"SHARING GRACE THROUGH SCRIPTURE ABOUT THE MAN WHO IS BLESSED"

"SHARING GRACE THROUGH SCRIPTURE ABOUT THE MAN WHO IS BLESSED"

Psalm 1:1 “Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;”

Psalm 1:2 “But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night.”

Psalm 1:3 “He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.”

Taken from today's reading in "The One Year Bible”.

1. God tells us how a man can be blessed, or happy.

Psalm 1:1 “Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;”

There are many other things that could be said, and are said in Scripture about being blessed, but here in Psalm 1, the Lord tells us something very foundational and important.

Blessedness is a by product of not doing certain things
Those things are given to us in Psalm 1:1
They are…
Nor walking in the counsel of the ungodly. Or not following the advice of the wicked.
Nor standing in the path of sinners. Or standing around with sinners… Hanging out with, them as it were.
Nor sitting in the seat of the scornful. Or joining in with those who scoff at the Lord and the things of the Lord.

2. Blessedness is now explained as a result of something we do.

Psalm 1:2 “But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night.”

So, while the first key to being blessed or happy is to not do certain things, here we see the second key to being blessed or happy is actually found in something a man does. It's right in Psalm 1:2.

He delights in the Law of the Lord.
And in His law he meditates day and night.

It's speaking of a man who takes delight or pleasure in everything the Lord wants for him to do and be.
And this blessed man spends his life in fellowship with God day and night, thinking about the Word of God.
God's Word is foundational, consistently part of his life.
Knowing it and doing it.

3. The blessed man is described for us.

Psalm 1:3 “He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.”

Here we have a very simple and powerful picture of what the blessed man is like.
The blessed man is like a tree planted along the riverbank.
The blessed man bears fruit in each season of his life without fail.
The leaves of the blessed man's life never wither.
The blessed man is a man who prospers in all that he does.

Some Questions:

1. Don't you think happiness is the one thing most people really want in life?

2. Haven't you heard people interviewed and asked, what they really want?

3. Isn't the answer quite often, "I want to be happy”?

4. How many times was the word "happy” used just last night (New Years eve day and night)?

5. How many times do you think the word "happy" will be used over the next couple of weeks as people wish one another "happy new year"?

6. It's an interesting reality that it's absent from so many lives, and is indeed present in so many lives don't you think?

7. Can you say that you are truly a happy person?

8. Do you desire to be a truly happy person?

9 Will You take a moment and re-read these verses and see the clear way to happiness?

A Prayer:

Father, how often do we turn to the Psalms. Thank You for them. How they speak to us so clearly.
And it's been said that this 1st Psalm is like a key to the entire book of Psalms. And Your Word is the central part of that key, unlocking the truth of God to the soul of man. Lord, may this truly be a happy new year for us, regardless of what may come and go in our lives. You promise that we can be happy, and You do not tell lies. So, may we walk into this new year with Your Word being a regular part of our lives. And, may we take Your counsel to heart and avoid those things and people that would cause us to not enjoy the happiness that You have for us. Thank You Father. In Jesus’ name.

Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia.