Harbor Rock Tabernacle

How we respond to Who God is and what He does shapes everything we do. Whether we're hostile and resentful, or passively compliant, or yielded with contentment will determine where we fit in the "bell curve" of conviction. Every Christian should move out of the middle ground and have a supernatural faith, as illustrated by the blind man in John 9. He pushes aside any objections he might have had to Jesus' method of healing, and trusts and obeys the Lord. This gave him remarkable clarity--not just physically but spiritually. This faith will help us see what we didn't before, and produces a visible transformation in our lives.

Suffering can cause us to drift into discouragement, blame and distance from God, or we can see that the Lord utilizes it to refine us spiritually. In John 9, Jesus' interaction with a blind man gives insight into the role of sin in suffering. His teaching also challenges incorrect presuppositions about dealing with difficulty. Through this, we see the God's authority, and how He utilizes suffering to mature us and bring Him glory.

Psalm 1 shows that the believer is put in a wonderful position--saved and adopted through Christ, and blessed by the Lord when we walk in righteousness. In this last study of the series, "1 Way To Live", we see that the Lord also promises that He knows everything about us, and is focuses on strengthening us spiritually, and on leading us to what is best for us. This protects us from the destructive nature of sin, and puts us on the path of His greatest blessings.

Psalm 1 sets up a contrast between the righteous, who are blessed by God, and the wicked, who are guilty of sin and hostile toward God. Their lives and works are described as "chaff", which doesn't have foundation and is carried around by the wind. This has a spiritual parallel in terms of the impermanence and destablization of our culture, but there is an ultimate cost: Judgment. This doesn't have to be end of man, though, because God offers every person grace and mercy to save us from our sin and bless us for all eternity.

Scientists are spending billions searching for any tiny biosignatures of life on Mars. In contrast, as Christians, it should be unmistakably clear to everyone that we have life in Jesus Christ. Psalm 1:3 describes how that will look--like a tree planted deeply by streams of water. Each detail of that description is a call to examine our spiritual "DNA", to determine whether we are showing life and producing fruit.

As culture has changed and become more hostile to Christianity, there is a temptation to become bitter or numb about reaching people with the Truth. We may become entrenched as "Truth" Christians or "grace" Christians, rather than both being fully and equally present in us. This is why it's important to look at the example Jesus set, because He wanted people to stop living without value and hope. He also sent His Spirit to impart both into His people, so we can show people the power of His love and grace.

To live in God's blessing, there is a way to learn how to walk in righteousness. Psalm 1:2 says we are to "delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night". God's Word brings life, so we have to see it as our tutor, inclining ourselves toward it, thoughtfully spending focused time studying it and receiving it's counsel. When it permeates our heart and mind, it becomes a tremendous source of power and encouragement.

Psalm 1 details a chasm between someone who is blessed by God because of a redeemed relationship and someone who lives for themselves and rejects His salvation. In verse 1, being blessed is attached to three actions which believers are to zealously avoid, because each one is designed to progressively ingrain acceptance and practice of a lifestyle that pushes us farther away from the Lord. So the Lord warns us to "mind the gap", being careful where we walk, stand and sit spiritually, in a time where the prevailing trends and attitude of culture are opposed to Jesus Christ and His Word.

Surveys show that man's definition of success is largely characterized by self-fulfillment: More prosperity, more comfort and less responsibility. But God defines it differently in Psalm 1: He says we can be "blessed" by Him. We can experience this by being in the right position spiritually--saved and declared righteous through faith in Jesus Christ. Then, we have a responsibility to put that positional blessing into practice, actively and gratefully maturing in our relationship with Him. A powerful story from the unexpected country with the fastest growing church shows this involves living as disciples, not just converts.

One of the latest trends is the rise of "social media influencers", everyday marketers who promote places and products. Their success is due to social identity theory, in which people see value and connection based on the opinion of peers. When that message is true and the persuader is authentic, people are happy to be convinced. As Christians, the message of the Gospel is the ultimate Truth, so when our lives are marked by definitive life change, others will be drawn to Jesus Christ. In Acts 11, Barnabas shows the power of that combination, and the need to encourage others to "remain true to the Lord with a resolute heart"