First Christian Church
By Bruce Humes
Pastor
“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.” (Psalm 1:1 NKJV) It’s also put like this in Proverbs 4:14: “Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of evil.”
Contrary to what the world would have you think about happiness and the source of it, we see from Scripture that the happy or blessed man is the one who steers clear of the ungodly and seeks the things of God, while he shuns sin and avoids fellowship with scorners, meaning those that scoff at the things of God.
Verse 2 says, “but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law he meditates day and night.” Happiness, joy and delight are in the law of the Lord and was something the psalmist pondered. Psalm 119:14 says it like this:“I have rejoiced in the way of your testimonies, as much as in all riches.” Verse 16: “I will delight myself in you statutes; I will not forget your word,” and verse 35: “Make me walk in the path of your commandments, for I delight in it.”
Happiness, pleasure and joy doesn’t come from worldly or earthly lusts and desires, wealth, and/or power. But from the testimonies, statutes, and commandments of God which is actually the word of God.
The Bible contains all the testimonies, statutes and commandme- ments that God has set before us, but it also reveals to us God’s plan of salvation for mankind through his son Jesus Christ.That is where the greatest of all happiness, pleasure, joy and peace come from. It’s a spiritual happiness that surpasses what we experience in the flesh. We go through times of joy and happiness as we sojourn through our time here in our earthly tent, but true blessedness comes from that which we garner from God’s word.
Jesus put it like this in the “Beatitudes” or supreme blessings in Matthew 5:3-11: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the land.
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.
“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
“Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are you when they persecute you and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for my namesake.”
Blessed with the promises of the kingdom of heaven, comfort, land, righteousness, mercy, seeing God, being a son of God, the kingdom of heaven again, and oddly persecution, yes, we will see persecution for his name, but we will be blessed in doing it. These are the things that bring true happiness in a person’s life, the promises from the Lord Jesus Christ and his word.
If you want to speak to someone at the church or have a need, call the church office at (562) 431-8810. Leave a message, and someone will return your call as soon as possible.
