Like A Tree By The Water
"And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither;
and whatsoever he doeth shall
prosper." Psalms 1: 3
We are told in the first chapter of the Book of Psalms that "we will be blessed if we do not
walk in the counsel of the ungodly, stand in the way of sinners, nor
sit in the seat of the scornful." The word blessed in Hebrew meaning is "asher" and also means happy and prosperous in Christ.
This is the desire of mankind and instructions are given in God's Word that one may have happiness
in this life and eternal rest and joy. We have God's promises for success throughout his Holy Word.
Many seek only temporal blessings instead of seeking
to bless God by being obedient daily.
We can live a blessed live each day by praising our Lord, listening to his voice and obeying his Word.
There are many religions which feel they must perform rituals or some special service to invoke the
blessings of God or their "gods" in worship.
It is God who has promised in Deu. 28: 2 that "all these
blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, (if) thou shalt harken unto the voice of the
Lord thy God." Although this was written to Israel as a Nation, it also applies to our obedience
today. We are also to harken diligently to his voice to observe and to do all his
commands, as in verse one. His blessings will come upon us and his word says "overtake us" if we
hear and obey. His Spirit will fall fresh upon us if
our lives are surrendered to Jesus as we praise
Him each new day. His Word is sent to heal and help {Ps. 107: 20}, but so many turn a deaf ear
to the Word as they do not see it as the source of healing and help.
Many are scornful of those who have a desire to share God's Word and do not
recognize the importance of hiding his Word in their heart.
We are commanded not to sit in the seat of the scornful who mock God
or his children.
It is our calling as Christians to share God's Word that others might
see his will and walk in his ways. He tells us
He has chosen us to bring forth fruit and that our fruit may remain.
He alone has given us power to be witnesses in his name through his
blessed Holy Spirit. We are to walk daily in His Spirit, as His Spirit within guides us. He does
not take his Spirit away from us or require that we must offer sacrifice or rituals as in the Old
Testament before he meets with us. Under God's grace, He is always with us and his presence
is there to see us through every problem or trial when we recognize who lives within our hearts.
We must stay surrendered to his will by "standing in a right relationship each day" before Him.
Our praise to him must be an "attitude of gratitude" each day to be in unity when we come
together in corporate worship to bless God and see his will accomplished in our midst.
If he dwells daily in the midst of our hearts, He will be with us as we bring a
sacrifice of praise to the house of the Lord.
This is his promise and we can believe his Word.
We bless God when we "present" ourselves to Him by giving up our self life and letting him
make us righteous and holy in his sight as commanded. (Rom. 12: 1-2).
Many new Christians might ask "how do we present ourselves?"
The Greek meaning of the word "to present ourselves" means
to pro-offer, be at hand, or to be ready, aid, assist, to stand beside, or simply to yield."
This is a way of life when we become a Christian, as we must surrender to his will and live a life of submission by
seeking to dwell in the secret place of the Most High God.
We are to daily lay aside our own desires out of a heart of gratitude that our sins have been forgiven. Only when our minds are renewed, are we
truly transformed that we will not be conformed to this world.
The word happiness in Greek meaning in the New Testament is "eulogia" which means
consecration or benefit and blessing as a matter of bounty from a word which means "to speak
well of religiously, to bless, thank or invoke a benediction upon, prosper and praise."
The Scriptures tell us in Ephesians 1: 3 that God has
overflowing kindness when it relates to how we praise God who has blessed us with every blessing in heaven because we belong to Christ.
It is all the 'good things' which God gives us each day of our lives because He is our Covenant
God who promises if we consecrate ourselves to bring forth fruit pleasing to
Him; He will carry out every promise given to us.
He speaks well of the obedient in his Word and we are to receive by faith these blessings spoken.
Because we live in an intimate relationship with God, we can enjoy his blessings now when
we speak well of our Lord by praising him each day in all we do and say.
Receiving true blessings of God is a result of consecration and seeking to bless
God and see the fruit of what He will do made manifest which will be a lasting work to glorify him.
Blessings are more than just a 'moment's emotion' in our life as his blessings cause 'lasting devotion'
and an outflow with a desire to reach the lost and bring forth fruit as he desires.
The person who blesses God will delight in the law of the Lord and will meditate
upon it both night and day. We are told he shall be like a tree planted,
cultivated, and well watered and not like one growing wild in the field.
Those who are not righteous are like the chaff which dries up and soon blows away
as they are not watered and tended by the Lord.
This picture of a Christian who is blessed shows us there are
conditions of continually being blessed. In the season expected and governed by proper
irrigation and cultivation, a Christian will bring forth fruit.
His leaf shall not wither as that of the unrighteous, and whatsoever he doeth shall
prosper. This is a picture of a rich, fruitful and mature Christian life in
Christ. It is God's desire that one be in good health and prosper even as
their soul prospers. We have sickness and suffering in this world as a result
of the fall of Adam even though this was not God's original plan for man.
Even in the midst of pain and suffering we all walk through, God's children can still stand
firm and be blessed because of who they are in Christ as his child.
Just as the children of Israel walked "through the Red Sea" to the other side, we also will walk through the contrary waters
which try to overtake us in life. It is still only the Lord who can part the waters as He is
the one in the middle of every storm of life when his Spirit lives in our hearts.
It is up to us take the first step by faith and know that he has already gone before us.
God knows the way of the righteous and they shall stand in the judgment in the
congregation of the righteous. This is the expected end with eternal life with Christ.
Being as a tree planted by the water has many other applications, but only God can truly
water and give strength to stand through the storms of life.
Look to the Lord for life, love and liberty.
He will keep us safe in him and we shall be blessed!
We have God's promise of success for obedience to Him. Remember, it is not
our "outlook" but the "uplook" that counts.
As we look to the Lord, He will guide us safely through this life to our
eternal home.
Blessings in Christ,
Jo Ann Kelly (c) 2002
J. P.'s Inspirations |
