How to Have a Prosperous 2014

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; ² but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. ³ He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper. Psalm 1

At the start of a new year we often look back and look forward.  What was the previous year like? Are we glad it’s over? Or do we know that we’ll look back at the year as one of the best of our life? At the same time we look forward to the next year.  We look with anticipation at the hope of a new year.  

People make many resolutions at the beginning of a year.  However, most resolutions are not lived out but forgotten within a couple of weeks.  This happens for various reasons: Sometimes we don’t have the willpower to hold to our resolutions or we may have never really been committed to them in the first place. Other times we don’t see the merit in our resolution; “Why did I want to do this in the first place?”  

There is a resolution we can make that is guaranteed to be worth our time and dedication -- an endeavor that is certain to bless our lives. What is it?  The resolution is to live out the precepts found in Psalm 1.  If we do this, God’s Word promises that whatever we do will prosper.

How do you live out the precepts in this Psalm?   First, Psalm 1 tells us what we should not be doing. The person living out these precepts “walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful.” To simplify this let’s just  say that we are not to follow the wisdom of the world. The world is full of godless wisdom and counsel.  The Bible tells us to stay away from it.

At this point you might be asking “How do I know what is worldly wisdom?”  The answer is to do what Psalm 1 tells us to do -- be in God’s Word night and day. We are told to be in God’s Word night and day and to meditate on it. To meditate on it simply means to ponder its meaning, asking “What does it mean and how do I live it out?”  When we do this not only do we begin to acquaint ourselves with the counsel of God, but we are also able to discern the truth of God from the lies of the world.

When we abide in God’s Word night and day, follow His counsel, and avoid walking in the counsel of the ungodly, we will prosper in all we do. This is not the Prosperity Gospel and this does not mean that if we just read the Bible twice a day all our selfish wishes will come true. The person who abides in God’s Word follows His Word and thus is directed by the Lord’s agenda. When our mind is renewed by His Word and we follow His counsel, we walk in a manner that the Lord can and will bless.