Those who are faithful to the Lord follow and obey Him. They watch closely at how they live and seek to walk in His Spirit so that they may obey His will and do as the Father commands. As a result, they will be commended and honored by the Lord. They will be exalted by Him with the beauty of the blazing sun in glory like Jesus shines with glory. It does not matter what anyone else says or thinks of them.
And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. Daniel 12:3
They are the ones who listen to the words of the wise, hunger and thirst for righteousness, and the Word of God. They are keen to listen to and obey the Holy Spirit’s instructions. It takes patience and stillness many times to hear what He is saying.
They will search themselves daily as looking in the mirror of their soul to see if there is any wrongful behavior or sin. Then, they will repent, turning away from all evil, for the Holy Spirit who lives in them will not allow them to remain in sin. Finally, they live and honor the Lord by cleansing themselves in His sight. It is not easy at all; quite the opposite, it is challenging, so only some attempt to travel the narrow road.
“Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be eaten by the sword; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.” Isaiah 1:18-20
The righteous do not walk in the ways of this world’s religion. They do not follow how denominations and men set church rules and traditions because their rules were established by men and not by God. God’s righteous ones always seek God and His face. If the Spirit shows them something that displeased Him, they will turn and forsake it. They will leave a church if necessary to do God’s will.
Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting! Psalm 139:23-24
Always inspect your motivations to see if they are righteous or religious, to see if they are according to His will and not your own. Do the truly pure and right things in the sight of your God. Do not refuse those in need, those who can not help themselves. Help the needy; it is clear who they are: the widow, single mothers left all alone, orphans, homeless, and especially the unborn.
Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unstained from the world. James 1:27
Look intently into the mirror of God’s Holy Word and search your heart to see if there is anything offensive to Him and turn from it. Listen to the voice of His Holy Spirit and live for Jesus Christ with everything in you. Do this with all purity and holiness, honor and reverence God by obeying Him.
He will reward His faithful servants for obeying His every command. He says they will shine like the sun and never have shame. Therefore, it will be an honor to be honored by God in the presence of all the angels and saints.
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.
If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unstained from the world. James 1:22-27
The Soul Sower 