Ingredients for a Successful Life
Open your Bibles 2 Tim 3 ...... and Psalms chapter 1
While you turn there....let me quote another verse from Psalms 107:20 .....
Psalms 107:20 He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.
The AMP says "He SENDS forth His word and HEALS them and RESCUES them from the pit and destruction.
HIS WORD is still what He sends to bring us BOTH, Restoration and Deliverance today....
Although most all the world has changed the way it operates.........
.....God’s Purpose Hasn’t Changed.....
.....God’s Plans haven’t changed......
And His Word hasn’t changed...
It is just as Right and True and VALUABLE today as it has ever been......
And it is still HIS WORD that we are going to have to receive and DO....
....IF we ever find what we really DESIRE in life.
Prov 4:22 teaches us that God’s Words are "...life to those that find them, and health to all their flesh"
In Psalm 119:98 the psalmist said that, God, through His Commandments, made the Psalmist WISER than his enemies
God’s Word is One of the reasons we’re here today.....
We’re here ....To HEAR it and Learn it so that we can DO IT
....and RECEIVE ALL the Benefits God has Laid up in store for His People.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
Now, notice the word PROFITABLE...it means: Bringing profit or gain, Useful or Advantageous.
That describes the Word of God VERY WELL today.....
It’s For YOUR BENEFIT .....Your ADVANTAGE.....But you have to USE IT
#1 Use it for doctrine....a Doctrine is what you build your belief system on.....
In Mt 16 ...When Simon confessed his belief that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God.......
....Jesus declared Simon’s stability by changing his name to Peter.....
Every time you receive Right Revelation and Understanding of God’s Word and how it relates to you, It brings STABILITY into your life.....
Jesus went on to tell how He would build His Church On a RIGHT REVELATION of the Truth
and RELEASE AUTHORITY in heaven and earth to those who walk in it.....
There are many today, who have built their belief system around Man’s Ideas and Theories.....hopes and wishes....
...and they are too often HEARTBROKEN, Miserable and Failing in life.....
You need to know: It doesn’t have to be that way.....
.....Go Back to the Word of God and Settle yourself to BELIEVE what it says.....
Build your life on it.....
Next..... Use the Word of God for Reproof and CORRECTION
Reproof tells us When and Where we are wrong.....and Correction tells us HOW to Make it right......
In verse 16, for "correction" the CJB says "Correcting faults"
That’s where we left off the last time we visited this passage of Scripture
.....We talked about going from being a Loser to the Winner God created us to be.....
Today, we’re talking about how to LIVE the rest of your Life as a WINNER
The Key is in The last part of 2 Tim 3:16 "Instruction in righteousness"
Once we get our Faults Corrected.....and begin to win in life
......We need INSTRUCTION in Right Living so that we Keep on Winning......
.....and never set up house again in the land of Failure and Defeat.
Because we were born with a sin nature.....
...and were Naturally UNRIGHTEOUS before we came to Christ.......
....We didn’t come PREPROGRAMMED with any Knowledge about How to Live in RIGHTEOUSNESS
And in Proverbs 16:25 the Bible teaches that ...The way that seemed right to us only led to Destruction.....
So....what we Must be willing and even DILIGENT to receive from God......
.......IF WE ARE GOING TO STAY BUILT UP RIGHT. .... is Instruction in the way Righteousness....
And its the Scripture.....the Word that teaches us BOTH How to Turn our lives Around for the good and to KEEP them turned in the right direction.
.....in the way of righteousness.....
That’s what my Study Bible says right above Psalm 1 ...."The way of rightousness"
Let’s Look at Psalm 1 for a few minutes and see what Instruction we can get about THE WAY of Righteousness
Psalms 1:1 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.
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
3 And he 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.
Does anybody in here want it to be true of you that WHATEVER YOU DO PROSPERS?
.....It can be true about YOU.....
That’s what "instruction in rightousness" will do for you IF you will Follow the Instructions......
But......The Blessing of God isn’t going to just come on you Automatic....
... there are some CONDITIONS Attached to it.
There are some things TO DO...and some NOT TO DO in order to live in God’s Blessing.
This is an area where many get off track.....
They see the wicked prospering and seemingly getting the best in life without CONDITIONS.....
...and they reason in their minds and say
..... "WHY should I bother with following God’s Instructions? ......So and So just lives any way they want and they’re doing just fine"
You know....That’s exactly what the devil wants you to think.....
and you’re not the first one who thought it.....
Let’s turn over to Psalm 73 .....
If that’s not How you want to END UP then you don’t want to Follow their pattern or example.
Trust me, you don’t want to be counted with the ungodly....because Eternity is going to be LONG and Hell is going to be Hot....
......and it just isn’t worth it.
Now let’s look at Psalm 1:1 again.....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.
Notice this starts with NEGATIVES.....things you can’t do and be blessed......
You can’t Follow the Worlds Counsel.....and advice....
You can’t do things the world’s way and get God’s Results.....
If you want God’s Results.....godly results....You have to live your life WHOLLY God’s way.
and that means you get your Marching Orders from Him and His Word........
....and NOT the from the ungodly.
The ungodly are the folks who Leave God out of their way of living....
They don’t fear God....and they live as if He doesn’t exist....
They never turn to God in prayer, and seek His Way.....
Jesus Himself wouldn’t even follow His OWN Way....
but He got His COUNSEL from God....
He said "I only say what I hear the Father say....I only do what I see the Father do."
Many of you have heard me say that you don’t have to be wise to get a wise man’s results....you just have to do what a wise man does......
Well, the same thing is true in reverse....
You don’t have to be UNGODLY to get and ungodly man’s results....Just Take his ADVICE
Proverbs 13:20 He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.
(MSG) Become wise by walking with the wise; hang out with fools and watch your life fall to pieces.
1 Corinthians 15:33 (KJV) Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
The world says it like this "If you lay down with the dogs, you get up with fleas"
Now, notice the progression in our text....
.....Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, NOR Stands in the way of sinners.....
If you start taking the counsel of the ungodly.....
....you RENEW your mind to their logic.....
....and soon you’ll be Taking Sides with them
You’ll begin to Take Your Stand AGAINST God and WITH SINNERS
Many church leader are doing that today....when they refuse to call Right Right, and Sin Sin.
They’re taking sides with sinners
....some do it for money or popularity....but NO EXCUSE is GOOD ENOUGH....
I’m not against the sinner coming over to God’s side with me, but I’m sure enough against the idea of going over with them.
You better take your STAND with God and His Word and the Way of Righteousness IF you plan on being Blessed by God......
Next in verse 1 he says .....NOR sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
Again this is typically progressive......
...first you look to the ungodly for counsel and advice..... .....then you begin to UNDERSTAND them.....
....you buddy up with them and Take a stand with sinners.......
...then the next thing that happens is you begin to try to JUSTIFY YOURSELF by Scorning Everyone else.
You become an antagonist and hater of what is right.
One thing I noticed in the Evangelism class.....as they interviewed sinners...
...asking them about the idea of Christians witnessing to them about Jesus...
Many have this STRONG spirit of rebellion and anger against anyone who might tell them they’re not alright just like they are.
There is a spirit of PRIDE that rises up and says "I’m just as good as anybody and better than most just like I am."
Well, NO YOU’RE NOT better than anybody......
and ...... We ALL, on our own, fall short of the glory of God....
None of us is GOOD ENOUGH just as we are, apart from Christ. ......
....but Christ IN US makes a Differance in our lives.....
and gives us the OPPORTUNITY to live as God Intended Man to Live: BLESSED
Those who would live Blessed.....who will live godly lives....
Not only do They refuse to walk, stand or sit apart from God......
....but...they take delight in the "Law of the Lord" Psalm 1:2
Even though its the Law that Reveals our sin and short comings.....
...its also the Law that brings us to Jesus
He is the Fulfillment of the Law to those who will come to God BY FAITH in Him and in His Work
And so we DELIGHT in the Law of the Lord.......
We find it thrilling and fulfilling....
and we find it FULL of the Promise of Life and BLessing and Help and WHOLENESS
We find it the KEY TO the BLESSED LIFE
What does it mean to be Blessed?
.....Most commentaries would say "happy, and to be envied" and that is true.....but there is more.
In our Tuesday night class, I teach another definition of Blessed. "EMPOWERED to Prosper and Succeed"
....that’s What happens as the RESULT of Following the Instructions for Right Living?
Verse 3 says "And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he does shall prosper.
I hope you’ve determined to live your life God’s Way Today......
....It is the ONLY WAY that will produce what you REALLY WANT out of life.....
