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Psalm 1:1-6
Do you want to be blessed of God?

"Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. 2But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. 3He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. 4Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. 5Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. 6For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish."

  1. Who wants to be blessed of God?
    1. Most would answer "I do."
    2. Your presence here indicates your interest in God's blessing, your desire to be blessed of the Lord.
    3. The First step in God's way of blessing is salvation.
      1. This is the message of the entire Bible.
      2. There is no formula for blessing that does not begin with faith.
        1. Faith is the foundation of Christian character and the security of the soul.
        2. Faith in Christ is the basis of all working, all sanctification, and all hope.
        3. God is the great object of faith
        4. Faith gives birth to prayer, to trust, to godly desire, and finally to blessing from God.
      3. Psalm 1 assumes that salvation has already taken place: "Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. 2But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night" (vv. 1,2).
      4. True blessing comes from God.
  2. There are dangers for you who seek to walk in godly paths (v.1) "Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers."
    1. The Devil is active and will put obstacles in your way. He will use those who are his to hinder and hurt you.
    2. The threefold danger: Walking, standing, sitting.
      1. Walking in the counsel of the ungodly.
        1. The ungodly always are ready to give advice, to give counsel.
          1. This may be in the form of literature.
            1. I'm Okay, You're Okay. Advice columns in Newspapers, i.e., Dear Abby.
          2. This may be in the form of advertising
            1. This Bud's for you -- drink this.
            2. You deserve a break today -- eat this.
          3. This may be in the form of entertainment.
            1. Talk shows, with secular opinions, solutions, and their focus on self-esteem.
            2. Movies: Where violent and immoral men and women advocate revenge, one-upsmanship, material possessions, infidelity, and moral relativism.
            3. Radio shows that are full of secular psychology and opinions.
            4. A children's cartoon where one of the characters in exasperation says, "I'm voting democrat."
          4. In all of these, the secular world, mocks the true God.
      2. Standing in the way of sinners.
        1. This does not mean standing against them, but with them, agreeing with them.
      3. Sitting in the seat of the mockers.
        1. Those who mock, in their ignorance, the ways of God, adopting their attitudes.
        2. The road of the scornful is always downward
      4. Watch out for these dangers. Notice the progression.
        1. Walking in the counsel of the ungodly. Accepting advice.
        2. Standing in the way of sinners: being a party to its ways.
        3. Sitting in the seat of the mockers adopting its attitudes.
  3. There is delight for those of you who seek to walk in godly paths (v. 2) "But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law he meditates day and night."
    1. As a Christian you should have delight is in the Word of God.
    2. The Christian has learned to make God's Word his delight.
      1. To some it is boring, but to you it is exciting.
      2. To some it is dull, but to you it is delightful.
      3. To some it is fantasy, but to you it is fact.
      4. To some it is information, but to you it is inspiration.
    3. But not many will make God's Word their delight.
      1. You must move against the tide to do this.
      2. You must decide to be in the minority.
      3. You must seek to make the Word delightful.
        1. Study it; pray; hear the preaching of the Word; have faith in God's Word.
    4. David who wrote this Psalm had great delight in God's Word.
      1. "For I delight in your commands because I love them" (Psalm 119:47).
      2. "Let your compassion come to me that I may live, for your law is my delight" (Psalm 119:77).
  4. There is a fruitful destiny for you who seek to walk in godly paths. (v. 3) "He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers."
    1. You will be like a tree planted by the rivers of water
    2. What a beautiful illustration.
      1. The tree reaching down its roots into the stream drawing life from the water.
      2. The river represents the Holy Spirit.
    3. The tree mentioned here bears fruit (Gal. 5:22-23).
      1. "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law" (Gal. 5:22-23).
    4. His leaf shall not wither (his testimony)
    5. In whatsoever he does, he will prosper.
      1. "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose" (Rom. 8:28).
  5. There is only judgment for the ungodly.
    1. "They will not stand in the day of judgment" v. 5.
    2. There end is damnation.
    3. They are the chaff that is blown away by the wind, v. 4.
  6. Conclusion
    1. Do you see the difference between the blessed man and the ungodly?
    1. The ungodly are not blessed by God; they do not have delight in God's Word, and they will not bear fruit by the Holy Spirit.
    2. The chaff which is with the grain until the wind blows, until the day of judgment, then comes the separation.
    3. The ungodly shall not stand in the judgment
    4. But you who are covered by the blood of Christ, to you there is blessing from God
    5. You will stand in the day of judgment.
    6. You will and do bear fruit.
    7. You will and possess blessing from the Holy Spirit.

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