Posts Tagged ‘sermon on the mount’

Am I Blessed Like This?

Friday, July 25th, 2008

Verse: “Blessed are…
– Matthew 5:3-10

Quote: “We have to decide whether we will accept the tremendous spiritual upheaval that will be produced in our circumstances if we obey His words.”

The literal interpretation of Jesus’ teachings from the Sermon on the Mount can be easily understood, but the actual application requires the perfect strength of the Holy Spirit. Sometimes the statements of Christ seem so obvious that we allow them to “sink unobserved into our unconscious minds.” Or maybe they sound nice and well on paper, but in real life they just don’t appear practical. When once you allow the Holy Sprit to work through you, you find that the words of Jesus have the power to “explode” in your circumstances, and you realize the depth to those simple words.

The Inevitable Penalty

Tuesday, July 1st, 2008

Verse: “I assure you that you won’t be free again until you have paid the last penny.” – Matthew 5:26 (NLT)

Quote: “The moment you realize God’s purpose, which is to get you rightly related to Himself and then to your fellow men, He will tax the last limit of the universe to help you take the right road.”

When I read that quote, I picture God in heaven looking down to earth.  His eyes squinted, canvasing the scene of my life with anticipation, awaiting my signal at any moment.  His hand is stretched out behind Him keeping the anxious, battle-ready angels in line, though He never takes His eyes off me.  The white horses are uneasy, sensing the inevitable mission.  They shake their heads and stamp the ground as a gust of smoke shoots out of their nostrils.  Even the fury of the earth awakens as dark clouds billow in underneath while lightning forms inside them.  Then, His eyes widen as I fall to my knees and cry out for Him, and before I can fully pronounce His name, He thrusts His arm forward and roars “Now!”, as His limitless army rushes to my side.

The idea that God will use everything within His power to help me live the life He set out for me is nothing new, but sometimes something can remind me in a way that brings a freshness to the thought of it.  Today that was Oswald Chambers.

The above verse attached to today’s devotion is from Jesus’ sermon on the mount.  The context is being thrown in debtor’s prison for not settling accounts with someone.  Once you are there, you cannot get out until every last bit of debt has been paid.  Chambers likens this to the inevitable consequences, or penalty, for avoiding the urgings of the Holy Spirit.  His scrutiny will remain on you until you realize your need for God and cry out for His help.  Then, well, you get the idea.