Receive Your Blessing – Accept Your Call
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Receive Your Blessing – Accept Your Call
Receive Your Blessing – Accept Your Call
Receive Your Blessing – Accept Your Call
The beatitudes are a blessing bestowed on you from Jesus himself. They are not an ethic to keep, but a blessing to receive. The more we understand all Jesus is offering — how we're blessed, how we're chosen, how we’re meant for life with Jesus now — the more we understand His invitation to walk and work with Him.
The beatitudes are a blessing bestowed on you from Jesus himself. They are not an ethic to keep, but a blessing to receive. The more we understand all Jesus is offering — how we're blessed, how we're chosen, how we’re meant for life with Jesus now — the more we understand His invitation to walk and work with Him. The gospel of Jesus Christ, no doubt leads us to eternal life with Jesus forever. And Jesus is making clear in the beatitudes that life with Him leads to bringing his kingdom to earth now. The beatitudes received are some of the highest spiritual blessings and at the very same time they are a call on our life to join Him in bringing the kingdom to earth — His will be done now on earth as it is in heaven.
Join Jesus in the Kingdom on Earth
You're invited to be completely “in cahoots with God.” Jesus says, "Let's do this together." He's your best partner at your job. He's your best partner in life. He's your source. He's your peace. He's your purpose. He's your power. He's everything. And if I'm in cahoots with Him, I can say, "Hey, What I’m facing today, this ain't so good.” But I can say, “Let's do this thing, God. Will you show me the way?” When I know I'm blessed, I respond to God in love. And in turn, I can't help but love His people. And that's the way the beatitudes play out.
Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit
I'm going to go through these beatitudes so you understand what a blessing they all are. [.text-color-blue]“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”- [.no-reftag]Matthew 5:3[.no-reftag][.text-color-blue] Is it a blessing to be poor in spirit? What does it mean to be poor in spirit? We'll cover this one the heaviest and then we'll keep moving. Because it matters. It means to be totally dependent. It means I'm utterly nothing without Him. My spirit, it's an empty void without Him. And it's a blessing to know I'm nothing without Him. I'm zero without God. To know that I'm nothing without Him is the first blessing. That's the way you receive the gospel. You say, "I don't have it." And He says, "You got it for free." He fills you up and He says, "You got it for free and you're going to live forever. The kingdom of heaven is yours." The blessing of being poor in spirit.
Blessed Are Those Who Mourn
[.text-color-blue]"Blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted.”- [.no-reftag]Matthew 5:4[.no-reftag][.text-color-blue] So then my sin kind of enters in. I say I hate my sin. This is not just mourning in loss. That happens too. And He comforts you in loss. He weeps with you in loss. But this is mourning your sin. The blessing is to know that I hate my sin the most. And when I'm pure in heart, I know it's my sin that's the worst. My biggest problem is my sin. I could grade somebody else's sin based on if they should be in jail. But that's not my biggest problem. Carjackings are not my biggest problem. Even if it was my car that was jacked. My biggest problem is my sin. And when I know that, I am comforted. Paul said, "What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means!”- [.no-reftag]Romans 6:1-2[.no-reftag]
Blessed Are the Meek
[.text-color-blue]“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.”- [.no-reftag]Matthew 5:5[.no-reftag][.text-color-blue] Which means I have a right view of God. You're God, I'm not. I know you're God and I'm not. And then see, it starts to turn toward caring for others here. I can't really know I'm not God and treat others poorly. So, it starts to turn to building the kingdom for the benefit of others.
Blessed Are Those Who Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness
[.text-color-blue]“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”- [.no-reftag]Matthew 5:6[.no-reftag][.text-color-blue] So, then it's more than just meeting with God in quiet time. I want His righteousness all the time. And so it turns even more towards caring for others because I want to walk around with Him and be like Him. Paul says,“There is no one righteous, not even one.”- [.no-reftag]Romans 3:11[.no-reftag] Jesus says, "Go and do likewise."- [.no-reftag]Luke 10:37[.no-reftag] And as I mimic Him, He gives me His peace, purpose, and power. He says walk around with Me and be righteous.
Blessed Are the Merciful
And then it says in that righteousness,[.text-color-blue] “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.”- [.no-reftag]Matthew 5:7[.no-reftag][.text-color-blue] That's a great blessing. And see that starts to turn more towards others because I'm so righteous, I'm able to give people mercy. When you've given somebody mercy, when you've let somebody off the hook and said. “It's okay” and you meant it, how much mercy did you receive right then? It wasn't a quid pro quo. This is like raising teenagers. As a parent, I say, “I can't believe you did that. I've done all this for you.” And then I realize, "Wow, I do the same thing all the time to God. And He’s given me mercy." So I can bestow mercy, once I’ve realized I’ve received mercy.
Blessed Are the Pure in Heart
[.text-color-blue]“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.”- [.no-reftag]Matthew 5:8[.no-reftag][.text-color-blue] So now that I’ve received His mercy, I’m becoming more pure in heart and I want to continue to purify my heart by rejecting my sin. I want to do nothing but make peace.
Blessed Are the Peacemakers
[.text-color-blue]“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”- [.no-reftag]Matthew 5:9[.text-color-blue] If I'm making peace, it’s because I’ve realized I've received my peace, purpose, and power. See how this turns toward others — loving people — making peace?
Blessed Are Those Who Are Persecuted Because of Righteousness
[.text-color-blue]“Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”- [.no-reftag]Matthew 5:10[.no-reftag][.text-color-blue] So now it's so active. It's so others involved. God, you gave me an understanding that you're God and I'm not. Jesus talks about how we will inherit the kingdom and the earth, but one thing we get really messed up about our salvation is that it’s only for later. It's the ultimate fire insurance. And praise God that He has us covered for later, but what He's saying is — the kingdom is here now! You're charged with bringing the kingdom to earth. So, I might as well get busy blessing it now. I might as well be part of it now. You have people at work that are harassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd. Blessing them now, means treating them as Jesus has treated you — with His righteousness — full of grace and truth. Doing what is best for your clients and coworkers regardless of what it costs you. This is what it means to be righteous and sometimes that will mean you will be persecuted for doing what is right.
For the people of God, the beatitudes are for today and forever. Let’s join Jesus in building the kingdom of God on earth as it is and it will be in heaven.
Resources:
Article: Be Blessed, Build Teams, Change the World | Howard Graham
Video: The Advantage of Being Poor in Spirit | Howard Graham
Article: For Transformational Growth – Face the Brutal Facts | Howard Graham
Video: The Advantage of Mourning | Howard Graham
Article: The Power of Meekness at Work | Howard Graham
Video: The Advantage of Meekness at Work | Howard Graham
Article: Hunger and Thirst for More – Much More | Howard Graham
Video: The Advantage of Hungering and Thirsting for Righteousness | Howard Graham
Article: Mercy Hydrants | Howard Graham
Video: The Advantage of Mercy at Work | Howard Graham
Article: Start With the Heart | Howard Graham
Video: The Advantage of a Pure Heart at Work | Howard Graham
Article: Make Peace | Howard Graham
Video: The Advantage of Being in the Peacemaking Business | Howard Graham
Article: Gratitude Fuels Selflessness at Work | Howard Graham
Video: The Advantage of Gratitude Based Selfless Action | Howard Graham
Article: Receive Peace and Fight With Peace for Peace | Howard Graham
Video: The Advantage of Facing Conflict With Peace | Howard Graham
The beatitudes are a blessing bestowed on you from Jesus himself. They are not an ethic to keep, but a blessing to receive. The more we understand all Jesus is offering — how we're blessed, how we're chosen, how we’re meant for life with Jesus now — the more we understand His invitation to walk and work with Him. The gospel of Jesus Christ, no doubt leads us to eternal life with Jesus forever. And Jesus is making clear in the beatitudes that life with Him leads to bringing his kingdom to earth now. The beatitudes received are some of the highest spiritual blessings and at the very same time they are a call on our life to join Him in bringing the kingdom to earth — His will be done now on earth as it is in heaven.
Join Jesus in the Kingdom on Earth
You're invited to be completely “in cahoots with God.” Jesus says, "Let's do this together." He's your best partner at your job. He's your best partner in life. He's your source. He's your peace. He's your purpose. He's your power. He's everything. And if I'm in cahoots with Him, I can say, "Hey, What I’m facing today, this ain't so good.” But I can say, “Let's do this thing, God. Will you show me the way?” When I know I'm blessed, I respond to God in love. And in turn, I can't help but love His people. And that's the way the beatitudes play out.
Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit
I'm going to go through these beatitudes so you understand what a blessing they all are. [.text-color-blue]“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”- [.no-reftag]Matthew 5:3[.no-reftag][.text-color-blue] Is it a blessing to be poor in spirit? What does it mean to be poor in spirit? We'll cover this one the heaviest and then we'll keep moving. Because it matters. It means to be totally dependent. It means I'm utterly nothing without Him. My spirit, it's an empty void without Him. And it's a blessing to know I'm nothing without Him. I'm zero without God. To know that I'm nothing without Him is the first blessing. That's the way you receive the gospel. You say, "I don't have it." And He says, "You got it for free." He fills you up and He says, "You got it for free and you're going to live forever. The kingdom of heaven is yours." The blessing of being poor in spirit.
Blessed Are Those Who Mourn
[.text-color-blue]"Blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted.”- [.no-reftag]Matthew 5:4[.no-reftag][.text-color-blue] So then my sin kind of enters in. I say I hate my sin. This is not just mourning in loss. That happens too. And He comforts you in loss. He weeps with you in loss. But this is mourning your sin. The blessing is to know that I hate my sin the most. And when I'm pure in heart, I know it's my sin that's the worst. My biggest problem is my sin. I could grade somebody else's sin based on if they should be in jail. But that's not my biggest problem. Carjackings are not my biggest problem. Even if it was my car that was jacked. My biggest problem is my sin. And when I know that, I am comforted. Paul said, "What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means!”- [.no-reftag]Romans 6:1-2[.no-reftag]
Blessed Are the Meek
[.text-color-blue]“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.”- [.no-reftag]Matthew 5:5[.no-reftag][.text-color-blue] Which means I have a right view of God. You're God, I'm not. I know you're God and I'm not. And then see, it starts to turn toward caring for others here. I can't really know I'm not God and treat others poorly. So, it starts to turn to building the kingdom for the benefit of others.
Blessed Are Those Who Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness
[.text-color-blue]“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”- [.no-reftag]Matthew 5:6[.no-reftag][.text-color-blue] So, then it's more than just meeting with God in quiet time. I want His righteousness all the time. And so it turns even more towards caring for others because I want to walk around with Him and be like Him. Paul says,“There is no one righteous, not even one.”- [.no-reftag]Romans 3:11[.no-reftag] Jesus says, "Go and do likewise."- [.no-reftag]Luke 10:37[.no-reftag] And as I mimic Him, He gives me His peace, purpose, and power. He says walk around with Me and be righteous.
Blessed Are the Merciful
And then it says in that righteousness,[.text-color-blue] “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.”- [.no-reftag]Matthew 5:7[.no-reftag][.text-color-blue] That's a great blessing. And see that starts to turn more towards others because I'm so righteous, I'm able to give people mercy. When you've given somebody mercy, when you've let somebody off the hook and said. “It's okay” and you meant it, how much mercy did you receive right then? It wasn't a quid pro quo. This is like raising teenagers. As a parent, I say, “I can't believe you did that. I've done all this for you.” And then I realize, "Wow, I do the same thing all the time to God. And He’s given me mercy." So I can bestow mercy, once I’ve realized I’ve received mercy.
Blessed Are the Pure in Heart
[.text-color-blue]“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.”- [.no-reftag]Matthew 5:8[.no-reftag][.text-color-blue] So now that I’ve received His mercy, I’m becoming more pure in heart and I want to continue to purify my heart by rejecting my sin. I want to do nothing but make peace.
Blessed Are the Peacemakers
[.text-color-blue]“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”- [.no-reftag]Matthew 5:9[.text-color-blue] If I'm making peace, it’s because I’ve realized I've received my peace, purpose, and power. See how this turns toward others — loving people — making peace?
Blessed Are Those Who Are Persecuted Because of Righteousness
[.text-color-blue]“Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”- [.no-reftag]Matthew 5:10[.no-reftag][.text-color-blue] So now it's so active. It's so others involved. God, you gave me an understanding that you're God and I'm not. Jesus talks about how we will inherit the kingdom and the earth, but one thing we get really messed up about our salvation is that it’s only for later. It's the ultimate fire insurance. And praise God that He has us covered for later, but what He's saying is — the kingdom is here now! You're charged with bringing the kingdom to earth. So, I might as well get busy blessing it now. I might as well be part of it now. You have people at work that are harassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd. Blessing them now, means treating them as Jesus has treated you — with His righteousness — full of grace and truth. Doing what is best for your clients and coworkers regardless of what it costs you. This is what it means to be righteous and sometimes that will mean you will be persecuted for doing what is right.
For the people of God, the beatitudes are for today and forever. Let’s join Jesus in building the kingdom of God on earth as it is and it will be in heaven.
Resources:
Article: Be Blessed, Build Teams, Change the World | Howard Graham
Video: The Advantage of Being Poor in Spirit | Howard Graham
Article: For Transformational Growth – Face the Brutal Facts | Howard Graham
Video: The Advantage of Mourning | Howard Graham
Article: The Power of Meekness at Work | Howard Graham
Video: The Advantage of Meekness at Work | Howard Graham
Article: Hunger and Thirst for More – Much More | Howard Graham
Video: The Advantage of Hungering and Thirsting for Righteousness | Howard Graham
Article: Mercy Hydrants | Howard Graham
Video: The Advantage of Mercy at Work | Howard Graham
Article: Start With the Heart | Howard Graham
Video: The Advantage of a Pure Heart at Work | Howard Graham
Article: Make Peace | Howard Graham
Video: The Advantage of Being in the Peacemaking Business | Howard Graham
Article: Gratitude Fuels Selflessness at Work | Howard Graham
Video: The Advantage of Gratitude Based Selfless Action | Howard Graham
Article: Receive Peace and Fight With Peace for Peace | Howard Graham
Video: The Advantage of Facing Conflict With Peace | Howard Graham