How to live a Happy, Fruitful Life

[0:00] 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. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season.

[0:22] His leaf also shall not wither, and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. The ungodly are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.

[0:33] Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish. Amen.

[0:47] Please be seated. What's a talk along the line of how to live a fruitful life. How to live a happy life. That's what we all want, isn't it?

[0:59] To live a life that's blessed. A life that's fruitful and joyful. And this psalm talks about a blessed man. A man who is blessed. To be blessed means to enjoy God's favour. To enjoy the source of true happiness, our Lord God.

[1:14] And lots of people, they look for happiness in all kinds of places, in all kinds of ways. For example, many believe that more money that they can lay their hands on will give them a happier life.

[1:27] That they can exhaust themselves making money. But fact is, rich people are not the happiest folk on earth. Let's face it. Others believe that fame will bring them happiness. So they put great efforts into becoming famous.

[1:43] But we know famous people are by no means the happiest people either, are they? That's a fact. We can see that. Still others believe that beauty will bring happiness. So they spend big fortunes on looking beautiful.

[1:58] I mean, look at all the operations Michael Jackson's had. And you think, yeah, if beauty was the source of happiness, then, you know, but it's not.

[2:11] Because beautiful people are not happier than people that are less beautiful. And others think that possessions, or position, or authority, or power, or knowledge will bring happiness.

[2:24] But they all fail to obtain true happiness, as we know. It's not found there. Where can we find true happiness? Where can we be blessed to be truly happy? To be truly joyful?

[2:36] What is the key? What is the key for us? And we see it really in this psalm. This psalm has got the keys of what is a fulfilled life, a fruitful life. We see it right through this psalm that we've just read.

[2:50] And this psalm shows us how can we live. How can we have a fulfilled life, a fruitful life? Do you want to be blessed by God? Do you?

[3:01] Amen. I'm sure, really, deep down, you all want to have God's blessing, God's favour, God's help. And this psalm shows us what makes a blessed man.

[3:12] And the first thing, the first one we see, is the blessed man has a way. We heard earlier, as Modest read, the Lord Jesus says, I am the way, the truth, the life.

[3:26] And the blessed man has found a new way, a new way of living. He's had a U-turn, a change of direction. And this man is a blessed man. He is joyful because there's a change that's happened.

[3:38] There's been a change of direction, a change of purpose. He now has a different walk, a different walk. He's got a different destiny. We heard about the home that our Lord is preparing for us.

[3:49] He's preparing a place for us. At the moment, we're still in the refugee camp, in a way, aren't we? We're still waiting for that blessed home to come. Our home is in heaven. Our citizenship, our place that we belong is in heaven.

[4:04] And meantime, we're still just in the waiting place, aren't we? Until he comes to take us or we go to him. And the Christian has a different walk. He's separated.

[4:14] He's got a different destiny. The Christian has a different path, a different path. He holds a different path from the path that the world will take. The Christian has a different standpoint. He holds a different viewpoint on life, on what really counts in life, what really matters.

[4:30] And we see, in contrast, we see how sin can develop. It says here there's a progression of sin. It says there that he walketh not in the council.

[4:42] There's a walk. And then secondly, it goes on. He doesn't sit, stand rather, with the sinners. And then thirdly, he doesn't sit with them. He doesn't join in with them.

[4:53] The godly man, the Christian, Christian man or woman, doesn't go along with the crowd. He isn't going that way. We've found a different way, haven't we?

[5:03] A different way, a different purpose. A new way of living. A new and living way, as the Bible calls it. A new way of thinking and talking and living. And the Christian, the Christian honours the Lord and the things of God.

[5:17] He no longer sits around with those critical ones, especially those who scoff and scorn about what is right and godly. I mean, take up your newspaper and you see, how does the media paint Christians?

[5:29] A load of wowsers and, you know, a load of stick in the muds or people that are out of touch with the real world. The media paints Christians as out of touch.

[5:41] Well, friends, I want to be out of touch with that, don't you? I don't want to touch, not the unclean thing. It's good to be out of touch with what the world has to offer because it's really got nothing in contrast.

[5:53] There's nothing to attract us as Christ gives us that real source of satisfaction and fulfilment. The Christian doesn't join in with that which is scornful and mocking of that which is right and godly.

[6:08] We want to praise that which is right and godly and exalt it and think about that. And we find in the Word of God there's real happiness, there's real fulfilment and real blessing found in the Word of God, in the way of God.

[6:22] And what makes a blessed man? He's found a new direction, the way, and he's got his delight in the Word. So we've seen the way, and secondly, the key thing in this psalm that I'd like to pull out is the Word.

[6:35] The Word is foundational for the Christian. We see here in verse 2 it says, But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

[6:47] This man has found the road man to that place that he's preparing for us. The Christian man has found that map for life, that different counsel, that different guidance, that different instruction, that meaning for now and eternity, that new purpose.

[7:06] And his mind, it says, the mind of the Christian man or woman dwells on God's Word. That's where we feast and find our pleasure, our delight and our desire. It's in God's guidebook for life.

[7:18] There's a book that's banned from government schools in America, and it's the B-I-B-L-E. It's banned in government schools in America. They don't have it. It's too radical, too revolutionary a book.

[7:31] And yet we know this is the book where the truth is, where we find instructions from the maker of our life, from the creator, the sustainer of our lives. And the Christian delights in its teachings and thinks about it day and night.

[7:45] The Word of God, it brings a real thrill to our lives. God's Word, it can become the source of our joy and becomes a part of our heart and our thinking. And we can invest in the Word of God.

[7:58] There's so much we could say about the Word of God. Here's why we should read the Bible. Someone said this, The young should read it to learn how to live. The old to know how to die.

[8:09] The ignorant for wisdom. The learned for humility. The rich for compassion. The poor for comfort. The dreamer for enchantment. The practical for counsel.

[8:20] The weak for strength. The strong for direction. The haughty for warning. The humble for exaltation. The troubled for peace.

[8:31] The weary for rest. The sinner for salvation. The doubting for assurance. All Christians for guidance. Read the Word of God.

[8:41] Find in it your sustenance, your delight, your desire. His delight is in the law of the Lord. The blessed man has a new direction, the way of life, and a new delight.

[8:54] The Word of life. The Word of God. The Bible, someone said, is a window through which we look into eternity. The Bible should more than inform us.

[9:07] It should transform us. This Word is a transforming book. It's radical. It's been said that in some houses, in some homes, you've heard this, no doubt.

[9:19] On the table, side by side, lay the Holy Bible and the TV Guide. One is well worn, but cherished with pride.

[9:30] But one is used daily to help folks decide. No, it isn't the Bible. It's the TV Guide. As the pages are turned, what shall they see?

[9:41] Oh, it doesn't matter. Just turn on the TV. Then confusion is started, for they can't all agree on what they shall watch on the old TV. So they refer to the book, in which they all confide.

[9:56] But it isn't the Bible. It's the TV Guide. The Word of God is seldom read. Maybe a verse before they fall into bed. Exhausted and sleepy and tired as can be.

[10:08] Not from reading the Bible, but from watching TV. Then back to the table, side by side, the Holy Bible and the TV Guide. No time for prayer. No time for the Word.

[10:19] The plan of salvation. Is seldom heard. Forgiveness of sins. So full and free. We find in the Bible. And not the TV. So true, isn't it?

[10:30] That we need to think about, how do we spend our time? Could we spend it more wisely? More usefully? More fruitfully? In studying and meditating day and night on God's Word.

[10:41] And finding the answers for life. Well, mate, to blessed man. The way. The Word. And thirdly, the water. We see in the sun here. There's something that makes a difference for a Christian.

[10:53] There's the water of life. There's the dimension of the Spirit-filled life that we see here in this text here. The blessed man has found a new dimension.

[11:04] The water of life. The water in the Word of God we know. Water is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. And the blessed man has got... The Christian's heart has the Holy Spirit resident.

[11:18] The Holy Spirit's home is the Christian's heart. And I know, Faith, we were talking about the Holy Spirit last night. Sean was talking about the Holy Spirit. How we need the Holy Spirit. And as a Christian, you have the wonderful privilege that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit.

[11:36] That God's Holy Spirit resides and finds His home there. And there's a true source of spiritual refreshment that we can find as we partake of that refreshing.

[11:47] As the Holy Spirit is with you and in you. Planting you. Patterning your life after Christ. And producing fruit in your life as you live for Him. And verse 3 it says, And He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water that bringeth forth His fruit in His season.

[12:06] His leaf also shall not wither, and whatsoever He doeth shall prosper. We see where this path leads us. It's the blessed way as we delight and meditate in God's Word.

[12:17] There's a meditation, but not only that, an application in the day-by-day life. And as a result, there's a fruit, there's a nourishing, there's a growing, there's a fulfilment there. What a beautiful picture we find in this psalm of the blessed man.

[12:31] Especially in a drought-stricken land. We think it's dry in us, don't we? How we need the rain. How we need, as a church, we need the Holy Spirit. Empowerment.

[12:41] And filling. And guiding. And empowering. Equipping. And we draw our spiritual life and strength from the Holy Spirit. And the life of Christ is reproduced in the believer.

[12:53] It brings forth new life. As you see, this beautiful picture that the psalmist painted. Oh, this green place of this flourishing, abundant life.

[13:04] Of this man of God. Of this Christian. And that can be true for you too. As the Holy Spirit has this sway. And moves and leads you. And brings forth fruit.

[13:15] And we know in the Word of God, what does fruit reflect? There's a couple of things that the Lord Jesus talked about. The disciples, His people bearing fruit. There's a fruit of character.

[13:26] And there's a fruit of converts. As we bring others to Christ. God wants you not to be sterile and stagnant. And stick in the mud. But to be abundant.

[13:36] And flourishing. And fruitful. To be giving life. To be showing others the life of Christ. I know someone was talking earlier about they've been filling in the mat. With some of the streets they've been handing out tracts.

[13:49] A simple thing. A time commitment. But a simple thing to do. Because you want to get the Word out. You want to introduce others to the Saviour.

[13:59] While there's still time. That's important. You want to have fruit of converts. And fruit of character. And God's blessing comes to our lives. As we live that spirit filled life.

[14:10] That flourishing life. The strength of character and of commitment. And it says whatever you do. Is going to prosper. Now it says you're going to prosper here. Now the word prosperity.

[14:21] Some people misapply this to think. Purely of money or material things. Of possessions. But the sense here of prosperity. In the word meaning here.

[14:32] Is that the spiritual man. Is going to move on. The spiritual man is going to advance. That's what it means. So it's got the sense where. The man of God.

[14:44] The woman of God. Is growing. Maturing. Flourishing. Advancing. Progressing. You know some people. They make a Christian commitment. And then that's it.

[14:54] They kind of just stop there. That's not the advancing. The growing. The going forward. And that's why we want to. Join in Bible study. In fellowship together. Wherever there's opportunity.

[15:05] To pray. And fellowship. And grow. In Christ. It's important. It's important. For your spiritual life. God counts it important. That you have that daily meditating. Day and night.

[15:16] In the word. And growing in fellowship. In service. And are you like. This one. That is the contrast. To that flourishing man. Stagnant.

[15:27] Stale. Rusty. In your spiritual life. Or are you advancing. Progressing. Maturing. Prospering. In that Christian life. In what really counts. Are you located by the rivers of water.

[15:39] We need to put our roots down deep. Into the word of God. Into the Holy Spirit. Empowering. Strengthening. And leading. And the water. It speaks about the water of life.

[15:50] About him who is life. The spirit of life. The one who washes us by his blood. And takes our sin. And there is a wonderful fruitfulness there. As we know Christ.

[16:00] And his salvation. Someone put it like this. What God chooses. He cleanses. What God cleanses. He molds. What God molds. He fills. What God fills.

[16:11] He uses. We need to be filled with God. Don't we? Now I was encouraged. When someone was telling me lately. How they are rationing their time on the internet. You know. They are cutting down that time.

[16:22] Because they want to. Not take away time. From their time with God. And what really counts. And that's. That's a good thing. Isn't it? Sometimes our time. Can be filled and filled. With so much.

[16:33] That's other than him. That it takes away his place. But how much more important. How much more useful. Than our lives be filled with God. Filled and overflowing with him.

[16:44] That we just want to. Use every available moment. And energy. For his glory. And to be filled with God. There's a lady. Corrie Temperone.

[16:55] Said this. She said. I have a glove here in my hand. The glove cannot do anything. By itself. But when my hand is in it. It can do many things.

[17:06] True. It is not the glove. But my hand in the glove. That acts. We are gloves. It is the Holy Spirit in us. Who is the one. Who does the job.

[17:17] We have to. Make room for the hand. So that every finger is filled. You know. Think of your life as a glove. Ask God to fill you. With his Holy Spirit.

[17:29] To fill your life. To make you a useful Christian. For his glory. Be filled with God. In contrast. The ungodly are not so. They are driven around by the wind. They are not going to stand.

[17:40] In the sense here. It says that sinners are not going to stand. In the judgment. The ungodly shall not stand. In the judgment. In the judgment. I am told the sense of it here.

[17:51] Is that they shall not stand justified. In the judgment. You know. When the judgment day comes. The ungodly are not going to stand justified. But you believers here today.

[18:02] What a glory. What a grace. What a blessing. That one day. As you stand in the judgment. You are going to stand justified. Acquitted. He is going to say.

[18:13] Not guilty. Because Christ has paid you fine. The Christ has taken the guilt. It is no longer there. You are free to go. Into that heavenly home. He has prepared for you.

[18:24] But the ungodly are not so. They shall not stand justified. In the judgment. God is going to say. Guilty. Nobody has paid you fine. You didn't ask them to. You didn't ask Christ to save you.

[18:37] You didn't ask Christ to pay your debt. You didn't ask Christ to take your sin. You could have done. But you didn't. What a tragedy. Let it not be true of you. That you won't stand justified.

[18:48] In the judgment. But that you will stand. Justified. In the judgment. Not for anything that you have done. As some have said. It's just as if. I've never sinned. Justified.

[18:59] That's how cleansed you can be. That's how forgiven you can be. That's how much of your guilt will remain. When Christ takes it. He'll take it all. He'll pay it all. But you have to ask him.

[19:11] Ask him today. If you've not yet. Ask him now. This very moment. Ask him. By the virtue of his blood. By the act of Calvary. To take your sin. By Christ's death.

[19:22] And his grace. His gift. He offers. He extends. Take it now. Don't leave it another day. The godly have found the way. The ungodly are lost. The godly have found life.

[19:34] The ungodly have death. The godly have fullness. The ungodly have emptiness. What a contrast. The chaff. It's just blown away by the wind.

[19:45] It's just scattered and gone. It's useless. But the godly are going to stand. Friends. Just to recap. The godly have found the way of life. They've made a U-turn.

[19:56] They're no longer hell bound. No longer going their own way. They're going God's way. They've found him who is the way. The truth. And the life. They've found eternal life. In Christ.

[20:08] There is a way. We see what's right. Unto a man. But the end thereof. Are the ways of death. Don't go that way of death. Turn around now. While you have time.

[20:18] It's been said to some. That they've got preachers. Like stop signs on that road. Saying stop. Maybe it's a track. It says stop. They've got the bible. It's saying stop. You're going the wrong way.

[20:29] It's like people going down a highway. Wrong way. Turn back. But they don't see. That they're going to a Christless. Doomed eternity. A damnation forever.

[20:40] And the stop signs are there. But they're not heeding them. Friends. Don't go that way. Turn around while you have time. Find the way. Of life. And the word of life.

[20:51] Don't miss it. Brother or sister. It's too precious to neglect it. The word of God. The word of life. Don't be scornful of him. Who is the author of life. The author of salvation.

[21:02] The one who's written the book. Of life. As it's been said. I've said this before. B-I-B-L-E. Basic instructions before leaving earth. It's essential.

[21:14] Basic instructions before leaving earth. Don't miss it. You need this book. I mean. It takes a bit of searching. And mining. And digging deep. But dig in.

[21:24] Dig into it. Don't miss it. And you'll have lasting joy. Eternal hope. Because this book brings that. And you've got the water of life. You've got that abundance.

[21:34] That fruitfulness. That flourishing sense of Christ. Who is your life. And you're planted by the rivers of water. Instead of having the spirit of death and destruction.

[21:45] You've got the spirit of life. Instead of being dry and thirsting. And dissatisfied. Trapped in the dimension of earthly things. You've found that key that unlocks eternity for you. And a heavenly home.

[21:57] That's promised to you. By his blood. By his grace. And his mercy. And the great question of life. Why am I here? It's here. The answer is here. Just find it.

[22:08] Search for it. He'll show you it. Don't be your son. They're still lost. They're dead. In their sins. They're literally dead people walking around. Dead. They might have a sense of being alive.

[22:21] But really they're dead. In their trespasses and sins. Without the life that God freely offers to them. And what a tragedy. What a loss. What a mistake to miss that. I urge you friends to put your trust in Christ.

[22:34] Because judgment is coming. Judgment is coming. And the ungodly are going to be ashamed. And embarrassed. And guilty. And they're going to face the eternal consequence of that.

[22:45] But the truth is. The blessing is for you. For me. You can be blessed. You can be blessed. It says. Psalm 144 verse 15. Yea.

[22:56] Happy is that people. Whose God is the Lord. There's a happiness there. The best place for us is to be planted. By the rivers of living water. Do you know him?

[23:08] He says to you. He that believeth in me. As the scriptures have said. Out of his belly shall flow. Rivers of living water. In the innermost part.

[23:19] Of this blessed life. There's a great abundant reservoir. Of God's supply. Of God's flowing life. Of that supply that's eternal. And absolute. Will you trust him today?

[23:30] Believe it. Be renewed in your faith. In your commitment. In your resolve. Trust him today. With your life. With your way. With your word. With those waters. That he wants to refresh you.

[23:42] And move. And work within you. And through you. And spread that wonderful life giving message. To those that are dry. And parched. And lost about you.

[23:53] Let's not make the mistake. Of walking. In the council of the ungodly. I know for some. Most of us. We have ungodly friends. And neighbours.

[24:03] And school mates. Or work mates. And you can't help but. But have some association. But let's be that light. That beaming light. In this darkened world for Christ.

[24:14] Let's be that. That dazzling light. That Christ is in you. The hope of glory. As others might see. Christ reflected. In the way you live. That you won't walk in the council of the ungodly.

[24:27] You've got a council. That's beyond theirs. The word of God. And you won't stand in the way of sinners. You won't follow their kind of thinking. Or sitting in the seat of the scornful. We're living in a scornful world.

[24:39] A Christ rejecting world. Let's make the difference. And be God's people. And let's instead. Daily delight. In the word of God. To meditate in it. Find your source in it.

[24:49] We're not talking about meditation. Like transcendental meditation. Or eastern mysticism meditation. Where they say. Just blank your mind. And say some mantras.

[25:00] Yeah. Just say some words. And dull your mind. And you'll find some kind of peace in that. But our meditation. The Bible says. Meditate in this. The word of God.

[25:10] Take the scriptures. And let them speak life into your heart. And change your life. And he will bless your life for it. You can live. A happy. And abundant life. And it's found.

[25:21] It's sources found. In God's way. God's word. In the water of life. That he gives. As we trust him. Let us pray. Lord we thank you today. For your precious word. That it is life to us.

[25:33] That we can find. The message of it. And apply it. For every heart. And home he represents it. Dear God. We pray. Help us Lord. To put our trust. In your word.

[25:43] To put our trust. In your word. Of Calvary for us. Lord we thank you. For the great mercy. And grace. That you show to us. In the cross. Help us Lord. To live that life.

[25:55] That's fruitful. And fertile. And Lord. That we can be. Your people. In this darkened world. That we can be. Witnesses for you. And Lord.

[26:06] If there be any present. They've not taken that step. Let it be now. Let it be today. They'll say. Lord Jesus. I trust you. I trust the work. That you have done. I thank you God.

[26:18] That you sent Christ. To die on that. That piece of. That rough piece of wood. To be nailed there. To be scarred. To be pierced. And wounded. And bruised for me. And to bear the penalty.

[26:29] Of my sin. So that I can be set free. So that I can know for sure. That a home has been prepared. In heaven for me. Because of. That great work. Of your love for me.

[26:40] Lord we pray. That that can be our prayer today. That each one might put their faith. Their hearts trust. In that that you have done. In Jesus name. We pray.

[26:51] Time in. CONGRATIST