In the Path of Righteousness is Life

Proverbs 12 (select verses)

Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,

    but he who hates reproof is stupid.

2 A good man obtains favor from the Lord,

    but a man of evil devices he condemns.

3 No one is established by wickedness,

    but the root of the righteous will never be moved.

13 An evil man is ensnared by the transgression of his lips,

    but the righteous escapes from trouble.

14 From the fruit of his mouth a man is satisfied with good,

    and the work of a man's hand comes back to him.

15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes,

    but a wise man listens to advice.

17 Whoever speaks the truth gives honest evidence,

    but a false witness utters deceit.

18 There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts,

    but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

19 Truthful lips endure forever,

    but a lying tongue is but for a moment.

20 Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil,

    but those who plan peace have joy.

28 In the path of righteousness is life,

    and in its pathway there is no death.

We who embrace the discipline of God in our lives, who accept his discipline as necessary, even though painful at the time in which we are enduring it, are those who love the knowledge that comes from God and from his word, who desire to hear from and to be taught by the Lord regarding how we should live and what our lives should be like. We accept that suffering is part of being a follower of Christ, not that we necessarily take pleasure in pain, but we know that through suffering we are being made to be like Christ.

But now this is not saying that everyone who suffers is being made to be like Christ, but those who suffer for the sake of righteousness, for the sake of our faith in Jesus Christ, and for the sake of the truth of the gospel, through what we suffer we are growing to maturity in Christ and we are learning the disciplines of the Lord. And all this is helping us to be more like Christ in character, and to be more Christ-like in our attitudes, and in our disciplines, and in our practices, and in our conduct, and in our speaking, etc. 

For when we follow Jesus Christ with our lives in holy living and in walks of obedience to his commands, in practice, and when we are sharing the truth of the gospel, and not the altered and diluted “gospel” that is so popular today, and especially when we call for the forsaking of our sins and for obedience to Christ, and when we expose the fruitless deeds of darkness for what they are, we are going to be opposed. And some of our fiercest opponents may be others who profess faith in Christ, even some pastors.

For whoever speaks the truth gives honest evidence of what is right in the eyes of the Lord, and not everyone wants to hear the truth, not even many who also profess faith in Jesus Christ. For so many have gone the way of the world, and so many are listening to and believing in a false altered gospel message which makes no demands for death to sin and for living to righteousness, but which tickles itching ears with smooth-sounding words which are intended to appease human flesh and to attract the ungodly.

And those who are walking according to the flesh, and not according to the Spirit, cannot please God. And they are not of God, and they don’t know God, according to the Scriptures, if sin is what they obey (practice), and if righteousness, godliness, and obedience to our Lord and to his commands are not what they obey. And so many today are self-indulgent and are living to do what pleases the flesh and not what pleases God, for they want their sin more than they desire God and his righteousness.

And among them are those who hate reproof, which is stupid (foolish), and who are engaged in all sorts of evil devices, who are ensnared by the transgression of their lips, who bear false witness, and for whom lying is second nature to them. They are the deceitful, the sexually immoral, the dishonest, the unfaithful, the disobedient, the manipulative, and those who dishonor God with their lying lips and who abuse other humans and who take advantage of the weak and the naïve who don’t know better.

Now, the path of righteousness is life, and in its pathway is no death. And that path involves us being crucified with Christ in death to sin and raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, no longer as slaves to sin, but now as slaves to God and to his righteousness, in practice. But the path of the wicked is death, and in its pathway is no life. And the wicked are those who practice wickedness (sin, evil, immorality, lying, etc.), even if they profess faith in Christ. So, don’t be fooled by the lies.

[Matt 7:21-23; Matt 24:9-14; Lu 9:23-26; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14,24; Rom 12:1-2; Rom 13:11; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; 1 Co 1:18; 1 Co 15:1-2; 2 Tim 1:8-9; Heb 9:28; 1 Pet 1:5; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-17; 1 Pet 2:24; Tit 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-9; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 3:6,14-15; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15] 

As the Deer 

By Martin J. Nystrom

Based off Psalm 42:1

As the deer panteth for the water

 So my soul longeth after You

 You alone are my heart's desire

 And I long to worship You

You alone are my strength, my shield

 To You alone may my spirit yield

 You alone are my heart's desire

 And I long to worship You

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZv3jzOTE70

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