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Observations from today’s readings and today’s S-WOD, Sunday, 7 January 2024:
Psalm 1:1-3 — 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. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.
From Henry T. Blackaby – “It is possible to spend your whole life knowing about the truths of God and never experiencing any of them. Simply knowing about the truths of God does not mean that they have become a part of your life. Here is the important question: What are you doing with the word of God? Some people allow themselves to come under the influence of ungodly thinking to the point that God’s Word makes no difference to them. If you seek your counsel from ungodly persons, you will find yourself moving away from the direction God’s Word commands. If you intentionally seek out sinners as your companions, they will lead you down paths that take you far from God. If you choose to join those who are scornful, you will eventually become cynical.
The righteous man does not find encouragement in the opinions of others but in God’s Word. He is not content with a surface knowledge of Scripture but meditates on it day and night until he is satisfied that what he reads reflects his own experience. He becomes like a fruit tree standing firmly on the bank of the river. The tree is well nourished and produces delicious fruit and bountiful leaves. People come from miles around to sit in its shade and eat its fruit.
If you allow God to implement His Word in your life, others will draw encouragement from you. The more you grow in God’s righteousness, the stronger you will become. Some people would look in vain to find anyone they were encouraging, but not so the righteous person. A constant stream of people will seek you out because they know that your life will be a blessing.
[“he meditates day and night” (v2)] Meditation means ‘to think deeply and continuously about something.’ For a Christian, this means remaining in the presence of God and pondering each truth He reveals about Himself until it becomes real and personal in your life. This takes time. In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus accused certain would-be followers of calling Him ‘Lord’ and yet never doing what He told them (Luke 6:46). They had the correct truth in their heads, but it had never translated into obedience. When you meditate on Scriptures, the truth moves from your head to your heart and results in obedience. As the Psalmist said: ‘Your word have I hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You’ (Ps. 119:11).
When you know God’s Word in your mind but not in your heart, it means that you have learned the principles and concepts and doctrines of God, but you have not come to know Jesus personally. You can reject a doctrine, or ignore a concept, or challenge a principle, but it is much more difficult to ignore a Person. You can have Scripture in your mind and still sin against God. There are those who can recite long passages of Scripture and yet live ungodly lives. However, you cannot have Scripture fill your heart and continue to sin against God. When God’s truth is allowed to touch the deepest corner of your soul, the Holy Spirit will transform you into the image of Jesus Christ. Don’t just read your Bible, meditate on God’s Word and ask Him to change your heart.”
Psalm 1:6 – …for the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.
Proverbs 1 talks about the two paths people take: the path of eternal life and path eternal death. Everyone takes one of the two paths. Jesus said, “For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” (Matthew 7:14) Are you willing to take the hard road to eternal life? Interestingly, Jesus described the way to life as “hard”, but Jesus also says, “I am the Way,” and “Come to me, all who labor and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28, 29) What is hard is surrendering your life to Jesus humbly and faithfully, but when your heart increasingly, over time becomes Christlike, obedience is equally no longer a difficult requirement, but a joyful desire-ment. Seek to be so yoked to Jesus that the “hard” way may become “easy.”
– I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. (John 10:9)
– For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. (1 John 5:3)
“Cross” Fit S-WOD (Spiritual Workout of the Day) — 7 Jan 24: Consider carefully today who/what is influencing you in life. On whose words do you meditate?” Who or what are you listening to on a daily basis that is not godly or that isn’t from God. Resolve to not “sit in the seat of scoffers” by removing negative influences from your life, even those that ‘scoff’ in the name of righteousness. Remember that any teacher that doesn’t point to Jesus as the answer is a false teacher. For many, moralism has become a ‘noble’ substitute for the Gospel. Consider what ‘good ideas’ you have allowed to influence your thinking rather than the purity of God’s word. Consider where you have been drinking out of man-made cisterns rather than straight from the Living Water of Jesus. (Jeremiah 2:13) Resolve to fill your mind with Jesus Christ, seeking an ever-increasing relationship with Him. “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.” (Psalm 1:1)
Defenders Bible Reading Plan 