"STARTING RIGHT"

 

Psalm 1:1-2: Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.

 

I. The Way to Happiness

A.   Trusting the Lord Brings Happiness (Prov. 16:20)

1.     The Christian life begins with faith, and continues in faith (Romans 5:1)

2.     No matter the situation in the life of the believer, there is a Bible promise to stand upon (Rom. 1:17)

B.   Obedience Brings Happiness (John 13:17)

1.     It is not the acquisition of truth that makes one happy, but the application of truth

2.     Questions to ask yourself regarding obedience:

--Have I made a public profession of my faith?

               --Have I been baptized since coming to faith?

               --Am I trusting the Lord with my income?

                 --Am I reading my Bible and praying?

                 --Am I sharing Christ’s message of salvation?

 

II. Happiness Avoids the Advice of the Ungodly

A.   Godly Living Produces Happiness (Psalm 1:1)

1.     Don’t walk according to the advice of the ungodly

2.     Don’t stand where sinners stand

3.     Don’t sit with the scornful and mockers

The more we delight in God’s presence, the more fruitful we are.  On the other hand, the more we allow the dark influences of those who ridicule God to overshadow us, the more we separate ourselves from our source of nourishment.  If you want despair, spend time with scoffing sinners. If you want joy, make friends with those who love God and His Word.

B.   Meditating in the Word Brings Happiness (Psalm 1:2)

Meditating means spending time reading and thinking about what you have read.  It means asking yourself how you should change so you’re living as God wants.  Knowing and meditating on God’s Word are the first steps toward applying it to your everyday life.  If you want to follow God more closely, you must know what He says.  Consider in your meditation these three facts:

1.     We have someone to love—I John 4:19

2.     We have something to do—Matthew 28:19-20

3.     We have something to hope for—Titus 2:13

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