This is the next installment in the Exploring The Psalms series. Psalm 2 is not easily understood, but we will dig in together. God is the King of the world, and anything apart from serving and living under His rule will bring destruction. There is good news in this Psalm, just like in the rest of the Bible. God wins, and if you are on His team you win too. If you aren’t on His team, you should consider joining it.

Psalm 2 starts like this,

“Why do the nations rebel? Why are the countries devising plots that will fail? The kings of the earth form a united front; the rulers collaborate against the LORD and his anointed king.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭2:1-2‬ ‭NET‬‬

The world has plenty of people that are against God, and against the anointed King Jesus. They work to try to get their own way, and not submit to Him. This is a strategy that will never work. You cannot beat your Creator, when He is the one that made everything, including you. He is all powerful, and He is in absolute control. How futile of a strategy it is, to be against God, and expect good to come.

The old saying goes that the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Nations and governments that hate God are willing to put differences aside to oppose Christ. In over 52 countries in the world the Bible is illegal. Why are so many willing to work together, and work so hard, to oppose the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Jesus sets people free. To be in union with Him is to find yourself. When one is born again, one learns of the great value of humanity. If God would sacrifice the greatest gift of His Son, how much does He value people? You cannot be controlled by anyone, if God is your sovereign, and Jesus is your King. You aren’t easy to herd like a sheep, if you are free from sin, shame, and guilt. Corrupt governments composed of corrupt people want to control people. You can’t control someone who is set free by God, and filled with power and strength.

“They say, “Let’s tear off the shackles they’ve put on us! Let’s free ourselves from their ropes!” The one enthroned in heaven laughs in disgust; the Lord taunts them.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭2:3-4‬ ‭NET‬‬

The slave to sin sees righteousness as shackles. But it’s in relationship with God that true freedom is found. It is ironic that in running from The Kingdom of God, one is enslaved further. Only Jesus sets free. He can free you from your sin, both it’s power over you, and the penalty of it, before a just and Holy God. The lost world does not wish to go that route, because to be saved by God, one must acknowledge that she needs saving. It is hard to be humble enough to admit that you are a sinner and need a Savior. It is a laughable thing, to believe that your way is better than God’s way, or that the One who loves you wishes to enslave you through freedom and goodness.

“Then he angrily speaks to them and terrifies them in his rage, saying, “I myself have installed my king on Zion, my holy hill.” The king says, “I will announce the LORD’S decree. He said to me: ‘You are my son! This very day I have become your father!”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭2:5-7‬ ‭NET‬‬

Jesus is the King that has been set on the Throne. God has given Him the name that is above every name. At His name every knee will bow, and every tongue confess that He is God. Jesus is Lord. He is ruling and reigning now. Of the increase of His government and peace will never end. He is seated at the right hand of the Father, and He will be there until all His enemies are made His footstool.

“Ask me, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance, the ends of the earth as your personal property. You will break them with an iron scepter; you will smash them like a potter’s jar!”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭2:8-9‬ ‭NET‬‬

The nations are the Lord’s, and it is just a matter of time until every one of them are made disciples of Christ. In the Great Commission, Jesus sent us out to make disciples of nations. We are commanded to teach everything Jesus commanded and immerse the nations in His name. Jesus has baptized us in The Holy Spirit, and anointed us with power. Victory is guaranteed. Because God has promised it.

There are many non-Christianized places in the world today. But that will be short lived. Jesus will break the rebellion of those who hate Him. The whole world will know the salvation of God. The Kingdom of Heaven is here and increasing.

“So now, you kings, do what is wise; you rulers of the earth, submit to correction! Serve the LORD in fear! Repent in terror! Give sincere homage! Otherwise he will be angry, and you will die because of your behavior, when his anger quickly ignites. How blessed are all who take shelter in him!”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭2:10-12‬ ‭NET‬‬

Take shelter in God today. He offers life freely through the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus for you. Understand that apart from Him, there is no life, and no hope for the future. If you face eternity without Jesus, you should be terrified, because you are rejecting life and choosing death. Sin brings death, both in this life, and eternally. To reject Christ, is to choose death. Don’t choose the behavior that will destroy you. Choose life. Choose Jesus.

If you don’t know Jesus, I want to give you the opportunity to trust Him for your salvation and receive His finished work by faith. If you want to make Jesus the Lord of your life, simply pray this in your heart, as a way to put your faith in Him. Say, “ Jesus, I make you the Lord of my life. I know I’m a sinner, but I believe. I believe that You are the Son of God. I believe You died on the cross for my sins, and I believe that You rose on the third day for my justification. I ask you to save me now. I receive you by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen”

Peace is very needed in the world today. Peace is one of the most important things you can have. Jesus sacrifice was the greatest gift God could give, but the gift of peace came with Him. Peace is a gift that only God can give you. Peace isn’t something you can create, but it is something you can steward. Peace is a gift from God, but it is up to you to receive it. And it is up to you to keep receiving peace. Jesus gives perfect peace.

“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
‭‭John‬ ‭14:27‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
Jesus doesn’t just give peace, He gives His peace. Read the Gospels. Not a single time will you find Jesus stressed out. When He calms the storm, He is calm. When He works miracles, you won’t find any anxiety in Him. He is peace. Jesus gives perfect peace, because He is in complete control. His peace is a gift and it is your choice to rest in it. It can be as simple as reading this verse out loud. Or saying, “I have peace. His peace is given to me. Not like the world gives. I always have peace, and never lose it.” That builds faith, and helps you to walk in what’s yours by grace.

The peace of God that Jesus gives is a constant. This peace is not tied to your circumstances, or anything happening around you. In the same way that Jesus calmed the storm with a whisper of, “peace be still,” He gently whispers to your heart through that still , small voice, and calms the storm in you. Imagine Him saying to you, “peace, be still.” All your fear, stress, and anxiety just fades away, when you hear the sweet, loving voice of your Savior.

Peace is part of the fruit of the Spirit. Peace is a natural out flowing of the presence of God in your life. When you are filled with the Holy Spirit, you have all the peace you could ever need inside you. You just have to walk in it. God has given you His Spirit for a reason. God dwelling inside you means that everything God has is yours, including His peace. Fear has to flee when God shows up. Stress melts away in the presence of an eternal, sovereign God. Anxiety has no place beside Jesus. God lives in you. Just believe it. Receive it. A simple prayer of “God help me,”goes a long way. Be filled with Holy Spirit. He is the Spirit of Peace and Comfort. Just thank Him for it.

Colossians 3:15 says, “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.” If you are born again, the peace of God is already in your heart. It is up to you to submit to that peace. Let the peace rule. Make a decision that you will never water the seed of fear in you heart. Resolve to never let worry live in you. Let peace rule. Is Jesus Lord of your life? If He is, then you have nothing to fear in life or death. So let the Prince of Peace bring peace to your heart. When you feel scared or overwhelmed, just start thanking God for the blessings in your life. When you cultivate gratitude, your focus shifts onto God and His goodness, and away from you and any negative circumstances. Being thankful fosters peace.

When you see a good God, nothing but expectation of good can remain. Fear is expecting bad things to happen. Worry is meditating on the bad that is possible. Stress is being overwhelmed because you feel out of control and not enough. Believing God is good removes fear, because a good God does good things. Faith in the goodness of God removes worry, because faith meditates on what’s real, and God causes all things to work Togetherfor your good. You can’t stay stressed in the presence of God, because He declares you more than a conqueror. You are a child of the King, and all the power of God is yours. You aren’t enough. You are more than enough. You are equipped by God for anything you face. Knowing this calms the soul. Perfect peace is yours.

We have this gift of peace because Jesus is alive. He has conquered death, so He is always able to help. The salvation that He brings, and the peace with God He has supplied lasts forever.

If you don’t know Jesus, I want to give you the opportunity to trust Him for your salvation and receive His finished work by faith. If you want to make Jesus the Lord of your life, simply pray this in your heart, as a way to put your faith in Him. Say, “ Jesus, I make you the Lord of my life. I know I’m a sinner, but I believe. I believe that You are the Son of God. I believe You died on the cross for my sins, and I believe that You rose on the third day for my justification. I ask you to save me now. I receive you by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen”

Are you under a spell? Do you feel compelled by an outside force? Do you feel like you have to be perfect or else? Are you only happy on the days you have it all together? Do you try to look great on the outside, when you are hurting on the inside? Perhaps you have been bewitched by works.

For many people it is like an addiction to perform perfectly in life. Everything has to be just right, or it’s the end of the world. Maybe if you think you are good enough, and do enough, everything will be perfect. But that is a never ending cycle. When you are bewitched by works you are always trying to do better and be better, but you can’t. You always fail. And then when you fail, you hate yourself. This is right where the enemy wants you. The enemy is the happiest and most successful, when you are discouraged, depressed, and hating yourself.

Good works can never satisfy, because you can never be good enough on your own. You may lie to yourself and create a self righteous attitude. You may act like you have it all together, but deep down you know the truth. The truth is you are a sinful, broken person that needs help. You need grace.

Once you were born again, all your sins were forgiven. Jesus made you new, and gave you the Holy Spirit. You became a new creation. Salvation was not a reset, but a whole new life. You didn’t start over with a clean slate, Jesus created a whole new type of person in you. You can’t improve upon what Jesus has done by trying hard, or being super religious. You were saved by grace through faith, and you continue in the faith, by grace, through faith. Jesus didn’t help you enough for you to save yourself. Jesus saved you completely. Grace saves and keeps. Your works can’t save you at the beginning, in the middle, or at the end. Paul said this about works,

“O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified? This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh? Have you suffered so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?”
‭‭Galatians‬ ‭3:1-4‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

These Galatians received the Holy Spirit by faith. They were saved by believing the truth of the Gospel. But they had become bewitched by the lie of performance. They were entranced by good works. It can make a prideful person feel good about themselves, to perform well. But performing well doesn’t increase you or even help you when it comes to pleasing God. Jesus gave you His righteousness as a gift. You don’t have to work for that gift. You just receive it and keep it, freely by grace. Paul continues,

“Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?— just as Abraham “believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, “In you all the nations shall be blessed.” So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.”
‭‭Galatians‬ ‭3:5-9‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

God will work miracles in your life, but not because you keep the law. God does it because of you believing His Word. Abraham believed God and God credited it to Him as righteousness. You come to God the same way. You are blessed by God the same way also. God is not happy with you, because you are good enough. God is happy with you, because of Jesus and His works. God is pleased with you because you believe Him, and you receive the righteousness of Christ as a gift. You are justified by faith and not works. If you are in Christ, God is totally pleased with you, and nothing you can do can make Him more pleased. In the same way, nothing you do, or fail to do, can make God disappointed or angry with you, because when God sees you He sees The blood of Jesus shed for you, and His perfection lived out for you. You cannot be cursed or punished because of your failures.

“For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.” But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for “the just shall live by faith.” Yet the law is not of faith, but “the man who does them shall live by them.” Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.”
‭‭Galatians‬ ‭3:10-14‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Don’t live under the law, because you can’t keep it. Don’t expect God to deal with you based on what you deserve. God is the God of grace, therefore He does not give you what you deserve, He gives you infinitely more than you deserve. God gives you what Jesus deserves. That is grace. God doesn’t need you to be perfect. Jesus already did that. God isn’t going to punish you for not being good enough, because Jesus was good enough in your place. You can never be made right with God by the law. But Jesus makes you right with God, through faith. Christ took all the curse you deserve. He paid for all your sins. He was the atoning sacrifice for your sins. God burned His wrath out on Jesus, so much so that He has none left for you. If you want to be Holy and right with God, just receive Jesus and His works. Don’t let religion lie to you. God doesn’t need you to climb the mountain of good works to reach Him. God came down to rescue you. So rest in His grace. Rest in the Gospel. That is refreshing.

In the midst of chaotic and tumultuous times, peace can be known. When the whole world is in the dark grips of fear, light can spring forth and bring liberty. Are you bound by anxiety and fear? Are you paralyzed by a sense of dread? There is a solution to these problems. There is hope. You don’t have to be scared. You do not need to live in fear. Peace is available for anyone and everyone who will receive it. Perfect peace can be yours if you will receive it. Look at what the scripture says.

“You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭26:3‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

God promises perfect peace to the one who will focus on Him, in faith and trust. When you set your mind firmly on God and the truth of His Word, you will dwell in perfect peace. No fear or anxiety can live in the presence of God. Faith and fear are not friends. Faith only works if your focus is on God how He really is, not focusing on what someone has told you about God, or on what religion, or experience says.

What the Bible says about God more than anything else is that God is good. The revelation of His goodness is the key to peace. If you believe God is good, there can be no doubt about His will or intentions. If God is good, then He will help, He will save, and He will deliver. Maybe you have asked yourself if God sent this Covid-19 epidemic. Maybe you are giving God the benefit of the doubt, that He had some great purpose for it. Let me free you with some truth. God did not send this virus. He doesn’t give sickness. His name is the Lord our Healer, not the Lord our diseaser. It’s the enemy that gives sickness because he has come to steal, kill, and destroy. But Jesus came for us to have abundant life(John 10:10). God is the giver of life, not the taker. Death is an enemy of God, not a friend. You can have faith in God and His desire to heal and protect you, when you realize that God is against sickness. It’s God’s will to protect and help you, not to destroy you.

God must be experienced to be fully known. Press in to God and experience Him. That’s what He desires. When you get in the presence of God, all the enemies of God will flee. Fear is an enemy to the Kingdom of Heaven. Anxiety, depression, death, and disease are too. Learn to pray the Lord’s Prayer over your life. Believe God for His heavenly will to be done on earth. God wants you well. And He wants you safe and prospered, not destroyed by a virus. Believe that. Focus on the truth of the good God who loves you.

God gives perfect peace. That means peace in your heart, peace with others, and peace with Him. He has provided everything you need for peace. The Good News of Jesus brings peace when it is combined with faith.

God provides peace with Him first. Romans 5:1-2 says,

“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭5:1-2‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

When you believe that Jesus lived for you, died to pay the price for your sins on the cross, and rose again for you, and you trust in that fact for your salvation, you are justified by God. That means He declares you perfectly righteous and right with Him. You receive the benefit of Christ’s atonement for you. All your sins are gone forever, and you have total access to God. God himself provides for your salvation. Your part is simply to repent(change your mind), and believe this truth. That is all faith really is. You can know for certain that God is for you, and He is with you. He will never be angry at you, nor punish you for your sins, because Jesus already took all the punishment you deserve.

Understanding that you have peace with God can lead you into other dimensions of peace. You can begin to have peace with other people, because you find strength to give grace to others in the way God has given grace to you. You can forgive. You learn to not be prideful, but walk in humility. You learn to truly love other people, because God has given you perfect love. This creates relational peace. Once you understand that you are right with God, you can be right with everyone else.

Knowing that you are at peace with God Almighty creates peace in your heart. You realize that God is never in the mood to punish you or harm you. He is too God for that, and you are too forgiven. Because of what God has given you in your salvation, you can pray and believe for good. You can believe for protection, healing, and deliverance from all evil. This virus is evil. Trust your good God to protect you, and deliver you from all evil. Believe God, and experience His perfect peace in everything.

Live in Perfect Peace. Rest in God. Keep your mind focused on Him. Who He is and what He has done for you. He is a good God, and He freely gives Perfect Peace.

Have you ever experienced God’s protection? Have you ever witnessed a miracle? God’s protection is available to you. Jesus died and rose again to cover you with His blood and destroy all the works of the devil. If it’s an evil work, you can trust God to protect and cover you against it. God is good, not bad. God does good things and not bad things. If it’s bad, it is not God’s will. 1 John 5:14 says,

“This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.”‭(NASB‬‬)

When you pray according to God’s will, He hears you, and answers you. God’s will is protection. God’s will is to cover you through the finished work of Jesus. Jesus lived, died, and rose again, to pay for and remove all your sin. If your sin is forgiven through Christ, then you can trust God to protect you from all the work of the enemy. Sin is Satan’s only way in. If your sin is gone, Satan has no right to hurt you, but that doesn’t mean He won’t try. He is the ultimate lawbreaker. So it is your job, Christian, to pray the will of God, and enforce God’s will in the earth.

In this reading we will examine Psalm 91. This scripture is full of truth and promises from God. Psalm 91 is one of the best scriptures to memorize and pray. Remember, if you pray according to God’s will, He will do it. The Word of God is the will of God. So if you pray the Word, you are praying God’s will, and you can believe for results. Psalm 91 starts this way,

“Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭91:1‬ ‭NLT‬‬

There is rest in God’s shadow. This is a picture of closeness. Do you know the Lord? Have you been born again, and brought near by the blood of Jesus? If you want to be in the shelter of the Most High, and rest in His shadow, it starts with being saved by believing the Gospel. After that it is a choice on your part. You choose to say, “yes God, hold me close. Yes God, You are my shelter. Keep me in Your shadow.”

“This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭91:2‬ ‭NLT‬‬
The key to living in the reality of this Psalm is in this verse. I declare. I declare. Friend you must declare the Lord to be your shelter and place of safety. God can offer it all day long, but just like salvation, it is a gift. You must receive the blessing of protection and covering by faith, and you must say that it is yours. God offers many things, but it is our responsibility to believe it, and walk in it. We must trust God’s Word, and pray it. That is faith. To live a Psalm 91 life, you need to believe the Word, and trust the Word giver.

“For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease. He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭91:3-4‬ ‭NLT‬‬
What a great promise. Read that verse again. At the time of writing we are in the Covid-19 pandemic. You need this promise. God will protect you from every deadly disease, because He’s your shelter. His promises are like armor and protection. They are strong. You just have to wear them. You wear the armor of God’s promises by faith, prayer, and declaration.

“Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor the arrow that flies in the day. Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness, nor the disaster that strikes at midday.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭91:5-6‬ ‭NLT‬‬
It’s not God’s will for you to fear. God does not call you to live in fear, or dread any disease. The coronavirus is like a disease that stalks in darkness. You can’t see it. It is invisible until symptoms come. But God promises protection and help. Brothers and sisters, fear not, only believe.

“Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness, nor the disaster that strikes at midday. Though a thousand fall at your side, though ten thousand are dying around you, these evils will not touch you. Just open your eyes, and see how the wicked are punished.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭91:6-8‬ ‭NLT‬‬
Faith does not believe at the level of experience. Faith does not rely on what happens to everyone else. To be in faith, you must believe the promises of God for you. It doesn’t matter what you see. Every other person may get this disease but I won’t. God is faithful to me. He is good to me. That is the way to speak faith. Friend, believe God’s protection for you. Pray this Psalm. Know that God is your healer and protector. Don’t believe according to what you see, believe according to God’s Word. That’s faith. That’s how the miracle happens. We must walk by faith, not by sight. Walking by sight will rob you of all the good things God offers His children, because by faith we receive from God.

“If you make the Lord your refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter, no evil will conquer you; no plague will come near your home. For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go. They will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone. You will trample upon lions and cobras; you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet!”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭91:9-13‬ ‭NLT‬‬
This is what I’m praying and believing. Total protection. No plague comes near my dwelling. No evil conquers me. But notice the first word in verse 9. IF. IF. That is a big IF. If you make the Lord your shelter. Beloved I urge you to make the Lord your shelter. Believe Him. Pray this Psalm. Declare it over your life, over your family’s life. Speak this over your home, and church, and business. If you will believe, you will walk in everything God promises.

“The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name. When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them. I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation.””
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭91:14-16‬ ‭NLT‬‬
Psalm 91 is good news. This is what we need right now. Read this Psalm everyday. Speak it. Pray it. Declare it. God is good. This Psalm is not too good to be true, because God is not too good to be true. He is better than too good to be true. God loves you, and He has many great and precious promises for you.

If you don’t know Jesus, I want to give you the opportunity to trust Him for your salvation and receive His finished work by faith. If you want to make Jesus the Lord of your life, simply pray this in your heart, as a way to put your faith in Him. Say, “ Jesus, I make you the Lord of my life. I know I’m a sinner, but I believe. I believe that You are the Son of God. I believe You died on the cross for my sins, and I believe that You rose on the third day for my justification. I ask you to save me now. I receive you by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen”

The world has slowed down, or at least that is the way it feels. At the date of this writing, the United States is in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic, as it has been called. Many people are scared and confused. Our lives changed over night. The social distancing has opened the door for a lot of introspection, and self examination. The bigger questions are being asked, and many are at a crossroads. This is the perfect time to explore our passage in Psalm 1.

For context sake, we just saw in the previous installments, what a blessed person looks like. How a lifestyle of devotion and focus on God can create a strong and resilient life. If you want more detail, go back on the blog and read the previous Exploring The Psalms posts. This passage contrasts the culmination of a lifestyle of righteousness versus the lifestyle of the wicked. A godly person, rooted in Christ, can look forward to a long life, and even an eternity, of joy, and the good life, with God. But the life of the wicked is very temporary, and leaves nothing of lasting value. Just a down in the dumps life, always seeking happiness, and never finding it. The end of this kind of life is an eternity of worthless nothingness. Hell isn’t terrible just because it’s hot. Hell is terrible, because God gives you what you want. An eternity without Him. That eternity is just as empty and painful as the life you hated on earth. Being without God is against creation, and how God made everything good. You are created to worship, and be in God’s presence. Without that, you can never be happy and fulfilled, nor can you do anything of lasting value, not in life, or in death.

Let us dig into the passage together. Psalm 1:4-6 says,

“But not the wicked! They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind. They will be condemned at the time of judgment. Sinners will have no place among the godly. For the Lord watches over the path of the godly, but the path of the wicked leads to destruction.”(‭NLT‬‬)

To understand this passage, we must define what it means to be the wicked person. The wicked person doesn’t just mean sinner in the general sense. Every person born, has been born a sinner, and that sin nature is why all are called sinners. The sin nature is what makes you desire wrong, bad things, instead of good, right things. All are born sinners, but not all stay that way, nor do they express the inner desires though external action. The wicked in this passage are the people, who choose to live a life of self focus, and self gratifying through sin. They are people who do what they want and what they feel, instead of being born again, and living with God, and by His standards. The wicked, time after time choose selfish choices(aka sin), and eventually that is what defines them. If you are wicked, you have chosen a lifetime of compounded choices to sin. The good news is you don’t have to stay that way. There is grace in Jesus. He died and rose again, so that you can be saved, healed, and delivered from your wickedness. You can move categories, from wicked to righteous. From cursed, to blessed. The key is Jesus, and trusting Him, and His work for your salvation.

The blessed person prospers in all they do( verse 3), but the wicked prospers in nothing in the ultimate sense. Even short term success doesn’t last for the wicked. They end up alone and forgotten. Money doesn’t last. Wealth doesn’t matter in eternity. Being popular fades. Few are remembered more than a generation after their death. But the godly last forever. The Christian has an eternity to be in truly loving fellowship with other people and God. An eternity in community to remember the good that was done in life, and glorify God for His grace and empowerment to do it. Hell on the other hand, is a group of people, together, but alone. People who get to be eternally as selfish as they want to be, which means no one else cares about you in hell, and you rejected the loving God who wanted to be with you from everlasting to everlasting. God doesn’t send people to hell as much as people choose hell because they don’t want God.

The Lord watches over the path of the Godly. That means that He is involved. He is active. God’s hand is working in your life. God watches, guides, and protects. God loves the godly, and is near to the godly. Why is God near to the godly but not the wicked? Does God love one more than the other? No, the godly have come to Christ, and been made righteous by the blood of Christ. Jesus made the way to be close to God, because He removed all sin, and all barriers between man and God. If you draw near to God, He draws near to you. If you seek God, you find Him, because God wants to have union and communion with you. The godly desires God and His presence, so God gives it. God gives people what they want. If they want God, He is near. If they don’t want God, he is distant. God doesn’t force His way into your heart and life.

The path of the wicked leads to destruction. This path leads to destruction because the wages of sin is death( Romans 3:23). Sin kills and destroys. Sin doesn’t just send you to hell. Sin brings hell to your life. The path of the wicked brings destruction, because a lifestyle of sin always produces the experience of hell. If your life is like a literal hell on earth, perhaps you should change your path. Move from sin to God. Repent and give your life to God. Abandon sin, so that you can abandon death and destruction in life. The path of the wicked leads to destruction because it leads to hell. Sin hardens the heart, and reproduces in your life. What used to bother you, no longer does. Your conscience is numb. You destroy all the relationships in your life, whether friends, family, or significant others. And eventually you reject, and keep on rejecting, your Creator. You harden yourself to God, and don’t want Him either. That leads to hell. God made you for heaven. Heaven is only heaven because God is there and His will is done. If you don’t want God, there is nothing left, but hell. So if you are on the wrong path, get on the right one by receiving Christ and what He has done for you. Here are some scriptures to leave you with.

“Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”
‭‭John‬ ‭3:3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”
‭‭John‬ ‭3:16‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jesus said,

“Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.”
‭‭John‬ ‭10:9-10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

If you don’t know Jesus, I want to give you the opportunity to trust Him for your salvation and receive His finished work by faith. If you want to make Jesus the Lord of your life, simply pray this in your heart, as a way to put your faith in Him. Say, “ Jesus, I make you the Lord of my life. I know I’m a sinner, but I believe. I believe that You are the Son of God. I believe You died on the cross for my sins, and I believe that You rose on the third day for my justification. I ask you to save me now. I receive you by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen”

Fear is everywhere. People are terrified right now. There is fear of disease. Fear of death. Fear of shortage. Fear of lack. Some people are scared, and they aren’t sure why, exactly. Fear is the spirit of our time.

But God calls us to more. All this fear is not God’s will. He calls us to live in peace, hope, and faith. How is that possible? So much in the worlds seems to be going wrong. How can you ever be fearless. The answer is simple. The answer is God.
Get to know God. Learn that He is good and has good things for you. All this sin and destruction is temporary. But God and His people are eternal. Jesus died for you. He rose again so that you might be made new. Get to know Him in this time of fear. What do you have to lose? Fear, worry, anxiety, and depression is what you’ll lose. But you will gain faith, confidence, security, joy, and strength in your Creator. This is what God says,

“Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭41:10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

God says don’t be afraid. He is with you. He is your God. If you don’t know Him, get to know Him. Give Him your life. Believe the Good News of Jesus and be born again. It is very simple.

“If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭10:9-10‬ ‭

Believe Jesus in your heart and confess Him with your mouth. That’s pretty easy. It’s easy because Jesus did all the work, and you just receive by faith. Salvation is a gift. It would be wise to take it. That is what makes God, your God.

God will hold you up with His victorious hand. He has already won the victory. God is above all, and He rules over all creation. I’ve read the Bible. I know how all this ends, Spoiler alert! God WINS! And because God wins, you win. You are His, rest in Him. God has overcome, and with Him, you can overcome. So live fearless. Here are some parting words of Jesus.

God promises to strengthen you and help you. He is everything you need. He is your healer. He is your provider. God is your source. God is your helper. And friend, He is more than willing to be close and help you. God loves you. Believe that love and be fearless. Perfect love casts out all fear. You are perfectly loved, by a perfect, good God. Rest in Him. Rest in His love.

“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
‭‭John‬ ‭16:33‬ ‭

If you don’t know Jesus, I want to give you the opportunity to trust Him for your salvation and receive His finished work by faith. If you want to make Jesus the Lord of your life, simply pray this in your heart, as a way to put your faith in Him. Say, “ Jesus, I make you the Lord of my life. I know I’m a sinner, but I believe. I believe that You are the Son of God. I believe You died on the cross for my sins, and I believe that You rose on the third day for my justification. I ask you to save me now. I receive you by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen”

In this writing, we will continue in our exploration of the Psalms. We are going to see how to be fruitful in life, and how to prosper. This Psalm teaches us how to be blessed by God, and how to live in the blessing. The scripture promises strength and resilience. There is a definite key to the good life here. To grasp the context of verse 3, we must visit verse 2. Let’s see the key to the great promises contained in this Psalm. Verse 2 says,

“But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night.”(NASB‬‬)

The key that unlocks the door to God’s promises for the blessed life is delight in God. When you delight in God, you delight in His Word. To meditate on God’s Word, it must be a part of you. You must put God’s thoughts deep on the inside of you. When you are delighting in God, you are dwelling on Him. This teaches you who God is, and what He is like. This teaches you how to live, and how to live righteously. Others might believe it’s impossible to meditate on God day and night. That’s not true. Your mind is always on, always working. You are always meditating on something. Fear is meditating on the negative. Worry is meditating on your problems, whether real or imagined. Day dreaming is meditating on what could be, or might have been. You are always thinking about something, so learn to think about God, and His goodness. Train your mind to meditate on God, and Psalm 1:3 will be your reality. Flip the switch in your mind from negative to positive, from ungodly to Godly, from doom to hope.

Psalm 1:3 says,

“He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers.”( ‭NASB‬‬)

When your focus is God, you are abundantly supplied in every way, just like the tree planted by streams. In the same way that the tree has more water than it could ever need, you have more of everything God has than you could ever need. Thinking about God brings connection to him. Dwelling on His Word builds faith. As your connection to God grows, you grow. God is the source of everything you need. He is the fountain of life. As you look at Him and His truth always, you begin to see the world through the lens of the Good News.

Jesus died to forgive you. He rose for your justification. He lives to intercede for you. He rules and reigns over the universe. He removed all hindrances between you and God the Father. There is nothing to block the flow of God’s living water to you, but you, choosing to not receive it. Jesus has blessed you with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. Everything you need is found in Him. Focus on Him and be like a tree planted by streams of water.

As you do this you start to bear good fruit. The more you behold Jesus(The Word made flesh), the more you are transformed into His image from glory to glory(2 Corinthians 3:18). This makes you fruitful. Delighting in Him, and meditating in His goodness, keeps the connection flowing. Without that you can do nothing(John 15), but with the life giving sustenance of Jesus, you are a tree of life. The fruit of the Spirit starts to become who you are. People start coming to Jesus, just because you are in their vicinity. You start to change things.

This key of biblical meditation gives you endurance and staying power. Your leaf doesn’t wither. Jesus baptizes and fills you with the Holy Spirit. The power of God starts to overwhelm you. God’s Word teaches you what is yours in Christ. Mediation helps faith to grow, until you live in the manifestation of God’s promises. Through this you learn that healing is yours. Wholeness is yours. Power is yours. You are a child of God, not a slave. The joy of the Lord is your strength. You can live well, in body and soul. You don’t have to give up, because God is working in you.

Brothers and sisters, when you bring all this together, everything you do will prosper. Jesus brings prosperity in ever area of your life. Just focus on Him. Listen to Him. Do what He says, and you will succeed.

There is more depth that can be gone into in this verse. If you want a part two on this verse, let me know, and I will make it happen. Thank you for reading, and may God bless you.

God is good. A good God does good things. God loves you, and His desire is to reveal His goodness to you. Most people don’t really believe that God is good. Much less that God would do good things. God is better than you think.
If something bad happens, people call it an act of God. Hurricane? Act of God. Cancer? Act of God. Poverty? Act of God. Somebody dies? God took them. Do you see a theme? All the bad things that happen get swept under the mysterious rug of God’s will. But what about when something good happens? Many Christians will give the devil the credit. When somebody gets healed, you might hear, “be careful, it might be the devil trying to deceive you.” Or if someone gets blessed financially, “be careful, Satan loves to tempt people, money is the root of all evil( which isn’t in the Bible by the way).” So many people give Satan the credit for good things, and blame God for all the bad things. It ought not to be so.

God is good, not bad. God does good things, not bad things. Seems pretty simple right? Did you know that because God does loves you, He does good in your life. Believe for that. Believe in God’s goodness. The Psalmist said it like this,

“I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD In the land of the living.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭27:13‬ ‭NASB‬‬

God is not just good off in the distance. God won’t be good later, but for now you are on your own. God doesn’t change, when you get to heaven. Maybe you should start praying and believing for some heaven on earth(Consider the Lord’s Prayer). The Eternal God is eternally good. He is good right now, and because of that, He is good to you. Blessing comes from God, not curses. Don’t wait to trust God. Trust Him Now. Believe to see the goodness now, in the land of the living. Don’t despair, but believe. Do you need healing? Receive it by faith. Are you broke? Know that God promises to supply all your needs according to His riches in glory. Are you depressed? The joy of the Lord is your strength. Don’t believe the enemy’s lie, that life will never get any better. Expect to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

Jesus lived, died, and rose again, to make you a child of God. If you have received Jesus and His works by faith, you are God’s son or daughter. And let me tell you some great news. God is a good dad. He richly blesses. He is not a strict or mean guy. He is a joyful, generous Father. He is not frugal. He is not stingy with good gifts. God has given you the greatest gift in Jesus. If God spared not His own Son, will He not also with Him freely give you all things? God loves His children, and He does good things for them, because He is a good daddy.
Stop expecting God to be bad. Start expecting God to be good to you. Let this scripture be your reality,

“O taste and see that the LORD is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭34:8‬ ‭NASB‬‬

The goodness of God is not an abstract idea, but a present reality. Taste and see means for you to experience God in His goodness. You taste delicious food. You see beautiful things. Taste and see that God is good. Expect good things in you life. Expect to say, “O goodness,” every day. Walk in God’s goodness everyday. Expect it. It’s gonna get better, because God is a good God, and a good God, does good things.

If you don’t know Jesus, I want to give you the opportunity to trust Him for your salvation and receive His finished work by faith. If you want to make Jesus the Lord of your life, simply pray this in your heart, as a way to put your faith in Him. Say, “ Jesus, I make you the Lord of my life. I know I’m a sinner, but I believe. I believe that You are the Son of God. I believe You died on the cross for my sins, and I believe that You rose on the third day for my justification. I ask you to save me now. I receive you by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen”

May God bless you my beloved reader. Today I’m praying for you. That you may be healed. God still heals. He has not changed. He is the Lord our Healer. The scriptures are next, followed by my prayer for you.

“He sent His word and healed them, And delivered them from their destructions.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭107:20‬ ‭NASB‬‬

“Bless the LORD, O my soul, And all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget none of His benefits; Who pardons all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases; Who redeems your life from the pit, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion; Who satisfies your years with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭103:1-5‬ ‭NASB‬‬

“Surely our sicknesses he hath borne, And our pains — he hath carried them, And we — we have esteemed him plagued, Smitten of God, and afflicted. And he is pierced for our transgressions, Bruised for our iniquities, The chastisement of our peace [is] on him, And by his bruise there is healing to us.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭53:4-5‬ ‭YLT1898‬‬

“and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.”
‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭2:24‬ ‭NASB‬‬

Heavenly Father I pray for every person reading this, that they would be healed. Father, touch them with Your loving hand. Pour Your love and presence out upon each one. God, let Your presence be tangibly experienced , so that each person may know and love You in a greater way. Send Your Word to each person. Use that a Word to build faith, and through that faith let healing be known. Deliver every reader from whatever destruction that may be facing. I pray healing over each one. Physical healing and emotional healing are Yours to give, and Father we believe that You have given, because of Jesus.

We bless You God, and we don’t forget your benefits. We do not forget that You heal all our diseases. Father ,I pray those benefits over everyone reading this now. I pray for healing and wholeness in Jesus’ name.

Jesus took all the sicknesses and pain on Himself. He bore it for us all. Father apply the healing benefits of His work to each person right now. Thank you, that by Jesus wounds, we are healed. I stand in faith, believing that each reader is healed by Jesus, in His name, amen.