This is the first wisdom that we need to learn if we want to have a blessed (happy) life as a Christian. This wisdom is an introduction to the entire book of Psalms. And if we follow this course in our life through this year and beyond, it will lead us to happiness and reward.

1. Choosing the Road
that Leads to Success
and Prosperity
(A Blessed Life)
Psa. 1:1-6

2. • This is the first wisdom that we need to
learn if we want to have a blessed
(happy) life as a Christian.
• This wisdom is an introduction to the
entire book of Psalms.
• And if we follow this course in our life
through this year and beyond, it will lead
us to happiness and reward.
2

3. • Let us check our paths or roads that
we walk in the past years of our life.
• We will make a comparison on what
the writer of Psa. chapter 1 – which
road that we have passed (often as a
believer of God).
• In this book two things are being
describe – and can also found in
other books of the Bible.

4. TWO WAYS TO DO LIFE & 2
DESTINIES
• In this book Psa. 1 sets forth:
1. The way of the Righteous
vv.1-3, tells us:

5. “Blessed is the man, who walks not in the
counsel of the ungodly
Nor stands in the path of sinners
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful,
But his delight is in the law of the Lord
And in His law he meditates day and night.
He shall be like a tree, planted by the rivers of
water
That brings forth its fruit in its season whose leaf
also shall not wither
And whatever he does shall prosper”

6. 2. The way of the ungodly –
vv.4-6
“The ungodly are not so, but are like the chaff
which the wind drives away.
Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the
judgement, nor sinners in the congregation of
the righteous.
For the Lord know the way of the righteous
But the way of the ungodly shall perish.”

7. • In this chapter there are only : TWO
PATHWAYS.
• There are no many ways of life, only
two.
• We find this also in the other book of
the scripture.

8. • In Daniel 12:2
“And many of those who sleep in the dust of
the earth shall awake
Some to everlasting life, some to shame and
everlasting contempt.”
“Many of those whose bodies lie dead and
buried will rise up, some to everlasting life and
some to shame and everlasting disgrace.”

9. • In Mal. 3:18
“Then you shall again discern between
the righteous and the wicked. Between one
who serves God and one who does not
serve Him.”

10. • In Matt. 7:13-14
“ Enter by the narrow gate, for wide is the
gate and broad is the way that leads to
destruction, and there are many who go in by it.”
“Because narrow is the gate and difficult is
the way which leads to life, and there are few who
find it.”

11. • Most of us spend a lot of time trying to find
happiness.
• We are all involve in the pursuit of happiness
(but always we find it in the wrong way).
• True happiness is only in God.

12. • Psa. 16:11
“You will show me the path of life
In your presence is fullness of joy
And your right hand are pleasures forever.”
• Psa. 34:8
“Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good,
blessed is the man who trust in Him.”

13. • This does not mean “check out God’s
credentials”, instead it is a warm invitation.
“Try this: I know you’ll like it”.
• When we take the first step of obedience in
following God, we will discover that He is
good and kind. When we begin the Christian
life, our knowledge of God is partial and
incomplete. As we trust Him daily, we
experience how good He is.

14. • Psa. Chapter 1 offers us the true and lasting
happiness by showing us between the
righteous and the ungodly (wicked).
• It describes:
1. THE WAY OF THE RIGHTEOUS (vv.1-3)
Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel
of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor
sits in the seat of the scornful.

15. a. THEY AVOID THE DOWNWARD PULL OF
THE UNGODLY
• Notice the words used: walks not, nor
stands, nor sits
• It means – do not get involved in
relationship and situation where the
influence of your life is dragging you in
wrong decision.

16. • Our friends and associates can have
profound influence on us often in very subtle
ways.
• If we insist on friendship with those who mock
what God considers important, we might sin by
becoming indifferent to God’s will – this
attitude is the same as mocking God.
• Questions we need to consider:
• Does your friends build up faith or they tear it
down?
• True friends should help you to draw closer to
God not hinder your relationship with Him.
•

17. b. THEY ACCEPT THE DECISIVE PLACE OF
THE SCRIPTURE
• The ability to make decisions quickly and
effectively.
“But his delight is in the law of the Lord and His
law he meditates day and night.”
1. Their hearts delight is in the Word of God.
• This person finds his greatest joy in doing things that
pleases God.
• He read and studies the word of God and when he
finds passages that applies to him he determines to
carry it out in his life. 17

18. • He delights to match up his life with the
principles he discovers in the word of God.
• He meditates it day and night – he choose
over God’s word throughout the day and into
the night.
• If you have the word of God in your heart,
meditate on the word of God not on problems
– match up your problems with God’s word
and meditate on it.
18

19. • Think it through the word of God.
• The Bible should be the source of your
strength, your habits is dictated by it.
• We have the supply of grace that is drawn
from the word of God.
• You become what you are by the supply of
the word of God in your life.
• The way you think – your perspective
• The way you live your life
• Your values, and your priorities, your character and
habits – are all manifestations of the word of God in
which you are delighted.
19

20. • The more we know of the whole scope
of God’s word, the more resources we
will have to guide us in our daily
decisions.
2. Their stability comes from God’s
word (v.3)
“He shall be like a tree, planted by the
rivers of water that brings forth its fruit in its
season, whose leaf also shall not wither and
whatever he does shall prosper.”

21. • The more we delight in obeying God,
the more fruitful we are or the more
stable we are.
• Fruitfulness is a responsibility in
appropriating the abundant resources of
God in every circumstance we
encounter in life.

22. • Jer. 17:7-8
“Blessed is the man who trusts in the
Lord and whose hope is the Lord. For he
shall be like a tree planted by the waters,
which spreads out its roots by the river.
And will not fear when heat comes, but its
leaf will be green and will not be anxious in
the year of drought, nor will cease from
yielding fruit.”

23. • On the other hand, the more we allow
those who ridicule God to affect our
thoughts and attitudes, the more we
separate ourselves from our source of
nourishment.
• We must have contact with unbelievers
if we are to witness to them, but we
must not join in or imitate their sinful
behavior.

24. • If you want despair, spend time with the
ungodly, but if you want God’s blessing,
make friends with those who love God
and His word.
3. Their spiritual testimony comes
from God’s word.
“ Whose leaf also shall not wither.”

25. • The indication how the tree is doing the
is the leaf.
• Those who deposit the word of God in
their heart will never lack withdrawal –
meaning never lose their testimony.
• There are those Christians who have a
“blown testimony”
• Remember we don’t become ungodly
for a moment but when we allow the
downward gravitational pull.

26. • We need to stay connected with God
and His word, his people and his
church.
• Matt. 5:13 – Jesus said:
“You are the salt of the earth, but if the
salt loses its flavor, how shall it be
seasoned? It is then good for nothing but
to be thrown out and trampled underfoot
by men.”

27. • A godly life gives convincing testimony
of the saving power of God that brings
Him glory.
• 1 Pet. 2:12
“Having your conduct honorable among Gentiles, that
when they speak against you as evildoers, they may
by your good works which they observe, glorify God in
the day of visitation.”
“Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving
neighbors. Then if they accuse you of doing wrong,
they will see your honorable behavior, and they will
give honor to God when He judges the world.”

28. 4. Their success comes from God’s
Word
“ They prosper in all they do.”
• Success is when you see God’s will is
fulfilled in your life.’
• “They prosper in all they do” does not
mean immunity to failure or difficulties.
Nor does it guarantee health, wealth
and happiness.

29. • But prosperity or success – is when we
apply God’s wisdom, the fruit (results or
by-products) we bear will be good and
will receive God’s approval.
• Just as a tree soaks up water and bears
luscious fruit, we also are to soak up
God’s words producing actions and
attitudes that honor God.

30. • To achieve anything worthwhile, we
must have God’s word in our hearts.
• NO CHRISTIAN CAN HAVE GOD BUT
WITHOUT HIS WORD IN HIS HEART.
• We cannot afford to have God in our life
but without God’s word in our heart.
• The more we have God’s word in our
heart, the more we have God in our life.

31. • Lt. Gen. William K. Harrison was the most
decorated soldier in the 30th Infantry Division
rated by Gen. Eisenhower as the number 1
infantry division in World War II.
• He was the 1st American to enter Belgium
which he did as the head of the Allied forces.
He received every decoration for valor
except the Congressional Medal of Honor –
being honored with the Distinguished Silver
Cross, the Silver Star, the Bronze Star of
Valor and the Purple Heart (he was one of
the few generals to be wounded in action)

32. • General Harrison was a soldier who led a
busy ultra-kinetic life, but he was amazing
man of the Word.
• When he was 20y/o West Point cadet, he
began reading the O.T. through once a year
and N.T. four times.
• He dis this until the end of his life.
• Even in the thick of war he maintained his
commitment in reading the Bible.
• At the age of 90 his failing eyesight no longer
permitted his discipline.

33. • He had read the O.T. 70 times and the N.T.
280 times!
• No wonder his godliness and wisdom were
proverbial and that he Lord used him for 18
fruitful years to lead Officers Christian
Fellowship.
• His story tells us 2 things:
• It is possible even for the busiest of us to
systematically feed on God’s word.
• No one could be busier or lead amore
demanding life that General Harrison.

34. • His life remains a demonstration of a godly
life in our text with a mind programmed with
God’s word.
• His closest associates say that every area of
his life (domestic, spiritual and professional)
and each of great problems he faced was
informed by the Scriptures.
• People marveled as his knowledge of the
Bible and the ability to bring its light to every
area of life.

35. • He lived out the experiences of the Psalmist
• Psa. 119:97-100
“O how, I love your law! I meditate on it all day
long. Your commands make me wiser than my
enemies for they are ever with me. I have more
insights than all my teachers for I meditate on your
statutes. I have more understanding than the elders for
I obey your precepts.”

36. • We must remember this: We can never be a
godly Christian without reading the
Scriptures regularly – because we cannot be
profoundly influenced by that which we do
not know.
• If our life are filled with God’s Word, our life
can then be informed and directed by God –
your domestic relationships, your child-
rearing, your career, your ethical decisions,
your interior life.

37. • The way to a road that leads to success and
prosperity ( a blessed life) is through God’s
word.
• How much do you love the Word of God?
• Are you delighted with His word?
• How much of His word have you deposited in
your heart?
• How much of His word that you know and
obeyed – and how much have you
disobeyed?

38. • Resolve now to read and meditate His word
daily - deal or no deal?
• Do you have your own Bible?