A Blessed Welcome Awaits

Psalm 1 (NIV)
Blessed [welcome] is the one
who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers,
but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
and who meditates on his law day and night.

The word 'blessed' has many meanings, like, holy or set apart or sacred.  But for this Psalm I am drawn to the word welcome. This word is powerful in the context of this Psalm. When a new believer takes that first step to faith, renouncing their past and turning from a sinful life to one that would make Jesus proud, they are welcomed into God's family.

You might enjoy how Eugene Peterson puts it in The Message translation: 

How well God must like you— you don’t hang out at Sin Saloon,
you don’t slink along Dead-End Road,
you don’t go to Smart-Mouth College.

Those moments we experience a life-change like this, we feel the difference.  I know I did.  I struggled for a long time to stay on the right path and every time I would veer off course, I felt it in my spirit. I would be longing for the peace to come again.  I wanted to feel the WELCOME in my heart again.

We get older and wiser and our walk with God is a constant, even then, we need to feel that peace, that WELCOME that comes only from walking close to the One who knows us so well and wants a relationship with each and every one of us.

Psalm 1

False teachers and New Believers - Titus 1:10-16

Titus really had his hands full here.  Paul wanted him to stay in Crete to raise up sound leadership for the new congregations there. Paul gave Titus the responsibility to chose and prepare these leaders. There were a number of things working in the background making it difficult; not the least of which were false teachers.

The congregations were made up of new believers, members who were just hearing about Jesus Christ and learning about the salvation He provided.  New believers are susceptible to incorrect teaching.  When I was new to faith the New Age movement was prevalent.  I know when I first heard about this New Age Spiritualism or New Age cult as some call it; I was attracted to the calming, peaceful manner in which they presented their practices.  It took the wisdom of a seasoned follower to share the truth with me. 

Titus spent much of his time renouncing the deceptive teachings of  Jews who refused to believe in Jesus.  It is easy to understand how fragile a new believers' faith is.  It takes years of reading God's Word, studying scripture and living through life's ups and downs to be secure in our beliefs.  It is important that we pray for new believers, that Satan can't sway them or cause them to doubt.

There are false teachers all around us.  Imagine what a young teen struggles with daily.  Their peers on television and in the movies make their lifestyle seem attractive, when in fact it is some of the false teaching that goes on in this world today.

Read the Titus 1:10-16 text here.  Listen to the Titus 1:10-16 text here.