As we continue our journey through the Sermon on the Mount, we will begin to consider some of the more serious implications of what it means to be a follower of Jesus. 

We have looked at the truths of the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-12) ….and we have discussed how….. “if we actively apply and live out these attitudes in our lives” …….we will have set the foundation for a happy and fulfilled life. All of these essential attitudes are rocks upon which we can build our lives…..a foundation that will help us survive anything that comes our way. 

Last week we looked at what is expected of us when we begin to live this life  (Matthew 5:13-16). 

• Jesus tells us that as we build this foundation of truth in our attitudes that the result will be that we will be salt :
       — We will be a preservative that will help prevent the decay of our society.
       — We will enhance the flavor of this world by bringing out the very best in life.
       — Just like salt, we will create thirst, we will create a thirst in those around us as they see our lives and the joys we experience.
  

Jesus tells us that as we build this foundation of truth in our attitudes that the result will be that we will be the light of the world:
     — By living this life in a healthy way, by having healthy attitudes towards ourselves and others, we will drive back the darkness that permeates the lives of so many people around us…….we will push back the darkness of this world.
     — Jesus tells us that we can depart from the darkness in our life and have the light of life.

 Let’s take one more  small step further into the truth:

Matthew 5:17-20 (TNIV)
17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.

18 Truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.

19 Anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

If we look closely, it is clear that this is a call to righteousness rather than just “religious” living. This is a call to strength and truth as opposed to shallowness and the deception of living a certain way outwardly but not in our heart. I believe that there is too much religion in the world without the reality of Jesus.

So….let’s look at what Jesus is telling us about the fulfillment of the Law:

If the righteousness (or the goodness) of people who believe in Jesus, Christians……. if these attitudes that Jesus shares with us were more evident in our lives, people would be more interested in coming to know Jesus….and their lives could be changed for the better. This is why Jesus came, the promised Messiah, He came as part of the redemption of this world and to share with us how we also can be apart of that mission of the redemption of this world.

The lack of commitment and consistency in the lives of some Christians has put a cloud over all of us. The relationships in our homes needs to be a model to the world that reflects God’s plan for families.For some there are questionable business practices. For others…… social behaviors don’t reflect the attitude of Jesus.

Let’s look at Matthew 5:20 first:

Matthew 5:20 (TNIV)
20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

If we live the Beatitudes, these attitudes in our heart…or inner being, the Ten Commandments will be no problem and our “standard of righteousness” WILL exceed that of those who live by the letter of the law. You see the Pharisees and the teachers of the law in that time lived by the letter of the law…to a fault….and Jesus points that out.

“The Law” says in Exodus 20:13 “You shall not murder”….. however……Jesus tells us that God’s intention was that we should not only not kill someone but we should not hate because hate is killing someone in our heart.

“The Law” says in Exodus 20:8 to “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy”….the day that God prescribed for our rest……..the Pharisees and teachers of the law broke that down to where you could only walk a short distance on that day and it was work to help someone in need and many, many other restrictions….all punishable. Jesus tells us that God’s intention is that we take a day of rest….but we never circumvent our care for others…..because caring for others is Holy.

“The Law” says in Exodus 20:14 “You shall not commit adultery”………Jesus tells us that if we look at someone else in a sexual way….…we are committing adultery in our heart.

Let’s get to the point of things here………let’s look at the beginning of what Jesus is teaching us here:

Matthew 5:17-20 (TNIV)
17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.

18 Truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.

The point is that Jesus didn’t come to change the wisdom that God revealed to us in Scripture (the Law) and from the prophets……..Jesus came to set the record straight! If we are not careful, just like in that day, we pervert God’s Law. We “don’t kill”….however….we “kill” others in our heart because of our hate. We don’t commit “adultery”……. however….we  stray outside our marriage by lust in our heart. I believe that Jesus came to reveal truth and put the “Heart” into what was taken as a set of rules.

As followers of Christ our goal is that our “doing right”  is based on the heart. Remember the Beatitude: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness”  and “Blessed are the pure in heart”? As we apply these attitudes to our heart our righteousness will surpass the righteousness of the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law in Jesus day. Our goal is to live in peace, harmony, in love and commitment, to God and others Ours is a DEEPER righteousness. We should not be content with simply obeying the letter of God’s Law. Jesus is telling us that to live full and fulfilling lives we must have an inward righteousness of mind and motive. Because God looks at our heart.

1 Samuel 16:7
….The Lord does not look at the things human beings look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

Luke 16:15 (TNIV)  [this is Jesus speaking]
He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts….

Let’s take a look at the next verse…in verse 19 Jesus tells us:

Matthew 5:19 (TNIV)
19 Anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

People who cause others to struggle in their faith are in real trouble with God. I drink an occasional beer. However, if I have people over to my house and I know (and if I don’t know I often will ask) that they have struggled with alcohol or addiction…….I won’t have a beer as we cook out on the grill. I would be tempting them to stumble.

Jesus is calling those who believe in Him to live beyond the commandments and thereby challenge the world to a higher standard of living. God, indeed Jesus, challenges us to live with a pure heart……loving others, showing mercy to others, helping to bring peace on all levels…from peace in our relationships to peace in the world. God, indeed Jesus, tells us that when we live this way that we will not only find happiness and fulfillment in our lives but that we will help other find happiness and fulfillment in their lives by being the light of this world and pushing back the darkness. By being the Salt of the earth, we will enhance the flavor of this world by bringing out the very best in life.

God’s mission for us is to be a part, not only of our own redemption and restoration to a life of fulfillment….but also to be a part of the redemption of this world. This condition begins by recognizing our absolute dependence upon God.  This leads us to a righteousness that exceeds that of the Pharisees who depend upon their laws and ceremonies. Unless our righteousness exceeds external religious external practices….we do not belong to the kingdom of God.

The real test of a holy and fulfilled life is our relationship to God…….our love for God….and our love for each other. When we truly love God, living up to righteousness that exceeds that of the Pharisees will be no problem for us. As our hearts transform, as we do these things and apply these principals to our lives, our lives transform. We become citizens of the kingdom that Jesus spoke so often about, the kingdom of heaven/ the kingdom of God. And….the world transforms……..redemption is at hand….through us and our interaction with this world.

<<– INTRODUCING Aiden Michael Monroe….my Grandson! Looks like he’s a prankster already (is he sticking his toungue out?)

Grandpa and Liam Jacob. Liam is 4-1/2 months –>>

<<– Liam in his sit-up seat. I love this boy!

<<We had a great time at the Lake Mary Trailblazer 5k run. LifePoint had a booth and gave out free water to all the participants as they crossed the finish line.

<<– Here is our booth. That’s Miss Mary, our children’s director….she’s shy

This me, Cathy (Miss Mary’s daughter) and Pastor Phil –>>

<<–Miss Mary and Cathy handing out water as the runners cross the finish line.

<<– On the left is  Matthew, Micah and Drew Jeter. Micah and Matthew came in 1st and 2nd in their age group.

Mickey Mahaffey came in first in his age group……GO MICKEY! –>>

<<– Pastor Lenny and Faulk and his friend from The Rise Community Church here in Lake Mary. Lenny….what’s up with the gloves? LOL

Organized by Homeless Services Network of Central Florida and hosted by Northland Church at Longwood, Project Homeless Connect helped hundreds of individuals in need today.Dozens of nonprofit agencies, faith-based groups, government agencies and businesses participate in these events. Each participant (or VIP) was paired with a “shepherd” so that everyone felt welcome and received assistance. Available services included medical care, haircuts, employment opportunities, substance abuse and mental health counseling, assistance with benefits, ID cards and legal issues, housing information, vision screening, hygiene kits, meals, and spiritual care.

Some of my friends and VIP’s that were at served today:

 This is one of our shepherds and my friend Juanita (Juanita also helps me set up each Wednesday at Grace and Grits) –>>

<<– This is one of our shepherds and my friend Hattie Mae

This is one of our shepherds  and my friend Andrew –>>

<<– These are my friends AJ and George. (AJ is a tattoo artist…as if you couldn’t guess,  great guys! )

These are my friends Katie and Bette –>>

<<– These are my friends Skip and Kenneth (Skip is a great encouragement and is a man after God’s heart)

Todd…….that’s a live wire! (looks like he’s havin’ fun, huh? I think he enjoy’s this!)

Thank you Rich and crew for getting the electrical work done in our offices.

Thank you Brian and Greg for the fine work on the wall!

Over the last eight weeks we have been looking at probably the greatest sermon that Jesus ever preached. We started with the very basics…….the BE-ATTITUDES. Why did Jesus start with the teaching of the Beatitudes? The answer lies in their nature…….the Beatitudes are all about the inner person. Jesus is telling us that we are to BE something before we DO anything. To be happy in life….to be fulfilled in who we are…. and what we do……..we have to put our lives together from the inside out.

As we look at this wisdom, as we look at these attitudes of the inner self that Jesus tells us make us whole…..as we start to apply these attitudes that deal with the inner person…the inner you and the inner me……we will find that regardless of our external circumstances, our lives can be meaningful…….we can find happiness and joy…..we can find fulfillment. Our lives won’t be any more enjoyable than our “inner person”. We can experience happiness and fullfillment regardless of the outward conditions in our lives, and I believe that as we apply these lessons of the inner self….that even these will improve.

Let’s look further at what Jesus taught to the multitudes of followers on that day on a mountainside in Galillee. We are going to learn more about how we are to live out our lives in happiness, joy, and fulfillment.

Matthew 5:13-16 ( TNIV )
13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. 14 “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.  15 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.  16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

In the Beatitudes, the inner attitudes of our inner being, Jesus helps us to get our lives together so that we can demonstrate His power to the world in which we live. A power which transforms lives and indeed transforms this world for the better. Both of these statements (salt and light) are positive challenges for us to do something about the world in which we live.

Let’s look at the qualities of being Salt of the Earth.

Matthew 5:13 ( TNIV )
13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

Salt has different qualities. The first quality of Salt is that it is a preservative. It has this capability of preventing decay to whatever it is applied to. Jesus is telling us in many ways here that we are to help prevent the decay of our society. Consider what our country would be like if we removed Jesus’ influence: Look at all that is happening in Afghanistan and Pakistan…..look at how women are treated, Look at the skewed sense of justice.

Here’s a second quality of salt: When it is applied……it enhances flavor. Food taste better when salted. The same is true of Jesus. When Jesus is in our lives, when we follow, not just simply believe, when we seek to live like Him in word and deed…it brings out the very best in life and it flavors the lives of those around us.

The third qulaity of salt is that it creates thirst. When we live out the Beatitudes, we create a thirst in those around us.Every where that Paul went people developed a thirst to know Jesus. One man….by living out the Gospels….by loving others….by telling others about the Savior of this world started numerous churches…throughout the Roman world and led thousands to a different life in Christ

It’s interesting here that Jesus tells us, “if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?” Scientifically it is impossible for salt to lose its flavor. Salt is Sodium Chloride. However, the salt in Jesus day was mixed with many impurites…so….when the sodium chloride was leached away, all that was left was the impurities….and Jesus tells us about them……..they are, “no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

Isn’t our life like that?  If the salt, which is our “Christlikedness”, is the preservative in our lives…if it enhances the flavor of our lives….when the salt is washed away it leaves only the impurities in our lives. What is left is not worth much at all. In other words, if we become contaminated with the impurities of this world…..addiction, lust, self centeredness, and so many more….we lose our influence. What’s left is a shell of who we could be. We need to “keep that saltiness” the “Christlikedness”.

Jesus also tells us here to be the Light of the World.

Matthew 5:14-16 ( TNIV )
14 “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.  15 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.  16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Jesus tells us to follow Him and to be the light of our world, a light that can’t be hidden. In the very beginning of the Gospel of John, The apostle and disciple, John, is telling us about Jesus:

John 1:1-5 ( TNIV )
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  2 He was with God in the beginning.  3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.  4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all people.  5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

It’s the nature of light that light drives back the darkness. When we live up to this challenge of Jesus we push back the darkness in this world. The stronger our light, the greater the amount of darkness we can penetrate.

John 8:12 ( TNIV )
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

What Jesus is telling us is that through Him we can depart from the darkness in our life and have the light of life. So very often, as we follow Jesus, we are like the lights on a runway at the airport. Guiding planes full of people to the safety of the ground. We help keep others from crashing and burning. We help keep others from experiencing the dangers of landing the wrong place. This is all a call to positive living. It starts with our inner attitudes (the Beatitudes), when we live with the Joy of Jesus in our hearts. When we do this we automatically drive back the gloom and doom of our world. As the light of the world we demonstrate that when struggles come we can find hope and help.

Let’s look again at verse 16: “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

What are these “good deeds” Jesus is talking about? I believe strongly that Jesus is talking about a few things here: These deeds, or good works, are works of love as well as works of faith. Believing, confessing and teaching the truths that we find here in the Scriptures….the truths that we find in Jesus….are works or deeds of faith. Works and deeds that Jesus is talking about. They give evidence of what God, the Holy Spirit, indeed, Jesus, is doing in our lives. People see this and it glorifies God. Again, these good deeds, or good works, are works of love: practical, visible deeds of compassion towards others. When people see our love for others, our compassion, our “mercy” (which is grace in action), God is glorified. Because this compassion and love that we show to God and others embodies the Good News of Jesus love in our lives and this world, the love that we proclaim.

Being salt and light to the world around us brings a happiness and fulfillment to our lives, as well as it guides others through the rocky waters of this life.So very often, as we follow Jesus, we are like a lighthouse. We are a beacon to safety. We help keep others from running aground….we help keep others from experiencing the dangers of this life.

<< –There is a lighthouse in Massachusetts called “Minot’s Light”. The light flashes a nautical code that spells “I love you”. That’s how the light of Jesus is in our lives. As we are the light…we flash… “I love you”

As we take Jesus words to heart…as we are the Salt and the light in this world. We are not to conceal the truth we know, or the truth that we are. We aren’t to pretend to be anything other than what we are. But we must be willing to let who we are, and who we are becoming in Christ, to be the salt of this the earth…the light of the world.

And here’s what’s important:  To be effective in our lives…we must retain that “Christlikeness” ……we must be that salt…..by letting Christ show through in our lives. People will recognize that it is by the grace of God that we are what we are. That our light…is His light. That our works are His works done in and through us. It’s the light that we praise…it’s not the lamp that bears that light. As we understand that, and as we apply that, we become a beacon to this world…..we guide others simply by being who we are in Christ…. to a safe place…away from the dangers of this world…..the dangers of sin that separate us from God.

My challenge to you is to be the salt of this world….to help prevent it from decaying. My challenge to you is that, as you live the Beatitudes, that you also be the light of this world. So that those who are struggling can find the way to safety….so those that have become lost in this life…can find a joy and a fullfillment that transcends understanding.

Throughout history, people have so often been unwilling to do the things that would prevent disasters from occurring later in their lives. Look at the whole Katrina disaster……..Scientist and engineers had warned over and over that the levies were not strong enough to withstand a big hurricane. The city was destroyed and many died because they didn’t heed the call.

I was reading that in 1993 in Davenport, Iowa…….the city was flooded by the Mississippi River because the people didn’t want to build a levy that would ruin their view of the river. I mean…what a reason not to build a levy….yet we make those kinds of decisions all the time..don’t we?

We have been looking at simple truths….indeed….”divine wisdom” from Jesus Himself….. that are great building blocks for life, and that if applied and adopted, can prevent disaster in our lives.

It’s important to remember that each one of these eight Beatitudes builds on, and depends upon, what is underneath it.

Let me illustrate how these attitudes………how these blessings that Jesus is telling us about build on each other.

In the last post, we looked at verse 8, the sixth Beatitude. If we look back, remember, “Blessed are the pure in heart” means without hypocrisy, not just being “outwardly” clean… but it is being “inwardly” clean….. in the secret recesses of our heart. I would note that some of the other Beatitudes can be imitated……..but purity of heart can’t. How do we receive this pure heart?  Well….with me….it started with recognizing that God is control….…it started with trusting God and relying on Him.   The first Beatitude….“Blessed are the poor in spirit”.

This helped me to truly care for other people and it opened my eyes to the pain caused by the sins of the world, sins that drag people to places that hurt each other. This causes me to grieve. The second Beatitude,  “Blessed are those who mourn”.

With this awakening in my heart, I have learned to have God’s strength in my life…strength enough not to have to always defend myself and argue with others. The third Beatitude, “Blessed are the meek”.

At this point, the point that I started to have Christ’ strength…I felt a freedom…yes a freedom to pursue the righteousness of God in my life, the strength to do what was right and yield to temptation less. The fourth Beatitude, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness”.

As I realized that doing what was right was really fulfilling, (wow, God is pretty wise, isn’t He?), and as I saw the pain caused by doing what was not right (both in my own life as well a sin the world)…I gained strength to do something about it. It became easy to show mercy to others that are struggling by giving them encouragement and helping to meet their needs. The fifth Beatitude,  “Blessed are the merciful”.

At this point…the point that I started to adopt these things in  my life…..being pure in heart wasn’t so hard to achieve. It wasn’t an impossible goal. The sixth Beatitude, “Blessed are the pure in heart”.

These first Beatitudes are glimpses into our inward heart condition. Today……..we are moving on with an even stronger outflow of that inward condition.

Adopting and applying the “Be-Attitudes” to our lives is a process and part of our journey. At any time…..I can look at myself and ask what Beatitude I am struggling to apply and achieve now. It often varies from day to day. I look at it like I am in God’s classroom…I am His student. Each situation I am in, each day…the journey gives me new insights…..into God’s heart…into my own heart…and into the hearts of others. Indeed, as I am talking to God every day, and asking for His help and provision, He answers with situations that help me to achieve these attitudes…..and to not forget.

The blessing are more than promises. I don’t believe that they are gifts bestowed upon me from God…..I believe that the blessings are simply the results of living as my creator intended me to live. 

Let’s take a look at the last two of the eight Beatitudes. Jesus tells us in verse 9, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” 

I am reminded that the working of God in the lives of Christians…….. is often beyond the comprehension of those who do not serve Him. If the heart is pure…….envy, self-centeredness, greed, and all this other stuff in our lives….if it’s been dealt with. …it becomes easy to be peaceable people. Peacemakers are happy and they seek to create an atmosphere of peace.

The Greek word here translated as “peacemakers” is “eirenopoios” [i-ray-nop-oy-os]  and it really means “someone who loves peace”….or a “reconciler”…someone who “reconciles” peace in their lives and the lives of others.

I find it interesting that in the Old Testament…..the Hebrew word for Peace is “Shalom”. It’s a Jewish greeting and it means basically “a state of being in peace”. The rabbi’s used it as God’s gift for His people.

There are different types of peace: Peace within ourselves…….peace with others…..and peace with God. To be a “peacemaker” is to “promote” well being.

1 Corinthians 7:15 ( TNIV )
……. God has called us to live in peace. 

1 Peter 3:11 ( TNIV )
Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.    

Hebrews 12:14 ( TNIV )
Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy….

Romans 12:18 ( TNIV )
If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.  

As we look at the teachings of Jesus and the Apostles….indeed the wisdom of God…..it becomes very clear that we should never ourselves seek conflict or be responsible for it. We are called to actively pursue peace. We are to strive for peace with all people. The key to being a peacemaker is being at peace with ourselves. This comes as a result of being “pure in heart”  (remember verse 8?). And to understand that through Jesus….we have peace with God.

Colossians 1:19-20 ( TNIV )
19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him,  20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

Ephesians 2:14-18 ( TNIV )
14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility,  15 by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace,  16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.  17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.  18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

It doesn’t surprise me one bit that the blessing that comes from this attitude is it that “they will be called children of God.”……… Because….in living this way….we are seeking to do what God has done…we are seeking to love people with His love. It’s the devil who is the troublemaker!

In the last of the eight “Be-Attitudes”…..Jesus tells us in verse 10….”Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”.

And the, Jesus expounds on the thought…let’s look at verse 11 and 12:
11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute  you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.  12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

This one sounds tough…….doesn’t it?  How can we be happy while being persecuted and mistreated? The qualifying thought here is “because of righteousness”. However hard we try to make peace………when we try to do what is right…… and often even when we try to be kind to others…..some people will simply refuse to live in peace with us.

<<— Kevin playing base…..now he is here to serve.

Look at the flak we get from the business community here in Sanford for feeding the homeless. We are doing more than feeding people food. We are also building relationships so that we can help people see light and hope in lives that are often dark and hopeless. And all through the love of Christ. While, I believe due to the current economic situation, we are seeing more homeless…over the years I have seen more and more take those important steps to get their lives straight by seeking the other helps we guide people to…..recovery from addiction……job preparation and job programs. Through prayer and loving kindness we help people see the light of Jesus….and the light in themselves that often times they thought was forever extinguished. We see so much humanity here…not only in those we serve…but also in those doing the serving. Many of those being served….become server’s. They come back, not as much for the meal, but to serve others…I see it quite often….Ruth, Juanita, Kevin, and many more.

“Persecution” is simply a clash between two value systems. The values of this world….money….power…..self interest………………………and the values of God…..love…compassion…kindness…selflessness (to name a few).

When someone is angry at me for wanting to do right, for feeding those that are hungry, for being kind to someone they feel doesn’t deserve it, or maybe even for being kind to them when they have wronged me…and they can’t figure out why……..whatever it is…..well….to me…it’s a badge of honor. Not one that I wear proudly in the sense of “in their face”…..but one that I simply cherish because I know I earned it for doing what God wants me to do.

And what’s the result of this persecution Jesus tells us about? I love this….look closely….very closely…….we come full circle again…….. “for theirs IS the kingdom of heaven.”

Remember the first Beatitude: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs IS the kingdom of heaven.” Well, here we have Jesus telling us in the very last Beatitude, “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs IS the kingdom of heaven.”

The kingdom of heaven here is in the present tense. This is because believers, followers of Christ, can, and already do share in the kingdom by living out Jesus’ words. Look closely:

Luke 17:20-21 ( TNIV )
20 Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed,  21 nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is in your midst.” [or "is within you"]

 I find this amazing. And as I live these attitudes….struggle with them at times…strengthen myself….and continue on in life, as I make these my “BE-attitudes”, I have found more peace and fulfillment to my life than I could ever have imagined. Do I struggle at times…yes. Life inherently is a struggle. But I have learned to struggle in strength and Joy. The strength of knowing that God is in control and the joy of being loved and loving.

WE CAN SHARE IN THIS KINGDOM by living out Jesus’ Words….indeed…God’s wisdom to us…His children.

I am so excited as we move our offices to “The Loft”! I will have a new office overlooking the exciting downtown lake Mary.

<<– This is the “before” shot….the walls are going up, new outlets, new carpet coming….the works! We have a great and talented crew of volunteers doing the work. I am so thankful!

This is me trying to “will” the wall up……..didn’t do to bad with the framing…but the drywall is the hard part! Actually…thank you James G. and Chuck C. for the framing. It is solid! When I shake the studs…the rest of the building shakes around me…solid…real solid!   —–>>