[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"\u002Farticles\u002Fwhat-can-the-righteous-do":3,"\u002Farticles\u002Fwhat-can-the-righteous-do-surround":70},{"id":4,"title":5,"author":6,"bibleBooks":8,"body":15,"columnName":52,"date":53,"description":21,"extension":54,"image":55,"meta":56,"minRead":57,"navigation":58,"path":59,"postType":60,"publication":61,"publicationUrl":55,"seo":62,"stem":63,"topics":64,"__hash__":69},"blog\u002Farticles\u002Fwhat-can-the-righteous-do.md","What Can the Righteous Do?",{"name":7},"Dave Faust",[9,10,11,12,13,14],"Psalms","1 Corinthians","Acts","Romans","James","2 Timothy",{"type":16,"value":17,"toc":48},"minimark",[18,22,25,28,36,39,42,45],[19,20,21],"p",{},"Earlier this summer I spoke for a weekend retreat at Featherstone Christian Camp near San Diego. During free time one afternoon I hiked up a dusty trail and enjoyed a spectacular view of the southern California terrain. There was plenty to see: misty mountains set against a bright blue sky; cactus, mesquite, and yucca mingled with wildflowers; rabbits and ground squirrels, hummingbirds and butterflies, honeybees and lizards. (Fortunately, no rattlesnakes.)",[19,23,24],{},"Mostly, though, I noticed the rocks—the chalk-colored chunks of granite that studded the hills. In fact, as I climbed higher onto a ridge called High Mountain Trail, I actually found myself feeling thankful for the rocks, for they provided sure footing on an otherwise slippery path. I thought about the words of King David. \"My God is my rock, in whom I take refuge\" (Psalm 18:2). \"He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand\" (Psalm 40:2).",[19,26,27],{},"Another psalm of David asks a haunting question: \"When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?\" (Psalm 11:3). Indeed, nowadays it appears that the foundations are being destroyed and our nation is in danger of losing its footing. From scandals in Washington, D.C., to school shootings in Colorado, the daily news tells more about the works of the flesh than the fruit of the Spirit. Building on the sand of human wisdom instead of the rock-solid truth of God, cultural trendsetters blur the distinction between right and wrong and tell us Heaven and Hell are myths, human beings are evolutionary accidents, and hope is a pipedream. Is it any wonder we're seeing a steady erosion of foundational values like respect, honesty, responsibility, and faithfulness? How can students do their best in school if they don't even feel safe there? How can Christians thrive and grow if their churches neglect to teach the foundational truths of God's Word?",[19,29,30,31,35],{},"But notice, Psalm 11:3 goes on to ask, \"What can the righteous ",[32,33,34],"em",{},"do","?\" (emphasis mine). Nothing will change if we merely whine about our nation's eroding values. We need to do something positive about them.",[19,37,38],{},"We can trust in Christ, the church's foundation that will never be destroyed (1 Corinthians 3:11). We can study our Bibles and determine to be people of the Book who examine the Scriptures daily and know what we believe and why (Acts 17:11). We can love and guide our families with gentle firmness—for through the powerful influence of personal example, moms and dads and grandpas and grandmas still shape the minds of our children beyond what any government policy or cultural trend can do.",[19,40,41],{},"What can the righteous do? We can remember that righteousness is something God bestows, not something we achieve on our own (Romans 3:22). We can plant and support healthy local churches that promote life-change where it counts most—at the grassroots level where the gospel transforms hearts and homes and communities. And we can pray, confident that \"the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective\" (James 5:16).",[19,43,44],{},"High atop an enormous boulder, I took one more look at the California sky before climbing down. The rocks gave me sure footing as I followed the path to the campground in the valley below.",[19,46,47],{},"Archimedes, the ancient Greek known for explaining leverage, once said, \"Give me a place to stand, and I can move the world.\" Thank the Lord, we have a place to stand. \"God's solid foundation stands firm\" (2 Timothy 2:19)—and that's still where the true leverage lies.",{"title":49,"searchDepth":50,"depth":50,"links":51},"",2,[],"From the Editor's Desk","1999-08-01","md",null,{},3,true,"\u002Farticles\u002Fwhat-can-the-righteous-do","column","The Lookout",{"title":5,"description":21},"articles\u002Fwhat-can-the-righteous-do",[65,66,67,68],"Biblical Theology","Spiritual Formation","Church Leadership","Discipleship","UkoUBetKT6SeWaFuRIJFFA0BOAMTbadjFhyhqEwOcI8",[71,76],{"title":72,"path":73,"stem":74,"description":75,"children":-1},"What are you undoing for the holidays?","\u002Farticles\u002Fwhat-are-you-undoing-for-the-holidays","articles\u002Fwhat-are-you-undoing-for-the-holidays","The Thanksgiving holiday reminds us to praise God for what he has done. But did you ever think to praise God for the things he has not done? He has never lied or broken a promise. He has never left or forsaken us. He has never been unfaithful, unloving, or unfair. \"He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities\" (Psalm 103:10). What God doesn't do is just as praiseworthy as what he does.",{"title":77,"path":78,"stem":79,"description":80,"children":-1},"What Do You Know About God?","\u002Farticles\u002Fwhat-do-you-know-about-god","articles\u002Fwhat-do-you-know-about-god","Maybe you've heard about the little boy in Sunday school whose face looked very serious as he worked with his crayons and construction paper. His teacher asked, \"What are you drawing?\""]