Ps.1:1-6 THE BIBLE WAY TO BE HAPPY 2-2-13
Every one wants to be happy, different people have different ideas of what being truly happy means, some might think that having a big bank account would bring happiness, I've heard of people winning the lottery and for a while they seem to think, "well finally now my worry's are over" but after a while some seem to have more worries and problems than ever before, some have even squandered all their winnings away on foolishness, now I'm sure you and I would never do such a thing, or would we? We'd like to think that we would never do any thing like that. "If I had his money I'd do this or I'd do that".
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„« Paul say's this about the love of money;
>1 Timothy 6-9 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
9But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts,* (desires) which drown men in destruction and perdition.* (waste or ruin)
9 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. Notice; pierce them selves through with many sorrows, some sought after riches so much it destroyed them, they did it THEMSELVES. It even caused some to err from the faith; some seem to think they no longer need God.
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We're told here that it's not the money that's evil, but the love of it, the number of sins and vices "the love of money" can bring seems to be endless, just to name a few, "prostitution, murder, theft, blackmail, false witnessing, bribery, ransom" and others.
We all like to think that we would do right if we should suddenly become wealthy, and I'm sure many would, but I'm also just as sure that many would not.
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„« God tells us how to be truly happy in Psalms 1: - in this psalm we see happiness contrasted with the unhappy, the saved man and the lost.
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Listen as I read our text found in PS.1:1-6
1Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
2But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
3And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
------ Verses 4-6 tell us about people that are unhappy and why.
4The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. 5Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
6For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.
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* Jeremiah says much the same in;
>> Jeremiah 17:5-8 Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD. 6For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited.
7Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. 8For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.
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Here in PS.1, we're told the secret of true happiness -- all of us surely want to learn that secret. - God wants us to be happy, as saved people we should be the happiest people in the world, some Christians go around with the pooch mouth as they seem to be saying "woo is me, my fun day's are over ".
You just remember dear heart, there's pleasure in sin, but it's only for a season, and then we have to reap what we have sown. David found that out, Samson found that out, and even Solomon found that out, God is no respecter of persons.
In this psalm God gives us a picture of the happy man and then tells us why he's happy, true happiness is in God and from God. God wants His children to be happy; but Satan our greatest enemy wants us all to be as miserable as possible.
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„« Listen as I read once again verses 1-3 as to how to be happy.
1Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly,--
The blessed man, the happy man, will not listen to the advice, the counsel of ungodly people.
> Col. 2: 6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: -
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-- nor standeth in the way of sinners, -- his walk and talk will not be as the lost sinners. This is not saying that he'll never have problems along the way, but it is saying that the blessed man will not stand there.
-- nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. -- He'll not do as they do.
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2But his delight is in the law of the LORD; -- what he delights in is the Word of God.
-- and in his law doth he meditate day and night. --- His thoughts are on God's Words and teachings all the time.
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3And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, --- this tree has been put there, he shall be like a purposefully planted tree; he is kept active as he thrives on the Water of life. JESUS.
-- that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; -- he always produces at the right time.
-- his leaf also shall not wither; -- he is always the same.
-- and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. -- What he does according to Gods will - will produce.
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"BLESSED" means happy.
> Proverbs 10: 22 The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.
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* Listen, we're told in verse 3 what the blessed, or happy, man is like.
Verse 3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
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* he shall be like a tree -- not a dead tree, a tree speaks of life.
1. Some time I go deer hunting, and I like to climb up a tall pine about 30 ft. if possible, I went into this patch of woods without first checking it out, which is not good by the way, I like to get in a tree before daylight and get settled in, I remember one time that I climbed up a tree and had been in it for a pretty good while, later in the morning I looked up the pine and realized that the tree was dead, but because I had been in it for a pretty good while I didn't want to come down right away and make a lot of noise moving around, to make a long story short I set there, but I must admit I was uneasy the whole time, evidently it was not rotten enough as yet to break.
2. I recall another time I was deer hunting and came upon a ditch, and the situation was, to get too the other side of the ditch I held on to a pine tree to swing around it and the tree broke, it was dead, I fell to the ground but had my stand on my back, probably keeping me from getting hurt.
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I've said all that to say this, "a happy man, a blessed man, a Christian man" is "like a tree" a live tree that's well grounded and rooted in the things of God.
> Col. 2: 7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, **
* This blessed man, this happy man has received a new life;
> 2nd Cor. 5:17 therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
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> Colossians 2: 10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
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* he shall be like a tree planted -- a planted tree is a tree that has been put there, cared for and cultivated, the happy man is secure in Christ.
> John 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
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* he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water -- to survive a tree must have water.
In Christ the blessed man, the happy man has all that he needs for time and eternity.
> John 4:14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
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> Eph.1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
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> Philippians 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
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„« The happy man shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season;
The happy man is fruitful -- he brings forth the fruit of the Holy Spirit;
> Galatians 5: 22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23Meekness, temperance: --
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> John 15:16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain:
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„« that bringeth forth his fruit in his season;
The happy man brings forth the right fruit at the right time;
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„« his leaf also shall not wither --
The blessed man, the happy man, will remain the same.
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> John 3:15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, --
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> 1 John 5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life.
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„« and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
> Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
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* So, what is the secret of the happy man?
1Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners,
The happy man has repented of his sin; Repentance is a change of mind that leads to a change in his way of living.
> Isaiah 55:7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
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Also we're told in verse 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
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This speaks of true fellowship with God, he loves to read and study and think on the Word of God.
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„« Verses 4-6 tell us about people that are unhappy and why.
4The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
Ungodly people are like the outer husk of kernels of grain, on the winnowing floor the grain would be beaten first and then tossed into the air to allow the wind to blow the lighter chaff from the heaver grain as it fell back to the winnowing floor. - No value- no stability- no life.
The WIND is a picture of the work of the Holy Spirit as He separates the good from the bad.
> John 3: 8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
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5 Therefore * (because he is not like the blessed man) the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
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The ungodly will not be among the saved people as their being judged for their deeds after they were saved, the ungodly will not be among saved people in heaven, their judged at the white throne judgment of the lost, the ungodly will all be together in hell, and then the lake of fire. Rev.20:
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6For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.
