Anyway, they're both wonderful
and profitable. Psalm 1, let's read the whole
psalm. 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. But his delight is
in the law of the word of the Lord, and in his law doth he
meditate day and night. shall be like a tree planted
by the rivers of water that bringeth forth his fruit in his season. His leaf also shall not wither,
and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. The ungodly are not
so, but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. Therefore
the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment. nor sinners in
the congregation of the righteous. For the Lord knoweth the way
of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish."
It is a popular saying these days, someone to bid you goodbye
and say, have a blessed day. Do you hear that a lot now? I
do. That is mostly from people who
are somewhat religious and want you to know it. Now, they may
be sincere. I hope they are. They may be
sincere. But like Paul said, most may be zealous, but they
are ignorant of the true God. When people speak of, have a
blessed day or blessings to you, they generally make no mention
of God, no mention of Christ. God's people know, the truly
blessed people know, that all the blessings of God are in the
Lord Jesus Christ. And the true blessings of God
are spiritual blessings. Let me show you that in Ephesians
1. Ephesians chapter 1 sums up what true blessings are and where
they're found. Ephesians 1, in one verse, you
will find it mentioned three times. Blessing, blessing, blessing,
blessing. Ephesians 1, and this sounds
a lot like Titus that we're going to look at. Verse 1, Paul, an
apostle of Jesus Christ, by the will of God, to the saints at
Ephesus, those set apart by God, to hear the truth, to believe
the truth, to believe Christ, to be found in Christ, to the
faithful in Christ Jesus, grace to you and peace from God our
Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, blessed, here it is, verse 3.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who
hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places
or things." What heavenly places, Paul? What heavenly things, Paul? What spiritual blessings, Paul?
Verse 3, they're in Christ. Read on. There's not a period
there. These spiritual blessings are according as He hath chosen
us, elect, according to the foreknowledge of God, according as He hath
chosen us in Christ, who is the elect, before the foundation
of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before
Him in love, having predestinated us, not everyone, but the saints,
the elect, under the adoption of children, brought us into
God's family by Jesus Christ to Himself according to the good
pleasure of His will, His sovereign will. There's not a period. It's still going. To the praise. It's all for the
praise of the glory of His grace wherein He hath made us accepted. in the beloved. These are the
blessings. These are the blessed. So, to have a blessed day. Here's how, if you want to feel
blessed and have a blessed day, start thinking on these blessings. Start thinking. The Lord tells
us what true blessings are. Go back to the text. Blessed
is he, I'm just going to quote you, I'm quoting you scripture. Blessed is he whose transgression
is forgiven. I'm not going to mention one
earthly thing, not one material thing, not food, not drink, not
houses, not health, not wealth, not anything. Blessed is he whose
transgression is forgiven, to whom the Lord impudeth not iniquity. Blessed means happy. Hope be
happy. Blessed is the nation whose God
is the Lord. Blessed is the man whom Thou
choosest and causes to approach unto Thee. If you're here this
morning and know this God, you're so blessed. This is the greatest
blessing that God could confer upon you. Blessed are they that
dwell in Thy house. I'm still quoting Scripture.
Psalm 89, blessed is the people that know the Lord. Psalm 112,
blessed is the man that feareth the Lord. Most people don't. And then the revelation, our
Lord said, blessed is he that readeth the words of this book,
that heareth the word preached, and that keepeth. or receiveth,
or believeth, or lay hold on the things that are written in
this book. It's a gift. Faith's a gift. No mention of
material things. And if we are blessed, we are
blessed. Listen to this verse. He that
blesseth himself blesseth himself in the God of truth. The God
of truth. So, verse 1. Those of you who know, who are
blessed, you know this is speaking of Christ, that Jesus Christ
is the blessed man. Read on. Blessed is the man,
verse 1, that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor
standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the
scornful. Blessed is the man. I'm talking
about a woman. a man, a woman, a young person,
whoever it may be, rich, poor, young, old, black, white, male
or female. In Christ there is no male or
female. Blessed is the person that walketh
not in the counsel of the ungodly, that doth not listen to, that
does not follow the wisdom of this world. God calls the wisdom
of this world foolishness because that's what it is. They don't
even acknowledge God. Blessed is that person who doesn't
follow the thoughts, the opinions, the so-called wisdom, advice,
and counsel of the people of this world whom the Lord calls
ungodly. The reason the world's wisdom
is foolishness is because they don't believe God. They don't believe there really
is a God, Sovereign, Absolute Ruler and Controller of all things.
They don't believe that. They don't believe God's Word.
They don't believe this is God's Word. They believe this was written
by men. Oh, you're blessed if you know that this is God's Word. You believe. It's not the words
of men, as it is in truth, the Word of God. And this is wisdom
from above. The natural man won't receive
these things. They're foolishness to it. Neither can He know them.
They're spiritually understood. God must reveal them to us by
His Spirit. This is God's Word and He chooses
whom He will to reveal it to. So the natural man doesn't believe.
I don't believe that. Oh, you're blessed if you know
this is God's Word. And you reject, you say like
Paul said, let God be true and every man a liar. That you reject
what the world is saying and you receive what God says. Oh,
how blessed is the man that doesn't walk in the counsel of the ungodly. In Ephesians 2 it says the walk
is the direction you go. The walk is the way you live.
The walk of a person is where they're headed, what they're
after, what they're going after. How blessed is that person. who
doesn't walk in the counsel of the ungodly. There is a way that
seems right to this world, to the natural man. Our God says
it ends in destruction and death. Health, wealth, prosperity, the
way of the world, get all you can while you can, this is all
there is. No, this is not all there is.
You know the old saying, he that dies with the most toys wins.
That's what men believe. Grab all the gusto while you
can. Get what you can, because this is it. No, God says this
is not it. Our Lord says the opposite is
true. He that gains the whole world will lose his soul. But he that loses his life for
my sake and the gospel wins. Wins Christ. It's found in him. Ephesians 2 says that The blessed
people once walked according to the course of this world. under the bondage of the prince
of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the
children of disobedience, the unbelievers of this world. We
all had our conversation in time past like that, living in the
lust of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and
the mind, by nature children of wrath, no hope, no God, no
thoughts of God, let's just go after the things of this world.
And here's salvation, here's a blessed person, but God. sent His Word, and opened your heart, opened
your eyes to see that this is all vanity, that this is not
it at all. This ain't it at all. This is
it. Blessed is the man. Blessed is
that person who doesn't walk in the counsel of the ungodly
or the way of the world, but walks by faith. Trust in God. Believe in God. Let's look at
the next thing. Nor standeth in the way of sinners.
Nor standeth in the way of sinners the way of pride, the way of
greed, the way of religion, the popular way. As I quoted, there
is a way that seems right. And the whole world, it's the
broad way. Our Lord said wide is the Gate
broad is the way. It's the way of man, the way
most people think is right. Our God said it's wrong. He said
straight is the gate and narrow is the way that leads to eternal
life and few there be that find it. Why is that? Many are called
but few are chosen. The Lord chooses whom He will
and puts them in the way, in Christ's way. Notice here, he's talking about
not so much what the blessed person does, but what they don't
do. They don't walk in the counsel of the ungodly. They don't stand
in the way of sinners. They don't sit in the seat of
the scornful. And David said, You won't find
me with them. You won't find me with them.
He said, My companions are those that fear Thee. That doesn't stand in the way
of sinners nor sit in the seat of the scornful. Scornful. The worldly, wise people of this
world, educated, the high and mighty, the proud, Those that
think they are something, know something, have done something,
are very wise in their own conceits, the Scripture says. Thinking
themselves to be wise, Scripture says, when they're fools. Well, they're very cynical. They
know it all. And they sit in the seat of learning,
the seat of judgment. There's nothing people like more
today than to pass judgment, to be a judge. We have many shows,
TV shows today, where you'll have a panel of judges. Oh, how
people like that, love that. Yes, I'm the expert. I will pass
judgment. There's one judge in there before
whom we all will stand. But they sit in the seats of
the scornful, And if they were sitting here, if the average
person were sitting here, they would be scornful of everything
that's been said up to this point. They would be scornful of what
I'm doing, preaching. That's so out of fashion, so
out of date. We don't need that. It's foolishness. They would be scorning at this
gospel of a holy God who's angry with the wicked, who will not
clear the guilty, but will punish sin. And there's only one way
for that God to spare, and it's mercy and grace through Christ,
a blood sacrifice. Oh, how they would scorn that. Oh, you're so blessed if you
don't sit in the seat of the scornful. And religion's full
of them. Religion's full of the scorners. Verse 2, look at this. And his delight is in the law
of the Lord. His delight is in the law of
the Lord. And in his law doth he meditate
day and night. As I said, the world doesn't
think this is God's Word. They don't believe this is God's
Word at all. But God's people do. And the
world doesn't take any delight in this at all. It's offensive
to them. It's offensive to them. But God's
people take great delight in the Law of the Lord, in the Word
of the Lord. That's how you know them. Even the offense, they
take delight in it. Even in the rebukes, the reproofs,
the corrections, they take delight in the Word of the Lord. Blessed,
like I read from Revelation 1 to you, oh, blessed are they that
read this book. Do you read this book? Many people read many books,
but this is not one of them. You know, the Gideons years ago
put a Bible in every motel room. How many people do you think
actually opened that book? Very few. Do you read this book? You read what you like. Remember
that quote by Abraham Lincoln? To those that like this kind
of book, this is the kind of book you'll like. There's simple
in it. He was a simple man. Simple,
profound statement. If you like this book, this is
the book you'll like. If you like what this book says,
this is the book you'll like to read. You'll need to read.
You'll live upon it. God's Word. It's words of life
to you. It's not just an interesting
book. It's the Word of God. It's your Heavenly Father's voice
to you. Christ's voice. It's a letter
from the one you love. You've got to have it. It's the
sailor's compass. It's the children's bread. It's everything to God's people.
delight in the law of the Lord. And the reason he's called it
law is because that's what it is. Commandment. Everything God says is commanded.
It's not advice. God doesn't give advice. The
Lord God doesn't just give good counsel, although it is. This
is the way it is. I mean, it's not up for debate.
It's not up for, you accept it and reject it, and it'll be all
right if you don't. Oh no, you'll die if you don't
walk according to what he says, if you don't hear what he says.
Believers delight in the law of the Lord, and in his law doth
he meditate day and night. Our Lord said to a woman at the
well one time, who kept coming back to the well for water every
day. That's what she did every day.
And she was a miserable woman. She was a miserable woman. She
didn't know God, didn't know Christ. Married five times, living
with a fellow, and she was miserable. She may have put on a good front.
And the Lord in mercy and grace came to where she was and was
waiting on her and confronted her convicted her of her sin,
and then created an interest in her. He said, this water you
keep coming to get every day, it leaves you thirsty. You're
going to keep coming all the days of your life and drawing
this water from this well and get no satisfaction until the
day you die, drop over dead. Then what good did it do you?
And he's speaking of the things of this world. She tried many
husbands. No happiness there. I've tried
many things. That's just what people do. I've
tried to find happiness, blessedness in health, in wealth, in things,
in people. They won't satisfy. Why? They
die. They wither away. And our Lord
said, but the water that I shall give you, Be like a well spring,
springing up into you in every lasting life, whatever you need
it. Fresh, fresh drink daily. What's that? It's the Word of
God, the Word of life. And He said to her, these words,
if you knew, if you knew who this water was, it's a person,
you would ask and He'd give it to you. And that's what makes, verse
3, him like a tree planted by the river of water that bring
forth his fruit and his season. His leaf shall not wither, whatsoever
he doeth shall prosper. As I said, you know this fits
Christ. This is the Lord Jesus Christ,
the blessed man. Oh, he didn't walk. and to counsel
the ungodly, stand in the way of sinners, see the scornful. All his delight was in the Word
of God. Day and night he meditated like Joshua. The Lord told Joshua
to do that for his people. You need to know it for them.
Our Lord lived as a man for men, this blessed man. He's that tree
of water. He's that tree planted by the
water, tree of life whose leaves are for the healing of the nation.
Oh, He's the one who brought forth fruit, His leaf, His fruit
never withered, and whatever He did, He prospered. He prospered. But this is also talking about
believers, those that are found in Him. They're like trees planted
by the rivers of water that bring forth fruit, evergreen trees.
How blessed, a tree planted. A tree planted is not a wild
tree. He shall be like a tree planted.
There are trees out in the woods around my house, and I didn't
plant them. Somebody did. The Lord did. But
there are some trees in my yard. But by the way, when we were
going to build a house, I went in and cut down a tree to build
a house. Every tree, every plant, Scripture
says, whom our Heavenly Father hath not planted will be rooted
up. God does the planting. And the
seed is Christ. Alright? But I cut down trees
according to my discretion. It's my property and nobody told
me, you can't do that. Oh yes I can. I did. But the trees I planted, now
I went in there and planted some shrubs and some trees, some fruit
trees. I planted them there. And that's
where they are right now. And that's the way it is with
God's people. And it says they're planted by rivers of water. Oh
my, Christ is the water, but this is, as it were, the water
of life. And it's rivers. Every page,
every line are like creeks and streams of the river and water. It's full, the water of life,
and bringeth forth His fruit. Every river and every water,
every word speaks of Christ. It's His fruit. In His season. When is He going to do that?
In His season. When it pleases Him to reveal
Christ to you. A tree planted. Do you remember
Psalm 92? Was that last week? Last Sunday? Psalm 92 says this, Those that
be planted And where are God's people planted? In Christ? Yes. Now listen to this. The righteous shall flourish
like a palm tree. They'll grow like a cedar in
Lebanon. And those that be planted in
the house of the Lord will flourish in the courts of
our God. They'll still bring forth fruit
in old age, even though they get old. In fact, they'll bring
more fruit then than they did when they were young. Do you
know of anybody that's old believers? Do you know any old believers
that are full of fruit? Do you know any old believers
that you hope you grow old and merciful and gracious and kind
and loving and devoted and supportive? Do you know anybody? I've got
them right here. Why is that? Planted in the house
of God. Whenever this water of life is
open, that's where they are. Drinking it up, drinking it up.
Whenever the bread of life is served, that's where they are.
Eating it up, eating it up. Fat, flourishing. Spiritually speaking, those that
be planted, grounded, settled, unmoved, always abounding, the
Scripture said, in the work of the Lord. It won't be like that. David said, you'll find my feet
in the gates of Zion. So wherever you see my feet,
he said, they'll be sitting at a pew. Listen to Nathan or somebody
preach the Word to man. Those that be planted in the
house of the Lord. Leaf won't wither. Faith won't
wither. Whatever you shall do shall prosper.
Oh, that's, as I said, that's Christ,
but that's also every believer. Because everything God does works
together for their good. for their spiritual good. Verse
4, 5, and 6, and I close. The ungodly are not so. The ungodly
are not so. They're like the chaff which
the wind driveth away. They don't last long. David says
this so often. Riches won't last. They have
wings. And, oh, he said, I've seen them
flourish like the green bay tree. They leave, they're gone just
as quickly. You know, most people that get
fabulously wealthy lose it real quickly. Wealth gotten by vanity,
the proverb says, shall be diminished. Athletes, people that win the
lottery, Money, people think, will make them happy. Most people
that get it are miserable. And it doesn't last. Oh, my.
Look at all this money I've got. Now I can go hog wild. I mean,
it's not months until they're bankrupt. Then what? Then what? Oh, there is he that hath nothing,
Scripture says, but is rich. The Lord Jesus Christ didn't
have a place to lay His head. He didn't own a home. And as far as we know, one robe,
one pair of shoes, that's fitting, isn't it? He depended every day
on someone to give him his next meal. He was a happy man, a blessed
man. He walked by faith, walked by
faith. You find him in the synagogue
every day, or the temple, sitting with his people, eating and drinking
with his people. Evergreen. The ungodly do not
sow like the chaff, which the wind driveth away, and they moan
about with every wind of doctrine to every new thing. Therefore,
the ungodly, verse 5, shall not stand in the judgment. They won't
stand before God. They'll be cast out. Or sinners in the congregation
of the righteous. You say, but preacher, I thought
the Lord came to save sinners. He did. He did. But He doesn't
call them sinners after He saves them. They are. They are. They know it. But He calls them saints. He
calls them saints. He says they don't have any sin
in Christ. But those that have been found
sinners, that is, outside of Christ, not found in Him having
His righteousness, they won't be found in the congregation
of the righteous. Who are the righteous? Those
that don't smoke or drink or chew or play cards or don't do
this, don't do that, quit this, quit that, give their goods. No, no, no. That's not righteousness. That's just quitting things.
Our Lord said it's not what goes into your mouth that defiles
you. He said there's nothing that goes into your mouth that
can defile a man. So what comes out of you defiles you. You defiled
already. Well, what makes a man righteous,
preacher? Jesus Christ. Very simply put,
he is their righteousness. He said, he that believeth on
the Lord Jesus Christ, that faith is counted for righteousness. Righteousness. You say, won't
they start to live right and won't they quit this and quit
that? Yeah, but they can't quit sinning. And that's my next message. I'll pick up that a little more
in the next message. But the point being, the righteous
are those that are found in Christ, not having their own righteousness,
but His righteousness covering them, His blood for the remission
of their sin. Verse 6, the Lord knoweth the
way of the righteous. He knoweth. He knows who He is. The foundation of God standeth
sure, having this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are healed. He knows them that are healed.
He knows the way of the righteous. Now let me just ask you, and
ask yourself, okay, if you hope to get to heaven,
if you hope to stand before God in the judgment, unblameable,
unreprovable, If you hope to be found in the congregation
of God's people someday, in the Kingdom of Heaven someday, what
way is it that you're going to be there? What makes you think
you're going to be there? Just somebody give me one reason
why that's it. Brother Todd Nyberg, and we ask
people this all the time. This is what I ask people. The
first thing I ask anybody is, what's your hope of eternal life?
Do you hope to go to heaven or do you hope you're saved? Why? And all of God's people give
you one reason, one way. Brother Todd asked his neighbor. No, it was two Jehovah's Witnesses
came. He was cutting grass and they
stopped to talk to him. And he said, if God were to ask
you to give him one reason why he should let you in heaven,
what would you say? And they actually said this.
They said, because we've served the Lord all these years and
we've done our best to be witnesses. Brother Todd, can you hear him
saying this? Really? Really? Is that really what you're going
to say? Isn't that exactly what the Lord
Jesus Christ said that men would say in Matthew 7? We've done
many wonderful works in your name. We've preached your name,
cast out devils in your name, done many wonderful works, and
the Lord is going to say, depart from me, you that work iniquity.
I never knew you. And these fellas kept back, Todd
said they were backing up. Oh no, but, but, but, but, but.
No, that's what you said. That's what you believe. That what you do, God ought to
take notice of and let you into heaven. Here's every sinner saved
by the mercy and grace of God. And God, if, God's not going
to ask. God knows the way. But if He
were, every single sinner saved by grace says this, there's only
one reason I should ever get into glory. It's by Jesus Christ. Only one way that I'm going to
get to heaven. It's by the sovereign mercy and
grace of God and making Christ my substitute. And the way of the young godless
shall perish. Everything about them. OK.