Just to remind you, I'm sharing the lessons on Attitudes written by Ron Roark. And I'm sure you've anticipated the Beatitudes as a part of these lessons. Picture the multitudes as they listened to Jesus speaking these words, and imagine them as they listened in amazement to a message they'd never heard before, nor ever expected to hear. It doesn't really matter to us today where the sermon took place, except that we love the idea of following Jesus' footsteps as He made His earthly sojourn.
The emphasis here is that we have the Sermon on the Mount, and we want to embrace its message. We can study it in depth later. For now, it's helpful to know that the word "beatitude" means supreme, utmost bliss and happiness. I'm giving you the Beatitudes from Matthew 5:3-12, so that you can read them slowly for yourself, and realize that when Jesus talked about the kinds of people who are happy and blessed, He was also talking about YOU! The Beatitudes portray the proper attitude for Christians!
- Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
- Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
- Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
- Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.
- Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
- Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
- Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
- Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
In the Beatitudes, you have the proper attitude, along with its reward. Now let's look at another example of the proper attitude in Mark 12:34, when Jesus goes to the temple and is asked which commandment is first. Jesus told the Scribes that the first commandment was to love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. And the second was to love your neighbor as yourself. One of the Scribes was impressed with Jesus' answer and told Him so. And then the Scribe said that loving God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and loving one's neighbor as oneself is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. This wise answer brought this reply from Jesus: "You are not far from the kingdom of God." The Scribe's attitude is the proper one. And we can also find the proper attitude for saints. When reading a text like this, I remember C. S. Lewis' observation that Christianity is both hard and easy. You may agree after reading Philippians 1:4-9.
Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!
Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and mind through Christ Jesus.
And while I'm sure you're daily rejoicing in the Lord, how's your gentleness holding up? And with anxiety so rampant these days, what happens when you're under stress? Because even though you know that the antedote is prayer and thanksgiving, asking God for what you want and need, you can lose your focus on God's part in your life. If you think about it, you'll remember that when you do your part, God gives you peace, which keeps watch over your heart and mind. Easy peasy? No, I'm not saying it's easy. But it is possible to do your best every day, and by doing your best every day, to find success when you least expect it. There is so much to say about the proper attitude, but I'm going to stop for now and continue another day. It's so important for us to understand the way our attitudes can create or destroy the good life we crave. Please give this message some thought, and see if you can find the proper attitude for yourself. And have a wonderful Sunday!
Blessings...Mimi
No comments:
Post a Comment