Know Your Shepard

In John 10, Jesus gives the complete job description of a Good Shepard. 

Learning about Jesus' role as Good Shepard will helps us better understand and trust him in this capacity. We can better know him once we realize what this title requires. And we can better recognize a Good Shepard in our lives by considering his or her actions in light of the example that Jesus gives us. We can better know how to be a Good Shepard to our children,  our families or  anyone we are allowed to provide leadership to and Shepard. We can become better leaders and better followers by understanding what Jesus endured in order to be called THE Good Shepard.

The first thing to notice is how a Good Shepard approaches his sheep.

“Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber..." John 10:1

 Jesus said a Good Shepard will approach his flock “by the door”.  This means he will approach the proper way: openly, honestly, with no deception. A Good Shepard will be “upfront” with you; there will be no hidden agendas or masquerade waiting to be discovered. A Good Shepard will earn the trust of his/her sheep. 

Jesus say’s a thief or a robber gains access to people “some other way”. A thief breaks the rules. He/she sneaks in under the radar and seeks to remain undetected.  A thief will lie and pretend to be something he/she is not in order to get close to you. A thief will falsely identify himself in words, action and attire. A thief is always hiding something, always covering up. He pretends to protect, but instead will steal from the sheep and then abandon them. 

To illustrate this further, Jesus compared the qualities of a Good Shepard to that of a hired hand. 

"The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away..." John 10:12

The hired hand takes no ownership of the sheep; he has built no commitment to the sheep. He has no dedication, no compassion, and no love for the sheep. So, when the enemy confronts the sheep, the hired hand abandons his post and runs away leaving the sheep to fend for themselves. Tragically, the enemy will be successful in his pursuit of sheep who follow a hired hand. Jesus said the hired hand will  run away at the first sign of danger because he simply doesn't care. 

But the Good Shepard does not run.  He hangs in there with the sheep and leads them through the danger. He doesn't hide behind the sheep to  protect himself; he goes in front of the sheep to protect them. The Good Shepard will even put his life on the line for his sheep.

Another thing to notice in this chapter;Jesus said sheep recognize the voice of a Good Shepard. 

"When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice..."John 10:4

When a Good Shepard speaks, his or her words are recognized by the sheep. The voice of a Good Shepard somehow resonates with his or her sheep.  The voice goes past the sheep's ears and make a spirit-to-spirit connection.  Everything Jesus did was familiar to the people. When he spoke, he made references to the words of God that had been recorded generations past which the Jews had spent their entire life memorizing. The prophets spoke of Jesus for centuries and when he arrived, his miracles were to fulfill those scriptures.  Jesus' words were familiar to his follower's spirit and his followers were precisely those who were willing to take heed to his words.

Jesus said the sheep will not follow a stranger; 

"But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” John 10:5
Jesus said sheep will run from a stranger. This is important to note; that when you encounter a person trying to lead you who is not a Good Shepard, you should run from them. That person is a thief and a robber, or he/she is a hired hand who does not care about you. Demons are trying desperately to take over the life of every Christian. They want to take a leadership role in your life, but they did not enter this world through the door... meaning they are interacting with you illegally. They don't care about you, they only want to kill and destroy you. Individuals who are not Good Shepherds are the wolves, the thiefs and the robbers that Jesus is warning about. 

Lastly, a Good Shepard will sacrifice for their sheep. 

To redeem mankind, (turning to the example of Jesus) God could have just descended from Heaven and declared mankind free from sin forever. No power could disagree with Him or appose His decision to redeem mankind with a simple declaration.  But that would have defied the commandment which God Himself set into motion. God said the wages of man’s sin is death; meaning there must be a sacrifice. 

According to God's own justice, the proper way for Him to redeem mankind was to pay the price of death with a sacrifice. So God Himself became that sacrifice. He sent his own son, the Lamb of God, to put on flesh like ours and die for our sins. Jesus was born into this world, essentially like all of us (he entered this world through the door). He had a childhood, and then began ministry as the Christ. He allowed Himself to be scorned, brutally tortured, murdered (attempted) and buried in a tomb to fulfill the requirement of death. 

But then, 72 hours after his brutal death, he was raised from the dead to declaring all power over heaven and earth in his hands. That is the sacrifice Jesus made for the opportunity to own us and be our protector us. He did all of that to be the Good Shepard of all who believe. 

Know your Shepard! 

If you belong to a church congregation or any Christian assembly, you must examine your Shepard closely. Have you seen him or her suffer for you, or are you required to do all of the suffering instead? Does your Shepard go ahead of you to protect you, or do you find that he/she disappears at the sight of trouble then suddenly reappears when everything has been ironed out? Do you recognize the things that he or she is telling you as the true word of THE Good Shepard? Do you recognize the direction he or she is leading you as the Way of God? Or is your Shepard teaching things that are foreign and even contradictory to the recorded word of the one whom he or she is supposed to be an under-Shepard of?

And lastly, have you seen your Shepard sacrifice anything at all for the privilege of calling you his or her sheep?

Better yet, lets talk about you... What sacrifices have you made for the ones who God has trusted you to be the Shepard of? Can your children follow your example? Can they trust you to face the very principalities of hell on their behalf?

Jesus is THE example of a Good Shepard for us all to strive to be become. So KNOW YOUR SHEPARD, and be a better Shepard to anyone that God has allowed to follow you!

DO IT AGAIN!

What have you stopped doing?

Why is it that when many Christians get a Word from the Lord, they run and tell the world what they're going to do... at first.  But then when you see those Christians years later, somehow they've decided that what they thought they heard from God just wasn't Him... or perhaps wasn't for them?

Is it because God changed His mind? Is that the kind of God we serve... one who is still deciding what His will is for us?  I thought God predestined us  for the good pleasure of His will before the foundation of this world? (Ephesians 1:4-5)

What have you stopped doing? What is it that you were making progress with that you gave up on? Years ago you were "running for Jesus"... but now, that run has declined to a walk... then a slow crawl... then perhaps a dead stop.  Now what? Will you continue at a stand still and just let that past momentum be the testimony you carry to your grave, "God gave me the strength to run on... I would still be running but... (insert reason)".

What is it that you focused on in the past which got you to where you are today, but you aren't focused on any more? What sacrifices did you make in your lifestyle years ago that produced the results which you now enjoy... that are just a distant memory today... ever since you went back to "business as usual"?

When you made those sacrifices years ago, whether for spiritual or practical purposes, you had to believe with all your heart that you would reap. You actually trusted GOD... you had no choice... you had no other help... nowhere else to turn.  I know you remember... back when it seemed like nobody believed your breakthrough was coming but you!  So... why did you stop?

Forget the question "why"... the real question I want to ask is, are you afraid to try it again? Are you too proud to start all over? Are you embarrassed? Are you "pouting" at God because it didn't work the first time? Maybe the second time will lead you to the place you couldn't reach the first time? Or perhaps God's design is that you go back to the beginning 3, 4, 5 or 6 more times so that your fear of failure doesn't get in the way later? Could God's plan possibly be better then your plan of profuse success on the first try? Possibly?

Here's my point. If what you did years ago got you to a new season in your life where you began to walk closer with God in a way you never had before... what would happen if you did it again? And again? In fact, what if the sacrifices you used to make in your lifestyle were so set in your behavior that they were no longer a decision... but a new way of life?

Whatever you have stopped doing that you know God wants you to do, go back and DO IT AGAIN! It may have been months since you even thought about it. Maybe a whole year has passed; perhaps years have passed... but if you ever believed that you heard from God and know what His will is for your life... DO IT AGAIN!

The bible says in the book of Galatians,

"Let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not... " Gal. 6:8

God will never "repent" of a calling (Romans 11:29). If He called you last year, He is calling you this year. So, just DO IT AGAIN! God will help you. His help will come as you go... not while your stopped!  Don't get weary because the season you've been waiting for isn't hear yet. A season IS coming where you will see the results of whatever it is that God has asked you to do.

And if you don't know all of what God is asking you to do, just do what you know! God will tell you more about what He is doing in your life in this season when it is time for you to know more. Maybe you can't handle the rest of what God wants you to know yet; or maybe there is no more.

And if there is no more, just DO AGAIN whatever God said last. Every Christian should be found working diligently on the last word you heard from the Lord until you receive a new word or He comes again... or you die; which ever happens first. Jesus said there is no shortage of "harvest time" in God's plan.  But it's the laborers who are in short supply (Matthew 9:37).

I want to emphasize one more thing... Your blessing is waiting for you to be obedient to whatever God has said. Whatever you need from the Lord, the answer to your praying, your provision... it's all contained in your response to whatever God tells you to do. I want to be clear that this is not just an idea, but also a bible principal.

Look at the first miracle of Jesus' ministry in John Chpt 2.

In this story, Mary, the mother of Jesus, had been invited to a wedding. Jesus and his "crew" were invited also. According to the story, a situation arose where the wine had run out. Running out of wine during a wedding feast was far more than just a mere embarrassment.

It would actually be OK to run out of wine at today's wedding ceremonies; if they served wine at all. However, in 1st century Israelite culture, wine was the symbol of fellowship and communion. In fact, in that culture, there is no fellowship without the physical breaking of bread and the sharing of wine. A shortage of wine during a wedding feast was an all-out disaster.

Perhaps the parents of the couple would blame each other for the shortage of wine and cause a rift in the family right at the beginning of the union. Maybe guest would consider the shortage of wine a sign that the marriage should not have taken place. Maybe the governor of the feast would declare the couple not to be joined at all because of the omen. Though not life threatening, the situation couldn't be more dreadful for these newly weds who, apparently, didn't even know there was a conflict threatening their marriage.

At the site of this terrible situation, Jesus' mother Mary did two actions: First, she petitioned Jesus to help them avoid the awful situation that was quickly developing. Soon, the entire festival would be aware that the wine had run out. Mary was the only one who TRULY knew Jesus as the Messiah at that time. She knew because of her conversation with the angel Gabriel. She knew because of the miracle of his birth so many years before. So, first, she petitioned Jesus... and surprisingly, Jesus declined to answer claiming it was not yet his time for miracles.

I believe Mary's second action is the reason that the disciple John recorded this event in his writings. Mary gave the workers of the marriage festival a critical piece of information which ultimately led to this miracle. She told them "OBEY JESUS!" Her exact words, according to the Gospel of John were,

"Whatsoever he saith unto you, DO IT!" John 2:5

Mary, not yet knowing whether Jesus would respond to her or not, told the workers to do whatever Jesus instructed them to do... and then she seemed to leave the issue to be handled between the servants and her son.

Whatever He says do, DO IT! Even at a time when a miracle would seem untimely... DO IT! We have the power to motivate God to "move" by offering Him our obedience! If we would just become willing to obey! If we would just become willing to serve! If we would just decide that we will submit to His instruction no matter the cost... God will perform!

According to the scripture, the servants submitted themselves to Jesus. However, we also know by the scripture that their obedience was tested.

Notice in the text, Jesus told the servants to fill pots with water and serve the water to the governor of the feast; but he didn't tell them the results they would soon see (John 2:7-8).  Can you imagine what might have gone through the server's minds as they walked towards the governor with these pots full of water? Can you imagine the embarrassment they might have feared facing to be serving water at a wedding festival?

But, as they went, at some point between the time they filled the pots and the time when the water hit the governors lips, it became wine! And, according to the governor, it was the best wine he had tasted all night (John 2:10)! My point is, if they had never done what Jesus said and carried the water to the governor, there would not have been a miracle that night!

What has God instructed you to do that you aren't doing any more?  If God called you last year, He is calling you this year... and He'll still be calling you next year! If your thinking, "I haven't heard God say anything lately" you are mistaken... we have 66 bible books and countless expositors regarding what God is saying to you. Could the reason you haven't heard Him say anything new possibly be because you aren't doing what He has already said? Possibly?

What is God saying to you? Whatever He says do, DO IT! And then, DO IT AGAIN! Don't worry about "HOW" or "WHY"... Only focus on "WHAT".

WHAT does God want from you in this season? WHAT does God want today? Even in this hour? Just DO IT and receive every blessing, every miracle and every provision that God has strategically laid on the road of your life to be discovered as you go!

Will He

Most people accept the fact that God can do anything.  There should be no questioning the matter.  How can the creator of all things ever have an element of His own creation that boggles Him?  The truest statement is this,

“It remains to be seen what God can not do...”

This is established in even a child’s psyche; that nothing is too hard for the Almighty God who made everything!

Acceptance of this fact... that God can do all things, is unanimous; however, there is in the minds of many Christians one lingering issue which must be addressed in order to walk confidently with God. In order to have a fulfilling prayer life, we must finally settle this question, “Will He?”  

We are confident that God “Can”, but “Will He?”  In other words, is it His will?  Does He “will” to do it?  It seems that believing God “Can” do a particular thing for us doesn’t hold much benefit if we are not yet convinced that He “Will”. 

This question finds its roots in one of the promises made to us that should actually provide confidence in prayer. 1 John 5:14-15 says,

“If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.  And if we know He hears us, we know that what ever we ask according to His will, we know we have the petitions we desired of him...” 

We see in this passage that God clearly promises to oblige any petition we desire of Him, but we find the promise hinged on the phrase “according to his will”.  Immediately, the root of the doubt presents itself.  What is His “Will”?  Again... God “Can”, but WILL He?  The answer is apparent if we dig just a little deeper.

The fact is, the majority of what we ask of God has been seen in the lives of others.  In fact, knowing that God has done what you need from Him for someone else in the past should add to your confidence about asking.  And, since we have seen Him preform miracles for others, in actuality, we are well aware that God “Will” do this particular thing that we are asking of Him... purely by example. Thus, you the question is not necessarily “Will He do it...?”, but rather “WILL HE DO IT FOR ME?”. 

Put in those terms, the obvious answer to the question which alludes so many Christians is a great big YES!  He WILL do it for you... He WILL do it for them... He WILL do it for me...  He WILL do it for US!  It IS His WILL to answer our petition!

How do we know?

The reason we know He WILL give us what we desire is because of a small passage of scripture found in the book of Psalms which says,

“Take delight in the Lord, and HE WILL GIVE YOU THE DESIRES OF YOUR HEART. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and HE WILL DO THIS..." Psalms 37:4-5

According to verse 4 of this passage, God is fully prepared to be petitioned concerning the desires of every heart; which means by proxy that He must already KNOW the desires of our hearts.  He must know how we worry about sick relatives.  He must know our turmoil over relationships.  He must know the stress which ways heavy on our hearts due to our job.  And God says He will answer by GIVING US the desires that are in heart; which He CLEARLY knows all about.   Verse 5 gives the final assurance that "HE WILL DO THIS..." . The King James verbiage  says He will "...bring it to  pass".

However, there is a caveat...  The bible specifically states that we must give God our trust AND THEN He will give us the desires of our heart.  This is found in verse 3.  Just before the statement about the desires of our hearts, the bible introduces the preliminary instruction to, “Trust in the Lord and do good" followed by a charge to, "dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture"  (KJV uses the phrase "...Be Fed"). 

  

In addition, in this passage, it says to "Commit your way to the Lord".  The word Commit in this context is a form of submission.  We are to submit to God's ways... or submit our attention to His ways. The concept of submitting to God appears numerous times in the bible; often mentioned within the marriage language.  For example, in the book of Ephesians, Paul says to husbands and wives of that century,

"Submit to one another out of reverence to Christ..." Ephesians 5:21

The bible instructs that we not only trust Him, but SUBMIT to Him and He will GIVE US the desires of our submitted hearts.

Now... here's a new issue. 

Lets say you are confident that you've learned to trust God and, as far as you're concerned, you have committed your "Way" to the Lord; meaning you submit to His "Way" on a daily basis to the best of your ability...  But you haven't seen the desires of your heart come to fruition in your life.  May I offer you some insight as to why that might be...

If you're sure you  trust God to provide the desires of your heart (meaning, you aren't going outside of the will of God to get your desires met....) and you as committed to His way as you know how to be in every area of your life (understanding that no one but Jesus is perfect... there will occasionally be failures in your commitment),  the only issue remaining may simply be this: TIMING. 

In this passage where God promises to give us the desires of our heart, there is one more statement to notice.  The very next verse after the passage in Psalms which we have already discussed says this,

"Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him..." Psalms 37:7

You say you trust God... but how long will you trust Him?  You are committed to His "way"... how long will you stay committed?  You believe He will GIVE you the desires of your heart.... how long will you believe  "HE WILL DO THIS" before you go and get the desires of your heart some other way?  A week?  A month?  6 months?  6 years?  A decade? How long before you  decide that God's promise to "...bring it to pass" just isn't for you? 

The truth is, you should expect to spend years waiting for what you believe God has promised you.  So many people over decades and centuries of human history have that testimony. So many people prayed to God and then waited patiently for Him... and they saw results!  Some individuals have seen God move instantly... but for the vast majority of us, years pass before what we've asked God to do in  our life is done.  

However, when it does come to pass, it will be done in a remarkable way which will make it obvious to the world that the Mighty Power of our Almighty God did it... and when He does it, He will do it according to HIS Will!

So, concerning the things that are on your heart today, these are your instructions: Trust in the Lord and continue to do the good things that God prepared in advance for you to do (Ephesians 2:10).  Next,  enjoy the safe pasture provided in the Will of God.  Delight yourself in God... commit to His way.... place His will and His way above your will and your way.  AND THEN,   HE WILL GIVE YOU the desires of your heart. Make your commitment to God today; trust Him and "HE WILL DO THIS..."
 

Amen

Lost and Found: Peace

If you happen to look at any broadcast news report (TV or Radio), or if you just simply glance across your feed on Facebook, it should become obvious to you that something is missing. This generation of Christians have somehow lost something important... in fact, not just something important... something CRITICALLY important! It's so important that it can be considered even life threatening to lose; yet we've lost it! We've lost something so vital that we must find and reclaim it immediately or continue to suffer the consequences of it being gone!

This generation of Christians have lost "true" peace! We barely even know what it means anymore because we've become so accustomed to the world's counterfeited definition.
To the world, peace is defined as the absence of conflict. This is the only peace the world understands, thus the only peace we were taught and come to pursue. Christians have learned to only be at peace when our life flows undisturbed... when things are going our way... when we have all the things we want... when we're not faced with any type of conflict or struggle. To us, that's what peace means... and unbeknownst to us, its real meaning is gone.

How did we lose it?

Well, by the time most of us were teens, we had already begun our pursuit of this world's definition of peace; which is to gain peer approval, to seek worldly position and to be free from conflict. But in this world, our ability to provide these things is based solely on the access we have to the things we desire. Those who have what they desire have the ability to gain peer approval, ease the struggle of social and financial conflicts and provide this world's type of peace for themselves. Those who do not have access to what they desire do not have access to this world's version of peace or any possessions thereof. In this world, there is no peace without possessing your heart’s desire; even if your heart’s desire IS peace.

Differing levels of education lie at the root of this world's definition of peace. Education largely determines if and how often we face conflict. Thus, a person with a higher-level education will often generate a large income and, therefore will not feel conflicted by things such as minor fluctuations in gas prices, the rising expense of quality child care or absurdly high college tuitions. However, a person without higher education will generally have a lower income and will therefore see the same dilemmas as major, life-threatening conflicts attacking their well-being and that of their spouse and children as well. 

Education (specifically in the United States and China) is the key factor in every person's ability to provide peace as this world defines it for themselves and all those connected to them.

This world's version of peace creates two categories of people, the "have's" and the "have not's". The former category has access to the only peace this world knows; while the latter is trapped in a prison with little-to-no peace (often literally)... only more situations involving conflicts similar to those mentioned above. It's no mystery that many of the "have not's" become desperate to be free of conflict, even if for just a little while. And it's no mystery that many of the "have not's" are struggling to somehow move from their world as a "have not" to the other side of the fence where the evenly manicured, perfectly edged, well-watered grass is much, much greener (often literally).

The sad part is both worlds are temporary because they're both based on "present condition" and circumstances of life will rarely permit this world's concept of peace to exist for very long. "Present condition", whether positive or negative, will always be completely temporary and this world's version of peace, and always a complete facade! The facade was designed by a spirit who is the enemy of God.... he designed it with one intention in mind: To force you to utter the most terrible phrase a Christian can ever say:

"I'll do anything to be free... "

Once you have reached this point, nothing is beyond consideration to achieve what would supposedly bring peace. It's at this point that a young black teenager will kill another young black teenager in his own pursuit of this world's version of peace. It's at this point that a husband will divorce his spouse and marry his work (or his co-worker) with the diluted intention of making life "better" searching for what this world has defined as peace. It's at this point that people will drink alcohol or inhale chemical substances if for nothing else, to artificially acquire a taste of this world's version of peace. And it is at this point that Christians will falsify tax statements, make purchases they can't afford, embezzle company funds... even embezzle church funds for a grasp of this world's version of peace.

All of this because we have lost the true meaning of peace... That's why a family of 5 will spend their last dollars on Lotto; why men and women sacrifice irreplaceable family time at work doing overtime; why people will sell their souls (often literally) dying to get their hands on some of what the world has as a substitute for peace.

But it's time to reject this faulty substitute and get OUR peace back! The fact is "true" peace is not gone... it's only misplaced; meaning, it still exists and can easily be found. To find it, you must really understand what Jesus is saying in this verse:

"PEACE I leave with you...  MY PEACE I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives.... 

Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." John 14:27

Where is true peace?  TRUE PEACE IS IN CHRIST! Jesus said, "MY peace I give to you". Notice Jesus made no mention of conflict or circumstances. He made no mention of peer approval or position. Nothing about financial security. Nothing about higher education. Yet, Jesus said I'm leaving MY Peace with you. 

Then, Jesus explained that His peace is real... it's not the facade that the world offers. It's not artificial, it’s not superficial, it's not circumstantial and it's definitely not temporary.   The peace Jesus gives is UNCONDITIONAL and EVERLASTING; just as his love is unconditional and everlasting. Jesus said that with His peace, your heart will never again NEED to be troubled or afraid.

The peace that Jesus gave us is referred to again in John 16:33:

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have PEACE.... 

In this world you will have trouble. But take heart (KJV - cheer up)! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

Jesus said in this world any sense of peace we achieve on our own is temporary and will ultimately turn to tribulation. But in HIM, we have a source of peace that will overcome the tribulation of this world! In other words, the world's method of seeking an absence of conflict is a faulty pacifier for the peace in Jesus that exists even in the midst of conflict.
So... Here's how to have "true" peace.  Follow these instructions concerning Jesus given by his disciple Peter years after Jesus' death and resurrection: 

"Cast all your cares on him because he cares for you..." 1 Peter 5:7

Abandon this world's version of peace which you have come to understand! Searching for peace through "no opposition" is faulty. There will not be a complete absence of conflict in this world until Jesus comes back to reign as King! Instead, seek to obtain the peace that Christ gave which surpasses understanding.  Just cast your worries on Christ the way a fisherman casts a net into deep water!  Throw your anxieties on him... because he cares about you enough to catch them!

Don't allow your circumstances and your desires to determine your definition of peace. Regain the peace that you've lost! Find peace in Christ and then you've found peace that will last!

The "Blessed" Attitudes

The book of Matthew describes a particular day in Jesus' life when he was walking near a hillside with his disciples (Matthew 5). The 13 of them (Jesus and the 12) were being followed by a GREAT multitude (thousands of FAMILIES) who had come from surrounding communities to see this great healer/prophet/teacher as he moved from town to town. Many had brought their sick... many had been following for days... many would continue to follow for 3-years (the extent of Jesus earthly ministry) and beyond.

Not only had they seen miracles such as healing and blinded eyes opened, but they had also been fed by food (on more than one occasion) which miraculously appeared from no where at the hands of Jesus. Most would have even heard about Jesus raising a man from the dead... and some would likely have even met that man.

According to Matthews account, as they were traveling, Jesus suddenly stopped... seemingly "in his tracks", walked up on to the hillside, and began to speak almost as if in a trance. He said things that were controversial. He said things that were counter-cultural. He said things that were contradictory. He said things that were the opposite of the status quo... the opposite of everything those people would have heard up to that period... and definitely the opposite of what the pharisees were teaching. He said to his disciples and the listening crowd,

The Poor in Spirit are Blessed!

Those who Mourn are Blessed!

The Meek are Blessed!

Those who Hunger for Righteousness are Blessed!

The Merciful are Blessed!

The Pure in Heart are Blessed!

The Peacemakers are Blessed!

Those who are Persecuted because of Me are Blessed!

We refer to these as the "Beatitudes"; the human characteristics that God values and desires to see in all of us. "Beatitude" comes from a Latin noun which means "happiness". These are eight blessings which Jesus declared in his proclamation from the side of the hill (called the "Sermon on the Mount"). Each that Jesus spoke was a "proverb-like" proclamation. Each was "cryptic" in it's narrative. Each was precise and full of meaning. And they all became a major theme to the followers of Christ from the moment Jesus spoke them to this day, nearly 21 centuries later.

The beatitudes contain subjects such as mercy and spirituality; which would have been familiar to this Jewish crowd from the Old Testament scriptures. Only, Jesus taught these values with a fresh interpretation. On this day, there was suddenly a new set of ideas surrounding these centuries-old concepts. The focus now was on a spirit of love, compassion and humility; as opposed to the focus being law and justice which this group would have been taught as children. These are the new attitudes that Jesus reiterated everywhere he went and highlighted with his life. Jesus calls us to be meek and merciful; pure in heart and hungry for righteousness; peacemakers and even persecuted!

When preaching this sermon, Jesus followed each trait with a promise which these new attitudes will cause us to obtain. The morn will be comforted. The meek will inherit the earth. The merciful will obtain mercy. Those who hunger for righteousness will be filled with it; etc.

And then, after the beatitudes, Jesus taught two more concepts that are extremely important...

So often we close our bibles at verse 12 as if that was the end of the sermon. However, verse 13 and 14 contain statements that are just as critical as the beatitudes and deserve just as much focus as the rest. These two verses are vital enough to be highlighted in your bible study along with all of the other critical passages of "red writing" that you've highlighted.

First, Jesus said you are the salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13).

Salt is an essential mineral, a commodity in that day. It is a natural mineral; meaning it can not be manufactured or duplicated... it must be "mined"; or in other words, FOUND and refined. Salt had many uses in that day. For example, it was used to preserve foods that would otherwise rot. This would have been vitally important for those keeping live-stock such as sheep. It was also important for farmers of that day who could not grow their crops year-round. Salt was also used in medicines.

Jesus said YOU are a precious commodity; as precious and unique to this earth as salt. You are vial in this world, yet you can not be manufactured or duplicated... you must be FOUND; which Jesus has set his mission to do.

Jesus emphasized that, as valuable as salt is, salt without savor is equivalent to dirt. Salt without its precious quality ceases to be useful to anybody and is only fit to be tossed under the feet of men.

Then, secondly, Jesus went further and stated that you are the light of the world (Matthew 5:14).

Isn't that amazing! This cold, dark, seemingly hopeless world has light hidden in it; it's YOU! Believers are the light of this world! We are God's light in dark places; which means that in your world, in your community, in your family, your actions make you similar to a burning torch. Your community, your family, your surroundings might seem so dark, but I tell you your world would be in such worse shape had it not been for God sending His precious light into it through YOUR behavior! You are God's lamp to light your soundings!

Jesus said, a person wouldn't take a lamp burning brightly which was meant to give light and cover it with a bowl. In other words, who would choose to continue to dwell in darkness even though they have access to light? A person possessing light should put it on display; put it high on a lamp stand unobstructed where it can give light to everyone!

When you hide the fact that you believe in Christ, or when you behave like the rest of the world behaves, you hide that beautiful light that God has given you and instead put on the cold, dark, hard masquerade that the rest of the world is wearing. Jesus said your light belongs high on a candlestick for all to see!

We must take the beatitudes with the right attitude: By portraying meekness, mercy, peace and the others, we will receive the things promised to us by God and light up this world! But, without the "savor" of these traits, though precious to God nonetheless, we are useless to Him in this world.

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 5:14).

Our Warfare

Weapons of all types threaten to come against us all the time. Knives and guns on occasion, but most commonly the weapons threatening us are merely the people we interact with daily.

By a show of hands, how many have identified a coworker, a neighbor or a relative as an enemy? If you've ever had someone almost run you over as you tried to cross the street, you know that even a brief, unpleasant encounter with a complete stranger can create an enemy and instigate a desire to use one of those weapons of warfare to fight back!

People around us do things that are so foul, it feels like a war. In retaliation, our instincts want us to use the same weapons that we despise to discourage our enemy from further attack. We don't like to feel that any one has gotten the best of us. Even in cases where we may never see the person again, we still want to make sure they know that "we aint havin it!".

Is this the right road? Should we react to conflict the same way the world does? Should we have weapons of warfare locked in cabinets and tucked away in nightstand drawers for an enemy we fear may invade? Should we fight the way everyone else is fighting when faced with a confrontation? If there really is a war going on, does it have to involve us?

Paul answers these questions in II Corinthians 10:4. He confirms that we are indeed at war; our enemy is very real and is attacking. However, the weapons we should utilize are not earthly weapons,

"For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds"

Carnal weapons have no affect against the real enemy. In this verse Paul explains that we have in our possession weapons that are mighty and they will defeat the "stronghold" that the enemy presents in our lives.

We are most accustomed to weapons that are carnal or "of this world structure". These weapons are not always physical. Manipulation is a carnal weapon. Spitefulness and animosity are carnal weapons. Antagonism and resentment are carnal weapons. All of these have no place in our lives but we use these weapons and often find them directed toward us in an emotional battle. When a Christian uses these weapons, however, he or she is presented with a problem the ungodly people do not face: These weapons are more damaging to us then to the person we inflict them upon.

How so?

When a Christian is in a carnal fight, it's like a head-butt to a brick wall, we injure ourselves more than we do the wall. Why? Because God has a standard for Christians. When we hurt each other emotionally or physically, we fail to meet that standard. God's intention is not to damage a person that you view as an enemy, but instead for you to live an abundant life in spite of that person you view as an enemy; and maybe even win that person over to Christ.

The truth is, it's easy to believe that an individual attacking you is evil and therefore your enemy. But, in actuality, the person opposing you isn't the enemy. You must understand that your real warfare is against Satan. The person opposing you is just a pawn spiritually blind and foolishly allowing him or herself to be used by the evil principalities that dwell on this earth. Jesus understood this; which led him to cry out while he was being crucified and plead for the forgiveness of the ones who were crucifying him,

"Father forgive them, they know not what they do!" Luke 23:34

Jesus showed that the weapons used against us are often carnal, but carnal warfare is not how we should respond. We have weapons to respond to the enemy with in this warfare. And, according to Paul, though they are not carnal, they are mighty; in other words they will be effective in defeating the enemy.

So, if our weapons are not carnal, what weapons are they? How should we fight back? How should we respond to an adversary? How should we respond to the real enemy?

Paul teaches in II Corinthians 10:5 that we are to fight by,

"Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God".

Your real weapon is not physical, it's in your mind! You can fight evil principalities with the knowledge you have of God's Word! When a person opposes you, it's because that person has lost the battle against evil principalities in their mind and now you are seeing the effects. They are suffering from a lack of knowledge; in other words, they don't know any better. In order for you to be successful in an area where others are not, you can't do what they are doing. Your weapon is to make a better decision in your mind than those around you are making.

Paul says cast down wrong thoughts or wrong "imagination" that exalts itself against the knowledge you have of God. He goes on to say in verse 5 of the passage that you should capture every thought and bring that thought into the obedience of Christ. Any thought... every thought that is not Christ-like should be arrested and detained without bail. Paul expands a little further in Romans 12:1-3. He says.

"do not conform your thinking to this worlds ideas, but instead be transformed by the total renewing of your mind... "

The things that you believe in your mind will determine your effectiveness against the real enemy. If you believe everything Jesus has said about who you are and what you can do, then you will not be detoured by the enemy. But, if you believe what the world is teaching; that you are powerless and just as vulnerable as everyone else around you, then you've lost the battle in your mind and therefore will lose against the real enemy. To win, you must rid yourself of old negative ways of thinking and embrace new ideas. You must completely renew your mind.

One critical step in the process of renewing your mind is to receive the FULL gospel. If you don't habitually receive the WHOLE word of God, you will have no new ideas to renew your mind to! This is another place where many Christians go wrong. Some of the ideas that are taught at churches today are not biblical and are honestly just as damaging as those being purged. The most damaging ideas, in my opinion, are those that reject the Anointing Power of God. Worst also are those erroneous ideas that separate and isolate us from each other. These concepts are exactly the warfare that Paul is pleading we recognize.

To fight the real enemy, we must turn to our real weapon. We have to capture the new ideas that we are transforming our minds to understand. We have to digest these ideas to combat the wrong imagination that will come against the Word that we are trying to devour. And confidence in this weapon will increase with more knowledge of the Word over time. When we develop in this area and allow God to strengthen us, no weapon that the devil forms against us will concur us!

Marvelous Faith

“And Jesus said unto the Centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour” Matthew 8:13

Centurions were a symbol of power to the Jewish community in the first century. These powerful Roman soldiers were mighty men of war who served the empire for twenty or more years on average. Most Centurions in authority rose to their positions from within the ranks over a period of many years. After decades of service, Centurions became well-respected members of the equestrian class (similar to knighthood) upon retirement.  Because of this ranking structure, Centurions had a great deal of reverence for individuals in authority; they themselves not able to become high officials easily or immediately.   

When Jesus arrived in Capernaum, this mighty warrior, a high ranking Centurion came to him asking for help. This was odd, as Centurions traditionally participated in pagan religious oaths to the emperor of Rome thus would likely be a skeptic of “the Christ”.  There was great urgency with the Centurions request.  We know this because a Centurion of higher social status, such as this man, would rarely utter a direct request to a profound rabbi such as Jesus unless, of course, he was desperate. The Centurion spoke of a servant who was at his home paralyzed and in terrible suffering.  Roman soldiers were not permitted to have legal families during their decades of military service. Therefore, this slave was probably the Centurion’s only "family". The slave was likely all he had.  

After hearing his earnest request, Jesus said to the centurion, "I will come and heal him." Jesus offered this man what every individual in need of help desires; a house call.  Jesus agreed to travel to this mans home where he would no doubt lay hands on the ailing slave and the slave would surely recover.  Now, here is the amazing part of the story. The Centurion did something which astounded even Jesus; he turned down the once-in-a-lifetime offer for Jesus to come to his home. 

Why? 

The Centurion explained to Jesus that he understood the implication of a person in authority. He, himself had great authority and could attest to how people were made to respond to his every wish.  The Centurion knew that Jesus, being the son of the God of Abraham, had even greater authority than he.  Jesus had authority over all things.  The Centurion was convinced that Jesus could command sickness to leave his home from anywhere on earth and that sickness would obey.  So, by faith, the Centurion told Jesus, “Just speak the Word”.  In other words, he told Jesus, “Work a miracle for me from right where you stand, I know it will be done”. 

The bible says that Jesus “marveled” at what the Centurion said.  Jesus said, "I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith”. To find a gentile with absolute faith in him was astonishing. In verses 11 and 12 Jesus took the time to point out that many gentiles like this man who at that time would have thought to be lost will be included in the kingdom of heaven.  

Jesus said to the centurion, "Go! It will be done just as you believed it would." And the bible says his servant was healed at that very hour. Isn’t that incredible! While the Centurion stood there, Jesus sent healing to his home miles away.  Because of the Centurion’s faith, a miracle arrived at his house.   

Would you, standing in front of Jesus, ask him to just send his Word or would you demand that Jesus travel to your home just to “be sure”? Would you believe that his Word is enough and it will not return to him void or would you want to see the miracle before you let Jesus out of your site?  How about right now? Do you believe the Word of God is enough in your situation today or are you looking for other answers to address what is wrong in your life?  Do you have enough faith to declare the Blood of Jesus over sickness; over insufficiency; over your future and then walk around confident that your miracle is done?  

It will take that kind of faith in the power of Jesus Christ to receive what you’ve been praying for all this time.  It will take absolute faith in Christ for healing to arrive at your home. It takes unwavering faith for the deliverance that you need. Put all of your faith in Christ right now and Jesus himself will “marvel” in your decision to believe in Him rather than search for a Pagan source for answers.  He will “marvel” that you have heard him in your spirit calling you to trust in him from now on.  And because of your great faith, he will send peace from right where you are into your home today.  Joy will settle in your life in this same hour. Faith comes by hearing; and hearing by the Word of God.  So get the Word, find “marvelous” faith in the Word, and then just speak the Word.  Order up a miracle to have sent to your house right away. 

The Desires Of Your Heart

Think about that long list of both material and spiritual possessions that you are depending on God to bring to pass which have not materialized in your life. Dwell on them too long and I guarantee you will be tempted with ideas of how to get these things some other way... 

Most likely, you already know how easy it is to obtain things quickly by participating in activities that many would consider wrong, even illegal. You already know things that are dishonest to do, but would no doubt result in you acquiring what you desire. You have seen the possessions that would somehow make your life complete lay at your finger tips waiting for you to take the bait and do just a few things that are questionable in your best judgment.

The argument you may subject yourself to might be that these things are in God's will for your life, therefore you are within your right to acquire them by any means. I mean, you've been waiting for these things a long time, so maybe God wants you to be just a little aggressive, even a little dishonest to acquire them. Some of these things may be helpful to your family or to your church work therefore you feel the ends justify the means. It's a tough dispute when it's not just your hearts desires that's in question... but your means of acquiring them as well.

You must remember that what you are feeling is the way Satan operates. The devil will always suggest an easy way to get whatever you are waiting on God to provide. That's the definition of temptation: to lure you away from God with another attractive option. Satan is trying to interrupt Gods program by tempting you to take an easy way out instead of depending on God to provide.

When Jesus was tempted in Matthew 4:1-10, Satan's method was to present alternatives, seemingly easier ways to accomplish what Jesus was there to accomplish. When Jesus fasted, the devil's temptation was "turn the stone to bread". A carnal man would have argued in his mind "well,... it is my fathers will that I do miracles so forget the fast, lets eat..." Instead, Jesus recognized Satan for the tempter, the cheater and the liar that he is.

In the last of the three temptations, the devil offered to turn over all the kingdoms of the world, which at that very moment Jesus was in line for torture and suffering to redeem mankind and return these Kingdoms of the world to God the Father. He tempted our savior to avoid the beating, avoid the suffering, skip the crucifixion, just bow down and Satan would supposedly "hand over" the world. He offered the ultimate "easy way" in exchange for the ultimate submission. Jesus knew, and we must know that the devil is a liar; he's the father of lies. Bowing down to him may look like an easy way to get what you want, but it is destruction in disguise and will cost you everything! There is no profit to gain the whole world but lose your soul!

Like Jesus, you must understand the difference between permanent and temporary riches. Permanent riches are lasting here on earth and in heaven. Temporary riches exist just for a while, and then will self-destruct.

Psalms 37:1-2 explains the two:

"Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb"

This passage lists the fate of people operating dishonestly, "... they shall SOON be cut down like grass". 

Grass is allowed to grow for a period of time. But, once it reaches a certain length, it becomes obvious to everyone who sees it that it will soon be cut down to a smaller size. The same is true with people operating in evil. Evil will bring along an increase for a while, but the increase is temporary. If you ever see a person operating illegally or dishonestly who has climbed to high heights; i.e. money, cars, houses; the moment you see them you should know that the time is near when they will be cut down to nothing... or God is a liar and satan's word is true. Just check on them in five years... in fact, maybe just one year. They will cry and wonder why it is happening, but the bible predicted it would. God proves His Word is TRUE over and over again. Eventually, their increase will be taken away.

Not only that, the cutting of grass is a very violent action. If you've ever cut grass you know it takes a lot of energy, but any tool you use is usually effective and it is always a very unpleasant experience for the grass. There is loud, disturbing noises whether it's the high-pitched slicing sound of shears or the loud pounding sound of a motor. The long severed strands of grass left behind, once green and impressive now dead and shriveled, will lie on the ground uselessly ready to be collected and burned.

But, as the passage goes on to say, those that continue to wait on the Lord and do good shall be "fed".

"Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. Delight thyself also in the LORD: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart... Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass"

In other words, those trusting God will not have to do questionable things striving to acquire things they want. God will feed them and give them the desires of their heart. The 23rd Psalms says everyone who makes the Lord their Shepard shall not want because their wants will be satisfied.

There is only one road to permanent riches, only one way that is right. It's referred to as the "narrow way" 

"...Straight is the gate and narrow is the way which leads to life... and few are they who find it"  Matthew 7:14 

Commit yourself to God's ways. Make God's method of operation your only method. Make God's process your only option to acquire all that you ever hoped for. Make the Lord your only source for the desires of your heart and have no other alternative! And God's promise is that He shall bring it to pass!