-Obedience Makes Us Happy!

One reason God condemns sin is that it brings us pain! He hates sin because of what it does to us! That’s why He gave Israel the 10 Commandments & the rest of the law! So, they could be happy! So that they could avoid all the pain & the diseases that the other nations, who rejected Yahweh & followed idols, suffered with! You will never be happier than when you’re living in right relationship with God & with your neighbor! That’s why we need to read & meditate on His word! That’s why we need to memorize it! So you’ll know when you’ve stumbled out of fellowship with God & with others! So, you can resolve it!

-Who’s Happy?

Listen to what the psalmist said in Psalm ch.1:  “How happy is the man who does not follow the advice of the wicked or take the path of sinners or join a group 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 streams of water that bears its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.” Who’s happy? The one who doesn’t follow the advice of the world! Who’s happy? The one who avoids the path of those who disobey God’s Word! Who’s happy? The one who doesn’t hang out with those who mock God’s law! The mocker says:  “What, you’re going to wait until you get married before you have sex or live with that person? That’s stupid! What if you’re not compatible?” That’s the mocker’s advice! And, it doesn’t work! That counsel is ruining lives & ruining marriages! It automatically builds mistrust in the relationship!

-How To Be Prosperous!

Instead, the psalmist says that it’s the one who delights in the Lord’s instruction that will prosper! It’s the couple who ignores their worldly friend’s advice whose marriage will prosper! It’s the one who is in God’s word & structures their life accordingly that will prosper! Over & over, in the Old Testament, God told Israel that it was their sin that separated them from a relationship with Him! He was holy and they were not! The Prophet Isaiah told Israel:  “But your iniquities have built barriers between you and your God, and your sins have made Him hide His face from you so that He does not listen” Isaiah 59:2.  We can’t assume that God is like some old, doting grandpa that looks the other way at our sin! No! Our sin breaks fellowship with Him! It builds barriers between God & us! So, when we sin He hides His face from us & refuses to listen to us in our presumptuous sin!

-Fellowship With God!

Our fellowship with God cannot be taken lightly! We cannot treat it like a casual thing & just assume we can fellowship with Him whenever we want; especially if we’re living in unrepentant sin! Under the old covenant, the sacrifices, required by God, were laborious & frequent! They were a constant reminder, to Israel, that it would take effort & a sincere heart if they desired relationship & fellowship with God. The sacrificial system was required, as part of their confession of sin. And, it foreshadowed the coming Messiah’s ultimate sacrifice for sin. When engaged, by faith, Israel’s sacrifices opened the door to genuine fellowship with God! To know Him & to be known by Him! And, by offering their sacrifices, to God, in humility & sincere confession, of sin, God would change their hearts! He would make them a holy people for Himself!