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Psalm1:1-3, Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night; he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bring forth its fruit in its season., whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.           

 A few years ago we had to replace our driveway.  We also had some concrete removed at the back of the house.  To replace the concrete in back, we had the company bring dirt we could wheelbarrow to the back; my grandkids and I worked hard doing that.  The dirt brought was brown dirt which was not very good for growing anything.  It got hard and was unproductive.  I ended up trying to remove as much as I could.

There is something else to contrast in Psalm 1.  Two types of soil are assumed here; there is good and bad soil. Dr. Glen Schultz wrote in his blog about growing healthy trees.  I would like to paraphrase what he wrote since he provided great insight into the soil trees are planted in.

It takes good soil to grow healthy trees.  Soil must have the proper nutrients in order for tress to grow and be healthy.  Sometimes that soil needs to be prepared in order for the trees to grow.

This Psalm is not about trees – the tree represents people and the soil is about the environment they put themselves in.  Dr. Schultz often discusses worldviews.  In this blog he discusses the soil as being one’s worldview.  He states that the soil of a secular worldview is man-centered and filled with lies.  He believes this soil lacks the nutrients to “grow healthy trees.  The only worldview that has rich nutrients to grow healthy trees is a biblical worldview where the worldview is God-centered and based on the truth of the Bible.

It is not enough to know that a secular worldview is filled with lies – they must be identified.  Here are a few of the lies he has identified in this worldview.  Man’s happiness is the most important goal in life.  The government is to provide for all its citizen’s needs.  Gender is a personal choice.  Tolerance is the ultimate value humans are to exhibit.  I cannot be fulfilled unless I have ______ (you fill in the blank).  These are only a few examples of the lies being taught by the secular worldview.  After identifying the lies, you need to understand how they impact your life.  Why is this important?  It isimportant because your actions always follow your beliefs.

Here is the bottom line for Dr. Schultz, “The consequences we are facing in this country and others are facing around the world are not the result of merely bad behavior or forming faulty values.  We must understand that for the past 50+ years generation after generation have been planted in bad soil.  In turn they have developed a secular worldview by absorbing the many lies that are the basis of a secular worldview.”  So here is what he is saying.  Fruit (consequences) is being produced that is not good fruit because the tree is planted in bad soil.  In other words, fruit (consequences) is the result of the behaviors being practiced; this is too often the focus of correction.  Instead, the soil (where the problem originates) must be changed.

The soil is changed by changing the worldview one has.  Secular worldview based on lies and deceit of man’s word or a biblical worldview based on the truth of God’s Word?  I have said so many times that the Bible is truth.  It sets one free from all the lies and deceit that is in the world.  Are you as tired as I am of the lies of the world?  Who do you believe - Democrats, Republicans, conservatives, liberals, socialists, or aliens from other planets?  Who do you trust?

“Even so every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.  A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.  Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  Therefor by their fruits you will know them.”  Jesus

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