Daily Bread - 06/18/07

1 Peter 3:12 - Because the Lord's eyes are upon the righteous and His ears unto their petitions but the Lord's face opposes those who do evil.

Peter quoted this exhortation from Psalms 34:14, underscoring the relevance of this Old Testament scripture in the New Testament. Peter leads into this by talking about one of the chief attributes of righteousness: love. The love of God compels us to bless no matter what the disposition of others may be toward us. As those who possess the righteousness of God we are to bless so that we might inherit a blessing (3:9). We are commanded to bless and to curse not (Romans 12:14; 1 Corinthians 12:20-21; Matthew 5:44). Our tongues are to speak no evil against another person (3:10; 2:1, 22). Just as the whole Law is summed up in love, the righteousness of God is also summed up in love; for God is love (Romans 13:8,10; Galatians 5:14; 1 John 4:7-8;1 John 3:10-11).

God's eyes are upon the righteous and His ears are open to hear their prayers. God not only hears us when we pray, He also will do whatever we ask because we obey Him and keep His commandments and we do those things that are pleasing in His sight (1 John 3:22; 5:14; John 14:13-14). Whenever we turn away from the evil we discover that God is looking at us with a heart of gratitude and thanksgiving that we were willing to choose His way of life. He loves us and wants us to have the good life that is full of blessings (1 Peter 3:10; John 10:10; Romans 6:23). He gave us His gift of abundant and eternal life so that we can enjoy the blessedness of His way of life, righteousness.

We are inundated on every side with things that are both wicked and opposed to God (1 John 5:19; Revelation 12:9; Ephesians 2:2). Our society is gripped with the most vile offenses against God. The Christian community has become a community of unending compromises (James 4:4; Galatians 2:17-18). If we are not careful, we will be carried away with these influences (2 Timothy 2:19; 1 John 3:7; Ephesians 5:6). We must allow God to define for us how we are to behave and be committed to that way of life. If we are willing to walk with God, we will not have to rely upon our own failing and wavering human strength; for we will find the strength of the Lord and the power of His might (Ephesians 5:11; 6:10; 1 Corinthians 5:11; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18; 2 Thessalonians 3:14; 5:22).

There are only two choices: we are either righteous and doing that which is good and pleasing to the Lord or we are doing evil. If we are doing evil then the Lord has set his face against us. If a person boasts of being an evildoer and still attempts to profess a relationship with God, such one is deceived (1 John 1:6; 2:9; 3:10, 14-15). The Bible makes a very clear distinction between good and evil, righteousness and sin, light and darkness, holy and common. We would be wise to receive the counsel and instruction of the Lord and have a good understanding of this distinction ourselves.

If we have been born of God then He has filled our hearts with that which is good (Matthew 12:35; 2 Corinthians 1:22; 3:3; 4:6; Galatians 4:6; Hebrews 8:10; 10:16; Ezekiel 36:26). He has poured His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5; Galatians 5:22; 1 John 4:7). All we need to do is hunger and thirst for the things of righteousness and we will be filled to overflowing with every expression of God's love.

Be blessed,

Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
abidingplace.org