The beatitudes (3)

The Beatitudes Part 3

Matthew 5:3 NLT

3 “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

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Those who mourn

Matthew 5:4 NLT

4 God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

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The meek

Matthew 5:5 NLT

5 God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth.

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Those who hunger after righteousness

Matthew 5:6 NLT

6 God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied.

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The merciful

Matthew 5:7 NLT

7 God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

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The pure in heart

Matthew 5:8 NLT

8 God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God.

Matthew 5:8 The Message

8 “You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.

Matthew 5:8

Isn’t that interesting that so many people didn’t have time for the Lord?

I was telling you all a few weeks ago when we meet how I was just desiring God more then anything else right now!

You must walk uprightly with God, the pure in heart desire God more then anything else.

You must walk uprightly with God, the pure in heart desire God more then anything else.

Psalm 24:3–5 CEB

3 Who can ascend the Lord’s mountain? Who can stand in his holy sanctuary? 4 Only the one with clean hands and a pure heart; the one who hasn’t made false promises, the one who hasn’t sworn dishonestly. 5 That kind of person receives blessings from the Lord and righteousness from the God who saves.

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Psalm 73:1 NLT

1 Truly God is good to Israel, to those whose hearts are pure.

Psalm 51:10 NLT

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me.

Psalm

Psalm 24

Psalm

John 3:2–3 NLT

2 After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. “Rabbi,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.” 3 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”

John

1 John 3:1–3 NLT

1 See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him. 2 Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. 3 And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure.

1 John 3:

Question - Are you eager to see Christ? Are you doing what needs to be done to keep yourself pure?

Swindoll’s Ultimate Book of Illustrations & Quotes Sin

A certain man wanted to sell his house in Haiti for $2,000. Another man wanted to buy it, but because he was poor, he couldn’t afford the full price. After much bargaining, the owner agreed to sell the house for half the original price with just one stipulation: he would retain ownership of one small nail protruding from just over the door.

After several years, the original owner wanted the house back, but the new owner was unwilling to sell. So the first owner went out, found the carcass of a dead dog, and hung it from the single nail he still owned. Soon the house became unlivable, and the family was forced to sell the house to the owner of the nail.

The moral of the parable is, “If we leave the devil with even one small peg in our life, he will return to hang his rotting garbage on it, making it unfit for Christ’s habitation.”

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Want more of God chase after Him not the things of this world, but the things outside of this world, what are those things? Heavenly things! Meekness, Humility and a love for God like you’ve never had before. Amen!

The peacemakers

Matthew 5:9 NLT

9 God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.

Romans 12:18 NLT

18 Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.

Search for ways to be at peace with those who are pushing you past your limit.

Romans 12:18

2 Timothy 2:22 NLT

22 Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts.

In order to witness to the lost, learn to love the limited.

2 Timothy

Romans 14:19 NLT

19 So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up.

Roman 14:19

None of us are perfect in the church we are all flawed we are all limited, but yet we all need each other. Understand through this crisis the church is going to respond one of two ways with open arms and the love of our father, or closed doors with sealed hearts. This is our time to allow the world to see who Christ really is and who is has called us to be. Open your hearts open your arms. Allow the world to see the love of God in you.

James 3:17–18 NCV

17 But the wisdom that comes from God is first of all pure, then peaceful, gentle, and easy to please. This wisdom is always ready to help those who are troubled and to do good for others. It is always fair and honest. 18 People who work for peace in a peaceful way plant a good crop of right-living.

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1500 Illustrations for Biblical Preaching Peace

There is a painting titled “Peace.” It depicts waves crashing against the jagged rocks. It portrays the violence of a crushing storm. It seems anything but peaceful. But down in a small corner of the painting, tucked away in the rocks, is a little bird sitting on her nest totally oblivious to the raging storm all about. That is peace.956

The righteous who suffer persecution

Matthew 5:10–12 NLT

10 God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. 11 “God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. 12 Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.

Diamonds are not made without pressure, saints are not made without persecution to purify the heart.

1 Peter 3:14 NLT

14 But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats.

James 1:12 NLT

12 God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

1 Peter

1 Peter 3:17 NLT

17 Remember, it is better to suffer for doing good, if that is what God wants, than to suffer for doing wrong!

You cannot get the prize without get into the ring and going through the fight.

John 15:18–21 NLT

18 “If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. 19 The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you. 20 Do you remember what I told you? ‘A slave is not greater than the master.’ Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you. And if they had listened to me, they would listen to you. 21 They will do all this to you because of me, for they have rejected the one who sent me.

2 Timothy 3:10–12 NLT

10 But you, Timothy, certainly know what I teach, and how I live, and what my purpose in life is. You know my faith, my patience, my love, and my endurance. 11 You know how much persecution and suffering I have endured. You know all about how I was persecuted in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra—but the Lord rescued me from all of it. 12 Yes, and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

1 Peter 4:12–16 NLT

12 Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. 13 Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world. 14 If you are insulted because you bear the name of Christ, you will be blessed, for the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you. 15 If you suffer, however, it must not be for murder, stealing, making trouble, or prying into other people’s affairs. 16 But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name!

1 Peter

1 Peter

2 timothy 3:10

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Swindoll’s Ultimate Book of Illustrations & Quotes Trials

When I see the magnificent Golden Gate Bridge, I remember that an engineer must take into account three loads, or stresses, while designing bridges. These are: the dead load, the live load, and the wind load.

The dead load is the weight of the bridge itself. The live load is the weight of the daily traffic that the bridge must carry. The wind load is the pressure of the storms that beat on the bridge. The designer plans for bracings that will enable the bridge to bear all these loads.

In our lives, too, we need bracings which make it possible to carry the dead load of self, the live load of daily living, and the wind load of emergencies. When we place our trust in Christ, He gives us the strength we need to withstand these various stresses. He thus gives our lives usefulness, stability, and durability.

Listen as we close I want to encourage you all to look to God in these times, He has not forgotten us, He has not forsaken us and I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that He still loves us and will take care of us through this time. Amen!

Let’s Pray