We are turning again to the book of Psalms, today we are turning to one of the Psalms that is a gatekeeper to this phenomenal book – we are turning to Psalm 1. Psalm 1 is the doorway into the entire Psalter, and in it, the grand theme of the psalms, and in fact of the bible is revealed. So let’s begin to read it in the version that we are the most familiar with…
Psalm 1 (KJV)
1 Blessed 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.
2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
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.
4 The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
6 For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.
Have you ever noticed that many of the children stories, and fairy tales read to children mostly end with these words, "and they lived happily ever after?"
Example: Cinderella- "Cinderella came down the long stairs she came, as the Duke was just about to leave. “Please!” cried Cinderella. “Please let me try.” And of course the slipper fitted, since it was her very own. That was all the Duke needed. Now his long search was done. And so Cinderella became the prince’s bride, and they lived happily ever after--and the little pet mice lived in the palace and were happy ever after, too.
Example: Snow White- "Snow White was in a deep sleep in which no one could awaken her… but the Prince kissed her and to everyone’s astonishment, Snow White opened her eyes, and had amazingly come back to life, and the Prince asked Snow White to marry him, and from that day on, Snow White and the Prince lived happily ever after…
Why this recurring theme? Why must these fairy tales end this way? BECAUSE FROM THE TIME THAT WE ARE A CHILDREN, THAT IS WHAT EACH ONE OF US WANT ISN’T IT? WE ALL ASPIRE TO ENTER INTO A LIFE EXPERIENCE IN WHICH WE LIVE….HAPPILY – EVERAFTER!!
That is the aspiration upon which this great republic was formed. The opening words of that great document that was written on July 4, 1776 called the Declaration of Independence that spearheaded the founding of this nation contains these words…
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."
WHY IS THAT A SELF EVIDENT TRUTH? Because believe it or not the bible is a book of blessedness. It shows us that it is God’s will and desire to bless his creation!
How does the first book of the bible begin?
Genesis 1:27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”- NKJV
How does the last book of the bible begin?
Revelation 1:3 Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.
Revelation 22:7 “Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”
It is God’s desire to bless! Which means as you read the first verse of our scripture text in the amplified and expanded versions of the bible to provide us a...
Psalm 1:1a Blessed (happy, fortunate, prosperous, and enviable) – AMPC
Psalm 1:1a ·Happy [Blessed] EXB
Jesus’ first teaching supports this view, the first thing he taught, again in the AMPC of the bible he begins by placing before us this idea!
Matthew 5:3 Blessed (happy, to be envied, and spiritually prosperous—with life-joy and satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions) are the poor in spirit (the humble, who rate themselves insignificant), for theirs is the kingdom of heaven! - AMPC
BLESSEDNESS, HAPPINESS, GODLY PROSPERITY, LIFE JOY, AND SATISFACTION IS WHAT GOD WANTS TO PROVIDE FOR EACH ONE OF US!
AHH, BUT YOU SAY, PASTOR TO ME THAT IS A FAIRY TALE TO ME! I’VE NEVER REALLY ENTERED INTO THAT KIND OF LIFE! IN FACT IF I WERE TO BE HONEST TO ME, THE CHRISTIAN LIFE HAS BECOME A “KILL -JOY” KIND OF LIFE! I JUST CAN’T SEEM TO FIND THE BLESSEDNESS, THE HAPPILY EVER AFTER LIFE!
Well gather round children. Because a “happily ever after life” is not a fairy tale, but it is the truth of, and the reality of the Christian life.
And so I’ve entitled my message in the following manner. Psalm 1 is not a fairy tale about how to live a “happily ever after life” but rather Psalm 1 is..
Psalm 1 -The Truth to Living “A Happily Ever-After!”
And my proposition to you from this Psalm is this:
A study of truths recorded in Psalm 1 will reveal to us how some can indeed enter into a truly prosperous “happily ever-after life!”
The first truth that this Psalm places before us is...
I. Psalm 1 places before us the truth that there is only - Two Kinds of People!
Please notice that this Psalm is one of contrasts! It presents to us, 2 unnamed persons, but 2 persons nevertheless…
A) People/persons?
Psalm 1:1a Blessed is the man…
Psalm 1:1b the ungodly
1. Blessed man & ungodly man
Psalm 1:5c the righteous.
Psalm 1:1c sinners,
2. Righteous & sinner.
B) Perspective?
1. This Psalm points out one of the most important perspectives in scripture!
2. That as far as God sees there are only 2 types of people in the world!
3. We too often see people in that way!
a) We categorize people in either one of two ways:
i. Rich and poor
ii. Young or old
iii. Educated or uneducated
iv. Urban or suburbanites
v. Male or female
vi. Democrat or Republican
vii. Citizen or foreigner
b) We tend to categorize people on the basis of outward visible, tangible, temporal things.
c) But God categorizes us according to spiritual, moral, and eternal things!
d) God sees us in one of two categories:
Matthew 25: 31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. -NIV
i. Sheep or goats
Matthew 13: 24 Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; 25 but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. 26 But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. 27 So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ 28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ 29 But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.”-NKJV
ii. Wheat or tares.
Matthew 5:45b He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. -NIV
iii. Evil or good
iv. Righteous or unrighteous
v. Darkness or light
Ephesians 5:8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light-NIV
vi. Children of God and children of the devil!
1 John 3:10 This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God's child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister.-NIV
C) Point?
1. This psalm in a very elementary fashion breaks people up into two basic categories:
a) The blessed man and the perishing.
Psalm 1:6 For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish
D) Ponder?
1. Which category do I fall in?
2. How would I know which one of the two persons that I am?
Well this Psalm is not only a tale of two persons but also it places before us…
II. Psalm 1 places before us the truth that there is only - Two Possible Paths!
A) Paths?
1. Path of the blessed (happy, fortunate, prosperous, and enviable) person– AMPC
2. Path of the of the ungodly, sinning, scornful, perishing person!
B) Perspective?
1. One that is consistent in scripture!
a) There are not 3, 4, 5, 10, 20 different paths but only – Two Paths!
Matthew 7:13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the path is broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.
Matthew 7:14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.- NIV
i. The broad destructive path
ii. The blessed narrow path
a. And here is an IMPORTANT PERSPECTIVE FOR YOU TO FIND THE PATH OF BLESSEDNESS.
b. The Path Places before us something important first and foremost!
i. What?
C) Prohibitions!
Psalm 1:1a Blessed is the man that walketh not in…
1. It begins with a prohibition with – “a negative!”
Psalm 1:1a Blessed (happy, fortunate, prosperous, and enviable) is the man who walks and lives not -AMPC
D) Point?
1. “A happily ever after life” begins with recognizing the prohibitions!
a) Examples:
Genesis 1:27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” 29 And God said, “See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food.
Genesis 2:16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. -KJV
Exodus 19: 3 Then Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain and said, “This is what you are to say to the descendants of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: 4 ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. 5 Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, 6 you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”-NIV
Exodus 20: (NIV)
1 And God spoke all these words:
2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
3 “You shall have no other gods before me.
4 “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.
Exodus 20: 7 “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.
Exodus 20: 13 “You shall not murder.
Exodus 20: 14 “You shall not commit adultery.
Exodus 20: 15 “You shall not steal.
Exodus 20: 16 “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
Exodus 20: 17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
2. GOD PROHIBITS TO PROTECT!
E) Protest!
1. We are not under law, but under grace!
Titus 2:11 For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. 12 It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,
2. The happily ever after man, know what to so no to!
3. The happily ever after man, knows what not to do!
4. The happily ever after man know that happiness requires caution!
a) He realizes that his automobile has a brake as well as a gas pedal for his good.
b) He acknowledges that a traffic signal has a red, and well as a green light for his good.
F) Particularly?
III. Psalm 1 places before us the truth that there is only - Two Possible Philosophies for Life!
A) Philosophy?
1. A particular system of thought.
2. A system of principles for guidance in practical affairs.
3. New Testament says that there is only two:
James 3:15 This [superficial] wisdom is not such as comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual (animal), even devilish (demoniacal).-AMPC
James 3: 17 But the wisdom from above is first of all pure (undefiled); then it is peace-loving, courteous (considerate, gentle). [It is willing to] yield to reason, full of compassion and good fruits; it is wholehearted and straightforward, impartial and unfeigned (free from doubts, wavering, and insincerity-AMPC
B) Particularly?
1. What it is not:
Psalm 1:1b in the counsel
a) Counsel ????????? (ba·‘a·?a?) advice, plans and purposes.
Psalm 1:1c of the ungodly,
b) Counsel that is godless, irreligious, impious, immoral, i.e., void of God!
b) There are some terms for it today:
i. Secular humanism - a philosophy or life stance that embraces human reason, secular ethics, and philosophical naturalism while specifically rejecting religious dogma, and supernaturalism as the basis of morality and decision making.
a. Secular humanism any set of beliefs that promotes human values without specific allusion to religious doctrines.
b. Secular humanism is a nonreligious worldview rooted in science, philosophical naturalism, and humanist ethics.
c. Instead of relying on faith, doctrine, secular humanists use critical thinking, and human experience to find solutions to human problems.
ii. Postmodernism is a way of thinking that says there is no real truth.
a. Postmodernism is a philosophy that says absolute truth does not exist.
b. Postmodernism says that if somebody has a belief and tries to make somebody else believe it also, it means that they are just trying to have power over them
2. In short it is a Godless worldview!
B) Point?
1. The “happily ever after man” doesn’t walk after that, he doesn’t follow that!
Psalm 1: 1 Blessed (happy, fortunate, prosperous, and enviable) is the man who walks and lives not in the counsel of the ungodly [following their advice, their plans and purposes],-AMPC
a) Why?
i. Because when you walk that path you may find yourself...
Psalm 1:1c nor standeth in the way of sinners,
ii. Standing in the way of sinners!
a. Set foot -?????? (‘a·ma?)
i) to stand, remain, endure, take one's stand, to be in a standing attitude, to present oneself, to become a servant of, to rise up for, to station oneself, to establish.
ii) You may just find yourself “taking the wrong stand on critical issues.”
iii) You may find yourself taking anti-God, anti-scriptural stands!
iv) WE ARE SEEING THIS EVEN BY CHRISTIAN LEADERS TODAY!
a. Examples:
i. Disclaimer: I am not trying to single out any one group or individual, I’m just trying to show that this has invaded our thinking!
New Com, Au - Pope Francis has supported same-sex marriage in a new documentary, saying gay couples “have the right to a family”.- OCTOBER 22, 2020
Pope Francis defended the right of gay couples to enter into legally recognized civil unions in a documentary that premiered at the Rome Film Festival on Wednesday. In the film, Francesco by Evgeny Afineevsky, the Argentine pope says that gay people have the right to be in a family. “These are children of God, they have the right to a family,” Francis says in the film, speaking in Spanish.
a. Biblically what defines a child of God?
John 1:12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:
1John 3:10a This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God's child
Christianity Today - Five Evangelical Pastors Who Back Gay Marriage -by Harry Farley March 6, 2017
(Here are two)
Tony Campolo - 'It has taken countless hours of prayer, study, conversation and emotional turmoil to bring me to the place where I am finally ready to call for the full acceptance of Christian gay couples into the Church,'
Rob Bell pastor of San Francisco's Grace Cathedral – 'I am for marriage. I am for fidelity. I am for love, whether it's a man and woman, a woman and a woman, a man and a man ... I think this is the world we are living in and we need to affirm people wherever they are.'
3. What happens to those who stand with those that take anti -scriptural stands?
4. It won’t be long until you sit at the table with them.
Psalm 1:1d nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.-KJV
Psalm 1:1d sit in the company of mockers, - NIV
5. You may find yourself scoffing at even mocking the things of God!
F) Picture:
Psalm 2 (NKJV)
1 Why do the nations rage,
And the people plot a vain thing?
2 The kings of the earth set themselves,
And the rulers take counsel together,
Against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying,
3 “Let us break Their bonds in pieces
And cast away Their cords from us.”
III. Psalm 1 places before us the truth that there is only - Two Sources of Pleasure in Life!
A) Pleasure?
Hebrews 11: 24 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; 25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;
1. Sinner it’s sin
a) What is sin?
1 John 3:4 Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. -NIV
b) Lawlessness -???µ?a (anomia)
i. Iniquity, disobedience, illegality, i.e. violation of law!
2. Saint?
a) Blessed man?
Psalm 1:2a But his delight
b) Delight – ????? -?ep¯e?
i. Pleasure, desire, longing, good pleasure, that in which one takes delight in.
Psalm 1:2b is in the law….
c) Law – ??????? -towrah
i. The instruction, direction
ii. Body of prophetic teaching
iii. Instruction in Messianic age
iv. The body of legal directives, the Deuteronomic or Mosaic Law.
v. The Bible!
Psalm 1:2c of the Lord;
d) LORD -??????? (Yah·weh)
2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, -NIV
B) Point?
1. His delight is not in man’s logic, or lusts!
2. His delight is in God’s Law!
a) God’s delightful law!
Psalm 119 (NIV)
1 Blessed are those whose ways are blameless,
who walk according to the law of the Lord.
2 Blessed are those who keep his statutes
and seek him with all their heart—
3 they do no wrong
but follow his ways.
4 You have laid down precepts
that are to be fully obeyed.
Psalm 119 (NIV)
97 Oh, how I love your law!
I meditate on it all day long.
98 Your commands are always with me
and make me wiser than my enemies.
99 I have more insight than all my teachers,
for I meditate on your statutes.
100 I have more understanding than the elders,
for I obey your precepts.
101 I have kept my feet from every evil path
so that I might obey your word.
102 I have not departed from your laws,
for you yourself have taught me.
103 How sweet are your words to my taste,
sweeter than honey to my mouth!
104 I gain understanding from your precepts;
therefore I hate every wrong path.
? 105Your word is a lamp for my feet,
a light on my path.
Albert Barnes - His pleasure; his happiness is in the Law of the Lord . Instead of finding his happiness in the society and the occupations of the wicked, he finds it in the truth of God.
Psalm 16:5 Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure. 6 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance.
B) Perspective?
1. Boundary line!
Steven McCracken - A boundary line is a marker of what belongs to us. God has gifted us with more than we can ask, think or imagine – this is our inheritance! He is not a stingy God; He is an extravagant God!
Steven McCracken - So where are the boundary lines placed? In pleasant places! Oh how the enemy has lied to so many of us! He has tried to convince God’s children that God is trying to control us and that He is withholding from us. This is absolutely the opposite of the truth!
John Hagee- God has gifted us with the Bible – a book of borders. Those borders are blessings, the means to abundant life. By choosing obedience instead of our own paths, we live in the life-giving flow of God’s Word.
John Hagee -Commit to live within the borders that God has established. Your obedience opens the windows of heaven, a pouring-out of the blessings that are exceedingly abundantly above all that you could ask or even imagine (Ephesians 3:20).
Greg Simas - Why do so many view the laws and commands of God as narrow and confining? This is far from the truth. On the contrary, the laws and commands of God are both liberating and freeing. The Lord has carefully knit us together and fashioned us purposely and creatively (Psalm 139). He has given us the Bible as an owner’s manual instructing us on how to live as we were created. When we ignore His laws, we malfunction, break down and crash. Just pick up and read any newspaper and it won’t take long for the reader to realize that humanity is broken. Many are self-destructing. Why? Because so many are living outside of their intended design and purpose.
Greg Simas- The laws of God serve us in two primary ways:
1. God’s law is given to protect us.
a) Love protects. God’s laws serve humanity by protecting us from unwarranted pain and trauma. Shame, guilt, regret, unforgiveness, abuse, premature death and needless diseases are results of living outside of God’s ordered design. God’s law serves to protect us from all of this and so much more!
2. God’s law is given to provide for us.
b) Love provides. On the flip-side of protection is provision. When we live from His commands we receive the benefits of what God’s laws provide such as security, peace, health, assurance, hope, joy and blessing just to name a few.
Greg Simas- The Laws of God Are For Our Highest Good
It’s important to note that the laws of God are not about control and always about care. His laws are set in place for our highest good. When we follow them we live within the framework of our created purpose and destiny.
To ignore God’s laws and commands is to set ourselves outside of His original design and purpose. When we do this, we intentionally move away from His protection and provision. Yet, when we live under the covering of His laws and commands we position ourselves to live in true freedom, experiencing both protection and provision. The choice is ours.
Psalm 16: 7 I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me.
a) Why? How does that happen?
C) Picture:
Psalm 1:2d and in his law doth he meditate….
1. Meditates – ????????? (yeh·geh)
a) To moan, growl, utter, muse, mutter, devise, plot, speak, roar, groan, imagine.
2. Meal?
Charles Spurgeon - Meditation chews the cud, and gets the sweetness and nutritive virtue of the Word into the heart and life.
a) Did you ever eat something so delicious that you just let out a big mmmmm....?
b) Did you ever eat something so delicious that you try to figure out what is in it and how it was prepared?
c) That is kind of the picture!
4. This is a picture of a man who does not just read the Word of God, but feeds on the Word of God!
a) How often?
Psalm 1:2e day and night.
ii. He eats breakfast, mid-morning snack, lunch, mid afternoon snack, dinner, midnight snack.
iii. All day, every day!
So do you get the picture?
Let me close with this:
IV. Psalm 1 places before us the truth that there is only - Two Types of Prosperity in Life:
A) Prosperities?
1. Prosperity of the blessed, godly, righteous man.
B) Pictured?
Psalm 1:3d? And he shall be like a tree planted….
1. Tree
2. Planted - ???????? (ša·?ul)
a) To plant, transplant
C) Planted or Transplanted (where?)
Psalm 1:3b by the river(s) [plural] of water,
1. Rivers – ?????? -pele?
a) A rill (i.e. small channel of water, a river, an irrigation stream.
D) Produce?
Psalm 1:3c that bringeth forth his fruit…
1. Fruit -????????? ? (pir·yow)
a) fruit, produce (of the ground)
E) Picture:
Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - In his original creation God commanded the land to produce "vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds" ( Gen 1:11 ).
Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Man, is the Special Fruit of God's Creation. When God created man and woman ( Gen 1:26 ), He endowed them with moral, intellectual, and spiritual power (cf. Eph 4:24 ; Col 3:10 ), he said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it" ( Gen 1:28 ). This implies that Adam and Eve's progeny were not only to be the physical fruit of the pair but also to be endowed with moral, intellectual, and spiritual power, since they too, as descendants of the God-created pair, were made in "the image of God" ( Gen 1:27 ; cf. Gen 9:6 ; 2 Cor 4:4 ).
Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - The offspring of the human pair is called, from the woman's viewpoint, "the fruit of the womb" ( Deut 7:13 ; Deuteronomy 28:4 Deuteronomy 28:11 Deuteronomy 28:18 Deuteronomy 28:53 ; 30:9 ; Luke 1:42 ), and from the husband's standpoint, "fruit of his loins" ( Psalm 131:11, ; LXX Acts 2:30, ; Greek text cf. "the fruit of my body, " Micah 6:7 ).
Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - A Figurative Meaning. Scripture speaks of eating "the fruit of your labor" ( Psalm 128:2 ), and defines the activities of the godly as "the fruit of the righteous" ( Prov 11:30 ).
Those who reject God's wisdom are described as eating "the fruit of their ways . . filled with the fruit of their schemes" ( Prov 1:31 ; cf. Jer 6:19 ). John the Baptist and Jesus teach that the disciple is to produce fruit (good works) as evidence of true repentance ( Matt 3:8 ; Luke 3:8 ), and they explain that a good tree (the repentant individual) cannot produce bad fruit, that is, a life filled with wicked Acts, and a bad tree (an unrepentant person) cannot produce good fruit, that is, a life of godly works ( Matt 3:10 ; 7:16-20 ; Luke 3:9 ; 6:43 ).
F) Point?
Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology -To aid Christians in their walk before the Lord, God-given wisdom is made available to them, wisdom whose "fruit is better than fine gold" ( Prov 8:19 ).
1. A Christian is a transplanted tree!
Colossians 3: 13 [The Father] has delivered and drawn us to Himself out of the control and the dominion of darkness and has transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,-AMPC
1 Corinthians 1: 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.-NIV
John 15: 5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing= NKJV
a) And when we feed on His Word, and are filled with His Spirit we bare much fruit!
John 15: 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. -NKJV
John 7:38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.-NIV
Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.-NKJV
John 3:34 For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God[fn] gives the Spirit without limit.
John 6:63b The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life.-NIV
Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - And the Holy Spirit develops within Christians the fruit of "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control" ( Gal 5:22-23 ). Thus, with the enablement of the Holy Spirit, the Christian can flourish "like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season" ( Psalm 1:3 ).
Psalm 1:3d in his season;
E) Point?
1. Season -One of the four periods of the year (spring, summer, autumn, and winter)
a) Appointed times!
i. Every Christian may be in a different season in life
1 John 2 (NIV)
12 I write to you, little children,
Because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake.
13 I write to you, fathers,
Because you have known Him who is from the beginning.
I write to you, young men,
Because you have overcome the wicked one.
I write to you, little children,
Because you have known the Father.
14 I have written to you, fathers,
Because you have known Him who is from the beginning.
I have written to you, young men,
Because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you,
And you have overcome the wicked one.
F) Picture?
1. Fruitfulness
2. Faithfulness
Psalm 1:3e his leaf also shall not wither;
Psalm 1:3f and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
3. Fulfillment!
3 John 1:2 Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers -KJV
4. Prosper – ?????? -?alea?
a) To advance, prosper, make progress, succeed, be profitable
b) IDEA – THAT YOU FULFILL GOD’S PLAN AND PURPOSES IN YOUR LIFE!
G) Problem?
Psalm 1:4a The ungodly….
Psalm 1:4b are not so:
1. Wait a minute didn’t David say:
Psalm 73 (NIV)
3 For I envied the arrogant
when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4 They have no struggles;
their bodies are healthy and strong.
5 They are free from common human burdens;
they are not plagued by human ills.
a) Don’t they prosper also?
i. Remember there are two kinds of prosperity!
Psalm 73 (NIV)
7 From their callous hearts comes iniquity;
their evil imaginations have no limits.
8 They scoff, and speak with malice;
with arrogance they threaten oppression.
9 Their mouths lay claim to heaven,
and their tongues take possession of the earth.
Psalm 73 (NIV)
11 They say, “How would God know?
Does the Most High know anything?”
12 This is what the wicked are like—
always free of care, they go on amassing wealth.
b) And if you don’t meditate you may find yourself saying:
Psalm 73 (NIV)
13 Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure
and have washed my hands in innocence.
14 All day long I have been afflicted,
and every morning brings new punishments.
V. Psalm 1 places before us the truth that there is only - Two Ultimate Pay-Days to Life!
Psalm 1:4c but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
Psalm 73: 16 When I tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply 17 till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny.
A) Picture?
1. Chaff?
a) Husks of grains and grasses that are separated during threshing.
b) Straw.
i. Cut up for fodder.
c) Worthless matter; refuse.
Psalm 1:5a Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment,
B) Point?
1. On the day of judgment they wont have “a leg to stand on!”
Psalm 1:5b nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
Charles Spurgeon - Well may the saints long for heaven, for no evil men shall dwell there, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. All our congregations upon earth are mixed. Every Church hath one devil in it. The tares grow in the same furrows as the wheat. There is no floor which is as yet thoroughly purged from chaff. Sinners mix with saints, as dross mingles with gold. God's precious diamonds still lie in the same field with pebbles. Righteous Lots are this side heaven continually vexed by the men of Sodom. Let us rejoice then, that in "the general assembly and church of the firstborn" above, there shall by no means be admitted a single unrenewed soul. Sinners cannot live in heaven. They would be out of their element. Sooner could a fish live upon a tree than the wicked in Paradise. Heaven would be an intolerable hell to an impenitent man, even if he could be allowed to enter; but such a privilege shall never be granted to the man who perseveres in his iniquities.
2 Peter 3:3 Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. 4 They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” 5 But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water. 6 By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. 7 By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.
8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.
11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 12 as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. 13 But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.
Psalm 1:6a For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous:
Job 23:10 "He knoweth the way that I take: when He hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.”
Psalm 1:6b but the way of the ungodly shall perish.
Charles Spurgeon - Not only shall they perish themselves, but their way shall perish too. The righteous carves his name upon the rock, but the wicked writes his remembrance in the sand. The righteous man ploughs the furrows of earth, and sows a harvest here, which shall never be fully reaped till he enters the enjoyments of eternity; but as for the wicked, he ploughs the sea, and though there may seem to be a shining trail behind his keel, yet the waves shall pass over it, and the place that knew him shall know him no more for ever. The very "way" of the ungodly shall perish. If it exist in remembrance, it shall be in the remembrance of the bad; for the Lord will cause the name of the wicked to rot, to become a stench in the nostrils of the good, and to be only known to the wicked themselves by its putridity.
Matthew 25: 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
2. AND THEY WILL LIVE HAPPILY EVERAFTER!
Matthew 25:41 “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:
3. And they will not!
Close:
1. Which person are you?
2. What path are you on?
3. What pleasures do you seek?
4. What philosophies do you follow?
5. What prosperity are you after?
6. What will be your end?
