Promotion Sunday - As You Move Forward, Hallelujah

Introduction

This week we celebrate moving forward. This is promotion Sunday. Which for some of you means nothing, for others its a time of Transition. But it is a wonderful time to talk about moving forward, and transitions in our lives.

Psalms 1:1-6

Psalm 1:1–6 CSB

How happy is the one who does not walk in the advice of the wicked or stand in the pathway with sinners or sit in the company of mockers! Instead, his delight is in the Lord’s instruction, and he meditates on it day and night. He is like a tree planted beside flowing streams that bears its fruit in its season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. The wicked are not like this; instead, they are like chaff that the wind blows away. Therefore the wicked will not stand up in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to ruin.

Asre (Ash Rray) אַשְׁרֵי - Blessed Or happy

Say it with Me Asre (Ash Rray)

How Happy Is the person who follows the Lord. The one who doesn't sit in the seat of mockers or with the sinners. That person is the one who will prosper. not like the wicked who will be scattered. The one who does what the Word of Yahweh commands us to do.

Happy is the person who follows the will of God, even if it seems counter intuitive to your instant gratification, or immediate happiness.

Boxer immediate reaction to a punch being thrown is to get out of the way, step back. Boxer taught to step into the punch. But if you can’t get all the way out of the punch moving in will stabilizes the body and allow you to take the punch in a much more controlled fashion. Sometimes we have to take the initial hit. God leads us to take the hit so that we can move forward with more strength and in the end see better results. Example you struggle with attraction to the same sex or sex before marriage. God’s word says this is how you are suppose to be. You might be celibate for the rest of your life. that the initial blow. but in the end Asre

The passage starts with how do we do this

We walk in the wise or righteous, not in the wicked

Proverbs 13:20 LEB

Walk with the wise and be wise, but as for the companion of fools, he will suffer harm.

Who we spend time with us will influence us the most. And we have to evaluate who we are spending time with. this does not mean spend no time with the people who are not following Jesus. We want to be Salt of the Earth, We want to spend time with people. we are communal creatures, no matter how introverted you are you want and need human contact from time to time. And we will: at work, the Gym school. We want to point others to the love, mercy and ways of Jesus Christ.

At the same time we need to evaluate who is influencing us the most. If someone is influencing us who does not have their heart attuned to YHWH, to his wisdom then we need to be cautious. We need to walk along wise people. No the wisdom of the world. Remember the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. We want to walk with those who fear God, revere God follow God, Worship God try to follow his word according to his Grace.

If our closest companions are people who do not then the fool will suffer harm.

The way of wicked will not allow us to establish strong healthy relationships, but scatter and be of no good. the people who follow Jesus are the wise, the one we want to strive with. they will know the path of righteousness but the wicked will perish.

Transition

As you transition to the next level. Grade, College, Retirement, rejuvenated youth, young at heart, or your as old as fart. From sinner to saint (ABC) from stiff-necked to humble. From victim to survivor. Walk with the wise give up the false idolatry, adultery, and ways that lead to the wicked. and find Asre.

And as you move forward. Hallelujah. Hallelujah

A good podcast of proverbs 13:20 and has influenced my teaching is #634 – Walk with the Wise (Proverbs 13:20) Pray the Word with David Platt May 5, 2019 • 4:24