May 18, 2026

Business by the Book

Psalm 1:1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, …

The first of the Five Principles of Prosperity is found in Psalm 1:1-2 - Refrain from walking in the counsel of the ungodly. Doing so brings a blessing; on this the Bible is abundantly clear. A New Testament parallel of this principle is found in II Corinthians 6:14 wherein believers are warned against being yoked together with unbelievers. Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

Notice carefully the exact wording of our verse today.  To be blessed with prosperity we are told to walk not in the counsel of the ungodly. It is one thing to hear counsel from all men. In fact, three times, the book of Proverbs states that a multitude of counselors is a wise thing.  Jesus said in Luke 16:8 that …the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light. Certainly there are things we can learn from all men, for all men have some knowledge. 

But the warning is to not walk in the counsel of the ungodly. Walking seems to indicate a habitual acceptance and embodiment of such counsel. There are people whom I have known over the years that can only be described as ungodly. Some have been my bosses, others coworkers, and others yet friends. In fact by example, Jesus taught us to be among individuals like this in order to influence them for good. However, there must be a line that is established which the one who wants to be prosperous cannot cross.

That line for me is the nature of counsel received. Counsel on how to fix my car, or how to swing a golf club, or how to perform any other ordinary task, is amoral. But if the issue at hand is of a spiritual or moral nature, ungodly guidance must be guarded against. 

This matter of godliness is elusive to say the least. The Apostle Paul said it like this, And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: … (I Timothy 3:16) When counsel comes to you from any avenue, weigh that counsel in light of the teachings of God’s Holy Word. Remember, there is always some good in the worst of us and some bad in the best of us. Godly counsel is so because it agrees with the teachings of God. Ungodly counsel is such because it violates the teachings of God as found in His Word. The character of the person giving the counsel is secondary to the nature of the counsel.  As the old preacher once said “God can hit some mighty straight licks with some mighty crooked sticks” speaking of course about the fallen humanity of preachers.  For we are all ungodly and we can all be godly, this is the battle of the two natures of God’s children.  But that is a topic we may visit on another day. 

Consider the counsel. If it is godly accept it, embrace it, employ it, and walk in it. If it is ungodly, reject it.  Your blessings of true prosperity may very well depend on it.

Dr. William Howe