The Way of the Righteous and the Wicked
"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; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night."
Psalm 1:1-2
In the original Hebrew language Blessed, in this context, simply means happiness or contentment. If I were to ask you the question; "Are you happy?" What thoughts would run through your mind the moments following? To be quite honest, the answer to this question for most is a result of many variables. Sometimes the answer may come from a momentary state of being or possibly a series of past events. What is your happiness dependent upon? What if I told you that you have more control over the answer to this question than you may think?
Psalm 1 speaks of two paths: the path of the righteous and the path of the wicked. The righteous is the path that leads to the Lord and the wicked is the path of the ungodly. These paths don't merge, they are two independently separate paths and you can't walk both of them simultaneously. A decision must be consciously made and it is made by how you position your mind, your thoughts, and life.
The Blessed surround themselves with the company that encourages this righteous path. They are going in the same direction and spurring one another on all the while. They point one another toward Christ instead of the meaningless things of this world. Where do you receive your counsel? Look around, who is walking beside you? Are you listening to the advice of the righteous or the wicked? I don't mean to insinuate that our lives are not intertwined with people walking a different path than we are because that just isn't reality. These just aren't the people that we should accept counsel, opinions, or perspectives from. They aren't the people that are in our inner circle, the people that we "do life" with.
Matthew 7:13-14 compares two paths; the wide and the narrow.
"Enter by the narrow gate, For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few."
The righteous aren't afraid to take the narrow path, because, in the end, their confidence rests in the fact that this path leads to life. The path of the wicked seems to be more popular, not because it's better, but because it's easier. Are you willing to walk the narrow path even if it goes opposite of the unrighteous fun and excitement that this world offers? Position your heart and mind in a way that the decision has been made already. Set your eyes on Jesus and let Him be the director of your path.
Our ability to make the proper decisions and maintain a perspective that is set on the Lord comes from what we choose to focus on. The decision to set your mind on eternity instead of the temporary pleasures of this earth is the defining moment on which path you are walking. How do you set your mind on eternity? Verse 2 of this Psalm tells us that we must not only delight in the Lord's ways but that we must meditate on them as well. Devote your day growing in Him by spending time learning what He wants of your life.
You see, Blessed is the man that abides in the Lord and delights in His ways. His happiness comes from the fact that God is his dwelling place for here and all of eternity. His focus is set on pleasing Jesus over pleasing man. Spend some time today examining the path you are on. Are you walking through the narrow gate towards the Lord in righteousness and assurance or are you walking through the wide gate that leads to death and destruction?
Spiritual Disciplines
Spiritual Disciplines have been such an essential part of my growth in Christ. These disciplines changed my daily walk with the Lord and have taught me about reliance and dependence on my Father in Heaven. My prayer is that this space can help deepen your knowledge and understanding by teaching you to lean in closer to God. With that being said, my goal is to incorporate these disciplines slowly so that you are able to precisely understand each one as well and learn how to incorporate them into your daily walk with the Lord. Here is a list of the 8 tangible Spiritual Disciplines that we will cover. If these disciplines are already a regular part of your day, now is a great opportunity to reach out to a friend that could use some help, encouragement, or accountability learning and implementing them.
Bible Study
Prayer
Worship
Memorization
Meditation
Evangelism
Fasting
Solitude
Week 1
~Bible Study~
God's word is unchanging and it is our constant source of completely reliable truth. If you want to hear God speak to you... just open the bible and spend some time reading it.
This week's Bible Study
psalms 1-7
~tips & Challenges of the week
Find a specific time of day that will consistently work for you.
My designated time is the first thing in the morning. I want to start my day with what matters the most. This allows me to start my day by positioning my heart and mind in the right place.
Private Facebook Discussion Group
Would you like to dig a little deeper into your weekly reading and spiritual disciplines? Join our Facebook group where we learn, grow and encourage one another.
Questions?
If you ever have questions or read something that you don't understand, please email me your question and I will add it to our q&a sections.
Growing in God
Would you like a tool to encourage your growth in God? Check out my newly released 12-month spiritual disciplines book/journal. This journal will give you a brief understanding of 8 tangible spiritual disciplines in addition to creating a year-long journey that teaches you how to incorporate them into your walk.
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