Whatever he does prospers.

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.

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,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.

Not so the wicked!
They are like chaff
that the wind blows away.

Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.
Psalm 1

This and the twenty third psalm were part of what I recited to my kiddos at bed time.

I still have a picture with the start of this verse in my living room. The picture shows Jesus talking with a businessman and the quote on the brass plate says:

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.

But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.

Over it is another plaque - frequently used at Christmas, but always appropriate : "Wise men still seek him."

The point is wise men, blessed men, do not walk in the ways of this world. Wise men walk according to the word of God that they have hidden in their hearts.

The ways of this world will perish.

This world believes that you exist to support it, you are part of their hive, a social animal that must sacrifice yourself for their demands.

God offers you choice. chose to be with him or not - no demands. God values you as an individual - just you, and you alone. You come to him, not to a human run ministry or group - come to Jesus Christ.

Spending your time understanding your creator -- and the owner's manual God has given you for your individual life -- is the way to prosper.

Your deliverance is spiritual and eternal in Christ Jesus - you will no longer be part of this world. Your choice can set you free. It is easy to be part of this world and demand of others as they demand of you - each looking for the easy way to get the hive to support them.

It is tough to be a foreigner, alien to society, an individual with a personal relationship with the living God. You won't get this relationship because your parent's claimed to have one, the choice must be yours, and yours alone.

You have the choice, you can chose to be an ambassador on foreign soil - with your citizenship in heaven. You can leave the chains and barbed wire of the social hive, and enter into a relationship where you are valued as an individual.

There are no demands with God, just the offer of loving guidance. To accept this offer you must chose to enter into a new bilateral agreement. The Holy Spirit will guide - you will seek his strength to follow - knowing every step he directs is for your, and everyone else's, good.

Jesus offers you the choice of freedom right now - he still says:

Follow me.



Father God,

We approach you just vaguely aware of our own limitations.

We are likewise only partially aware of your brilliance, love, and wisdom.

Teach us lord, according to your love, what we need to know so that we might live a life that is according to your perfect will. We acknowledge our lack of understanding, we therefore depend on you to lead us in the truth.

Our joy in you, our relationship with you, our communications that are based on the sacrifice you so willingly made - this is the basis of the love that we now return to you.

Help us to grow.

We come to you now and ask for your direction in our life ---

in Jesus name ---

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