Psalm 040:01-04 Blessed – Part 2 – audio

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Three Part Series:  Part 1 – Part 2 – Part 3

Text: Psalm 40:1-4

Introduction

1. As Christians, we live in the world be we are not to be OF the world.

2. We will associate with people who are not Christians.

a. Family.

b. Friends.

c. Co-workers.

d. Fellow students.

3. The Bible warns us over and over again about the company we choose to keep.

4. Continuing our study on what the Psalms tell us about how to live blessed lives; notice what they say about the company that we keep.

Body

I. A PLETHORA OF PASSAGES.

A. Psalm 1:1-2. 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; But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night.

B. Psalm 40:4. Blessed is that man who makes the Lord his trust, And does not respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.

C. Proverbs 1:10-15. My son, if sinners entice you, Do not consent. If they say, “Come with us, Let us lie in wait to shed blood; Let us lurk secretly for the innocent without cause; Let us swallow them alive like Sheol, And whole, like those who go down to the Pit; We shall find all kinds of precious possessions, We shall fill our houses with spoil; Cast in your lot among us, Let us all have one purse” – My son, do not walk in the way with them, Keep your foot from their path;

D. Proverbs 4:14-15. Do not enter the path of the wicked, And do not walk in the way of evil. Avoid it, do not travel on it; Turn away from it and pass on.

E. Proverbs 13:20. He who walks with wise men will be wise, But the companion of fools will be destroyed.

F. Proverbs 14:7. Go from the presence of a foolish man, When you do not perceive in him the lips of knowledge.

G. Proverbs 16:29. A violent man entices his neighbor, And leads him in a way that is not good.

H. Proverbs 20:19. He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets; Therefore do not associate with one who flatters with his lips.

I. Proverbs 22:24-25. Make no friendship with an angry man, And with a furious man do not go, 25 Lest you learn his ways And set a snare for your soul.

J. Proverbs 23:6. Do not eat the bread of a miser, Nor desire his delicacies;

K. Proverbs 23:20. Do not mix with winebibbers, Or with gluttonous eaters of meat;

L. Proverbs 24:1-2. Do not be envious of evil men, Nor desire to be with them; 2 For their heart devises violence, And their lips talk of troublemaking.

M. Proverbs 28:7. Whoever keeps the law is a discerning son, But a companion of gluttons shames his father.

N. 1 Corinthians 15:33. Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.”

II. WHAT TYPES OF PEOPLE ARE MENTIONED IN THESE PASSAGES?

A. Ungodly / Wicked / Evil.

1. One who does that which is wrong.

2. A guilty person.

3. One who is immoral.

B. Sinners.

1. An offender.

2. One accounted guilty.

3. Sinful.

C. Scornful.

1. A scoffer.

2. One who mocks.

D. Proud.

1. Insolent.

2. Showing a rude and arrogant lack of respect.

a) For God.

b) For the church.

c) For those in authority.

E. Those who turn aside to lies.

1. This is referring to those who turn aside to idolatry.

2. Romans 1:24-25. Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

F. Foolish.

1. A dullard.

2. Simpleton.

3. Stupid fellow.

4. Arrogant one.

5. Biblically, a fool is one who does not hear and heed the word of God – Matthew 7:26

G. Violent.

1. Cruel.

2. Unjust.

3. Immoral.

H. Talebearers and Flatterers.

1. Talebearer – slanderer, informer.

2. Flatterer – one who flatters, deceives for personal gain.

I. Miser.

1. Disagreeable.

2. Unpleasant.

3. Malignant.

4. Bad.

J. Winebibbers and Gluttonous.

1. Winebibbers – drinkers of wine.

2. Gluttonous – vile, riotous eater.

III. IN REGARD TO THESE PEOPLE: HOW ARE WE TO INTERACT WITH THEM?

A. We are not to allow them to entice us.

1. They will try to get us to do that which we know is wrong.

2. We cannot allow them to cause us to sin against God.

B. We are not to enter their path or walk in their ways.

C. We are not to be companions with them.

1. To be a special friend.

2. To associate with someone.

D. We are not to associate with them.

1. To have fellowship with; to share.

2. Ephesians 5:11. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.

3. We are to “make no friendship with” them.

4. We are not to eat their bread.

5. We are not to mix with them.

E. We are not to envy them nor desire to be with them.

F. We are not suggesting that it is wrong to have friends who are not Christians.

1. All of us have family and friends who are not Christians.

2. What these passages are telling us is that we are not to be partners with them.

3. We are to show love and kindness to all – Galatians 6:10

4. But we are also to remain a separate people – 2 Corinthians 6:14-18

5. An important question: Given the opportunity to spend time with your brothers and sisters in Christ or to spend time with your worldly friends, whom do you choose?

6. Your answer to that question tells much about your spiritual maturity.

IV. WHY IS IT SUCH A BIG DEAL?

A. Why is God so concerned with whom we choose to spend our time?

B. Because God wants us to be happy and He knows us.

1. Psalm 106:34-35. They did not destroy the peoples, Concerning whom the Lord had commanded them, But they mingled with the Gentiles And learned their works;

2. He knows that if His people intermingle with the world, they will learn the works of the world.

3. 1 Corinthians 15:33. Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.”

4. Do we really want to put ourselves in this situation?

a) Wanting to “fit in” with friends who care nothing about what God wants from us.

b) This will eventually lead to unhappiness and discontent on our part.

c) God wants us to be blessed – happy.

5. Like any good parent, God wants to protect us from those things which will harm us.

a) Even though we may not see the danger.

b) Are we going to trust His judgment in this matter.

C. Unfortunately, we often act like stubborn children.

1. Stubbornly insisting that we know best.

2. Insisting that we can “handle” any temptations placed before us.

V. OUR JOB AS PARENTS.

A. We have to remember these things as parents.

1. We are responsible for bringing our children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

2. We are to look out for their spiritual well-being.

3. Part of that is making sure that they are not associating too closely with people who will pull them away from Christ.

B. We should instill in them at a very young age that when they grow up, they need to marry a Christian.

1. When one chooses a spouse, he is choosing to attach himself to a certain person for the rest of his life.

2. Steve Higginbotham kept records for 21 years at a particular congregation regarding mixed marriages.

a) 76 youth married non-Christians and 57 of them ended up leaving the faith (75%).

b) 24 of the 76 who married non-Christians ended up divorced (32%).

c) 4 of the 76 were able to convert their spouse (5%).

d) 13 youth married Christians and only 3 left the faith (23%).

e) 3 of the 13 who married Christians have divorced (23%).

Conclusion.

1. God wants us to be happy.

2. Associating too closely with sinful, worldly people will only bring trouble and heartache.

3. Let us have the attitude of David – Psalm 84:10

Delivered on: February 12, 2012. Streetsboro.