Psalm 1:1 Our friends and associates can have a profound influence on us, often in very subtle ways. If we insist on friendships with those who mock what God considers important, we might sin by becoming indifferent to God’s will. This attitude is the same as mocking. Do your friends build up your faith, or do they tear it down? True friends should help you draw closer to God, not hinder your relationship with him.
God doesn’t judge people on the basis of race, sex, or national origin. He judges them on the basis of their faith in him and their response to his revealed will. Those who diligently try to obey God’s will are blessed. Their happy condition is like healthily fruit bearing trees with strong roots and God promises to watch over them. God’s wisdom guides their lives. In contrast, those who don’t trust and obey God have meaningless lives that blow away like dust. Only two paths of life lay before us, God’s way of obedience or the way of rebellion and destruction. Be sure to choose God’s path because the path you choose determines how you will spend eternity.
Psalm 1:2 You can learn how to follow God by meditating on his word. Meditating means spending time reading and thinking about what you have read. It means asking yourself how you should change so you will live as God wants. Knowing and meditating on God’s word are the first steps toward applying it to your everyday life. If you want to follow God more closely, you must know what he says.
Psalm 1:2,3 These two scriptures hold simple wisdom: The more we delight in God’s presence, the more fruitful we are. On the other hand, the more we allow those who ridicule God to affect our thoughts and attitudes, the more we separate ourselves from our source of nourishment. We must contact with unbelievers if we are to witness to them, but we must not join in or imitate their sinful behavior. If you want despair, spend time with mocking sinners; but if you want God’s happiness, make friends with those who love God and his word. The phrase; ‘‘Whatever he does prospers,’’ does not mean immunity from failure or difficulties. Nor does it guarantee health, wealth, and happiness. What the Bible means by prosperity is this: when we apply Gods wisdom, the fruit we bear will be good and will receive God’s approval. Just as the tree soaks up water and bears luscious fruit, we also are to soak up God’s word, producing actions and attitudes that honor God. To achieve anything worthwhile , we must have God’s word in our hearts.
Psalm 1:4 Chaff is the outer shell that must be removed to get at the valuable kernels of grain inside. Chaff was removed by a process called threshing. After the plants were cut, they were crushed and then the pieces were thrown into the air. Chaff is very light and is carried away by even the slightest wind, while the good grain falls back to earth. Chaff is a symbol of a faithless life that drifts along without direction. Good grain is a symbol of a faithful life that can be used by God. Unlike grain, however, we can choose the direction we will take.
Life is short, eternity is long.
Consider all of your challenges a blessing.
Image reference; robertpooley.typepad,com
GZ/KZ
No comments:
Post a Comment