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"REMEMBER now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the Years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them." --Ecclesiastes 12:1 Right, let's move on to our first PSALM. Whenever you read any religious material I suggest you keep a Bible close by. Remember, the Bible is GOD'S WORD, and can be relied upon! We cannot always rely upon the words of men. PSALM NUMBER 1 Read the Psalm through CAREFULLY a few times, it's only six verses, and get an overall impression of what God is saying through the writer. This Psalm compares GOD'S WAY with MAN'S WAY! In order to follow God successfully the Christian MUST BE separated from the world. The Christian life is NOT one of popularity with hundreds of friends in tow, out instead it demands total separation. As Christians we are in the world, yet we are not part of the world. As Christ was despised and rejected, so we are, because as a Christian we become more like Christ. If Christ were to be born into the world today, instead of two thousand years ago, His reception would be NO DIFFERENT. There was not room for Him then, and there is no room for him NOW! For His followers, the reception is the same, yet this Psalm and many other passages and verses comfort us and show us that separation from the world is worthwhile, for it results in unity with God. Are YOU SEPARATED from the way of the world—man's way, unto God's way--the way of BLESSED HOPE AND PEACE? Verse One THE FIRST WORD IN PSALMS--BLESSED In a sermon I heard a few weeks ago, this word was described as follows -- "an oasis in the middle of a desert," This is the sort of effect a Christian's life should have upon the world, the refreshing effect of trees, grass, clear, clean water surrounded by the emptiness of unbelief. It is this rest or blessed effect that is. described in the first verse of Psalms. Blessed is the person who walks in God's way and follows His will for his life, the person who keeps clear of the way of the wicked and those who make fun of God! This verse acts as a Black light from God as to things Christians MUST BEWARE of. It also acts as a warning to the backslider who once walked with God, then found himself standing with sinners and finally sitting with scoffers. God gives a further warning here in that Christians must grow AND NOT STAGNATE, for to stagnate is to go backwards. Blessed is the man that follows in the ways of God! Verse Two THE MAN OF GOD DELIGHTS IN THE WORD OF GOD===Psalms 119:14-16. One sure way to grow is to study God's Word daily. This point is very clearly stated in the verse. Make your number one PRIORITY in life the study of God's Word, in order to mature as a Christian. A baby cannot grow without milk, and later on, solid foods. And a Christian cannot grow without daily nourishment and encouragement from the word of God. "Give us this day our daily bread" applies to both physical and spiritual food. This craving after God's Word will result not only in knowledge, but also in us being a blessing to others. Meditate therein day and night we can never get enough of it! Verse Three DESCRIPTION OF TREE BESIDE WATER Going back to our description of "blessed" in verse one, here we have a description of a tree beside water and abundant in fruit, a description every Christian would love to fit and COULD if they follow the advice given in verse 2, and as a result verse 3 tells us "his leaf also shall not wither." Once you have placed your faith and trust in Christ, you will never be separated from Him, you become God's child and remain so for eternity. There may be times you will desert Him, but HE WILL NEVER DESERT YOU! He will help you to become secure, steadfast and strong, as the tree described in verse 3. Are you described in the first three verses? DO YOU== 1. Walk in God's way? 2. Delight in HisWord? 3. Stand fast and strong in Christ? OR DO YOU find yourself described in the next three verses which start "The ungodly are not so"? Verse Four COMPARISON OF UNSAVED WHO ARE UNSETTLED AND UNSTABLE CompaBlack to the firmness and stability of the well established tree in verse three, we now have a picture of those who have NO FIRM FOUNDATION for their lives. For example, someone who is caught up in the crowd and pushed and shoved along even though he knows it is wrong and would rather be somewhere else! We see that someone who is without God is unstable, unsettled and insecure, chasing after everything, YET GAINING NOTHING! Verse Five UNRIGHTEOUS WITHOUT HOPE AT THE JUDGMENT DAY In this verse we are told that because of this worldly outlook and attitude, the unrighteous will find themselves on the outside looking in on that GREAT AND WONDERFUL DAY when Christ returns for I lis Church. Instead, they will find themselves alone, without hope and help when they face the throne of Judgment! Verse Six WAY OF THE UNGODLY SHALL PERISH The Lord knows the way of the righteous because He is righteous, but the ungodly will perish because He hates sin. This is a total contrast to the picture of ETERNAL LIFE in verse 3. GOD KNOWS EVERYTHING! We may be able to fool others, but we can~t fool Him, we cannot hide from God. The ONLY WAY to make peace with Him is through Christ. Verses 4 through 6 tell us that man's way is foolish, meaningless, without purpose, and it is EVIL AND LEADS TO DEATH! HOW DO YOU STAND WITH GOD? Are you in the vast open desert of life, caught up in the crowd? Or do you find yourself separated from the world, and at peace in the LOVING, PROTECTING ARMS OF THE SAVIOUR? The choice is yours. Christ tells us in Revelation 3:20 - - "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." SOME CROSS REFERENCES: V 1 Psalm 32, verse 1 V 2 Psalm 19, verse 7 V 3 Psalm 92, verses 12-15 V 4 Isaiah 5, verse 24 V 5 Romans 5, verse 6 V 6 John 10, verse 14 Note the cross reference for verse five== "Christ died for the ungodly." IS THAT YOU? |