Blessed are the poor in Spirit

Blessed are the poor in Spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of God.  Essentially what the first Beatitude means to me is that the second I think I don't need God, that I got this thing under control, that I have the strength, knowledge or ability to pull it off I am lost.  I will fall on my face in defeat.  The thing about being poor is that you are desperate for food, water, shelter, clothing, provision, and protection.  Basically in a perfect position to rely on an Almighty God for everything!  This is right were He wants us to live.  In complete desperation and dependence on Him.  "I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.  You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; You do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.  The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. (Isaiah 57:15; Psalm 51:16-17)  Jesus said It is not the healthy who need a doctor but the sick.  I have not come to call the righteous but sinners (Mark 2:17).  He has come for a people who really need Him.  So in all we do let us remember our need for the Bread that came down from heaven (John 6) and the Living Water that alone can satisfy (John 4) our thirst and hunger for meaning, purpose, and love in life.  We are truly poor without His presence in us so may we truly hunger and thirst fro righteousness for we will be filled.  

If the Son...

I was reading in John 8 today which has been a very familiar passage for me but something interesting stuck out to me today.  John 8:36 says, "So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed."  I was struck by the 'if' of that statement.  Who in their right mind doesn't want to be free?  I mean if you had to chose between being free and being bound up in chains what would you pick?  However, the sad reality is that many of us, myself included all too often chose slavery, chains, and prison.  There is a very specific calling here in John 8 and it is to hold to the teachings of Jesus, knowing the truth, and truth being the great liberator!  So many of us either don't know Christ's teaching, or do know and chose to ignore them.  This is slavery!  It goes on to say in John 8:34, "...everyone who sins is a slave to sin."  I think one of the real issues we fight against is the idea that sin is really not that big of a deal.  Everyone does it, in fact even after accepting Christ and are filled with His Spirit we still refer to ourselves as 'sinners'.  I wonder if this grieves the heart of God.  After all, if Christ truly is the Lamb of God who came to take away the 'sin' of the world then why do we still identify ourselves by the very thing He came to take away?  1 John 3:8 says that the reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the work of the devil (SIN).  Christ wants us to be free.  Romans 6:11 says to count yourself dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.  We think that in our sinning we are exercising freedom of choice, freedom to indulge, freedom to do what we want.  In reality this is slavery.  Christ says if you want to follow me, die so that you might live.  Give up your will and find out what real living is all about.  I must submit to the Word of God and allow it be written on my heart so that I can be free.  Jesus goes on to tell the Pharisees that they are children of the devil because they have no room for God's Word in their hearts.  Lord Jesus, clean my temple so that there is much room for Your Word there so that the 'if' becomes a reality today, freedom in Christ.

By our actions...

Titus 1:16 says, "They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny Him..."  We've all heard that talk is cheap.  James says don't just say you have faith but show me your faith but by what you do (James 2).  It is not good enough to have sound doctrine or theology and to know (emphasis on head knowledge) God, we are called to really know God like Paul is talking about in Philippians 3 in the power of His resurrection and fellowship of sharing in His sufferings...this is a different type of knowing completely!  John 17:3 says this, "Now this is eternal life: that they (Jesus' disciples) may know You, the one true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent."  This kind of knowing is the kind that goes deeper than facts and goes down to the very core of who we are as people who have been called by His name to go and bear fruit, fruit that will remain (John 15).  When you and I truly know God and He knows us (Matthew 7:21-23) we cannot possibly go on living a life where our claiming doesn't match up with our living.  In the greatest sermon every preached Jesus says in Matthew 5, "You are the salt of the earth...you the light of the world...let your light shine before men that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."  In this passage there is nothing mentioned about speaking but about living out your faith and showing God through our actions and lives.  May our thoughts, beliefs, and knowledge of God lead our hearts and lives through the power of the Holy Spirit, to Kingom living!

Living a life worthy of the calling

I am gripped today by the fact that God is looking for a people that He knows can never earn His love in any way, work for His grace, or pay the price for their own salvation to live lives worthy of His calling.  It is everywhere in the Bible just look at Ephesians 4:1; Philippians 1:27; Colossians 1:10; 1 Thessalonians 2:12; 2 Thessalonians 1:11 and you'll see the same message...Live lives worthy of Me and My Kingdom.  The reality is that we cannot ever be worthy in our own doing but God is the One, who qualifies us, picks us up, washes us, sanctifies us, breaths new life in us, transforms us, and enables us to live lives that reflect His glory.  The Westminister Confession states: Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever.  There is no higher calling in our lives than to live lives that represent Jesus well.  This of course is why Paul says you must walk by the Spirit (Gal. 5:16) because He is the One who empowers us to walk in faithfulness before God and man.  God is making His appeal through us (2 Cor. 5:20) and we, His people, are His fulness that fills everything in every way (Eph. 1:23).  With this in mind it makes sense that Scripture calls us to live lives that are worthy of His calling, to love God with everything we are and to love all people like we love ourselves, to carry our crosses and deny ourselves, love the orphans, widows, poor, oppressed, lost, last, least and to no longer view anyone from a worldly point of view (2 Cor. 5:16) but to see through His eyes, to think His thoughts (1 Cor. 2:16), and to have a new heart that is moved to follow Him and obey His commands (Ezekiel 36:26-27).  So let's do it!  Let's make it our aim to stay filled with His Spirit and stay on our faces in humility living lives that reflect His glory in everything (2 Cor. 3:17-18; 1 Cor. 10:31) so that all men and women may see our good deeds and glorify our Father in heaven (Matthew 5:16, 1 Peter 2:12).