"Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:10
Recently I was in my chiropractor’s office using the word “miserable” over and over again to describe how I felt, when he had asked me how I was. He noted to me that I had said the word “miserable” at least X amount of times and that I needed to be more positive – if I was ever going to be well I was going to have to speak it into existence. I replied, I completely agree; I’ve even taught we're a product of our own words and I have a book called Hung by the Tongue that states the same thing.
And then he noted a well known preacher, stating that even though he was criticized for preaching a feel-good religion, he’s right when he preaches that God wants us to be healthy, physically, and rich financially. Hmm I thought. So I went home and googled some of his well-known quotes. Here is one of the twelve that came up.
“God wants us to prosper financially, to have plenty of money, to fulfill the destiny He has laid out for us.”
Having been studying the beatitudes during the months of March and April, I just had to ask myself, “What’s wrong with this picture?” Does God really desire for me to be healthy and rich when according to the beatitudes this is what the blessed look like?
Blessed are the poor in spirit (spiritually empty; beggars) for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, (over sin) for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek (submissive, gentle) for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness (hungry) for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful (compassionate) for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart (morally upright, undivided) for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers (for God and with God) for they will be called sons of God.
And finally,
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness (harrassed, injured, tortured) for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
All of these, if put into practice, will result in us being persecuted because of righteousness – the top rung of the ladder where the blessed are headed -– where every Christian should be headed. Persecution was not something that just happened to the first century Christian nor only happens today to the missionary abroad. The result of fleshing out the beatitudes, will be persecution; it’s a promise – the opposite of what many preachers preach today – certainly what the well-known preacher who’s mentioned above preaches.
How can we think that a comfort-seeking Christian can follow the cross-bearing Christ? Look at the following scripture.
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James 1:2-4 What a difference there is in “not lacking anything” from this perspective to “not lacking anything” in the physical and financial perspective suggested above. The two are nowhere near the same.
“In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” 2 Timothy 3:12.
“For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him,” Philippians 1:29 And then in this same passage Paul goes on to say,
“since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have,” indicating that struggles never go away for the Christian; they only get worse. (According to tradition Peter was crucified upside-down and Paul was beheaded by Nero.) When Paul wrote these words he was in prison, writing the book that's now become known as the book of joy -- joy, i.e. happy, blessed.
And then finally the last verse I want to call attention to:
“For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God. But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.” 1 Peter 2:19-21 Let me reiterate what Peter says here -- this man who was persecuted for being a follower of Christ and was ultimately crucified upside-down: “But if you suffer for doing good (persecuted because of righteousness) and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called…….”
Was Peter healthy and rich according to the minister's standards above? No. But he was according to Jesus'. He was healthy in that he hungered and thirst for righteousness and he was rich in that he inherited the kingdom of heaven. Praise God for persecution; it's the "highest" calling for a Christian.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Blessed are the peacemakers -- the Christmas gift
"Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called children of God." Matthew 5:9
Earlier in the week Molly Geralds reminded me of a blog I posted on December 14 called Every Good and Perfect Gift. Since peace is a "gift" of the Holy Spirit, we both thought it appropriate to post it again because it goes so well with this week's verse. Peace is something God gives us; it is not something to be worked for or bought. It is a gift from God. Consider "blessed are the peacemakers" when you think about peace being a gift you give away.
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“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” James 1:17
With Christmas only eleven days away, I thought James 1:17 would be an appropriate verse to meditate on this week, since James uses the word gift. And if you’re like me, what gift to give someone is on your mind right now. And if you’re not like me, you’ve probably already made that decision, wrapped it and put it under the tree. :)
Anyway, James tells us not only does God give us gifts, He gives us good and perfect gifts which is the only part of the verse I want us to meditate on this week; please feel free to meditate on the rest.
First, let’s look at the verse in four different translations.
Young’s Literal Translation--
Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above,
Complete Jewish Bible—
Every good act of giving and every perfect gift is from above,
New American Standard Bible—
Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above,
New King James Version—
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above,
Do you see a pattern of words here that is not carried over into the New International Version, which is the one I most frequently use? Clearly these four versions show a difference between a “good and perfect” gift and “every good gift and every perfect gift.” Young’s literal translation, which obviously is a LITERAL translation and the New American Standard Bible, which is the most literal translation today, both say “Every good thing given and every perfect gift,” which, as I have read today, are the most accurate translations.
“Every good thing given” is different from “every perfect gift” in that “every good thing given” emphasizes the “giver” while “every perfect gift” emphasizes the “gift.” I never knew this before STUDYING this verse today. And I love this new insight. Whereas before, I had only seen this passage with respect to every good and perfect gift, I now see it as two gifts. That God is giving the gifts to me, is as great a gift as the gift itself.
I literally thank God every day for "every good and perfect gift" he gives me. Yet, even as I thank him, I wonder what "every good and perfect gift" really means. Today, I think I more fully understand.
If we look back in James at James 1:5 James tells us “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” NKJ So, from James, himself, we see that one of the “good gifts” God gives us is wisdom. Here are more—many more.
Matt. 13:11-12 The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. Did you ever think of these words in the context of knowledge? And did you ever think of knowledge as being a gift?
Luke 11:13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!
John 3:27 To this John replied, A man can receive only what is given him from heaven.
Acts 5:31 God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 11:30 Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience.
Romans 12:6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve….
Ephesians 2:8 For it is by grace you have been saved, though faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.
Ephesians 4:8 This is why it says: “When he ascended on high, he led captive in his train and gave gifts to men.
Ephesians 4:11 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers….
Titus 3:5 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared,
Titus 3:5 He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,
1 John 4:10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
1 John 5:11 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
1 John 5:12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.
Knowledge. Wisdom. Holy Spirit. Forgiveness. Eternal life. Mercy. Spiritual gifts. Grace. Kindness. Salvation. Mercy. His Son. Atoning sacrifice. Life. And love, love, and more love.
Only God can give these gifts--perfect gifts; we cannot. How pitiful we are, if he has all these perfect gifts He wants to GIVE us, yet can’t, because no one wants to receive them. We must receive them first, but when we receive them we must give them away, lest they become a possession. A gift that is only received but never given away becomes a possession. And we do not possess these gifts -- any of these gifts—God does. A gift is only a gift when it is given away. I, literally, looked up the word possess or possession today to see if I possessed anything and what I thought was substantiated. Every time the word possession was used, other than in terms of demon possession, it was used as something to be given away – not kept. Therefore, that which I receive from God I do not possess; He gives it to me to be given away. And I give it to you and you give it to her, so she, too, can receive His gifts, that are to be given away again.
A few years ago I gave my dad a shirt and tie for Christmas. The next Christmas I went into “the junk room” and found his gift still folded neatly, in the same box I had wrapped the year before. I was saddened that he didn’t appreciate my gift enough to wear it -- like God must feel if I don't desire his gifts, i.e., to wear his name and clothe myself with Christ.
Here we are with all these gifts, perfect gifts, given to us by the Creator, the one true and living God who’s qualified to give the gifts—the ONLY one qualified. And yet we want other gifts. We want the other “worldy” gifts we fix our eyes on that are temporal. How do others know about the “gift” of eternal life, the “gift” of mercy, the “gift” of Jesus Christ, etc. unless we share our gifts with them?
Have we, like my dad, put God in a box, along with his gifts and never shared them with others? Have we ever experienced the gifts he so lavishes upon us?
This holiday season please remember that God gives “every good thing given” and “every perfect gift.” Remember to give them to others, lest they just become a possession -- not a gift at all.
Earlier in the week Molly Geralds reminded me of a blog I posted on December 14 called Every Good and Perfect Gift. Since peace is a "gift" of the Holy Spirit, we both thought it appropriate to post it again because it goes so well with this week's verse. Peace is something God gives us; it is not something to be worked for or bought. It is a gift from God. Consider "blessed are the peacemakers" when you think about peace being a gift you give away.
______________________________________
“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” James 1:17
With Christmas only eleven days away, I thought James 1:17 would be an appropriate verse to meditate on this week, since James uses the word gift. And if you’re like me, what gift to give someone is on your mind right now. And if you’re not like me, you’ve probably already made that decision, wrapped it and put it under the tree. :)
Anyway, James tells us not only does God give us gifts, He gives us good and perfect gifts which is the only part of the verse I want us to meditate on this week; please feel free to meditate on the rest.
First, let’s look at the verse in four different translations.
Young’s Literal Translation--
Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above,
Complete Jewish Bible—
Every good act of giving and every perfect gift is from above,
New American Standard Bible—
Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above,
New King James Version—
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above,
Do you see a pattern of words here that is not carried over into the New International Version, which is the one I most frequently use? Clearly these four versions show a difference between a “good and perfect” gift and “every good gift and every perfect gift.” Young’s literal translation, which obviously is a LITERAL translation and the New American Standard Bible, which is the most literal translation today, both say “Every good thing given and every perfect gift,” which, as I have read today, are the most accurate translations.
“Every good thing given” is different from “every perfect gift” in that “every good thing given” emphasizes the “giver” while “every perfect gift” emphasizes the “gift.” I never knew this before STUDYING this verse today. And I love this new insight. Whereas before, I had only seen this passage with respect to every good and perfect gift, I now see it as two gifts. That God is giving the gifts to me, is as great a gift as the gift itself.
I literally thank God every day for "every good and perfect gift" he gives me. Yet, even as I thank him, I wonder what "every good and perfect gift" really means. Today, I think I more fully understand.
If we look back in James at James 1:5 James tells us “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” NKJ So, from James, himself, we see that one of the “good gifts” God gives us is wisdom. Here are more—many more.
Matt. 13:11-12 The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. Did you ever think of these words in the context of knowledge? And did you ever think of knowledge as being a gift?
Luke 11:13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!
John 3:27 To this John replied, A man can receive only what is given him from heaven.
Acts 5:31 God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 11:30 Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience.
Romans 12:6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve….
Ephesians 2:8 For it is by grace you have been saved, though faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.
Ephesians 4:8 This is why it says: “When he ascended on high, he led captive in his train and gave gifts to men.
Ephesians 4:11 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers….
Titus 3:5 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared,
Titus 3:5 He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,
1 John 4:10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
1 John 5:11 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
1 John 5:12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.
Knowledge. Wisdom. Holy Spirit. Forgiveness. Eternal life. Mercy. Spiritual gifts. Grace. Kindness. Salvation. Mercy. His Son. Atoning sacrifice. Life. And love, love, and more love.
Only God can give these gifts--perfect gifts; we cannot. How pitiful we are, if he has all these perfect gifts He wants to GIVE us, yet can’t, because no one wants to receive them. We must receive them first, but when we receive them we must give them away, lest they become a possession. A gift that is only received but never given away becomes a possession. And we do not possess these gifts -- any of these gifts—God does. A gift is only a gift when it is given away. I, literally, looked up the word possess or possession today to see if I possessed anything and what I thought was substantiated. Every time the word possession was used, other than in terms of demon possession, it was used as something to be given away – not kept. Therefore, that which I receive from God I do not possess; He gives it to me to be given away. And I give it to you and you give it to her, so she, too, can receive His gifts, that are to be given away again.
A few years ago I gave my dad a shirt and tie for Christmas. The next Christmas I went into “the junk room” and found his gift still folded neatly, in the same box I had wrapped the year before. I was saddened that he didn’t appreciate my gift enough to wear it -- like God must feel if I don't desire his gifts, i.e., to wear his name and clothe myself with Christ.
Here we are with all these gifts, perfect gifts, given to us by the Creator, the one true and living God who’s qualified to give the gifts—the ONLY one qualified. And yet we want other gifts. We want the other “worldy” gifts we fix our eyes on that are temporal. How do others know about the “gift” of eternal life, the “gift” of mercy, the “gift” of Jesus Christ, etc. unless we share our gifts with them?
Have we, like my dad, put God in a box, along with his gifts and never shared them with others? Have we ever experienced the gifts he so lavishes upon us?
This holiday season please remember that God gives “every good thing given” and “every perfect gift.” Remember to give them to others, lest they just become a possession -- not a gift at all.
Blessed are the peacemakers
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God." Matthew 5:9
We have come to God beggars, mourning over our sins. We realize there is nothing too bad that anyone can say about us; we won't be offended; we are under God's control. We hunger and thirst for His righteousness; He fills us. Being filled with his righteousness, we are equipped to extend mercy to others. We live in a very stained world but remain true to God. We have peace that we wish to share.
I must have peace with God before I can have the peace of God to extend to others.
We have come to God beggars, mourning over our sins. We realize there is nothing too bad that anyone can say about us; we won't be offended; we are under God's control. We hunger and thirst for His righteousness; He fills us. Being filled with his righteousness, we are equipped to extend mercy to others. We live in a very stained world but remain true to God. We have peace that we wish to share.
I must have peace with God before I can have the peace of God to extend to others.
The Pure in Heart
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." Matthew 5:8
I remember driving by Kohl’s after Phil had had his surgery, on my way home from the hospital, thinking how insignificant and trivial shopping was after I had placed so much emphasis on it prior to Phil’s heart attack. Sickness just has a way of waking us up out of our sleep, I guess. It has a way of melting away the layers that obscure our vision of what’s really important. Maybe, other than I had prayed for it to happen, that’s why I put so little emphasis on shopping now; it just doesn’t seem to matter anymore.
One definition of pure in heart is “free from the admixture or adhesion of anything that soils, adulterates, and corrupts.” Another is “purified by fire.” Please let me remind you of the analogy of the refiner’s fire.
“It is his job to melt down raw gold and turn it into a marketable product. The refiner would endure severe heat as he would painstakingly stir the melted ore. Well, every so often he would scrape off a dirty-looking film that had collected at the top. Upon the removal of that film, a beautiful golden glow would appear, seemingly perfect. But the refiner was not satisfied. He turned up the heat and kept stirring and skimming, stirring and skimming. When asked by an impatient bystander when the gold would be refined enough, he said, ‘It will only be ready when I can see my face reflecting back in the gold. Then the work will be complete.'" [http://www.backtothebible.org/index.php/Gateway-to-Joy/Adversity.html]
Even though Phil’s surgery had been painful for him, it was God’s way of refining us both in the fiery furnace of affliction – a pain that was worth it for both of us. The day before his heart attack I had prayed for God to slow him down and get his attention. And he did.
Yesterday my daughter and I crossed paths at Wal Mart while she was renting the movie The Hurt Locker and I was buying the ingredients for zucchini bread. I asked her if she wanted to come over and watch me eat my salad I had just bought at Panera Bread and then watch me make the zucchini bread while we talked. So she did. After she had already asked me if I wanted to see the movie and I had said “no,” I told her to go ahead and watch it by herself in the den while I made the zucchini bread in the kitchen which are basically one and the same room. I paid very little attention to what was going on until almost the very end of the movie when I finally had a chance to sit down. This was the quietest part of the movie and the part I was meant to hear. Here is Staff Sergeant William James exact quote to his baby son:
“You love playing with that.”
“You love playing with all your stuffed animals.”
“You love your Mommy, your Daddy.”
“You love your nature pajamas."
“You love everything, don’t you? Yeah.”
“But you know what, buddy?”
“As you get older…some of the things you love might not seem so special anymore."
“Like your Jack-in-a-box."
“Maybe you’ll realize it’s just a piece of tin and a stuffed animal.”
“And the older you get, the fewer things you really love.”
“And by the time you get to my age, maybe it’s only one or two things.”
“With me, I think it’s one.”
And in the next scene we hear the words, “Welcome to Delta Company, Sergeant.”
“God’s work of refining and purifying the soul must go on until his servants are so humbled, so dead to self, that when called into active service, they may have an eye single to the glory of God. Then they will not move rashly from impulse, and imperil the Lord’s cause because they are slaves to temptation and passion, because they follow their carnal desires; but they will move from principle and in view of the glory of God.” [Refiner’s Fire – Sermon Notes by Pastor John Grosball]
Job replied to the Lord after years of the Lord’s tests and Satan’s temptations: “My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you.”
What happened to Job and what happened to me after Phil’s heart attack was a part of the purification process God controlled the entire time. Just like the man in The Hurt Locker God intends me to come through adversity with one goal in mind – to be a better soldier – to glorify Him.
“See I have refined you, though not as silver. I have tested you in the furnace of affliction. For My own sake I do this.” Isaiah tells us; for his sake he refines us. Purification is painful, so painful, but a necessary ingredient in the Christian’s life. It’s the method whereby God says “I love you. I choose you to cast my reflection upon others.” For HIS sake he allows the purification process and blesses the pure in heart who see HIM through it.
I remember driving by Kohl’s after Phil had had his surgery, on my way home from the hospital, thinking how insignificant and trivial shopping was after I had placed so much emphasis on it prior to Phil’s heart attack. Sickness just has a way of waking us up out of our sleep, I guess. It has a way of melting away the layers that obscure our vision of what’s really important. Maybe, other than I had prayed for it to happen, that’s why I put so little emphasis on shopping now; it just doesn’t seem to matter anymore.
One definition of pure in heart is “free from the admixture or adhesion of anything that soils, adulterates, and corrupts.” Another is “purified by fire.” Please let me remind you of the analogy of the refiner’s fire.
“It is his job to melt down raw gold and turn it into a marketable product. The refiner would endure severe heat as he would painstakingly stir the melted ore. Well, every so often he would scrape off a dirty-looking film that had collected at the top. Upon the removal of that film, a beautiful golden glow would appear, seemingly perfect. But the refiner was not satisfied. He turned up the heat and kept stirring and skimming, stirring and skimming. When asked by an impatient bystander when the gold would be refined enough, he said, ‘It will only be ready when I can see my face reflecting back in the gold. Then the work will be complete.'" [http://www.backtothebible.org/index.php/Gateway-to-Joy/Adversity.html]
Even though Phil’s surgery had been painful for him, it was God’s way of refining us both in the fiery furnace of affliction – a pain that was worth it for both of us. The day before his heart attack I had prayed for God to slow him down and get his attention. And he did.
Yesterday my daughter and I crossed paths at Wal Mart while she was renting the movie The Hurt Locker and I was buying the ingredients for zucchini bread. I asked her if she wanted to come over and watch me eat my salad I had just bought at Panera Bread and then watch me make the zucchini bread while we talked. So she did. After she had already asked me if I wanted to see the movie and I had said “no,” I told her to go ahead and watch it by herself in the den while I made the zucchini bread in the kitchen which are basically one and the same room. I paid very little attention to what was going on until almost the very end of the movie when I finally had a chance to sit down. This was the quietest part of the movie and the part I was meant to hear. Here is Staff Sergeant William James exact quote to his baby son:
“You love playing with that.”
“You love playing with all your stuffed animals.”
“You love your Mommy, your Daddy.”
“You love your nature pajamas."
“You love everything, don’t you? Yeah.”
“But you know what, buddy?”
“As you get older…some of the things you love might not seem so special anymore."
“Like your Jack-in-a-box."
“Maybe you’ll realize it’s just a piece of tin and a stuffed animal.”
“And the older you get, the fewer things you really love.”
“And by the time you get to my age, maybe it’s only one or two things.”
“With me, I think it’s one.”
And in the next scene we hear the words, “Welcome to Delta Company, Sergeant.”
“God’s work of refining and purifying the soul must go on until his servants are so humbled, so dead to self, that when called into active service, they may have an eye single to the glory of God. Then they will not move rashly from impulse, and imperil the Lord’s cause because they are slaves to temptation and passion, because they follow their carnal desires; but they will move from principle and in view of the glory of God.” [Refiner’s Fire – Sermon Notes by Pastor John Grosball]
Job replied to the Lord after years of the Lord’s tests and Satan’s temptations: “My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you.”
What happened to Job and what happened to me after Phil’s heart attack was a part of the purification process God controlled the entire time. Just like the man in The Hurt Locker God intends me to come through adversity with one goal in mind – to be a better soldier – to glorify Him.
“See I have refined you, though not as silver. I have tested you in the furnace of affliction. For My own sake I do this.” Isaiah tells us; for his sake he refines us. Purification is painful, so painful, but a necessary ingredient in the Christian’s life. It’s the method whereby God says “I love you. I choose you to cast my reflection upon others.” For HIS sake he allows the purification process and blesses the pure in heart who see HIM through it.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
The Pure in Heart
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." Matthew 5:8
The heart must be pure, undivided, at peace in order to see God.
Much like Martha as she scurried and hurried around in the kitchen, worried and upset about many things, I suffer from anxiety also. Yes, I know you know that I know anxiety is wrong; it’s sinful. Yet, even knowing it’s wrong, I have it. One doctor who was treating me for it described it as being all over the map. My thoughts race from one thought to another thought to another thought to another thought until my brain is absolutely polluted with mental chatter, exhausted from the mental calisthenics. Martha and I are scattered, while Mary is focused. Mary just sat at Jesus’ feet listening, seeing him because she was free from distraction, i.e., pure in heart.
A distracted heart is what Satan wants. Why? Because the pure in heart will see God and that's not his intention.
Do you want to see God? Then be singular in your focus. Fix your eyes on Jesus and nothing else. Don't let life's worries, riches and pleasures, that keep the soil from being fruitful, take over. Put your hand to the plow and don’t look back. Determine to see God in everything you do today. Start by concentrating on this particular section of St. Patrick's Breastplate Prayer and then put it into practice.
Christ with me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right,
Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down,
Christ when I sit down,
Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The entire prayer can be read here.
The heart must be pure, undivided, at peace in order to see God.
Much like Martha as she scurried and hurried around in the kitchen, worried and upset about many things, I suffer from anxiety also. Yes, I know you know that I know anxiety is wrong; it’s sinful. Yet, even knowing it’s wrong, I have it. One doctor who was treating me for it described it as being all over the map. My thoughts race from one thought to another thought to another thought to another thought until my brain is absolutely polluted with mental chatter, exhausted from the mental calisthenics. Martha and I are scattered, while Mary is focused. Mary just sat at Jesus’ feet listening, seeing him because she was free from distraction, i.e., pure in heart.
A distracted heart is what Satan wants. Why? Because the pure in heart will see God and that's not his intention.
Do you want to see God? Then be singular in your focus. Fix your eyes on Jesus and nothing else. Don't let life's worries, riches and pleasures, that keep the soil from being fruitful, take over. Put your hand to the plow and don’t look back. Determine to see God in everything you do today. Start by concentrating on this particular section of St. Patrick's Breastplate Prayer and then put it into practice.
Christ with me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right,
Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down,
Christ when I sit down,
Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The entire prayer can be read here.
The pure in heart
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." Matthew 5:8
She’s a very special little girl, considered a gift by both parents and grandparents as well as all who know her. She came along at a very difficult time when mom and dad needed a gift to take the place of the one they had lost. She’s the pride and joy of Pa and Paw Paw – the reason Pa walks the first mile every morning.
Sunday was family day which is usually held on the first Sunday in April, at my home congregation in Edmonton. Family and friends who’ve at one time or another considered South Edmonton their home come back together to get re-acquainted and worship together once again.
Russ, this special little girl’s Paw Paw was there for the first time because she had asked him. “Paw Paw. Don’t you think you need to come to church and learn about Jesus?” she asked. “And you’ll have to fill out one of those cards in the backs of the pews,” she added; and Russ, who hadn’t been to South Edmonton in a long, long time….came….all because his granddaughter loved him, asked him, and wanted him to learn about Jesus. Russ knew about Jesus already, but just like all of us, he just needed to be reminded. And reminded he was by a five year old with a pure, loving heart.
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” “Pure in heart” means 1) free from corrupt desire, from sin and guilt 2) free from every admixture of what is false, sincere genuine 3) blameless, innocent 4) unstained with the guilt of anything. Even though Paw Paw’s granddaughter lives in a sin-sick world, she perfectly exemplifies the pure in heart. Her heart is “without mixture” -- able to see through the eyes of innocence. Whereas we look at the world and see bad, she looks at the world and sees God and wants us to see Him also. “Let the little children come to me, Jesus said. “For such is the kingdom of heaven.”
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God."
She’s a very special little girl, considered a gift by both parents and grandparents as well as all who know her. She came along at a very difficult time when mom and dad needed a gift to take the place of the one they had lost. She’s the pride and joy of Pa and Paw Paw – the reason Pa walks the first mile every morning.
Sunday was family day which is usually held on the first Sunday in April, at my home congregation in Edmonton. Family and friends who’ve at one time or another considered South Edmonton their home come back together to get re-acquainted and worship together once again.
Russ, this special little girl’s Paw Paw was there for the first time because she had asked him. “Paw Paw. Don’t you think you need to come to church and learn about Jesus?” she asked. “And you’ll have to fill out one of those cards in the backs of the pews,” she added; and Russ, who hadn’t been to South Edmonton in a long, long time….came….all because his granddaughter loved him, asked him, and wanted him to learn about Jesus. Russ knew about Jesus already, but just like all of us, he just needed to be reminded. And reminded he was by a five year old with a pure, loving heart.
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” “Pure in heart” means 1) free from corrupt desire, from sin and guilt 2) free from every admixture of what is false, sincere genuine 3) blameless, innocent 4) unstained with the guilt of anything. Even though Paw Paw’s granddaughter lives in a sin-sick world, she perfectly exemplifies the pure in heart. Her heart is “without mixture” -- able to see through the eyes of innocence. Whereas we look at the world and see bad, she looks at the world and sees God and wants us to see Him also. “Let the little children come to me, Jesus said. “For such is the kingdom of heaven.”
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God."
Blessed are the merciful
"Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy." Matthew 5:7
There are two sentences in the account of the rich young ruler that stand out to me when I think about mercy. "Jesus looked at him and loved him" is what Jesus did after the "rich, young ruler" stated he had not murdered, commited adultery, stolen, given false testimony, or defrauded, and that he had honored his father and mother. Jesus knew what he had done, but Jesus also knew what he had not done. "One thing you lack," [Jesus] said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." Jesus knew his heart, yet looked at him and loved him anyway. Jesus was merciful, when he didn't have to be, to the rich young ruler. The other sentence is what was said about the rich young ruler after Jesus asked him to give away his wealth to the poor: "At this the man's face fell."
How completely different the rich young ruler's attitude was from Jesus' -- "Jesus looked at him and loved him" versus "At this the man's face fell."
How pitiful to have it all and give nothing. How merciful it is to have nothing and give it all.
There are two sentences in the account of the rich young ruler that stand out to me when I think about mercy. "Jesus looked at him and loved him" is what Jesus did after the "rich, young ruler" stated he had not murdered, commited adultery, stolen, given false testimony, or defrauded, and that he had honored his father and mother. Jesus knew what he had done, but Jesus also knew what he had not done. "One thing you lack," [Jesus] said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." Jesus knew his heart, yet looked at him and loved him anyway. Jesus was merciful, when he didn't have to be, to the rich young ruler. The other sentence is what was said about the rich young ruler after Jesus asked him to give away his wealth to the poor: "At this the man's face fell."
How completely different the rich young ruler's attitude was from Jesus' -- "Jesus looked at him and loved him" versus "At this the man's face fell."
How pitiful to have it all and give nothing. How merciful it is to have nothing and give it all.
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