Perhaps the greatest need of the hour is for us evangelicals to keep God's commandments, to joyously walk in righteousness.

There are numerous commandments listed in the New Testament, beginning with the Gospel of Matthew and going through to the Book of Revelation. God expects us to keep His commandments, to think righteously, to speak righteously, and to act righteously. The commandments given in the New Testament range all the way from not stealing, keeping pure sexually, not coveting, forgiving our enemies, taking up our cross and following the Lord Jesus, all the way to presenting our body to God as a living sacrifice.

God has shown us what is good. He desires that we act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.

Once while traveling by airplane I was working on my notebook computer.

The stewardess looked over my shoulder and said, "What are you writing about?"

I answered, "I am a Christian and I am writing about the need for us to behave righteously."

She exclaimed, "I am a Christian but I hate the word righteousness!"

Why would a believer hate the word righteousness? This is strange because righteous behavior is one of the main topics of the Bible. The righteous Lord loves upright, honest, truthful, faithful behavior. Isn't that true? The very scepter of the Lord Jesus is a scepter of righteousness.

It is difficult for non-Christians to behave righteously although many do. But we Christians have access to the very Throne of Grace to obtain wisdom and strength so we can keep God's commandments. We have the body and blood of Christ. We have the Holy Spirit. We have the New Testament writings. We have the elders and the assembling of saints to guide and strengthen us.

With the help of Jesus through His Holy Spirit we can keep God's commandments. We can overcome the evil in the world.

As we keep God's commandments we grow in eternal life. We gain love, joy, and peace of mind. Other people see our good works and glorify God. The light of our life influences all of those who are around us and they become curious about the hope we have.

But when we do not keep God's commandments the opposite is true. We do not grow in Christ, in eternal life. We gain bitterness, misery, and turmoil. Other people are not led to the Lord. They do not ask us about our great hope.

Some of the countries that have been thoroughly evangelized are engaging in civil war; others are crumbling in moral decay, sexual perversion, violence, and drugs. Why is this? Perhaps we have not made disciples of the new believers or taught them to keep the holy commandments written to us by the Apostles of the Lamb. Perhaps we are emphasizing the grace of forgiveness and mercy in a time when the grace of growth needs to be stressed.

Let us all keep God's commandments, practice righteousness, love mercy, and walk humbly with God. Then we are building our house on the rock. Others will come to Jesus and, in addition, God will heal our land.