WISDOM FOR LIVING DAILY DEVOTIONAL
JUNE 05, 2022
TOPIC: DO WHAT IS RIGHT IN THE EYES OF GOD
BY T. O. BANSO
âIn those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyesâ (Judges 17:6 New King James Version).
Because of the fallen nature of man, what is right in the eyes of man is not always what is right in the eyes of God. Man must, therefore, live by the standards of God and not set his own standards. He says in Isaiah 55:8-9, ââFor My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,â says the LORD. âFor as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughtsâ (New King James Version).
The Bible tells us something negative about how the Israelites lived before the nation became a monarchy – ruled by kings. Â âIn those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyesâ (Judges 17:6 New King James Version). Judges 21:25 repeats exactly what Judges 17:6 says. This was a sad commentary.
Moses had told the Israelites that when they arrived in the place of rest the LORD their God was going to give them, âYou shall not at all do as we are doing here today â every man doing whatever is right in his own eyesâ (Deuteronomy 12:8 New King James Version).
The Israelites did what was right in their eyes not because there was no king. It was because they were not obedient to God as God had given them commandments to guide their conduct. Joshua succeeded Moses and the Bible says that when all in the generation of Joshua had died, another generation arose after them who did not know the LORD or the work which He had done for Israel (Judges 2:10).
The Israelites became unfaithful to God. Judges 2:11-13 says, âThen the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served the Baals; and they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt; and they followed other gods from among the gods of the people who were all around them, and they bowed down to them; and they provoked the LORD to anger. They forsook the LORD and served Baal and the Ashtorethsâ (New King James Version).Â
Consequently, God punished them by delivering them into the hands of their enemies to oppress them. But each time they cried to the LORD, He would send a judge to deliver them. But after a while, they would return to their sin. This is how Judges 2:16-19 captures it: âNevertheless, the LORD raised up judges who delivered them out of the hand of those who plundered them. Yet they would not listen to their judges, but they played the harlot with other gods, and bowed down to them. They turned quickly from the way in which their fathers walked, in obeying the commandments of the LORD; they did not do so. And when the LORD raised up judges for them, the LORD was with the judge and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge; for the LORD was moved to pity by their groaning because of those who oppressed them and harassed them. Â And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they reverted and behaved more corruptly than their fathers, by following other gods, to serve them and bow down to them. They did not cease from their own doings nor from their stubborn wayâ (New King James Version).
It is recorded in the book of Judges seven times that the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD (Judges 2:11; 3:7, 12; 4:1; 6:1; 10:6; 13:1). In other words, they didnât do what was right in His eyes. When they later asked for a king to rule over them like other nations, some of the kings did evil in the sight of the LORD just as the Israelites had done previously. Some kings did what was right in the eyes of the LORD but later derailed, and didnât finish well. The spiritual direction of the people of the two kingdoms could not be divorced from the relationship of the reigning king with God.
Donât only do what is right in the eyes of God. Ensure that you continue to do it to the end, for he that endures to the end shall be saved (Matthew 10:22b; 24:13; Mark 13:13b). Do what is right in the eyes of God continually so that you will finish well. âSince we know that Christ is righteous, we also know that all who do what is right are Godâs childrenâ (1 John 2:29 New Living Translation). The New King James Version renders âdo what is rightâ as practice righteousness.
What must you do? First, give your heart to Jesus (be born again) â your heart must first be right with God. Then you must read and meditate upon the Word of God daily to know what God wants you to do, obey the Word of God, yield the control of your life to the Holy Spirit, and reject wrong influences â people, advice, values, etc.
The Word of God should be your constitution for living. 2 Timothy 3:16b says about all scriptures: âIt corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is rightâ (New Living Translation). Let Godâs Word be a lamp to your feet and a light to your path (Psalm 119:105). Hide His Word in your heart, and you wonât sin against Him (Psalm 119:11). If you live your new life following the Holy Spirit, you won’t do what your sinful self craves or wants (Galatians 5:16).
You canât depend on your senses and preferences to know what is right in the eyes of God. What you sincerely think is right may be wrong. Thatâs why Romans 12:2 says you shouldnât copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death (Proverbs 14:12; 16:25).
God always knows where every road leads and how every journey will end. âTrust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your pathsâ (Proverbs 3:5-6 New King James Version).
Godâs standards are higher than manâs standards and God has set His standards in the Bible for humans to follow. As your mind is renewed daily in the Word of God by the Holy Spirit, you begin to align your thoughts with His thoughts and your ways with His ways.
Godâs standards must become your standards. Donât seek to be liked by people; seek to be right with God! Commit yourself to do what is right in the eyes of God, not what is right in your own eyes or in people’s eyes.
TAKE ACTION!
If you are not born again, you need to give your life to Jesus now. I urge you to take the following steps: *Admit that you are a sinner and you cannot save yourself and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life â your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your life. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church. There they will teach you how to grow in the Kingdom of God.
Kindly say this prayer now: O Lord God, I come unto You today. I know I am a sinner and I cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me and God raised Him on the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I surrender my life to Jesus now and invite Him into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.
I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You will need to join a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church in your area where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like a palm tree and grow like a cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The Lord be with you.
PRAYER POINTS: In the name of Jesus, I shall hide the Word of God in my heart so that I wonât sin against Him. The Word of God shall be my constitution for living. Godâs standards shall become my standards in Jesusâ name. Holy Spirit, help me to continually do what is right in the eyes of the Lord. I receive the grace to finish my Christian race well. Father, I pray that those who are doing what is right in their eyes, not what is right in the Your eyes, will repent and live to please You.
(For over 800 in-depth and powerful messages by T. O. Banso, visit www.cedarministry.org).
T. O. Banso is the President of Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria.
Phone No: +2348155744752, +2348033113523
WhatsApp No: +2349081295947
Email: cedarministryintl@yahoo.com,
cedarministryng@gmail.com
Website: www.cedarministry.org
Â
  
  
  
  
