“Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?” I said, “Here I am. Send me.” Isaiah 6:8 NLT
The Beatitudes
What can we learn by asking ourselves questions?
The Beatitudes are a collection of statements made by Christ at his Sermon on the Mount. They pertain to a person with certain character traits needed to be a renowned citizen in the Kingdom of God. Are we a person of such character as the below blessings?
Matthew 5:1-2 “‘Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:
Matthew 5:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit”
Do you know yourself to be a humble sinner before God, without pride and in desperate need of His saving grace? If yes, then you are poor in spirit and just who the Father wants.
Matthew 5:4 ‘Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.’
Do you truly mourn your own sinful condition? Is your repentance of the type that results in a deep spiritual sorrow, prompting the earnest seeking of God’s forgiveness? God will provide the comfort of the “Comforter” himself, the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 5:5 ‘Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.’
Have you assumed a character of gentleness of spirit, love and genuine humility toward God the Father and others? Meekness can only be seen from the perspective of God, not man. God’s reward is “spiritual prosperity” or “blessing”, not necessarily earthly happiness.
Matthew 5:6 ‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.’
Do you find yourself continually “seeking first the Kingdom of God” and “always placing faith in Jesus Christ”, in order to attain righteousness with Him. God grants a deeply satisfied, spiritually complete soul for the effort.
Matthew 5:7 ‘Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.’
Are you able to show forgiveness and compassion to those in need, regardless of circumstances? Does the phrase, “forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors”, ring a bell? If we want mercy, we must show mercy.
Matthew 5:8 ‘Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.’
Do you consider your heart to be clean? Is cleansing by fire and the Holy Spirit the best way to attain purity? Have you been Baptized? We must give our hearts to Jesus and ask for him to do the cleansing for us.
Matthew 5:9 ‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.’
Do you have the peace that comes from knowing God? Do you take it to others? Only children of God can take the peace of knowing God to others. There is peace between God and sinners because Jesus died for that condition.
Matthew 5:10 ‘Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.’
Have you ever been persecuted? Persecution is suffering because of our striving for righteousness. Orient your life toward God and his will. You can know that you are on the right path if you are being persecuted.
Matthew 5:11 ‘Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.’
When attempting to verify the true meaning of scripture, one needs to pray for the leading of the Holy Spirit, compare the research of Bible scholars, or ask other believers (such as SendUsLord.com comments section) Every reader should “dive deeper” into God’s Word as a life-long goal. Spiritual maturity is the reward. God desires to make His Word known toe everyone.
Are you ready to go and tell God’s story to an unbelieving world?