FLOURISHING TILL OLD AGE IN THE HOUSE OF GOD

TEXT:                    PSALM 92:12-15

A.           DEFINITION OF TERMS

FLOURISHING:  Flourishing is to grow well, to be healthy, to be very successful, to do very well.

 Flourishing has to do with growing luxuriantly, to thrive, to achieve success, to be in a state of activity or production, to reach a height of development or influence.

 Given the three seasons of life i.e. the morning, the afternoon and the night season, flourishing in all seasons is desirable and enviable but flourishing till a ripe old age is far more desirable and enviable.

 While thanking God for the evident grace of God upon the special guest of honour, we pray our theme shall be his testimony and we covet the same grace upon all of us in Jesus name. Amen.

B.           SCRIPTURAL BACKGROUND

1.             Psalm 92 was probably penned by David

2.            It bothers on the business of the Sabbath which is highly recommended in vs. 1-3.    

3.            The work of God which gave occasion for the Sabbath are celebrated as GREAT and UNSEARCHABLE in vs. 4-6

4.            We have in this Psalm, mercy and judgment, providence and redemption and of course the ruin of sinners and the joy of saints.

5.            The wicked shall perish – vs. 7                                          

6.            God is Eternal  – vs. 8

7.            God’s enemy shall be cut off

8.            David (put my name or yours) shall be exalted.

9.            Our enemies just like that of David shall be confounded – vs. 11

10.          However all the righteous shall be fruitful and flourishing – vs. 12-15

11.           In singing this Psalm we must give God the GLORY due to His name, which of course is the purpose of this gathering – Ps. 29:2

12.          We must also take pleasure of TRIUMPH in HIS works.

C.            INFERENCE

Going by vs. 12-15, the secret of flourishing is in RIGHTEOUSNESS

1.             The Righteousness – Job 38:7; Ps. 34:15, Ps. 37:25, Isa. 3:10,

Matt. 13:43

2.            Spiritual progress – Job 17:9, Ps. 84:7, Pro. 4:18, 1 Tim. 4:15

3.            Palm tree  – Ex. 15:27, Deut. 34:3, Song. 7:7, Jer. 10:5, Joel 1:124.     

4.            House of God – Ps. 134:1, Eccl. 5:1, Isa. 2:3, Isa. 56:7, Isa. 60:7

5.            Spiritual Fruit – Ezek. 47:12, Matt. 13:8, Gal. 5:22-23, Eph. 5:9,

James 3:17

6.            Unfading life – Ps. 1:3, Jer. 17:8, Hos. 14:8 

7.            Old Age  – Gen. 15:15, Ps. 71:9, Pro. 16:31, Eccl. 12:1, Isa. 46:4,

Titus 2:2-3

8.            Longevity – 1 Kings 3:14, Job 5:26, Ps. 91:16, Pro. 10:27, Isa. 65:22, Zech. 8:4, 1 Pet. 3:10

9.            God as a Rock – Deut. 32:4, 31; 1 Sam. 2:2, Ps. 18:31, Ps. 28:1, Ps. 62:2, Ps. 94:22

10.          God’s righteousness  – Ps. 48:10, Ps. 97:2, Ps. 119:137, Ps. 145:17,

Jer. 23:6

D.           THE SUBJECT MATTER:   RIGHTEOUSNESS

1.             Righteousness is not common as a theme in the Church of God today at revivals, crusades and Church services.

2.            We must correct the prevailing erroneous impression in this dispensation and generation as evident and common in the statement that NOBODY CAN BE RIGHTEOUS

3.            We need to seek proper understanding of Psalm 130 vs. 3 which is often quoted out of context and in error IF THOU LORD SHOULD MARK INIQUITIES, O LORD WHO SHALL STAND?

                                A.           This is a question

                                B.            The answer is provided in the next verse 4 BUT THERE IS

FORGIVNESS WITH THEE, THAT THOU MAY BE FEARED

C.            The encouragement to be righteous in same Psalm is in verse 7 i.e. LET ISREAL HOPE IN THE LORD FOR WITH THE LORD THERE IS MERCY AND WITH HIM IS PLENTEOUS REDEMPTION.

D.           The assurance of victory over iniquity is in verse 8 i.e. AND HE SHALL REDEEM ISRAEL FROM ALL (not some) HIS INIQUITIES.

4.            Therefore by inference NO ESCUSE TO REMAIN IN INIQUITY for the way of escape is provided

5.            Ditto for 1 John 1:8 (semantics) IF WE SAY WE HAVE NOT SIN is not the same as IF WE SAY WE COMMIT NO SIN verse 9-10 is also instructive

6.            1 John 3:8 confirms that whoever committeth SIN (HABITUALLY or WHO PRACTICES EVIL DOING) is of the devil.

7.            1 john 3:9 Those born of God (BORN ARAIN) do not deliberately, knowingly and habitually practice sin.

8.            There must always be a distinction between the children of God and the children of the devil – 1 John 3:10

9.            Righteousness of course is that distinctive factor – 1 Jh 3:10

10.          Righteousness according to the Merriam Webster’s Dictionary, given its Christian coloration is ACTING IN ACCORD WITH DIVINE OR MORAL LAW, FREE FROM GUILT OR SIN.

A.           This is synonymous with DECENT, ETHICAL, HONEST, HONOURABLE, JUST, RIGHT, GOOD, RIGHT MINDED, STRAIGHT, TRUE, UPRIGHT, VIRTOUS. 

B.            The antonyms are self explanatory and instructive BAD, DISHONEST, BLACK, DISHONOURABLE, EVIL, EVIL MINDED, IMMORAL, INDECENT, SINFUL, UNETHICAL, WICKED, WRONG, etc.

C.            The focus is not necessarily attaining a state of PERFECT SINGLENESS.  This is the goal at the coming of Christ when He shall perfect all that concerns us as Christian.

E.            HOW THEN CAN WE BE RIGHTEOUS? (READ, STUDY AND MEDITATE ON – Romans 5:12-21)

1.             Righteousness is a GIFT

2.            That gift is EMBEDDED and ENCAPSULATED IN THE PERSON OF JESUS CHRIST ALONE

3.            Sin came through one man Adam and we all became sinners.

4.            Righteousness came through Jesus Christ one man and we became RIGHTEOUS.  He there and then takes over our thought, words and deed through the power the abiding, residing, and presiding, presence of the Holy Spirit.  As long as we yield to Him, we can never commit sin habitually, deliberately and knowingly.

5.            Isaiah 12:1-3, 4-end; God remains our salvation and our righteousness through Jesus Christ.

F.            CONCLUSION:   Accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, stand in His Blood and lay claim to His Righteousness all of the time and your flourishing till old age is guaranteed and secured by His grace and mercy.

There is always going to be a space for the RIGHTEOUS at the top.  If you see anybody today who appears to be making HEAD WAY outside righteousness be rest assured that such is a major disaster going somewhere to happen somewhere someday.

 RIGHTEOUSNESS exalts not only a nation but every individual and sin remains a REPROACH – Proverbs 14:34.

 THE VEN. A. O. AGARA