The Blessed Man: Walking, Standing, and Sitting Week 3

Okay, there we are. Now we can turn it down. We're really loud. Okay, we're going to go ahead and do our study for tonight. Those who are watching online, uh still a little loud. Those who are watching online, we're at ohana.urch/live, you can download the notes. We're on page three and four. Uh and uh then we'll So you can download those notes and follow along. A couple of announcements beforehand. We have men's prayer breakfast this Saturday and at 8:00 a.m. And so looking forward to have new men out for that. And then uh not this next Wednesday, but two Wednesdays from now, we'll be having our combined service.

And uh we'll be having our special speaker from the teen conference that will be speaking for us on Wednesday night. So I need you to help me invite everybody else out. We're going to cancel all of our Bible studies. encourage everybody to be here for one night together. Uh you will love the speaker and want to encourage you to plan to be a part of that on the 18th. And then we have the youth conference right after that. Be praying for them. And then we have the the hunt on the 28th. And so we need you to get signed up to help. If you haven't done that, go to aana.urch/events and get signed up to help out there.

And then uh we'll have our Easter services on the 5th. And uh so get all that on your calendar and get signed up. If you want to make a donation through Amazon of buying something for our hunt, you need to do that today because I'm going to start ordering tomorrow for the church and whatever you have in order, I'm going to be ordering. So, uh please get that taken care of. Um number of prayer requests. We want to be praying of course for the whole situation in the Middle East and we've got some former members that are involved in that. So, we want to pray for them and and just for God's protection.

And we got some folks in our church, got family or friends that are over there as well. So, we need to be praying for them. And then we also need to be praying for Rose Morton. Uh there and and for Mike both. Rose has got the the the lump they found the the mass that was in her intestinal system. And so they've got to take care of that. And then Mike was having some eye difficulties. Went to the opthalmologist on. Have not heard back on how that went, but praying for both of them. And then praying for Rosario Ortiz. her father did have the gallbladder surgery. So pray for full recovery in his 90s if I remember right or right up by that.

And so pray for his full recovery and for uh for um Emma, one of our Filipino ladies also that had the same gallbladder surgery. And so pray for both of them. Dolly Capili uh had to go in for some surgery. She's going to have a follow-up with that. So pray for her and for doctor's wisdom there. So, a number of folks want to be praying for and just asking the Lord to meet that need. That would be good. And then I also want to mention we have the I'm going to be gone in April from April 5th to April 30th. And um we have brother Bruce Humbart's going to be here preaching and teaching and he'll be a real blessing to you.

And he's also going to be doing a child training class on Sunday morning in Sunday school for the three weeks he's here. And I would definitely put that on your calendar. Plan to be a part of that as well. All right, let's go ahead and have a word of prayer and we'll begin our Bible stud for tonight. Father, we thank you for the opportunity to come here in the midweek, learn your word. Pray for the teenagers downstairs, for the Filipinos in their class, for the kids as well, and then for the other Bible studies going on during the week also. Lord, we pray that you would be with these prayer requests we've mentioned for uh Rosario's dad uh and pray for full recovery for uh Emma that you would be with her her recovery and for Rose and Mike and give the doctor's wisdom for Dolly as well.

A number of our families just pray for their health and for the doctors and everything would go well there. We pray for um for the people that are in the Middle East right now. pray for wisdom for our government. We pray for uh being a military church, we've got many connections with that. We pray for safety and watching over them and taking care of them. Lord, we ask that you be with us as we come into Easter, that we'd be able to reach folks for Christ and it we'd be a a a great outreach as well as a great time to honor you for your sacrifice for us as well. Praise you bless us now, Father, in Jesus name we pray.

Amen. All right, we are on page uh three of your notes. I believe on your notes and letter D. We just finished last week. We're looking at Psalms chapter 1. If you want to go ahead and turn over to there and um take a look at it, I I'd encourage you. This is a great psalm to memorize, especially the first three verses, but the whole psalm. It's not that hard. Uh you can do it, but you just got to take do it. Write it down, carry it with you, work on it, and you'll get that much more of a blessing out of it. Um but we're talking about it said uh blessed man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly nor standeth the way of sinners.

We talked about the difference an ungodly person is does not who somebody does not either believe in God and lives as if there but lives as if there's no god. Uh even some Christians can be ungodly because they live like there is no god in heaven. And and so that's the ungodly where a sinner is somebody that sins. He believes in God. and he and he lives his life in a belief in God, but yet the sin in their life is is what's different there. Now, letter E is where we we're we're at and we're looking at what who is the scornful. Some of you have been around for a while. Remember that I went through the series about wisdom is not enough and talked about the difference between the wise, the simple, the fool, and the scorner.

And they are four different characters in the Bible. Uh the wise person is somebody that uh is is somebody that wants to do what's wise. They want to do what's right. They generally make wise decisions. And uh and and so that's wisdom. The next level down is the simple. And the simple is somebody who is not simple-minded. That doesn't mean they're not smart, but the simple is somebody who uh is not made the choice to be wise. And the simple is generally influenced by who they hang out with. Uh if you have a young person, a teenager in your family, you might realize that when they get around the good crowd, they they they they do well.

When they get around the bad crowd, they don't do well. And so the simple person is very easily influenced, the simple person is not decided to be wise. And so consequently um it's in Proverbs chapter 9 it talks about how the the simple person came down the road and there was two different women. One was the wise one was a fool and they they said come in my door come in this way and the simple had to make choice door number one or door number two. Am I going to go the w the wise or the simple? And that's the problem with simple. They haven't made a decision to live a wise life and and so they're easily influenced by their circumstances.

They're influenced by the people they're with. They they they can do very be very wise at one moment, very foolish at the next. And that's the wise person. And then the foolish person is of course somebody who who acts like a fool. They make very foolish decisions. And then the scornful is the fool who is who has gone over the edge. Um there's no hope for them. And so let's take a look at that. Look at Proverbs chapter 1 and verse number 22. And by the way, with the with this group too, you have many people are in between. You can be a a a wise simple person or a simple wise person. So it's kind of like a scale and none of us stay on that one place of the scale.

I can be very wise today and be very much a fool tomorrow and and and doing that. But look at Proverbs 1 and and verse number 22. Proverbs chapter 1 verse 22. The Bible says, "How long you simple ones will you love simplicity and the scorners delight in their scorners and fools hate knowledge." And so we have three of the four identified here and the wise are talked about as well in this passage. But um the scornful, the word scornful in the Hebrew language means to make mouth or speak arrogantly. To make mouth or speak arrogantly. Uh look at Proverbs chapter 19 and verse number 28. Proverbs 19:28, "An ungodly witness scornneth judgment, and the mouth of the wicked devourth iniquity."

The fool can be foolish, but they generally don't do it right out front. In fact, the fool likes to fool you. They're the they're the ones that, you know, try to be look like. I I as a teacher, I would have fools in the class that would would try to act wise. They would say, "Yes, sir, no, sir." And when they're in front of you, but they would do their their bad stuff behind. they would hide it where the scorner doesn't care. And the scorner is the one that will will mouth off, that will uh speak arrogantly, that will say will say things that need to be that don't need to be said. And and that's the scornful.

So the fool is the is the scornful is the fool that's got no controls and uh doesn't care about that. uh in in Proverbs chapter 9 and verses number 7-2. Proverbs chapter 9 and verses 7-2 the the scornful they don't like to listen to reproof or instruction. They don't like to listen to a reproof or instruction. Proverbs chapter 9 and verses 7-2 it says he that reproveth a scorner giveth himself shamed. In other words, if again as a teacher would I have a scorn in a class, I would say, "Settle down." He would he would mouth back at me. He would try to uh make fun of me. Uh you know, all kinds of things like that.

The school the scorner does not like to be rebuked. And um and he that rebuketh the wicked man get himself a blot. Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee. Rebuke a wise man, he will love thee. You know, the wise would, you know, hey Joe, you're doing wrong there. He would sit up straight and say, "Okay, I'm going to straighten myself out." But that was a scorner. And they give instruction to a wise man. He will be yet wiser. Teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. And then uh verse 10, the fear of the Lord is beginning wisdom, and the knowledge of the holies understanding. For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of life shall be increased.

If thou be wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself. But if thou scornest, thou thou alone shall bear it. And so scorner, he doesn't like to be reproved. Uh he doesn't like to be told what to do. Uh you start to tell him what to do. He says, "Well, I know you don't have to tell me that." You know, he doesn't want to listen. He doesn't want to. And he's very vocal about that. And then number three there is the scorner will not take rebuke. Proverbs 13 and verse number one. A wise son heareth his father's instruction, but a scorner heareth not rebuke. They don't like to be told they're wrong. Uh they don't like to to be caught.

Uh and they will turn it back on you and blame you for it and all the rest of it. Uh they don't like to be rebuked. And then number four is there's constantly seeking but never finding. Proverbs chapter 14 and verse number six, a scorner seeketh wisdom and findth not, but knowledge is easy on him that understandeth. So the scorner, they just never can figure it out. You know, you you you you're right there in front of them saying, "Here's what you need to do." And it's like it like goes right over their head. Uh and and they just don't seem to get it. They don't seem to understand. And and the scorner is the one that does something stupid and and they get the consequences of it and then they go back and do it again.

They just don't learn. They don't seem to understand, hey, your problems are because of what you're doing. and they just can't get that across. Um, number five, his basic problem is pride. Look at Proverbs chapter Well, we're 14:12. Look there right now. It says, "There's a way which seemth right unto man, but the end thereof over the ways of death." And they go over to Proverbs 21 and verse number 24. The scorner's got it all figured out. He thinks he knows everything already. I I know what's right and wrong. I know what I can do, what I can't do. You can't tell me anything. Uh, he thinks he's got it all figured out.

It's right in his own mind. And in Proverbs 21 24, it says, "Proud and hotty scorner is his name who dealeth in proud wrath." So scorners have very much a pride. That's why they don't like being rebuked. You can't tell me what to do. I'm better than you. And and they act like they're better than you. And they come across that way. That's the scorner. They're a fool. And the fool's got a lot of these same characteristics, but there's hope for a fool. But there's no hope for a scorner. They pretty well crossed the line. they're they're not going to change. Um the problem is a lot of times we as leaders will spend a lot of time working with a scorner and we're wasting our time.

Now we don't know when somebody crosses that line. We don't know when there's no hope for somebody. But basically a scorner is not going to change. They're they're not going to listen. You know the best thing you can do is isolate them from the rest of the group cuz they have a big influence. They're the ones that are mouththing off and talking behind your back and causing all kinds of troubles. They're the problem makers. Um, and then number six is they stir up trouble. Look at Proverbs chapter 29 and verse number 28. Proverbs chapter 29 and verse number 8. Not 28, verse number eight. Scornful men bring a city into a snare, but wise men turn away wrath.

Uh, the scorners, they like to stir up the antill. They they really like it when things they're kind of like the whole Iranian leadership. They just want to cause trouble and uh and and that they're not happy if they're not causing trouble. And uh they just like to stir everything up and make it make it pandemonium. That's the scorner. And and so going back to Psalms chapter 1, he said, "Blessed is a man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, those who don't live like there's a God, don't believe in God, or don't live like there's a God, nor sitth in the seat of nor standeth in the way of sinners, those who are doing wrong, or nor sitth in the seat of scornful and and allowing ourselves become like this."

So how should the scornful be treated? In Psalms 1:1, they do not sit and listen to them. You know, when you got a scorner, don't give them an audience. Don't give them an audience because that's exactly what the scorner wants. They want an audience to listen to them. And it's just like, "No, I'm not going to waste my time listening to you. I'm not going to waste my time trying to reason with you because you're not reasonable." And so, don't sit sitting in a scornful. Don't sit there and listen to them. reprove them not for their benefit but for the benefit of others. Look at Proverbs chapter 19 and verse number 25.

Proverbs 19 and verse number 25. Smite a scorner and the simple will beware and reprove one that hath understanding and he will understand knowledge. Again, as a teacher, if I had a scorn in a class, they weren't going to change. Okay, the fool, I could control them a little bit. scorers there's no control over the best thing to do is to get rid of them. But when a scorer would act up, if you say, "All right, Joe, you behave." All the simple ones would sit up straight. You know, they'd realize, "Okay, he got in trouble. I don't want to get in trouble." Cuz they were easily influenced. But the scorner is not that's not going to happen.

So, you need to rebuke the scorner, not to change them because there is no hope for them, but to make the simple pay attention and realize I don't want to be that person. and then uh punish them for the benefit of others. Proverbs chap 21 and verse number 11. When the scorner is punished, the simple is made wise. And when the wise is instructed, he receives knowledge. So when the scorner is punished, that's when the simple are made wise. That's when they learn. And so that's what you have to understand is you can't just sit there and and let them get away with that. uh you got to deal with it and and because they're not going to change it.

It's again like in Iran, there was no negotiating with these people. There just there's no negotiation at all. Uh they weren't interested in that cuz they were over the hill already. They'd already gone beyond the hope of change. Uh there are other countries you can negotiate with in other places, but not them. And and so they are the ones that need to be punished. It's not only going to be good for them, it's going to be good for the rest of the world as well. See, we're not going to tolerate this. And and that's what you have to understand with this corner. Okay. Going back to Psalms chapter 1 verse two, it says, "But his delight is in the law law of the Lord."

So our delight is being his law. That Psalms 119 the whole chapter is about loving the law is really about the law of God and and having a delight in that. Look at Psalms 119 with me. Psalms 119. And look at verse number 14. Psalms 119 and verse14. I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies. Another name for the word of God as much as in all riches. Look at verse number 72. Psalms 119:72. The law of thy mouth is better unto me than 10,000s of gold and silver. I'd rather have the word of God than 10 thousands and thousands of dollars. Um, look at verse number 162. Psalms 119 verse 162. I rejoice at thy word as one that findeth a great spoil.

So it we we we love the word of God more than riches. You know, it's nice when somebody gives you money or you gain on your stock market or whatever else. You know, that's good, but I'd rather have this. Uh was praying with Pastor John today, this afternoon. We had prayer and prayer time together. And one of the things I prayed for is I I spent most of the day studying for my messages. I'm preaching both Sunday morning and Sunday night. And man, I was just I was having a blast. You know, it was a lot to do, but I I'm I'm like, "Wow, wow, wow." It just you got to delight in the law of the Lord. And the truth is, most Christians don't.

Most Christians reading their Bible is a chore. It's something they have to do and they don't do. and and the psalmist said, "Man, I just love being in the word of God and and delighting." And then look at uh verse number 16 of Psalms 119 verse number 16. It says, "I will delight myself in thy statutes. I will not forget thy word." So, uh don't don't forget it. Again, thy word have I hid in my heart. It's remembering the word of God. Uh when I study the Bible, one of the things that again I I love doing is when I'm reading a verse and then the Holy Spirit brings my mind to another verse, it's like, "Oh yeah."

And it's like it's it's a delight to come up with a here's another verse that that reinforces what I'm what was being said here and here's another verse that goes right along with that line of thinking. That's a delight. And then uh look at verse number 24. Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counselors. And so delighting in the counsel of the Bible. It's it's when I find a Bible verse that really says, "Okay, that's what I need to do. That's going to help me make a decision. That's going to help me in this situation." When the Bible's my counselor, you know, it's it's just great when you find Bible verses.

It just really there it is. That's what I needed to figure out this decision. And then um Psalms 119:35, "Make me to go in the path of thy commandments, for therein do I delight." Um it'll guide my path. Look at 105. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and light on my my path. We're planning this trip to Europe. you've talked about some and we're excited about it, but it's really a complicated trip because we're going to Italy to see our missionaries miettas and then we're going to go from there up to Germany. We're taking a river cruise and then we're going from there over to uh visit Prague and then we're going to go to see the heens and in Germany again and then we're going from there to Paris.

And I tell you what, there's a lot of logistics involved here. trains and planes and river cruises and boats and hotels and all the rest of it. And and for a little while there, I was kind of like stressed out like where how are we going to get from here to there and what about this and where do we find the connection for the train and all the rest of it? But you know what? When it's all now that it's all starting to come together, I'm delighting in this. I'm having fun with it now. It was a stress, but now it's coming together. And we got we have a travel agent helping, too. And she said, "Listen, when you get there, uh, I'm available when you can't figure out the connections for the train.

You know, don't worry about that. We're going to take care of you." Boy, that's a delight that my paths are taken care of. and and to know that. And then verse number 47, verse 47 says, "And I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved." Do you love God's commandments? Do you delight in his word? Do you delight in what he tells you to do? Now, again, we talked about this before. Why is it called the law? It's called the law because the psalmist only had Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. That's pretty well it. and he delighted in those five books and you and I have got the Psalms and the Gospels and the New Testament and all the rest of it.

And if he delighted in just those five books, how much more should we delight in the law of God, in the word of God? Okay, going back again to Psalms 1 2 but lies in the law of the Lord and his law does he meditate day and night. Now we've talked about meditation in Joshua chapter 1 and verse number eight. Joshua 1 and verse 8. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou shalt uh meditate therein day and night that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein. For then thou shalt have good success, and then or then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shall have good success.

You know, meditation. Again, I can't overstress this. If you want to transform your Bible study, if you want to transform your Christian life, learn how to meditate. Practice it every day because it will transform you. And that's what the psalmist said. When I when I meditate in the word of God, boy, it just makes such a difference. It is amazing. It's delightful. Okay. So he goes on to say in verse number three and again as we go through here we're looking at the words we're looking at the word pictures as well. And so he says and he should be like a tree planted by the rivers of water bringeth forth his fruit in his season.

His leaf also not wither and whatsoever he do it shall prosper. And this is again where meditation comes in play. You should stop here and say okay God's given me a word picture. Now, things that could help you with this is maybe looking at some pictures of trees. Go out and, you know, we have fruit trees in our yard. Go out and look at them. Go out, pick some fruit off that tree. Get that visual and tactical feeling that goes along with what you're reading. You know, when you're reading walk to stand, you know, when you're reading that, what walk and think, well, what it be like to walk with the ungodly or, you know, or or um stand in the way of sinners or sit and see these coral and actually do those actions.

But if you don't, at least visualize that action. And so, we get to verse three here. He's given us a very visual word picture of a tree. And then also what I like to do is look up other scriptures to cross compare. Uh so look at Psalms chapter 92. Psalm chapter 92 and verses 12-4. The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree. He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall bring forth fruit in old age. They shall be fat and flourishing. So here it goes along with it just says tree in Psalms 1, but here he talks about three kinds of tree.

Three kinds of trees, a palm, a cedar, and a fruit tree. So now I've got something more to visualize. Now in Psalm 1, it's primarily a fruit tree, but yet he also talks about you'll be like a a a palm tree. You'll be like a cedar tree planted in Lebanon. So that's where what I would do next year is go on to Google and say, "What what what what can I learn about palm trees? And how's a palm tree different than a cedar tree or a fruit tree?" Look at Psalms 104 and verse 16. 104:16. The trees of the Lord are full of sap. The cedars of Lebanon which he had planted. So these are all part of my visual picture that I can bring in there.

the idea of sap, a tree that's living, is got the sap running through it. And and so these are all part of my visual picture I'm bringing in there. So as I picture this and I look at the trees, what's the difference between a palm tree and a cedar tree? Think about it. Okay, now it's pretty obvious. The palm tree is tall and skinny and it's got the the the leaves at the top. The cedar tree is is an it's basically an evergreen tree is a cedar tree. Okay. But there he's talking about the cedars of Lebanon. So this is where I would go and Google what is the cedar of Lebanon and how they different what about them.

Uh one of the things I found different when I did the study is is that a palm tree usually after a storm they are not the ones that are broken. Now they've probably lost all their leaves but they're still they're still standing. And cedar trees also after a storm are still standing for for different reasons. The palm tree is willing to bend. You watch in a storm, the palm trees, they can be bent almost to half and not break. So maybe God when he says I'm like a palm. Maybe he wants me to be flexible. Now not move. I need to stand and stay where I'm planted in the convictions of the word of God.

I don't want to move, but I also want to be a little bit flexible in life's circumstances. A little bit flexible in dealing with people. be willing to bend a little bit but not move where I'm at. You follow what I'm saying? And that's the that's the visual illustration I get from that. Whereas a cedar tree, they withstand the weather, but they grow, they have to grow strong. You cut them and you can see all those rings. You can see this year they the rings are narrower because it was a tough year and this year they're bigger. And and so you go and look at cedar and cedars were also used in building the house of God.

All of those things can help you in that visual word picture. When I read fruit tree, I immediately think, well, what about fruit tree? Well, fruit, you don't hang the fruit of the tree. It grows in the tree. And and and so you got to grow from the inside out. We have fruit trees in our house, in our yard. And uh one of them wasn't producing. And I talked to a guy who was really good gardener. He says, "Well, number one, you've got to prune it and you got to cut it way back. And number two," he says, "you got to fertilize it differently. and it needs a lot more water. So, here's why it wasn't producing fruit and I need to if I want to produce fruit, these are the things I've got to do.

So, you got to visualize this and look at it. In Psalms 1, he's specifically talking about a fruit tree. But he also talks about being a palm, being flexible, being willing to bend a little bit. But he talks about the cedar and cedars that they would grow in the mountains in very very harsh conditions and and would still stand after they grow for a long time and they grow, you know, so even in harsh conditions. So these are all pictures, word pictures that can help me to visualize what God has given me. Okay. So when it says trees planted by the rivers of water in the Bible, what does water symbolize in the Bible?

What does water symbolize? Anybody think of that? I usually don't ask for questions because we're online here and it's a little difficult, but I'll go ahead and do that. What does water symbolize in the Bible? What's a picture of in the Bible? Anybody? Christ. What's that? Christ. Christ. He was the living water. Remember he talked about uh the woman at the well. I'm the living water and he and he talked about if you thirst come. Okay. What else? So it was really salvation is the water symbolized salvation. Uh but what else does it symbolize in the Bible? Two other things. The spirit of God and scripture.

So let's look at that. Number a there is salvation. Look at John chapter 4. John chapter 4 and verse number 10. John 4 and verse number 10. Jesus answered and said to her, "If thou kneest the gift of God, who is it say thee, give me to drink? Thou wouldest asked of him and he would have given thee the living water." And then verse number 14, "But whosoever drinkketh the water that I shall give him shall never thirst, but the water as I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." And so water symbolizes salvation, Christ, but salvation specifically. Okay. Number B is water symbolizes the spirit of God.

John chapter 7 and verse number 37-39. In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, if any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. and and and verse 39, but the spake he of the spirit which they that believe on him should receive for the Holy Ghost was not yet given because the Jesus was not yet glorified. So water was he was speaking in the spirit. So the spirit of God is symbolized by water, the Holy Spirit. And then John 15 and verse number three. John 15 and verse number three.

Now you are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. So the word of God, it washes you. That's what water does. You're clean through the word. In Ephesians 5 and verse number 26, Ephesians 5 and verse number 26, that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word. And so all of these pictures are there. Uh you can also go to 1 John 1:9. If we confess our sins, he's faithful just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. And so you want to cross reference in the Bible when God gives you a word picture. What does this symbolize in the Bible?

And so when we go back to Psalms chapter 1, when he says like tree planted by the rivers of water, well, we could apply salvation there. We could apply the spirit of God there. We could apply scriptures there. All of these would be a goal in this passage. uh and and I think primarily the scriptures because we already talked about his light in the law of the Lord, but they're all applicable. Now, the other thing you want to do is kind of reverse and think, well, what what does water do? What do we use water for? Give me What do we use water for? Cleansing. What's that? Cleansing. Cleansing. We use it to take a shower, take a bath, to wash our hands.

What else we use water for? Hydrating. Hydrating ourselves. Drinking. You drink water to hydrate and to give you life. Uh anything else we use water for? Water can quench a fire. You know, uh water can be refreshing and cooling. The Bible talks about that. There, you know, these are all again, this is the way you meditate, you begin building that word picture in your mind. And from both the scriptures and just from thinking it through and saying, well, what is God trying to illustrate here? So, where does this water come from? He's like a tree planted by the rivers of water. Uh look at uh re let's start with Revelation chap 22.

Revelation chap 22 and verses number 1 and two. And he showed me a pure river of water of life clear as crystal proceeding out the throne of God and the lamb. in the midst of the streets of of it. And on either side of the river was there the tree of life which um bear 12 manners of fruit and yield is her fruit every month. And the leaves of the of the tree were for the healing of the nations. You remember back in in Garden of Eden too, same thing. We had the the fruit trees. We had the rivers to surround the garden of Eden. So you see that that picture of it of the water coming from God flowing from the Lord.

And then look at Psalms chapter 36 and verse number 8. Psalms 36:8. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house and thou shalt make them drink of the rivers of thy pleasures. So it's coming from God. It's coming from God. And and so again, what I want to do, I I I I've got this visual picture in my mind now. Now, I want to picture how does that apply to me? How can I be like a tree planted by the rivers of water? Well, rivers constantly fresh water coming in. It's not stagnant. And and so I want to make sure that there's always fresh reading new things in the Bible, uh praying about new things.

my my spiritual life is always constantly moving and fresh and and that's one thing that's important and and and and so you you want to visualize how does this picture let me see this picture in my mind and then let me put myself in that picture you know going out in the woods and finding a beautiful tree where there's a river flowing by and there Psalms 23 there's green pastures and you know you compare it with Psalms 23 where he talks about making me, you know, still waters. Sometimes we want to be by the still waters where we just sit and enjoy the beauty, enjoy the the the the still waters there.

All these pictures in our mind, but then we want to make it personal. How does this apply to my daily life? You know, I've got to if I want to keep the sermons fresh to you, I've got to have fresh stuff coming in all the time. I can't get stagnant. All these visual pictures come into play there of being cleansed. Thy word shall cleanse my heart. The Bible says and and and when I confess this cleansing, it's like running water through and just just flushing out all the bad stuff. All these pictures are coming to my mind as I read this passage. Okay, so it says it be like a river. So it's it needs to be fresh flowing water planted by the rivers of water.

So we got I got to be planted, but I got to be flexible like that palm tree. I've got to be strong like the cedar tree. I've got to be producing fruit so that bringeth forth his fruit in his season. So I want to kind of take a look at that. Now I remember we one of the passage we read about in Revelation it read about it bringeth a fruit every month. There's no seasons to those trees but most fruit there's seasons. Now we don't abide by that very much today because we can get fruit. It's always in season somewhere in the world and they can ship it in. But back then they only got fruit when it was fresh on the tree and you had to get it when it was right there ready for you.

If you didn't it fell on the ground and rotted and and so that's the visual picture is giving you. And so what kind of fruit when the Bible talks about fruit? Go to John chapter 15. So he he'll be like a tree planted by that brings forth his fruit. So what kind of fruit should I be bringing forth in my life? In John 15 and:es 1-8, I am the true vine and my father is a husbandman or the farmer. Every branch of me that beareth not fruit, he taketh away, and every branch that beareth fruit, he purges it that may be bring forth more fruit. Now you are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

Abide in me, and I in you, as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except abide in the vine, no more can ye except you abide in me. I am the vine, you the branches. He that abideth in me and I in him, the same bring forth much fruit. But without me, you can do nothing. If I if a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch as w with and as and withered and uh and men gather them and cast them into the fire and they are burned. If you abide in me, my words abide in you shall ask which you will it shall be done unto you. Here is my father glorified that you bear much fruit. So sh my disciples.

Now see by doing the cross referencing you're I think this is expanding on Psalm one. Okay you want to be planted by the river of water. You want to abide in the vine the trunk because the branch break it off it dies. And and I want to bear there's three kinds of fruit here. No fruit, more fruit and much fruit. So how can it how can I go from no fruit to more fruit and to much fruit? What do I got to do? and all these things kind of visualize that and you could literally we could spend days and you know more than weeks on this whole lesson of Psalm one because there's so much there. So the Bible talks about Romans chap the different kinds of fruit you can produce.

So Romans chapter 6 and verse number 22. Romans 6:22. But now being made free from sin and become servants to God, you and you have your fruit unto holiness in the end everlasting light. So God wants his fruit, holy fruit. Fruit that's set apart for him. Um you've heard the Hawaiian word kapoo. It's is forbidden. And there were certain fruits back in the old days that were forbidden to everybody except for royalty. That's what the idea of holiness is. It's set apart and it's only for. We have, like I said, three fruit trees in our yard and they're near the playground. We had to make a rule on the playground.

You cannot pick the fruit without permission because you know what the kids would do? They go pull it off before it was fresh ready. They'd pull the green ones off instead of waiting till they're orange. and uh and and and so God wants to have holy fruit, fruit that's set aside that that is sanctified. And then um the fruit of the spirit, Galatians chapter 5, love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. These are the things we ought to be producing our life. And again, you you've all heard me visualize that, you know, going down to the store and saying, "What kind of fruit would represent love?

What kind of fruit would represent joy?" You know, how do you produce fruit? You can't just go there and say, "I'm going to do fruit. I'm going to do fruit." You abide. If I'm planted, my roots are deep. I'm drawn upon the rivers of water and and and I then I'm going to produce fruit. It's not something you have to go out and make happen. It's something that happens because you're planted and abiding. And so the fruit of the spirit. And then next thing is um Colossians chapter 1 and verse number 10. Colossians 1 and verse 10. That you might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work and increasing the knowledge of God.

So good works part of the fruit. If I'm really abiding the way I should in Psalms 1, I'm going to be, you know, you're going to see the good works in my life. And then um Romans 1:13. Romans 1 13. Now I would not have you be ignorant, brethren, that of times I purposed to come unto you, but was led hither to that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles. So the fruit of souls, the fruit of souls. If you're abiding and planted by the risen water, you're going to see people getting saved. You're going to see be see people growing in the Lord. Uh Proverbs 11 and verse number 30.

Proverbs 11 and verse number 30. The fruit of the righteous is the tree of life and he that win souls is wise. So it's the fruit of souls of bringing people to Christ. And and that takes patience. When we first planted our tree, it took years years before the first produ fruit was produced. You got to plant the seed, water it, cultivate it until it produces. And some of us just don't take the time to do that. And and then the fruit of um we'll go to Romans chapter 15. Romans chapter 15 and verses 25- 28. But now I go into Jerus Jerusalem minister unto the saints for it have pleased them of Macedonia occasion and make a certain contribution for saints which are Jerusalem.

It have pleased them verily and their debtors they they are for um for if the Gentiles have been made partakers of these spiritual things. Their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things. When when therefore I have performed this, I have sealed them to this fruit I will come by you onto Spain. And so the fruit is sharing. Philippians chapter 4, he talks about that he wants fruit to in your life. And what was that? When you give, you're going to receive fruit. And and so it's part of our fruit is our giving, our sharing with others. When I give my tithe and offerings, when I give to somebody in need, that's fruit and that's going to produce fruit in my life.

And then Hebrews chapter 13 and verse number 15. Hebrews chapter 13 and verse number 15. By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually. That is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. So if I'm planted by the rivers of water and abiding the way I should, praise, praise, praise is going to come out. And then his leaf also shall not wither. That picture is an evergreen tree. Look at Psalms chapter 92. Psalms chapter 92 and verse number 12. Psalms 92 and verse 12. The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree. He shall grow like a cedar in in Lebanon. And in evergreen it doesn't it it stays green.

is evergreen. So, no matter what the season, no matter what's going on, I'm going to stay evergreen. My leaf shall not wither. And um we're going to be out of time. I was hoping to finish these last two while through next week. Uh but well, the deeper the roots, the stronger and the taller the tree. The deeper the roots, the stronger and the taller the tree. And so, we got to get our roots way down deep into the word of God, into the rivers of life. And then number six, leaves are good and important, but what do Matthew 21 and Luke 13? We're gonna have to stop there. We'll do that one next week.

So, we'll talk about that. Okay. See, again, when you're doing your Bible study, cross referencing, let the Bible teach you about the Bible. And when you do Bible study, visualizing here's a word picture. I want to get a picture of a tree planted by rivers of water. I want to get a picture what it means to sit and walk and stand. Think about it. Get that visual picture in your mind and then apply it. Personalize it. How does you know in what ways am I walking, standing and sitting with this ungodly and sinners and scornful? And and and and in what ways am I planted and and and growing? What fruit am I producing? Am I seeing souls saved? Am I sharing with others? This is what you want to do with the passage as you go through