LIFE'S TWO ROADS: THE LIVES OF FAITHFUL AND FAITHLESS PERSONS CONTRASTED

Oh, the joys of those who do not follow evil men's advice, who do not hang around with sinners, scoffing at the things of God. But they delight in doing everything God wants them to, and day and night are always meditating on his laws and thinking about ways to follow Him more closely. They are like trees along a river bank bearing luscious fruit each season without fail. Their leaves shall never wither, and all they do shall prosper. But for sinners, what a different story! They blow away like chaff before the wind. They are not safe on Judgment Day; they shall not stand among the godly. For the Lord watches over all the plans and paths of godly men, but the paths of the godless lead to doom (Psalm 1:1-6). God does not judge people on the basis of race, sex, or national origin. He judges them on the basis of their faith in Him and their response to His revealed will. Those who diligently try to obey God's will are like healthy, fruit-bearing trees with strong roots (Jeremiah 17:5-8) and God promises to watch over them. God's wisdom guides their lives. In contrast, those who don't obey God have meaningless lives which blow away like dust. There are only two paths of life from which to choose - God's way of obedience or the way of rebellion and destruction. By choosing your pathway, you choose your eternity. You can learn how to follow God by meditating on His laws. Meditating means spending time reading and thinking about God's Word and how you should change your ways so that you will be living the way God wants you to live. Knowing and meditating on God's Word are the first steps towards applying it to your every-day life. If you want to follow God more closely, you must know what He says. The more we know of the whole scope of God's Word, the more resources we will have for our daily decisions. The more we bask in the radiant joy of God's Presence and His Word, the more we cultivate the spirit of joy within us. On the other hand, the more we allow the dark influences of scoffing sinners (and Satan's temptations) to overshadow us, the more we separate ourselves from the very source of great joy. If you want despair, spend time with scoffing sinners and worldly people. But if you want joy, you will find it only in the Presence of God and His Word! - Life Application Bible, Tyndale House Publishers, 1988.