G o d l y   P r o s p e r I t y
Psalm 1:1-6

“David was a man who sought God with his whole heart, and it pleased God to prosper him.  Here are David’s thoughts on escaping the spirit of poverty.” Pastor Phil

"Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." Matthew 8:20

THREE THINGS THAT BLOCK GODLY PROSPERITY:
I.  WALKING IN THE COUNSEL OF THE WICKED   - v. 1a
          “Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly”
          A. Violating the Word of God – Hebrews 4:12
              “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-
                  edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of
                  joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the
                  heart.”
1. Word of God has a Healing Edge –eg. Surgeon’s scalpel
                    2. Word of God has a Punishing Edge – 1 Cor. 3:17
                        “If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the
                              temple of God is holy, which temple you are.”
B. Worldly Revenging – Lev. 24:19-21
               “'If a man causes disfigurement of his neighbor, as he has done, so
                   shall it be done to him; 'fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for
                   tooth; as he has caused disfigurement of a man, so shall it be done to
                   him. 'And whoever kills an animal shall restore it; but whoever kills a
                   man shall be put to death.”
1.  Revenge Entertainment - “You hurt me, I’ll hurt you back!”
                    2. “I don’t carry grudges, I get even!”
C. Putting SELF in the Center

II.  STANDING IN THE WAY OF SINNERS – v. 1b
          “Nor stands in the path of sinners,”
A. Stumbling Block for Weaker Brothers – Romans 14:13
              “Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this,
                  not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother's way.”
          1. Weaker brothers are Judgmental
                    2. Weaker brothers are Immature, Fearful and Insecure
          B. Peter’s Worldliness became an Offense to Jesus – Matt. 16:23
              “But He (Jesus) turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are
                  an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the
                  things of men."

 

GODLY PROPERITY, CONT. p.2
III.  SITTING IN THE SEAT OF MOCKERS – v. 1c
         “Nor sits in the seat of the scornful”
          A. Mockers Cannot Take Rebuke – Prov. 1:22
                "How long will you simple ones love your simple ways? How long will
                  mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge?”
                 1. Mockers are never wrong
                    2. They are “Teflon People” – Nothing sticks to them
          B. Mockers Walk in Self-Centered Pride - Prov. 3:34
             “He (God) mocks proud mockers but gives grace to the humble.”
         C. Mockers Stir Up Others to Sin – Prov. 29:8
               “Mockers stir up a city, but wise men turn away anger.”

TWO THINGS  THAT WILL LEAD TO GODLY PROSPERITY:
I.  DELIGHT IN THE LAW OF THE LORD – v. 2a
         A. The Ten Commandments – Decalogue – Ex. 20. 1-17
               1. Basis for American Legal System
               2. Letter vs. Spirit of the Law – Hard vs. Compassion
               3. We learn to accept and live within God’s limits
          B. The First Five Books of the Bible – Pentateuch / Heb. “Torah”
               1. Torah means in Hebrew, “To Teach”
     2. Torah is read or sung during every Jewish service of worship
          C. The Law and the Prophets – Matthew 33:36-40
               "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?" Jesus said to
                  him, " 'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all
                  your soul, and with all your mind.' "This is the first and great
                  commandment. "And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor
                  as yourself.'  "On these two commandments hang all the Law and the
                  Prophets."
     1. Love God
               2. Love Neighbor
               3. Love Yourself
II.  MEDITATE ON GOD’S LAW DAY AND NIGHT – v. 2b
          A. Think, Listen, Do – Joshua 1:8
               "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall
                  meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all
                  that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and
                  then you will have good success.”
         B. We are Surrounded by God’s Unfailing Love – Psalm 48:9
               “Within your temple, O God, we meditate on your unfailing love.”

SHEEPFOLD’S GOAL:
To bring Godly prosperity to His people, and to lead them into God’s favor through His Word and though personal Acts of Righteousness.

 

G o d l y   P r o s p e r I t y, Text:
Psalm 1:1-6
Psa 1:1  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;
2  But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night.
3  He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.
4  The ungodly are not so, But are like the chaff which the wind drives away.
5  Therefore the ungodly shall 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 ungodly shall perish.