Matthew 5: (MSG) 1-2 When Jesus saw his ministry drawing huge crowds, he climbed a hillside. Those who were apprenticed to him, the committed, climbed with him. Arriving at a quiet place, he sat down and taught his climbing companions. This is what he said:3 “You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.4 “You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.5 “You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are—no more, no less. That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can’t be bought.6 “You’re blessed when you’ve worked up a good appetite for God. He’s food and drink in the best meal you’ll ever eat.7 “You’re blessed when you care. At the moment of being ‘care-full,’ you find yourselves cared for.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.9 “You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family.10 “You’re blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom.11-12 “Not only that—count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even!—for though they don’t like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble.
The Hebrew and Greek words for "blessing" in the Old and New Testaments are not like our English word "happiness" which is "a feeling of general well-being.” A "blessing" in Sacred Scripture evokes the supernatural creative power of God and can only come from God "either directly from God or through the mediation of His priestly representative who requests on behalf of the people, God's divine blessing. In the Old Testament the Hebrew word barak ("to bless;" barakah, "blessing") expresses this supernatural creative power but in the New Testament the word used for "blessing" is the Greek word makarious (ma-car'-e-os), which means the state of bliss experienced by the Greek gods or upon the mortals who receive their special favor becoming themselves semi-divine. Like other Greek words, the Christian community transformed this Greek word into one which carries a distinctive Hebrew-Christian meaning. In this case the "blessings" of the Beatitudes will give us the unique divine vitality, the bliss of God living in us.
God wants us blessed. In the Beatitudes Jesus is teaching us what attitudes to have so that we can have this divine vitality given to us by the Holy Spirit living within us. We are blessed empowered to prosper from the inside out. When we get this revelation down on the inside of us we will be successful and prosper in all we do.
Truly greater is He who lives inside of us than he that is in the world. We are blessed!
1 John 4:4 (NLT) “But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.”
God wants us blessed. In the Beatitudes Jesus is teaching us what attitudes to have so that we can have this divine vitality given to us by the Holy Spirit living within us. We are blessed empowered to prosper from the inside out. When we get this revelation down on the inside of us we will be successful and prosper in all we do.
Truly greater is He who lives inside of us than he that is in the world. We are blessed!
1 John 4:4 (NLT) “But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.”
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