Pastor Rick Donald
Psalm 1
The worship leader made an announcement that Lindsay McCaul’s new album would go on sale Tuesday. It would be available after service.
These are my sermon notes; I hope you find them a blessing. I have to say that I have found this message series by Pastor Rick a true blessing to me. This man packs so much into a sermon it can be overwhelming to take good notes…
1) When I have a passion for the truth. (v. 1-2)
1 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
2 but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.
People are looking for what will make them happy…they will never find it apart from a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Blessed means happy and joyful
Advice – there are some things I need to avoid when I seek counsel. The wicked. A person who is not apart of God. Pastor Rick said he has a concern for our church when it comes to who we are listening to for advice. He asked the question, who do you go to for advise? Oprah?
Four false teachings that Dr. Higbee hears:
- Pursue happiness at all cost; God wants you to be happy
- Go with your heart; look out for number one
- You are the product of your dysfunctional past; you have little or no responsibility for your action or past
- You need a professional to treat your real issues; God is irrelevant he’s only for spiritual issues
Sinner – nor stands in the way of sinners – key word sinner
Avoid the person who chooses sin. Also, avoid the Internet and reality TV; if you don’t, you’re still hanging out with that sinful influence
Attitude – nor sits in the seats of the scoffer (to ridicule or mock the things of God and His Word)
God’s Word will:
- Change and transform
- Wants to tell me right from wrong
- It will make you wise
- It gives me a clear picture of who God is
The truly happy man is delighting in God’s word and meditating on it (meditate literally means repeat, repeat and repeat)
If you want to know God’s joy and happiness then:
Ask – if you want, ask, God will do it
Act – you have to get God’s word out. Pick it up every day!
2) When I am a picture of stability. (v. 3-4)
3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.
4 The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
Can you see the picture? Stable and well grounded with deep roots.
The key word is planted (means like a tree that has been transplanted). The psalmist is saying that we need to make choices everyday, that causes me to be fruitful and bear much fruit in my life.
How do we do this?
- Commit to a weekend service where you are going to be fed God’s Word
- Have a personal Bible study, where you are studying yourself about how your life should be
- Get into a small group
- Listen to good Bible teaching – turn off your music and talk radio
If I asked you, how can you tell if a tree is healthy – the answer would be, by the fruit.
How can you tell if a Christian is healthy and strong and if the Spirit of God is active in his life – by the fruit
What does that fruit look like?
Galatians 5:22-23
- Love – God’s unconditional Love – it’s a choice I make to put the needs and interest of others ahead of myself with no strings attached
- Joy – super natural delight (something God produces in my life) in the person of God and the purposes of God (always at work for his glory and your good even when we don’t see it or enjoy it)
- Peace – the calm assurance of what God is doing is best
- Patience – when you’re exercising restraint instead of revenge
- Kindness – acting for the good of the person, regardless of what they do to you
- Goodness – the desire and ability to show generosity to another person that doesn’t deserve it
- Faithfulness – A resolve not to wander away from commitments even when it costs me
- Gentleness
- Self control – restraining my passion and appetites
When does a leaf wither? Answer – when it is not nourished. If you have God at work in your life, you can go through tough times without withering. You can still have joy in the midst of what you are going through.
The wicked (those that do not know God) are not anything like that. The wicked are like chaff (that blow away in the wind).
3) When I have the promise of eternity. (v. 5-6)
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
6 for the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.
Knowledge I will be with God for eternity
The destination for the wicked will be Hell. They will be separated from God for all eternity.
Which one are you? Which picture are you? The happy, righteous, joyful person regardless of what’s happening in your life or the person destined for separation from God for eternity.
You don’t have to be separated from God for eternity….all you have to do is accept, believe and confess.