Psalms 1

Am I Walking Toward

Good or Evil?

by

Wayne Reynolds, Pastor

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 seasons; 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.

1. Walking in the counsel of the ungodly.

2. Standing in the way of sinners.

3. Sitting in the seat of the scornful.

At first glance, we might think this scripture applies only to the lost, but this is not so. Turn in your Bibles to Genesis 19:1. This scripture finds Lot sitting in the seat of the scornful. Is Lot saved? In II Peter 2:7,8 the Bible says Lot was a righteous man. Lot had gone a long way down the road to rebellion when we read Genesis 19:1. He had already walked in the counsel of the ungodly when he took his own advice and began to pitch his tent toward Sodom and Gomorrah. He stood in the way of sinners (lived after their lifestyle) when he moved into Sodom and began to raise his family like they did, instead of raising them like God said. Now we find him sitting in the seat of the scornful. This is a good way to examine ourselves.

(1) Are we walking in the counsel of the ungodly, or do we daily read our Bibles and ask God to guide us. Had we rather do what we think is right, or what God says?

(2) Are we living like the world lives? Can people see Christ in our daily lives like it says in Matt. 5:16? Can they tell we are different? Or do they consider us to be like all the other church going people?

(3) Are we guilty of judging the actions of others when we have greater problems than they do? Do we want others to straighten out their lives and listen to our advice when we can't even straighten out our own problems? Matt. 7:1-5 says we ought to get the beam out of our own eye so we can see more clearly to remove the moat from our brother's eye.

1. He shall be like a tree planted by the waters.

2. He shall bring forth fruit in his season.

3. His leaves shall not wither.

4. Whatsoever he does shall prosper.

We all like to think these four things are what we are getting, but if the evidence of our lives doesn't back this up, it is obvious that we are not meditating in the Word of God. Meditating is more than reading. It is letting the Word of God control our thoughts and actions.

(1.) He shall be like a tree planted by the waters. Just like a tree is planted (put there on purpose) we are placed on purpose where we can have access to the living waters. During times of drought a tree can suck water from the stream it is planted by. We can do the same thing. During times of trouble and trials, we can have a hidden source of strength from the Word of God.

(2.) He will bring forth fruit in his season. Fruit is those things of the Spirit that are unto God. Fruit does not come when we think it ought to come. It comes only when the season is right. Even if the time of the year is right, fruit might not come if there had been a frost on the blossoms. Sometimes the blessings we long for do not come because of events in the past that have killed the fruit. The tree stays alive, waiting on another season.

(3.) His leaves shall not wither. The leaves are not unto God, but unto ourselves. The leaves of a tree are for the nourishment of the tree. Every good tree will bring forth leaves and fruit. In Matt. 21:18-22, Jesus cursed the fig tree that had leaves only. So it is in our lives. If we have leaves (that which is for ourselves) and no fruit (that which is for God), we will be cursed of God.

(4.) Whatsoever he does shall prosper. The reason for prosperity is because of meditation in the Word of God. The result of meditation is praying to God that He might direct our lives. God then opens the doors that ought to be opened and shuts the doors that ought to be shut. The direction of the believer's life is controlled by God, not by his own thoughts and plans. James 4:13-17 tells us we should pray if it is God's will we shall live and do this or that.

1. Blown away like the chaff.

2. Shall not stand in the judgment.

3. Shall not stand in the congregation of the righteous.

This scripture speaks of a solemn separation that will take place one of these days. In Matt. 13:24-30, the parable of the tares tells us that right now the saved and lost (the only two kinds of people there are on the earth) are all together in the field which is the world. When this world is judged by Christ, He will not keep the chaff (lost). These will be burned in the fire (Matt. 13:42). The lost cannot stand before God in the day of judgment because the blood of Christ has not been applied to their sinfulness. Today the saved and lost are together in the churches of Jesus Christ, but one day only the saved will be in the place of worship.