From the Apostle's Pen

Release through Righteousness!

By Apostle Joseph Hobbs, Th.D.
Ps 84:11-12

Ps 84:11-12


For the LORD God is a sun and shield: The LORD will give grace and glory: no good things will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee. (KJV)


"God never alters the robe of righteousness to fit the man, he always alters the man to fit the robe of righteousness." - Unknown


Greetings to all who call upon the name of the Lord in earnest. I would like to address the issue of righteousness as it refers to benefits of being in right-standing with God. The idea of righteousness or uprightness as it is referred to in the text above is a moral decision based upon our submission to the truth of God's Word. The word upright is defined as having or showing a strict regard for what is right.


The third clause of the text from the Psalms in the original Hebrew reads "no good will he withhold from them that walk uprightly." The focus of the verse is that good which comes from God. The word good has a number of variant meanings. It means among other things welfare, goodness, pleasantness, prosperity, or favor. The text is suggesting that righteous living releases the favor of God. It is saying that the good of the Lord is not withheld from those who live by God's righteous standards.


We live in a society where few people really want to take responsibility for their own actions. The attitude of the predominant culture is that everything is the results of someone else's disregard for our rights. However, the Word of God clearly teaches that our conduct and behavior is an inward response or reaction based upon a willful choice. In other words, we determined how we would respond to the commandments of God, that response releases a certain outcome.

If we really serious about the release of God's favor upon our lives we must make an informed decision to obey God and to walk uprightly before Him. God's "good" for our lives is released based upon a determined decision on our part to live uprightly.