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Welcome to the final and 10th  week of my series on The Beatitudes.

The Sermon on the Mount teachings are a demonstration of what we should be living as Christ followers.   Jesus set the tone early on in His ministry regarding what He was about and what it meant to be His disciple and have a Kingdom mindset. These teachings are the foundation for what Jesus modeled and would be doing for the next three years of His earthly ministry, and what He longs for us His followers to do as well.

The Beatitudes are the good news of the Gospel of the Kingdom that Jesus preached for the here and now and also for the Kingdom to come.   I look forward to diving in deeper to each one of the 8 Beatitudes in the weeks to come.

 


 

Are you more like Jesus today than you were a month, two months, or even a year ago?

 

Are you more like Jesus today than you were yesterday?

 

I pray we would all say YES!  Yet, there are some days when I wonder if Jesus would say I was becoming more like Him.  However, I then remember, He isn’t after my perfection, He’s after my heart, and attitude.

 

For the last 9-weeks, I’ve been writing on The Beatitudes found at the beginning of Matthew 5 which are foundational for understanding how to live life in the Kingdom of God. Each of the 8 beatitudes are qualities disciples (followers) of Jesus should possess.  They are essential ways of thinking which help us to be more Christlike.

Jesus made it his ministry to preach the coming of the kingdom, teach the way of the kingdom, and demonstrate the purpose and power of the kingdom by healing the sick. Preaching, teaching, and healing. –John Piper[1]

 

My mother started attending church faithfully when I was 5 years old and I remember accepting Jesus when I was 8.  While I won’t divulge my exact age, let me just say that I have spent many decades in church.  In all these years, I don’t ever remember a pastor or a sermon on the Beatitudes.  Now, I am not saying that there wasn’t one, I’m just saying I don’t remember one, and if there was one, it definitely wasn’t a series.  When I took on this challenge of researching and going deeper into this passage of Scripture, it was so I could learn more and understand the importance of what Jesus was saying during the beginning of His earthly ministry during while preaching the sermon on the mount.

 

The Beatitudes are the good news of the Gospel of the Kingdom that Jesus preached for the here and now and also for the Kingdom to come.  [2]

I have enjoyed spending the last 9-weeks digging deeper in to the 8 Beatitudes. I have learned a lot and been challenged in many areas of my life and spiritual walk, and I pray you have too.

 

Matthew 5:1-12

Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them.

He said:

 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

 

 

As I contemplate all I have learned, I ask that you to join me as I highlight the main takeaways from the last 9-weeks. If you want to read more on a specific post, then click on the picture under each Beatitude and it will take you straight there. 🙂

 

Blessed are the poor in spirit:

Being poor in spirit is recognizing and acknowledging that we are sinners.  It’s where we set aside our pride and self-righteous attitudes and empty ourselves before a Holy and just God.  It’s where we call out to a God full of mercy and grace.

We empty ourselves; our heart and our mind of all the world values or tells us is valuable and we look to God to find our value and worth in Him and with Him. Being poor in spirit is about recognizing and placing value on God and His Kingdom and not on earthly possessions.

 

 

Blessed are those who mourn:

 

On a deeper level, Jesus was not just talking about our mourning over losing someone close to us either through death or a broken relationship. Jesus was also talking about us mourning over our own sinful nature.

Take a minute to contemplate that …. Do we mourn over our own sin?

 

 

 

Blessed are the meek:

 

When we walk in Biblical meekness we are saying: “Jesus take the wheel” of my life. I trust You to order my steps to go where you need me to go.  Biblical meekness is about letting go of the “I want it my way” mentality and being obedient to God whether He says stop, no, or go.

 

 

 

 

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst:

 

We need to hunger and thirst for the only One who can truly make a difference in our lives.  Many hunger and thirst for the wrong things, the perfect job, house, family, church. Truer yet, is the fact that there are many in America have no idea of what it means to have a sustained physical hunger or thirst for nutritional sustenance.

 

 

 

 

Blessed are the merciful:

 

There were times when Jesus was upset by the injustice occurring around Him, like when He called the Pharisees a brood of vipers (Matt 12:34), or He overturned the tables in the temple courtyard (John 2:15).  However, the majority of the time Jesus was merciful and compassionate toward the sinner. He did not judge them. He didn’t overlook their sin. He spoke truth in love and extended the Fathers heart to those in need.

 

 

 

 

Blessed are the pure in heart:

 

Scripture is clear. Jesus is not concerned with our outward appearance as much as we are.  Nope, He is concerned with the condition of our heart and our heart attitude.

 

Pure in heart does not mean pure intentions.  It does not mean looking like we have it all together.  In the same way that “poor in spirit” emphasized our spiritual poverty, Jesus puts the emphasis here on us being pure in heart.  He wants us to have a heart that is spiritual pure.  Not a perfect heart, but a heart that longs for His touch. A heart that is not ashamed to call out to Jesus and ask for forgiveness.

 

Jesus was addressing head on an issue that was prevalent in His day, as it is in ours.  He was telling the people that having a pure heart is about the inside not the outside. It was not about looking spiritual, doing the right rituals, or saying the right prayers.  It is more about the truth inside our hearts and allowing the two to line up.

 

 

 

Blessed are peacemakers:

 

 

Peace according to the Kingdom of God and peace according to our worldly standards are two very different things.  In the natural, we think peace means the absence of conflict. However, it is much more than that.

In this beatitude, Jesus is telling us, that as God’s children, peace is to be a part of our DNA.  It is the kind of peace that surpasses all understanding.  It is the peace we have when we rest in the confidence assurance that God has got us, even in the midst of life’s storms.

 

 

 

Blessed are the persecuted:

 

As He spoke, Jesus was giving them a glimpse of what was to come, not just for himself, but for them as well.  Before, Jesus death, they may not have understood the fullness of His words, but as they watched the events leading up and past His crucifixion, I am sure there was no doubt in their minds exactly what it meant to be persecuted for living a right and holy life unto God.

 

 

 

God loves us just the way we are, but at the same time, He doesn’t want us to stay the same. He wants us to change more and more with each passing day to become more like His son Jesus. Jesus taught us how to be more like Him during His sermon on the mount and with these beatitudes. So again, I ask:

 

Let’s make a purpose to be more like Jesus today than we were yesterday. Will you join me?

 

PS: John Piper has an 8-week sermon series that is so rich and full of profound, thought-provoking and challenge statements on this passage of scripture.  I highly encourage you to check them out, if you want to dive deeper yourself.

[1] https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/the-beatitudes-and-the-gospel-of-the-kingdom

[2] https://debbiekitterman.com/blessed-8-ways-to-sunday-the-beatitudes-series-tune-in-thursday-56/

 

Last weeks Top Viewed Post was: Trust Me God Whispered by Susan Mead. 

If you haven’t had a chance to read it, I encourage you to do so.  Susan shares how God came through big time for her as she stepped out in faith and obedience to Him.

Also, Susan has a weekly linkup on Friday called: Dance With Jesus.  If you are looking for a place to linkup on Friday’s please visit her tomorrow.

 

 

 

 

 

Again Welcome and Thank you for joining me for #TuneInThursday it is an honor to have you here!

I have had a few people ask for a badge/button to display on your blogs.  I would absolutely be honored if you would display it, or link back here in some way.  Thank you!

 

Tune In Thursday

 

Now let’s get this party started, feel free to link 1-3 posts:

 


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Do you wonder if God still speaks today?  Do you wonder if He would ever speak to you personally?  Do you long to hear the voice of God in your life?

Have your read other books on hearing from God, but long for hands on practical application? or are you looking for ways to  move you forward  hearing from God?

If you answered YES to any of those questions, then I have exactly what you need.  I now have an online e-course designed to equip you in understanding that God still speaks today, and He longs to speak directly to you, through His word, and others.  He longs to encourage you, strengthen you and comfort you.  The training on this site, is fully based on Scripture, and taken from my training manual Releasing God’s heart through Hearing His Voice. 

God is speaking, Can you Hear Him?

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Balancing the Warrior & the Princess We’re Called to Be

Who we Are and Whose We Are

Trusting God When it Seems Illogical

Will You Sit with Me? (Jesus is Calling.)

My Post “Climb Every Mountain” was featured in the August monthly link-up at : Life on Intention Link-up Party

My Posts: “Will You Sit with Me?”  & New Mercies Everyday & Wait for it were featured here:

My Posts:  The Most Wonderful Time of the Year & And So Do We!  & Know Your Why were featured here:

 

Overwhelmed to Fulfilled

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