Part Two...

I know, I know - I said I would post this the next day. Of course if you know us at all, you know how incredibly busy we've been the last week and a half. But I do have to say it is with great results - we had our first Revolution 375 last Friday night. It was absolutely mind-boggling how God brought people and then moved so miraculously in their lives. I am still in awe over how our fabulous band came together and completely ROCKED! It was a lot of work over the past few months, but now that we have one under our belt, we will know better what to do next time (and what not to do!). Saturday night, Darrel and I went out to dinner with some good friends of ours that we just don't see but once a year, even though they only live 45 minutes away. We had a very good time catching up. Sunday was the Phipps Father's Day BBQ (as well as my dad's 68th birthday), and we swam until evening. Then it was off to the drive-in with Ray and Jill and Doug and Sandy. Poor little Jonah woke up Monday morning with a touch of the flu so we have all just crashed for the last two days. Then last night Doug fixed us an incredible dinner - beef tenderloin 'kabobs - we rolled ourselves home...

Let's finish up with the Beattitudes. Verse 7 says, "Blessed (happy, to be envied, and spiritually prosperous - with life-joy and satisfaction in God's favor and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions) are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy!" We could say those who desire to see others the way God sees them. I have to remind myself of this scripture constantly. You see, it is my human nature to do just the opposite. If you have read my blog at all, you will find many posts on this subject. I can't encourage you enough to show mercy, show mercy, show mercy! We want others to look at us through God's eyes, don't we? And even if they don't, Jesus sees us for who we REALLY are - and He loves us still. I love the Chris Tomlin song "Indescribable" when he says, "You see the depths of my heart and You love me the same - You are amazing God!" When God shows us the depths of others' hearts He expects us to love them the same just like He does. None of us deserve a break - none of us are sinless - none of us deserve redemption or salvation - but yet that's exactly what He give us freely - so freely we should give.

Verse 8 says, "Blessed (happy, enviably fortunate, and spiritually prosperous - possessing the happiness produced by the experience of God's favor and especially conditioned by the revelation of His grace, regardless of their outward conditions) are the pure in heart, for they shall see God!" Let's say it this way - those who do not have a false agenda. How many times a day do we find ourselves seeking our own way - to fulfill our own desires, our own lists? I think He's talking about our motives here. When we seek His way of being and doing things right, we will surely find Him! Realizing again that it is all about Him and not about us. We are not in control and never will be - so let's just take our hands off our situations and allow God's agenda to rule and reign!

Verse 9 says, "Blessed (enjoying enviable happiness, spiritually prosperous - with life-joy and satisfaction in God's favor and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions) are the makers and maintainers of peace, for they shall be called the sons of God!" These are the people who are willing to do whatever it takes to help people become whole. I have been pondering some on this verse over the last week. Again, it is not in my nature to be a peacemaker or peace maintainer! I am rarely the first one to initiate ammends. God is helping me to change that. I feel Him so close and constantly nudging me to be quick to say "I'm sorry" or "I was wrong". I hear Him in my spirit encouraging me to take the high road and keep my mouth shut when I really just want to stir things up with someone. The writer of Hebrews encourages us to "Strive to live in peace with everybody and pursue that consecration and holiness without which no one will ever see the Lord." Then he goes on to tells us to watch out for one another so that no one fails to secure God's grace. Constant confirmation to show us that this is important - I want to see God, both now and for eternity. I want to see Him in my everday life working and moving and making an impact on those around me. How does that happen? Well, apparently by me allowing the Holy Spirit to transform me into a peacemaker and a peace maintainer.

Verse 10, "Blessed and happy and enviably fortunate and spiritually prosperous (in the state in which the born-again child of God enjoys and finds satisfaction in God's favor and salvation, regardless of his outward conditions) are thsoe who are persecuted for righteousness' sake (for being and doing right), for theirs is the kingdom of heaven!" These people will never give up! They aren't knocked on their can every time something comes their way. And if they are, then they get up and keep going! Doug was telling some stories from Promise Keepers, and he told about Dennis Rainey asking his daughter what had they done as parents that made an impact on her life - she said it was that they never gave up no matter what. I love that - I want my kids to see that same determination in Darrel and in me. People who are natural fighters are sometimes looked down upon by those who are more "golden retrieverish" (is that a word?). But God puts a fight in us for a reason - what we view as our weaknesses are really just our strengths out of balance! When we learn how to operate in the Holy Spirit - how to be Spirit-controlled and Spirit-led - we find that this urge to fight can become a great tool for persistance! We don't back down to the enemy and we don't stay down when we're knocked down! We go to battle in prayer - some of the greatest prayer warriors I know are also great passionate fighters. God put it in us to use for good, for His kingdom - to advance it, not to tear it down. We are going to have trouble in this world. Not everyone is going to embrace the message of Jesus Christ with open arms. As our society plummets toward the return of Christ, it also becomes more and more volitile towards this message of salvation through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus spends the last few days of His life trying to clue the disciples in on what was going to be in store for them. As verses 11, and 12 go on, He tells us that our reward in heaven will be great. In other words - keep your eyes on the eternal and not the temporal. These trials and persecutions will pass, but heaven will never end.

Thanks for being patient with me as I try to find the time to sit for a while and post from my heart. I love each and every one of you. Thanks for sticking with me! Have a great day.