POST #26: JESUS' SERMON ON THE MOUNT: How a christian lives, in this world...

Friday morning, before knowing what would happen in Paris, GOD put on my heart to write my 25th blog post on the Sermon on the Mount, entitled BLESSED IS THE NATION WHOSE GOD IS THE LORD.
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Yesterday, it seems that many Christians heard teachings about LOVE or lessons from the Sermon on the Mount. I wish we had recordings of what Steve shared in his lessons yesterday. In the morning, he gave a "fireside chat" spurring us on to LOVE and GOOD DEEDS! Last night, he connected LOVE and the BEATITUDES to the book of JAMES. Here's my feeble summary:
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In a world of hate, shine LOVE!
In a world of "earthly & natural", choose WISDOM!
In a world of "arrogance", be POOR IN SPIRIT!
In a world of "every evil thing", MOURN over sin!
In a world of "selfish ambition", be MEEK/GENTLE, letting GOD take the lead!
In a world of the "demonic", HUNGER & THIRST FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS!
In a world of retaliation, show MERCY!
In a world of "every evil thing", be PURE IN HEART!
In a world of "disorder and strife", be a PEACEMAKER...
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James 3:13-18
13 "Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of WISDOM.
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14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth.
15 This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic.
16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.
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17 But the wisdom from above is first
PURE,
then PEACEable,
GENTLE,
REASONABLE,
full of MERCY and GOOD FRUITS,
UNWAVERING, without hypocrisy.
18 And the seed whose fruit is RIGHTEOUSNESS is sown in PEACE by those who make peace."

POST #25: JESUS' SERMON ON THE MOUNT: A "BLESSED people" Hunger and Thirst for JESUS or BLESSED IS THE NATION WHOSE GOD IS THE LORD!

How does our nation turn it around?   What steps must we take?  How does our nation heal? 
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The apostle Peter said this about JESUS:

"HE HIMSELF bore our sins 

in HIS body on the cross, 

so that we might die to sin 

and live to righteousness; 

for by HIS wounds you were healed."

A nation full of:

• mommies who hunger and thirst for righteousness
• daddies who hunger and thirst for righteousness
• children who hunger and thirst for righteousness
• citizens who hunger and thirst for righteousness
• aliens who hunger and thirst for righteousness

If the above were the case, then:

• ...our homes would be transformed
• ...our schools would be transformed
• ...our workplaces would be transformed
• ...our cities, towns, and countryside would be transformed
• ...our nation would be transformed...

It takes more than the little phrase,

"God bless, America!"

Blessed people are described, by JESUS, in HIS Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5) by how they live.  It takes action on our part.  It takes all of us to step up and live differently to be BLESSED.  It's time for:

*a reframe*

*a reformation*

*a conversion*

*a transformation*

Want transformation? 

It begins with you and me!

AMERICA:  BLESS GOD!

JESUS says that BLESSED people:

~are poor in spirit~

~mourn over their sin~

~are meek / gentle (willing to follow HIS lead)~

~hunger and thirst for righteousness~

Scripture says that Jesus is our Righteousness.

Listen to Him!

Live like Him!

It's time to grow up in JESUS, America!

Want to know how to live a blessed life?  

I plan to continue the conversation here for the next few months...  

BLESSED!  OH, THE JOY!



POST #24: JESUS' SERMON ON THE MOUNT: How does one become BLESSED and SATISFIED?

Have you ever said things like...

• "I'm really hungry for some chocolate!"
• "I'm craving ice cream today!"
• "I could eat this whole bag of chips!"

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It's hard to admit it, but most of us have.
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We need to train ourselves to hunger for an apple, a healthy salad, or whatever is the best thing for us to eat.  We need to train ourselves to thirst for pure water instead of all those sugary liquids we consume.
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Spiritually speaking, JESUS says that we will be blessed and satisfied (filled up) when we hunger and thirst for righteousness (JESUS).  Have you made it a habit to daily:

• study JESUS?
• meditate on HIS words?
• contemplate how HE lived His days?
• continually thank HIM for what HE has done for you?
• follow HIS lead in continually living out the beatitudes?  HIS sermon on the mount?

I have some women in my life who are spiritual rock stars.  Each one of them carves out time in their days to:

• study JESUS!
• meditate on HIS words!
• contemplate how HE lived HIS days!
•  thank HIM for what HE has done for them!

We can begin to train ourselves to hunger and thirst for righteousness by studying, meditating on, and following JESUS' lead in living out:

• HIS beatitudes! 
• HIS entire sermon on the mount!

Please join me, several days a week,

seeking to be filled/satisfied,

as we hunger and thirst for JESUS:

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A - Author of life

B - Blessed One 

C - Creator 

D - Deliverer

E - Emmanuel (God with us)

F - Faithful Friend

G - God's anointed

H - High Priest

I - I AM

J - Joy

K - King of kings and LORD of lords

L - Light 

M - Master 

N - Name above all names

O - Our righteousness

P - Prince of peace

Q - Quieter of the winds and waves

R - Righteous Redeemer

S - Savior

T - Truth

U - Unfailing love

V - Victorious warrior 

W - Way 

X - eXample 

Y - Yahweh

Z - Zion's glory

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"BLESSED" means OH, THE JOY!

"Oh, the JOY for those who hunger and thirst for Righteousness..."