“A man will be commended according to his insight and sound judgment, But the one who is of a perverse mind will be despised.”

Proverbs 12:8 AMP

The Scripture today speaks about the light shining from a life submitted to the Word of God. The word commended in the Hebrew means to shine; radiate; have a bright or clear light visible force a powerful source.” In a discussion with the disciples, Jesus compared them to a light shining brightly.

“Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good deeds and moral excellence, and [recognize and honor and] glorify your Father who is in heaven.” 

Matthew 5:16 AMP

Once again, we see the implication that the source of this light shining from our lives is “good deeds and moral excellence,…” In a day and age where man is creating his own temporal understanding of moral excellence, the Scripture gives an eternal guide by which we were designed to behave. Many today reject those moral codes and attribute it to a system of religious behavior. Nothing could be further from the truth. Jesus told us,

“Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father [but He is not], you would love and recognize Me, for I came from God [out of His very presence] and have arrived here. For I have not even come on My own initiative [as self-appointed], but He [is the One who] sent Me. 43Why do you misunderstand what I am saying? It is because [your spiritual ears are deaf and] you are unable to hear [the truth of] My word. 44You are of your father the devil, and it is your will to practice the desires [which are characteristic] of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks what is natural to him, for he is a liar and the father of lies and half-truths. 45But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me [and continue in your unbelief]. 46Which one of you [has proof and] convicts Me of sin? If I speak truth, why do you not believe Me?47Whoever is of God and belongs to Him hears [the truth of] God’s words; for this reason you do not hear them: because you are not of God and you are not in fellowship with Him.” 

John 8:42-47 AMP

Ouch! We are told that the source of our behavior comes from one of two place. Either we are acting on the Words of God or following the lies of the Devil! Twenty-seven times in the New Testament Jesus used the words, “I tell you the truth.” Comverse to that we read that Satan is the one who is telling lies and deceiving people! Do you see it in the words of Jesus? The reason for man’s twisted picture of moral excellence comes from the fact that he knows not his creator! We see it in action evry day against those who now stand for the truth of God’s Word.

“Let me not be put to shame, O LORD, for I call on You; Let the wicked (godless) be put to shame, let them be silent in Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead). 18Let the lying lips be mute, which speak insolently and arrogantly against the [consistently] righteous With pride and contempt. 19How great is Your goodness, Which You have stored up for those who [reverently] fear You, Which You have prepared for those who take refuge in You, Before the sons of man!”

Psalms 31:17-19 AMP

The prayer of the Psalmist is for God to silence the lips of those we are speaking “insolently and arrogantly against the righteous with pride and contempt.” We are called to walk in the soundness of good judgement. Those guidelines can only be found in the manual of life written by the creator of man! Who better to know what is right and true than the One who designed and created the system in the first place! When there is a problem with a computer program, we call the one who wrote the code! We don’t go in a blindly change lines of code for the results would be disastrous! 

Let me encourage you today to “know the code” and allow it to function as God has designed it! Have a blessed day, Pastor Ken