Over the past weeks we have been reflecting on the fact that one of the ways we can deepen our spiritual roots of faith/belief down into the Center which is our Lord God is by putting our entire believe and trust in our Lord God in total response to the trials and troubles and life difficulties/challenges that come to us. There are, however, at least three more things we ourselves can do to encourage the growth of our spiritual roots of faith/belief, and it is these three things that will occupy our attention for the rest of this issue that we have been on with. The first of those three things is this: spending adequate time with God through reading His Word, the Bible. Christian history bears testimony to the truth that the most influential and mature Christians the world over have been those who knew how to send their faith--roots deep down into God by meditating on God’s Word. Bishop Paul Kern, an American of the Methodist tradition who was known to spend much time studying the Bible, said: ‘I read my Bible because (a) within its pages I find Power for the ordering of my inner life, (b) it assures me that mankind is supremely dear to God, (c) it tells me whither/where I am bound and why, (d) in its pages are found the Secrets by which mankind walks the pathways of light and hope, (e) it teaches me, in the words of Emerson, that the great lesson of life is believe more what the years and centuries say against the hours.’ Let us consider that last statement, attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson: ‘believe more what the years and centuries say against the hours.’ What do the years say? They tell us that a Sovereign God is in Control and that we [true believers] belong to a kingdom that is Unshakeable. The more time we give to God’s Word, the more unshakeable we shall be in times of life troubles and confusion. So you can now see that in this our generation, the measure of God in us is the amount or measure of True God’s Word that is in us and active for our daily activities. So when we know and understand this fact very well that: the measure of God in us is the amount or measure of True God’s Word that is in us and active for our daily activities, it means that we just have to live a life style that find Power in Ordering our inner/outer life to spend Adequate Time in Reading and Studying God’s Word [The Holy Bible] on a daily basis for our good and well being!

Now let us read Psalm 1:1-6; 1 Blessed (happy, fortunate, prosperous, and enviable) is the man who walks and lives not in the counsel of the ungodly [following their advice, their plans and purposes], nor stands [submissive and inactive] in the path where sinners walk, nor sits down [to relax and rest] where the scornful [and the mockers] gather. 2 But his delight and desire are in the law of the Lord, and on His law (the precepts, the instructions, the teachings of God) he habitually meditates (ponders and studies) by day and by night. 3 And he shall be like a tree firmly planted [and tended] by the streams of water, ready to bring forth its fruit in its season; its leaf also shall not fade or wither; and everything he does shall prosper [and come to maturity]. 4 Not so the wicked [those disobedient and living without God are not so]. But they are like the chaff [worthless, dead, without substance] which the wind drives away. 5 Therefore the wicked [those disobedient and living without God] shall not stand [justified] in the judgment, nor [b]sinners in the congregation of the righteous [those who are upright and in right standing with God]. 6 For the Lord knows and is fully acquainted with the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly [those living outside God’s will] shall perish (end in ruin and come to nought).

Psalm 1:1-6 describes the characteristics of a blessed individual, contrasting them with the wicked. It highlights the importance of delighting in God's law and meditating on it, which leads to spiritual prosperity, maturity and fruitfulness, likened to a tree planted by streams of water. Conversely, the wicked are depicted as unstable and ultimately facing judgment, compared to chaff blown away by the wind. But today everybody appear to be living like the wicked with rarely anyone trying to live based on the strict Word of God which is why it appears as if the essence of God’s word is not boldly seen and reflected in the life of many people. No matter how difficult it appears to live life based on strict obedience to the word of God, let us make efforts to live our life governed by God’s Word and as we do, God will keep helping us in living it. To walk with God is to continuously have an awareness of His presence. There are numerous benefits that await those who walk with God and in today’s study we shall be considering one of them. The Blessings of God; for the Blessed of God. Today’s study is in three parts. The first part will look at The Blessed Man, the second will consider The Benefits of the Godly, and the third, The Woes of the Ungodly. PART 1: THE BLESSED MAN (VERSES 1-2): The word Blessing is from the Hebrew root word Barak which means “to bless”, “to invoke divine favor”, “to empower”, “to prosper”, or “to make successful”. To be blessed means to be “empowered for success.” In Genesis 1:28, we see this empowerment [to be a blessed man] accompanying the blessing God declared. Although man lost this blessing, but by/through Christ, every believer now has access to the power and wisdom that will override (appear to remove) the curse through faith in The Blessing of the Lord. Finally, to be blessed is to be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:17-19, said, “And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” It is important to know from this passage that part of what sin disabled/corrupted in man is the Power to ‘be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God’ and this very attribute is in Christ which is why to be in Christ is a must for all true believers and you have to be living a life style that enables Christ indwelling in you as prescribed by God’s Word before you can have the power to be filled...but you notice that this is why for us not to be filled with that power, Satan is deceiving us with the love of worldliness instead of the Love of Godliness! Characteristics of the Blessed Man; Verses 1-2 of this Psalm lists the characteristics of the blessed man. And these characteristics are divided into 2 main or major sections. Separation and Occupation. Separation: • He Does not Walk in the Counsel of the Ungodly. He does not take advice or live his life based on the opinion and recommendation of the world systems. The ungodly “warn” against being too strict and to extreme, he advocates to be broad-minded and to "make the best of both worlds" being here and there; not Hot and not Cold, Luke-warm which God said He will spit out. But they have no "fear of God" before their eye and are driven by self-will and self-pleasing, and dominated by what they call "common sense". 1 Kings 12:8 tells us that Rehoboam took on bad/ungodly counsel that ended up splitting the nation of Israel. • He Does not Stand in the Way of Sinners. He does not have fellowship/hangout or associate with sinners. His best friends are not unbelievers. Evil communication corrupts good manners. (1 Corinthians 15:33) • He Does not Sit in the Seat of the Scornful. To not sit in the seat of the scornful, means that the blessed man does not take his ease, nor seek his joy in the recreations of the world. He does not laugh at jokes that undermine the Almighty God! Exodus23:2 tell us that we must not follow the crowd in doing wrong or subscribe to popular opinion. Occupation • But He Delights in and Meditates on the Word of God. God's Word is the daily bread of the "blessed" man. It is not simply that he is interested in "the Law of the Lord," but he delights in it! Joshua 1:8 tells us that reading, meditating on the Word of God and obeying and practicing it is the key to making our ways prosperous and having good success in life! Categories of Blessings; There are three categories of blessings: - Physical, Soulish and Spiritual. A. Physical Blessings: Physical blessings are for God’s children. They include among others, money (Amos 9:13), property (Isaiah 30:32), health (Exodus 23:25), wealth (Deuteronomy 8:18), protection (Isaiah 25:4), sleep (Psalms 127:2), Genesis 24:35. He intends for us to have the very best – Ps. 34:110, Ps. 103:5. Obtaining Physical Blessings; Physical blessings don’t simply happen to us. God is a God of grace and mercy, but He mostly deals with us by certain biblical principles. There are many conditional promises of the Lord's blessings you and I can capitalize on. We will simply consider only 5 ways we can obtain physical blessings. By: • Letting the Lord dwell in your home. 2 Samuel 6:11 tells us that when the ark of the Lord remained in Obed-Edom’s house for 3 months, the LORD blessed him and his entire household. • Giving God tithes and offerings – Malachi 3:10 – Here God promised that He will open the windows of heaven to us and bless us until there shall not be room enough to receive it. • Giving to others – Luke 6:38. Give and it shall be given unto you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be poured into your lap. • Serving the Lord - Exodus 23:25 says: And you shall serve the Lord and He will bless your bread and your water and drive sickness away from you. • Obedience to God - Deuteronomy 28:1-2. If we fully obey (not partial obedience), then the Lord will set us high above all the nations of the earth and His blessings will come upon us and accompany us! B. Soulish Blessings: In 3 John 2, the Bible says: “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.” A prospering soul is a blessed soul. There are three parts of the soul, the mind, the will, and the emotion. These soulish blessings include among others, honor, fame or popularity, as seen in l Kings 3:13, promotion as seen in I Samuel 2:7, rest/peace of mind as seen in Matthew 11:28, wisdom as seen in Daniel 2:21, etc. Obtaining Soulish Blessings; As it is with Physical blessings, Soulish blessings don’t also simply happen to us. However, it is important to note that the prospering of our souls is solely dependent on the prospering of our spirits. A prosperous soul is a soul where a person's mind, will, and emotions are under the rule of their spirit and the Word of God. Here are 4 ways among many others by which we can obtain soulish blessings. • By studying the Word of God: Proverbs 2:10 tell us that knowledge is pleasant for our souls. The Word of God is our instruction manual, or our road map, for life. It contains wisdom, encouragement, comfort, and life-changing power that prosper our souls. • By Following Righteousness and Mercy – Prov. 21:21 tell us that if we earnestly seek righteousness and loyalty, we will find life, righteousness, and honor. • By Humility – Prov. 22:4 (AMP) says: “The reward of humility [that is, having a realistic view of one’s importance] and the [reverent, worshipful] fear of the Lord Is riches, honor, and life.” • By Serving God – John 12:26 “Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves Me.” C. Spiritual Blessings: Spiritual blessings are any blessings administered in the realm of the spirit; specifically, the blessing of the Spirit in introducing the believer into “the heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3) Spiritual blessings can be, ‘A glorious name’ according to Isaiah 56:4-5, A Heart or Ability to know God as in Jeremiah 24:7, A soft or New Heart and New spirit sensitive and responsive to the touch of God as in Ezekiel 11:19, The Holy Spirit and His gifts as in Luke 11:13, I Cor. 12:4-20), Eternal Life as in John 10:28), etc. Obtaining Spiritual Blessings; Spiritual blessings can be obtained: • By Giving our lives to Christ: Ephesians 1:3 tells us that God has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. • By Living a Holy Life – Isaiah 58:8-11 tells us that if we live a holy life, our light will break forth like the dawn • By Faith – Mark 9:23 tell us that “Everything is possible for one who believes.” PART 2: THE BENEFITS OF THE GODLY (VERSE 3); Living godly has benefits that money cannot buy. It causes you to live in satisfaction, joy, and tranquility, because you know that God is on your side. Here, the Bible likens the godly to a tree planted by the rivers of water. Isaiah 61:3 says they will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD. Psalm 1 verse 3 lists out the benefits of the godly: note: (TPT) in terms of the Bible means The Passion Translation that unlocks the passion of God’s heart and expresses His fiery love. • They Stand Firm Like a Flourishing Tree Planted by God’s Design, (Isaiah 61:3) A tree planted by the Lord will not fear when heat comes, it will not experience damage from the blazing heats of summer, its leaf remains green, and it will yield fruit in season. • They are Deeply Rooted by the Brooks of Bliss, (Hosea 14:5) Like a cedar of Lebanon. The cedar wood is rot-proof. Because of its characteristics (size, diameter, lifespan), it is a symbol of greatness, of nobility, of strength and of incorruptibility. • They Bear Fruit in Every Season of Life. (Exodus 23:26). There is no time or room for barrenness • They are Never Dry (spiritually or materially), Isaiah 58:11 tell us that God will guide, satisfy, and keep us strong and we will be like a garden that has plenty of water, like a spring of water that never runs dry. • They will Never Faint. Isaiah 40:31 promises the godly that they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint. • Ever Blessed, Deut.28:2 tell us that God’s blessings shall come on us and overtake us • Ever Prosperous. (2 Corinthians 9:8, Philippians 4:19), Deut.26:12 tell us that God will open the heavens, the storehouse of His bounty, and to bless all the work of our hands. To the extent that we will lend to many nations!

Psalms 32:10a tell us that the woes of the wicked are many. Here in verses 4-5, the Bible contrasts the godly and the ungodly. The passage starts off by saying: “The wicked [those who live in disobedience to God’s law] are not so . . .”[AMP] Then continues further to list out the woes of the ungodly/wicked as follows: • They are worthless and without substance (like the chaff which the wind blows away.) Psalm 37:10 tell us that the wicked will soon disappear. Isaiah 14:20 • The wicked will not endure the Day of Judgment (but will be punished). Proverbs 11:21 tell us that the wicked shall not go unpunished. • Nothing they do will succeed or endure for long. Isaiah 14:20 says the seed of evildoers shall never be renowned.

Verse 6 tell us the advantage the godly have over the ungodly, God! It says: “6 For the Lord knows and is fully acquainted with the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly [those living outside God’s will] shall perish (end in ruin and come to nought).” There are thousands of blessings in the Scripture laid up for you and I to claim as true godly children of God, that the ungodly are not qualified to claim. A typical example is Psalms 91 where we learn that a thousand shall fall at our side, and ten thousand at our right hand; But it shall not come near us! Only with thine eyes shall we see the reward of the wicked. We must however, be conscious of the fact that there can be no true walking with God, until we separate from the world, and deliberately forsake the paths of sin. We must observe that it is a downward spiral to yield to the ways of the ungodly. We must acknowledge the privileged positions we possess as true God’s children and not relinquish it by envying the wicked or adopting their way of life that is carnal in nature. In Psalm 73, the end of the wicked was contrasted with that of the righteous. Where David considered the lives of the wicked ones - They never have to lift a finger, living a life of ease while their riches multiply. (Vs.12) He thought he was being foolish playing by the rules and keeping his life pure (Vs.13). When he tried to understand the situation, it gave him a splitting headache (Vs.16). Until one day God showed him their lives and in the light of glory, his, David’s distorted and wrong perspective of the ungodly vanished, and in (Verse 17) when he David saw that they the ungodly were on a slippery slope and heading for destruction that will bring to end all their life of ease; in a blink of the eye and they will be swept away by sudden calamity! (Vs 18-19) David then understood God’s handling of the ungodly clearly and that is how we too should understand! We must continue to remain faithful to God and His Word. Proverbs 28:20 tell us that “A faithful man will abound with blessings!”