Aloha Dearest Family,
We as God’s
children desire to live victorious lives and to always obey the Words of our
heavenly Father. For this is the way of peace. God wants us to look only to Him
for all your needs but God also encourages us to observe others who have it
“all together.” But what do these people look like?
In England , people
closely watch and observe the royal family. The royals are in a unique position
in the eyes of all Briton, as they are the ‘golden standard’ in all words and
actions and how to live life. In America we don’t have royals, so
society has elevated celebrities as the ‘golden ones’. Whatever they do and say
is closely watched and observed. As if they had the answers to all of the
world’s problems. (What insanity).
Fortunately,
God has instructed us on whom to watch and observe.
“Observe the blameless! Take note of the upright! Indeed, the future of that man is peace.” (Psalm 37:37 ISV)
The
blameless and upright are the ones God wants us to observe. These are the ones
that have found the life that God said in His Word that they could have. And by
observing them, we see that we could have the same.
It is worthwhile to look at and
study great men and women in the Bible who accomplished amazing things because
they trusted God. Reading Hebrews chapter 11, for example, we can see the
believing of Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Moses, Rahab, Gideon, and many more. It’s enlightening
to read about them because we realize that they were just like us, with the
same faults and frailties as we have today. In every generation what sets the
meager apart from the blessed ones is their believing and uprightness in heart.
They and we can please God. This is why God wants us to observe them as
examples.
A great chapter to see the ways of
the blameless and upright in heart is Psalm 112. I’d like to show it to you
from the James Moffatt translation.
“Hallelujah.
Happy is the man who reverences the Eternal (God), who finds rich joy in His commandments.
His
children rise to power within the land; the race of the upright are blessed.
Riches
and wealth are in his house, good fortune never fails him.
Light
dawns on the good man, the upright man so mild and merciful.
All
goes well with the generous, open-handed, who act fairly; never shall that man
come to grief; the good man’s memory never fades.
He
has no fear of evil tidings, he trusts in the Eternal with a steady heart; his
heart is firm and fearless, certain that he will see his foes collapse.
He
gives to the poor lavishly, and so good fortune never fails him; he rises to
power and honor.” (Psalm 112:1-9)
Who wouldn’t want to be this man? Because he reverences God,
loves His Word and is righteous and upright in all that he does - this man is
abundantly blessed. This is the man to watch and observe.
I’ve taught
my sons and also hold myself to this same standard, that if anybody is going to
be kind in the room, it better be me. If anyone in the room is going to be generous,
it is going to be me. If anybody in the room has words of encouragement and
hope, it better be me. Why? Because this is what the good man, the upright in
heart would do. And this is what Jesus would do, because this is the will of
the Father. Why wouldn’t they be my actions as well? In Ephesians 5:1 it says
“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.”
When we become imitators of God we will
become the upright in heart and then our lives become the ones that others can observe
and be encouraged. Most of all, we please Him.
Love
Always, Ray
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