Category Archives: Meditation

The Problem With Loving God

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What Does That Kind Of Love Look Like?

Through the years, I have met many people who claim that they love God, and I’ve asked them what that looks like. What does it look like to love God? How would you answer that question? In Mark’s gospel, chapter 12, Jesus said, “…Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.” In fact, Jesus says that to love God personally is the most important command! But there’s a second point to draw from His words—we’re called “…to love God WITH ALL WE HAVE.”  Therein lies the problem with loving God! How can we love God with all we have, and again, what does that kind of love look like?

Love That’s All-Inclusive

Four times He uses the word “all,” which literally means “the whole.” In other words, Jesus is saying that genuine love for God has to be “all in.” We can’t love Him half-heartedly, or we’re a liar! Real love for God is comprehensive! It’s all-inclusive! There’s no area of our life that can be left out! We love Him with “…our whole heart…” So, our heart is devoted to Him. There’s no pretense! No hypocrisy! We can’t say we love Him and live our life like He doesn’t exist! We don’t ignore those we truly love, do we? And then Jesus says that to love God with all we have—or to be “all in”—is to love Him “…with all your soul…” Our soul is the seat of our emotions. He gave us emotions so we could love Him and worship Him.

Get Emotional About God

So, love Him and worship Him deeply! Get emotional over Him! Desire Him! You ought to be concerned if you can get all emotional over an animal, or a Hallmark Christmas movie, or a football game, but have no emotions for God! Is that kind of love and faith even genuine? Jesus also says that to love God with all you have is to love Him “…with all your mind…” So, while we love Him with our emotions, it’s not mindless emotion! We think about Him, and we submit our thinking to Him! We love Him because we’ve considered Him. We’ve meditated on Him, and we’ve made a conscious decision to love Him because we really know Him. We know His infinite worth

Love God With All Your Strength

Finally, Jesus says to “…love God with all your strength.” That is the best we have! We’re to love Him out of our strength, not our leftovers! This word relates to our physical being. We love Him in our actions—with our hands and our feet! If our love for God is genuine, we’ll serve Him and others with a passionate energy—with our strength! As I worked through this passage, I was moved—I believe by His Spirit—to ask myself the question, “Why do I love God?” And one Scripture echoed, “We love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19). I am only capable of loving God with all I have because He loved me first! I’m a sinful, broken man, and the only way I can grow to love God “all in” is by His Spirit’s power!
 

Worship Is Giving Your All

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Worship Changes Us

When it’s genuine, worship CHANGES us! It seems to me that when Paul defines our “spiritual worship” as presenting “…your bodies as a living sacrifice…”, he interprets worship as a personal meeting with God that has such a redemptive and sanctifying impact on us that it CHANGES us (Romans 12:1-2). That’s what genuine worship does to us! Worship is not an exchange where we check it off of our spiritual “TO DO” list so God becomes obligated to give us something in return!

An Encounter With The Living God

Worship is nothing short of an encounter with the living, active, covenant-keeping God! It’s seeing how He humbled Himself and came to the planet that He created as a vulnerable baby, and gave His all on the cross for us so that He might gain our redemption! Worship is being so moved by His action that, in brokenness and humility, we seek nothing more in return; but, in the likeness of our Savior, we give our all back to Him—a living sacrifice! We’re undone! All of life becomes worship!  The Latin phrase “coram Deo” means “before the face of God,” and it’s used in the context of our worship because genuine worship is lived out everywhere and anywhere we find ourselves! Whether it’s our work, leisure, or family time, there is nothing “secular” that is outside “the face of God” or outside His authority or realm. All of life is sacred!

Don’t Compartmentalize Your Life

We cannot compartmentalize any sector of our life and claim it as ours or as something out of God’s reach. Paul tells the Church of Rome that spiritual worship is an intentional presentation of our bodies to God—“…present your bodies as a living sacrifice…” To what is Paul referring? The most obvious answer is the Old Testament sacrificial system, where a lamb was slaughtered in faith, believing that God would pass over the sin of the one sacrificing. But I think Paul intends for us to go deeper in our meditation on this passage and see the Lamb of God who became the ultimate sacrifice for our sin. Jesus was the final answer— “…once for all…” God said! “It is finished,” Jesus said. There would be no more dead sacrifices! 

The Mercies Of God

In these two verses, Paul says that it’s because of “…the mercies of God…” that we become “…holy and pleasing to God…” when we offer ourselves as a “living sacrifice” to Him! Worship has everything to do with our redemption. To “redeem” something means to restore it or to reclaim it so it can once again be used as it was intended. When Jesus made atonement for our sin on the cross, He “redeemed” us. It means He “reclaimed” us from the sin that had owned us since Adam’s fall, and He began a “restoration” process in us to make us what He originally meant for us to be. And He’ll complete that process on the day of our glorification when we see Him. Paul seems to infer that “worship” will become our “default setting” when we truly grasp all that Jesus gave for us, and we’ll want to do nothing less but give our all to Him!

How Do We Fight?

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Succeeding In Your Thought Life

The Apostle Paul paints a picture, of what spiritual growth looks like, in his letter to the Church of Colosse. He tells these young believers:  “…if you have been raised with the Messiah, seek what is above, where the Messiah is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on what is above, not on what is on the earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with the Messiah in God.  When the Messiah, who is your life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory” Colossians 3:1-4. Let’s think about the implications of Paul’s words—he seems to be saying that a successful fight against sin is won in the “thought life”, right? The battle against the “weeds” of sin is fought in your mind; which, means that it’s either “won” or “lost” in the mind!

Rooting Sin Out Of Your Life

I believe Paul is teaching us a principle that spiritual growth always relates to how highly & how often we THINK of God; and, conversely, how infrequently we think of ourselves! Using farming terminology, meditating on God & His Word is like spraying ROUNDUP on the weeds of sin in your life; and, dwelling on yourself is like fertilizing those weeds! Part of the Holy Spirit’s ministry is to empower us to root sin out of our life; while living for ourselves is the main cause for sin to thrive in our lives! So, let’s talk about how God’s Spirit supports our work to root out the weeds of sin.  Paul reminds the Church of Colosse that their “identity” is in Christ! So, any believer who hopes to be successful in the battle against sin has to know who they are!

It Starts With Jesus

See your position in Christ— “…so, IF you have been raised with Christ…” he says in v.1. Your spiritual growth & victory over sin doesn’t begin with YOU, it starts with JESUS! If you know Him as your Savior, you need to figure out that you’ve been raised with Him—Paul is pointing to the bodily resurrection of Christ on the 3rd day after His crucifixion; and, he’s telling the believers in Colosse, “…you’ve been RAISED with Him….” You DIED with Him in v.3; and, “…your life is HIDDEN with the Messiah in God.” You DIED with Him! And, you’ve been RAISED with Him! Though you were “…dead in trespasses & sins…” you’ve been made ALIVE, in Him, because Jesus rose from the dead & is ALIVE!

Know Your Position In Christ

In one sense, Paul says that our salvation— our place in heaven— is already SEALED! It’s a DONE DEAL! In the mind of God, He’s already raised us up and seated us in the heavens.  “But God,” Paul writes the Church of Ephesus, “who is rich in mercy, because of His great love that He had for us, made us alive with the Messiah even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace! Together with Christ Jesus He also raised us up and seated us in the heavens” Ephesians 2:4-6.  We take hold of our identity when we begin, with the Spirit’s help, to kill the weeds of sin in our life; or to “mortify” the deeds of the flesh. My sinful life was the “old” me; but, that’s no longer who I am! I’m set free from the power of sin! The indwelling Holy Spirit has all the power; and applies all the necessary grace to progressively sanctify me and transform me into the image of Christ. My sinful, broken flesh will never allow me to reach sinless perfection; but a spiritual body awaits me at the 2nd coming of Jesus Christ! Praise God!

How Do You Measure Spiritual Growth?

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1st Questions About A New Baby

Measuring “physical” growth is relatively easy, isn’t it? And, we begin measuring physical growth from birth, don’t we? How long is the baby, in terms of inches; and, how much does the baby weigh? Right? That’s always one of the first questions asked! And, the measuring continues as the baby grows into a toddler; and, then elementary age. Many homes have a measuring wall; or, a doorway, with all kinds of little pencil marks & words alongside it with a child’s name & age representing how tall they were at that specific age. Do you have such a place? Measuring physical growth is also a pretty exact science too, isn’t it? This is your “HEIGHT”; this is your “WEIGHT”! This is your “inseam”, your “waist”; and, your “neck size.”

What About Spiritual Measurements?

But, measuring “SPIRITUAL” growth isn’t as easy, is it? We tend to measure others “SPIRITUALLY”  by how much they know about the Bible, doctrine, and, theology. So, if someone’s level of Bible knowledge is how we judge their level of spirituality, then it follows that we think of “SPIRITUAL GROWTH” as adding more “KNOWLEDGE”— more Bible reading; more Bible studies; and, more Church activities! And, yet, it’s curious that the Apostle Paul taught the Church of Corinth that, “…knowledge puffs up…” (1 Cor. 8:1); or, it INFLATES us with PRIDE! Who hasn’t met the arrogant “know-it-all” who keeps reminding you how much they know about the Bible? They beam proudly when others brag about their Bible knowledge.

Knowledge Can Be An Idol

Paul is saying that— in their case— knowledge isn’t a measure of how spiritual they are; but, how CARNAL & FLESHLY they are! Knowledge is their IDOL! Now, please understand that I’m not ragging on anyone who has a growing knowledge of God’s Word! On the contrary, Scripture demands that we read it; memorize it; and, meditate on it! In fact, it’s impossible to grow spiritually apart from a steady diet of God’s Word. I’m simply saying that Bible knowledge is NOT an accurate measuring tool for spirituality! So, if it’s not more Bible knowledge, what is it that grows us spiritually? I like to say that spiritual growth happens as you become more like Jesus; & less like you! How does that happen? How do you become more like Jesus and less like you?

It’s Not By Osmosis

How do we become more like Jesus? Well, it doesn’t happen by some process of osmosis! Rather, it happens by our “SANCTIFICATION” Scripture says! At the moment of our salvation— when we exercise faith in Christ’s atoning work on the cross— God “JUSTIFIES” us! That means He pardons us from sin’s penalty— death! Some people use the little phrase that “God looks at me just as if I’d never sinned” as a way of remembering what it means that God justifies us.  From that point forward, we are destined for “GLORIFICATION”— that day when we’ll finally be set free from the very presence of sin; and, we’ll be “like Jesus.” And, “SANCTIFICATION” is everything that God is doing in your life, in that time in between, your SANCTIFICATION & your GLORIFICATION! If you’re a follower of Jesus, you’ve been set FREE from the “power” of sin! Your spirit longs to be rid of sin; while, your broken, totally depraved flesh continues to lust after it! It’s in that tension where God works in us and makes us more like His Son, Jesus Christ!
 

More Like Jesus, Less Like Me

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Where Is Your Walk With The Lord?

Have you ever tried asking someone, “How are you doing spiritually?” They always say, “Good, Good,” right? Probably not a very good question. It’s not likely to get the real answer you’re looking for! Next time, try this instead: “So, where are you at in your walk with the Lord? And, on what criteria do you base your answer? How are you measuring your walk with Christ?” When we enter into that kind of conversation with someone, we need those “qualifying” or “follow-up” questions too! On what basis can we say we’re doing “good” when someone asks us how we’re doing spiritually?

If You Love Me

Do we measure our spiritual progress by the things we DO? Be careful! Don’t quickly dismiss the things we DO & SAY, that, “it’s only what’s in the heart that matters!” If our heart is right with God, it will impact the things we DO, right? Jesus said, “If you love Me, you will KEEP my commandments.” At the same time, we can DO all the RIGHT things for the WRONG reasons, can’t we? We can DO things to be SEEN of men; and, Jesus called that hypocrisy! I received a phone call, some time ago, from a young man who was saved years ago in my youth group in Colorado. He was on the pastoral staff of a church in Oregon; and, he called to ask if he could conduct an interview with me for a seminary class he was taking! The interview was based on how I lived my life according to the “spiritual disciplines.”

Habits Of Devotion

If that’s a new term to you, suffice it to say that “spiritual disciplines” are practices found, in Scripture, that can promote spiritual growth. They are “habits” of devotion, like prayer, fasting, public & private worship, meditation & making disciples— all activities that we’re commanded to do, right? Jesus practiced them! But, I prefaced my answer, in the interview, with this caution:  “We are NOT GODLY just because we practice certain spiritual disciplines!” That was the great error of the Pharisees! They believed they were godly BECAUSE they did certain things! You can’t separate what you’re DOING on the OUTSIDE by who you ARE on the INSIDE! What you do matters! But, WHO you are matters even more! Here’s the point— spiritual growth happens as you become more like Jesus; and, less like you!

Become Like Your Teacher

It is our goal, as a local church, that our community of believers would become mature disciples of Christ in their personal spiritual development. That’s a core value! That we’d all grow in spiritual maturity! As disciples of Christ, that we’d all become more like Him! That’s what a disciple does! He becomes like his Teacher! And, we believe that individual spiritual development occurs BEST in the context of a local church! Faith grows best where it is challenged, not isolated! And, crucial to that is the realization that being a disciple of Christ does not begin with something we DO; but, with something that Christ already DID! He redeemed our broken relationship with the Father by His death on the cross! He took my sin! And, He paid the penalty that I should have paid so that I might receive forgiveness! That’s the Gospel! And we never graduate from the Gospel! We will always need a Savior! I have been a believer for 53 years, and I still need a Savior! Not until we have our resurrected, glorified, spiritual bodies will we be complete in Jesus!

You Want To Be Happy?

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-It Begins With Your Relationship With God!

So, we’ve spent the last few posts talking about being happy! And, about what that looks like through the grid of Scripture! According to Psalm 1, God’s word says that your level of happiness is directly related to the depth of relationship you have with Him! Let’s look a little deeper at that Psalm! The writer, inspired by God’s Spirit to write these exact words, says that your happiness also depends on what you meditate on! It says in v.2, “…his delight is in the Lord’s instruction, and he meditates on it day and night.” The happy person is happy, in part, because he meditates on God’s word at all times throughout his day!

-Meditating On God’s Word!

In the original language, that word we have translated “meditate” means to speak or to mutter! So, the writer says that meditating on God’s word means that you speak to yourself; or, you mutter the words of God to yourself all day! You wanna be happy? You find happiness when you chew on the word of God! When you speak & mutter the word of God to yourself day & night! There is no end to the applications we can make from God’s word! His word is eternal in its depth of wisdom! It’s impossible to plumb the depths of it in this lifetime. 

-The Fruit Of Your Life!

The writer of this Psalm also gives us one more significant point to mull! Your happiness, he says, depends on the fruit your life bears! He sums it all up here! The person who rejects the advice of the world; who delights in God’s Word; and, who meditates on it day and night, “…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” (v.3).  Every life bears fruit! In this Psalm, the writer points to 2 different kinds of people who have 2 different ways to live their lives; and, who bear 2 different types of fruit! So, choose wisely who you listen to!

-Two Different Kinds Of Fruit!

The Apostle Paul picks up on this theme in his church letter to the Galatian believers. He writes that one way produces the fruit of the flesh:  “… sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies and things like these” (Galatians 5: 19-21).  While the other way produces the fruit of the Holy Spirit:  “…love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness & self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23).  The Psalmist concludes with the end; or, the resulting fruit from the 2 different ways to live your life:  “…the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; for the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish” (Psalm 1:5,6).

-Judgment Day Is Coming!

In this life, the way of the righteous & the way of the wicked may appear to run parallel! The way of the wicked often looks pleasant & fun! But, there is coming a judgment; a day of reckoning when those who took their advice & counsel from God’s word; and, delighted in it; and, meditated on it, will be gathered into a glorious congregation around the Throne of God! Forever they’ll enjoy eternal happiness! While, the wicked will face the Great Judge of all the earth; who will give them what they always wanted—an eternity without God! The Lord watches over you if the advice you follow & the things you take delight in & the content of your meditation bear the fruit of God’s Holy Spirit! If you don’t have this, you need help! Jesus said: “You will know the truth & the truth will set you free” (John 8:32). That delivers happiness!

The Problem With Loving God!

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-What Does It Look Like?

Through the years, I have met many people who claim that they love God; and, I’ve asked them what that looks like! What does it look like to love God? How would you answer that question? In Mark’s gospel, chapter 12, Jesus said:  “…Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength” Mark 12:28-30.  In fact, Jesus says that to love God personally is THE most important command! But, there’s a 2nd point to draw from His words— we’re called “…to love God WITH ALL WE HAVE.”

-Love God With All We Have!

Therein lies the problem with loving God! How can we love God with all we have; and, again, what does that kind of love look like? Four times He uses the word “ALL”; which, literally means “the WHOLE.” In other words, Jesus is saying that genuine love, for God, has to be “ALL IN.” We can’t love Him half-heartedly; or, we’re a liar!  Real love, for God, is comprehensive! It’s all inclusive! There’s no area of our life that can be left out! We love Him with “…our whole heart…” So, our heart is devoted to Him. There’s no pretense! No hypocrisy! We can’t say we love Him & live our life like He doesn’t exist! We don’t ignore those we truly love, do we?

-Get Emotional Over God!

And, then, Jesus says that to love God with ALL we have—or, to be “ALL IN”—is to love Him “…with all your soul…” Our soul is the seat of our emotions! He gave us emotions so we could love Him & worship Him. So, love Him & worship Him deeply! Get emotional over Him! Desire Him! You ought to be concerned if you can get all emotional over an animal; or, a Hallmark Christmas movie; or, a football game; but, you have no emotions for God! Is that kind of love and faith even genuine? Jesus also says that to love God, with all you have, is to love Him “…with all your mind…” So, while we love Him with our emotions, it’s not mindless emotion! We think about Him; and, we submit our thinking to Him! We love Him because we’ve considered Him! We’ve meditated on Him; and, we’ve made a conscious decision to love Him because we really know Him! We know His infinite worth!

-Love God With Your Strength!

Finally, Jesus says to “…love God with all your strength.” That is the BEST we have! We’re to love Him out of our STRENGTH; NOT, our leftovers! This word relates to our physical being. We love Him in our ACTIONS!—with our hands & our feet! If our love for God is genuine we’ll serve Him and others with a passionate energy—with our STRENGTH! As I worked through this passage, I was moved—I believe by His Spirit—to ask myself the question, “Why do I love God?’ And, one Scripture echoed, “We love Him because He first loved us” 1 John 4:19. I am only capable of loving God with ALL I have because He loved me first! I’m a sinful, broken man; and, the only way I can grow to love God “ALL IN” is by His Spirit’s power!

How Do We Fight Sin?

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-It’s About Your Thought Life!

The Apostle Paul paints a picture, of what spiritual growth looks like, in his letter to the Church of Colosse. He tells these young believers:  “…if you have been raised with the Messiah, seek what is above, where the Messiah is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on what is above, not on what is on the earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with the Messiah in God.  When the Messiah, who is your life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory” Colossians 3:1-4. Let’s think about the implications of Paul’s words—he seems to be saying that a successful fight against sin is won in the “thought life”, right? The battle against the “weeds” of sin is fought in your mind; which, means that it’s either “won” or “lost” in the mind!

-Who Or What Are You Thinking About?

I believe Paul is teaching us a principle that spiritual growth always relates to how highly & how often we THINK of God; and, conversely, how infrequently we think of ourselves! Using farming terminology, meditating on God & His Word is like spraying ROUNDUP on the weeds of sin in your life; and, dwelling on your self is like fertilizing those weeds! Part of the Holy Spirit’s ministry is to empower us to root sin out of our life; while, living for ourselves is the main cause for sin to thrive in our lives! So, let’s talk about how God’s Spirit supports our work to root out the weeds of sin.

-Your Identity Is Hid With Christ!

Paul reminds the Church of Colosse that their “identity” is in Christ! So, any believer who hopes to be successful in the battle against sin, has to know who they are! See your position in Christ—“…so, IF you have been raised with Christ…” he says in v.1. Your spiritual growth & victory over sin doesn’t begin with YOU, it starts with JESUS! If you know Him as your Savior, you need to figure out that you’ve been raised with Him—Paul is pointing to the bodily resurrection of Christ the 3rd day after His crucifixion; and, he’s telling the believers in Colosse, “…you’ve been RAISED with Him….” You DIED with Him in v.3; and, “…your life is HIDDEN with the Messiah in God.” You DIED with Him! And, you’ve been RAISED with Him! Though you were “…dead in trespasses & sins…” you’ve been made ALIVE, in Him, because Jesus rose from the dead & is ALIVE!

-Know Your Position In Christ!

In one sense, Paul says that our salvation—our place in heaven—is already SEALED! It’s a DONE DEAL! In the mind of God, He’s already raised us up and seated us in the heavens. “But God,” Paul writes the Church of Ephesus, “who is rich in mercy, because of His great love that He had for us, made us alive with the Messiah even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace! Together with Christ Jesus He also raised us up and seated us in the heavens” Ephesians 2:4-6. We take hold of our identity when we begin, with the Spirit’s help, to kill the weeds of sin in our life; or, to “mortify” the deeds of the flesh. My sinful life was the “old” me; but, that’s no longer who I am! I’m set free from the power of sin!

What Fruit Does Your Life Produce?

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-Your Happiness Depends On It!

Your happiness is contingent on the kind of “fruit” that your life produces! That’s what the writer of Psalm 1 tells us. In vs. 1-2 he says, “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.” Don’t be surprised that God wants you to be HAPPY! But, He qualifies what it means to be “HAPPY”! It’s not the “happiness”, of this world, that’s generally tangled up in sinful conduct; and, while it may provide momentary pleasure, leaves you empty and facing lingering painful consequences! The happiness that results from delighting “…in the Lord’s instruction…” leaves no “bad aftertaste”; and, culminates in a fruitful life that is eternal in duration!

-Every Life Bears Fruit!

In v.3, the writer says that the person who rejects the advice of the world & delights in God’s Word & meditates on it day and night, “…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.” Every life bears fruit! Your life bears fruit! My life bears fruit! The Psalmist points to 2 different kinds of people who live their lives in 2 different ways; and, who bear 2 totally different types of fruit. The Apostle Paul uses similar language, in his letter to the Church of Galatia, when he says that the life lived in Christ produces the “fruit of the Spirit” like “…love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness & self-control”; but, the fruit produced by “the flesh” is “… sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies and things like these.” (Galatians 5) Choose wisely who you listen to!

-Contrasting “World Views”!

The writer, of this Psalm, concludes, in v.5-6, with the FINAL END of the contrasting “world views”—“… the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; for the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.” In this life, the way of the righteous & the way of the wicked may appear to run parallel. In fact, the way of the wicked often looks pleasant & fun! But, a Day of Judgment is coming, the writer says!

-A Day Of Reckoning!

There is coming a day of reckoning; when, those who took their advice & counsel from God’s Word; and, delighted in it; and, meditated on it, will be gathered into a glorious congregation around the throne of God, in eternal HAPPINESS! While, the wicked will face the Great Judge, of all the earth, who will give them exactly what they always wanted—an eternity without God! The Lord promises to watch over you if the advice you follow & the things you take delight in & the content of your meditation bear the fruit of God’s Holy Spirit! Are these the things you delight in? If not, you need help! You need to pray for Holy Spirit help; and, you need to make yourself accountable to someone; or, a group, who will encourage you! Only in the Truth, of God’s Word, will you find real, genuine, eternal HAPPINESS; and, a relationship with God!

 

What Makes You Happy?

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-The Things You Delight In!

Your happiness is contingent on the things you delight in! That’s what the writer of Psalm 1 tells us. In v.1 he says, “How happy is the man who does not follow the advice of the wicked…”; and, he follows that with v.2, “Instead (or, in contrast to the BAD ADVICE of the wicked in v.1) his delight is in the Lord’s instruction.” Don’t let the wicked, the sinner, or the scoffer (from v.1) influence the way you think; or, you’ll begin to “delight” in their ways & you’ll lose your happiness! It begins by looking “at” and listening “to” all the stuff the world produces—until you think about it so much you begin to delight in it! Beware, the text says, you’ll find no happiness there!

-What To Do & Not To Do!

So, the genuinely “HAPPY” person does NOT do something; and, DOES do something—the “HAPPY” person does NOT take advice from the wicked; and, DOES delight, instead, in Godly instruction; or, the “Law of the Lord”! The Apostle Paul warned the Church of Rome in this way:  “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:1,2). That word “conformed”, that he uses, carries the idea of being pressed into a mold— “Don’t let the world ‘press you into it’s mold’ with it’s wicked advice and counsel.” Delight, instead, in God’s instruction so that you’re thinking is transformed or sanctified!

-Put Advice To The Test!

Test the advice, you receive, by comparing it under the lens of God’s Word; so, you can discern what God says about it. You absolutely will not find happiness in the words or the way of the ungodly. Their advice will lead you away from God’s Word; and, away from happiness! True happiness comes to those who delight; or, find PLEASURE in the Word of God & the ways of God! Let me quote John Piper on this psalm:  “Now the point of the psalm is to say that when you experience the Word of God like that – as so delightful and so satisfying that it captures your mind and heart day and night and weans you away from the counsel and path and seat of the world -when you experience the Word like that, you are blessed. You are happy.”

-Meditate On That!

Find your delight in the Word of God; and, then meditate on it! That’s what the writer adds in v.2— “…his delight is in the Lord’s instruction, and he MEDITATES on it day and night!” Your happiness is contingent on your delight “in” and your meditation “on” the instruction found in God’s Word! That has to be accepted by faith; because, the world’s “advice” says happiness comes by pleasing yourself in whatever physical gratification trips your trigger! In the original language, of the Old Testament Hebrew, that word “meditate” means to speak or to mutter. So, the writer is saying that meditating on God’s Word means that you speak to yourself; or, you mutter the Words of God to yourself all day— “day and night” he says! I grew up on a farm where cows would chew their cud over & over—so, meditate or mull on God’s Word again & again!