1. Introduction Good Morning. Today we will be discussing Psalms 1
Introduction Good Morning! Today we will be discussing Psalms 1. My title for today is, “Who is The Really Happy Man” or, “Finding and Taking Good Advice” since the truly happy person is the one who finds and accepts God’s advice.
Psalms 1
Let us turn to the psalm. This psalm actually forms the introduction to the book of psalms. It was often coupled with Psalms 2 to make one unit. The psalm features good Hebrew poetry; It is marked by parallelism of expression. It is rich in metaphor, beautifully expressed metaphors that paint a picture for us.

2. Psalm 1 who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked
Blessed is the man
who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked
or stand in the way of sinners
or sit in the seat of mockers.
Read

3. Psalms 1 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
Read

4. 3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
Psalms 1
3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.
Read

5. that the wind blows away.
Psalms 1
4 Not so the wicked!
They are like chaff
that the wind blows away.
Read

6. Psalms 1 5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
Read

7. 6 For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous,
Psalms1
6 For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.
Read

9. The Importance of Good Advice
The Importance of Advice
Today’s psalm deals with advice. It helps us decide who is the happy man-the person who is taking his advice from the right source. When I was a boy, we had a local radio station that was from the heartland of America. One of the slogans that played repeatedly on the station was: “Information is the hall mark of democracy”. This translated for me into the idea that when we have good information and advice, we have the best chance to make good decisions and live both a good and a free life. In practical life we treasure the combination of information and advice that helps us live effectively. Darren has saved me many headaches and worries by giving me accurate information about cars. I’ve called Ken Simpkins and Rob Young for advice about plumbing and home maintenance. I asked Don Elkins for advice about the grass in my yard. I’m a freeloader when it comes to advice. I ask for it and I pass it out freely. With information, we are able to make good decisions. Today, I am talking about a mixture of information and advice—true, good advice that leads us down the right path.

10. “Three Chairs— No Waiting”
I read a story some time ago about a man who really needed advice. He called several churches and couldn’t find anyone to talk to. He said that when he went to the barber shop; he was attracted by a sign that said, “three chairs—no waiting”. I guess we have all taken advice from the barber and beautician. Oftentimes, this is a good source of advice, but at other times it may be iffy, maybe even down right dangerous to get your advice from this source.

11. “I learned my interpersonal skills from the Jerry Springer Show!”
Is all information about the stock market equal? Do you take advice about your pension fund from just anyone? Do you get your medical advice, as my father sometimes does, down at the mall from your friends—or do you get it from the doctor. The most important question is, Where do you get your advice about living, about the meaning of life? From the supermarket tabloid? From Entertainment Tonight? From the Jerry Springer Show? Or from God’s word. Not all advice is created equal.

12. Not All Advice is Created Equal!
This lesson recognizes that there is good advice and there is bad advice. Good advice comes from God’s book, containing God’s values. There is a group of people who represent the worst possible source of advice-ungodly advice.

13. Good Advice Comes From God
This psalm divides all advice into two great categories: good and evil. Often times it may not be as easy to recognize the distinction between the two categories as is stated here, but often recognizing the difference is just as black and white as it is portrayed in this passage.
Good advice is to be found in the Torah—the word of God. When we speak of law, it has a heavy, restrictive idea—things we cannot do. The low of the lord is more like instruction. It tells us the right way and the wrong way to do things. An instruction manual when written well and used appropriately helps us to understand why some things work and others don’t it tells us what things to avoid, what things to make sure and not leave out or fail to tighten so that our project turns our well. That’s what it is all about so that our project of living doesn’t end in the scrap heap. So that we don’t come to the end of putting together a life only to find out that we left out the things that really work. Or helping us repair our life when we find out that we got it all put together backwards. These instructions are found in the laws, so we should love this instruction book, filled on advice for living.

14. “Don’t let the project of living, end up on the scrap heap of life
“Don’t let the project of living, end up on the scrap heap of life.” Read The Instruction Book!
This psalm divides all advice into two great categories: good and evil. Often times it may not be as easy to recognize the distinction between the two categories as is stated here, but often recognizing the difference is just as black and white as it is portrayed in this passage.
Good advice is to be found in the Torah—the word of God. When we speak of law, it has a heavy, restrictive idea—things we cannot do. The low of the lord is more like instruction. It tells us the right way and the wrong way to do things. An instruction manual when written well and used appropriately helps us to understand why some things work and others don’t it tells us what things to avoid, what things to make sure and not leave out or fail to tighten so that our project turns our well. That’s what it is all about so that our project of living doesn’t end in the scrap heap. So that we don’t come to the end of putting together a life only to find out that we left out the things that really work. Or helping us repair our life when we find out that we got it all put together backwards. These instructions are found in the laws, so we should love this instruction book, filled on advice for living.

15. The Lost Art of Meditation
The truly happy man is one who not only consults God’s word in hard times-he is one who loves the book and reads it continually. I confess to being among the techno-nerds in this congregation. I have often sat in my den with the TV on and the kids all around reading a computer manual. Sometimes, I stare at them for hours, absorbing some small piece of information. My idea of the perfect vacation is sitting on a patio, or beside the pool, in my shorts, drinking a diet coke and reading a computer magazine. But computer magazines don’t tell you all about life! Only about windows! It is the Bible, God’s little instruction book that is the true guide, helping us in all areas of life. The truly happy man mediates in the word of God day and night.
How can I mediate in the word of God day and night? I have a job, kids—a soccer team to coach. I think that David is saying that we spend plenty of time studying the book-we read regularly, we mull it over, we go to Bible class, we listen to sermons, we read Christian books.

16. Go Into the Laboratory of Life
Then we go out into the laboratory of life. We observe, we test, we experiment to see just how what we have read and learned can be put into practice.

17. Thomas the Train Winnie the Pooh The Little Engine That Could
“You missed a word, Grandpa!”
Have you ever read a child his or her favorite book? Ever try to speed up the process so you give the condensed version—only to have them say—that’s not what it says!! Read it right. They have the book memorized. Before they can read, they know every word on every page. They love that book. My nephew Adam doesn’t just read about or watch Thomas the train, he becomes Thomas the train. They delight in the experience of reading the same thing over and over. They meditate in it. Would to God that adults wanted to read a chapter of the Bible as much before they go to bed as kids want to read Green Eggs and Ham. As a matter of fact, one way to teach kids to love the word of God is to read to them from the great Bible stories.
I’m looking forward to hearing someone say, “You missed a word, Grandpa!

18. Benefits of Godly Advice
Psalms 1 uses a beautiful metaphor to show the results of following God’s instruction. It shows in the life of the good man. That man is like a tree planted by a river of water, its leaves filled with the sustaining water of life, bringing forth its fruit in its season.
When I traveled around the rural roads of Northeast Arkansas as a boy, I have very vivid memories of tree-lined creeks and drainage ditches. On the hottest of days, these scenes presented a placid picture of nurture and sustenance. This metaphor speaks of a transplanted fruit tree, the picture of productivity. When you enjoy the wonderful taste of fresh fruit, as is abundantly available in our area, you have a culinary witness to the benefits of following in the way of righteousness.
Life is filled with difficult circumstances. It is precisely at times of great difficulty when the ability to drink of the deep waters of life. A local bank advertises: other banks have branches, ours has roots. There are times when we need roots that go deep into God’s sustaining water. Then, when the unrighteous face the same circumstances, they do not have the depth to sustain them.

19. “From whom will you take advice that affects your life’s decisions?”

20. The chaff and the wheat are together until it is time for judgment.
The unrighteous are like the chaff which the wind drives away. When the ancient grain farmer harvested his crop, he left it in a pile until a good strong windy day. He would pitch the grain into the air. The chaff, the useless part is blown away. This is a picture of uselessness. Unfortunately, if we have partaken of the advice of the wicked, if we have spent our substance in riotous living, the only thing left is the chaff. Someone said that to be able to look back and say, I have lived well is to have doubled one’s existence. If we live within the framework of God’s advice, we will not dry up and blow away. We will be sustained by God himself.

21. the LORD watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.
The ultimate test comes as one lives his or her life. The psalmist gives us this reassurance. The LORD watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.

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