Who Controls You?

Matthew 5:5 Blessed are the meek,

 for they shall inherit the earth.

As we continue our study of the beatitudes – keep in mind what the Westminster confession states is our purpose for living – to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.  Since our behavior is to glorify God, we must factor that in as we seek to define these beatitudes.  If meekness is what some people are like just because they were beaten down as children or because their parents didn’t raise their voices or because they have some particular metabolism or personality, or they are afraid of people, God doesn’t get the glory for any of that, does He?  So, that can’t be meekness. 

I love to look at secular definitions of Biblical terms.  Here’s how a secular dictionary defines meek:  humbly patient or docile, as under provocation from others; overly submissive or compliant; spiritless; tame.  This is what was written about the antonym for the word meek.  Meek means shy or that you don’t stand out.  So, the opposite would probably be out-going, boisterous.  One of the meanings of boisterous is unrestrained – now that would probably be a good definition of the opposite of Biblical meekness.

There’s one more thing I like to do with a secular dictionary.  Many of them show obsolete definitions – definitions that no longer apply.  The “obsolete” definitions tend to be closest to the Biblical definitions.  My dictionary gave these obsolete definitions for the word meek.:. gentle; kind. That definition of meek is considered to be obsolete.

 Since my dictionary used the word docile to describe meekness, I looked that up.  It means:  easily managed or handled, readily trained or taught, teachable.  We are getting closer.

Here’s what my Bible dictionary says about meekness:  putting yourself after others in importance.  A person who is not proud or haughty or self-assertive.  Meekness is power under control. Yielding to the power of someone else.  Right there we can see the difference between worldly meekness and Biblical meekness.  It’s all in who you give the control to.

Consider your life.  We either yield control to someone else, or do what we feel is necessary to keep it for ourselves.  What is your tendency?  Do you give up for the sake of fear, or dread of confrontation or simply to keep someone else happy?  Do you dig your heals in the ground and fight to maintain control yourself?  


Do your reactions reflect your desire to please others or please yourself?  Neither is what God calls us to.  God calls us to please Him; to yield the control to Him.  He has it anyway.  Wisdom is walking in that truth.

What have you learned about Biblical meekness?

Turning Mourning Into Dancing

Matthew 5:4 Blessed are those who mourn, 

for they shall be comforted.

What’s the result of mourning?  Comfort.  The Greek word is parakaleo – the same word used to describe the work of the Holy Spirit -  His ability to come alongside us and touch us where we need it most. We get that when we mourn over our sin.

Paul knew that comfort. Self-righteous Paul finally figured out he was poor in spirit.  But, just like us, he continued to be frustrated over his condition – the condition he described in Romans 7 :  I do what I shouldn’t do and I don’t do what I should (my paraphrase).  He wrote: in my flesh dwells no good thing. O wretched man that I am, who will deliver me from this body of death?  Paul not only realized his spiritual poverty, he mourned over it. But, Paul discovered comfort and he wrote about it as he closed the chapter:  I thank God – through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Through Jesus Christ we can experience the deliverance we so long for and part of that deliverance is deliverance from that awful, awful nagging feeling of guilt that we can’t deny and we can’t stuff and we can’t get rid of on our own.

How do we get it ? I’m not talking about getting comfort here.  We get comfort when we mourn, when we sorrow over our sin.  So, how do we get to the place where we mourn in such a way that we are comforted and not ridden with more guilt and more sorrow?

1.  We ask God to show us how He sees what we have done.

2.  We ask God to reveal and remove the hindrances – hardness of heart, fear, resisting the Holy Spirit, doubt, protective walls – you know what they are if you would slow down enough to let God deal with them.

3.  We confess.  Confession is agreeing with God.  That’s why #1 is so important.

4.  We believe God about what He says He does when we confess.  He forgives us.  He treats us like it didn’t happen.  He restores us.  He gets us going again.

5.  We believe that, as believers, we have the power to move on and stand up against that sin/resist it.We believe that we have been set free.

    Doing these things, believing these things, results in tremendous comfort.

How do you know you don’t have it?  How do you know your mourning is not the kind of sorrow Jesus speaks of here?

1.  Your regret is placed in how the sin has affected you or someone else, rather than how it has affected God.

2.  Your regret is due to the consequences.

3.  You don’t experience God’s comfort. 

You see, mourning the way Jesus speaks of will result in experiencing God’s comfort.  If it doesn’t, it is not conviction of sin that you are experiencing, it is condemnation or guilt.  If we are not experiencing comfort after we have confessed, then what we did was not wrong to God – it’s something we are beating ourselves up for, or we do not believe the price paid on the cross is enough and we still need to feel guilty or punish ourselves.  When we do that, we are saying, we have higher standards than God does.  We are saying we still need to pay – and, listen carefully - we decide (not God) when we have paid enough. If mourning over our sin does not lead to comfort, it is not mourning, but rather paying for our sin.  God never asked us to do that.

Have you learned to mourn over you sin like Paul did?  Then you will rejoice as Paul did and you will thank God for the work of Jesus in your life.  Use the comment section to thank Him for taking all of your guilt and shame (or any thoughts you may have related to today's blog)

Psalm 30:11 You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness. Praise His glorious name.

Love in Jesus,

Cathy

   

His is the Power and the Glory

Today we are going to fast forward through the Sermon on the Mount, to the last phrase of the Lord’s Prayer  - For Yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever.  Yesterday, I was writing the homework for Matthew 6:13, the last verse of the Lord’s Prayer.  As I was looking up verses that described God’s power and glory, I was overwhelmed with a sense of awe of Him and a need to give praise to Him.  I finished the homework around 5:00, grabbed some dinner, changed my clothes and headed to church for our communion and afterglow service. 

As I typically do during the afterglow, I shoot up an arrow prayer to the Lord, telling Him I’m available for whatever He wants to do in me and through me.  Sometimes I think I do that more for me than Him.  It places me in an accountability to obey any words He might have for me.  Last night, I also told the Lord that I was so overwhelmed by the wonder of Him that I really just wanted to praise Him for His power and His glory. 

So, I lifted my voice in song, praising Him.  Our worship leader led us in a song that contained the words “I’m overwhelmed by You”.  Perfect.  Absolutely perfect.  When the song was over, I felt like the Lord wanted me to praise Him out loud in tongues.  I love using my prayer language.  But, for the most part, that’s just what it is – mine.  But, last night, I felt like He wanted me to praise Him so others could hear.  So, I did.  At first there was no interpretation.  Then, as Dale prayed for interpretation, he began praising the Lord for two things – His power and His glory.  Dale had no idea what I had been working on all afternoon. But, when He prayed - wow!  I knew.  The Lord had given Dale the interpretation!  I didn’t know what I had said, but I knew my heart was adoring the Lord for His power and His glory. 

Let’s use the comment section today to post verses about our awesome God.  I'll post one to get us started.  Looking forward to reading the verses that the Lord gives you to share.

Love in Jesus,

cathy

Search Me and Try Me

Matthew 5:4  Blessed are those who mourn,

        For they shall be comforted.

It is Jesus’ desire that we learn to mourn over our sin.  It is Jesus’ desire to comfort us when we do.

David understood this – and so he prayed:  

    Search me, O God, and know my heart;

    Try me, and know my anxieties;

    And see if there is any wicked way in me,

    And lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalm 139:23,24)

Search me, O God.  Will you stop right now and ask God to search you and reveal to you what He sees? It really doesn’t take Him that long.

Now respond to what He has shown you.

That’s it for today.  Just a few words, but if applied, they will have a powerful impact – and comfort – in your life.

Love in Jesus,

cathy

Good Mourning!

Matthew 5:4  Blessed are those who mourn,

  for they shall be comforted.

We will spend the next few days looking at the second beatitude.  This beatitude is linked to the first. We cannot mourn, as Jesus speaks of here, unless we first are poor in spirit.  It is realizing God’s holiness and our lack of it that brings us to that place where we mourn over our sin. 

First – what mourning is not.  It’s not  the definition of mourning that we are most familiar with. Weeping, mourning, and grieving is a part of life.  Everybody, saved and unsaved has experienced it.  Sometimes we mourn over something that has happened to someone else or we mourn over the condition and sins of our nation.  Not much comfort in that, except to know God’s got it all and He knows what He is doing and allowing.

Sometimes we mourn because we can’t have something that we think we should have.  Again, not much comfort in that. In fact, the more we mourn over what we don’t have, the worse we feel.  The mourning that Jesus speaks of here is none of these things.

So, what is it?  What is the mourning that leads to being comforted?  Paul described it.  Let’s look at it.  2 Cor. 7:9-10   Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. [10] For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.

Sorrow, that is godly sorrow, produces repentance.  The repentant heart receives God’s comfort.

It is not those who minimize their sin; it is not those who justify their sin; it is not those who ignore or deny their sin; or put off dealing with their sin, that mourn over their sin.  Therefore, we miss out on God’s blessing, God’s working in our lives, and God’s comfort when we minimize, justify, ignore, deny or put off dealing with our sin. 

What is your tendency?  We all have one.  Do you justify your sin?  Do you ignore it or deny it?  Do you put off dealing with your sin?  Maybe you quickly take the blame to avoid conflict, but you fail to confess your sin before the Lord.  If you asked those closest to you, what would they say?  What do you think you have avoided by not mourning over your sin?

Will you take a moment and bless those who are reading this blog by writing a comment and sharing the blessings you have experienced when you truly mourned over your sin? Let’s encourage one another.  

Love in Jesus,

cathy

God Lifts the Lowly

What is the result of being poor in spirit?  It’s the kingdom of heaven.  Ephesians. 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.

We have access to spiritual blessings – grace, peace, joy, wisdom, power, comfort, purpose - connection to the very throne room of God.  The ability to live in a realm far above and far better than the best of what this world calls happiness.

How do we get it?  First, compare yourself to God and stop comparing yourself to others. That’s all it took for Isaiah.  We have the story in Isaiah 6.  Isaiah saw the Lord sitting on the throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple.  And the seraphim stood above Him and one cried to another and said:  Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts.

And Isaiah said – Woe is me. I love this quote from Martin Lloyd Jones ”If one feels anything in the presence of God save an utter poverty of spirit, it ultimately means that you have never faced Him.”

That’s how Peter got it.  He watched Jesus calm the storm.  Peter’s response Luke 5:8 ^… he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!" Peter’s a great example, because Peter’s response shows us that this realization is not just a one-time thing.  How many times did Peter take his eyes off Jesus and look to himself?  We are like Peter.  We need to be looking at the face of God constantly.

Secondly, ask God to show you your pride.  Remember David’s prayer in Psalm 139:23-24 Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; [24] And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.

One of the most wicked ways we can have in us is pride.  I found 92 verses in the Bible that address how much God hates pride. James 4:6 … "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble." 

Thirdly, pray.  Pray for mercy.  It’s a reminder that we need it.  The publican prayed Lord be merciful to me a sinner.  Jesus said, this man went home justified.  That’s God’s response to our confession of our need for mercy.

Isaiah 66:2 ...  "But on this one will I look:   On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit,  And who trembles at My word.

Psalm 34:18  The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit.

Isaiah 57:15  For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy,  "I dwell in the high and holy place, With him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble,   And to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

Self-confident?  Do you think you deserve the privileges of the kingdom?  Feeling sorry for yourself?  Feeling like you have rights or you deserve better?  Thinking that life is not fair?

If so, you are missing out on kingdom living.  Go back to step #1 and discover that God’s kingdom is far better than anything you think you have been shorted in this life.   

God’s touch upon your life is best.  Enjoy Him.

Love in Jesus,

cathy

Challenged to Depend

I will readily admit that I am poor in directions; I am directionally challenged.  I can remember the street address of a house easily, but I can’t find my way to it.  To add to that, I don’t like the feeling of being controlled.  So, I have fought the idea of getting any gps navigation system where some voice tells me when to turn and where to go.  But, it is free with my new phone.  So, I thought I would try it out – and you know what?  I am living in the blessings of directional freedom.  Now, admittedly, my navigator is not 100% accurate like God is. But I trust it anyway.  I’ve come to realize that given the odds, I have a better change getting to my destination using the navigator than I do without it. The pressure to find my way has been just about eliminated and I am so much more relaxed.  This thing that tells me what to do has not brought bondage into my life, it’s brought freedom.  I have the right or power to ignore it if I want to, but that’s when I get in trouble.  There is true freedom and liberty in obeying its commands.  I type in my goal and then I do what it says.  If I’m told to turn, I turn.  If I’m told to take a street that doesn’t make sense to me, I do it anyway.

And in just a few weeks, it has shown me ways to get to places that are different than the ways I have always gone – and theyr’e better.  So, when it says to take a way that isn’t the way I have gone before, I do it, and I find its way is better.  I’ve always taken Mission Gorge to go to Kaiser’s Zion Hospital.  Maybe you have too – and you have stopped at red light after red light after red light.  My navigator told me to take Waring Road – it’s better and faster!  What do I do now?  Do I try to figure it out myself and then when I get lost turn on the navigator?  No.  I’ve learned to admit the navigator knows best.  So, I seek it first.

That’s recognizing that I am poor in directions.  Poor in spirit is much the same.  Only the One we depend on has absolutely precision directions.  Remember the rich young ruler who wanted eternal life, but not at the expense of giving up his riches?  Jesus spoke of how hard it is for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.  Well, for those of you who seem to be able to make it through life fairly well, you are challenged in much the same way.  You have understanding that is pretty good. So like the rich young ruler, you lean on what you have, rather than God.

You see, as women, we sometimes don’t understand why guys won’t admit that they don’t know where they are going, and certainly won’t admit that there might be a better way.  But, we reveal our poverty of spirit every morning when we don’t start out seeking the Lord in prayer.  That reveals that we think we can handle the course of the day in our own strength using our own personal resources of wisdom and understanding and common sense.  Ever think about that phrase, “common sense”?  It’s too often just that – common – what anybody would do, but not necessarily what God would do.  Do you really want to settle for common sense when you could have the wisdom of the Creator?  The poor in spirit get that.

..I can’t do anything              I can do all things through Christ                                Philippians 4:13

..I am weak                            His strength is made perfect in my weakness         2 Corinthians 12:9

..I lack wisdom                       He gives wisdom liberally to me when I ask In faith             James 1:5
We can’t lay hold of His enabling, His strength or His wisdom without first admitting our need for them.  What a glorious privilege only the poor in spirit have. 

Please be encouraged to share your comments.

Love in Jesus,

cathy