Blessed

“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’ Matt.5:4 [MSG]

The sixth thing we must not forget is the beatitudes. We learnt that blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of God. Blessed are the pure in heart for they will see God. With each of the beatitudes, Jesus was firing rounds of bullets into the heads of two monsters. The first monster that Jesus was dealing with is the false understanding that a person can be saved without being changed. Jesus was debunking the idea that you can be saved without being changed. You can’t be changed before being saved. But if you are saved you will be changed. “The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians: who acknowledge Jesus with their lips, walk out the door, and deny Him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable” ― Kevin Max. People that say with their mouth that they are Christians but their lives don’t reflect God’s heart. The Bible says ‘they have a form of godliness but they deny the power thereof’. The second monster that Jesus destroyed with the beatitudes is the false understanding that ties materialism with blessedness. The false understanding that having a car makes you blessed. Jesus was saying not quite, the blessing of the Lord makes rich and adds no sorrow. It is not riches makes blessed. It is the blessing that makes rich. The truth is that if you have the blessings of the Lord, you will be wealthy. Some people cannot stand such statements – go and read your Bible. It is erroneous to think that it is the houses that make you blessed. You see your friend’s new car and you think because of the car she is blessed. Not necessarily, the devil can give cars too.

So as we progress in this year remember also that we are the ones who need to change and not necessarily the year. A lot of people wait for the year to change. I understand the spiritual implications of transitioning, but beyond the year changing the people that need to change are you and I. There are a lot of things that God wants to do with us that He has not done yet because we need to change. So rather than walking around celebrating the New Year, I hope sincerely that you will walk around celebrating a new you. And watch Jesus take you to another level of glory.

Prayer [song]: Change my heart, O God. Make it ever true; Change my heart, O God, May I be like You. You are the Potter, I am the clay; Mold me and make me, This is what I pray. Jesus, O Jesus, come and fill Your Lambs (2x)