joydakiss
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Re: My Sermon
The Pathway of Righteousness
Verse 1: Blessed is the man who walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
• Blessed not only signifies happiness of heart, but the Divine benediction, in contrast to God’s curse.
• The Hebrew word for blessed is “esher”, which has the idea of happiness or contentment. Esher comes from the root meaning of Hebrew word ashar, which means “to be straight” or “to be right”.
• “Blessed is the man” is singular, which emphasizes that not only the choice to follow the path of righteousness, but actually walking the path, is strictly personal and individual. No one can force you to consider your steps as you walk the path of righteousness, but in each step, there is a choice. Choice is the essence of free will, which is the prerequisite for faith.
• Faith is the security of the soul.
• Faith in Christ is the basis of all working, all sanctification, and all hope.
• Faith gives birth to prayer, to trust, to godly desire, and finally, to blessing from God.
• There is no formula for blessing that does not begin with faith.
• We all want to be blessed of God. Your presence here indicates that you desire God’s blessing; to be blessed of the LORD. To be blessed of God, we must not do the following:
• 1 - Walking in the counsel of the ungodly means to walk according to the maxims and teachings of the world. The world’s manner of living.
• The Devil is active and will always put obstacles in your way. He will use those who are his to hinder and hurt you.
• The ungodly are ready always to give counsel, this may be in the form of advice columns in the paper, horoscopes, advertising, entertainment.
• The ungodly approach the believer, appearing to be very concerned about the believer’s welfare. They warn against being “too extreme or strict”. They advise the believer to “make the best of both worlds”. Their behavior is regulated by self-will and self-pleasing.
• The godly shun this advice because Divine grace has taught us that there is something infinitely better to direct our steps, and not just that there is something, but we are in possession of something infinitely better.
• We have God’s Divine revelation, dictated by his unerring wisdom and love for us. It is tailored to our individual needs and circumstances so perfectly, that the Bible calls it a “lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path.”
• 2 - Standing in the way of sinners does not mean standing against them, but agreeing with them. But more than agreeing with the ungodly, it signifies walking the path with the ungodly, doing the same evil deeds the ungodly do. It implies a degree of passivity in those who walk with the ungodly, as they capitulate to the will of the ungodly, instead of choosing to stand firm in the LORD’s plan.
• The righteous man is not afraid to stand against the crowd, to take the road less traveled, because he knows that following God’s plan leads to blessing, happiness, and eternal life. Psalms 16:11: You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. God’s path is simply the best path to take.
• An example of following God’s plan is Ruth. Ruth had the chance to return with her sister Orpah to Moab, to their mother’s home, and their gods. Instead, Ruth chose to go with her mother-in-law to Bethlehem, because she chose to follow God’s path. She was so committed to following God’s path, that Orpah could not derail her. Ruth did not “go along” with her sister…she listened to the voice of God instead.
• Ruth Chapter 2:11 – 12: And Boaz answered and said unto her, It hath fully been shewed me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother in law since the death of thine husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people which thou knewest not heretofore. The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust. It is clear that those who trust God’s plan can rest assured that the LORD will always protect and prosper them.
• 3 - Sitting in the seat of the scornful or mockers means to adopt their attitudes.
• The ungodly despise and reject the Father. In their ignorance, mock God’s ways, and thus to sit in the seat of the mockers is to endorse their ignorance.
• But there’s another meaning: the “seat” speaks of relaxation and delight. Thus, he who seats in the seat of the scornful not only adopts the world’s wicked stance, but relaxes and delights in it.
• We as believers have something far better in which to delight, as Mary found at the Lord’s feet, “in Thy presence there is fullness of joy”.
• The progression is downward, which describes the path and and consequences of ungodliness…first they walk, then they stand still, then they sit, thoroughly confirmed in evil.
• They start by going along with the crowd, then they take a stand with the crowd, and finally, they reach the point where standing with the crowd isn’t enough…they descend into mocking God, mocking His precepts.
• We can also speak of thinking, behaving and belonging. As we walk from the counsel of the ungodly, so we shun the mentality of the ungodly. As we refuse to stand in the way of sinners, so we behave in ways that are consistent with God’s plan. As we refuse to sit in the seat of the scornful, we refuse to belong with the ungodly and delight in their pleasures.
• The British Biblical scholar Adam Clarke writes: “He who acts by bad counsel may soon do evil deeds; and he who abandons himself to evil doings may end his life in total apostasy from God.”
• What is the next step, after sitting in the seat of the scornful? After we decide to belong with the ungodly and delight in their pleasures? To lie down? To fall?
Verse 2: But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law doth he meditate day and night.
• So thus by delighting in the law of the LORD, the law of the LORD becomes the righteous man/woman’s source of inner peace and joy, and thus he or she meditates upon it day and night.
• Psalms 119 has 8 verses alone that speak of the Psalmist David’s delight in the word of God and in God’s commandments.
• When you delight in something, don’t you think about it day and night? Does anyone have to ask you to do it? No…you just do it…it is your pleasure. But what is your delight? Do you delight in the carnal, or do you delight in your spiritual path?
• The 19th century British preacher C. H. Spurgeon wrote: “Man must have some delight, some supreme pleasure. His heart was never meant to be a vacuum. If not filled with the best things, it will be filled with the unworthy and disappointing.”
• We must seek to fill our hearts and minds with the best things, and what better than the precious word of God?
• Just one moment in God’s presence is worth more than all the entertainment this world has to offer. Earthly pleasures are fleeting; abiding in the presence of God is the key to life eternal.
• To delight in something is to find peace, joy, and satisfaction of the soul. “The law of the LORD” emphasizes God’s will, or Divine authority. Thus the righteous man finds peace and happiness in God’s will, in His Divine authority. By contemplating and digesting the word of God, the righteous man becomes satisfied his soul. He finds peace and joy. Thus it becomes his pleasure to feed on the Word of God!
• In Christian meditation, the goal is to fill one’s mind with the word of God. But it is not good enough to fill one’s mind and forget it…the righteous man contemplates or ponders the word of God. He thinks about what it means! This is accomplished by carefully contemplating each word and phrase, turning it over and over in our minds, applying it to oneself by acting faith, praying it back to the LORD for discernment and direction, and it culminates in the assimilation of righteous behaviors.
• But the real purpose of meditation is to be obedient to God’s word. Joshua 1:8: “Thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein.” Psalm 19:14: “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.”
• The pressures of this world tend to distract us from this practice, but you as a believer must make the personal decision to ponder God’s word, to apply it to you’re your hearts, your minds, all aspects of lives by faith. You must not only ask the LORD for his guidance and direction, you must choose to walk in the path that God has made for you.
Verse 3: And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bring forth fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither, and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
• This verse describes how the righteous man is blessed.
• The symbol of the tree has special significance in arid places like Palestine. Trees in Palestine would signify the ability to find nourishment where, at the surface, there appears to be none.
• Trees signify strength and stability, supported by deep roots. The righteous man is rooted in God’s word.
• A tree planted by the rivers of water is constantly nourished. Its needs are always supplied. For the righteous, the river of water represents the Holy Spirit. Are your needs supplied? If not, are you feeding your soul by heeding the word of the Holy Spirit?
• The Christian life bears fruit naturally, because it is nourished by following God’s precepts. John 15:5: “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” The righteous live lives that yield worthwhile things, they bring blessings to themselves, their community, and their loved ones.
• However, the Christian life bears fruit in its season, in God’s time. Some get discouraged when they begin to walk the pathway of the righteous, and the fruits of a righteous life are not immediately apparent. We must understand that part of trusting in God’s plan is trusting that we will bear fruit in God’s time, not ours. Nor are the graces of the Holy Spirit are not produced simultaneously.
• However the righteous trust we apply faith to every aspect of our lives and walk the pathway, our faith bears fruit in our actions. The fruits of the Spirit are the evidence of faith. We choose to be patient, we stand courageous, when we give thanks, we are humble of heart, when we choose to live joyously and peacefully, we are kind, we exhibit self-control.
• The leaf of the tree represents the word or thought. It does not wither because not only is the when the tree is nourished and its roots are strong, it has no choice but to flourish and grow. Thus when we not only nourish ourselves God’s word, but firmly root ourselves in it, it can’t help but grow and prosper!
• Luke 24:19 describes Jesus as “a prophet mighty in deed and word.” Acts 1:1 talks of “all that Jesus began to do and teach….” This is why the fruit of a righteous man is mentioned before the leaf in the Psalm, because it is our actions that speak louder than our words. Our actions are arguably more tangible demonstrations of the faith of the righteous than our words.
• Whatsoever we doeth will prosper means that as we walk the righteous path, we will behave in ways that provide rest for our souls. Jeremiah 6:16: “Thus said the LORD, stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls…” Romans 8:28: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
• God’s word is the way out of restlessness, oppression, and depression. God’s word is our direction for success in life, and we must not only heed his instructions, but his warnings concerning things that waste life.
Verse 4: The ungodly are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
• We come back to the difference of the ungodly life, as compared to the righteous life.
• Note that the Psalmist David did not even so much as describe the ungodly as withering trees, but as chaff, that the wind drives away. It withers. There are no roots. It is not nourished. It cannot grow. It cannot bear fruit.
• Chaff is the shell around a kernel of grain that must be removed before it can be ground into flour. Chaff was so light that it could be separated from the grain by tossing a scoopful into the wind, and letting the wind blow the chaff away. How lacking in substance chaff must be, that the slightest stress could separate it from its kernel? So are the ungodly….light, lacking in substance, easily carried away.
• The life of the ungodly is bleak. Their efforts lacking of substance. They bear no fruits of the Spirit. Their end futility, their fate is to be blown away and never found, their outcome is eternal separation from God in the day of judgement.
• Do we use material measures to determine prosperity? Look beyond a person’s material wealth. Are they patient? Courageous? Are they thankful or humble? Do they live joyously and peacefully? Do they exhibit self-control? Those who lack these qualities, most likely, are most likely spiritually starved. They are not firmly rooted in The Word, and thus their souls are not being nourished by the word of God. How could they possibly grow in Spirit and truth without nourishment?
Verse 5: Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
• Some scholars believe this verse may be a Hebraism, or Hebrew idiom, that means the ungodly “shall not be able to maintain himself”. For example, the wicked will fall down in shame when confronted with and convicted of their guilt.
• However, this verse also denotes that the ungodly will be found as lacking in substance in the day of judgment; as “chaff”. Daniel 5:27: “Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.”
• The ungodly will not enjoy the glorious promises of the righteous. They have no place in eternity. As the chaff, they will be blown away, forgotten and unfound. But the righteous will abide forever!
• In fact, not only will the ungodly be found wanting on the day of judgment, they will be have no place right now in the congregation of the righteous. They have no desire to meditate on God’s word; they delight themselves in the pleasures of this world, and thus they insist on wrongdoing. Acquiescing to the demands of the ungodly starts us on down the pathway of the ungodly! Christians cannot let the ungodly stand between us and the path God created for us and derail us. We trust that by fulfilling God’s plan, ungodly influences will be shed from us as the wind sheds the chaff from the grain.
Verse 6: For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish.
• This is proof that the LORD blesses and prospers those who follow the way of the righteous.
• In Hebrew, “knoweth” translates to “is knowing”. This means that the LORD is constantly watching us. He walks with us and protects us throughout the course of our lives, even in the valley of the shadow of death. What a beautiful promise the LORD has given His children!
• Conversely, we know that the way of the ungodly will perish. Their path literally becomes less and less defined, until it loses itself. Their way leads towards ruin, because they pursue their own carnal interests. They reject truth, they reject God’s ways.
• They neglect God. And to neglect God is to neglect one’s very soul, and thus one’s place in eternity, because our souls are the only aspect of our being that is eternal.
• The pathway of the ungodly may seem comfortable. They may have a lot of friends. They may seem to have a good time. But we have no need to follow their path, nor acquiesce to their demands. We the righteous know that the path we follow is right in the sight of the LORD. We have been given specific instructions on how to bear the fruits of the Spirit and walk the path that leads to eternal life, and have been given the promise that the righteous path leads to peace, prosperity and protection. What more do we need to know? What have we to fear?
Conclusion
• It is clear that the path of the ungodly is the way of devastation. The cycle begins with boredom and depression, and thus the man/woman walks with the ungodly by seeking ungodly advice. It results in the man/woman standing in the way with sinners, and he adopts ungodly practices, which results in the man/woman sitting in the seat of the scornful, as the path of the ungodly bears no fruit. Their path becomes more and more obscure. It ends in decimation, as the ungodly cannot stand in judgment.
• But rather than focus on the pathway of the ungodly, let’s choose the pathway of the righteous. The righteous make the choice to ponder His every word, because we choose to fill our minds with the best things. His every word is the best thing with which we can fill our minds! And as we ponder His word, we absorb His word into our lives, our deeds, thoughts and actions. And when we absorb His word, we become obedient to His divine, perfect plan for us. As we become obedient to His word, our faith develops. And we begin to walk by faith! We become rooted in the Word. We allow the Holy Spirit to nourish our souls! And as we allow the Holy Spirit to nourish us, we develop patience, courageousness, thankfulness, humility, self-control, joy and peace. Negative influences are shed from our lives. We become rich in God’s wealth! When we know that we are pursuing God’s plan, we can rest assured that we will be given peace, prosperity, protection, and eternal life.
• My prayer for you my brothers and sisters is that you choose the pathway of righteousness and enjoy the blessed promise of eternal life.
--- We do not see things as they are; we see things as we are. ~ Talmud
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