Matthew 5:3-12  "The Beatitudes" A Review

wk 1... "Blessed" -  As a Christian you "have entered" into a blessed relationship with God that is real, vital and permanent!  O, the bless of being a Christian!  O, the joy of following Christ! O, the sheer happiness of knowing Jesus as Savior, Master and Lord!  This is the basic character trait that God desires in His followers.  Are you overwhelmingly grateful?  If not, you need to spend some quiet time with your source of life and joy.  Try it, you'll learn to love it!

wk 2... "Poor in Spirit" - Blessed is the person who realizes their own utter helplessness in being righteous and who has put their whole trust in God!  We are so attached to and rich with things in our culture that we have little time, energy and money for our spiritual health and growth.  Isn't it about time for us to begin prioritizing... and begin to detach from unnecessary things and completely attach to and depend on God? 

wk 3... "Mourn" - Blessed are those who are desperately sorry for the sorrow and suffering of this world, and for their own sin.  For out of their sorrow they will find joy.  When we deeply realize the cost of our sin we are brought to a grief that is heartfelt and sincere, and the the Holy Spirit then leads us out of this grief, lifts the burden of our sorrow into an uplifting joy of living in God's Grace, Forgiveness, Peace and Love! 

wk 4... "Meek" - Blessed is the person who is always angry at the right time, who has every instinct, impulse and passion under God's control, and has the humility to realize their own ignorance and weakness, for such is a king or queen among the people.  When we surrender our control of all things to God we discover just how blessed we are!  What is it that is keeping you from surrendering?  Give it over to God and discover just how freeing that is.

wk 5... "Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness" - Blessed is the person who longs for total righteousness as a starving person longs for food, and a perishing person longs for water, for that person will truly be satisfied.  If any of us were to experience either of these situations, we would begin to understand just how important a relationship is with God.  He is life itself!  Taste of Him today... take a long, cool drink of and satisfy hunger by ingesting His Word, surrendering to His Spirit and being refreshed completely.

wk 6... "Merciful" - Blessed is the person who gets right inside other people and sees things through their eyes, thinks their thoughts, feels their feelings, for they will find others doing the same for them and will know that is what God in Jesus Christ has done for them.  When you find yourself angry, critical or judgmental today, check to see if you are really considering what is going on with the object of your frustration.  Maybe you can be the very instrument that God wants to use to impact that situation for His glory?  Will you be merciful or selfish?

wk 7... "Pure in Heart" - Blessed is the person whose motives are absolutely pure, for they will some day be able to see God.  We are reminded that it is only by God's grace that we can keep our hearts clean by Christ blood sacrifice on the cross... God has done that work!  However, we also have to continually check our motives in the renewing of our minds from sinful influences to the image of Christ.  Be attentive to the Holy Spirit's ministry in your thoughts, feelings and behaviors... may your motives be pure.

wk 8... "Peace Makers" - Blessed are those who produce right relationships between people for they are doing a godlike work!  Reconciliation is a key principle in the Kingdom of God and yet many believers have such a hard time with this.  Is your pride, selfishness, ungodliness coming between a strained or broken relationship?  If so, today is the day of confession, surrender and reaching out.  God has forgiven you... you have no legitimate reason to not forgive and try to make peace.

wk 9... "Persecuted" - Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, because the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs!  Being a Christ follower will disrupt every department of your life... your work, social, home, ethics, morals, etc.!  You will stand out as someone who is living counter-culturally and you will be criticized, harassed, or mistreated in some way.  Your loyality to Christ will be tested and tried.  Just remember... you are a citizen of heaven already today and your future reward is great in heaven is great and your are apart of an amazing team of believers!  So, celebrate and rejoice and be glad for you are blessed!

GOD LOVES YOU AND IS BLESSING YOU TOTALLY ALWAYS!  As you review this teaching of Jesus, may you surrender to the work of the Holy Spirit and so that your character will reflect God's and your attitudes be adjusted to represent His!  Be a light on a hill in a dark world and salt in an unsavory world!

Pastor Dwayne