Uprightness

In the Bible, "uprightness" generally signifies moral integrity, righteousness, and adherence to God's laws and principles. The Hebrew word for uprightness, "יָשָׁר" (yashar), conveys a sense of being straight or level, both literally and figuratively, reflecting a life lived in accordance with divine standards. For instance, Psalm 7:10 states, "My shield is with God, who saves the upright in heart," indicating that God protects and values those who live righteously. Similarly, Proverbs 11:5 teaches that "the righteousness of the blameless keeps his way straight," suggesting that uprightness leads to a life of moral clarity and direction.In the New Testament, the theme of uprightness continues with an emphasis on living according to the teachings of Jesus and embodying His character. Philippians 4:8 encourages believers to think on things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable—qualities that reflect uprightness. Furthermore, the concept of uprightness is closely linked to the idea of faithfulness, as seen in Proverbs 2:7, where it states that God stores up sound wisdom for the upright and is a shield to those who walk in integrity. Thus, uprightness in the biblical context encompasses both ethical behavior and a deep relational fidelity to God.

Uprightness1

The Progress of the Upright

By Don Courville

74035:17

2SA 22:22PSA 44:18PSA 119:33PSA 119:80PRO 3:5MAT 6:332CO 11:24

In this sermon, the preacher begins by discussing the story of Josiah, who became king at the age of eight and ruled for 31 years. Josiah was praised for doing what was right in the sight of the Lord and following in the ways of his father David. The preacher then transitions to discussing the importance of having an upright heart, which involves being willing to give oneself out and go the extra mile. He shares a personal anecdote about going out for pizza with a large group and realizing that thin pizzas were not enough to fill everyone up. The preacher emphasizes the need to look back, look forward, look inward, and look upward in order to have an upright heart. He explains that an upright heart holds on to the ways of God and does not turn back or decline from His path. The sermon concludes with a story about a little boy who wanted a job at a hardware store, but the owner hesitated because he didn't want to disappoint the boy if he couldn't handle the job. The preacher suggests that sometimes we may be upset with ourselves, but we need to have faith and trust in God's plan for our lives.