THE PERSON GOD BLESSES–PSALM 1:1-3
Introduction:
Since God created this world He has always blessed man, Genesis 1:28a, “And God blessed them…” Only after sin did we find the word “curse” mentioned in the Bible. It is God’s desire that man enjoys His blessings.
As believers we have been blessed “with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:” Ephesians 1:3. But just how blessed are you. Do you have every blessing that God wants to give you?
Here is the formula in this Psalm:
I. SEPARATED FROM THE WORLD, v. 1.
A. The walk of the believer, Ephesians 4:1, 17, “I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, 17-This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,”
1. A step of faith, trusting Jesus Christ as Savior, Acts 16:30-31, “And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 31-And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.”
2. Progress in your walk.
a. Applying Bible truths to your life.
b. Walking within the will of God, 1 John1:5-7, “This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6-If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7-But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”
3. Direction in your walk.
a. Toward the things of God, 1 Corinthians 2:10-12, “But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 11-For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. 12-Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.”
b. Away from the things of the world:
1) Do not love it, 1 John 2:15, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”
2) Be careful of it, Ephesians 5:15, “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise.”
II. SATURATED WITH THE WORD, v. 2.
A. His Delight is…
1. In thy STATUTES, Ps. 119:16, “I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.”
2. In thy TESTIMONIES, Ps. 119:24, “Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counsellors.”
3. In thy COMMANDMENTS, Ps. 119:35, “Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight.”
4. In thy LAW, Ps. 119:70, “Their heart is as fat as grease; but I delight in thy law.”
B. Meditate day and night, Joshua 1:8, “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.”SITUATED BY THE WATER, v. 3.
A. Water is a type of the Holy Spirit, John 7:37-39.
1. Your root system, Jeremiah 17:7-8, “Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. 8-For 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.”
a. Planted in the House of God, Psalm 92:13, “Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God.”
b. Without roots there is no fruit, Psalm 92:14, “They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing;”
c. Root system’s most important parts,
1) Prayer, 1 Thessalonians 5:16, “Pray without ceasing.”
2) Meditation, v. 2 (text), “But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.”
2. When Christians cease to bear fruit, there is something wrong with there root system.
a. Dried up, Mark 11:12-13, 20, “And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry: 13-And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet. 20-And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.”
b. Dig about it – fertilize them, Luke 13:6-9, “He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. 7-Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? 8-And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it:”
B. Our Perfect Example of a Godly Person, Jesus Christ, John 14:6, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
1. He is the WAY, Acts 4:12, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
2. He is the TRUTH, John 8:32, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
a. The Word of God, John 17:17, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.”
b. It sets you free, Isaiah 61:1, “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;”
3. He is the LIFE, John 6:51, “I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”
a. The Giver of life, John 20:31, “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.”
b. The sustainer of life, 1 Peter 1:3-5, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4-To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, 5-Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”
CONCLUSION:
The last point is the best conclusion. Jesus is our perfect example. We must pattern our lives after Him in order to reap God’s blessings.
Following these principles we will be fruit baring Christians and a blessing to our church as well as our brethren in the Lord.
God wants to bless His children so let’s put ourselves in a position to receive those blessings. Let’s be like that “tree planted by the rivers of water.”