Who among us does not wish to be emotionally healthy?  When I began this study, I had two very clear questions deep in my heart.  Is my heart driven by my emotions?  Or, Are my emotions driven by my heart?  Sometimes we can be so driven or consumed by life’s emotions that there is no room in our hearts for anything else.  Those emotions hidden in our heart can be like little out of control reactors waiting to release ‘toxic waste.  It will be released!  It may spew out a little at a time, or it may be like an explosion.  All it takes is someone or something to cause the release. 

I am learning that when there seems to be no room left in the heart, the Word can miraculously make room for that which is “The Heart of Jesus”.  It happens as we open our hearts to Him, who lives in our hearts.  Jesus is always there, you know!  He’s waiting for you to allow the Word  and the power of the Holy Spirit to fill your open heart to overflowing with His moral excellence (see John 7:38).  Only then will our emotions be driven by the heart of Jesus Christ.  It will be Christ within us that will help us to possess that fruit of the spirit which is self control.

I want to encourage you to think about Jesus’ teaching of The Beatitudes, in contrast to or as an alternative to those chaotic, sometimes harmful emotions (cause~emotion~affect/effect) we all experience.  God created us with all of these wonderful emotional, emotions.  It is only fitting that He is the one who can help us keep them under control.

May we allow The Beatitudes of Jesus to replace our hate, bitterness, spite and jealousy with MERCY.  When we are prideful or thinking only of how we are affected by life and its circumstances, may we become POOR IN SPIRIT.  May our ‘I’m Sorrys’ in life become MOURNFUL and REPENTANT.  May we seek to live life according to the standards that God places before us  (RIGHTEOUSNESS of God).  May we seek to live PURE, uncontaminated (by our sins or sometimes contaminated by our past) lives.   May we seek PEACE, and not vengence or the right to say you are wrong.

These Are the Lights That Will Shine From Your Hearts, The Beatitudes

Jesus said, “You are the light of the world.  A city on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.  Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”  Matthew 5:14-16

Thought to Ponder:  Think, again, about some of those emotions hidden in your heart that are waiting to be released.  Think about how easily we can become offended by others, or the circumstances that cause negative emotions.  Pray and give them to the Lord, asking Him to take your every thought and emotion captive (see 2 Corinthians 10:4-5).  Ask Him to help you to be obedient in this area of your life.

FINAL INSTRUCTIONS

 1 Thessalonians 5:12-24

“The One Who Calls You Is Faithful“

Read Matthew 5:11-12, then fill in the blanks.  Jesus said, _______  ____ ____, when men shall revile you,

and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, ______ ____ _____.  _______ and

____ ___________ _____: for ________ ___  _____ ______ in _________: for so persecuted they the

prophets which were before you.  KJ

For the sake of who, does our persecution come? ___________________ (verse 11)

When we are persecuted for the sake of Jesus Christ we are _______________. (verse 11)

Do you remember what it means to be “Blessed”?  Take a moment and write down your definition.

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Remember, to be blessed for the sake of Jesus is the equivalent to having God’s kingdom “within our hearts”.  When we are blessed, God makes us fully satisfied.  We are blessed, not because of our favorable circumstances, but because God indwells in us through Jesus Christ. 

In verse 12, Jesus tells us that we should just be glad that we are doing a little suffering for him, right?  Of course not!   What is it that Jesus says?  “R______, and be e________ g____: for great is your r_____ in h_____:” KJ

“To rejoice, in this instance, is related to grace, as if the joy is a direct result of God’s grace.  Be exceeding glad ~ ecstatic joy and delight.”  The Hebrew-Greek Key Study Bible

Get the picture?  Our human, emotional selves cannot imagine being ‘happy’ over being persecuted.  But Jesus says, this joy I speak of is related to God’s grace for you.  Wow, how cool is that?  And get this part ~ For GREAT is your reward in Heaven!

It’s been several years ago, that my hubby and I were in a foreign land.  There I met a little girl, that I wanted very much to bring back home with me.  Circumstances did not permit this.  But since the day I met her, my hubby and I have faithfully, financially supported her.  We have spent time with her when we have traveled back to this foreign land.  God has protected her and made provision for her in a wonderful foster care program in her country.  The 29th of April 2010, I received a letter from a representative of the Children’s assistance program our little girl is sponsored through.  This is an excerpt from that letter.

“Your giving has been so faithful and there is such a need for the Foster Program in …, we are very appreciative of your commitment…Thank you for all these ’years’ and know ‘when the good Shepherd comes, you will get a crown.  This crown will be glorious, and it will never lose its beauty.”  1 Peter 5:4 NCV

You know, I have loved that little girl (who isn’t so little now) all these years.  I pray everyday for her and her caregivers.  I have been awakened out of my sleep with thoughts of her and prayed for her safety and well-being.  My hubby and I have faithfully given financially for her care and will continue to do this.  I do this, because of my deep love for her, as if she were my own.  It is by God’s grace, my little girl and I met that day in an orphanage so far away.  It is by God’s grace that she has survived to be where she is today.  I deserve no crown for opening my heart.  

We deserve no crowns for being persecuted.  But, Jesus said, “Be exceedingly joyful because of God’s grace, for great is your reward in heaven ~ you do this for My sake.”

Key #9 to spiritual blessedness is to rejoice and be exceeding glad in your circumstances, for my sake.  The gift we receive is reward in heaven.

Thought to Ponder:  In everything that you do, that you open your heart to…do it for Jesus sake!

Scripture to Ponder:  1 Peter 5:4   

I read a statistic that 200 million followers of Jesus around the world suffer ‘persecution.  Here, in my country, more and more of the freedom to speak of following Jesus is being prohibited.  For myself, as a parent and grand-parent, I realize how important it has become to be extrememly proactive in my children’s and grand-children’s lives, teaching and modeling to believe in and follow Jesus Christ.  No matter where we live, the ‘persecution against following Jesus is going to be present.

We all know that persecution comes in many different forms.  It may come from punishment designed to cause death, injury, affliction or embarrassment, or discouragement from family and friends.  We can be persecuted for our past life (before we became followers of Jesus).  My experience is, this happens quite often.  Have you ever heard someone say, “how can this person profess Jesus Christ after the things they have done”?    

I know nothing about being physically persecuted for Jesus.  I do know someone who is in prison for his belief. I have been with some who follow Jesus in secret.  Although this does not give me the empathy to understand their daily struggle with persecution, I have witnessed their undying faith in Jesus and their heartfelt commitments to stand up for Him in the face of ever present danger.

Jesus said, “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake (for living according to God’s standards and His judgement): for theirs is the kingdom of heaven”.  Matthew 5:10  KJ

It’s not easy when we are labeled as ‘Jesus freaks’, or people say “don’t give me your religious preferences”, or we face opposition because we believe in God’s standards for marriage and parenting and not the world’s, or our children are being teased because of believing in Jesus and saying ‘no I can’t go there or do that’.  What we have to be very careful of, is to not respond against accusations against our belief with accusations of our own.  Do not respond in judgement.  God is the only righteous judge.  It’s very easy to try and take care of this for Him, isn’t it?  Especially, when we are being judged or accused.

Nobody wants to be persecuted.  As followers of Jesus, it’s inevitable.  We are not of this world, and that’s a fact.  As we study the Word and as it transforms our minds and hearts, we will be challenged by this world as to whether we really believe in the Jesus we profess.

Key #8 to spiritual blessedness is, be prepared to be persecuted for righteousness sake.  The gift we receive is the kingdom of heaven.

Thoughts and Scripture to Ponder: 1 Peter 3:13-15 “Do the right thing” and Psalm 37:1-6  “…He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.”

In 1 Peter 3:13-15:  What does Peter say we should do regarding persecution and suffering?

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  In Psalm 37, verses 1, 3, 4 and 5, what does the psalmist tell us to do regarding ‘evil men?

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Delight In The Lord

Let’s begin today with a  couple of questions.  Are you a person who is at peace?  Do you know someone who is not at peace?  I have had times in my life when I was not at peace.  There have been those times when all was not right with my world, or the world of those I care deeply for.  Think about the questions for a moment.  Write down specific times when you did not feel at peace.  What circumstances or situations were the cause of your times of unrest, or not being at peace? __________________________________________

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Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God”.   Matthew 5:9 KJ 

Let me ask another question. Do you feel, during those times when you did not feel at peace, you were being a peacemaker?  It’s very difficult for us to pass along what we do not possess.  The definition of peace is: “tranquility; freedom from disquieting or disturbing thoughts or emotions, harmony“.  Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary 

Read Philippians 4:4-9   

Chances are, you read this passage of Scripture from the King James translation or the New International translation.  The passage is all about taking any kind of unrest we are experiencing, in prayer to the Lord.  When we do this He will give us a peace unexplainable.  Now read this passage of Scripture, below, in The Message translation.

“Celebrate God all day, everyday.  I mean, revel in Him!  Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you’re on their side, working with them and not against them.  Help them see that the Master is about to arrive.  He could show up any minute!  Don’t fret or worry.  Instead of worrying, pray.  Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know of your concerns.  Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down.  It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.  Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious–the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse.  Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized.  Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.”  The Message Bible Translation

The ‘Greek word for peacemaker “(only in Matthew 5:9) is ‘Eirenopoios.  It means, the one who makes peace in others having first received the peace of God in his own heart; not simply one who makes peace between two parties.”  The Hebrew-Greek Key Study Bible

The Word of God, tells us that we must receive the peace of God in our own hearts, before we can make peace in others.  When this happens in our hearts, we shall be called the children of God our Father.  What an amazing transformation we are promised ~ unrest into the peace that exceeds all description.

Key #7 to spiritual blessedness is to become a peacemaker.  The gift we receive is the awesome privilege to be called the children of God.

Thought to Ponder:  Even in the middle of  heartache, disappointment, worry or unfair circumstances, we can have peace.

Scripture to Ponder ~ That Will Transform Your Mind And Your Heart

• Take every thought captive and subject them to Christ ~ 2 Corinthians 10:5
• Do everything in the name of Jesus ~ Colossians 3:16-17
• Guard your mind and heart with prayer ~ Philippians 4:6-7
• Choose what you place your focus on, carefully ~ Philippians 4:8
• Draw near to God ~ James 4:8
• Trust in the Lord with all your heart ~ Proverbs 3:5-6

Psalm 51:10 NIV

Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8).  To be pure in heart is to be clean from sin’s contamination in our life. Purity simply cannot exist in a contaminated heart.  That’s a pretty scary thought.  Especially when I know that this “purity of heart” Jesus is teaching about encompasses every part of me.  It involves my choices, desires, thoughts, intentions and every other imaginable aspect of me.

I will not lose heart, and I don’t want you to either, because our God is bigger than we are.  Nothing is impossible for Him.  It is not impossible for Him to transform our hearts. 

Jesus Has Captured My Heart

Jesus is such a wonderful teacher.  Actually, He is the “Master Teacher”.  I understand why He didn’t start with “Pure In Heart”.  He wanted to capture my heart first.  He first of all asked for my broken, needy heart (Poor In Spirit).  Next, He asked for my grieving heart (Mourning).  Not just for my losses in life, but my grieving, repentful of my sins heart.  Then He asked me to become meek, to hunger and thirst after righteousness, and to be merciful.  He has been asking me to surrender so that He might capture my heart.

About three years ago, I was a part of a women’s mission trip.  Our destination was Mexico, to share Christ in a women’s prison.  It was a very intense experience.  We were instructed in what not to bring in with us, not to wear certain colors and how to conduct ourselves.  In short, we took NOTHING personal in with us and were searched (yes, I said searched).  At each checkpoint, we received an ink-stamp.  One of the stamps was the word captured, in Spanish “capturado”.  I had a life changing experience that day.  At one point, one of the other women in our group and our translator were led into an off-limits area.  I watched as they were being led into the area.  The next thing I remember was a touch on my shoulder, being led to follow these two women.  When I looked back to see who was guiding me to follow, there was no one there.  When these two woman (with prison guard present) asked me how I got there, I couldn’t explain it.  I still can’t.  It was very heart wrenching.  There were two women (prisoners) huddled together on a bed, in a nasty and dirty little room.  There was rice and tortillas sitting on a table that looked as if they had been there a while.  One of the women was very sick.  She wept and asked us to get in touch with her family, because they did not know where she was.  The guard was quick to tell her and us that to do that would be unacceptable.  All we could do was pray for these two lost, captured women.  Today’s Beatitude has brought all of this back to my mind.  The initial impact on me of this experience was a picture of our fate as sinners.  We all come to Jesus with nothing and are helpless without Him.  Today, I also see a picture of allowing Jesus to “Capture My Heart”.  If I am to be “Pure In Heart”,  He wants my heart just as it was in my need for salvation.  I could not save myself on my own then, and I cannot become “Pure In Heart” on my own now.

I have tried to get back into that prison with my friend, who was our translator.  The week before we were to go in, there was a prison riot.  It still seems impossible to get back in.  I will never forget the picture of those two women so captured and helpless.  It will be forever engraved on my heart.  It is a reminder to me of where Jesus wants my heart, “Capturado” in His presence.

Our “Capturado” Marks

Just as my friends and I were “Capturado” together in that prison, may you and I encourage one another to allow Jesus to capture our hearts.  “Purity of Heart” will only be found in the presence of the Lord.  He is able to transform our hearts, so that “We shall see God”.

Key #6 to spiritual blessedness is to become pure in heart.  The gift we receive is to see God in our everyday lives and in eternity.

Question to Ponder:  Has Jesus captured your heart?  Pray, ask Him to make your heart pure.  Write down your prayer. ___________________________________________________________________

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Scripture to Ponder: 2 Timothy 1:7

I sure am glad that Jesus placed “Mercy” after “Poor in Spirit” and “Meek”.  Not that mercy is of less importance, but because it’s impossible to be merciful if your not poor in spirit and meek.  Mercy is a virtue that can be very easy to give or very difficult to give.  It’s easy to show mercy to the child who is in need.  It can be very difficult to show mercy to someone who has hurt you.  The real test of whether or not we can be merciful, will be in those difficult situations. 

Jesus said, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy”.  Matthew 5:7  KJ

To show mercy is to be compassionate, kind and forgiving, or to provide relief in a situation. Some synonyms for mercy are pity, sympathy, humanity, understanding, generosity, leniency, benevolence, forbearance and grace.

In Exodus chapter 34 verses 6 & 7, we find a great definition of the mercy of God.  “…the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin.” NIV

My Hebrew-Greek Key Study Bible gives this comment on Matthew 5:7, “Mercy is the missionary and altruistic (unselfish regard for or devotion to the welfare of others) attitude of the Christian character.”

Sometimes I say, that mercy is not my gift.  In all honesty, I have come to realize that what I needed was “poor in spirit” and “meek”.  Unselfish ~ Get Over Myself (pride issues), were the key words for me.  Mercy does not come, until we understand this.

Think of a time (one of those difficult situations) when you knew you should be merciful, but a pride issue got in the way.  Think about this: Did your pride issue have anything to do with your emotions?  Write down your answers.  ____________________________________________________________________

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According to Matthew 5:7, what happens when we are merciful? ______________________

Key #5 to spiritual blessedness is to become merciful.  The gift we receive is mercy.

Thought to Ponder:  The merciful are blessed because they place the rights and esteem of others above their own.

Scripture to Ponder:  Psalm 136 ~ His Mercy (love) Endures Forever 

Have you ever been hungry or thirsty?  I mean really hungry or thirsty!  My five year old grand-daughter Selam’s homeland is ‘Ethiopia.  She is so precious and sweet.  She’s only been with us eight months, and I cannot imagine our lives without her.  She was talking with Poppy and I one day and said, “I ate a leaf once“.  When I asked her when and why she said, “in Ethiopia because I was hungry“.  Knowing where she came from, and how she came to be with us, I knew that she really meant she was hungry.  Her little tummy was empty and she needed something to fill it.  I can honestly say that I have never been hungry enough to eat a leaf.  I do however get hungry and fill my physical tummy with food.  Just as God created us to be physically hungry, He created us to be spiritually hungry.  Sad to say, some people have never known that the spiritual hunger they feel is for the righteousness of the one true God.  I spent many years trying to fill my hunger with everything but His righteousness, not knowing what I was truly hungry for.  Like Selam’s leaf, filling spiritual hunger with this world’s small bits of “leaf” soon gives way to hunger again.

In our pursuit to truly believe and follow our God, Matthew 5:6 should be truly motivating for us.  Jesus said, “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.”

What is this righteousness, that we hunger and thirst for?  A very simple explanation of righteousness would be right living that comes from our desire for God.  But let’s dig a little bit deeper.  Since our desire is for God, what is God’s righteousness?  “Righteousness in general is God’s uprightness (His standards).  Since God Himself is the standard of the believers, the righteousness of God means the righteousness that belongs to God or to oneself for God, or God-like righteousness.  His righteousness is imparted to us as a gift, and not earned.  Man can only accept God’s righteousness upon his life as he repents of sin and receives Christ as Savior by faith, and thus becomes a child of God, realizing God’s claims upon him by the miraculous regenerating action of the Holy Spirit.”  Quote From The Hebrew-Greek Key Study Bible

All of that, to say that it is not enough to just try to live right.  We are seeking the righteousness of God by believing, accepting, and following obediently.  Righteousness belongs to God, and is a gift from Him.  We must hunger and thirst for God’s righteousness, just as Selam hungered for physical food.  She was hungry enough to eat that leaf.  Answer this question:  Are you hungry and thirsty for God’s righteousness?  Or, are you happy just eating a leaf, here and there?  Most of us don’t skip many meals, so that our tummys can feel full.  Let’s not skip feeding our desire for God, so that our spirits can feel full. 

To hunger and thirst after the righteousness of God will be a continuing desire for the believer.  We will always need filling. Make a list of ways in which God feeds you spiritually.  Write down a time when you felt spiritually empty. When you were feeling spiritually empty, were you feeding properly?  Where was your focus?

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I’ve discovered that I have to be very pro-active in my relationship with God.  I love what the Word is doing in my life.  I have to tell you, it’s not easy to be committed to studying the Word and writing about it on a daily basis.  There are times when I miss a day, but not many.  My prayer life has changed, my heart has changed, I feel more mentally fit, the Holy Spirit is more active in my life and in me personally, I handle and deal with life more skillfully and I can’t praise my living God enough.  I didn’t know how hungry and thirsty I was until I felt some of that “shall be filled” that Jesus is teaching about.  I will never stop needing to be filled.  The great part is that Jesus promises us that if “we hunger and thirst after righteousness, we shall be filled“.   

Key #4 to spiritual blessedness is to hunger and thrist after righteousness.  The gift we receive is that we shall be filled. 

Scripture to Ponder: Psalm 42:1-2 

“Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.”  Matthew 5:5 KJ

First of all I want to say to you that meekness is not a character of weakness, but one of great strength and courage.  This is a great lesson for me today.  I am faced with a situation in which I need to confront someone.  I really want to face the situation with wisdom, meekness and soft conversation.  I want to put forth a proper, Christ-like attitude.  I really want this to come from my heart, not just because I know it’s the right thing to do.  It would be easy to let my human “attack the error” instinct show itself.  But, I am asking the Lord to give my heart the strength and courage to become meek.  I know that the Lord will help me, and I know that most things are very solvable when dealt with properly. So it is with an open teachable heart that I write Day 9, understanding that it is God’s plan for us to become “meek” for His purpose.

To be meek, in God’s view, is not just an outward behavior.  It is a spiritual discipline from the heart.  It is to be like Jesus.  He said of Himself in Matthew 11: 29, “I am meek and lowly in heart“.  A great definition of a meek person is:  One who exhibits gentleness, mild temper, humility and submissiveness.  Okay, I’m done for!  Just kidding.  It does sound like too much to hope for.  But, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again.  God has made a way for us.  It is by His grace, and only His grace, we are able.  Our ability to be meek depends on our total dependence on God.  If our hearts are meek toward God, we will be led to be meek toward others.  One of the ‘Greek words for meek is ” ‘Prautes. The meaning is this: It is not a man’s outward behavior only, nor his mere natural disposition, rather it is an in-wrought grace of the soul and the expressions of it are first and chiefly toward God…we do not dispute this.  ‘Prautes is not readily expressed in English since the term meekness suggests weakness, but ‘Prautes is a condition of mind and heart which demonstrates gentleness not in weakness but power.  It is born in strength of character.”  Quote from The Hebrew-Greek Key Study Bible

Being a follower of Christ is all about getting over ourselves, isn’t it?  James 4:6 says, “God gives grace to the humble“.  In Matthew 16:24 Jesus said that “to follow Him, we will need to deny ourselves”.

As for “inherit the earth”…I think its meaning is both physical and spiritual, the now and that to come.  Psalm 37:11 says, “the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace“.  One of the fruits of meekness is a content mind.  We shall have peace and contentment today.  1 Corinthians 3:21 says, “…let no man glory in men: For all things are yours;…whether the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours“.

Key #3 to spiritual blessedness is to become meek.  The gift we receive is the earth.

Thought to Ponder: Are you meek?

Scripture to Ponder: James 3:13-18 (I think this passage of Scripture is a great illustration of what meekness is, and is not)  After you have read this passage, write down the qualities of meekness.  Then write down the result for seeking self.  I’ll give you a clue.  It is in verse 16, and the word begins with “C” (KJ) or “D” (NIV). 

My “Hubby” and I watched a movie called the ” ‘Nun Story”.  It was about a woman who became a ‘Nun, and her struggle with perfection to be like Christ, and the rules set before her.  In the end, she made the decision to walk away from the choice she had made, to become a ‘Nun, so many years ago in her youth.  It was really very sad. Do you ever struggle with perfection?  Do you ever struggle with thoughts of thinking you are not a good enough person?  I remember before our Grand-son Avery accepted Christ as his Savior, he struggled with perfection.  He’s only 9 years old, and he had this notion that he could only be a follower of Christ if he was a better boy, perfect in his behavior and the way he lives his life.  Today, Avery is a follower of Christ.  He realized that Christ accepts us, NOW.  The world would convey to us that the Beatitudes, these Christian principles of Christ-like conduct, are unattainable.  Our Father God knows all about us, our struggles and our failures.  He knows that these Beatitudes make greater demands on us than is humanly possible.  The TRUTH is that He has made a way for us.  When He became man (Christ), He made the way for us.  He gave us grace, so that we may follow Christ who practiced and preached the Beatitudes.  The world would say that these Beatitudes are the opposite of what should make us happy.  But Christ says that these Beatitudes will ‘make us fully satisfied’ and bring us great gifts.  We only need to believe and make a lifetime commitment to follow and practice Christ-like conduct, with all our hearts.

Jesus said, “Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted”.  Matthew 5:4

To mourn is to feel or express grief or sorrow.  Anyone who has experienced the loss of a loved one knows what it is to mourn.  When we mourn, we experience all kinds of emotions.  My husband and I were in the funeral business for many years.  We worked with families who were believers in the hope of Jesus Christ, and those who did not know that hope.  Mourning, from the very onset of the loss, is handled differently by those who believe in this hope, and those who do not believe.  As Christians, we handle our grief differently because of the circumstances.  I remember when my ‘Daddy’ died, I felt like my mourning would never end.  I do not know what I would have done without the comfort from my heavenly Father.  Over a period of 3 years, my heavenly Father comforted me through the great grief of losing my ‘Daddy’, and the issues that infused my grief.  I remember the day I walked into my office and I didn’t burst into tears when I looked at my ‘Daddy’s’ picture.  It was a day that I marked as one of my heavenly Father’s victories in my life.  I still really miss my ‘Daddy’, but the comfort of my Holy Heavenly Father is always present.  I realize there are many different things that can cause mourning in our lives.  It could be the loss of someone because of betrayal, or it could even be the loss of some “thing” in our life.  We could (and should) be in mourning because of  sorrow for our sins or the sins of others.  I’m sure you can think of other reasons, for mourning.

“Ultimately, mourning means facing what wounds us in the presence of One who can heal”.  Quote by Henri Nouwen 

Key #2 to spiritual blessedness is to bring our mourning to the One who can heal.  The gift we receive is comfort. 

Thought to Ponder:  Recall a time(s) that you were comforted by your Heavenly Father. Write it down.  It is good to remember what He has done for you, and to thank Him often for His faithfulness in your life.

Scripture to Ponder:  Psalms 23:1-6 and 2 Corinthian 1:3-6

Go out often and share the comfort of your Holy Father in heaven.  He not only comforts us when we mourn our losses, He comforts and forgives us when we are truly sorrowful for our sins. 

“And seeing the multitudes, he went up (ascended) into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,”  Matthew 5:1-2 KJ

On our first trip to Israel, we had a wonderful, full of historical facts, guide.  He was very, very intelligent.  He was not a ‘Christian.  I know this for a fact, because someone in our group asked him if he was a ‘Christian.  He was very quick to say, NO.  And, he was rather offended at the question.  When we were at the Mount of Beatitudes, our guide said something very interesting.  He said that Jesus would have sat at the base of the hill, to speak to the multitudes.  He said it was because the mount was like a natural amphitheatre, and the people would have heard Him better.  Back then, I thought the comment was extremely possible.  I was thinking with my head.  Today, I would beg to differ with our guide.  My differing opinion is not based on any fact.  But, my heart says to me, “that’s not right”.  The Word says that He “went up into a mountain”.  I can almost picture it in my mind and my heart.  Jesus walked up and either stood or sat, and when the people saw this they probably sat and gazed upon Him, to listen.   I think Jesus let them know that He was ready to speak to them.  I believe that Jesus was perfectly capable of making Himself  heard, by all who had come.

Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven“.  Matthew 5:3

Happy, is a word used frequently for the word ‘blessed’ in the beatitudes.  Blessed, in this case, means so much more.  The ‘Greek word for blessed is ” ‘Makarios.  It means possessing the characteristic of deity, ‘makariotes.  It indicates the state of the believer in Christ (Matthew 5:3-11: Blessed…for my sake; Luke 6:20-22, Blessed…for the Son of man’s sake)…’Makarios differs from happy, because happy is the person who has good luck.  A blessed person is one whom God makes fully satisfied, not because of favorable circumstances, but because He indwells the believer through Christ.  To be ‘Makarios, blessed, is equivalent to having God’s kingdom within ones heart.”   Quote from The Hebrew-Greek Key Study Bible

The Word is so filled with mystery, yet it is so beautiful.  What a beautiful thought, “to be blessed is the equivalent to having God’s kingdom within our hearts”.

Blessed are the “poor in spirit“.  To be poor in spirit is to be helpless (as if we are in need and have nothing at all), in need of being lifted up within that invisible part of us we call our spirit.  It is more than just our broken hearts at the moment we gave our lives to Christ.  It is to be in constant need of the kingdom of heaven.  Happiness is a great emotion that we can feel because of good circumstances, or because we have our families that we love so dearly.  I am so very happy that my husband is retired and he is getting to play golf (often), like he has always wanted to.  I was so very happy when Jenna, Avery and Selam (my Grand-babes) accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior.  I even believe that I feel the happiness in my heart.  But to be ‘Makarios, is a satisfaction that I WANT.  And hey, what a wonderful gift to receive for BEING “poor in spirit”…the Kingdom of Heaven.

The ‘Greek word for kingdom is ” ‘Basilieia.  Its essential meaning is that spiritually the kingdom of God is within the human heart, and also denotes the everlasting (eternal) kingdom which God would set up and give to Christ.”  The ‘Greek word for heaven is ” ‘Ouranos.  It means in a physical sense, the over-arching, all-embracing heaven beneath which is the earth and all that is therein, and it means: God’s dwelling or resting place.”  Quote from The Hebrew-Greek Key Study Bible

Key #1 to spiritual blessedness is realizing our spiritual helplessness.  The gift we receive is the kingdom of heaven.

In your own words, using the study helps for today, write down verse 3 of Matthew chapter 5.

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Tomorrow, we will talk about why the Beatitudes ‘are most definately’ attainable for us.  They are within our grasp.  And, we will move on to verse 4.