**Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly**...Psalm 1:1a
The voices we listen to are going to bring about a certain lifestyle. The information we receive everyday is going to create certain thoughts. Those thoughts are going to create emotions and those emotions are going to create actions. Our life and our reputation are built on our actions. These actions determine our education, our career, and our relationships. So, it all comes down to choices. What or who do we listen to and what actions are produced from that information?
Information is advice or counsel. We read it, listen to it, watch it on a video, and then it triggers the process that will eventually bring about our actions. If we want to change an action we have to go back to the source of the information. A simple example would be… if I am afraid of the dark, what information did I receive in the past that I need to correct with better information? By correcting the information, I can overcome the actions based on my emotional fear of the dark.
Our verse today talks about counsel or advice. Ungodly or by inference Godly.
Ungodly counsel is going to head us down a certain path. It will open the door to a certain kind of activities, people and consequences. It will take us down a path that may look fun or interesting or attractive over a short distance, but it will eventually take us to darker and more difficult paths. Instead of always taking us forward, there is the possibility it will take us backwards or perhaps, in circles. Bad advice almost always lead us to a path of trouble.
We all receive information from many sources. The internet, television, family, friends, books, and Hollywood films are some of those sources. If we could sort all that information into two categories, we would be able to see that some of it is good advice and some of it is bad advice. How much of this information is drawing us into a happier life and how much of it is leading us to an unhappy life? The question is which category makes us happier? Which one leaves us feeling fulfilled, at peace and happy to get out of bed every day and which one leaves us frustrated, confused and hating life? *Blessed is the man that walks not in the counsel of the ungodly*. Which one do we think is going to bring us happiness? Which one do we think will help us raise our children, have a healthy marriage, help us to choose a rewarding career and make loyal friends? Good advice or Bad advice? Godly or ungodly? This is where the examining begins. Let’s call it step 1.