"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied."
Jesus answered our question in the "Beatitudes." Each Beatitude begins with "Blessed are those who." Jesus makes it clear that God wants to bless us! But he also makes it clear that the life of being blessed by God is not what you think.
We want wealth, happiness, popularity, success, and rewards for doing good, and of course we do, it's natural to want things to go well in our lives, but these are not the deep soul blessings that God most wants to give us.
"O God, you are my God. my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water. Because your love is better than life. I will praise you as long as I live. My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods." (Psalm 63:1-5)
Jesus is offering us the supreme blessing of God's presence right now, right here, whatever we're going through, whatever problems or pains are afflicting us, whatever failures or frustrations we're up against so let's look up to heaven and open up our hearts to God. God alone fills the deep hunger of our souls.
"Blessed are those...who delights in the law of the Lord, and on His law they meditate day and night. They will be like trees planted by streams of water, which yield fruit in season and whose leaves do not wither. Whatever they do will prosper." Psalm 1:2-3
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. What Jesus is saying here, is this: Happy is the person whose primary motivation is not sex, or power, or money, or fame, or control; Happy is the person who is motivated to delight in the law of God.
"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Matthew 6:33
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be satisfied. Get motivated. Discover satisfaction today. Discover Jesus and His attitudes, and you will discover how to Be Happy!
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Current Bible Study Series
The Essentials of the Christian Faith - A Handbook of basic information for Christian Growth
o The Authority and Inerrancy of the Scriptures
o The Nature of God
o The Trinity
o The Holy Spirit
o Jesus Christ
o Christ's Life, Death, Burial & Resurrection
o Salvation
Without a proper foundation, buildings don't stand, civilizations don't last, and Christians don't witness well. The foundation I am talking about is the foundation of Essential Doctrines of Christianity.
The Bible itself reveals those doctrines that are essential to the Christian faith. They are 1) the Deity of Christ, 2) Salvation by Grace, and 3) Resurrection of Christ, and 4) the gospel. These are the doctrines the Bible says are necessary. Though there are many other important doctrines, these four are the only ones that are declared by Scripture to be essential. Please note that there are other foundational doctrines of scripture that become necessary also, God, the Trinity, The Holy Spirit, and the Bible . Doctrine is important because it defines who you put your trust in. It is not simply that you have faith; it's who you put your faith in.
You cannot study the Bible very long before you understand the importance of faith. A sinner cannot be saved apart from faith. Ephesians 2:8-9. “The gospel of Christ…is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth…for therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith; as it is written the just shall live by faith.” Romans 1:16-17. Therefore, it is important that we should find out what this word means.
WHAT IS FAITH?
Faith comprises three things: knowledge, belief and trust. Faith is personal confidence in God. It means that we believe what He says, and trust Him to save us and to keep us. The source of faith, In a very real sense, this faith is a gift of God. John 3:27. God gives men the power to believe on Him. “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God." Romans 10:17. Therefore, if a man does not have faith in God, he should read the Bible. God has promised that any man, who wishes to do His will, will come to “a knowledge of the truth.” John 7:17.
The Bible sets forth the Lord Jesus Christ as the true object of faith. Acts 20:21. The important thing is not how much faith a man has, or what kind of faith he has, but that the object of his faith must be Jesus Christ if he wants to be saved. So you may believe that Christ was born in Bethlehem, born of a virgin, died on Calvary, rose again and ascended into heaven. You may even believe the Bible is God’s Word. But you have not really put your faith in Him until you trust Him to save you from your sins and take you to heaven.
“For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men; the man Christ Jesus.” I Timothy 2:5)
o The Authority and Inerrancy of the Scriptures
o The Nature of God
o The Trinity
o The Holy Spirit
o Jesus Christ
o Christ's Life, Death, Burial & Resurrection
o Salvation
Without a proper foundation, buildings don't stand, civilizations don't last, and Christians don't witness well. The foundation I am talking about is the foundation of Essential Doctrines of Christianity.
The Bible itself reveals those doctrines that are essential to the Christian faith. They are 1) the Deity of Christ, 2) Salvation by Grace, and 3) Resurrection of Christ, and 4) the gospel. These are the doctrines the Bible says are necessary. Though there are many other important doctrines, these four are the only ones that are declared by Scripture to be essential. Please note that there are other foundational doctrines of scripture that become necessary also, God, the Trinity, The Holy Spirit, and the Bible . Doctrine is important because it defines who you put your trust in. It is not simply that you have faith; it's who you put your faith in.
You cannot study the Bible very long before you understand the importance of faith. A sinner cannot be saved apart from faith. Ephesians 2:8-9. “The gospel of Christ…is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth…for therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith; as it is written the just shall live by faith.” Romans 1:16-17. Therefore, it is important that we should find out what this word means.
WHAT IS FAITH?
Faith comprises three things: knowledge, belief and trust. Faith is personal confidence in God. It means that we believe what He says, and trust Him to save us and to keep us. The source of faith, In a very real sense, this faith is a gift of God. John 3:27. God gives men the power to believe on Him. “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God." Romans 10:17. Therefore, if a man does not have faith in God, he should read the Bible. God has promised that any man, who wishes to do His will, will come to “a knowledge of the truth.” John 7:17.
The Bible sets forth the Lord Jesus Christ as the true object of faith. Acts 20:21. The important thing is not how much faith a man has, or what kind of faith he has, but that the object of his faith must be Jesus Christ if he wants to be saved. So you may believe that Christ was born in Bethlehem, born of a virgin, died on Calvary, rose again and ascended into heaven. You may even believe the Bible is God’s Word. But you have not really put your faith in Him until you trust Him to save you from your sins and take you to heaven.
“For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men; the man Christ Jesus.” I Timothy 2:5)
Monday, January 3, 2011
Laying down with the Shepherd
"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures" (KJV). Ps 23
David had walked with the Lord for many years, and in a time of reflection and contemplation he saw a flock of sheep being led through the valley by a faithful and loving shepherd. He began to reflect upon his walk with God, and, As that shepherd is to those sheep, so has the Lord been to me. David said, "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures" (KJV). He is the Lord Jehovah Ra'ah. He is the God of gods, and He is my shepherd.
God blesses us even in the valley
Though you're walking through the valley, God has a blessing in the valley. "Yea, though I walk through the valley…I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.", verse 5, "Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies."
The flow of the text says that God does something unique in the valley that even with the shadows lurking around me; God brings something into my life. He prepares "a table before me." The challenge of the sheep was simply to follow the shepherd
Maybe you don't see where God is leading you. You can't see your way out of this valley. Yet God has prepared a table before you get there. It's ready. God has called you here to lie down in this pasture of revelation that you might prepare to move on and walk with him to the place of your next blessing. Your challenge is to not stop where you are. Your challenge is to keep walking. Your challenge is to recognize that God the Shepherd has gone on before you to prepare your blessing. No matter how dark it may be in that valley, you have the protecting hand of God and the protective presence of the Spirit of God. The enemy does all he can to stop you, and yet you are still blessed.
In spite of all the challenges God, has still blessed you. In spite of all the opposition, God has still blessed you. In spite of all the problems and failures, God has still blessed you. God has His hand on you, anoints you and brings you through every trial you face, because He prepares a table before you with the enemy looking on.
He prepares a table before me in the presence of my enemies. He anoints my head with oil. My cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.
The Bible says surely goodness and mercy shall follow me, which means I'm still going somewhere. Because this thing is not over yet The psalm does not end in the valley. The psalm does not end in end in the shadow. The psalm does not end in discouragement.
In the midst of your circumstances…
In the midst of your confusion…
In the midst of your crisis…
"Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lifted up, ye everlasting doors." Praise him by faith that he's already prepared a table for you. Praise him by faith that he'll make a way. Praise him by faith that he already has a blessing for you.
And he is so committed to the call that's on your life; Your Valleys may have been a day of defeat, But Help cometh and there is a victory. Whatever your situation is- I know He'll make everything all right. "The Lord is my shepherd”; you ought to declare it in Jesus' name.
David had walked with the Lord for many years, and in a time of reflection and contemplation he saw a flock of sheep being led through the valley by a faithful and loving shepherd. He began to reflect upon his walk with God, and, As that shepherd is to those sheep, so has the Lord been to me. David said, "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures" (KJV). He is the Lord Jehovah Ra'ah. He is the God of gods, and He is my shepherd.
God blesses us even in the valley
Though you're walking through the valley, God has a blessing in the valley. "Yea, though I walk through the valley…I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.", verse 5, "Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies."
The flow of the text says that God does something unique in the valley that even with the shadows lurking around me; God brings something into my life. He prepares "a table before me." The challenge of the sheep was simply to follow the shepherd
Maybe you don't see where God is leading you. You can't see your way out of this valley. Yet God has prepared a table before you get there. It's ready. God has called you here to lie down in this pasture of revelation that you might prepare to move on and walk with him to the place of your next blessing. Your challenge is to not stop where you are. Your challenge is to keep walking. Your challenge is to recognize that God the Shepherd has gone on before you to prepare your blessing. No matter how dark it may be in that valley, you have the protecting hand of God and the protective presence of the Spirit of God. The enemy does all he can to stop you, and yet you are still blessed.
In spite of all the challenges God, has still blessed you. In spite of all the opposition, God has still blessed you. In spite of all the problems and failures, God has still blessed you. God has His hand on you, anoints you and brings you through every trial you face, because He prepares a table before you with the enemy looking on.
He prepares a table before me in the presence of my enemies. He anoints my head with oil. My cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.
The Bible says surely goodness and mercy shall follow me, which means I'm still going somewhere. Because this thing is not over yet The psalm does not end in the valley. The psalm does not end in end in the shadow. The psalm does not end in discouragement.
In the midst of your circumstances…
In the midst of your confusion…
In the midst of your crisis…
"Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lifted up, ye everlasting doors." Praise him by faith that he's already prepared a table for you. Praise him by faith that he'll make a way. Praise him by faith that he already has a blessing for you.
And he is so committed to the call that's on your life; Your Valleys may have been a day of defeat, But Help cometh and there is a victory. Whatever your situation is- I know He'll make everything all right. "The Lord is my shepherd”; you ought to declare it in Jesus' name.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)