As we pursue the blessed life, we find ourselves on the hillside of Capernaum at the feet of Jesus. The blessed life Jesus is about to describe, in Matthew chapter 5, is one that is filled with joy, hope and spiritual abundance that surpasses the human experience and is more associated with divine experience. He begins the conversation in Matthew 5:3 with the first Beatitude: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed (happy, to be envied, and spiritually prosperous-with life joy and satisfaction in God's favor and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions) are the poor in spirit (humble, who rate themselves insignificant), for theirs is the kingdom of heaven! (AMP)
The meaning of the greek word used for poor in this verse actually means a beggar on the street. Jesus is not saying we have to be financially broke to be spiritually blessed, but rather we have to recognize that our spiritual condition is much like the physical condition of the beggar on the street. Spiritually we are bankrupt apart from Jesus. Picture the homeless person on the street, depleted, without any means or resources to change his or her situation. The homeless are destitute, desperate, and completely dependent upon someone else to have mercy on them for their sustenance, and frankly their survival. The spiritually abundant life begins when we humble ourselves before God, and we relinquish our confidence in and reliance upon ourselves. The abundant life that seems to evade us, requires the acknowledgement that we are spiritually bankrupt and totally in need of and dependent upon the Lord's mercy and grace daily. It is in our daily desperation and dependence that we see the power and presence of the Lord Jesus manifested in our lives. Our daily struggle is this: being self reliant versus totally dependent upon the Lord. I know we like our social media posts to make it seem like we have it all the together, but until we come to Jesus, daily desperate and dependent, we are not going to experience the abundant life that He came to give us: I have come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly (John 10:10b). The parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector in Luke 18 perfectly depicts self confidence and self reliance versus the the desperate and totally dependent. And He spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote his breast, saying,God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted (Luke 18:9-14) I can't help but think if we could ever stop being sooo impressed with ourselves, we might see the power of God truly operating in our lives. daily trying to acknowledge my dependence and desperation, Diane p.s. truth be told, spiritually I am like the homeless person totally depleted, destitute and dependent upon the Lord's mercy and grace to sustain me. There are days when my I am dragging my shopping cart to the throne of grace with 3 wheels instead of 4. p.p.s. I sing a "ole skool" prayer meeting song often in the shower to remind daily of my desperation. I need thee O I need thee. Every hour I need thee. O bless me now my Savior I come to Thee. If you ever been to one of those prayer meetings you know we sang this song slow and almost moaning because we understood our need. Just came back from an amazing Women's Retreat. The Lord used that time to Rebuild my faith, my hope and my joy. Believe you me, I so needed rebuilding. The everyday grind of life had begun to deplete my energy and douce my enthusiasm. Do you find yourself at times feeling discouraged, heavy and weighed down by life? My prayer is that Lord will build you up and strengthen you. And now brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified - Acts 20:32. Paul realized this was the last time he would see the Elders at the Church of Ephesus, in his farewell address to them he highlights in this verse three things that will help build us up: commending things to God, constructing our lives on the foundation of the Word, and contemplating our future inheritance. Paul knew that the Church was about to come under tremendous attack and he would not be there to protect them. So he commended them to our Heavenly Father. In other words he carried them to God and deposited them with Him, entrusting Him to protect them, provide for them and perfect those things which concerned them. If we are going to be built up and not broken down we too must learn to commend things to our Heavenly Father in prayer. Our problems and the people we are concerned about consume us and the weight of worry burdens us. We must learn to cast all our care upon Him for He cares for us - I Pet 5:7. In Luke chapter 5, Jesus was in town ...and the power of the Lord was present to heal them - Luke 5:17b. There was a paralytic man who had some friends who were determined to get him in front of Jesus so that he could be healed. They put him on a bed and carried him to Jesus; unfortunately, it was a sold out crowd, and they could not get him in front of Jesus. I can imagine them in their effort to get their friend to Jesus, saying excuse me, excuse me, trying to make their way through the crowd, only to be meant with rolling eyes and indignant looks that screamed you should have gotten here earlier. And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went upon the housetop, and let him down through the tiling with his couch in the midst. And when Jesus saw their faith, He said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee...Arise, and take up thy couch, go into thine house - Luke 5:20, 24b. These men were so committed to laying the paralytic at the feet of Jesus they climbed up on the roof, starting tearing the roof apart so they could get him to Jesus. We must show that same persistent to lay at the feet of Lord the people and the problems that are weighing us down. Who are you so worried about that it is a weight, wearing you out ? It's time to put them on your stretched out faith, commend them to our Heavenly Father in the Name of Jesus. Lay them at the feet of our Heavenly Father. Entrust Him to heal, help and provide for them. Commend them to God! laying some people and some issues at His feet, Diane p.s. Identify the issues and the people you need to lay on on your stretched out faith carry them to the Lord. Every time you begin to worry commend them to your Heavenly Father. Do you know someone you just love hanging around? You are smiling, right? Just the thought of that person brings you joy. Jesus invites us to hang around Him for that very reason. He wants us to experience abundant joy. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love, ...These things I have spoken unto you that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full (John 15: 9,10a,11). Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy (Ps 16:11a). In His encouragement to continue in His love and to abide in Him, Jesus is saying I want you to constantly hang around me so that you can always enjoy my company, be filled with delight and experience overflowing joy. Need more joy in your life? Start hanging around Jesus. I know we have talked about hanging around Jesus before, but if you are at all like me, and I believe you are, it's good to revisit it and to be reminded. There are also other benefits to hanging out with Jesus besides plentiful joy. Abiding in Christ assures us of protection. He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will remain secure and rest in the shadow of the Almighty (whose power no enemy can withstand) - Ps 91:1. This promise of protection is available to all believers but only enjoyed by those who have learned to constantly hang around Jesus. Want the assurance of His protection? Start hanging around Jesus. When we learn to hang around Jesus we not only experience plenty of joy, the promise of protection, but also we begin to produce spiritual fruit. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing - John 15:5. Spending time with Jesus allows us to manifest joy, kindness, peacefulness and the other fruit of the Spirit. Want to have a life filled with spiritual fruit? Start hanging around Jesus. Hanging around Jesus affords us plenty joy, the assurance of protection, a life that produces spiritual fruit and answered pray. If you remain in Me and My words remain in you (that is, if we are vitally united and My message lives in your heart), ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you - John 15:7 AMP. Abiding in Christ assures us that our prayers will be answered because the more we hang around Jesus, the more we become like Him and the more our desires become aligned with His desires so that we only ask for things that are aligned with His will. If we want to experience fullness of joy, be assured of God's protection, live spiritually fruitful lives and have our prayers answered, we have to start hanging around Jesus. How do we hang around Jesus? Read His word with the understanding that He is sharing His heart with us, and letting us know what's on His mind. Each day we must become more and more aware of His presence and invite Him into every aspect of our lives, the big and the small things. We must begin to talk to Him throughout the day not just in the morning or the evening, or when we need something. Hang around Him and learn to enjoy His company. still trying to hang around Jesus, Diane p.s. Don't really have a desire to hang around Jesus yet? Be honest with Him and ask Him to give you the desire. Wow it's been way too long since I last checked in with you. Forgive me. Like you, I struggle to stay focused, and to not get distracted and derailed by the enemy or self. But I remain confident. Remember that was my word for 2018, because He who hath begun a good work in us shall continue to perform it until the day of Jesus Christ - Phil 1:6. Let's continue to have confidence when we pray not just because the Lord hears us: I love the Lord, because He hath heard my voice and my supplications. Because He hath inclined His ear unto me, therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live - Ps 116:1-2; let's also have confidence because the Holy Spirit helps us. Ever feel like you don't know how to pray or what to say to God? Frustrating right? During these times we must keep talking to God, letting Him know we don't know how to pray. The Lord knew we would have times like this. Times when we just can't find the words to pray while we wait for Him to come through: we groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body- Rom 8:23. We can continue to pray with confidence even we can't find the words. Why? Because the Holy Spirit groans with us, feeling the burdens of our weaknesses and sufferings. In His groaning He prays that we would be led to the will of God. Even when we don't know what to say or when we pray for things outside of God's will, the Holy Spirit feels our pains and overrides our prayers with prayers according to the will of God on our behalf. The man in the image is called a Sherpa. In China these Sherpas met us to carry our bags up the mountain because our loads were too heavy of a burden for us to carry. So too the Holy Spirit comes to our aid and bears us in weakness; for we do not know what prayer to offer nor how to offer it worthily as we ought, but the Spirit Himself goes to meet our supplication and pleads in our behalf with unspeakable yearnings and groanings too deep for utterance. And He Who searches the hearts of men knows what is in the mind of the (Holy) Spirit (what His intent is), because the Spirit intercedes and pleads (before God) in behalf of the saints according to and in harmony with God's will - Rom 8:26-27 AMP. During those times when all we can do is moan, we can remain confident because the Holy Spirit is translating our moans and groans into the will of God; therefore, we can know all things work together for good to them that love God, to them that are the called according to His purpose - Rom 8:28. Blessed be the Lord, Who bears our burdens and carries us day by day, even the God who is our salvation - Ps 68: 19. so glad I have help, DIane p.s. spend some time this week thanking God for the Holy Spirit. Whenever you are confused about how to pray or frustrated when you pray, know that the Holy Spirit has grabbed your load, wrapped it in God's will, and carried it before God on your behalf. Have you ever felt so overwhelmed on this journey that you found it difficult to pray? Or you make an effort to pray and you just can't find the words? Remember a time when you were either too frustrated, too angry, or too disappointed to pray? When we can't pray it is good to know Jesus, our Great High Priest, is in heaven not only preparing a place for us but He is also praying for us. (Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us -Rom 8:34) and (Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them - Heb 7:25). What is so powerful about this truth, besides of course the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ, the Most High God, is praying for us, is that He is not praying some general pray like "Father bless them "; but rather, when we can't pray, Jesus is interceding for you and I specifically for and about what we are going through at that time. Jesus is not only praying specifically about what we are going through, He is praying with passion and empathy because He knows how we feel. In fact, He has felt the same pain, had the same heartache and experienced the same struggle (For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted as we are yet without sin - Heb 4:15). Essentially, when we can't pray, because Jesus has prayed specifically for us, all we have to do is get in the presence of God to receive the mercy and specific grace needed for our current situation. (Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need - Heb 4:16) . In other words, we just have to show up to pick up the mercy and the grace specifically needed for our dilemma because Jesus has already put in our order! The next time we find ourselves in that place where it is difficult to pray, we need to know that Jesus is at the right hand of the Father praying for us. Although initially, we may not feel like He is praying, He is interceding for us. if we by faith push pass our feelings, we will have access to and receive the grace that has been custom designed for our circumstance. I know we have talked about this before but I have to say it again, when you can't pray, say the Name! So glad He is praying for us, Diane p.s. This week each time you pray, thank Jesus for praying for you! Consider what impact this truth has on your perspective and your problems. #Say the Name #Specific Grace |
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