A Moment With Pastor Fred

Happy Father’s Day. It has been my joy to be the father of four children – one of my great delights. I continue to be delighted now by being a grandfather to nine.

I want to challenge our dads and grandads. Psalm 1 speaks of the blessed man. The Hebrew conveys a state of happiness or well-being. This is the man who is fulfilled in life. The word is in the plural, literally, O the contentment many times over. Two conditions must be met to find oneself blessed. 

First you must avoid evil. The psalmist doesn’t pay attention to the voice of marketing where everything is said in positive, upbeat tones. He begins with the negative. To live a life of fulfillment, of God-centered happiness means we must shun some things: avoid bad advice, “walks not in the counsel of the wicked;” avoid bad company, “nor stands in the way of sinners;” avoid bad talk,“ nor sits in the seat of scoffers.” 

But there’s a positive side to all of this. The blessed man saturates himself with God’s Word. We must be preoccupied with Scripture. This isn’t simply reading the Bible – it is allowing it to consume us, to develop a Bible-soaked logic. The result will be astonishing: stability, “like a tree planted;” productivity, “yields its fruit in its season;” prosperity, “in all that he does, he prospers.” Don’t read the prosperity gospel here. Biblical prosperity is related to enjoying the fruits of a God-centered life, Matt 6:33, “But seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness and all these things will be added to you.” Dads, on Father’s Day say “no” to the world and “yes” to God’s Word. True blessings will result.