The Blessed Man Psalm 1:1-6 |
|
Introduction: If I asked you if you wanted to be blessed of God I think everyone would say “Certainly.” If I asked how do you think you could obtain God’s blessings you might give several answers and respond that you are not sure.
Psalm 1 answers the question of how a Christian might gain God’s blessings. It must be understood that the blessings of God are for those who are His children. They by faith have repented of their sin against Him, and by faith asked for forgiveness. I they truly repented they turned from their sin.
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (Romans 10:9-10)
This is not addressed to unbelievers because the unbeliever has not accepted God, believed in Him, repented of their sin against Him. The unbeliever is a sinner who ignores His Creator, lives for himself, and is rejecting God’s grace and mercy. God cannot help such a person, because they might want God’s blessing, but they do not want God.
READ John 3:16-21, 36. Note the difference in the attitude of verses 20 and 21.
However, to the believer, the truly born again Christians this is the foundation of a successful, productive, fruitful, and satisfied life. I can be a happy life, but I used the word “satisfied” because I may not be happy due to my circumstances, but I can be satisfied in God’s presence, protection, and grace in my life.
I. The Blessed man walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly. Psa. 1:1
A. Everyone has a philosophy of life. That means a way we think about things.
1. Blessed means to be in a state of prosperity in the 40 times out of 44 times the word is used in the Old Testament. It can mean being happy, but there is a deeper meaning here. This is a different word that of being happy has found often in the New Testament. A prosperious man may not be happy.
Note Job 5:17 - “Behold, happy (blessed) is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty:” (Job 5:17) It is the same word in Psalm 1.
Being blessed of God means He is working in your life and therefore one is better for it. It means you have God’s attention to extend grace in your life.
2. The word “walketh” means to go along, enter, exercise, and behave. How a man goes....what is his attitude and how he behaves.
3. Counsel” it means to give advice to someone else. The idea is that a decision needs to be made and and one is receiving good sound advise. It is also a warning used here that one should seek advise from a source that can give should godly advice.
Many listen to false prophets of the past of our our day.
Aided by Satan sinful men have blinded themselves to the counsel of God. The problem most people have with seeking or accepting good advice is that interferes with their plans, wants, and desires.
However seeking God’s counsel and instruction puts one is the center of God’s will and the place where the Lord can bless them unhindered by their disobedience and rebellion. How blessed is the man who stops fighting with God and accepts His counsel.
4. Surely we know what “ungodly” means. It refers to those who are morally wrong; concretely, an (actively) bad person. Who are condemned, guilty, ungodly, wicked (man), that do wrong.
5. How tragic and utter foolish for a man to seek the advice of the ungodly who deny God and His word.
Remember Doctor Spock who advised parents on raising their Children.
Modern physiology: You problem is not your fault it is your parent’s fault.
There is nothing wrong with homosexuality, fornication. A couple should live together for a while to see if they are compatible.
I get lots of e-mail from people who are listening to false teachers who have confused them. Often they are trying to correct me because I reject their false teachings.
I could spend all day addressing the false and sinful advice many are giving in the name of God.
B. Standeth in the way of sinners.
1. It means standing with sinners. It means being separated from the world and its sin.
2. The world hates God. They belittle Him, ignore He exists, and they live to satisfy their sinful lusts.
3. I have known believers who after they believed and received Christ had to in time stop associating with their prior friends who were ungodly and lived sinful lives.
This does not mean we stop caring for their souls, but when others make us a party to sin....we separate ourselves from this.
Often sports activities are a place where alcohol is served. Often there is foul language.
Many restaurants I do not go to because they sell beer and wine. They may have good food....but to patronized them is to condone their sin and loose one’s witness for Christ.
C. Sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
1. It is tied to the last phrase. The Christian is to be separated from those who scorn God.
2. To scorn God manifest in many ways. In their language, their activities.
3. It also means those that reject God truth.
I have a friend who is engrossed in false religion. I met him again after about 35 years. He claims to be a devout believer, but his life style and beliefs paint a different picture. The first thing the devoted Christian did when I arrived at his home was to offer me a beer.
The rest of the day he tired to convert me to his false religious beliefs. I have nothing in common with him. I tired to witness to him to no avail. He was proud of being a devout Calvinist and his superior intellect and looked down on me for not accepting his logic and false interpretations of Scripture.
4. Bitterness and being condemning of others is a gross sin. At the VA this week I read a little sign that said, If all you have to say is a complaint....just be quiet.
Gossip and back bitting will destroy you and being around people who do this will affect you as well. Avoid them. Don’t set in the seat of the scornful.
II. The blessing of God are found in loving God and His word. Psa. 1:2
A. The contrast is crystal clear. The man who loves God’s word will not be found walking in the counsel of the ungodly, standing with sinners, or sitting with the scornful.
1. The delight of the Christian is found in Christ. It cannot be found anywhere else.
2. God created each of us and this world we live in. He created it physical and spiritual laws. Both His spiritual and natural laws are absolute and to break them will bring a bad result.
3. Ignore gravity and walk off a cliff and you will probably die. Be aware of gravity and properly direct yourself where it threatens or could hurt you. That is breaking God’s natural laws.
4. Break God’s spiritual laws and suffer the tragic and unnecessary result of that failure.
Let sin and lust direct your life and you will suffer and others will suffer with you as well.
I could name a thousand sins, but the point is that following God’s laws strengths a man/woman and they become wise and avoid that will harm them.
The person who delights in God’s law knows their value.
Often people will write and share with me how they are struggling with some sin. They open their heart up seeking help. Often they caused themselves this problem because of their unfaithfulness. The gave in to some temptation and found they enjoyed it. They then found it hard to resist. Some of the most unhappy people I know are Christians who are unfaithful...which is sin.
Some of the worse failures in live, in the homes, families, businesses and finances are Christians who ignore God’s word and seek their counsel from the ungodly who care nothing for them but to exploit them.
Conclusion:
The one who is overcoming sin and being blessed of God is the one who delights in God’s word and mediates on it.
Mediation is not some causal activity. It does not mean to occasional think about something, but to have it on one’s mind continually.
READ Psalm 119:1-16 Note verse 11. “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”
(Psalms 119:11)
See verse 29-31 34-40
If you are truly blessed of can you say honestly that you are not walking in the counsel of the ungodly, standing with sinners, or sitting with the scornful.
Do you truly want the blessings of God? A haphazard approach will not bring blessing.
To often people will not accept God’s blessings. The question is will you?
It is always encouraging to receive email from those who find the messages helpful, or who have comments.