Morning At Last

Mat 5:5  Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

Alright, unless we know what God means by meek, we will never understand this verse.   To our way of thinking, meek means gentleness but it generally denotes weakness or a sense of being cowed because there’s nothing else we can do.  That is not what this verse is talking about.

According to W.E.Vines Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words,

Meekness is an inwrought grace of the soul; and the exercises of it are first and chiefly towards God. It is that temper of spirit in which we accept His dealings with us as good, and therefore without disputing or resisting; it is closely linked with the word tapeinophrosune [humility], and follows directly upon it, Eph_4:2; Col_3:12; cf. the adjectives in the Sept. of Zep_3:12, “meek and lowly”;…it is only the humble heart which is also the meek, and which, as such, does not fight against God and more or less struggle and contend with Him. This meekness, however, being first of all a meekness before God, is also such in the face of men, even of evil men, out of a sense that these, with the insults and injuries which they may inflict, are permitted and employed by Him for the chastening and purifying of His elect” (Trench, Syn. Sec.xlii). In Gal_5:23 it is associated with enkrateia, “self-control.”

Think about a powerfully strong man refusing to take on a bully.  Bystanders might think he is a coward but he really holds back because he knows his own strength and has nothing to prove.

Moses was considered meek as was Jesus.  It denotes having power that is under control and submitted to God.  That is something that comes with overcoming trials and temptations in this life so it is an attribute of a mature son of God.  That is why the meek shall inheret the Earth.  They won’t misuse God’s power for their own elevation but will rather submit it for His purposes and glory.  They are the ones who have been proven trustworthy and can be counted on to rule with Christ in His will and not their own.

Mat 5:4  Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.  (KJV)

As I was thinking about this verse, I started thinking about three different kinds of mourning.  The first is when someone we loved has died.  It is natural and healthy to grieve over the loss of that person.  Their passing has left a hole in our life and we have to adjust to it so a time of mourning is very beneficial.  It lets us value them and figure out how to go on without them.  At the same time, when you understand why Jesus died on the cross, you know that you will see your loved ones again.  That is part of the good news of the Gospel. Life is eternal and our loved ones are not lost to us forever.

1Th 4:13  But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
1Th 4:14  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

The second form of mourning has to do with intercession.  An intercessor takes on the burden of the one they are praying for as if it was their own.  For example, as they pray,  they may weep and mourn over a broken relationship with the Lord.  Their comfort is in seeing the result of their intercession.

Isa 61:3  To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

Finally, the third form of mourning that I want to address is that of someone who has lost the relationship they once had with a church body.  Regardless of the reason for leaving, when your church has been like a family to you and you have to leave it, it can cause you to grieve.  If your fellowship has been broken, you can feel like a branch that has been cut off and cast aside alone.  When God sets you in your place in the Body of Christ, you will find  such fulfillment that you will feel He has truly wiped the tears from your eyes.  It’s time to believe “Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.   Lean on Jesus and as He opens your eyes to His bigger plan, you will be satisfied.

Granted, this is just scratching the surface.  I invite any of my readers to add their comments.  What is God showing you in this verse?

In my last post, I introduced this study to the Beatitudes.  It’s not meant to be a deep theological study, rather a way to get back into the Bible and see what God wants to show us today.  That post set the tone for this study.  If you missed it, you can read Getting Back Into The Word – The Beatitudes from this link.

A few years ago, I got to thinking about all the things that I had been taught in the various churches I had attended and suddenly wondered, “What did Jesus teach?”  Have you ever thought about it?  We have so many sermons about how to be a good parent or to witness, or to evangelize.  As important as all that is, much of the scripture they rely on comes  from the Epistles because it wasn’t what Jesus focused on.  I was surprised to find that in the three and a half years of Jesus public ministry, He mainly taught about the Kingdom of God.  Isn’t it interesting that many churches never teach about the one thing that Jesus taught about more than anything else?

The Old Testament prophets are full of references to the coming Kingdom of God.  The Bible ends with references to the Kingdom actually taking its place on Earth.  Speaking of that, we are headed toward the establishment of a one world government on Earth and that is a major sign that we are in the last days.   The question is, who will be in charge of it?  I believe the ones who are setting it up will not be the ones who govern it in the end.

It’s more important than ever before that we begin to understand and look for the Kingdom of God being established on Earth.  To some this will seem like a pipe dream.  Others will point to the spread of the Muslim religion and tell us that we are on the decline and will be wiped out through declining birth rates.  Nevertheless, God’s Word is true and before this is all over, we will see His Kingdom on Earth.  Understanding that gives new meaning to the Beatitudes.

Mat 5:3  Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  (KJV)

Unless you realize that you have nothing in yourself that the world wants or needs, you won’t come to the place of truly relying on God.  You really do have to die to yourself to embrace His life.  That’s another reason why you have to get away from the busyness in your life and spend time with Him.

When Jesus sets up His government, it will be a Theocracy.  That means it will be run God’s way according to His laws and judgments.  Most people are afraid of that because they think of God as a harsh being whose primary purpose is to cast everyone who doesn’t do what He says into Hell forever while showering favor on a select few.  It’s fine if you belong to the select few but what about everyone else?  I’m not going to talk about that now because it is more than this post can cover.  Just know although that concept of God came into predominance with St. Augustine and is taught by most christian churches today, doesn’t mean that is who God is.  As your Momma said, “Just because everyone is doing it doesn’t make it right.”

I love the way the Message Bible translates this verse.

Mat 5:3  “You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and His rule.

If you have been feeling a little pressured lately, lean on Him and let His strength carry you through.   Isn’t it nice to know that when you feel that you have made a complete mess of things, Jesus is still your savior?

When people leave their church, regardless of the reason, they often find that they are spending less and less time in Bible study.  It can happen because many traditional churches train us to rely on the man in the pulpit and we get lazy, or life gets busy.  I’m like everyone else and need to spend more time in the Word so I’m going to start a series on the Beatitudes.

The biggest reason I am doing this is because I need it.  Secondly, I hope to encourage others who feel the need to get back into the Word but don’t know where to start.  You can start with me.  :0)  I’m not a great scholar.  I can find my way around a Strong’s Concordance but I’m not a Greek or Hebrew expert. When I do something like this, I always see the scriptures in ways I didn’t expect.   You know, the Bible isn’t just for the scholars.  Jesus said that His Holy Spirit would lead us into all truth so I ask for Him to lead us now and let’s dig in.

Mat 4:25  And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judea, and from beyond Jordan.
Mat 5:1  And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him.
Mat 5:2  And he opened his mouth, and taught them, (KJV)

You might notice that I included the end of Chapter 4 in this quote.  The original documents that our Bibles are based on didn’t have chapters and verses.  Sometimes they make a lot of sense but sometimes they cut things off in the middle of a thought.  Don’t be afraid to look back and see what is being said.  The chapters and verses make it easy for us to find and remember the Word but they are a help.  They aren’t sanctified so don’t be a slave to them.

Jesus was surrounded by all sorts of people.  Some of them wanted to be healed.  Some were simply curious.  All of them were focused on Him.  You can imagine what it was like with everybody coming to see Him.  Many people would be talking in the crowd.  If they hadn’t seen each other in a while, they might be catching up.  Don’t think it was like Sunday morning church and everyone stood in an adoring hush.  These people had heard about Him and gathered together in a convenient place but most of them didn’t know who He really was and wondered what all the talk was about.

At some point, Jesus left the crowd and went up on the mountain.  Now those who really wanted to know what He had to say were going to have to leave the visiting crowd and find Him.  He found a good spot for His purposes and sat down and waited.  Those who were really following Him would notice His disappearance and find Him.  It wasn’t long until His disciples came and settled down to listen to what He wanted to tell them.

I used to think this meant that the 12 disciples came and sat at His feet for this lesson but the Word doesn’t limit it to them.  He had many disciples beyond the 12 who were closest to Him so this word disciple really means a learner or a pupil.  In other words, by separating Himself from the crowd in the valley, He also made a separation between those who were curious sightseers and those who were hungry for truth.  If you are hungry, you seek Him.  The interesting thing is that He caused the separation without saying a word and allowed the people to make their own choice as to whether to follow Him or not.

Jesus didn’t try to build a following.  He didn’t try to take something from His followers.  He offered them something of great value, invited them and then left it to them as to whether they would come or not.   He met the people at their “hunger” level.  He didn’t need people to support Him.  He didn’t need them to build His ego.  He truly came to serve because He loved them.  He knew that His time was short and He spent His time pouring into those who would carry the vision after He left.

Those of us working from home can take lessons from Him in how to stay on target while being gracious to those around us.  Somehow Jesus made time for those who needed it and still got the job done without stress.  Do you think that prayer time He had with the Father helped with that?  I definitely want to be more like Him.  :0)

Those of you who have followed me for any length of time know that I enjoy Michael Q. Pink’s blog (Selling Among Wolves without joining the pack).  He not only encourages a deeper walk with the Lord but keeps it interesting with his humorous writing style.  It brought a smile to my face when I read today’s post called Beat The Rush – Fear God Now! In it he points out that when the winds of adversity blow over your house, it’s not time to fix the roof.  Learn how to discern His voice now while you can think.

I was thinking about that this morning as I was doing some stretching exercises in my back yard.  I was thinking about those who will walk upon this Earth with redeemed bodies and unhindered fellowship with the Lord.  If like Jesus, you could freely hear the voice of God, you wouldn’t have to pray for an hour, put on praise and worship music, etc. to get yourself ready to hear Him.  You could just stop and converse.  To be sure, that is available to us now if we will pursue it but how many people have trouble in this area?

What came to me was that Jesus didn’t need to work at hearing His Father’s voice but He did have to do one thing.  He had to draw away from the busyness of life and stop and listen.  That is why He went up on the mountain to pray.  Aside from enjoying the beauty of His Father’s creation, He separated himself from his disciples, got alone and conversed with His Father.  If it was important for Him to draw aside from the day’s events, who are we to think that the few minutes we squeeze out for God should be enough?

When you are making out your daily schedule, why not schedule some time with God?  Make hearing His voice a priority and you will be surprised at the results.

Joh 10:27  My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.

Morning At Last came about because of a dream I had one night.  In it I saw many people who had once had a vibrant walk of faith.  Over time, they had become discouraged.  In my dream, God showed me that it looked like these people had ended up in places where the life that was once so beautiful in them looked dead.  Then He show me that He was dealing with them again.

It’s time to renew that life and to move forward in our pursuit of our Father God.  Along the way, we are going to have to deal with some basic truths that have been perverted in some of today’s teachings.  We are going to have to sift what we have been taught in the past and let God show us what to hold on to and what to let go.  What I do know is that you can’t determine your future by what your past looks like.  God’s ways are not like ours.  I doubt we would make the same choices and yet, He is infinitely able to redeem even our past mistakes.  It’s time for His mature sons to overcome their stumblingblocks, lay their lives down and follow Him.  As difficult as that might be, we need eyes to see beyond our present circumstances, kingdom eyes that will bring us into our future.  We need hearts to love God more than we love ourselves.  Take a deep breath, the Holy Spirit is moving again.

Jer 29:11  For I know the purposes which I am purposing for you, says Jehovah; purposes of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Jer 29:12  Then you shall call on Me, and you shall go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.
Jer 29:13  And you shall seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

If you have visited my Morning At Last blog in the past, you will quickly notice a change.  My sister had originally given me this site as a gift and she was hosting it with her websites.  That site had problems so we have moved to Hostgator which I have been successfully using since August.  Please be patient with me as I reconstruct as much of my blog as I want to keep.  I had been thinking that it was old enough to develop it’s own personality which was a little different from where we had started.  This is a great opportunity to seek God and move forward.  My heart is still with those who are familiar with the wilderness as they have followed God but with a view to leaving the past and  moving forward.  Please let me know what you think.