Beatitudes Mt. 5:9

Good Morning Children,

“Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” Mt. 5:9

Being a peacemaker is not necessarily protesting with a sign on the corner. These are people who go the extra mile and stand in the gap praying with holy negotiations wherever trouble may be brewing. There are those whom our Creator has prepared with a special anointing of a peacemaker and given assignments to bring peace to nations, to governments, in work places, in domestic disputes, on the streets and right on down to calming the waters among teachers and their students. These jewels work in Nursery schools and when one little darling bops another over the head with his toy and makes him cry, they know exactly how to handle the situation. Ironically, because they are doing what comes naturally amid such turmoil, they never think of themselves as peacemakers.  Some peacemakers are called to work with pets to be calmed down and learn to get along with each other.  Peacemakers have an inbred desire for peace and a 7th sense of knowing what it takes to prevent a pot from boiling. They understand how easily human emotions can escalate and get out of control by one simple spoken word. They see the eruption before it happens.

Every time we forgive an offender

Every time we pray for an offender

Every time we withhold our tongue from retaliating 

Every time we withhold our tongue from nitpicking

Every time we withhold our tongue from judging

Every time we do not listen or take part in gossip

Every time we bury our pride

Every time we deliberately watch our thoughts

Every time we choose these things and push away our hurtful feelings and choose to love instead, we’ve become a peacemaker.

These are the makers and maintainers of God’s peace reflecting His  character and will; right here on earth. Whatever the situation calls for; whether to be silent, pray or leap to defend and rescue when the scales tip in unfairness. They strive for peace day in and out and are called The children of God or The Sons of God. 

Let’s pray:

Blessed Heavenly Father,

We thank you Holy Spirit for teaching us your goodness and another way to love while we are here. Thank you for filling us up with thoughts of being a peacemaker and how important it is in every area of our lives. We ask that you would quicken our spirits within us and reveal to us joyful and creative new ways we can be peacemakers. Ways in which we can bring a peace and love to those who are bitter and have not talked in years. We ask that you would prepare their hearts. Show us how we can do this with your wisdom. In those whom have lacked peace for so long, give us insight to give the right words, the right strategy to bring reconciliation and healing to troubled hearts. Use us and let us be sensitive to your voice to be the peacemaker you have called us to be. Let us be totally led by your Holy Spirit and not by our flesh.

We lift up your church this morning. Your word says that the church will be judged first. We ask that you would remove all complacency and apathy from the western church. Those who are not serious with their walk, we ask that you would place them on their knees to see with your eye view the seriousness of their walk. We ask for a deep spirit of repentance come upon your church, we ask that you would stir up hearts to rise up and be bold in this nation, standing for the righteousness of Christ. We ask that your Holy Spirit would begin to move men’s hearts with belief on every street and that they would be drawn in by the fire of your love, even by the fire of revival in their hearts. For those who say they are churches, yet deny your son, we ask you would open up their eyes and give them repentance and mercy. Those who deny your blessed Holy Spirit send a spirit of repentance upon their hearts. Give these church a new fearless determination to take Christianity back and your country back for you.  Rise up the intercessors to do battle in your spirit and may your will be continually done in our own lives. 

In Jesus we pray. amen 

    

Beatitudes Mt. 5:8

Good Morning Pure Hearts,

“Blessed are the pure in heart for they will see God.” Mt. 5:8 kjv. 

A pure heart comes from the supernatural awakening of our spirit that was once dead. This is a miracle.  The scales are removed from our eyes by the Holy Spirit. We accept the fact that we are sinners and need forgiveness.  We believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, was sent to be a pure sacrifice upon the cross so we can have this forgiveness.  We have been pardoned. This is God’s gift of grace [undeserved favor] for us. Our heart accepts God’s grace and we surrender our life to the will of God by repenting and accepting His son Jesus Christ as our Savior.  By faith, we pray and begin to empty every single thing we’ve been carrying in the backpack of our past life. All of our sins, our worries, frustrations, discouragements, rejections, bitterness, pain and hurts are all given to our Creator. Our hearts are totally crushed, broken and emptied completely out. 

We are loved, while yet still a sinner! Think about these 3 words very deeply “God loves you! God loves you!

With that, you become clean and pure in Jesus Christ. You have followed that small voice inside of your conscience and been obedient. You have literally been born-again.

A pure heart begins with a pure conscience that has been sprinkled by the blood of Christ. He. 10:22

God sees all our intents and motives. He looks to see if our step into purity is to please others or to have truly followed the beckoning of The Holy Spirit. If the latter is true, He dwells within us and begins His housecleaning on a daily basis and we are miraculously given a brand new heart. The old you is gone and you become a brand new person in Christ. You will never be the same again. 

Once we were a worm, living underground and could not see the light. We fed on garbage for our nourishment, but now we have been metamorphosed into beautiful butterflies who dwell in His light through the Word of God. We fly!

Every time you see someone who has been born-again and made new in Jesus Christ, you are seeing a walking miracle. We cannot work our way to heaven because the price has already been paid through Jesus. Through our growth our thoughts eventually align to God’s will as we pray and study. His voice becomes clearer and His light becomes brighter in our lives. 

We cannot see God unless His light abides within us enabling us to see because He is the light. 

“For with thee is the foundation of life; in thy light shall we see light.” Ps.36:9 kjv.  

Let’s pray

Precious Heavenly Father,

We see so clearly how your timing is everything in our lives. We are filled with joy, yet so humbled to have your Holy Spirit blow upon our hearts and our spirits awakened. We confess your son Jesus is the Lamb of God who was sent to take away our sins. We believe He is Lord. Keep us in your hand Father and place us where you want us to be spiritually, physically and mentally. Develop our hearts to be continually in a love-awareness mode so we would know when some one is in need of a good word of sincere encouragement. Develop us to be wholly transparent in our living, so that when those around us, see through us, they would see your son’s love. Give us ideas to be creative in these days we find ourselves living in and keep us on that narrow path. 

Father, we lift up the wounds of broken relationships this morning. We ask that you would heal these wounds with your love. Embrace their hearts and help them to forgive all the cutting words that once flew against them. We forgive our offenders Lord. We bury all the words and choose to think on your goodness and walk in faith. Father, we ask that you would forgive the words we ourselves have spoken in times of anger. We repent. Heal the hearts of those who have offended us and heal our own hearts. Thank you Father. Give us your discernment to have the foresight to make good decisions today that would glorify you. Thank you Father. We give you honor, we give you all the praise!

In Your Son’s name Jesus we pray,  amen

   

Beatitudes 5:7

Good Morning Mercy-Hearts,

“Blessed [content, sheltered by God’s promises] are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.” Mt. 5:7Amp

“All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.”Ps. 25:10 kjv

Mercy-hearts are those who weep over those who are suffering. They have an extremely high degree of empathy and compassion. These kind of people are the ones you see, who go to the hospitals and hold hands while the patients cry, knowing they are leaving their loved ones. Many of them work in Hospice. If the mercy-hearts could make you feel better by giving you everything they had, they would. Instead, they will pray for you continually, as you walk through the valley of death. 

These are the ones who will rush to your side when your world falls apart. They will do the thinking for you, the phoning for you, pay the bills, your cleaning, fix your meals and feed your pets.  They more than understand what you are going through, because they have walked in your shoes. 

I believe there are different degrees of the gift of mercy that we all have, but there are those whom will bleed from within, should you cut yourself. They all have as many personalities as the colors of the rainbows.

I knew a lady whom I will call Mary. She was a well experienced RN and worked for Hospice and loved her job. I was completely awestruck by her never ending smile and joy. Then she related to me how she had the daily opportunity to lead many to the Lord right before they passed over. She was in the presence of The Holy Spirit continually and experienced her patients receive the peace of God by accepting Jesus right before they would stand before Him. Can you just imagine! Mary’s whole existence was to gently usher the suffering into eternal life. 

Mary’s ministry was like a brilliant light inspiring everyone around to see the goodness and mercy of God’s hand.

God promises us mercy when we are merciful. Mercy is given every time we forgive those who have offended us. One of the ways that has helped me to forgive others is to look at my own heart. If I am honest, I can sometimes see that the very thing I was offended by, I did in my own heart. 

Let’s pray:

Heavenly Father,

We thank you for all your mercy. We thank you for sending us your angels of mercy to minister your love throughout the Body of Christ. We ask that you would strengthen those who have this exceptional gift in their lives. Strengthen and renew their minds, their bones, muscles and organs, their hearts, their walk with you, their souls and their spirits. We ask that you would lighten their load and help them exercise your peace as they are called to minister your mercy in so many ways. Send them your perfect words to apply your salve at your time. Comfort them through your Holy Spirit and help them find that place of rest to draw closer to you. We ask together that you would send encouragers into their lives to nourish these thoughts while they sleep. Give them more faith to foresee the miracles you desire to manifest in their lives.  Awaken them with your joy and a renewed love through your son Jesus. Amen. 

    

Beatitudes 5:6

Morning Blessings!

“Blessed [joyful, nourished by God’s goodness] are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness [those who actively seek right standing with God], for they will be [completely] satisfied. Mt. 5:6 [Is. 55:1,2]

Presently we are experiencing God’s goodness in our lives now. Soon, we are in for a much bigger surprise than any of our minds can possibly imagine or absorb while in these bodies.  The truth is, we are going to be saturated! We will finally see justice prevail on all sides of the globe. 

Have you experienced God’s joy? True godly joy fills us up from the crown of our head to the soles of our feet. We have a godly assurance of His love that controls our hearts. Think about it, we are living in the continued  presence of God’s goodness in our lives on a daily basis.

My husband always says to me, “Penny, God always protects us and takes care of us.” This is so true. 

Yes, we go through trials like everyone else; but we are aware of God’s presence giving us exactly what we need, as He holds our hands and walks us through the fire. Remember when you get discouraged, we have a faithful God who will never abandon you or let you down. He is true to His word.

These songs came to me and aptly describes what we have in Jesus Christ [grace, salvation, peace, unspeakable joy, river of life, life abundantly] and so much more.

                            Joy Unspeakable

         

by Barney E. Warren 1900

I have found His grace is all complete,

He supplieth every need;

While I sit and learn at Jesus’ feet,

I am free, yes, free indeed.

It is joy unspeakable and full of glory,

Full of glory, full of glory;

It is joy unspeakable and full of glory,

Oh the half has never yet been told.

I have found the pleasure I once craved

It is joy and peace within;

What a wondrous blessing, I am saved

From the awful gulf of sin.

I have found that hope so bright and clear,

Living in the realm of grace;

Oh the Savior’s presence is so near,

I can see His smiling face.

I have found the joy no tongue can tell,

How its waves of glory roll;

It is like a great o’erflowing well,

Springing up within my soul. 

and

Spring up O well 

by Phil Wickham

I’ve got a river of life flowin’ out of me

Makes the lame to walk and the blind to see

Opens prison doors, sets the captives free

I’ve got a river of life flowin’ out of me

Spring up Oh Well.

Within my soul.

Spring up Oh Well

And make me whole.

Spring up Oh Well

and give to me

That life abundantly.

Let’s pray:

Precious Father,

We honor your name this morning. Your name is above all other names. We give you praise, honor, all glory and all credit for the good life you have given to us. Thank you Father. You are so good to us. Thank you for opening up our eyes and drawing us closer to you. Father we ask that you would fill up those who agree with this prayer with your joy from the top of their heads to the bottom of their soles. Fill them with your strength and allow them to experience the joyful benefits of your grace. We ask that their steps would be lighter and that your hope would ignite in their hearts and that they would see your hand in every single area of their lives. We ask that their eyes would be as a lighthouse, a beacon, brighter and see clearer where we are in these days. We ask that your light would outshine the darkness across the earth and through our love for you, we be vessels of hope to continue to bring in your Kingdom on Earth. Use us Lord. Thank you Father. In your son we ask. Amen

Beatitudes Mt. 5:5

Good Morning Lord,

“Blessed [inwardly peaceful, spiritually secure, worthy of respect] are the gentle [kind-hearted, the sweet-spirited, the self-controlled], for they will  inherit the earth.” Mt. 5:5 Ps. 37:11 Amp 

Beginning my journey, I had the unique privilege of having “gentle hearts” to mentor me. I gleaned firm truth in sweet and gentle words that were laced with wisdom. Being around such peace loving giants watered my faith continually. 

Humble spirits are all around us. Many are quiet and do not need to be heard or seen. They are filled with the fruit of kindness. The presence of a gentle heart is filled with peace and through the righteousness of Christ they have earned their innate experience of fortitude, tenacity and power without a mere utterance of one single boast. These are the rocks [pillars] in the Body of Christ because they know what it is like to go through the fire and be crushed in life. We marvel to drink the water that flows from these rocks, that life has made for we desire their peace and kind-heartedness. But most of all, we desire their quiet strength.

These people have substance! This did not happen overnight. Their humble quiet hearts go through a process in their lives that gives off an exclusive sweet aroma. The fruit they have tended inside of them throughout the years is extracted through a process that presses and crushes the fruit with such power to release all the oil from within them. After the oil is extracted and blended the aging process begins. This can take months to many years for the development of a fine rare perfume. 

As Christians, we all go through this process and there are no shortcuts or substitutes. A native plant from Mexico in a laboratory in London called “Agave Franzosinii” grows for 40 years and only then blooms glorious yellow trumpet flowers and then, dies. 

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” niv Mt.11:28-30

With all that, we will inherit the earth.

Let’s pray:

Precious Heavenly Father,

When we think of the holy process your bride goes through, we are completely awed by your love. We trust in you Father and know you work everything for us, for our good and your glory. We know, there are no two things completely alike in your creation. Each of our fragrances will be unique and resemble who you have fashioned us to be in the Body of Christ. We ask Father, that your angels will continue to hold our hand during these processes. We choose to live and speak in faith instead of what we see or go through. We desire to be a gentle heart like your son. Thank you for the insight of your Holy Spirit and how everything revolves around your perfect love. Thank you for showing us such power in your love.

We ask that when we run ahead of Your Precious Holy Spirit, that He would close the door or trip us. We ask that when our feet drag, that He would put a fire under us to move! We ask that when we talk too much, our words would come back to show us the seriousness of what we have done. We ask that when we do speak that it would be graced with your salt to be flavorful to those who hear. We ask that when we know to do something that is right, let us not think; but follow it through. When we know something is wrong in our lives to throw it completely out. We ask that your Spirit would never stop housecleaning inside of us. Thank you Father and in Your Son’s name we pray. Amen.  

Beatitude Mt. 5:4

Good Morning Lord!

“Blessed [forgiven, refreshed by God’s grace] are those who mourn [over their sins and repent]. for they will be comforted [when the burden of the sin is lifted].” Matthew 5:4

We have all done things in our past that we regret. That was yesterday, today is now. When we yield our will to God’s will, our past experiences  will continue to conform us into the likeness of His Son Jesus.

It is The Holy Spirit Himself who brings us the comfort of knowing we are forgiven through Jesus Christ. When God forgives He throws our sins deep into the ocean never to be retrieved again. In God’s eyes, it is gone and forgotten. Few of us have the capability to forget the wrongs in our past.. God is faithful. Your burden has been removed. 

We need not dwell upon the past. Instead we can have God’s peace when we picture a river of blood flowing over those past sins and rest assured that there is a day coming when all our past sins will be completely erased and forgotten from our minds. As for now, our memories are there for us to remain humble and never forget the pit from where we were rescued.

I had a friend who once said: “I never trust a man who doesn’t have a limp.” Think about it if you do not understand it, as it will come.

Let’s pray:

Oh Heavenly Father,

We thank you and praise you for leaving us your word and giving us your truth. We thank you for awakening our spirits so we can see and understand what you say to us. We thank you for your son Jesus and the sacrifice upon that cross and the power of His blood. We thank you for giving us the gift of grace and the faith to believe and walk on that narrow path. Thank you for your faithfulness and that all things good come from you. Thank you for turning our mourning into joy and comfort and the realization of being loved. Forgive us our sins [name any that has not been confessed]_____________________and we make a decision to repent and turn around to do your will. Keep our eyes upon you and give us the discernment to recognize and resist all deceiving spirits in these last days. We give you all the praise Father in your son’s name Jesus Christ. Amen. 

Beatitudes 5:1-3

Good Morning Friends,

I thought it might be interesting to take one Beatitude at a time and discuss it. We begin in Matthew 5:1-3 Amp. 

“When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and when He was seated, His disciples came to Him. Then He began to teach them saying,

Blessed [spiritually prosperous, happy, to be admired] are the poor in spirit [those devoid of spiritual arrogance, those who regard themselves as insignificant], for theirs is the kingdom of heaven [both now and forever].” [Luke 6:20-23]

Think how overbearing the crowds were when a young Jesus in his early thirties walked the earth. They did not want to miss a single miracle. Most followers had to believe He was their Messiah! Indeed! Their Deliverer and Savior! The Holy one to come that the Prophets wrote about! Jesus went up the mountain perhaps to rest and get away from the crowds and when He was seated, his disciples came to Him.  

Picture yourself walking with the disciples and then looking around for a place to sit, maybe at His knee to listen! You are overwhelmed by His every word. While He talks, He looks around and then, into your eyes and He smiles. You think in glorious wonder, “Jesus smiled at me!” You do not realize it, but He sees your heart, your adoration and love as He talks. Your heart will never be the same again because, it belongs to Him. 

When the verse says Blessed, Jesus was talking about those who believe and trust in Him are blessed but also happy in the Lord, meaning we are spiritually prosperous. I see being spiritually prosperous as being rich in faith! 

Poor in spirit are those who remain humble and do not think themselves more highly than others. True humility puts others first and serves the flock. 

Here’s our promise: Ours is the kingdom of heaven. We are in the family of God through His son Jesus, yesterday, today and tomorrow.

Let’s Pray,

Oh Heavenly Father,

Thank you for this wonderful promise. Oh to sit at Your Son’s knee and the thoughts of looking into His eyes while He teaches us. The very thought of a smile from Him lifts up our hearts and renews our faith. Thank you for the richness of your Word. We ask that we can always be by your knee and listen  to what You say. Teach us to hear clearly and recognize your voice easily. Thank you for this walk in faith that you have chosen us to do. Show us how to be a blessing and glorify you in our thoughts, our speech and actions today. It is our desire to be pleasing in your sight and for you to smile upon us. Our will is your will. Continue to teach us to love others guided by your Spirit. Teach us to be sensitive to the needs of those around us and serve in your Spirit. We give you this day Father and honor you before everything we do. 

In Jesus we pray, amen 

What kind of words are you speaking?

Good Morning Blessings to you all!

“The good man, from his [inner] good treasure, brings out good things; and the evil man, from his [inner] evil treasure, brings out evil things. But I tell you, on the day of judgement people will have to give an accounting for every careless or useless word they speak. For by your words [reflecting your spiritual condition] you will be justified and acquitted of the guilt of sin; and by  your words [rejecting me] you will be condemned and sentenced.” Matthew 12:35-37 Amp, also read Proverbs 18:20, 13:2

There are many books written about the power of our tongues. I remember my mother admonishing me to: 

“Think before I speak!”

“Oh, how do I do that?” But it slowed me way down.

Later on, thinking about her corrections I realized I spouted out some unthinking rare commodities that I had not bothered to look up the meanings for in Webster. She always made me trudge to the dictionary instead of telling me the meanings. Today, I am grateful for all of her corrections.

I studied about this subject that took nearly a year and even then I did not cover everything. I can say this, because I’m still finding things written about the seriousness of speaking before we think. Oh, to be able to go back in time and not say some of the things I carelessly threw out into the airwaves. Some in anger and some not. So many times we would not feed contention in a relationship if we first halted and gave thought to what we were about to say and how our words will affect the receiver and ourselves;  for years ahead. A reckless mouth can be judged by it’s target through a loss of respect. Inflammable words scar a relationship. Pride breeds contempt. Pride is a spirit [haughtiness] that refuses to humble itself and say “I was wrong.” Once our words are out of our mouth, we cannot take them back. We can repent and have our regrets and we know we’ve been forgiven but we’ve still loosened our words. We draw our words from the activities and materials we decide to daily meditate upon. As we store up these thoughts in our hearts, sooner or later, like that of an artisan well the overflow will find it’s way out of our mouths. Unfortunately, we will bear the consequences of our words as we journey on earth. If we point fingers, finger will be pointed at us. If we whisper against another, whispering comes against us. We cannot get away from God’s laws of sowing and reaping. Consider words as seeds. When we plant one seed, we’ll get a whole bushel of fruit back in our garden. If God rescued us from every consequence of our sin, how would we learn from our actions? 

Our words will either serve one of two Kingdoms: The Kingdom of light [Holiness] or the Kingdom of darkness [Unholiness].   

I would just like to touch on the positive results of speaking a good word to others. Did you know that when we speak good words, they are health to our bones?

“Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.” Pr. 16:24

“A gentle answer turns away wrath.” Pr.15:1

“When we can give a good and timely answer, can bring us joy.” Pr.15:23

“Anxiety weights the heart of a man, but a good word cheers it up.” Pr. 12:25

There are many verses about the health benefits on both sides when our words are kind and gracious towards others. Look them up for yourselves and write them down. 

Let’s Pray for each other:

Oh Holy Spirit, 

We are desperate for your help. We confess, there are times when we can be such chatter’s and do not think before we speak. [Confess the sins of your words___________________] Your word plainly tells us that death and life are in the power of what we say. We ask that you would forgive us for not thinking before we speak. We ask that you would put a guard over our mouth and remind us to think and speak good things. We ask to be good salt shakers through our words. This day, we repent and will choose life giving words. Words that will lift up and give life giving encouragement to those we love. Words that will be filled with your grace and love. And when we feel we must correct, help us to give this in such a way, they will only see your love and gentleness. When we become offended, help us to be silent and give good thought, instead of fretting and complaining. When we see or hear something that is against your holiness, we choose to stand our ground and turn it off or walk out of the room! We pray in Jesus amen. We love you Lord