Psalm 1:1-6, “Knowing & Enjoying God’s Blessings in 2015!”
Three days ago we left 2014 behind and moved into 2015, wishing one another a happy and blessed New Year.
For most of us, there were many changes last year, some for the better, some for the worse; but the good news is, the Word of God remains the same and it is God’s prescription for how we can be continually blessed.
From God’s perspective, there are only two ways to live and only two kinds of people in the world: the righteous and the wicked. This Psalm tells us the righteous are blessed, the wicked are not.
In order to be blessed in 2015, or another time, you need to pay attention to the content of this Psalm.
Verses 1-3... “Blessed [Happy] is the man,” who doesn’t do certain things and does do other certain things.
The world offers entertainment and enticement that, provides momentary and superficial pleasure, but lasting happiness, authentic joy, and genuine peace are found only in the Lord. It is possible for a person to have a truly blessed and happy life, but only on God’s terms.
God’s blessings come to those who don’t walk in the counsel of the wicked, don't stand in the way of sinners, and don’t sit in the seat of mockers.
The “counsel of the wicked” describes the worldview of those who do not know the Lord.
The “way of sinners” describes their lifestyle choices.
The “seat of mockers” is the place of intimate fellowship with those who openly reject Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.
Picture this: you are walking down the street and you stop to hang out with a few unbelieving friends; they ask you to sit down with them for a bit, and in the course of the conversation they invite you to go to a new movie; even though you know the movie has lots of explicit sex and profanity (even using God’s name in vain), you don’t want to seem prude, so you agree to go with them to this movie.
Worldly thinking will leads to belief and behavior that will result in godless relationships and godless living.
Understand, we are blessed by what we do, but also by what we don’t do. The point is this: God’s people aren’t to hang out just anywhere, with anyone, doing just anything (Romans 12:9; Ephesians 5:15-17; Colossians 2:8-10).
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When you determine to seek and to serve God, the devil will oppose you. One of his strategies is simply to surround you with associations that will lead you astray, people who do not share your faith and belief in God.
Sin is never stagnate, it always seeks to control you. What begins as a casual relationship, may lead to the lowering of your inhibitions. You may start to laugh at jokes you once considered crude, or compromise your values about right and wrong, remaining silent when things are said or done that troubled you in the past.
If you behave like your unbelieving acquaintances, they will never see Christ in you. The truth is, you either influence them or they will influence you, but you can’t reach people for Christ by lowering your standards or compromising your beliefs.
Instead of behaving like unbelievers, we must focus on knowing and doing God’s Will, (Psalm 119:16) “to delight in the law of the Lord,” God’s Holy Word of.
To “delight” means to take great pleasure in. We all “delight” in something: a hobby, certain foods, exercise, a career, money, stuff, and sometimes we even delight in sinful pleasures.
But the things we delight in will eventually set the direction and the speed of our travel,and the length of our stay, so to speak. What do you delight in? daydream about? What can’t you do without?
Those who are blessed by God should love His Word and meditate on it day and night (cf. Joshua 1:8); to “meditate” is to digest something thoroughly, to deeply consider it with honor, reverence, and great value.
We all need a regular daily time to read and meditate upon God’s Word (If you commit to just 20 minutes a day, you can read through the whole Bible in just a year).
Do you memorize Scripture? It is almost a lost art today, but when I came to Christ in 1978, it was commonplace to emphasize Scripture memorization.
When you put God’s Word in your heart and mind, it provides confidence in and the strength to obey it; as you delight in God’s Word, you’ll want to read it, meditate on it, even memorize it. You’ll become like a tree planted by a stream of water, with roots deep down in the soil pulling up moisture and nutrients, growing strong and producing fruit “in season,” at just the right time.
God’s Word provides all you need to exhibit the fruit of your new life in Christ (Galatians 5:22-23), “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”
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These characteristics are part of the spiritual DNA of all believers, as we walk with the Lord, feeding upon and delighting in His law, our “leaf will not wither” because we are refreshed by God’s Word every day, for His blessings are new every morning.
In this world we may face disappointment, sorrow, rejection, failure, pain, and illness; even so, we can survive and thrive for we will not be destroyed (1Corinthians 15:55-57; 2Corinthians 4:7-10).
The righteous prosper in all they do, when they are nourished by the Word of God; and they can face whatever life brings (Romans 8:31-39).
Verses 4-5... The wicked do not receive God’s blessings on earth or in heaven, because they aren’t God’s children.
They are like chaff (husk or hull surrounding a nut or a kernel), without value, destined to be blown away in the wind or burned in the fire; all the wicked (unbelievers) are destined to be punished in hell for eternity.
The judgment mentioned here (v. 5) is not for punishment but reward; this is for the righteous (those who are being saved), those who have stood strong, like trees by a stream, with deep roots into the Word of God, resulting in good works that will be rewarded in heaven.
Verse 6... This verse sums up the destiny of those who belong to God (the righteous) and those who don’t (the wicked); the righteous are preserved through Christ, despite how they do on earth, but the wicked, no matter how they do on earth, will be eternally punished in hell, because they rejected Christ.
The Hebrew text here says the Lord “knows” the way of the righteous (those who are being saved), as a father “knows” his own children. It is because of God’s loving kindness that we are protected and preserved through our trials on earth, ultimately, to be brought into God’s presence in heaven, forever.
So, why is this passage important to us as we enter this new year? What does it tell us we are to do and not do in the days, weeks, and months ahead? Consider the following, as you resolve to honor and to obey God in 2015.
Our casual daily interactions with unbelievers can lead us into relationships where we are influenced by those who do not know the Lord; perhaps desensitizing us to the holiness of God. We must be mindful, alert, forewarned, we influence others toward righteousness or they will influence us toward wickedness!
Until we die and go to be with the Lord, or He returns to take us to be with Him, those who live to honor Him on earth will be at odds with those who don’t.
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Christians living in a sinful world must maintain a separation from evil, at the same time not ignoring it, but exposing and rebuking it, for God doesn’t judge according to the world’s standards, human opinion, or majority vote - God judges by His own sovereign standard, Himself.
God repeatedly and clearly reveals and expresses His plan, purpose, and pleasure in the 66 Books of the Bible.
God’s Word tells us to be encouraging one another toward love and good deeds, serving in a local church, where the Bible is the center of Worship (Romans 12:1). As Christians, we must feed upon God’s Word, so that we know what it says and
what it means by what it says, so that we might obey it (Romans 12:2). Ephesians 5:1-2 commands us, “Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved
children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”
We are “children of God” (1John 3:1-2; 5:1-5) and we are to follow the example of God the Son, Jesus Christ (1John 2:6); we need to live out and proclaim the gospel of Christ, so that others might be saved and come to know and to enjoy the blessings of God.
In order to know and enjoy God’s blessings, you must first belong to God the Father through God the Son, having repented of your sins, believing in Jesus Christ as Savior, confessing Him as Lord (Romans 10:9-10, 13)
Philippians 4:4-7, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” 12-13, “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” 19-20, “And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
God’s best to you this New Year, Pastor Mike