This morning we continue our series entitled, “Refined Focus”, with a mini-series within it entitled “Focusing on the Word”. We are still dealing with the first half of the first psalm. Let’s go back to it today. The Bible says:
(Psalm 1:1-3 KJV) “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”
(Psalm 1:1-3 ERV) “Great blessings belong to those who don’t listen to evil advice, who don’t live like sinners, and who don’t join those who make fun of God. Instead, they love the Lord’s teachings and think about them day and night. So they grow strong, like a tree planted by a stream—a tree that produces fruit when it should and has leaves that never fall. Everything they do is successful.”
For the last few days we have been focusing in on the line: “Whatsoever he doeth shall prosper”, or “Everything they do is successful.” Today I want to address this line from the perspective of the relationship we should have with our Heavenly Father under our New Covenant of grace. I won’t be able to get through this thought today. So I will lay the groundwork today and continue this thought tomorrow.
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
1. We are New Testament believers. Understanding our New Covenant is critical to having and growing a relationship with our Heavenly Father.
2. The Old Covenant of The Law put the focus on man; and man working for God.
a. The Covenant of The Law put emphasis on man and what man could do for God. It was all about man working for God and attempting to do everything right. This covenant was not designed to make you right, because rules can’t make you right. What it was designed to do was to prove to you that you are wrong.
b. Man can’t get saved until he acknowledges the fact that he is lost. Before The Law was given, man did not have any rules to break, therefore he could not sin. Once The Law was given, man had rules, and once he had rules, he was quick to break them.
c. By focusing on what man could do for God under The Law, man was quick to see himself as inadequate. That is why The Law made provisions for sacrifices. Man knew he could not fulfill the Law, so he offered sacrifices for his inadequacies. The blood of innocent animals was shed for the actions of guilty man… until Jesus came!
3. The New Covenant of Grace puts the focus on God; and God working for man.
a. While the Old Covenant of The Law had the spotlight on man, and what he could do for God (making it clear that man was and is flawed), the New Covenant of Grace puts the spotlight on God.
b. The Law was about man attempting to work for God. Under Grace we get to receive all God has already done for us.
c. Grace is not about highlighting the fact that you are flawed and could never keep The Law. No, under grace you get to acknowledge the fact that you could never keep The Law and embrace the grace Jesus died to give you. Now your life is not about you and what you can do for God, but rather about God and what He has already done for you.
d. Under grace you know you are not perfect, but you get to live your life from a position of righteousness. You did not earn this “right position”, Jesus did. And the Father imputed it to you. Your sin was placed ON Jesus and Jesus’ righteousness was placed ON you! You are now a forgiven child of God who gets to focus on God and whatever He wants to do in, with and through your life.
4. When you understand the covenant of grace Jesus died to give you access to, you have a much better understanding of your role in your success. Your success in the earth does not come as a product of human effort or toil. Godly success is birthed out of your relationship with the Father. When you have a relationship with your Heavenly Father, through His Son, empowered by His Spirit, you abstain from the things He told you to abstain from in Psalm 1 and you get to the point where everything you do is successful. It’s just that you know your success is coming by the grace of God and not the sweat of your brow.
Closing Confession: Father, this is a season of refined focus for me. I bring my life into focus in 2016 by maturing my relationship with You. Jesus did not die so I could have religion. Jesus actually died so I could be delivered from religion. In the Old Testament they had religion, ritual and routine. In the New Covenant Jesus died to provide me I get to have a RELATIONSHIP with You. I commune with You daily Father, through Your Son, by Your Spirit. As I do — as I say what You tell me to say and do what You tell me to do — I experience divine success in the earth. But my success does not come because of what I’ve done. My success comes because of what You have already done. It comes by Your grace. It comes for Your glory. It comes as a result of my relationship with You! I declare this by faith! In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
