A couple of Sundays ago, I was asked to speak to the High School Students at church. It’s been a minute since I’ve talked to High Schoolers. I have spent the last 10+ years teaching 3-5 year olds. I had the best time! Chocolate was thrown to any student who was brave enough to read a Scripture or answer a question. I really liked that part. :) Anyway, they were starting a new series called “Beats”. It’s about the Beatitudes and making them the BEAT of our lives. Pretty clever. I learned a lot studying the first two, so I thought we could walk through them together.

“Now when he saw the crowds he went up
to the mountainside and sat down.
His disciples came to him,
and he began to teach them saying, “
Matthew 5:1&2

One thing I learned about the Beatitudes is that Jesus shares mercy over condemnation. It’s about being - who we are as HIs followers.

How we live maters! The choices we make matter!

May I suggest to you that the Beatitudes should be a spiritual standard for us. Our code of conduct. What Jesus is sharing here is how to live as His followers, not those who don’t know Him yet.

Jesus started each of the Beatitudes with the word “Blessed” so let’ s start there.

BLESSED in this text, in it’s simplest form, means happy, to be envied.

Warren Wiersbe defines it this way: “Blessed is an inner satisfaction and sufficiency that does not depend on outward circumstances for happiness.”

There have been some hard things that I have walked through and some that rocked me to my core and although I was confused, sad, mad, doubtful, frustrated - all the emotions - I was always able to go to God, lean into Who He was, His love for me and who I am in Him.

What an incredible promise that we can be blessed , happy, even envied by others who watch us live with peace and joy in the middle of all the crazy.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of God.” Matthew 5:3

POOR is referring to be beggarly and worthless.
SPIRIT is referring to wind, air, the breath we breathe - our life.

Being POOR in SPIRIT is seeing ourselves in a humble and lowly way, to see our guilt and need. Like a beggar we have nothing to offer and everything to gain. Even our life - our breath is dependent on God.

James 4:6 says “God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble.”
Levi Lusko shares “Humility is a condition that invites blessing. Humility unlocks favor.”

Every Kingdom needs a King. The people are subject to the King’s rule and sovereignty. As Jesus-followers, our King is God. He dwells in the eternal heaven, where Jesus came from and returned to after His Resurrection.

We can demand things from God, but He’s not obligated to us. He is sovereign and we are not.

When we see ourselves in the proper light and take the posture of humility, we can access the Kingdom of God. All of it. All the promises, all the power, all the love, all the wisdom. All of it.

The beautiful promise here is the complete and all-encompassing mercy and acceptance of God. We have a place to belong to that is safe. When we surrender our rights, our wants to His authority and obey Him, we will find peace, true happiness, mercy and love.

”This is what the LORD says,
Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool.
Where, then, is a house that you could build for Me?
And where will my resting place be?
For all these things came into being (by and for Me), declares the LORD.
But to this one I will look (graciously),
to him who is humble and contrite in Spirit,
and who(reverently) trembles at my word
and honors My commands.”
Isaiah 66:1&2 (Amplified)

God, who made EVERYTHING, who uses Earth to put HIs feet up on, who needs nothing from us, is drawn to us when we are humble. When we honor and revere His word and what He says.

Why would we want to go to Him in any other way?
My prayer is that I will remain humble before HIm.

Have an amazing day, Chosen of God!
All My Love ~
xo Jodi

We would love to have join our email family! You can subscribe below. xo