The biggest decision you will make this year

15/01/2023 - Matt Destry

What are the biggest decisions you’ve had to make in your life?

Buy or sell? Stay or go? Treat or don’t treat? Marry or don’t marry? Leave or stay?

Scripture – Psalm 1

#blessed with context

Psalm 1 introduces the whole book of Psalms. Indeed ‘distinctiveness’ is the theme around which the poem is structured. A psalm that is really the key to all psalms…

Ash-re: lit. ‘happy’

A1 (v 1) The way of blessedness

  B1 (v 2) Continuance in the Lord’s law

    C1 (v 3) The enduring fruit tree

    C2 (v 4) The impermanent chaff

  B2 (v 5) No standing in the Lord’s judgment

A2 (v 6) The way of perishing

Chiastic structure helps us see the crux of the passage (V 3&4)

a/ A life of faith is LIVED OUT,

rather than just talked about

b/ We are TRANSPLANTED

into a new position by delight

Points:

1/ How healthy is your tree? A spiritual inventory

Do I have a place for God’s word and voice in my life?

What disciplines do I need to employ to help me delight in God’s Word?

Who will I ask to keep me accountable with this?

2/ Who are you planted with? A relational inventory

How will the people you are ‘walking, standing, sitting’ with affect your future spiritual health?

Who helps challenge you and pull you out of complacency?

How might I lend my strength to help others?

3/ Authoritative prayer

Where do you need to ‘stand your ground’ with God?

How might you make prayer more of a joy this year?

Where are you seeing the Lord’s faithfulness in your life? Where would you like to see it even more?

2 options: God’s Word or the herd

Delight in His word because He has delighted in you