Matthew 5:8-12

 

The Beatitudes Matthew 5:8-12

 

:8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see GOD.” Oswald Chambers commented on this verse, “If the spiritual bloom of our life with GOD is getting impaired in the tiniest degree, we must stop everything and get it put right. Vision depends on character ‘the pure in heart’ see GOD.” My Utmost For His Highest, Garborg’s Heart ‘N Home, Inc., 1988

The imperative is on us to maintain our pure relationship with GOD! David wrote in Psalm 15, “LORD, who may abide in your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your Holy Hill? He who walks uprightly, and works righteousness, and speaks the truth in his heart; He who does not back bite with his tongue (Exodus 20:16), nor does evil to his neighbor (Exodus 20:17), nor does he take up reproach against his friend; in whose eyes a vile person is despised, but he honors those who fear The LORD; he who swears to his own hurt and does not change; he who does not put out his money at usury, nor does he take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be moved.” Peter said it this way in 1 Peter 1:1-12, “…Grace and Peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of GOD and of JESUS our LORD…as His Divine Power has given us all things that pertain to Life and godliness…But also for this reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance (patience), to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love…Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble…” If you want to be pure in heart make Psalm 15 and 1 Peter 1:1-12 part of your life.

 

:9 “Blessed are the peace makers, for they shall be called sons of GOD.” Here is a thought: “But as many as received Him, to them He Gave the Right (Authority) to become children of GOD, to those who believe in His Name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of GOD.” “Repay no one evil for evil. Have (Provide good) regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men…Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with Good.” John 1:12-13. Romans 12:17-21 (Psalm 34:14).

 

:10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.” The poor in spirit and the persecuted for righteousness both receive The Kingdom of Heaven, those who the world looks on as lowly, vermin, not worthy to live. But GOD lifts up the lowly, shelters the downtrodden and Blesses those who are persecuted for His Names sake. Psalm 103:6-8 “The LORD executes righteousness and Justice for all who are oppressed…The LORD is Merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in Mercy.”

 

:11-12 “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly Glad, for Great is your Reward in Heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” This is hard for most Christians, we do not want to suffer or be persecuted, but JESUS told us we would be: Matthew 10, the whole chapter, vss. 34-36 “Do not think that I have come to bring Peace on earth. I did not come to bring Peace but a Sword. For I have come to set (alienate a man from) a man against his father…and a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.”

What is that Sword? Ephesians 6:17 “And take the Helmet of Salvation, and The Sword of The SPIRIT which is The Word of GOD;” Hebrews 4:12 “For the Word of GOD is Living and Powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of the soul and spirit, and of joins and marrow, and is a discerner of the thought and intent of the heart.” Revelation 19:11-21 “Now I saw Heaven opened and behold a white horse. And He Who sat on it was called Faithful and True, and in Righteousness He Judges and makes war…Now out of His mouth goes a Sharp Sword, that with it He should strike the nations…And the rest were killed with the Sword which proceeds from the mouth of Him Who sat on the white horse…” The Apostles wrote about our sufferings and persecutions; 2 Corinthians 1:3-7; James 1:2-8; 1 Peter 4:12-19.

 

https://youtu.be/xtjH4TcxZIQ

Matthew 5:6-7

 

The B-Attitudes Matthew 5:6-7

 

:6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.” Luke 6:21a “Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be filled (satisfied).” This is not the hunger and filling that comes from eating natural food, but spiritual food. Isaiah said in 55:1-5, “Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the Waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for what is not Bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is Good, and let your soul delight itself in Abundance…” He is not talking about the body and natural food he is talking about the soul and the soul eats spiritual food! John 6:11, “Give us this day our daily Bread.” Again, this is not just about natural food, in just a few sentences JESUS tells us not to worry about natural food, this is about spiritual food.  6:25-34 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not Life more than food and the body more than clothing?...For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first The Kingdom of GOD and His Righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.”

JESUS told the devil when tempted, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceeds from the mouth of GOD.” which is a quote from Deuteronomy 8:3.

JESUS asks us to let Him come into our life so we can sup together, Revelation 3:20, “Behold I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.” In his letter to the lukewarm Church, those who know about JESUS but have not yielded their life to Him, He is knocking and calling out. Today’s Church is lukewarm to cold, many who say they love GOD and give their life to Him really have not, they continue to practice sin in their lives.

JESUS is The Bread of Life, John 6:48 “I Am The Bread of Life.” Study 6:22-59 This is a hard text for Christians even today, but JESUS is clear, we must abide in Him or we can do nothing, John 15:10“If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My Love, just as I kept My Father’s Commandments and abide in his Love.” Study John 15:1-17, again this is a hard passage for many Christians. GOD did not call us to the good life here on the earth, He called us to the Eternal Good Life that comes after this difficult way and narrow gate life (Matthew 7:13-14).

JESUS is The Living Water, John 4:4-14, “JESUS answered and said to her, ‘If you knew The Gift of God, and Who it is Who says to you, “Give Me a drink,” you would have asked Him, and He would have given you Living Water.’” John 7:37-39 “On the last day, that great day of the feast, JESUS stood and cried out, saying, ‘If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of Living Water.’ But this He spoke concerning The SPIRIT, Whom those believing in Him would receive; for The Holy SPIRIT was not yet given, because JESUS was not yet Glorified.”

Paul talks about the fact that the Hebrews in the wilderness all ate the same spiritual food (manna) and drank the same spiritual water (CHRIST) 1 Corinthians 10:1-4 (Study Exodus 16 and 17).

In Hebrews 5:12-14, Paul admonishes the Believes that they are living on the milk of The Word like babies when they should be mature eating the solid food of The Word of GOD.

In 1 Corinthians 11:23-34 Paul teaches about taking communion based on JESUS’ instructions to the twelve during the Passover Sader on the night He was arrested. Where we eat His body represented by unleavened bread and drink his blood represented by grape wine (or juice).

In Revelation 22:1-2, all who are allowed into GOD’s Eternal Kingdom’s New Jerusalem can drink Water from The River of Life and eat Fruit from The Tree of Life that grows on each side of the River of Life.

Do you get the point? “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.” “Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be filled.”

 

:7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain Mercy.” We all want mercy, even in entertainment the villain about to be dispatched, the one who has shown no mercy to his victims, usually begs for mercy.

What is mercy? “Kindness and love. In the Old Testament, mercy was used to describe GOD’s Faithfulness within the Covenant relationship. GOD showed Mercy even to those who broke the law (Daniel 9:9). In the New Testament the word typically referred to the fulfillment of GOD’s promised Kindness through JESUS CHRIST (Luke 1:54; Titus 3:5-6). Many Christian benedictions mention mercy (1 Timothy 1:2).” Bible Dictionary, Publications International, Ltd., 1999; That seems like a fair description.

So to be merciful we must give mercy to others, this is tricky for many people, even Christians; if you have anger, resentment, jealousy, envy or hatred toward other people you will not be able to show mercy very easily. To receive mercy we have to give mercy, study Psalm 41, David recognizes what mercy is, asks GOD to be merciful to him, speaks of others unkindness to him, then again asks GOD to be merciful to him so he can repay those who were not merciful to him, but JESUS corrected that attitude!

JESUS told us to forgive others their sins against us or our Father in Heaven would not forgive us our sins (Matthew 6:14-15); JESUS told to us do good (be merciful) to those who hate us and mistreat us (Matthew 5:21-26, 43-48); no anger, no hatred, no revenge! Paul reminds of this in Romans 12:17-21, where he quotes from Deuteronomy 32:35 and Proverbs 25:21-22.

So mercy is an act of kindness whether the person is deserving or not. Proverbs 12:10, “A righteous man regards the life of his animal, but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.” A righteous man treats his animals better than a man whose mercies are based on requirement and not love, (see Matthew 5:43-48).

 

https://youtu.be/4jGkduSJg30

Matthew 5:3-5

 

Blessed = Happy

 

3107 makariŏs; a prolonged form of the poetical makar (meaning the same) supremely blest; by extension fortunate, well off:-blessed, happy (X-ier).

3106 makarizō; from 3107; to beautify, i.e. pronounce (or esteem) fortunate:-called blessed, count happy.

Greek Dictionary of The New Testament, James Strong, MacDonald Publishing Company

 

Each of the Beatitudes starts with makariŏs, generally translated blessed but also means happy; which renders our understanding of the beatitudes differently.

 

Matthew 5

:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is The Kingdom of heaven.” (Luke 6:20 “Happy are you poor, for yours is The Kingdom of GOD.”) Psalm 40:16-17 “Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; let such as Love Your Salvation say continually, ‘The LORD be Magnified!’ But I am poor and needy; yet The LORD thinks upon me. You are my Deliverer; do not delay, O my GOD.” Zephaniah 3:17 “The LORD your GOD in your midst, The Mighty One, will Save; He will Rejoice over you with Gladness, He will quite you with His Love, He will Rejoice over you with Singing.” James 1:9

 

:4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” (Luke 6:21b “Happy are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.” Psalm 126:5-6 “Those who sow in tears shall reap in Joy. He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with Rejoicing, bringing in sheaves with him.” Revelation 21:4 “GOD will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 “But I do not what you to be ignorant, brethren concerning those who have fallen asleep (died), lest you sorrow as others who have no Hope. For if we believe that JESUS died and rose again, even so GOD will bring with Him, those who sleep in JESUS.”

 

:5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth (or land).” Romans 4:13 “For The Promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or his seed through The Law, but through the Righteousness of Faith.” Psalm 37:11 “But the meek shall inherit the earth and shall delight themselves in the abundance of Peace.”  (Study this whole Psalm, it is about Eternity.) Zephaniah 2:3 “Seek The LORD, all the meek of the earth, who have upheld His Justice. Seek righteousness, seek humility. It may be that you will be hidden in The Day of The LORD’s Anger.”

 

https://youtu.be/eVFTKfGswyE

Rewritten?

 

Rewritten?

 

There was a worship song I liked about 2016-2017 that said that GOD had rewritten my history. At that time it really spoke to me of GOD’s Love and Authority; that He Loved me so much that He rewrote my sinful past to one of righteousness in JESUS, and that He had the Power and Authority to do that – to change what was evil to what reflected Glory on JESUS.

 

But the reality is that GOD did not rewrite my history – He removed my sin from me; as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:11-14; Isaiah 38:15-19; Jeremiah 31:34); as JESUS took the punishment for my sin (Romans 5:6-11; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21). He did say that in Eternity there will be no more sorrow and tears (Revelation 21:1-4), meaning that either we will not remember or will not be affected by our past. After all I did have good experiences in my before JESUS life, and I have had sin in my Born Again Life.

 

My sin nature that I was born with due to Adam’s sin and all of my past, present and future sins were forgiven by GOD as determined before the foundation of the earth (1 Peter 1:20-21) when JESUS went to the cross as The Lamb of GOD Who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29; Hebrews 7:24-28).

 

What GOD did was to write out the days of my life while I was in my mother’s womb, His Will and Purpose for me in His Kingdom in the earth and in Eternity (Psalm 139:13-24; Job 10:8-12, 31:13-15; Jeremiah 1:4-5; Galatians 1:13-17)!

 

The problem was that I was born a sinner, a child of sinners and I grew up not knowing anything about GOD or His plan for my life, I did not know that GOD had a plan for my life.

 

So what happened when I became a Believer in JESUS? GOD put me on the difficult way that leads to the narrow door of Eternity (Matthew 7:13-14, 14:6). He forgave my sins and started me in the direction of what He had Called and Gifted me for in my mother’s womb – to fulfill what He had written out for my life!

 

Consider Philippians 2:12-14, “Therefore my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own Salvation with fear and trembling; for it is GOD Who Works in you both to will (desire) and to do (the Work) for His Good Pleasure. Do all things without complaining (grumbling) and disputing (arguing)!” Praise GOD I am Saved by JESUS! Now I must learn how to walk in trusting GOD and his Word by my obedience (repentance)!

 

This is not about being Saved but staying Saved! GOD gives us The Victory over sin in JESUS (1 Corinthians 15:55-58), JESUS makes us Righteous in GOD (2 Corinthians 5:21), and GOD Calls us to be Holy (set apart) to Himself (Malicai 3:2-3; 1 Peter 1:13-19)

 

To Repent means to change your mind; change your mind about GOD, about Eternity, about Salvation; when you change your mind then you must decide to walk according to GOD’s Will and Purpose or not. Saul (Paul) of Tarsus did not have to stop hating JESUS and His followers, but He knew he must if he truly Loved GOD and wanted to serve Him; so he was driven to be the most prolific witness and church starter of the first century. Judas Iscariot could have repented if he truly Loved GOD and wanted to serve Him, but he did not, so he was driven to kill himself.

 

The choice is ours, we must repent of being a sinner which means that we stop sinning, if we stop sinning the most logical choice is to live as GOD tells us to in The Bible. When we are confronted in our sinner lifestyle with Salvation through Trusting our life to JESUS or continuing to live as we decide, only we can make the choice, no one can do it for us.

 

This is why we each have to read and study The Bible for ourself, we cannot truly make a right decision unless we understand Who GOD Is and what He has Called us to do as individuals, families, fellowships, ministries, churches, organizations and denominations. Study (not just read) the Bible with Prayer and Fasting and GOD by His SPIRIT will instruct, council, comfort and remind us of everything JESUS said; so that we can Obey Him in Faith (John 7:37-39, 14:15-18, 16:5-15; 1 Corinthians 3:16-17).

 

https://youtu.be/oxfZUnmAGkU

The Birth Of JESUS

 

The Birth of JESUS!

Luke 1:26-38; 2:1-20

 

2000 years ago, The Son of GOD was born in Bethlehem, Israel; He was born in a stable and laid in a manger because there was no room for his family in a house at that time.

 

What happened was that Miriam, a young Hebrew woman was visited by an angel of GOD, the angel, Gabriel, told her that she was favored by GOD and that the Holy Spirit of GOD was going to create in her a Child. This child was going to be Special to GOD and to the world and she was to call the Child YESHUA (JESUS); He was going to be The Son of GOD and He was going to save the world from sin!

 

Mariam was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph and they both lived in the city of Nazareth, Israel. The Roman ruler wanted all the people of his realm to be counted so they could be taxed, this meant the Joseph and his now pregnant wife Mariam had to travel from their home in Nazareth to Bethlehem many miles away.

 

After their long journey they arrived in Bethlehem to find out that there was no place for them to stay, they had to stay in a stable for sheep and goats. That night Baby JESUS was born, His mother wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a feeding trough called a manger.

 

In the hills outside of town shepherds were watching their sheep when suddenly the night sky lit up by the appearance of an angel of GOD, the shepherds were frightened by the angel’s appearance. The angel told them “Do not be afraid, Greetings, I bring you good news and great joy for the whole world. Today in Bethlehem a Savior is born, you will find Him wrapped in swaddling cloths  lying in a manger.” Suddenly there was a large gathering of angels praising GOD, saying, “Glory to GOD in the highest, on earth Peace and Good Will toward humanity!”

 

When the angels disappeared the shepherds said among themselves, “Let us go to Bethlehem to see this event that The LORD has told us about.” They went into the city and found where The Baby JESUS was in the stable. After they saw JESUS lying in the manger they told everyone they saw of what the angel told them and what they saw. The shepherds returned to their flocks Praising GOD for all the things they had heard and seen.

 

The people were amazed at what the shepherds told them; but Miriam remembered all these things and wondered about them in her heart.

 

This is why we celebrate Christmas, because GOD sent His only begotten Son to save the world from sin.

 https://youtu.be/2oqImVs7fd4

GOD's Patience!

 

GOD’s Patience!

 

“Now may The GOD of Patience and Comfort grant you to be like minded toward one another, according to Christ JESUS,” Romans 15:5

 

This statement alone should shame many of us who get frustrated with others and become impatient because they do not meet our standards! This includes me.

 

So what is Paul talking about? Romans 15:1-7. “We then who are strong ought to bear with the weaknesses (a scruple of conscience - infirmity) of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good (love your neighbor as you love yourself, 1 Peter 4:7-10), leading to edification (building up). For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, ‘The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me.’ (Psalm 69:5-12) For whatever things were written before, were written for our learning, that we through the Patience and Comfort of The scriptures might have Hope (1 Corinthians 10:1-13). Now may the GOD of Patience and Comfort grant you to be like minded toward one another, according to Christ JESUS, that you with one mind and one mouth glorify The GOD and Father of our LORD JESUS Christ. Therefore receive one another just  as Christ also received us, to the Glory of GOD”

 

GOD is Mercifully Patient with us, the Body of Christ, so why are we so divided? As the Body of Christ, as Paul describes in 1 Corinthians 12, we should function as one under our head, JESUS Christ, just like our natural body does.

 

Why is GOD patient? Remember it took GOD about 1500 years before He destroyed almost every living thing on the earth; Genesis 6:5-8 “So then The LORD GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And The LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. So The LORD said, ‘I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I made them.’ But Noah found Grace in the eyes of The LORD.”

 

For GOD time is not an issue, He created time and controls it according to His Purpose. He saved Noah because He still had to fulfill His purpose in creation. At that time there was no repentance, it was not the time for JESUS The Messiah to be born, die, rise and ascend (Hebrews 9:24-26). 2 Peter 3:8-9 “But beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with The LORD, one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The LORD is not slack concerning His Promises, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”

 

“And they overcame him by The blood of The Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. He who leads into captivity must go into captivity; he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and faith of the saints. Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of GOD and The Faith of JESUS.” Amen! (Revelation 12:11, 13:10, 14:12)

 

Psalm 133 “Behold how good and how pleasant it is for the brethren to dwell together in Unity! It is like Precious Oil upon the head, running down on the beard, the beard of Aaron, running down to the edge of his garments. It is like the dew of Hermon, descending upon the mountains of Zion; for there The LORD Commanded The blessing – Life forevermore.”

 

Ephesians 4:11-16 “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the Saints for the Work of Ministry, for the edifying (building up) of the Body of Christ, till we all come to the Unity of The Faith and of The Knowledge of The Son of GOD, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but speaking The Truth  in Love, may grow up in all things into Him Who is The Head – Christ – from Whom the whole Body, joined and knit together by what every join supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in Love.”

 

This is the very reason there is no revival in this nation, much less in the world. There is no Unity in The Church – The Body of Christ in the earth! JESUS made it clear in his Teachings to the apostles that is where the Blessing’s of GOD are for His Servants; David made it clear in his psalm on Unity, that is where GOD’s Blessings for Israel is; Paul made it clear in his letters that is where GOD’s Blessing are for the Church!

 

When The Church of the first century was in Unity Preaching The Gospel and making disciples of JESUS Christ they conquered the world, since the third century the Church has been divided and at war with the world and itself (we should only be at war against the devil); and the world and the devil have crept in and just keep us divided and against each other. Now we preach our denomination and add members to our church rolls.

 

GOD’s patience has a time limit, He has set a time that only He knows when the Great Tribulation will start and when JESUS will return to the earth for His thousand year reign over the nations of the earth!

 

If you truly believe we are in the Last Days this should be your life’s goal: abide in JESUS Christ, be in Unity with His Body – The Church, study His Word The Bible and watch for his Return as you obey GOD’s Purpose for your life! Amen!

https://youtu.be/Y6y3o_yofoU

Hosea 14

 

Hosea 14 

Outline:

1. Respond to GOD’s Call.

2. Confess and repent.

3. Study and serve.

:1-3 O Israel, return to The LORD your GOD, for you have stumbled because of your iniquity; take words with you, and return to The LORD. Say to Him, “Take away all iniquity; receive us graciously, for we will offer the sacrifices of our lips. Assyria shall not save us, we will not ride on horses, nor will we say anymore to the work of our hands, ‘You are our gods.’ For in You the fatherless finds Mercy.”

GOD speaking through Hosea calls His chosen people, Israel, to repentance giving them the words to speak. GOD calls sinners to repentance giving us the gift of Faith so that we can believe, Ephesians 2:4-10. It is His Grace to Save both the backsliders and the unsaved. Acts 2:36-42; 1 Peter 5:6-9; 1John 1:5-9.

:4-7 “I will Heal their backsliding. I will Love them Freely, for My anger has turned away from him, I will be like the dew to Israel; he shall grow (Lit. bud or sprout) like the lily and lengthen (Lit. strike) his roots like Lebanon. His branches shall spread (Lit. go); his beauty shall be like an olive tree, and his fragrance like Lebanon. Those who dwell under His shadow shall return; they shall be revived like grain and grow like a vine (Lit. bud or sprout). Their scent (Lit. remembrance) shall be like the wine of Lebanon.”

GOD is telling them about His Mercy because of their repentance, 2 Chronicles 7:13-14; Acts 2:43-47; 1 Peter 5:10-11.

:8 Ephraim shall say, “What have I to do anymore with idols? I have heard and observed Him. I am like a green cypress tree; Your Fruit is found in me.”

Testimony, Hebrews 11:5; John 21:24.

:9 Who is wise? Let him understand these things. Who is prudent? Let him know them. For the ways of The LORD are Right; the righteous walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them.

GOD’s call to know Him, Proverbs 3:5-10; Ecclesiastes 12:13-14; Isaiah 55:6; Matthew 6:24-34.

 

https://youtu.be/HFtSi0BEDt8