Godly Living. As Christians, we have a responsibility to conduct our lives in a way that will please the Lord. His mercy should motivate us to pursue holiness (Hebrew 10:14). But what does godly living look like? Although there are many passages of Scripture that we could choose, let’s examine the characterization of a righteous man given in Psalm 1.He orders his life around godly counsel: “How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners” (Psalm. 1:1). A person who follows the Lord wholeheartedly seeks advice primarily from those who have spiritual insight and integrity (Proverbs 12:5). We should still develop friendships with unsaved people out of a desire to reach them for Christ. But a believer’s closest friends should be those who have godly character. The godly person receives enjoyment, encouragement, and refreshment from the Word of God: “His delight is in the law of the Lord” (Psalm1:2). We should love the Bible more than television, sports, or other pastimes. Scripture instructs us to meditate on the Word of God. Meditation is pondering what was read and relating it to one’s life. Ask questions such as, “What does this tell me about God or myself ? What do I need to change? The godly person stands successfully through the storms in life. “He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water” (Psalm 1:3). During a drought, trees growing by a stream fare better than other trees. In a similar way, people who maintain an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ continue to thrive in difficulty. Their hope and strength is found in the Lord, not their circumstances. A godly person is fruitful: The tree planted by water “yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither” (Psalm 1:3). Righteous believers seek to invest their lives rather than spend them. Their lives bear spiritual fruit (Galatians 5:22-23). Notice that the fruit of the Spirit is a result of abiding in Christ, not of striving in our own power to be holy (John 15). A godly man is successful in all he does “Whatever he does shall prosper” (Psalm1:3). We should flourish in every aspect of our lives. We will see God’s hand of blessing on our friendships, marriages, families, and careers, although we may not become wealthy or successful by the world’s standards (3 John 1:2). A godly person should be content—a quality vital to enjoying God’s blessings.
Posted on: Sat, 13 Jul 2013 04:26:00 +0000
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