For They Shall Inherit The Earth.
Who are the meek? Is it possible to see meekness modeled in the21st Century world?
Meekness as defined by Webster’s New World Dictionary, means patience, mildness, not showing anger, or very humble in one’s feelings, actions, etc. The Guideposts concordance defines meek as patient, steadfast, or not harboring resentment.
Do we know people who seem to always let thing roll off their backs---they don’t retaliate or even grumble when faced with harsh circumstances. They don’t respond to anything derogatory or of a gossipy nature. They seem to go on as if nothing happened. These people qualify for extra bright stars in their future heavenly crowns.
The way of the meek is to practice turning those hurts over to God. Let’s see, they win at least twice--at the time of the issue and later when they inherit the earth.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Blessed Are Those Who Mourn. . .
For They Shall be Comforted
Mourning--a natural response to loss--comes to all God’s people. Volumes have been written about this subject. Granger Westberg, in his book Good Grief, points out that we experience grief in ways we don’t recognize. We mourn the loss of a favorite piece of jewelry, of prized possessions, of tools we use in our calling or our work. We mourn the end of a friendship.
Experts in the field of counseling tell us we mourn in direct proportion to how much we love. Jesus says the mourners will be comforted. One of God’s special qualities is his compassion. He understands our suffering. Because He does, He comforts those who have suffered loss.
Jesus tells us to mourn differently than the ones who have no hope. We aren’t to mourn for our fellow believers. We are to rejoice they have arrived at their Heavenly home. We are to be momentarily sad because we will miss them, for a while. But with God’s comfort we proceed through our days.
Mourning--a natural response to loss--comes to all God’s people. Volumes have been written about this subject. Granger Westberg, in his book Good Grief, points out that we experience grief in ways we don’t recognize. We mourn the loss of a favorite piece of jewelry, of prized possessions, of tools we use in our calling or our work. We mourn the end of a friendship.
Experts in the field of counseling tell us we mourn in direct proportion to how much we love. Jesus says the mourners will be comforted. One of God’s special qualities is his compassion. He understands our suffering. Because He does, He comforts those who have suffered loss.
Jesus tells us to mourn differently than the ones who have no hope. We aren’t to mourn for our fellow believers. We are to rejoice they have arrived at their Heavenly home. We are to be momentarily sad because we will miss them, for a while. But with God’s comfort we proceed through our days.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit. . .
For theirs is the kingdom of Heaven
What does being poor in spirit mean to us in our 21st Century world? Our society considers a person poor if they don’t have what is considered basic needs. Our spirit is what we call our inner being, our real selves. A person who is thought to be poor in spirit has no selfish intent. That individual looks to God for all his or her needs.
The world looks down on those who lack certain material belongings in their lives. A segment of society also feels a person who doesn’t react with ‘Type A’ personality traits is not up to their standard.
God, on the other hand, looks at the heart. He doesn’t look at what people have. He judges His children by what’s inside them.
When we ask God to guide us through our days, and provide us with what we require, we have all of heaven willing to work for us.
What does being poor in spirit mean to us in our 21st Century world? Our society considers a person poor if they don’t have what is considered basic needs. Our spirit is what we call our inner being, our real selves. A person who is thought to be poor in spirit has no selfish intent. That individual looks to God for all his or her needs.
The world looks down on those who lack certain material belongings in their lives. A segment of society also feels a person who doesn’t react with ‘Type A’ personality traits is not up to their standard.
God, on the other hand, looks at the heart. He doesn’t look at what people have. He judges His children by what’s inside them.
When we ask God to guide us through our days, and provide us with what we require, we have all of heaven willing to work for us.
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