Psalms 1
"1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. 3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. 4 The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. 5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. 6 For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish."

In these six short verses we are instructed how to gain heaven and avoid hell. If we but study these verses and do what they say we will not only be happy and blessed while living here on this earth but we will also inherit an eternal abode in heaven. Let us look at them more closely!

"Blessed is the man," or happy is the man, "who walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly." Who are your friends? Who and what are you listening to everyday? It is so easy to get trapped into "walking in the counsel of the ungodly" in today's world. The ungodly are all around us. Let me share this experience with you. I was in a bookstore a few years back and ran across a book that intrigued me. Psychology has always been of interest to me so when I saw this book called the "The Tao of Pooh" I was more than a little curious. I read the synopses and it sounded like it was just the psychology of Winnie the Pooh's outlook on life. I've always been fascinated with the little fellow's naive way of getting in and out of situations so I bought the book. After I started reading it, I found out it was actually a cult religion! Here is an excerpt from the book:

To Lao-tse (LAOdsuh), the harmony that naturally existed between heaven and earth from the very beginning could be found by anyone at any time, but not by following the rules of Confucianists. As he stated in his Tao Te Ching (DAO DEH JEENG), the "Tao Virtue Book", earth was in essence a reflection of heaven, run by the same laws—not by the laws of man. .... What he saw operating behind everything in heaven and earth he called Tao (DAO), 'the Way." A basic principal of Lao-tse's teaching was that this Way of the Universe could not be adequately described in words, and that it would be insulting both to its unlimited power and to the intelligent mind to attempt to do so. Still, its nature could be understood, and those who cared most about it, and the life from which it was inseparable, understood it best. [pages 2 - 5].

In Pooh's words:
• To know the Way,
• We go the Way;
• We do the Way
• The way we do
• The things we do.
• It's all there in front of you,
• But if you try too hard to see it,
• You'll only become Confused.
• I am me,
• And you are you,
• As you can see;
• But when you do,
• The things you can do,
• You will find the Way,
• And the Way will follow you.

You cannot just BE and do the things you can do and find the way, nor will The Way just follow you. Jesus Christ is The Way and He is the only way. Only He can lead you to Heaven and He will not follow you, you must follow Him! You see how easy it can be to follow the wrong counsel? That is how many people get caught up in a false religion. They simply do not know any better than to walk in the counsel of the ungodly. You have to be careful not only about the people you associate with and the books you read but also the music you listen to. Do you really listen to the lyrics of the songs that play on the radio station you keep tuned in on your car radio? Start paying attention to what you are feeding into your head every day!

"Nor standeth in the way of sinners." Romans 14:13 "Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way." Now if I understand this verse right, if you are doing something that offends someone, even if you do not believe it is a sin, then you are standing in the way of someone else and could be the cause of them falling. You are standing in the way of a sinner or you are putting a stumbling block in the way of a brother, either way, you are doing wrong.

"Nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful." Do you want to have a peaceful church? Get rid of the scornful. I know, easier said than done. There are always those who do not want to actually do anything but want to be scornful of the ones who do all the work. Proverbs 22:10 says: "Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease."

Now that we have established what a man must not do if he is to be blessed (or happy) what should he do? Let's look at verse two.

"But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night." We are to continually meditate on the law of the Lord. If we saturate ourselves with the word of God we keep our heads, hearts and souls filled with things of God so there isn't room for the things of the world. When we do this God will bless us like a tree planted by a river of water and whatever we do will prosper!

The ungodly are not so and will not even be able to stand before God in the judgment. There is a book in heaven and the names of all the righteous are written down in it but the ungodly are like chaff, just trivial or worthless matter, that the wind blows away.

John 10:14 "I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine."

I'm glad that I know Him and He knows me and I know where I'm going! I wouldn't have it any other way!

PSALMS 119
97 O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.
105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet,
and a light unto my path.

Is His word lighting your path every day?
Do you know where you are going?
LOVE, MEME

THY WORD IS A LAMP UNTO MY FEET

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet
And a light unto my path.
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet
And a light unto my path.

When I feel afraid,
And think I've lost my way.
Still, you're there right beside me.
Nothing will I fear
As long as you are near;
Please be near me to the end.

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet
And a light unto my path.
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet
And a light unto my path.

I will not forget
Your love for me and yet,
My heart forever is wandering.
Jesus be my guide,
And hold me to your side,
And I will love you to the end.

Nothing will I fear
As long as you are near;
Please be near me to the end.

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet
And a light unto my path.
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet
And a light unto my path.
And a light unto my path.
You're the light unto my path.

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