The Way of Blessing

INTRODUCTION

Walking God’s Way - still our sub-theme. We have been looking at walking in a way that honors God - in wisdom, in the light, in unity, in love.

Today we will begin a two part message on Ps. 1 by looking at the Way of Blessing.

Have you ever read those “Choose Your Own Adventure” books? Sometimes you’d think you’d made the right decisions but suddenly it’d be the end of your character’s life! Well here in Ps. 1, the Bible will tell us that life is a ‘choose your own adventure’ but here we can see exactly what choices will bring what results.

Blessing introduction: Here blessing means happiness, but also success and prosperity. We have a lot of earthly measures of success.

The world teaches many different ways to be happy - -find the right person, find the right job, get a raise.

“no amount of money, power, and planning can prevent bereavement, dire illness, relationship betrayal, financial disaster, or a host of other troubles from entering you life. Human life is fatally fragile and subjecct to forces beyond our power to manage.

— Tim Keller

Jeremiah 17:7 AV

7 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.

The Bible tells us that there is a specific walk that God considers successful and will bring us genuine happiness.

We could ask it this way are you blessable?

Psalm 1:1–3 AV

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 season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

1. It Is a Separated Way

v. 1 - here we clearly see that the way of blessing is contingent directly upon where we walk. And here we see a very specific process involved in this.

A. From Worldly Advice

“the counsel of the ungodly”

His walk is different than the rest of the world. Walk means to go along with, follow a course of action.

Psalm 81:12 AV

12 So I gave them up unto their own hearts’ lust: and they walked in their own counsels.

The world’s counsel is much different than God’s!

Proverbs 1:15 AV

15 My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path:

For example, humanism has manifested itself in a philosophy known as “situation ethics,” which was popularized by Joseph Fletcher. This point of view has become an intellectual and moral foundation for a great variety of moral evils. To mention but one, situation ethics holds that it is possible, in certain situations, for a man or woman to commit adultery and be right in so doing. The humanistic philosophy of situation ethics condones and sometimes even “sanctifies” sin.

— Bob Deffinbaugh

Psalm 64:2 AV

2 Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked; from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity:

The counsel means their viewpoint, their way of thinking.

Don’t go along with the thinking of the wicked. They are immoral or unstable.

Here are three ways to determine if the counsel you’re receiving is from the wicked. (Stephen Cole)

They will deny the sufficiency of Scripture.

2 Timothy 3:16 AV

16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

2. They will exalt man’s pride.

3. They will focus on pleasing self.

B. From Worldly Ways

“standeth in the way of sinners”

Stand means to stop or be firm.

Their path is their manner or behavior. This means that we are not to embrace the ideals of the world. We should not be conformed to this world.

This standing is kind of a hardening.

Proverbs 4:19 AV

19 The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.

These sinners have missed the mark and if you stop and stand with them you’ll miss the goal of Christian living.

C. From Worldly Attitudes

“sitteth in the seat of the scornful”

Here is the situation of someone who now is comfortable with the world. They are sitting with them.

Sitting here means to dwell. They’ve sat in the seat, so they’ve made close associations.

Psalm 26:4–5 AV

4 I have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in with dissemblers. 5 I have hated the congregation of evil doers; and will not sit with the wicked.

Jeremiah 15:17 AV

17 I sat not in the assembly of the mockers, nor rejoiced; I sat alone because of thy hand: for thou hast filled me with indignation.

Those who mock God are some of the most unhappy people you’ll ever see.

Proverbs 1:22 AV

22 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?

These are people who put down God and the things of God. They ridicule God, they are indifferent to God, they prefer their own ideas and thoughts, or they ignore the Word and do what they want.

Note this downward progression! Walk, stand, sit.

Example of Lot

He walked in the counsel of the ungodly - Gen 13:10 says he beheld the plain of Zoar and chose that plain.

He then stood with them by journeying eastward in v. 11.

We then find him sitting in Sodom where in 19:1 it literally says he sat at the gate.

There are degrees of departure from God, as implied in three sets of three words:

(1) Walk > Stand > Sit. First, you walk--you’re still moving, but now in the wrong direction. Then, you stand--you’re lingering in sin. Finally, you sit--you’re at ease in the company of scoffers.

(2) Wicked > Sinners > Scoffers. First, you’re with the wicked--those who hang loose about God. Then you’re with sinners--those who openly violate God’s commands by missing the mark. Then you’re with scoffers--those who openly reject the truth.

(3) Counsel > Path > Seat. First, you listen to counsel--you begin thinking wrong thoughts, getting bad advice. Then, you stand in the path--you engage in wrong behavior, going the wrong way. Finally, you sit in the seat--you belong to the wrong crowd and have adopted the fatal attitude of the scoffer. And Satan’s got you!

Who you associate with is a big deal - you should develop friendships with your church family.

2. It Is a Satisfied Way

v. 2 - here we find that the way of blessing is a walk that takes its satisfaction in a few different ways.

A. Delight in God’s Word

“his delight is in the law of the LORD”

Focusing on God’s word is not some drab duty but a delight!

Psalm 40:8 AV

8 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.

Psalm 119:72 AV

72 The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver.

The pleasures of the world and the ‘advice’ to be happy will be nothing compared to what the word of God can offer!

Jeremiah 15:16 AV

16 Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.

A W Pink asks: What is meant by "ate them"? Appropriation, assimilation. Meditation stands to reading—as digestion does to eating. It is as God's Word is pondered by the mind, turned over and over in the thoughts, and mixed with faith—that we assimilate it. That which most occupies the mind and most constantly engages our thoughts—is what we most "delight" in.

Maybe you’d like to experience the Word like Jonathan Edwards.

Sometimes only mentioning a single word will cause my heart to burn within me, only seeing the name of Christ or some attribute of God will suddenly make my heart burn, and God suddenly appears glorious to me, making me have exalting thoughts of him. When I enjoy this sweetness it seems to carry me above the thoughts of my own estate. It seems that at such times I am at such a loss that I cannot bear it and I cannot bring myself to take my eye from this glorious present object, to turn it to myself or to my interest.

— Jonathan Edwards

Delight is an attitude that leads to an action (meditate).

So how can I delight in God’s Word - see our next point!

B. Meditation Upon God’s Word

“in his law doth he meditate”

Meditations has two parts that deal with the mouth and with the mind.

Joshua 1:8 AV

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.

Here we see that meditate incorporates the mouth. Meditate means to coo or mutter. The Word of God should be on our mouths.

The idea is of a cow chewing on the cud. Chew on what you read all day long.

But it can only be in our mouths if it’s in our minds.

Psalm 119:11 AV

11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

Psalm 119:15 AV

15 I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.

Psalm 119:97–99 AV

97 MEM. O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day. 98 Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me. 99 I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation.

Meditation is the activity of calling to mind, and thinking over, and dwelling on, and applying to oneself, the various things that one knows about the works and ways and purposes and promises of God

— J.I. Packer

Meditation is getting alone (not with your thoughts) but with God’s thoughts.

Meditation is to the mind, what digesting is to eating.

What occupies your thoughts?

C. Consistency in God’s Word

“day and night”

This meditation doesn’t stop when the Bible is closed or when devotions are over - it’s the whole day!

According to one little boy, “Thinking is when your mouth stays shut and your head keeps talking to itself.”

Think about God’s Word, ask questions about God’s Word!

Read it much, read it often, brood over it, think over it, meditate over it—meditate on the Word of God day and night. When you are awake at night, think of a helpful verse. When you get up in the morning, no matter how you feel, think of a verse and make the Word of God the important element in your day.

— AW Tozer

3. It Is a Settled Way

v. 3

Jeremiah 17:8 AV

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. Rooted Like a Tree

“like a tree planted by the rivers of water”

Ezekiel 17:8 AV

8 It was planted in a good soil by great waters, that it might bring forth branches, and that it might bear fruit, that it might be a goodly vine.

The meaning here is that of transplanting. We have been taken out of the miry clay of sin and planted on good ground, near a flowing river!

Note three important lessons from the tree.

A tree has roots and is strong. We see someone who is mentally, emotionally, and spiritually stable.

A tree beside the river pictures growth. This take time and maturity.

A tree pictures service - providing fruit (in a minute) and shade.

B. Productive in Fruit-bearing

“that bringeth forth fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither;”

Psalm 92:14 AV

14 They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing;

People who walk with God are fruitful! Not withering.

The fruit can vary:

The Holy Ghost equips people differently. Don’t compare fruit just be fruitful.

The maturity of the believer. A young sapling has quite a different capability than a mighty oak.

The soil in which we serve.

C. Prosperous in Actions

“whatsoever he doeth shall prosper”

Joshua 1:8 AV

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.

Real prosperity comes when God’s work is done in the life of someone who is meditating on His Word.

This is the person who trusts God and is guided by His word.

Isaiah 3:10 AV

10 Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings.

Our labor is not in vain - our lives will mean something to God.

CONCLUSION

So, are you one of the blessed? What kind of company do you keep? Do you delight in God’s Word? Is it on your mind and mouth?