Prayer I

The next portion of Scripture is a little long, so I will separate it into two different sections. The first section will be similar to the former section of charitable deeds; a do and don't do list. The second section will be focused on what has been labeled as "The Lord's Prayer".

So the first section is like unto the first portion of chapter six. Jesus takes the idea of what spirituality was at that time and instructs the disciples in the correct form. Up until this time, all the people had to go on were the impossible examples of the spiritual leaders. The thing about Jesus is that He takes the impossible and makes it very possible for the "normal" man. Every spiritual leader began just where I did. Nothing in them makes them a better Christian than I. If they did it then so can I. Jesus makes it possible.

"And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly I say to you, they have their reward." Matthew 6:5, NKJV

Again, Jesus likens the spiritual leaders to a hypocrite. They want to be seen as spiritual. I cannot lie, I have been in this place before. I wanted to be the guy that everyone said, "Oh look at him." "Look how spiritual he is." But then I would have already reaped my reward. The reward here is the same as it is in the first part of chapter 6, a nice pat on the back from your fellow man.

"But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly." Matthew 6:6, NKJV

We, as Christians, are instructed to go into a secluded place to pray. Think of it like this. when you are having an intimate conversation with someone, where are you located? Just say that it is your wife and you want to talk to her about problems in your marriage. Would you talk to her about it in the middle of the room or on a crowded street corner? Of course not. The same thing goes with our Lord. He desires us to have an intimate conversation with Him. The intimacy is cut down when we can be distracted. No one needs to know the intimate places of your heart except the Lord. The reward you receive for praying in private will be greater than just a simple pat on the back.

"And when you pray, do not use vain repetition as the heathen do. For they think they will be heard for their many words." Matthew 6:7, NKJV

This is the first time I will talk of any other religion other than my own belief system. The Catholics, I feel, practice prayer in this fashion. In the next part of this portion of Scripture, we will be covering the Lord's prayer. However, it is not the Lord prayer. He stated when you pray, pray like this. It was merely a model for us to go by which will be covered in the next installment of this blog. When one goes to confession in a Catholic church you are given "x" amount of "Hail Mary's" and an "x" amount of "Our Father's". Does this mean that all Catholics are heathens? No.

"Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him." Matthew 6:8, NKJV

What the Lord is conveying here is a spiritual truth. There is no need for you to pray out in public loudly for all to hear you. There is also no need to use repetition when you pray. Prayer needs to be a nice conversation with you Father.

The Lord knows what we need even before we ask. So why even ask? What is the point of prayer if He already knows? Good question. The Lord wants us to ask because He wants us to acknowledge the fact that He knows. Later in chapter 7, the Lord will cover asking and seeking and knocking.

Prayer is our intimate time with the Lord. It is the time when we open our hearts to him and give Him all our cares and worries and desires and needs. If you spent the better part of your time with your best friend just being silent, where would the friendship go. It is all about communication.

Quiet Charity

Chapter 5 of Matthew was all about your physical relationship to man. In this chapter of Matthew, we begin the subject of our relationship with God. The first set of verses deals with charitable deeds. It seems that in our world, when a man does a good deed, he wishes all to see. Just look at important buildings that are named after the chief contributors. Can you imagine going to an institution and studying in "Foster Hall"?

Jesus had a lot to say about charitable deeds. Realize as well, that the original language deals with the giving of alms or offerings of monetary value.

"Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from our Father in heaven." Matthew 6:1, NKJV

Jesus begins chapter 6 by subtly speaking about rewards. Jesus never encourages not to do good deeds in front of other people, what He states focuses on is the intent of the heart. We as human beings long to be recognized. What better way to be recognized than for philanthropy? There is a consequence to exposed philanthropy, our reward in heaven is lost. Go desires to bless His children for their good deeds, but if we do them to receive a temporary pat on the back then our reward is fleeting.

"Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward." Matthew 6:2, NKJV

Whether or not the rich of Jesus' time actually had trumpet players going before them is still a bit of speculation. It could be that the Lord was just using very strong language to portray a very real truth. There was something to be said concerning this issue later in Jesus' ministry. In the Gospels of Mark 12 and Luke 21, a widow drops two mites into the offering. Without the disciples even asking Jesus immediately taught them saying, "Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; for all these out of their abundance have put in an offering for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood she had." (Luke 21:3-4, NKJV) It is without a doubt that the widow gave up her two mites quietly, but Jesus rewarded her openly. Had she announced her deed, no doubt she would have been ridiculed. Where would her reward be then? It would definitely be lost.

"But when you do a charitable deed, do not know what your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly." Matthew 6:3-4, NKJV

The idea that Jesus is trying to portray is plain, do it in secret. It is virtually impossible to not allow your left hand to know what the right one is doing. Just do what you do in secret, because the Lord sees and He wants to openly reward you. Can you imagine the Creator of the universe sitting on the edge of His seat waiting to bless you? He sees everything done in secret and He rewards openly.

Loving the Unloveable

Matthew 5:38-42 was already discussed earlier due to a friend needing some advice. It can be found under the entry "To Coin a Phrase". So we will naturally move along with Matthew chapter 5 and end it today.

"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself and hate your enemy.'" Matthew 5:43, NKJV

This particular passage of Scripture is interesting. Jesus pulls from two different places in the Old Testament. This is not to say that He was trying to misquote the Law, rather He was pulling from their own experience. The Jewish community had been inundated with the Law from a very early age. Jesus was merely coming to a place where they would understand Him. That is what He has been doing all this time.

The first of the two passages is Leviticus 19:18, "You shall take no vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord." And the second verse is found in Deuteronomy 23:3-6. For the sake of just wanting to make a point I will just quote verse 6, "You shall not seek their peace not their prosperity all your days forever." This verse was speaking of the Ammonite and the Moabite, enemies of Israel. As a whole, this collection of verses fro Deuteronomy dealt with those excluded from the congregation of the Lord.

Do you see what the Law had done. It had caused a rift between the Jew and the Gentile. Jesus did not come to destroy but to fulfill. If He fulfilled these verses then all who are not Jewish would be in trouble. So what is Jesus doing? He had come to the earth to fulfill the heart of God. the heart of God is this, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved." (John 3:16-17, NKJV)

Was Jesus contradicting the Law. No. The Law was implemented for the Jew. Jesus is speaking to His disciples, He is speaking of a better way. What is the better way?

"But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust." Matthew 5:44-45, NKJV

Hard words for anyone to swallow. The idea of self preservation is the same today as it was yesterday and in the days of Jesus. The world teaches to get back at whoever gets you. Jesus teaches blessing for cursing, good for hate, prayer for persecution. As children, we begin to emulate what our fathers are. Imitation is the highest form of flattery. But these new ideas are for the purpose of being called sons (and daughters) of our Father in heaven. Did you catch verse 45? He makes the sun rise on the good and evil and rains on the just and the unjust. Just because a person in evil, the sun still rises for them. Just because a man is just, it still rains on him. We are to have the same attitude with our love and forgiveness for the evil and the unjust.

"For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your bretheren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even tax collectors do so?" Matthew 5:46-47, NKJV

Jesus does something very interesting here, He clumps everyone together with the tax collectors. The tax collector was considered a traitor to his people, working for the Roman government. Things that they did on an everyday basis the tax collectors did as well. Even today for us, those in the IRS do the same thing; they greet their bretheren and love those who love them. Jesus encourages us to go above and beyond, love the unlovable. Through ourselves, we need to allow His Son to rise on the good and the evil and allow His blessings, through us, to rain on the just and the just and the unjust.

To what end?

"Therefore you shall be perfect just as your Father in heaven is perfect." Matthew 5:48, NKJV

We strive for perfection on a daily basis. Whether it be in our work, or in our home or in our walk, perfection is an idea that we constantly go after. Some are admitted perfectionists, others deny it. Either way, everyone takes steps toward that idea everyday. The perfection that Jesus is speaking of is very different. This word "perfect" is the Greek word "teleios" which is used to describe a mechanism which was missing no parts.

Was the idea of being good to the evil the way to perfection? I do not think so. I think that Jesus is referring to the entirety of chapter 5. If man implements the ideas that Jesus has brought forth in chapter 5 perfection will come closer for him. It is not just one thing that brings about perfection in our lives, it is an entire lifestyle. If there was just one thing to do, than everyone could attain perfection. Not all can live the lifestyle that we are called to.

Oaths

The next thing that Jesus comments on is the giving of oaths. Oaths are an invention of man. Place your hand on the Bible; "I swear on my mother's grave". What good is an oath. An oath cannot bind you to tell the truth. An oath cannot compel you to say what is truth. So what does the Lord say about taking oaths:

"Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.'" Matthew 5:33, NKJV

The idea of swearing (as in oath) is referenced 37 times in the Old Testament. However, only one time is it referenced as a Law. In the book of Leviticus 19:12 it states, "And you shall not swear by My name falsely, nor shall you profane the name of your God: I am the Lord." Swearing between two humans is something of an invention of man. It has translated out even in our time today. The minute we write a check, we are swearing an oath that the money is in the account, instead of having the cash on hand.

But Jesus does not agree with the idea of swearing. The only reason why I say that the giving of oaths is a man made invention is because Jesus contradicts it. During the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus never contradicts the word of God, He only amplifies it. Here He does away with the idea of giving an oath. Also remember, that Jesus is speaking with His disciples, not the world at large. The giving of oaths between brothers is not recommended by our Lord.

"But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God's throne; nor by the earth for it is God's footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black." Matthew 5:34-36, NKJV

He covers all the bases. Do not swear at all. Do nat swear on anything. So if we cannot swear, what can we do?

"But let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No' be 'No.' For whatever is more than these is from the evil one." Matthew 5:37, NKJV

What a concept. Just allow what you say to be the truth. I don't know about you, but I cannot stand when I am speaking with someone and they have to suffix their statements with something like, "You can trust me," or "That's the God's honest truth." If it is the truth then why the extra effort to try and convince me? Our words should be the truth no matter what. As we develop relationships, this will become evident with our friends and with our families and even in the work place. The truth constantly run from your lips and no one will question you, because you have given them no reason to.

Marriage is Sacred

The marriage is a great physical picture for us to understand the spiritual relationship we have with the Lord. A husband cares for his wife, he prepares a place for her, she wants for nothing that she needs. Christ has done, is doing and will do the same for His church, His bride.

Jesus goes back again to the Law that the Jew knew. The Law was very easy to understand on the surface. Do not murder. That is easy. Dot not commit adultery. Check, I haven't ever cheated on my wife. But Jesus took it a step further. It was now an issue of the heart. If you hate you have committed murder. Oops! Guilty! If you lust you have already committed adultery. Again, guilty!

But the portion of Law that Jesus went to was concerning divorce.

"Furthermore it has been said, 'Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.'" Matthew 5:31, NKJV

Very easy. If one wants to divorce, get a divorce certificate. Simple enough. But no. The Lord says that there is something deeper.

"But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery." Matthew 5:32, NKJV

So if the end result of a divorce causes adultery, why was it prescribed in the Law? Let us first go to Matthew 19, where Jesus discusses divorce with a Pharisee.

"The Pharisees also came to Him, testing Him, and saying to Him, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?" Matthew 19:3, NKJV

It is an honest question. It is possible that the Pharisees had heard the teaching from Matthew chapter 5 and wanted to trap Jesus, simply because Jesus questioned the Law. So after a time they came to Him to test Him. Jesus answers:

"And He answered and said to them, 'Have you not heard that He who made them at the beginning "made them male and female", and said, "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife and the two shall become one flesh"? So then they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no man separate.'" Matthew 19:4-6, NKJV

When in doubt, go back to the beginning; go back to the Bible. The Lord is our ultimate example and instead of using His own words (I know that sounds weird) He went to Bible to back up what was being said. The the Pharisees came back with another question:

"They said to Him, 'Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce and to put her away?'" Matthew 19:7, NKJV

Jesus again has the answer, and we will have ours as well.

"He said to them, 'Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.'" Matthew 19:8, NKJV

This is their answer, Moses allowed it because of hardness of heart. This is our answer, Moses allowed it. Divorce was not written into the Law of God. This was not a part of God's plan from the beginning as Jesus pointed out. Jesus even visits a point that I have been trying to make since I began this study. Everything starts in the heart, murder and adultery were just the first two instances. But divorce was invented by man to deal with the hardness of heart. Later in the Jewish history, the Lord uses this same system to deal with the Jews. He divorces them. they become a product of their own hardness.

"Then I saw that for all the causes for which backsliding Israel had committed adultery, I had put her away and given her a certificate of divorce..." Jeremiah 3:8, NKJV

Even in this divorce, the Lord waits. He is patient, He waits for his beloved wife. But she commits adultery. Even the Lord waited for the event of adultery to divorce. Yes Israel was hard of hear and unloving toward their God. But He always loved them. It was adultery that separated them. Even in the divorce, God did not remarry, He did not find another wife. He waited for Israel to come back to him. Divorce was not the intent of God when he created man. From the beginning the Lord intended for a marriage to be for a lifetime.

Adulterous Heart

They say that the window to the soul is through the eyes. What would a man's soul consist of if all he saw was lust? Jesus dealt with this very issue next:

"You have heard it said to those of old, 'You shall not commit adultery.'" Matthew 5:27, NKJV

Jesus quotes the Ten Commandments again. He always seems to go to a place that is familiar to man (or at least the men of this time). Jesus goes to the Ten Commandments not to redefine, but to rather help us better understand the heart of God. The commandment is pretty cut and dry, there is no question that the Jew, or the born again believer, should not commit adultery.

Jesus gives us a closer look at the heart of God:

"But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart." Matthew 5:28, NKJV

The things that the Lord tells us in the Sermon on the Mount, challenge our walk with the Lord. Do not even look at a woman with lust. The mind and heart has a tendency to absorb all that they eyes view. Just think of it like a television. It's about six in the evening and a commercial for McDonald's comes on. Your stomach starts to growl and you get something to eat. The commercial is specifically designed to trigger hunger. Lust and sex are the same way. You lust after a woman, your mind begins to play out scenarios of you and her together. Tell me that I am wrong.

There is a solution, however.

"If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members should perish than for your whole body to be cast into hell." Matthew 5:29-30, NKJV

The perfect solution is to pluck and cut. These are very interesting words that the Lord uses. Pluck has the idea to "be plucked" as well as to "deliver or rescue". And the word cut can of course mean "to cut" but it can also be used in metaphor "to cut off occasion". Jesus did not literally mean to pluck out the eyes or to cut off the hands. The idea is to remove oneself from that situation. If lust is a problem for yourself, do not go to the beach where girls wear small bikinis or walk into a liquor store that sells pornographic material.

It is great to be accountable, but what happens if you do not have that accountability? Who is going to rescue you? You! You must be the one to pluck your own eye out. You must be the one to cut your own hand off.

There are ways to avoid these situations. Do not go where you know that sin will be. Also, read your Bible and pray everyday. The mind and heart tend to absorb whatever the eyes look at. If you read everyday, you will become more Christ minded.

Murder in the Heart

Christ stated in the last devotion, that He was the fulfillment of the Law. As the fulfillment of the Law, He has the authority to define the Law. Up until this dissertation, man had defined the Law as they saw fit. What may have started as a whole-hearted commitment, became a podium for the pious. The religious authority of the time had made the Law into a shield for them to hide behind; they had made it a cloak to display themselves; they made it shoes so as to trod over the poor and weak. Jesus came to define the Law as God wrote it. Jesus came to show the heart of the Law.

"You have heard it said to those of old, "You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of judgement." Matthew 5:21, NKJV

The Lord saw fit to begin this portion of Scripture with one law in particular. You shall not murder. This verse is taken from Exodus 20:13 and Deuteronomy 5:17. In neither of these two scriptures is the second half of Matthew 5:21 found. "Whoever murders will be in danger of judgement," was not a part of the original text. It seems that the religious elders had added to the law. It was always known that if one of the Ten Commandments was broken, judgement would be upon the perpetrator. It seems that "it thus became...a proverb among men than an inspired utterance from the mouth of God." (Spurgeon) The heart of the matter had been lost.

Jesus then went on to disclose the heart of God:

"But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without cause shall be in danger of judgement." Matthew 5:22a, NKJV

The heart of the matter is the matter of the heart. Anger to the Lord is just as severe as murder. The anger, though is "without cause". Unbridled anger comes from a deep recess in the heart. Just the simple action of anger without cause is enough to warrant judgement from the Lord, it is just like murder.

"And whoever says to his brother, 'Raca!' shall be in danger of the council." Matthew 5:22b, NKJV

Raca was a term of reproach during the time of Christ. Raca "kills someone in reputation." (Spureon) It meant empty-headed, or stupid, or senseless. The term "council" could be in reference to the Sanhedrin, a council of 70 members. All the important causes were brought before this religious council to adjudicate.

"But whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of hell fire." Matthew 5:22c, NKJV

This seems to be the harshest of all for the Lord. To call someone a fool is to be in danger of hell fire. "The fool has said in his heart there is no God." (Psalm 14:1) What is it about calling a person a fool that causes the Lord to want to judge by hell fire? I do not think the actual words are the issue, but the intention of the heart. Do you see the natural progression?

What the Law was truly saying , "[one is] also required to refrain from anger." (J. Dwight Pentecost) Anger has the ability to take deep root in the heart and come to fruition as anger.

"Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled with your brother, and then come offer your gift. Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on your way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny." Matthew 5:23-26, NKJV

The idea here is to deal with the the seeds of murder. Deal with the issue before it becomes an issue. Any type of wall between you and your brother causes there to be a wall between you and your Savior.

Jesus then takes it a step further and brings it to an earthly level. If the laymen could not understand the piety of the law, then they would understand something else, something of a social order. Jesus likens the ought with your brother to ought with your adversary. If you do not deal with your adversary, then he will deal with you. You will be turned over and imprisoned and not get out until the debt is repaid. How are you to repay it, who will pay it for you? Therefore, take care of the issue before it becomes the issue.

The Law & Prophets

It is interesting that the Lord decided to begin the greatest dissertation with the Beatitudes then go on to compare us to salt and light. It is as if He is preparing the heart of the believer. Before any strong structure is built, a foundation must be laid.

After the Beatitudes and the comparison, the Lord qualifies His purposes. He did not come to abolish but to fulfill. This makes me think that He had already had some run ins with the Pharisees and the Scribes, for He specifically calls them out in tis next portion of Scripture.

"Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill. For I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass away from the Law, until all in accomplished." Matthew 5:17, 18 NIV

The reason why I prefaced this portion of Scripture with the idea that Jesus had already had some run ins with the Scribes and Pharisees is that He begins with speaking about fulfillment and abolishment. "I did not come to destroy, but to fulfill." Jesus came to this earth to show us a better way. Jesus came to this heart to show us the heart of God. Jesus is the actual, physical manifestation of that fulfillment.

Heaven and earth will not pass away, nor will the smallest letter or stroke pass away. We may remember this passage using the term "jot or tittle." Jesus was speaking of the actual written law. The "jot" is the smallest Hebrew letter, it is the tenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet. It is interesting the the number ten just so happens to be the number of testimony. The "tittle" is a small accent mark. What the Lord is trying to convey here is that the Law and the Prophets were made for a specific purpose: fulfillment. It is not over till everything is fulfilled.

"Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and so teaches others, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say to you, that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:19, 20 NIV

There is a problem in our society of finding loop holes in the law. A burglar can sue after breaking his ankle on the "unsafe" property he was burglarizing. A woman can sue a large chain for burning herself on coffee because she was not warned. In today's day and age, the criminal seems to have more rights than the victim. It is because there is perversion of the law. The same was the case is Jesus' time. The Scribes and Pharisees would pervert the Law. Their perversion, however, was so subtle and deceptive, because it came down to a matter of the heart. "Not birth, or knowledge, or success will make a man great; but humble and precious obedience, both in word and deed." (Spurgeon)

What the Lord is going to reveal during the Sermon on the Mount, is that it is a matter of the heart. He will give the disciples a Law, then reveal the heart of God behind the Law. The heart of God does not abolish or change the Law, rather it gives us the understanding that it is more than just outward obedience, but inward control as well. The Law of God deals with the outward. The Pharisees saw this and capitalized on that. But the Law of God was written to deal with the inward man, the man that only God can see. That is the righteousness that the Lord is speaking of. The righteousness of the heart of the disciple. If that righteousness was to exceed that of the Scribes and Pharisees, then entrance was going to be granted.

For the rest of the Sermon of the Mount, Jesus will be dealing with the heart. "Unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Scribes and Pharisees." I love how the Lord tells us what we need to do, then He shows us how to do it. He does not throw us into the deep end of a pool and expect us to swim. He rather takes our hand in the shallow end, lies us on His fore arms and teaches us how to kick and stroke.

Who Turned on the Lights?

After we are compared to salt, Jesus compares us to light. Remember, salt is in reference to physical and light is in reference to the spiritual.

"You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but in a lamp stand, and it gives light to the whole house. Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:14-16, NKJV

We are the light of the world. First I want to talk about two characteristics of light:

• Light causes one to see
• Light travels in a straight line.

Are these characteristics that I have in my own life? Do I cause people to see? Do I travel in a straight line? To have the ability to cause sight. What an amazing responsibility that the Lord has bestowed upon us, that we should be His ambassadors to the world.

Jesus also describes to relevant things that the Jew would understand at that time. Even now the imagery is applicable. He stated that a city on a hill cannot be hidden. Why would He go into imagery of a city after calling us light? "God intends His grace to be as conspicuous as a city built on the mountain's brow." (Spurgeon) Jerusalem is a city built on a hill. That is why everyone goes "up" to Jerusalem. Even today it is still a subject of contention for the world. A city is also a place of refuge. With light comes warmth and shelter. When we are the light of the world we are to that conspicuous for all to see and come running for that comfort and shelter.

Again He states that no one lights a lamp just to put it under a basket. Too many Christians get "fire insurance" today. They become born again believers and that is all that consists of their walk. The fire is light deep inside of them, then they cover themselves up never to share their faith. The purpose of lighting a lamp is to provide light for all that are in the room.

What imagery the Lord uses when talking about His children. We are the light of the world. This word light is used somewhere else in the Bible. In Matthew 17:1-2 Jesus takes Peter, James and John up onto the Mount of Transfiguration where "His face shone like the sun, and HIs clothes became white as light." That word light is the same word used here in the text we are reading today. So let your light shine, so let your Christ-likeness shine.

Please Pass the Salt

After the Lord lists the Beatitudes, He then goes onto speak about being the salt of the earth. Not only that, but He also goes on to liken the Christian to light. It is interesting how He chooses these two different things to describe the Christian. Salt is very tangible, it is used frequently in today's world and it was very relevant in Jesus' time. Light is not quite so tangible, however, it is used by everybody in many different ways. Two different things to describe the Christian; one for the physical and one for the spiritual.

"You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt looses its flavor, how then will it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men." Matthew 5:13, NKJV

Salt. Why salt? If you don't know, there are many different attributes for salt:

• salt seasons whatever it touches. As Christians, we have the opportunity and the duty to season that which we come into contact with.
• salt preserves. In Jesus' time, salt was used as a preservative for meat. It is still used toady for the same purpose. Imagine, salt halts decay. to put it forth in a spiritual aspect, we have the ability to offer the world life, preservation.
• salt melts ice. the hardened and cold heart of the world needs to be melted. Have you ever seen anyone walking around with saltpeter throwing it onto sidewalks. This is used to melt the ice that is on the pathway to insure safety. We need to offer that safety to those around us.
• salt produces thirst. After eating salt popcorn at a movie, I always need a big swig of soda. I know I should go for the water, but I have y vices to contend with. Salt produces thirst. For a person with a parched soul, who better to quench that thirst that the Holy Spirit?
• salt has value. In Jesus' time a lot of Roman soldiers were paid in salt. The word salary is actually derived from a Latin word: salarium. Salrium means salt money. What value have you in the eyes of those around you?

If this is lost, if we loose our flavor, what then? In the King James the wording is different: "...if the salt have lost its savour..." That word savour is an interesting word. This term can actually mean "to become foolish or act foolish." Things are making sense now. If we as Christians become foolish and do foolish how do we get our seasoning back?

to become foolish like the world is to become flat and tasteless to those around us. We are no good, useless. There is no apparent need for the foolish Christian. What then?

We are then cast out to be trodden underfoot by men. The words cast out have a meaning that you may not have expected. To be cast out means, "to throw or let go of a thing without caring where it falls." To be rejected and then dejected, to be cast out and forgotten.

Is this a place that any of us as Christians would see ourselves? Are we the Foolish Christian, the Selfish Christian who has gotten his fire insurance and that is all there is?

I do not want to become obsolete. I want to be effective. I want to be useful.

Just realize that Jesus is not saying that once we sin and make a mistake that our usefulness is over. He posed a question, "How can it be seasoned again?" Jesus is the only way to season our lives once more. Our journey is only over if we decide to remain underfoot.

Finale

Thus we come to the end of the Beatitudes. Jesus has just taken us on a journey of the heart. He took us to a place of righteousness, a place of right standing with Him. How amazing is our Lord when we do have to fear disappointing Him because we do not know how to please Him. He gives us a road map through the Beatitudes and continues on throughout the rest of the Bible. Even in the Old Testament we are faced with examples of how to please our God.

Getting back to the subject at hand, the Lord ends the Beatitudes with a simple statement. It is a statement of fact, not possibility:

"Blessed are you when they revile you and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake." Matthew 5:11 NKJV

It is a promise that we will get persecuted for our belief in Him. If we are not suffering for his name sake right now in our walk, then we must question the fact are we truly following Him? I am not talking about death our imprisonment, the suffering that I speak of is on a lower level. Are there those at work who talk about you because of your faith? Does your boss or friends threat you differently because of your faith. This is far from persecution, however, it does take us one step closer to that point of tolerance. If we cannot handle the discomfort of our daily lives how will we stand in that day against the forces of darkness for our King? If we cannot make a stand with those around us whom we know and have built a relationship with, how then can we say that we will stand against the devil? The truth is that persecution is coming, it will be coming very fast and swift. Plant your feet on the Rock, make Him your foundation.

But there is another promise:

"Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you." Matthew 5:12 NKJV

Who are we to think that we are above the patriarchs of our faith? No one of us have been through the trials of Job, no one of us has seen the persecutions of Daniel, no one of us have had a mission field that bore no fruit like Jeremiah. No one of us.

Continue to pray for the strength to stand in that day. Pray for the opportunity that your life might shine forth Jesus. Pray that you demeanor is so that no one can bring any ill repute against you save your faith in the Lord. Because of that life of faith, we have a reward in heaven. Our Lord promises us rest in Him, when that time comes. The Lord has equipped us with the knowledge. We will be persecuted, we will reap reward, we will live eternally.

Persecution

The final installment of the Beatitudes is concerning persecution. How appropriate this is that the Lord would save this for the last. Each step that was taken to up to this point brought as believers to the point of persecution.

"Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:10 NKJV

The path to the point of persecution has been a rough one. I am not speaking from personal experience, rather I am identifying with the list given by our Lord.

Poor in Spirit - One must empty himself of all goods and become the beggar, the one in need

Mourning - One must empty himself of all comforts; the Lord must be his only comfort as he grieves over his own state of spiritual being

Meekness - One must come to that place a quite authority, knowing that the Lord has called him to inheritance and chooses to wait on the Lord's timing

Hunger & Thirst - One must come to a place of emptiness, a place the world encourages to fill with sex, drugs and all other sorts of deception; this man chooses rather to fill himself with the things of the Lord, everlasting sustenance

Be Merciful - One must come to a place in his heart where revenge is no longer the forefront of life and thought, mercy and forgiveness has been given to him, so he must, too, offer the same mercy and forgiveness

Be Pure - One must always cleanse his heart. In this world, this man in inundated with nothing but filth. It would be hard for one to remain pure if he tried in his own strength, but he falls upon the Lord for support

Make Peace - One must come to a place where he is at peace with the Lord so he is at peace with the world, therefore he is able to make peace in the world.

Given this list of items, it is no wonder why the Lord tells us that those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake will be blessed. This path, this treasure map that He has lain out is guaranteed to bring one thing, persecution. We are in the world but not of the world. The Lord has designed for us a lifestyle designed to keep us separate.

"It is a gift from God to be allowed to suffer for His namesake." (Spurgeon) Our Lord suffered constant persecution on this earth, so we must suffer as well. May the Lord bless you in your endevors to live a life separated and know this my friend, you are not alone.

Making Peace

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they called be called sons of God." Matthew 5:9 (NKJV)

It has always been said that you are your father's child. This statement could not be more true than right now.

Who are the peacemakers? Maybe they are two-fold. Those who first make peace with God, for those are the only one's who have the ability to be called a son of God. There are many different charitable groups who want world peace, but they want nothing to do with God.

Then there are those who have made their peace with God and can now operate on a worldly level to bring peace to others. I a not talking about making friends, or holding hands or singing Kumbaya. I am talking about leading those lost souls of a lost world into the eternal rest of our Lord and Savior Jesus.

You are your Father's son. As your Father does, so you must do as well. His desire is for all to come to Christ:

"For God so loved the world, the He gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved." John 3:16, 17 (NKJV)

"Never let us be peacebreakers; evermore let us be peacemakers." (Spugeon)

Crystal Hearts Will Not Be Broken

According to Webter's Dictionary, pure is defined like this: "having a homogenous composition: unmixed; to be free from impurities and contaminates: clean; to be free from faults: sinless." In conjunction with the next Beatitude, this has to be one of the best secular definitions to a Biblical concept I have come across.

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." Matthew 5:8 (NKJV)

To be pure of heart is a tall order in today's world. How does one go from day to day, intending to be pure in all they do, not get tainted by the world around them. Turn the television of and get inundated with sex and smut, go to your local high school and receive the same thing. Travel anywhere in the Morongo Basin and you will find sin in a sinful world. How does one stay pure of heart? It is all about the eyes.

The human eye has a normal field of vision of 60 degrees. That is about 16.67% of your world around you. Add 40 degrees of peripheral vision and you add 11.11% of vision. That comes to a total of 27.78% of your world flooding through the eyes.

If one was to concentrate on one particular object, the field of vision actually narrows. The field of vision shrinks to a mere 6 degrees, that is only 1.67%. Wow!

Now apply this to your spiritual walk. Instead of taking in the entire one-quarter of the world, how about narrowing the field of vision. concentrate on Jesus. Make Jesus the focus. "Purity in heart is not measured by the practices of people but rather by the character of God Himself." (J. Dwight Pentecost)

If Jesus is the focus, then it is He and only He that we see on a daily basis. We tend to imitate what we see on a daily basis. As children, we mimic those things that we look up to because we wish to be like that. As adults, I feel that it is less apparent to the individual. Who imitates an adulterer because he appreciates what the adulterer is doing? None. However, if one surrounds himself with these sorts of things, he will inevitably stray toward that lifestyle. Keep Jesus the focus.

The eyes actually move about 100,000 times a day. In between movements, there should be a blur of vision that no one experiences. If you want to test this, look at yourself in the mirror and move your eye back and forth. You will not see your eyes move at all. This is a phenomenon know as "psychotic suppression". The brain automatically takes those blurs out. Through psychotic suppression, we loose 40 minutes of our day to blindness. Imagine loosing 2.78% of your day. In fact, do not imagine it, because it happens to everybody everyday. Do we really risk loosing focus of Jesus through spiritual suppression? Are we willing to allow Him to become a blur that is erased from our vision? Keep Jesus the focus.

If Jesus is the focus and remains the focus then the reward is sweet. Those of pure hearts will see God. If Jesus is the focus then we will see God in everything. How wonderful a feeling it is to know that God is there with us, and we can see His handiwork. This is the immediate reward, however, the future reward is to see God face to face. Keep Jesus the focus.

"He who loves purity of heart and has grace on his lips, the king will be his friend."

Proverbs 22:11

Give Quarter

"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy." Matthew 5:7

"Quarter" is an archaic word meaning "mercy". When one was about to be killed in war or battle, he would ask for quarter.

Do we give quarter in our daily lives? Is it in our nature to give quarter? It should be, for if we give quarter we shall receive quarter.

How interesting it is that the Lord does not use the word graceful. "Blessed are the graceful, for they shall receive grace." The difference between mercy and grace is simple. Grace is receiving something that you do not deserve, mercy is not receiving something that you do deserve.

This goes against everything in our human nature. Do unto others as has been done unto you. Retaliate! Fight back! Get revenge! This is my true self. I cannot speak for anyone else on this matter. However, to give quarter, to show mercy, is an lifestyle well worth striving toward. Mercy receives mercy.

As believers, mercy surrounds our daily lives. "Followers of Jesus must be men [and women] of mercy; for they have found mercy, and mercy has found them. As we look for 'mercy of the Lord in that day,' we must show mercy in this day." (Spurgeon)

"But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life." Jude 20-21

Hunger and Thirst = Spiritual Need

For the first three Beatitudes, we see attitudes and states of being that go against human nature. They are, however, a natural spiritual progression. They are designed by God to create a space and a need in our lives for something from the outside to fulfill. Becoming poor allows the Lord to make us rich. Mourning allows the Lord to comfort. Our being meek allows the Lord to give us an inheritance. The same is with the next installment in the Beatitudes:

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled." Matthew 5:6 (NKJV)

It is interesting that the Lord uses two descriptions of human need. We do not need to be rich to survive, we do not need comfort to survive, we do not need and inheritance to survive. We need, however, to eat and drink to survive. What is it about the righteousness of God that He would liken it to a need for survival?

To subdue hunger, we ingest; to quench thirst, we ingest. So to is the Word of God. 56 times in the Bible the word honey is used. Out of those 56 times, twice it is in direct reference to the Word of God. Ezekiel 3:3, "And He said to me, 'Son of man, feed your belly, and fill your stomach with this scroll that I give you.' So I ate, and it was in my mouth like honey in sweetness." Revelation 10:9, 10, "And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey. And I took the little book out of the angel’s hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter."

The idea of eating is to assimilate that very thing. It forever becomes a part of you. It nourishes the entire body. So those who hunger and thirst after the righteousness of God will be filled. This is a promise.

David wrote, "For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness." (Psalm 107:9, NKJV)

Weakness?

Meekness should never be mistaken for weakness!

"Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth." Matthew 5:5 (KJV)

Whenever I hear this word, I think of Dorothy standing before the great and powerful Wizard of Oz. She describes herself as "small and meek", but is she really all that meek? This one single word has to be the most misconstrued word. Meekness is not weakness. The Biblical interpretation for the word meek is "power under control".

Two men in the Bible were described as meek. Those two men were Moses and Paul. "Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth." Numbers 12:3 (KJV) And it was said of Paul, "Now I, Paul, myself urge you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ--I who am meek when face to face with you, but bold toward you when absent" II Corinthians 10:1 (NASB)

There is something about meekness that one must understand. It is not "adopting a low view of oneself or discrediting the position, the authority, that God has given to the individual." (J. Dwight Pentecost) Meekness is not placing ourselves in the mindset that we are so unworthy of what the Lord has bestowed upon us that we do not allow Him to use us. It "recognizes God's authority and submits itself to every manifestation of it." (J. Dwight Pentecost) Meekness recognizes the power of God in our lives and chooses not to abuse it, rather to use it, to obey it, to be lead by it. The prophet Samuel said it best, "Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams." Imagine the Lord placing more focus on obedience than sacrifice. Obedience is better than sacrifice. I only bring up obedience because it is synonymous with meekness. "Meekness is characterized by unquestioning submission." (J. Dwight Pentecost)

The reward for this submission is inheritance. The meek shall inherit the earth. Submission to the Lord always has its rewards. One who realizes the power he has within himself and chooses not to exercise it, that one man is truly deserving of inheritance.

Look the the spiritual progression: First we must become poor, empty ourselves of everything, place ourselves in necessity's way; then we mourn over the state of the world, our own spiritual state. Then comes time for the meek. The Lord will not give the earth to those who are powerful, He will not give the earth to those who are not mournful over their own sinful deeds.

Meekness is not weakness. "If you think weak is meek, try being meek for a week." (Lance Kerwin)

Spirit of Heaviness

"Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted." Matthew 5:4 (NKJV)

To follow the "poor in spirit", Jesus focuses on those who mourn. Spiritually, it is a natural progression, the way up is down. In order to mourn we must first empty ourselves. To have possessions is to already have filled voids. To be poor is to open those voids, to allow for emptiness, to allow a place of mourning.

What is it that is to be mourned. It is to grieve over sin and evil times. One may also mourn over his own spiritual state. We can always be closer to the Lord; we can always be farther from sin.

There is a direct reaction to this spiritual state, remember. Those who mourn will be comforted. That comfort comes from the Lord alone. "How great a blessing is sorrow, since it gives room for our Lord to administer comfort! Our griefs are blessed, for they are a point of contact with the divine Comforter!" (Spurgeon) Mourning reaps comfort. The Lord always has those who mourn on His heart. We see this to be the case in the book of Isaiah:

"The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;

To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;

To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified." Isaiah 61:1-3 (KJV)

This world is ripe for mourning. The signs of the times are upon us. We are almost at the end.

Impoverished Soul

Jesus began speaking, not the the multitudes, but to his disciples. In verse one of chapter 5 its states that "[Jesus saw] the multitudes he went up a mountain: and when He set, His disciples came to Him.." The Sermon on the Mount was never meant for the masses. It was meant for the Lord's disciples, those who are called by His Name. To those on the outside looking in, out lifestyle is nothing more than rubbish. It is interesting how most of the world condones "an eye for an eye" but to "turn the other cheek" is nonsensical. The Sermon on the Mount was never for the masses, rather, it was for those who are called by His Name. Jesus began this dissertation with:

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:3 (NKJV)

Poor is spirit. Webster's defines "poor" like this: 1. Lacking money and possessions. 2. Lacking in quantity or quality. 3. Not productive. 4. Not favorable or satisfactory. 5. Deserving pity. As we look upon the poor, it is easy to see how this definition shapes our view. But remember, the Beatitudes are "one's spiritual state of being".

The Bible's definition of poor has a different connotation: 1. To be reduced to beggary. 2. Destitute of wealth, position and honor. 3. Utterly helpless. 4. Broken.

To be broken before the Lord, to be utterly helpless, to be destitute of honor or position or wealth, to beg. When one has need of nothing because of money or power, he may never come to the place of the beggar.

I feel that it is very significant that Jesus began with this exhortation. We begin our life in Christ with a request; we must first ask Him into our hearts. We must come to the knowledge that there is nothing in and of ourselves that is worth anything.

To be poor in spirit allows me to ask the Lord to "pour in Spirit". In order to do so, however, we must come to that place of beggary and destitution. We must become like a child, helpless.

The second half to the Beatitude is "a direct and opposite, or complementary, spiritual effect coming from an outside source."

Theirs is the kingdom of Heaven. Becoming poor, we will inherit so much more than we could have possibly imagined. We can gather out toys together, amass riches, but you will never see a U-Haul truck following a hearse.

It is an interesting oxymoron that beggary should lead to riches, helplessness lead to salvation and a true mending can only come from being broken.

Have Attitude

The Beatitudes is a of adjectives describing a state of being. To define the beattitudes to a non-believer, one might say something like this: The Beatitudes are "one's spiritual state of being resulting in a direct and opposite, or complimentary, spiritual effect coming from an outside source." (Jeffrey Foster)

Jesus opened the Sermon on the Mount with the Beatitudes. Why would the Lord decide to begin the greatest dissertation in the history of man with the Beatitudes? As I covered in "To Coin a Phrase", the Sermon of the Mount deals with the heart. Though Jesus is speaking of the Law, He is also exposing the heart of God behind the Law. It all comes down to the situation of the heart. If the heart is not aligned with the Lord, then nothing will be right.

And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him.

Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:

“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.

Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake." Matthew 5:1-11 (NKJV)

Over the next few entries, I will be covering the Beatitudes as the Lord has spoken to me and finally end this string of entries with verse 12. How appropriate to end the Beattitudes with a promise.

Have attitude of the heart that is directly liked to the love that the Lord has for you.

To Coin a Phrase

Jesus stated, "But whoever slaps you on the right cheek, turn the other to him also." If we do in fact get slapped in the face, are we to literally turn our heads and allow for another slap? I do not think that this is the case. This verse appears in a very familiar place in the Bible, Matthew chapter 5. This is the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount. Remember that during the sermon, Jesus is talking about the Law and the heart of God the Father behind the institutions of those laws. If you look at a woman with lust in your heart, you have already committed adultery. Not physically fornicating with that particular woman, rather a matter of the heart.

This verse is also often misquoted, it happens to be the second half of a verse. "But I tell you do not resist an evil person." Why preface the turning of the cheek with this statement? The best way to interpret the Bible is to allow the Bible to speak for itself. There are actually five other verses that go along with this verse.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’

But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.

If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also.

And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.

Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away." Matthew 5:38-42 (NKJV)

It is about giving of ourselves in retribution. An eye for an eye (to coin another phrase). And not only that, but giving of ourselves solely because it is in our power to do so. Each verse is also inundated with a specific action: turn, let (allow) and go. If you are slapped, turn the other cheek; taking your tunic, give up your cloak; compelled to go one mile, go two miles. It is about giving more than is asked of us. these actions indicate that we have an active participation in our faith. Everyday we have to choose to turn, choose to allow, choose to go. The Lord is gracious in that He exhorts us to do these things and does not command. We also have a free will faith.

Finally, if you will notice, the set of verses ends in a negative. "Do not turn away." Everyone is included in these actions. To those of different faiths we are to turn the other cheek; to relatives who take from us we are to give more; to employers who compel us to work one extra hour we are to work two. Give up of ourselves without hesitation. A matter of the heart.

The heart is too powerful a muscle to be focused on revenge or retribution. It is specifically located in the center of the body supplying the entire body with life giving blood. Everyday we are in the center of our situations around those who need the blood of Christ. The the heart that gives, be the heart that supplies the world with the Life-Giving Blood of Jesus.

Apology

I just wanted to apologize for my use of the blog "Colloquiums of a Dejected Poet". The idea was to have a dark template for the aches of the heart. My focus should have been on my Lord and Savior Jesus.

I do intend to make this "Red Letter Addition" blog to be more focused on the Lord and what He has done, what He will do and what He is currently doing.

In this blog I will share personal experience as well as words of encouragement.

Thank you