Psalm 1:1 says, 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. Notice: walks...stands (stops walking)...and sits (stops standing)...and it all begins with the COUNSEL (words) of the ungodly. Hearing wrong counsel... Notice the verse 2, But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. Who is HIS? The man who is BLESSED... this persons delight is in the law of the Lord (Word), and in His law (Word) does he MEDITATE day and night. Joshua 1:8 says, 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. There is a connection between MEDITATING in the Word, and PROSPERING... Psalm 1:3 says, And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water... Notice, theyre like a TREE planted by rivers of water... where else do we find that? Jeremiah 17:7-8 talking about the person who TRUSTS in the Lord. So, whos word you MEDITATE on continually, is who you TRUST in... Psalm 1:3 continues by saying, ...that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever HE (person who MEDITATES on Word) doeth shall PROSPER. Didnt we see this in Joshua 1:8? Now, verse 4-5 is where I want to get to... look at Psalm 1:4, The ungodly are not so: but are like the CHAFF which the wind driveth away. Well, we find in Daniel 2:44, the Kingdom of God shall stand forever, but the kingdoms of the world shall break in pieces, and Daniel 2:35 says, they become like CHAFF which the wind DRIVES away (Psalm 1:4). Who are those who those DRIVEN by the WIND? James 1:6 says, But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. Those that WAVER, are like a wave of the sea DRIVEN with the WIND and tossed. Those trusting in this worlds system, are DRIVEN and TOSSED. Go one way, and then the other like a wave... they hear the message of faith, move towards the Word, and then hear how bad the economy is, and move in fear. James 1:8 calls this: being DOUBLE-MINDED, and James 1:7 says, this MAN (who is DOUBLE-minded) shall not receive anything from the Lord. Well, if a DOUBLE-minded man shall not receive anything, what about the SINGLE-minded man? A man who asks in FAITH (James 1:6), shall receive... and are not DRIVEN (like the kingdom of the world), but instead, theyre PLANTED (Psalm 1:3). Thats living in the Kingdom of God, and they bring forth fruit even in times of drought (Jeremiah 17:8). So, we see 2 types of people: those who (1) walk in FAITH, who are SINGLE-minded, and receive, and (2) those who are DOUBLE-minded, and receive not... but notice, those who walk by FAITH, walk in THE BLESSING, because FAITH activates THE BLESSING. Galatians 3:9 says, So then they which be of faith are BLESSED with faithful Abraham. So, they which be of FAITH, and how does FAITH come? Romans 10:17 says, So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. However, we find a few verses earlier in verse 14, it says, ...how shall they HEAR without a preacher? What did Jesus come to do? PREACH the WORD... Mark 1:14-15 says, Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, PREACHING the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. REPENT: means to change your thinking, to turn, or return to a previous state, or you could say, back to the TOP... remember Isaiah 55:8-9 says, Gods THOUGHTS are HIGHER... and how Colossians 3:1-2 says to SEEK those things which are ABOVE... thats what Jesus was endeavoring to get people to do when He said in Matthew 6:31, Take no THOUGHT what you shall eat...drink...(or wear). Why? Thats what the Gentiles SEEK (or TAKE THOUGHT of), but Gods THOUGHTS are HIGHER than that and this is how you operate in Gods THOUGHTS: Matthew 6:33, But SEEK ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Operating in the Kingdom is operating at a HIGHER level... so Jesus was trying to get people to REPENT or turn or return to God. Were in Isaiah 55, I want you to see something in verses 6-7, SEEK ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him RETURN unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. Doesnt this sound like REPENT (turn or return)...and believe the gospel? Let the WICKED forsake his way (which is lower), and let the UNRIGHTEOUS man (forsake) his thoughts (which are lower - according to Isaiah 55:8-9), and let him RETURN to the Lord (go higher). See, God wasnt saying, His thoughts were unattainable, that theyre out of reach, but God was telling them YOU CAN go higher! YOU CAN walk in MY WAYS!! BUT FIRST, you must forsake those lower thoughts... Doesnt this sound like what we read in Matthew 6:31??? Take no thought what you shall eat, drink, or wear... hmmm Now, notice here its FORSAKING those lower thoughts, those lower ways... go with me to Matthew 19... hehehe Matthew 19:29-30 says, And every one that hath FORSAKEN houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my names sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first. Here: hes talking about PRIORITY. GOD FIRST... but watch this: verse 30 says, But many that are first shall be last; and THE LAST... SHALL BE... FIRST. Matthew 19:30 (Amplified) says, ...and many who [now] are last will be first [then]. When you SEEK the Kingdom of God, you might be LAST in the worlds eyes initially, but God will elevate you to FIRST. THE BLESSING elevates or promotes you to FIRST. God says in Malachi 3:7, to RETURN to Him...but then, look at verse 18... Malachi 3:18 says, Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not. Other translations say, you will see a DIFFERENCE, a DISTINCTION... what is that? THE BLESSING... when there was darkness in Egypt, there was light in Goshen. What happened? One translation says, God put a DISTINCTION between those in Goshen, and those in Egypt. Its that HEDGE that surrounded Job mentioned in Job 1:9-10, that Satan could not penetrate, called THE BLESSING... and I close with this verse for tonight: Malachi 3:18 (Message Bible), ...They’ll get special treatment when I go into action...Once more you’ll see the difference it makes between being a person who does the right thing and one who doesn’t, between serving God and not serving him.” God will give you SPECIAL TREATMENT = FAVOR... and I said one more verse, but I have to give you one more... Psalm 5:12 says, For thou, Lord, wilt BLESS the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.
Posted on: Mon, 25 Nov 2013 06:28:46 +0000