First Baptist Church, Lagrange, Georgia

Psalm 1 reveals that genuine happiness comes from living a life that bears fruit with eternal significance. The psalm uses the metaphor of a tree planted by streams of water to illustrate three key principles for a fruitful life. First, recognize that the source of lasting impact is a deep connection to God—just as a tree's unseen root system is its most vital component. Jesus reinforced this in John 15, emphasizing that apart from Him, we can do nothing of lasting value.Second, understand that fruit-bearing happens in seasons. God brings results in His timing, not ours, which calls us to faithful persistence even when we don't see immediate outcomes. As Galatians 6:9 encourages, we shouldn't grow weary in doing good, for we'll reap at the proper time if we don't give up. Finally, the fruitful person perseveres through adversity—their 'leaf does not wither' even in difficult circumstances. In fact, these challenging seasons often produce greater spiritual fruit, much like certain trees need cold winters to yi