefully choose its attitude and the accompanying words that come with it. Seeking to always magnify, glorify, and please the Lord, responses to life’s matters will always be selected with His direction and guidance and then carried out to His glory.

10. He hears the prayer of the righteous.

Salt and pepper. Peanut butter and jelly. Abbott and Costello. Laurel and Hardy.

Some things are just meant to be together. In regard to living upright, righteousness and prayer are the combination. We commit to a relationship with the Lord but that relationship will only be as good and vibrant as the frequency we choose to pray and communicate with Him. And He is always ready to hear us and partner with us to further His kingdom here on earth.

I don’t know about you but I love life because I love the chance to enter into a relationship with the Lord each and every day. I hunger and thirst for His righteousness and He has always filled me to overflow. I pray you are experiencing the same and basking in all the things that are of the righteous.  

There’s no better way to live.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.

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