THE ATTRIBUTES OF A GODLY MAN
Psalm 1:1-3 (NIV) Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. 3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.
Introduction: Last week we looked at a portion of the life of Joseph, and in the process God revelaed through Joseph’s life the Character of a Godly Man. With that said, I would llike to draw our attention to Psalm 1. It is here that we can uncover some of the foundational qualities necessary to be the Godly man or woman that God desires. Psalm one summarizes and contrasts the way of the righteous with the way of the ungodly – the blessed man who has a prosperous life with the ungodly man who perishes.
PROPOSITION: Joy and peace come from being blessed before God
I. GODLY PEOPLE CHOOSE THEIR PLACE – 1:1
ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I WOULD LIKE YOU TO SEE IS THE INCREMENTAL SLIDE THAT WILL HAPPEN IS WE ARE NOT DILIGENT IN OUR CHOOSING OUR PLACE BEFORE GOD!
A. THE GODLY PERSON CHOOSES WHERE HE STRIDES
1. TO WALK IN SOMEONE’S COUNSEL MEANS TO PARTICIPATE IN THEIR PLANS AND SCHEMES
2. COUNSEL INVOLVES SCHEMING AND PLANNING
3. LOOK AT THE EXAMPLE OF EVE IN THE GARDEN WITH THE SNAKE
a. EVE STARTED LISTENING TO THE SERPENT
b. EVE LET THE SERPENT INFLUENCE HER TOWARDS DISOBEDIENCE
c. EVE ULTIMATELY SUCCUMBED TO THE COUNSEL OF THE SERPENT
4. WHAT IS UNGODLY COUNSEL?
a. REJECT WISDOM OR INSTRUCTION
b. RIDICULE SIN
c. RAISE REBELLION
d. REJECT GOD
e. REPLACE GODS COUNSEL
THE FIRST PLACE TO CHOOSE NOT TO BE IS IN A POSITION OF BEING INFLUENCED BY THE PLANS AND SCHEMES OF THOSE AGAINST GOD!
B. THE GODLY PERSON CHOOSES WHERE HE STANDS
1. TO STAND IN SOMEONE’S PATH IS TO BECOME MORE ENTRENCHED IN DISOBEDIENCE AND REBELLION
2. THE SIMPLE ACT OF STANDING INSTEAD OF WALKING IS A SLOWING PROCESS
3. STANDING CARRIES WITH IT THE THOUGHT OF:
a. A FIXED POSITION
b. FIRMNESS – THE WORD STAND COMES FROM THE WORD COLUMN
c. A POSITION THAT VIOLATES GOD’S WORD
4. TO WALK IN THE COUNSEL INVOLVES THE ACCEPTING OF ADVICE (THINKING), BUT WAY INVOLVES THE PRACTICE OF SINFUL BEHAVIOR, THE MANNER AND LIFESTYLE OF THOSE AGAINST GOD.
THE SECOND PLACE TO CHOOSE NOT TO BE IS IN A POSITION WHERE YOU ARE INVOLVING YOURSELF IN ACTIVITY THAT IS NOT PLEASING TO GOD.
C. THE GODLY PERSON CHOOSES WHERE HE SITS
1. SITTING SOWS THAT WE ARE NOW COMFORTABLE IN OUR SITUATION
2. SITTING IS BEING ENTRENCHED AND COMFORTABLE ENOUGH IN BEHAVIOR THAT WE WILL NOW SEEK TO SWAY OTHERS TO OUR LIFESTYLE
3. BEING ADDICTED TO SIN AND SINFUL LIVING
IF WALKING WAS “STICKING OUR TOE IN THE WATER”, AND STANDING WAS “JUMPING IN WITH BOTH FEET”, THEN SITTING IS BEING “IN OVER OUR HEAD”!
4. SCORNFULNESS IS ULTIMATELY TO MAKE A MOCKERY OF HOLY THINGS AND TO BRING OTHERS INTO THAT LIFESTYLE WITH YOU!
THE THIRD PLACE TO CHOOSE NOT TO BE IS IN A POSITION WHERE OTHERS ARE INFLUENCED BY OUR ACTIONS AGAINST GOD!
II. GODLY PEOPLE COMPLETE THEIR PURPOSE – 1:2
A. NOTICE THE BUT
1. CONTRASTING WHAT WE SHOULD NOT BE – A WALKER, STANDER OR SITTER WITH WHAT WE SHOULD BE; A DELIGHTER AND MEDITATOR
B. GODLY PEOPLE COMPLETE THEIR FIRST PURPOSE THROUGH DELIGHT
1. DELIGHT MEANS TO HAVE A DESIRE DIRECTED TOWARDS GO
2. THIS IS THE CALL TO WALK, STAND AND SIT IN THE THINGS OF GOD RATHER THAT THE THINGS OF MAN.
3. THIS IS THE CALL TO HIDE GOD’S WORD IN OUR HEART THAT WE MIGHT NOT SIN AGAINST HIM
4. THIS IS THE CALL TO SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD
5. TO BE ATTRACTED TO IT BECAUSE WE KNOW WHAT IS IN STORE FOR US – INTRINSIC KNOWLEDGE. I WAS GLAD WHEN THEY SAID TO MEN, LET US GO INTO THE HOUSE OF THE LORD
OUR FIRST PURPOSE IS TO FIND DELIGHT IN THE WORD OF GOD!
C. GODLY PEOPLE COMPLETE THEIR SECOND PURPOSE THROUGH DESIRE
1. THE WORD MEDITATION MEANS TO HUM, OR TURN SOMETHING OVER IN YOUR MIND, OR TO PONDER
2. MEDITATION IS LIKE THE JINGLE OF A COMMERCIAL – YOU CAN’T GET IT OUT OF YOUR HEAD!
3. AREAS OF MEDITATION
a. THE WORD OF GOD
Joshua 1:8 (NIV) Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.
b. THE WONDER OF GOD
Psalm 139:6 (NIV) Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.
c. THE WORK OF GOD
Psalm 143:5 (NIV) I remember the days of long ago; I meditate on all your works and consider what your hands have done.
OUR SECOND PURPOSE IS TO DESIRE THE THINGS OF GOD!
D. GODLY PEOPLE COMPLETE THEIR PURPOSE THROUGH DEDICATION
1. SPIRITUAL GROWTH AND MATURITY DO NOT JUST HAPPEN
2. GOD’S WORD PROVIDES DIRECTION, BUT WE MUST PROVIDE COMMITMENT
3. HENCE THE PHRASE, “DAY AND NIGHT”
III. GODLY PEOPLE CONGEAL THEIR POSITION 1:3
A. A PLANTED TREE – CULTIVATED AND IRRIGATED – A PERSON COMMITTED TO RIGHTEOUSNESS IS LIKE A TREE PURPOSELY PLANTED AND TENDED BY THE GARDENER. GOD IS PURPOSELY INVOLVED IN YOUR LIFE
B. WITH YIELDED FRUIT – THIS IS THE ASSURANCE OF FRUIT. GOD IS CULTIVATING AND IRRIGATING YOU FOR THE RESULT OF BEARING FRUIT FOR HIM
C. WITH TIMELY FRUIT – FOR EVERYTHING THERE IS A SEASON, AND FOR US IN GOD’S TIME THERE WILL BE FRUIT
Psalm 92:12-14 (NIV) The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; 13 planted in the house of the LORD, they will flourish in the courts of our God. 14 They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green,
D. WITH PERSISTENCE AND STRENGTH
1. A LEAF WITHOUT WITHERING – ABLE TO REMAIN STRONG EVEN IN TIMES OF DROUGHT.
2. BASIS OF OUR WALK IS TRUTH, NOT FEELING
3. CONTINUAL PROSPERITY
a. THE QUESTION IS PROSPERITY FOR WHO?
b. BIBLE DECLARES THAT GOD WILL MEET ALL OF OUR NEEDS THROUGH CHRIST JESUS
JOSEPH COULD DO WHAT HE DID AND BE HOW HE WAS BECAUSE HE WAS A GREAT MAN OF GOD. THE WAY WE BECOME GREAT PEOPLE OF GOD IS TO CHOOSE OUR PLACE, CHOOSE OUR PURPOSE AND ALLOW GOD TO CONGEAL OUR POSITION
