My Thoughts From the Sermon Series “The Beatitudes” (5)

“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.”

One of my favorite descriptions of grace and mercy is:

Grace is receiving what I don’t deserve.

Mercy is not receiving what I do deserve.

Thankfully, God shows me both. I desperately need both.

As PB said Sunday:

“And this is what the 5th Beatitude really says… O the Bliss of the man who gets right inside other people, until he can see with their eyes, think with their thoughts, feel with their feelings, for he who does that will find others do the same for him, and will know that that is what God in Jesus Christ has done!

Jesus looks at the vile nature of man and still went forward to show mercy to us. Mercy, by it’s very nature, is something undeserved, unearned, unmerited, unwarranted, and unnatural. Is is supernatural.”

To receive mercy, I must show mercy.

On my email signature I have, “Be kinder than necessary for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.”

For years I’ve heard, “Walk a mile in someone else’s shoes before you judge him.”

Or how about the Native American quote: “Do not judge your neighbor until you have walked two moons in his moccasins.”

Every one of these can be tweaked to say – show mercy to others. Show them love, don’t judge them, don’t criticize them. I could go on and on with a list of Bible verses that say this very same thing – using different words, different examples.

My note to PB:

“This sermon was one that needed to be preached.

Well said, PB. What was said from the pulpit needed to be said and you delivered God’s message very well.”

PB mentioned nine sins in his sermon that we often forget to show mercy over – then he stated “…. and the list goes on and on.” The Bible is not a book of “can’t do’s.” But God was specific on what is righteous living.

In this sermon about mercy, PB mentioned anger, not the righteous anger mentioned in another post but a sinful anger over certain types of sin. When we get angry with someone because of their sin. When we think one sin is worse than another and we focus on it and not on the love of God. While listening to him, I realized that often my sin isn’t anger but it’s apathy. I have a tendency to say “I am not going to change your mind and you won’t change my mind” so I say nothing. I ignore the sin. In doing this, I am ignoring a portion of my responsibility as a Christian, I am ignoring that part where God tells me to hold another Christian accountable – IN LOVE. Not judging, not condemning but with prayer and love help them overcome the sin and turn from it. Just as I would pray they do for me.

My apathy is one of my sins. 

I want to be the person God desires me to be. I fall short of the mark. I want God to show me mercy where I'm weak. I must learn to show mercy to others in the same measure I want God's mercy.

Mercy is God’s love in action.

Thank you, PB.

(remember, these are my thoughts concerning this passage of Scripture and not all are from PB)

My Thoughts From the Sermon Series “The Beatitudes” (4)

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,

for they will be filled.”

I’ve never been really hungry. I used to fast on a regular basis and spend time in prayer and Bible study (notice I said used to…) This beatitude  really convicted me. Why did I stop? No idea…. I just did. -

Anyway, I’ve never been really hungry. And when I did fast, I only fasted from food, never from water. So I've never been really thirsty. When I would drive the combine for my Dad I would always have a water jug with me. So when the heat and dust would cause thirst, I would pause and drink.

So to really understand “hunger and thirst for righteousness” I don’t - if I’m identifying “hunger and thirst” with food and water.

However, I do understand  “yearning.” The thesaurus lists the synonyms of yearning as:

longing

craving

desire

want

wish

hankering

urge

hunger

thirst

appetite

ache

This yearning I understand. I can wrap my mind around “yearning” and then  put a perspective on “hunger” on “thirsting.”

Sometimes I have a yearning to read my Bible. Such a strong pull towards God’s Word. I really feel a NEED to pick up my Bible and read.  I know when this yearning appears that I should stop what I’m doing and read my Bible.  Duh. This is not rocket science…

But do I always do it? No. “I’ll do it later” is a very common thought for this procrastinator.  God is speaking to me at a particular time and I’m ignoring Him.

Righteousness.  The synonyms of righteousness are:

decent

ethical

honest

honorable

just

moral

right

nice

good

true

right-minded

virtuous

These words could describe many people that you and I know – but it is pairing these characteristics with Christ that creates righteousness.

Righteousness is putting God first in our lives, having no other “god’s” “idols” before us.

What do I have in my life that I put before God? Oh, man, again – a convicting thought.

My family, my interests, my church, my friends, my blogging, – what do I spend more time on than Christ? How much time do I spend reading His Word, praying, doing what He needs me to do for His Kingdom…..

We I spend more time on so many things than I do on the thoughts of Christ.

To be filled, to be satisfied, I must be holy. I need to strive for righteousness. I need to let go of ME and yearn for Christ.

“Blessed is the man that hungers and thirsts for righteousness for they will be satisfied.”

Thank you, PM.

(PB was gone this week, Family Minister Matt filled in.)

(these are my thoughts concerning this passage of Scripture and not all are from PM)

My Thoughts From the Sermon Series “The Beatitudes” (3)

“Blessed are the meek,

for they will inherit the earth.”

When did our world begin equating meekness with weakness? Even the dictionary describes this word as a form of weakness. But to go back to the Greek, Meekness in this passage of scripture does not mean weakness.

“Blessed is the man who is always angry at the right time and never angry at the wrong time.”  It is self control – guided by Jesus.  It is being even tempered.

Meekness comes from an unshakable confidence in God.

“Blessed is the man who has every instinct, every impulse, every passion under control. Blessed is the man who is entirely self-controlled.” Self controlled with e.v.e.r.y.o.n.e.

Meekness is true humility that has no room for pride.

humility = teachable

Sometimes when I believe I’m being self controlled, I’m actually just being apathetic. Oh, my, I have so much work to do in my life. (I will be writing more on apathy when we get to mercy.)

An unshakable confidence in God. Self control. Humility. WOW.  PB really stepped on my toes in this one.

Just when I think “I’ve got it” I realize I’m being prideful and God points out all the things I need to improve on.

Jesus showed Righteous anger himself. Anger in itself is not a sin, not a lack of self control. A selfish anger is sin. Selfless anger is not sin. Righteous anger – an anger with the sin we see in the world is not a sin.  Letting God control that anger within us is what makes the difference.

Being on my knees – that’s the best way to become meek.

Thank you, PB.

(remember, these are my thoughts concerning this passage of Scripture and not all are from PB)

My Thoughts From the Sermon Series “The Beatitudes” (2)

“Blessed are those who mourn,

for they will be comforted.”

Blessed is more than “happy.” PB in this series says “Oh, for the Bliss…. “ – utter joy and contentment. Being satisfied.

Happy is an emotion that comes from outside stimulation. Joy is an emotion that comes from the inside. My relationship with God gives me joy.

“Happy are the sad” says there is a state of bliss that comes with a heart that is broken. Not broken for a death but broken for the suffering that goes on around me – and broken for my sins.

It’s so easy for me to say “Forgive me for having a rude thought about someone,” or “forgive me for overeating,” words are often easy. But to actually MOURN for these sins that are inside of me. That is an effort that I often don’t want to take the time to commit to.

It’s making my sins personal and realizing that each time I think that thought or chose to overeat (these are just examples of some of my sins) – I – Me – I  am the one hitting that nail in His hand one more time with a hammer that I HOLD.

My sin is mine. I must take responsibility for it. I must mourn from deep within my soul for my sin. Confess, ask for forgiveness and TURN FROM IT.

Repentance.

That is the key, you know. Turning from it. Making a change.

A continual living in sin is pounding the nails. It is causing the pain. I must commit to make the change.

Thank you PB.

(remember, these are my thoughts concerning this passage of Scripture and not all are from PB)

My Thoughts From the Sermon Series “The Beatitudes”

I love the Beatitudes. I’ve been a Christian for years… And ever since I was old enough to understand, I have loved this passage of scripture. I have many notes on these verses. So when PB (Pastor Brad) started his sermon series on this passage, I was more than excited and started praying immediately that I would learn something new.

God did not disappoint. Every week He has taught me something new, and/or reiterated something I had forgotten. (did I choose to forget because it was convicting?) Hmmm.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Do I have a humble and honest opinion of myself? Being poor in spirit is just that. Being honest about my thoughts, my feelings, who I am, how I act, how I respond to others… – how I recognize and face my sins.

All aspects of my life. Do I honestly evaluate who I am in Christ? Do I use the plumb line of His life to look at myself?

If I’m honest here I have to say no. I look at what I want me to be more often than who I really am.

God was convicting on this Beatitude!

Thank you, PB. (I think!!)

(these are my thoughts concerning this passage of Scripture and not all are from PB)