Planted in the Right Place

Bringing in the Chinese New Year this past Sunday night as a church was such a blessing. To walk in the Family Life Center and find over 250 people there did my heart good. Let me try to describe why. Many of the Chinese students have not ever gone to church before. Their culture supports atheism or the worship of other gods. Now there is currently a revival going on in many parts of China and I would like to say that the reason is because of encounters like Sunday night. The love and acceptance in the room that was evident in all was simply contagious.

Let’s break down Psalm 1 and look at the result of right living. There is a contrast between the right living and wrong living. Ultimately we are modeling and training these students about what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ. They are hungry to learn more about our culture but more importantly, about God. So let’s look at this great chapter that I would recommend memorizing.

Right Living (Psalm 1:1-3)
Blessed is the man  . . . (This is translated to “happy.” It is the same word used in Matthew 5 where Jesus talks about the Beatitudes. A word such as “Lucky,” which implies chance, should not be used.) . . .who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked . . . (It can also say, “Whose conduct does not follow the advice of evil men,” or “does not behave as wicked people say he should.” It really does matter who you listen to.) . . .  or stand in the way of sinners . . . (Does not follow the path taken by sinners or imitates sinful people. This is not referring to standing in someone’s way. They avoid the advice of evil or ungodly people. It could go as far to say people who do not obey God.) . . . or sit in the seat of mockers (This literally means, “Sit with people who wag their heads at God.” I see this as putting people who are not Christ followers on the outside circle. You don’t invest your time in developing a close relationship at the same time you try to influence them toward Christ. This is all done in the context of purposeful living.).

But his delight is in the law of the Lord . . . (Instead of the previous verse, he takes pleasure in reading God’s Word. There is something that draws him back again) . . . and on His law he meditates day and night . . . (This means that he reads carefully, studies, pores over, or saturates in. It is not reading the Word of God to get through it, it is allowing the Word of God to get through you. There’s almost a sense of always reading and thinking about the teachings of God’s Word.).

He is like a tree planted by streams of water . . . (The righteous are compared to healthy trees with a source of abundant water.). . . which yields its fruit in season . . . (This means at the right time.) . . . and whose leaf does not wither . . . (Withering leaves indicates that a tree is dying. There is no indication of death.). Whatever he does prospers (This is not referring to the tree. It is referring to the person and is saying that all areas of life, not only spiritual but also financial and physical are prospering. They are living in wholeness or on their way to wholeness).

Next week we will look at the opposite, undesirable way of living. In the meantime, commit this chapter to memory and saturate in it the rest of this week. Ask God to reveal Himself to you as you know it through and through.

I am looking forward to an awesome day on Sunday as we continue the series, “Lead Me to the Cross.” God is glorified through meaningful worship and a unified spirit. We are in the midst of both of these God honoring displays of the Spirit of God in our church. Be Blessed and may you be planted by streams of living water!

Joy in Jesus!

Pastor Mike

www.findlayfirstnaz.org