In Matthew 5:1-12 are found the Beatitudes from the Sermon on the Mount stating: Now when Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. And He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. “Blessed are the gentle, for they will inherit the earth. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in this same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
This week, Michael writes that humility is a virtuous, godly quality. People think that humiliation is a personal insult but humility starts with the world’s humiliation. Jesus said, if we’re slapped on one cheek with the disrespect of the world, then turn the other cheek. It’s not my prideful honor that’s at stake, but the Lord’s honor. The honor is not in recompensing evil for evil but to love and serve others with a heart of love, therefore be not overcome of evil but overcome evil with good.
The beatitudes blaze a trail to the heart of God. Each of these beautiful attitudes progresses and builds on the previous attitude. The progression to God’s heart begins with poverty of spirit. To receive anything of God, we need to be empty so that we are desperate for his Spirit. When God reveals to us the poverty, destitution, and depravity of this sinful world, then we can hunger and thirst, not after the things of this God-rejecting world, but the things of the righteousness of God’s Holy Spirit. Repentance results when men and women are ready to turn their hearts from the world’s suffering and unto the Lord’s blessings.
James 4:6 “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
A US Senator approached Mother Theresa after she had spoken to Congress. He saw a photo opportunity, so he said to her as the cameras rolled, “My constituents and I would like to present you with a check for a million dollars for your foundation Sisters of Mercy.” She said, “God has always taken care of us and He will continue to. God works best with nothing. Please go back home to the people you represent and become nothing.” A follower of Christ is crucified to the sins of this world so that they can follow the Lord. Jesus said, “if anyone wants to be my disciple, he must forsake himself, take up his cross and follow me.” He alone is my hope of glory; my worth is only in Christ. Galatians 2:20 says, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”
The Old Testament law reminds us that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. However, Jesus Christ who was without sin was made the perfect sacrifice for sin on our behalf that we may be made the righteousness of God in Him. Our righteousness is in Christ alone, not in our deeds of the flesh. Our righteousness is not in who we are but in whose we are. My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness. As a follower of Christ, the cleansing is in the walking, therefore walk in the light as he is in the light and the blood of Jesus Christ shall cleanse you from all unrighteousness. When we place ourselves in the Lord’s presence because of the love He has for us and the love we have for Him, we can see glimpses of the glory of God.
Isaiah trembled in God’s presence. In the year in which Uriah died.... he approached the throne of God and was undone because of his sin in the presence of God’s holiness... He saw a fantastic vision: seraphim ... a six-winged, high-ranking angels of God’s heavenly hosts who proclaimed, holy, holy, holy is the Lord God of hosts. The earth is filled with His glory.” The temple filled with smoke and the foundations trembled and shook. Then Isaiah said, “woe is me, I’m ruined and undone in the presence of thy holiness.” God honors a broken and a contrite heart. Isaiah said, “I’m a man of unclean lips living among an unclean people.” Then a seraphim touched a hot coal to Isaiah’s lips and said, “your iniquity is taken away and your sin purged.”God not only sits on His throne in Heaven in glory, He also lives in the hearts of those who are meek and lowly; those who have forsaken their pride to live to the praise of the glory of His grace.
1 Peter 5:5 “All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because
God is opposed to the proud, but He gives grace to the humble.”
Jesus Christ is the light of the world. When we face the light, the dreadful shadow will falls behind us. When we follow the Son of God, we forsake the shadow of sin and death. As children of the living God, we’re God’s photo-multipliers, meaning that we reflect and intensify His glorious light so that others can see His truth. Therefore, let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father which is in heaven.
When we follow in the Lord’s paths of righteousness we get a glimpse of heaven ... Oh what a foretaste of glory divine. God will open the eyes of our spiritual understanding when we live according to God’s beautiful attitudes; for joy is not the absence of pain but the presence of God, that we may ever live to the praise of the Glory of God’s grace!
Your brother in Christ, Michael
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