The Blessed Man

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. – Psalm 1:1

How does one go from being a struggling Christian to a blessed, thriving Christian? I have had many conversations with struggling Christians. I believe the majority of their struggle comes from simply being unwilling to actually do the things God has called them to do. When I think of my own struggles as a young Christian, I was no different. Nearly all of my dissatisfaction was a direct result of not surrendering all my life to Him. There was always an element of control that I refused to give up.

If you want to be blessed, this verse says the first step you must take is away from the ungodly. One of the reasons I never won anybody to the Lord early on was because I walked in the counsel of the ungodly. My ways were exactly like the world’s ways. The only difference was I called myself a Christian. Why would anyone want what you or I have if we use the same curse words they do, fornicate just like they do, look at pornography just like they do, and whine and complain about work just like they do? The truth is that many are not blessed because they still walk in the counsel of the ungodly.

If you want to be blessed, don’t stand in the way of sinners. If you are a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, there are places that you don’t go. I used to love to go to concerts back in the day. My friend and I burned a trail to what used to be the Greenville Memorial Auditorium. There, as a person who said I was a Christian, I would raise my fist and rock and roll with musicians who cared nothing about the God I claimed to know and love. In fact, I saw many bands that were flat out directly opposed to Him. There I was, standing in the way of sinners, not a bit blessed because I wasn’t a bit different.

If you want to be blessed, don’t sit in the seat of the scornful. If you have walked just like the ungodly, and you are standing in the same places they are, do not take a seat. We call these people “set in their ways” and it isn’t always a good thing. People who sit in the seat of the scornful hold contempt in their heart for those who choose to live Godly. I remember a man sitting me down and having a conversation about the sinful stuff I was allowing into my ears and heart. Today, I am thankful for the conversation. But back then; I held contempt in my heart for him. I was scornful towards him. In my mind, I had formulated my own god of tolerance who would allow me to have Him and my favorite pet sins. I took a seat with the scornful. I dismissed this guy’s words quickly, though I could not get them out of my mind.

I had a difficult decision to make. Am I going to stay in my seat here? Am I going to live my life the way I want to? Or, am I going to remain a foul mouth, immoral “Christian” who does what he wants instead of what God wants? Am I to remain scornful to those who are simply trying to get me to walk on the correct path?

One of the loneliest walks a person will ever make is the walk from the wide road of destruction to the narrow path that leads to life. You will have to pass by a lot of people you once walked and stood with. Leaving the ways of your old, sinful life is mandatory if you want to truly experience the genuine presence of God.

When Moses left Egypt, he experienced the burning bush. When Jacob fled his old, deceitful life, he experienced the presence of God. When Peter obeyed Jesus and threw out the nets, he experienced the pure presence of God for the first time.

It took a while because I still wavered back and forth between what I thought was the good life and what I know now as the God life. However, the day I left far enough to experience His Presence, I knew He was the greatest thing this world offered.

If you want to be blessed, get up and go after Him like you are escaping for your life and refuse to look back!

“Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto to life, and few there be that find it.” – Matthew 7:14

Later

Adam