The Blessed and Happy Life (2)
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
We are now into our second week of the New Year.I always like the New Year because we can get the feeling of a fresh start and New Beginning.We are usually the most open to change at the beginning of the New Year simply because we have a desire to have a better and Happier year than the year before.Because of this we are doing a few week series called:THE BLESSED AND HAPPY LIFE.Last week we learned a few important lessons about the Blessed and Happy life.First of all something we will keep learning is that being happy and blessed has more to do with Who you are than what you have.Part of our take home from last week was to see that who we are needs to be a stable person.There are two types of people, David in Psalm one said one is like a tree and the other is like chaff.Trees are stable, no matter what goes on around you you stay strong.But chaff it is just blown by the wind, meaning whatever circumstances are around you will control how you feel.The big take home though was to see what makes us stable.That is we are either with or without God in our life.It’s not a matter of believing in God it is a matter of having God in our life.When God is in our life we become like that strong stable tree.We can have all types of crazy things go on around us and we stay strong through it all.Finally we learned that what helps us to have God in our life is that great desire to learn more about Him.If by chance you missed last week you can get it on our Facebook podcast.Today we build on this.Last week we learned that we will learn how to have God in our life from what the Psalmist called “The Law” meaning the whole teaching of the known Word at the time.We can even refer to it as our finished Bible.I have made it my goal in life to try and teach people how to both Love the Bible and The God who is speaking to us through the Bible.One reason it is so important to read the Bible rather than just have people teach you is because it tells us the whole truth.This book teaches us the good the bad and the ugly realities of life.And so as we look at this series called the Blessed and Happy life one thing you are going to notice is in your journey to get to know, love and follow God and have Him with you.There will be times that you say: Things were going so well BUTSunday I felt so blessed and happy BUT then came Monday and bills had to be paid, I needed fuel for my car, and life happened.You could almost say “I felt more like Chaff than that tree.”Well do you know as you read the Bible we are told this will happen.Our take home for today is going to be: What do We do when that happens?We will be looking at Psalm 119 to learn about this.Let me tell you about Psalm 119.It is first of all the longest chapter in the whole Bible.I want you to go home and read it this week because it will help you like you can’t believe.The first thing you should know is it is the writer and we don’t know who the writer is,It is the writer pretty praying through the whole Psalm.I believe it is all but 7 verses where the writer is not talking to God about what he is going through.Let me read a little of what he is going through before we read our main part.I think you will relate, it’s probably your BUTs for this week and what made you feel like chaff not a tree.Let me read a few of the verses here.
Then I will not be ashamed when I compare my life with your commands.
Take away from me scorn and contempt, for I have kept your testimonies.
My soul clings to the dust; give me life according to your word!
My soul melts away for sorrow; strengthen me according to your word!
My soul melts away for sorrow; strengthen me according to your word!
Your promise revives me; it comforts me in all my troubles.
Arrogant people smear me with lies, but in truth I obey your commandments with all my heart.
My suffering was good for me, for it taught me to pay attention to your decrees.
I am worn out waiting for your rescue, but I have put my hope in your word.
I have suffered much, O Lord; restore my life again as you promised.
I cry out to you; rescue me, that I may obey your laws.
I rise early, before the sun is up; I cry out for help and put my hope in your words.
They draw near who persecute me with evil purpose; they are far from your law.
But you are near, O Lord, and all your commandments are true.
I have wandered away like a lost sheep; come and find me, for I have not forgotten your commands.
For me that is real life.It’s how we often feel.It shows that even for the Godly like this person. When they have God with them you will have these kind of days.Here is what we learn today. What Do You Do Now So you get back to the Blessed and Happy life?We will read from
Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord!
Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart,
who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways!
You have commanded your precepts to be kept diligently.
Oh that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes!
Then I shall not be put to shame, having my eyes fixed on all your commandments.
I will praise you with an upright heart, when I learn your righteous rules.
I will keep your statutes; do not utterly forsake me!
How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.
With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments!
I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.
Blessed are you, O Lord; teach me your statutes!
With my lips I declare all the rules of your mouth.
In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches.
I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways.
I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word.
Here we see the same statement as Psalm 1.It starts with talking about The Blessed and Happy people.Those that are satisfied, stable and content.So what I think is important again to make a note of, is that Psalm 1 and Psalm 119 as well as Jesus’ longest sermon all start with the concept of the Blessed and Happy person.God wants that for us.From what we just read in Psalm 119 that doesn’t mean a trouble free life.It’s just stability in life and how to get there.So it’s starts, Blessed are those whose way is blameless.Now of course when you read this you might think ok there is my problem, I’m not perfect or blameless.And verse two and three add fuel to the fire when they say and who keep His testimonies and do no wrong.You might think this means that unless you are perfect you can’t have the blessed and happy life.That is not the point here.It’s not about perfection at all it’s about what you use to guide your life.See this whole Psalm is about where you look when you have trouble.This is what we need to learn.What I see happen is we do some really crazy things things when it comes to fixing the times when we feel ashamed, lost, discouraged, persecuted and all the others we just read.For instance I know many when then things don’t go right they go looking for the man of god, because as long as he lays hands on them and prays for them, even if it means paying a little for it then all will be ok.Maybe they will give me a prophecy, maybe I will shake and fall down and that will mean all will be ok.Or perhaps you may think well this is such a serious problem I better go to the traditional healer and get some help.Some will think if I just pray hard, fast read more all will be solved.That is not what Psalm 119 will teach us.What Psalm 119 teaches in 173 out of the 176 verses is we need to bring God into our situation and the way to this is by looking at His Word.There are 8 different words the writer uses to describe God’s Word.And out of the 176 verses at least 169 are in prayer to God.So his main point is if you want the Blessed life it will involve God’s Word and lots of talking to Him.In this Psalm and my 39 years of walking with the Lord the important lesson is that the Blessed and Happy life comes from a whole lot of fresh starts and new beginnings.It’s falling down in the dust and by looking to God’s Word and talking tom Him we get up and get going again.The two have to work together.Let me point out two parts and it is repeat of last week.Verse 1
Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord!
We must live our life based on the law of the Lord.Again when people see that word law we usually think of it in a bad way, like rules and regulations.That is not the picture here.When God says law here it has to do what He has decreed based on the fact that He is the creator and ruler.Those are all laws. They are not all bad.For instance it is a law in Zimbabwe that Easter, Christmas and New Years day are all holidays.Is it painful to obey that law?I wish we had more.That is what God’s Word is.James who was Jesus’ brother called the law the perfect law of liberty.Meaning when you do what is taught here you get freedom.It isn’t about making your life restricted it is about freedom.If we learn to see God’s Word this way we will hunger for it.It’s not about making any list of does and don’t its about learning what pleases God, what He says is the best way to have the blessed and happy life and live by it.There is another word that is important to know the meaning of.It’s the one that causes so many problems today.It’s verse 4 where God’s Word is called His precepts.
You have commanded your precepts to be kept diligently.
To put this in the simplest terms or way to look at this.Precept is like an enduring rule intended to regulate behaviour or thought.The key word is enduring. It means it will never change.The purpose of God’s precepts are to teach us how to think and act.Here is the problem today.Too many say the Bible is outdated. It isn’t relevant for today.Many have gone so far as to say that parts of it are just plain wrong.I will tell you all that means when people say that is them saying “I don’t like what God says, I want to do what I want, I want to rule my life and so we need to change what the Bible teaches so that I can do what I want.”It doesn’t work that way.What is taught here is the perfect law of liberty and these precepts taught here will be in force until Jesus comes back.If you don’t like them or want to live by them you can’t have the Blessed and Happy life.You will always be fighting God or doing life with out Him.That’s a problem.Here is your application for today:There can be so many reasons why you feel unstable because of suffering, burn out, relationship, money and so on.Whatever it is you have to turn to the Word and Bring God into it.Like finances.The Bible teaches us so much about how to view money.Two big ones: Don’t make it an idol and second make sure you give.If it’s your idol you will find you will do many things against the laws and precepts of God in order to get more.Second is you must give. If you don’t give it is a sign that you have a real problem with money and that it controls you.You are chaff to money.I am not saying this because the church needs your money but I say this so that you are right with money.Make a commitment to God about giving and do it.You will find you can live better off 90% or whatever else you decide to keep than you can by holding it.Because God takes care of it.Another one people have problems with.Relationships.I almost would say these are the two big ones that hinder people from the Blessed and Happy life.Where does the relationship problems come from?A few places: Judging others, Bible teaches us that is not our place it is God place. You have no clue what God is doing in someone’s life and if you judge you probably get it all wrong.The other is we get offended so easy. Bible tells us to a real simple truth to live by in Colossians 3Just forgive.Forgive like forgive you.It is the most freeing place when you can be quick to forgive.It’s the way to always get fresh starts and new beginnings.If those two are not what are causing you the problems whatever else it is just go to God’s Word and let Him show you what to do.