We all know a branch cannot grow, let alone nurture fruit, unless it is connected to the living tree. So often we race through life distracted and disgruntled, unaware that our branch is perilously wearing thin and fractured.
The cure for this heart is abiding in Jesus our Saviour. Treasuring His sustenance. Building our branch with the caring and loving fruit of His Spirit. Jesus: Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. John 15:4 5
Abide means to dwell, to wait, endure; and to remain. Who else but Jesus should we rest and be rooted in? Everything we set out to do should bloom out of His love.
Abide in Me
“I am a true sprouting vine, and the farmer who tends the vine is my Father. He cares for the branches connected to me by lifting and propping up the fruitless branches and pruning every fruitful branch to yield a greater harvest. The words I have spoken over you have already cleansed you. So you must remain in life-union with me, for I remain in life-union with you. For as a branch severed from the vine will not bear fruit, so your life will be fruitless unless you live your life intimately joined to mine.
“I am the sprouting vine and you’re my branches. As you live in union with me as your source, fruitfulness will stream from within you
John 15:1-5 Passion Translation
So the question at this time is:
Who are you relying on? Yourself, someone else, or Christ?
The wisdom of Christ often is revealed in paradoxes, as seen in the Beatitudes.
(Matthew 5) In the human tradition often wealth, independence and happiness are conveyed to be fulfilled, yet often these still leave hunger, insecurity, and entrapment. Rather than refresh, it exhausts. However a common thread appears to exist between the beatitudes, - that of humility. Humility before God.
The following reflection takes these verses and explores how each of the Beatitudes in Matthew 5 can be experienced and lived as we fulfill the Great Commandment to Love God, ourselves and one another. (Matthew22:37-40)
`Apart from Jesus you can do nothing.` What relief that can bring to our souls - if we believe it! It's humbling, convicting, and reassuring.
Humbling to realize I need Him for the smallest task. Convicting where I sense I've been acting in my own strength and understanding, instead of seeking Him and yet reassuring if I confess that self-sufficiency and rejoice that He promises to sustain me to do His will.
This process is about abiding - about resting in His power, His purpose, and His glory. Then, will we bear much fruit of eternal value.
Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. Psalm 86:11
My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart you,
God, will not despise. Psalm 51:17
Jesus taught and healed many whilst in Galilee. The site designated for the Sermon on the Mount is a natural amphitheatre above the Sea of Galilee. A beautiful octagonal church lies amidst well tended gardens. A peaceful place to hear Him !
The Beatitudes (Matthew 5:2-12) provide a description of Kingdom Life. The Kingdom of Heaven means to be comforted, accepted, satisfied, shown mercy, to see God, called His child, and to reign with Him in His glory. It is a description we can attain today! Let`s pursue each one and be challenged afresh to abide.
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord`s favour and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion - to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendour.
Isaiah 61:1-3
Jesus read the Messianic prophecy of God`s plan from
Isaiah 61 and stated that it had been fulfilled (Luke 4)
It reveals - the Kingdom of Heaven has come, and Jesus
went on to teach what this meant in the Beatitudes.
Growing with God is measured by these attributes that
we will reflect upon below.
The Hebrew "Blessed" in this context means having already attained, rather than striving to receive a blessing.
This attribute challenges pride in ourselves as it hinders our walk with the Spirit. Pride of heart requires weeding out because it helps us to recognize sin, walk humbly with our God (Micah 6:8) and dwell in the peace of His mercy.
Jesus asserts that the blessed are those in spiritual dependency (poor)
The pursuit of self-reliance, self-confidence, and self-esteem can easily be jeopardized when things go wrong. Those who come to Jesus are those who recognize they have needs and are spiritually poor.
Replacing self-reliance with childlike God-reliance,
self-confidence with faith (God-confidence),
self-determination with grace, and
self-esteem with mercy
— that is the call with rewards stored up in heaven.
It`s more than a spiritual transaction as we seek to live out and share the experience with those around us.
Prayer Challenge
Am I deaf to God`s prompting, saying `I know my own way`? (see Jeremiah 6:10)
The Bible calls the proud as those who do what is “right in their own eyes” (Judges 17:6)
Lord, reveal where I follow my ways. not yours. Forgive and help me to change.
The Blessed are those honest about their sadness (mourning) in their loss, wrongdoing and failure. Jesus said:
​
“Those who are well have no need of a physician,
but those who are sick; I came not to call the righteous, but sinners”
Mark 2:17
​
In other words, those people who come to get what Jesus has to offer are sick people, who know that they are spiritually and morally and often physically crippled. In recognizing their need, they come to the one who can cure.
A future hope - “[God] will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying,
nor pain anymore.” Revelation 21:4
Prayer Challenge
Many things cause us to mourn: bereavement, suffering humiliation, affliction, loss of relationship, or a way of life, loss of hope, or inability to stand before God because of sin. Recall those things you mourn before God and receive His comfort. Comfort is received when the loss is heard and acknowledged.
It therefore can be helpful to have a friend, counsellor, prayer minister listen.
Lord, I express my sadness for ....
I choose to receive Your comfort, forgiveness,
and strength to revive me again.
Prayer Challenge
The psalmist counsels the righteous not to be concerned by the wicked but to commit their way to God and trust in the Lord to restore righteous judgement, (Psalm 37)
Have you committed to trust God in all things and accept His dealing with you without resisting?
Lord, I seek your face and trust you. I ask for more fruit of gentleness be displayed in my life. (Galatians 5)
Those who are fashioned through adversity will receive the Promise of God. The meek are those who have been shaped by affliction who willingly yield so that their strength is in the service of the King. A character that is gentle, quiet, friendly, calm, nevertheless has great strength and won`t succumb to bitterness or anger despite provocation as they choose to submit to God`s plan. Jesus asserts that those thoughtful and righteous in their actions (meek) are blessed.
Prayer Challenge
Do you sense your food fails to satisfy? We have choices with our spiritual hunger. For those who seek to be right with God their is the promise of being satisfied.
For further action clarify your passion against injustices and ask God what you might do to challenge it.
Thank you Lord for your Spiritual provision to those who seek you. Thank you that the bread you give, gives life to the world.
Reveal injustice that requires challenging in Your strength.
Jesus said “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will not be hungry, and he who believes
in me will never be thirsty” John 6:35
The Blessed are those who yearn for truth, who have deep and unrequited yearning for the wisdom of God and to ensure righteousness prevails. For some this may be a deep sense that something is fundamentally wrong. Others know that their emptiness is due to a lack of righteousness that can only be filled by God. There are several facets which includes “justice” for those who have been downtrodden or who have experienced injustice. It also includes the idea of personal righteousness for those who desire a life lived above the entanglements of sin.
Prayer Challenge
As His disciple, how much do you reflect God`s mercy?
Lord, Help me to imitate your mercy that Jesus lived,
by showing your mercy and compassion on those I come into contact with.
Mercy is goodness offered to those in misery or distress, or someone that deserves only justice It often includes compassion shown to an offender and is a heart attitude
God’s requirement has always been mercy. The statement of
Micah: 6:8 "He has shown you, what is good. What does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."
Whilst the Lord abounds in mercy, He is also uncompromisingly just. Mercy is the domain of those with the power over others, God is merciful to us, and we need to be merciful to others.
Mercy is active meeting people’s needs. It is not simply feeling compassion but showing compassion, not only sympathizing but giving a helping hand. Mercy is giving food to the hungry, comfort to the bereaved, love to the rejected, forgiveness to the offender, companionship to the lonely.
In this Beatitude, Jesus goes to the core of human life, the heart. Jesus declares that a pure heart is what produces external purity, Purity raises the idea of cleanliness and being refined. It is those people who as Jeremiah 9:23-24 says "Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me (God).
Intimacy with God is the pinnacle to desire.
Prayer Challenge
In what ways is God challenging you to pursue growth in purity of heart? What action will aid you to develop purity of heart?
Lord, highlight any jealousy, anger, pride, unforgiveness or selfishness in my life and replace these attitudes with selflessness, humility, love, and patience, so that I might see You more clearly. Help me seek your Your honour and praise.
Prayer Challenge
Peacemakers seek not only to reconcile with others, but we seek to help others reconcile, especially between them and God. Are their people you need to be reconciled with? Who can you help to reconcile with God?
Lord, help me to grow as a peacemaker. To listen effectively to those in distress, and to bring reconciliation.
“Peace” or “Shalom” is a common Hebrew greeting meaning more than the absence of conflict. it expresses a desire that the one greeted will have all the righteousness and goodness God can give. In the Hebrew Bible, peace implies much more than simply an absence of hostility, it embraces wholeness, harmony, completeness and health. It is seen as the outcome of righteousness and a deep commitment to the work of ensuring justice.
To grow as peacemakers, we must develop healthy communication skills. This includes being a good listener. James 1:19 says,
"Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters! Let every person
be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger"
Prayer Challenge
Are you equipped for spiritual warfare and persecution? Our protection comes from God and His armour.
(Ephesians 6:10-18)
You may find the following prayer taken from Ephesians 6 helpful:
This beatitude has a double blessing. Christ says, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness” (v.10) and “Blessed are you when people insult you” (v.11) Persecution grows as this world gets further away from God and what Christians stand for becomes more offensive to them.
Persecution can include harassment, ostracism, Insults like people negatively talking about believers, being talked about behind your back, as well as physical abuse, or imprisonment.
​
Heavenly Father, I want to be strong in you and in your mighty power. I put on the full armour that You have provided so that I can take my stand against the devil`s scheme in and through my life.
I have put on the belt of truth, and right in the centre of my being I am committed to truth. I am committed to the truth about you Father and the truth about myself.
I have put on the breastplate of righteousness. Not my own righteousness but the righteousness that you have given me Lord Jesus. I thank you that on the Cross you exchanged my sin for your righteousness and that protects me now. Even as I am protected, I pray that you would reveal any unrighteousness in me so that I can turn away and renounce it and so that my righteousness will increase.
I have put on the shoes of peace and declare my readiness to go and proclaim your good news through word and action. Even though the gospel sometimes brings division I stand ready to go because I believe that the good news of your love ultimately brings reconciliation and peace and that you have called me to that.
I put on the helmet of salvation. Father protect my thinking and enable me to take every thought captive for the Lord Jesus. Be Lord over my nervous system and keep me mindful that I am forgiven and saved by the blood of Jesus.
I take the shield of faith so that I can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. I ask heavenly Father that you would increase my faith so that my shield may be bigger.
I take the sword of the spirit – which is the word of God – and I take my stand on what you have said Lord.
Over this is put on a garment of praise. I thank You and praise You.
I ask that you would fill me afresh with the Holy Spirit today, Lord; a full measure, pressed down and running over. During the day ahead help me to keep alert and to bring You into everything as I pray in the Spirit.
Putting on the full armour of God
