The Beatitudes
5 And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. 2 Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
For they shall be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek,
For they shall inherit the [a]earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
For they shall be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
For they shall obtain mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
For they shall see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
For they shall be called sons of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Believers Are Salt and Light
13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.
14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
The Pharisees taught that righteousness was external, a matter of obeying rules and regulations. Righteousness could be measured by praying, giving, fasting, serving and so forth. In the Beatitudes and the pictures of the believer, Jesus described Christian character that flowed from within.
Mt 5:2–10, The main theme in the Sermon on the Mount is true righteousness. The religious leaders had an artificial, external righteousness based on law. But the righteousness Jesus described was a true and vital righteousness that begins internally, in the heart. The Pharisees were concerned about the minute details of conduct, but they were neglecting the major matter of character. Conduct flows out of character.
to be “poor” or “poor in spirit” means to be humble, to have a correct estimate of oneself (Rom. 12:3). It does not mean to be poor-spirited and have no backbone at all. It is honesty with ourselves: We know ourselves, accept ourselves, and try to be ourselves to the glory of God.
Source: NKJV Wiersbe Study Bible. Copyright © 2021 by Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.
The bible is so encouraging, it is filled with precious promises, all of God’s promises are Yes and Amen, and the bible shows and teaches us about the character of God. May we behold His glory, may we know Him and know His heart, and make Him known. He has great plans for our children and us. No matter what our children face in life our Great God has a great plan, every hurt, trial, tribulation, set back, mistake it is teaching them, equipping them, because we know in Romans 8:28, for it is written, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose”. God has a purpose and calling for the lives of our children, and may our children answer the call and live lives that bring glory, honor, and praise. Let us encourage our children, build them up by speaking the truth in love, and bless them with the power of our words, that they may be filled with the Holy Spirit’s power. May we ask the Lord to give us wisdom, knowledge, understanding and words that edify, uplift, speak life, and build up because wisdom is always building. If God is for us, who can be against us? We know overwhelming victory is ours in Christ Jesus. We walk by faith and not by sight. With God all things are possible.
Let’s Pray,
Heavenly Father, we thank You that we can come to You boldly and bring our sons and daughters to Your throne of grace and find mercy and help in times of need. Please continue to do Your mighty work in our own lives, Shepard our hearts so that we can minister to the needs of our children. Soften our children’s hearts, strengthen them in the inner man, and may their Character reflect who You are, may they grow in Christ-likeness, by grace and all by the working of the Holy Spirit. Please give them the character of the beatitudes, the hidden person of the heart. Please do what only You can do in their lives: give them hearts of forgiveness and repentance, so that their whole hearts will be captivated by You, be the joy of their hearts and their true delight. Lavish them with Your great love and fill them with Your presence. Please, remove any legalism from their lives and from ours because legalism never brings joy; it brings chains and destruction. Please let the Words of Christ dwell in our sons and daughters richly. Help them stand strong and be content in who You created them to be; may their identity be rooted in You. Help them to never want to fit in with the crowd, to be people-pleasers, or live for the approval of others. Remind them to seek praise from You, Your approval (they are approved by God), and may they live to please You. May Your mighty power go before them. Destroy every plot and plan of the enemy. Hide our children in the shadow of Your wings, protect them from the evil one. Give them Your power to submit to God, resist the devil, and he will flee, in the mighty name of Jesus and by the power of His blood. We plead the blood of Jesus over our children. They are Yours, and we dedicate their whole lives to You, for Your glory and honor. We love You so much and thank You. You are Holy and Mighty and Glorious. We pray in Jesus Name. Amen.
“Prayer should not be regarded as a duty which must be performed, but rather as a privilege to be enjoyed, a rare delight that is always revealing some new beauty.” – E.M. Bounds