Expressing the Father

One of my favorite passages in the Bible is the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew chapters 5,6,and 7. This passage opens with the Beatitudes in Matthew 5:3-12. To understand the beatitudes we must remember two important facts: Christians are called to be expressions of Father God to the world (as well as expressions of Jesus Christ) and as long as we are living in this world we are constantly going through a process of being changed. The beatitudes are eight parts of this process that we all experience. They describe the process of being changed from the inside out so that when people meet us they get a glimpse of who God is.

Matthew 5:3-12- "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great in your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

The word "Blessed" means "happy"- God's intention is for us to be happy. With everything that has been given to us, Christians should be the happiest people in the world regardless of our circumstances. Now let us take a closer look at each of these beatitudes and see what God would say to us through His word:

"poor in spirit"- This refers to those who see their need for the Lord and recognize that they would have nothing without Him.
Jesus said of the poor in spirit that "theirs is the kingdom of heaven." The word "kingdom" refers to God's realm of authority (wherever His authority extends and His will is being done). If we want to see God's will being done in our lives we must learn to toally depend on God rather than ourselves.

"those who mourn" Are those who "mourn" over their sin. This is the godly sorrow that leads to repentance. (2Corinthians 7:10 says, "For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.") Basically the "mourning" is a desire to change in the areas of our lives in which we have fallen short of the glory of God.
Jesus promised that those who mourn "shall be comforted"- We are comforted because after seeing our own lack we see that at the cross Jesus made the fullness of God available to all who believe.
I would like to point out that the promise of comfort for those who mourn is also available for those who mourn in the sense we normally think of mourning. In 2Corinthians 1:3 God is called "the God of all comfort."

Next Jesus speaks of "the meek." The word "meek" refers to someone who is humble and teachable. This person has seen who they are without God, they have seen that at the cross Jesus made available everything we need for life and godliness (2Peter 1:3) and they decide to let Him mold them and make them who He wants them to be- an expression of the divine nature to the world.
Jesus said that the meek "shall inherit the earth." The ones God promotes in this life are those who first humble themselves and let God prepare them for his abundance.

Next Jesus speaks of "the merciful" Since the previous beatitudes have all described someone who is allowing the Lord to change them, the mercy spoken of here is the mercy of God expressed by believers. Each of us are to be expressions of God's mercy. As we live this kind of life we find ourselves reaching out to others. The more like Jesus we become, the less self centered we become.
We are promised that when we are merciful we will receive mercy.

The "pure in heart" in verse 8 are those who are allowing God to bring emotional healing and change mindsets. As impurities (anything that's not God's will) are removed from inside of us we will "see God" that is, we will begin to realize who God truly is. Aren't there many people today who have twisted views about who God is because they have been hurt by others or have been under religous teaching? The change God works in our lives starts on the inside with our thoughts, will, emotions, and other inward things and works its way out to our actions. This is precisely what we see described in the beatitudes (and the rest of the Sermon on the Mount).

Next Jesus mentions "peacemakers." These are people who seek to live in peace with others. We find instructions for doing so in Romans 12:17-21: "Repay noone evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peacably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, 'Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,' says the Lord. Therefore, 'If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.' Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." Reading this passage challenges us to "turn the other cheek" and refuse to be overcome by evil by giving in to anger and getting revenge.
We are told that when we do this we will "be called sons of God." In other words, when we live as peacemakers, people will recognize that we truly are followers of Jesus Christ. Living this kind of lifestyle is a way to express the divine nature to those around us.

Verses 10-12 tell us that we are blessed when we are "persecuted for righteousness' sake." This persecution comes because we are reaching out to those around us and are making a difference. If you find the enemy coming against you, it may be because you are doing exactly what God wants you to do and are being effective, so if that's the case keep going!
Jesus said that we can rejoice in the midst of this persecution because:
(1) We are citizens of His kingdom
(2) We have an eternal reward
(3) We are following the footsteps of great men and women of God of the past (we're in good company).

After the beatitudes Jesus states that believers are salt and light. Do you want to live as salt and light, living a life that causes those around you to see and glorify the Father? Then allow God to work in your life and change you. Decide right now that whatever He wants to do in your life, you will let Him do it. God loves you and has your best interest in mind. I gaurantee that if you make an unconditional surrender to the Lord you won't regret it!

God's Treasure

Matthew 13:44- "Again the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field."

Jesus taught God's word to people using parables-which are stories and illustrations. This parable is one of my personal favorites: especially after I began to see some of the things I am going to share with you in this week's blog.

Some have said that the treasure in this parable represents the Lord, and while the Lord is a treasure worth giving everything for I believe this parable is meant to tells us how God sees us. Therefore, the treasure represents you and me. There are other places in the Bible that speak of God's people as His treasure. One of those is Deuteronomy 7:6, which says, "For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth." God also referred to His people as His treasure in Exodus 19:5 and Deuteronomy 14:2. While God was speaking to the children of Israel, they also apply to us. Since the idea of God's people being His treasure is found in the Old Testament, it makes sense that Jesus would use a similar illustration.

If we are the treasure the man would represent the Lord and the field can be seen as a picture of the world. I especially want you to notice that the treasure was "hidden in a field." That could describe someone who is caught up in the way the rest of the world lives, following them in a lifestyle that is "bent" against God. That's how I was before Jesus found me: beaten down, hopeless, oppressed, and simply going along with the rest of the world. The man in this parable found the treasure hidden in a field and he saw it's value before it was his. Even before you were serving the Lord He saw your value as His creation and He loved you. (I read in a devotional that God's unconditional "agape" love can be describe as seeing one's value.)

We are also told that the man rejoiced over the treasure. Hebrews 12:2 tells us that Jesus endured the suffering of the cross "for the joy that was set before Him." That joy was you- Jesus endured the suffering of the cross because He knew it would open the door for you to have a relationship with Him. The man sold everything to buy that treasure. In the same way Jesus gave up everything and endured the most painful and humiliating death imaginable to restore us to God. He rejoiced because He knew we would no longer be hidden in the field but would live in His kingdom and enjoy a relationship with Him. As a Christian you are no longer "hidden in the field" but you are walking with God. In the past few blogs I have been writing about having an intimate relationship with the Father. The Father, in His deep love for us, sent Jesus to pay the price to make it possible. Jesus, in His love for the Father and for us, agreed to pay the price.

The verses right after this verse in Matthew record a similar parable: the parable of the pearl of great price in which Jesus uses the illustration of a man who found a pearl so valuable that he sold everything to buy it. The pearl in that parable represents Jesus and the man represents us giving everything we have to Him. Jesus did tell us of the need to surrender everything to Him, but first He told us that we are the treasure He gave up everything for in His love. I believe Jesus did this because He realized that if we begin to understand just how much God loves us and what He gave so we can have an intimate relationship with Him we will naturally surrender everything to Him. This revelation will enable us to look beyond the sacrifices we make and see how wonderful God is, and when we see that is there any sacrifice too great?

Draw Near to God

Hebrews 10:19-22- "Therefore brethern, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water."

In the last two blogs I have shared what the Bible says about having a relationship with God, and in this week's blog I would like to share some things the Lord has shown me that may help you to grow closer to Him. As we look at this passage in Hebrews I want you to notice the words, "draw near," In James 4:8 we are told: "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands you sinners and purify your hearts you double-minded." The fact that we are told to draw near shows that there are steps we can take to get closer to the Lord. (I would like to point out that the cleansing and purifying mentioned in this verse is done as we get closer to God.) The first step is to receive Christ as Lord and Savior. Our lives as Christians after we trust in Jesus can be a life of us getting closer to God every day.

The passage we began with in Hebrews states that we can draw near "in full assurance of faith." This means we take steps knowing that we will get closer to God. There are some who have the attitude: "I just can't get closer to God." These people seem to always have an excuse for why they "can't." Regardless of how close you may be to the Lord right now there is always more. The fact that we are told to draw near means we get to decide how close we are to the Lord! How close do you want to be to God? What steps are you willing to take to get closer to Him?

The "Holiest" mentioned is the part of the ancient Jewish temple called "the Holy of Holies." This was the part of the temple that contained "the ark of the covenant" which represented God's presence among His people. Entering the Holiest refers to entering God's presence. We are told that we can enter God's presence boldly! I believe this means coming to Him as we are. It seems too good to be true that imperfect people could ever approach a holy God just as they are, and it would be too good to be true if not for the blood fo Jesus. Isaiah 59:1-2 says, "Behold the Lord's hand is not shortened that it cannot save; nor His ear heavy that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear." Sin separates people from God, but every single sin any of us have ever commited has been completely wiped away because Jesus died on the cross and rose again. Sin has been dealt with and now we can approach God and have a relationship with Him. Jesus said that He is the way to the Father. We experience an abundant life (even in the midst of challenges) when we put our trust in Jesus and call on Him in faith. As we do this and begin drawing closer to God He will change us.

The Bible gives us two ways to begin drawing near to God:
1. Prayer
Psalm 145:18- "The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth."
Calling upon God is praying, and prayer is a conversation with God. I can recall many times that I have simply started talking to God in the same way I may talk to you (though I do try to always give God the respect He deserves) and found myself feeling God's presence. When this happens the time I spend in prayer is not just a ritual, nor is it just me saying something: I am actually spending time with God. I encourage you to begin talking to God. You can do this anywhere and spend time with Him. Another key to prayer is to listen to what God has to say. You may not hear an audible voice, but if you listen He will speak to your heart and you will know when it's Him (In John 10 Jesus said His sheep-His people- know His voice). I have also found that focusing on God helps.

2. Bible Study
In John 5:39-40 Jesus told the Jewish religous leaders: "You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life."
The Bible is something God uses to draw us closer to Himself. The Bible does this by showing us who He is and how we can come to Him. I have found that as I read the Bible God uses it to speak to me in very personal ways. I do study the Bible but when I study it's more than that: it's a time in which God uses His word to speak to me and show me who He is. As you study the Bible I encourage you to start by asking God to speak to you through what you read. I have done this and God is faithful to do so every day. Personally I have found it helpful to take notes. Many times I write down things I notice and as I do the Lord starts showing me more. I have also found it helpful to look back over what the Lord has shown me. You can also make use of the internet to find resources to help you- but start by reading the Bible and asking God to speak to you.

Hebrews 11:6 says, "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for He who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him."
God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Jesus has made the way for you to grow closer to God. The issue now is: how close do you want to be to God? If we diligently press on without looking back or being satisfied where we are, we will find ourselves growing closer to God than we could have ever imagined.

Our Relationship With God

Jeremiah 31:33-34- "But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days says the LORD: I will put my laws in their minds and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. No more shall every man teach his neighbor and every man his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,' for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more."

In this statement God made through the prophet Jeremiah, we see a description of what it means to be Christian (in Hebrews 8:10-12 and 10: 16-17 this passage is referred to as a description of Christianity).

First God gave the promise: "I will put My law on their minds, and write it on their hearts," We can get a better understanding of what this means by comparing this statement with Romans 2:14-15, which says: "for when Gentiles, who do not have the law by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, who show the work of God written on their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them)" Here we read of those who naturally do what God wants them to do (as the general direction of their lives) It says that when they live this kind of lifestyle they are showing with their lives that God has written His law (His standard, His word) on their hearts and minds. This means it is now natural for us to do what God says. As I mentioned, this refers to the general direction of our lives. Sometimes Christians make mistakes. But when we do we confess out weaknesses to the Lord and receive His help to change. It's not our nature to sin, but to obey God. Philippians 2:13 says, "for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure." I once talked to someone who wanted to receive Jesus but was afraid he wouldn't be able to make the commitment God wanted him to make. (By the way, this person eventually did receive Christ.) If that's your fear I want to encourage you: God will help you do what He tells you to do. The moment you believe in Jesus you become a "new creation" (2Corinthians 5:17) and it becomes as natural for you to live for the Lord as it is for a healthy person to walk. The reason we aren't perfect is we still have to learn to act out this new nature that has been put inside of us. It's natural for a healthy human being to walk, but each of us had to learn to walk. In the same way it's natural for Christians to live the same life Jesus lived when He was on this earth, but we are learning how to live this type of life. It's like we are learning how to walk. It may look like an uphill battle, but don't worry: God is patient with us and He is here to help us. The Holy Spirit who lives inside of us is our Helper and He is ready to help us be all God has called us to be.

Next is the promise of a personal relationship with God (which I described in the last blog). This is seen first in the statement, "I will be their God and they shall be My people" and it is continued with the phrase, "they all shall know Me." It says here that the "greatest" and the "least" (in man's eyes) will know Him. This means every single believer has a personal, one on one relationship with God. You don't have to go through a priest or any other person to get to God; you have direct access to Him. You can pray and you won't simply be talking or going through some empty, dead ritual but you will actually be spending time with God. I encourage you to simply start talking to God just as you would talk to a friend. I also want to remind you to listen and let Him speak to you. You may not hear an audible voice, but God will speak to your heart and you will know it's Him.

Third God promised complete forgiveness for every single sin. Not only did God promise to forgive sin, but to also forget our sins! You may wonder how God could forget sins if He knows everything, but this is actually a promise to never hold our sin against us. As far as God is concerned our sin has been dealt with. Sin separates man from God, but that sins was wiped away when Jesus died on the cross and rose again. Now the door is open and everyone who believes in Jesus and calls on Him in faith will receive the things I have mentioned today and many other things I don't have the time to discuss. Do you have the relationship with God I have described in these last two blogs? It's available to every Christian. As you read these last two blogs have you felt God tugging at your heart, showing you your need for Him If so He is waiting with open arms for you to turn your life over to Him. In next week's blog I will share some things that will help you to grow closer to the Lord.