Blessed Are The Righteous - Psalm 1:1

 

Psalm 1:1

Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked, or stand in the way that sinners take, or sit in the company of mockers.

WALKING WITH THE WICKED

    The wicked are themselves deceived and seek only to deceive others, including the righteous, if possible. 

    Proverbs 12:5

The plans of the righteous are just, but the counsel of the wicked leads to deceit.

    Ephesians 5:11

Have no fellowship with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.

THE WAY Of SINNERS - Proverbs 2:12-17

    The way of sinners is the way of evil, and therefore, it is not The Way of the righteous. The evildoer lies and has a hypocritical tongue. The evildoer enjoys evil and takes great pleasure in it. Their path is not strait, and their words are perverse. The prostitute and the adulterer tempt and seduce. Their ways are traps and snares for the unwise, the unsuspecting.  

THE COMPANY OF MOCKERS

    A mocker is a person who derides The Truth of God's Word. The mocker is scornful of righteous ways. Intolerance and hate spew from the mocker's mouth. Pride, arrogance, and self-righteousness rise up in their hearts and violence perpetrates harm and death to the target of their derision. 

    To keep company with such is to keep company with death and destruction. This, too, is not The Way of the righteous. Contempt drips from their lips. Rebellion against The Authority of God has taken up residence in their hearts. Of such the believer is not to align themselves with, for they are corrupt and divisive. 

    The mockers persecute, torment, are scornful of, belittle, and ridicule the righteous. To mock is to lampoon, scoff, jibe, jeer, sneer. It is intended to dissuade the righteous from The Way by speaking words which could torment the mind and cause the weary heart to be discontent, fearful and doubting. 

THE RIGHTEOUS ARE WISE

    But the faithful, righteous, born-again believer who is filled with The Word of God daily and listens to God's Holy Spirit, The Voice of Wisdom, will not be so easily dissuaded, nor overcome by the evildoers, the workers of iniquity, of this world. The righteous are blessed by their God because they walk in His Way of Holiness, in The Path of Righteousness. 

    Psalm 40:4 - The righteous trust in The Lord. They listen not to the prideful, nor to the liars

    Psalm 112:1 - The righteous fear The Lord and greatly delight in His commandments

    Proverbs 3:13 - The righteous find wisdom and acquire understanding

    Proverbs 12:5; 16:3 - The plans of the righteous are just

    Proverbs 11:30; Daniel 12:3; James 5:19, 20; Jude 1:22, 23 - The righteous win souls to The Lord 

BLESSED ARE THE RIGHTEOUS - A Few Scriptural References of Such:

    Matthew 5:3-11 - Be Attitudes

    Psalm 144:15 - Who Choose The Lord

    Psalm 128:1 - Who Fear The Lord & Walk in His Ways

    James 1:12 - Who Perseveres Under Trial

    1 Peter 3:14 - Who Suffer For What Is Right

    Luke 11:28 - Who Hear The Word & Obey It

    Romans 4:7, 8 - Whose Sins Are Covered & Forgiven 

            And, ultimately,

    Revelation 19:9 - Who Are Invited To The Marriage Supper of The Lamb

    

    

    

Blessed Are The Merciful

 

    Matthew 5:7

Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

    HOW DO WE SHOW MERCY?

Share The Living Water of Life with Them

(that they may drink and be satisfied)

    Proverbs 11:25

A generous soul will prosper, and he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.

Forgive The People Who Have Done Us Wrong

(regardless of how many times they do so)

    Matthew 6:14

For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

Honor Each Other With Genuine Affection

(not because you have to but because you want to)

Romans 12:10

Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.

    These are just a few verses on showing Mercy to others. Which ones can you think of?

Blessed Are They That Hunger & Thirst After Righteousness

 

    Matthew 5:6

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

THE SEEKERS HEART

    Psalm 63:1

A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah. O God, Thou are my God; early will I seek Thee: my soul thirsts for Thee, my flesh longs for Thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is.

    Psalm 107:9

For He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.

    Psalm 84:2

My soul longs, even faints, for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.

EAT WHAT I'M GIVEN

    Bread of Heaven for the hungry. Living Water for the thirsty. Wine for the aching and sorrowful. Word tastes like Honey. 

    Jeremiah 15:16

Your words were found, and I ate them. Your words became my joy and my heart’s delight. For I bear Your name, O LORD God of Hosts.

    Psalm 119:103

How sweet are Your words to my taste--sweeter than honey in my mouth!

    Ezekiel 2:8

"And you, son of man, listen to what I tell you. Do not be rebellious like that rebellious house. Open your mouth and eat what I give you."

    Job 23:12

Neither have I gone back from the commandment of His lips; I have esteemed the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.

    Proverbs 30:8

Keep falsehood and deceitful words far from me. Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the bread that is my portion.

    Psalm 16:5

The LORD is My Chosen Portion and My Cup; You have made my lot secure.

Blessed Are They That Mourn

 

    Matthew 5:4

Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 3996

MOURN: properly, grieve over a death; (figuratively) to grieve over a personal hope (relationship) that dies, i.e. comes to divine closure ("ends"). ("Mourn over a death") refers to "manifested grief" so severe it takes possession of a person and cannot be hid.

   In John 16:16-33 Jesus is speaking to His disciples regarding His imminent death, resurrection, ascension, and return. Which, of course, they understood none of. 

    Many would rejoice over Christ's murder. For murder it was. He was too controversial to be allowed to live, so the local religious higher-ups conspired to kill Him. Matthew 26:2-3. 

    Then His disciples, His followers, would be mourning their loss while they who had conspired to kill Jesus would be rejoicing in His death, believing their problems to be over. 

    Upon Christ's resurrection, the disciples would rejoice; the murderers and they that condoned the mock trial and crucifixion would fear. When Christ left Earth to return to His Father, the disciples again rejoiced. 

    The Jewish religious leaders spread lies about Jesus while the disciples spread the Truth. As it was then so it is today. 

    For nearly 2000 years the faithful followers of Christ have preached the return of the King of Kings. The closer the time for His return the louder the earth groans and the world endeavors to destroy those who speak the Truth of the Gospel of Salvation through Jesus Christ. 

    We read in Revelation that when the two witnesses are killed, the people partied for three days. But then. Revelation 11:1-14. 

    When all is said and done as The Word has revealed it to us, they who came against God and His Son and His people will be no more. The world will no longer exist and a new earth will take its place. Revelation 21. 

    Until that time happens we who believe that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior will continue to proclaim the Good, Good News. Come to Jesus. Come and be filled with The Bread of Life. Come and quench your thirst with the Living Water. Come and be empowered with The Holy Spirit, for The Spirit calls to you, too. Come and be loved by God. 

    Revelation 22:17

The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” Let the one who hears say, “Come!” And let the one who is thirsty come, and the one who desires the water of life drink freely.

LEARNING TO BE LOVED BY YOU

Blessed Are The Poor in Spirit

 

    Matthew 5:3

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

    What does it mean to be poor in spirit? It means to be humble before God. To be poor in spirit is to live our lives in humbled obedience to God. If you think it is beneath you to humble yourself or that it is impossible to deliberately think less of yourself, then, my friend, you need help. And that Help is The Holy Spirit. 

    We are hearing God speak to us when we read in His Word how to humble ourselves to His will. We have our example in Christ.

    Philippians 2:8 tells us that "And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross." 

    To humble ourselves is to not rebel against God's Word which we have heard. Isaiah 50:5 "The Lord GOD has opened My ears, and I have not been rebellious, nor have I turned back."

    To humble ourselves is to focus on Christ and not on ourselves. We can cry "Woe is me!" and draw attention to ourselves or we can shout "Glory Hallelujah! Jesus leadeth me!" Hebrews 12:2 "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

    To humble ourselves is to surrender what we want for what God wants. Jeremiah 4:4 "“Circumcise (dedicate, sanctify) yourselves to the LORD And remove the foreskin [sins] of your heart, Men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, Or else My wrath will go forth like fire [consuming all that gets in its way] And burn and there will be no one to quench it, Because of the evil of your acts.”

    To humble ourselves is to purposely decrease our say-so and let God say thus and thus. John 3:30 " He must increase, but I must decrease."

    To humble ourselves is to give God the glory and not take credit for anything He says and does. Ever. Who found the perfect outfit for you to wear? God. Who showed you which tool to use for which project? God. Who reveals Himself in nature? God. Every question can be answered for God is the solution. 

    When Christ humbled Himself, He surrendered to God's Will and submitted Himself to God's Purpose and Plan. It was a battle (Luke 22:) but The Spirit was with Him and He was able to overcome the flesh part of Him that He might fulfill God's Plan of Salvation for His people. Luke 22:42  “Father, if You are willing, take this cup from Me. Yet not My will, but Yours be done.”

    To be poor in spirit is to intentionally honor God in our daily lives, bringing our self-desires into alignment with His desires for us. Only then will be blessed (to be envied because of God's benefits on us). 

     Are you ready to be "poor in spirit"?