“Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.”
Matthew 5:6 (KJV) Hi friends, How are you today? Have you ever been hungry or thirsty? I think we all have felt the feelings to some extent at one time or another. Thankfully, (or unthankfully) many of us have never been in dire straits enough to know the feelings of a desperate hunger or thirst. In the past few posts, I have been pondering the meaning and words of the Beatitudes. Like the others, this beatitude speaks to us about how God wants us to live. More than that, it speaks to us about how to be happy and fulfill God’s will for us. Let’s look at the first part of Matthew 5:6. It says, “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness.” The words hunger and thirst are more than just a “normal” desire for food or drink. It is more of a craving. Do you get cravings? I get cravings and sadly, they aren’t always for good things. Like, I get cravings for too many sweets or salty foods. They sure are yummy, but not necessarily good for me. I get good cravings too. I want to do God’s will and to live the life God has for me. I want to help others. I want to encourage others. I want to share my faith and encourage others in their faith. I want to teach and learn. These things I crave as well. Think of what crave means. When I crave a certain food, I can eat this or that to try to get my mind off it. I can feel “full” with eating these other things, but somehow, I still don’t feel satisfied. It isn’t until I either give into the desire or stand up to it (through prayer and the desire to do the right thing under no uncertain terms), that the craving feeling goes away. Sometimes, we feel like we aren’t accomplishing or getting the desires of our heart. We want this or that and they seem like good things, but we still aren’t getting them. In those times, we have to ask ourselves if they are “normal” wants or if they are hungers and thirsts. Like when we are truly starving for food, we will often do just about anything to get food. We will work at jobs we wouldn’t necessarily like or consider under normal circumstances. We will eat food that we don’t necessarily care for just so that we can have something in our stomachs. (I am not talking about stealing or anything illegal, but humbling ourselves to do or accept less than we normally would think to do.) So, what does being on the brink of starvation have to do with hungering and thirsting for righteousness? Just like when are stomachs are empty and we hunger for food or thirst for drink, when we hunger and thirst for righteousness we our hearts and minds are empty except for the desire to do God’s will for us. Any worldly desires, manipulations, or feelings we may have had in the past are out of our mind and out of our heart. We don’t have any self-serving thoughts or desires and no alternative motives at all. Instead, we only desire what is right. We desire God’s will for us and for the kingdom of God. Now, we can look at the second part of Matthew 5:6, “…for they shall be filled.” If we empty ourselves from the worldly cares and only seek God’s will for us, then we will feel satisfied. It won’t be just a worldly feeling of being satisfied, but a heavenly feeling as well. Just as all the other Beatitudes lead to not just a “regular” feeling of happiness, but a “heavenly” feeling as well. It goes past emotional thoughts and feelings, but spiritual as well. A spiritual “fullness” isn’t just a feeling of being “full”, but also of being truly satisfied as well. Heavenly Father, Thank you for the Beatitudes. Thank you for showing us the way to true happiness, which is a closeness with you in your kingdom. Help us to hunger and thirst for You and your ways. Help us to pray for others to hunger and thirst for you so that your kingdom grows and others may find a closeness to You as well. I ask you this through your Son, Jesus. Amen. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Reflective questions for Matthew 5:6 (KJV): *What does Matthew 5:6 mean to me? *Have I ever hungered or thirsted? What did it feel like? *Have I ever craved anything? *Have I ever felt “full” without feeling satisfied? *Have I ever felt like I was hoping for good things, but they never seemed to come? Did I look to see if my desires were pure or if I had any alternative motives? *How can I better live the words in Matthew 5:6? Note: If you haven't read the other parts of The Beatitudes Series by DUO Inspirations, you may want to read them here: *The Beatitudes Series by DUO Inspirations - Part 1 *The Beatitudes Series by DUO Inspirations - Part 2 *The Beatitudes Series by DUO Inspirations - Part 3 Now, it is your turn. I am thankful you are here. I hope you are enjoying The Beatitudes Series by DUO Inspirations. What are your thoughts? Is there anything that you have learned or thought about since reading the series? Please, feel free to comment below so we can all learn from you or contact me. Thank you. If you are finding value in the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations, please share it with friends, family, and neighbors, so they can find value in it as well. Also, if you haven't already, please consider signing up to receive the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations and other faith content in your inbox. Thank you. God bless.
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“Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.”
Matthew 5:5 (KJV) Hi friends, How are you today? As I looked at The Beatitudes and prepared for today’s blog post, I noticed that this is the only beatitude (at least in the Sermon on the Mount) where Jesus says, “shall inherit the earth”. Most of the Bible verses that I remember say, “shall inherit the kingdom of heaven”, so I am wondering if this is significant. There are different thoughts on what that means and to tell you the truth, I am not sure of it’s meaning. Yet, with prayer and God’s help, I will write this post and prayerfully bring meaning to us all. First, let’s look at the first part. Many times, we think of “meek” as shy, timid people, who let people walk all over them. However, in keeping with the rest of the beatitudes, meek has to do with our spiritual wellbeing and way to eternal life. It has nothing to do with how we are to people. It is a submission to God, not a submission to others. Although, when we submit to God, often that means we are also submitting to others indirectly. For example, when we turn the other cheek, we do so because God has called us to do so. God wants to fight our battles for us. He wants the vengeance. He doesn’t want us to take things into our own hands. It shows strength and not weakness to not fight back when we are hurt, angered, or criticized. We are submitting to God, by not fighting back. But in worldly views, it looks like we are submitting to people as well. Now, with an understanding of who is meant by the word meek, we can look at the second part. It is only these people who submit to God that “shall inherit the earth”. So, what does that mean? Well, we know that inherit means to get or receive something, usually after a loved one has passed away. Like it is passed onto us, when someone is through with it or releases ownership. An inheritance is something that is given and gifted to us, many times through a will or rather the will of the person who passes away. God gives us many things both here on earth and also in heaven. It is God’s will that we follow Him, submit to Him, and do His will for us. If we do that, we will get His will. We will receive all the good things he has in store for us, not only here on earth, but in heaven as well. Jesus also tells us that He can give us peace; a peace unlike anything the world can give us. (John 16:33) Is this what is meant, by “shall inherit the earth”? I think, for me, it is best described in Matthew 6:33… “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” In other words, if you seek and do God’s will, you will get the desires of your heart on earth (because they will be aligned with God’s will for us) and we will get what God has planned for us in heaven as well. What do you think? Heavenly Father, Thank you for showing us the way to You. Thank you for giving us the Beatitudes so that we know what you want for us. Please, help us to not only live according to your words in Matthew 5:5, but also according to your will for us in everything. I ask you this through your Son, Jesus. Amen. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Reflective questions for Matthew 5:5 (KJV): *What does Matthew 5:5 mean to me? *What is meant be the word meek? *What is meant by the word inherit? *What is meant by “shall inherit the earth”? *Why does it say “shall inherit the earth” instead of “shall inherit the kingdom of heaven”? *What can I do to better live according to the words in Matthew 5:5? *How can I better live according to the will of God? Now, it is your turn. What are your thoughts? I would be interested in hearing your interpretation and thoughts on Matthew 5:5. I always look forward to the thoughts of others. Please, feel free to comment below or contact me. If you find value in the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations, please share it with friends and family, as well as on your social media sites. Also, if you haven't already, you may want to sign up below to receive the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations and other faith content in your inbox. P.S. - If you haven't already, you may want to go back and read the other posts in The Beatitudes Series by DUO Inspirations: The Beatitudes Series by DUO Inspirations - Part 1 The Beatitudes Series by DUO Inspirations - Part 2 
“Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.” Matthew 5:4 (KJV) Hi friends, How are you? I hope you are well. We all have time when we mourn for one reason or another. It may be a loss of a loved one, a pet, a friend, or even loss of something like a job or a home. I have read this verse many times and thought this verse was meant to comfort me during just those times. I thought that if we as humans like to comfort each other in times such as these, then how God would want to comfort us during these times so much more we could do for each other. Even though, I think that many people use this verse for comfort during such mourning, I am not so sure that is really the mourning meant. However, I do think the words in Matthew 5:4 would be comforting for any type of mourning. What do you think? I know, you may be wondering why I don’t think that this is meant for those mourning such as in the loss of a loved one. With research, I have found that there is “godly sorrow” and “worldly sorrow” as in 2 Corinthians 7:10. We also see Jesus’ remark to a man who wanted to be a disciple, but wanted to bury his father first in Luke 9:60, when Jesus said, “let the dead bury their dead.” Earthly death is a worldly concern. It is natural for us to feel some sort of sorrow from the loss. In that instance, the potential disciple was torn between a worldly concern and a heavenly concern. Jesus was telling him to seek the heavenly concern instead. If our decision is between an earthly concern and a heavenly concern, we are always called to focus on the heavenly concern. Jesus didn’t try to comfort and console the man from any sorrow or burial obligation to his father. Jesus wanted him to focus on heavenly things right then and there. Why would Jesus talk about mourning physical death, because he knows for those in the kingdom of God, physical death leads to heavenly life? That is a joyous thing. Again, if we read 2 Corinthians 7:10, we see that it talks about “godly sorrow” as sorrow that leads to repentance. In other words, it isn’t a worldly loss but sin of some sort, like how we feel really bad if we hurt someone or do things against God of which we aren’t proud. We wonder how we could be so unkind and do such a thing to God, to others, and to ourselves. Sometimes, we might feel so bad that we feel down, even be in a funk or depressed. I believe it is this kind of sorrow and mourning that is meant in Matthew 5:4. Also, if we look in Psalms 31:9-10 (KJV), we see King David has written, “Have mercy upon me, O LORD, for I am in trouble: mine eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly. For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing: my strength faileth because of mine iniquity, and my bones are consumed.” King David is crying for help and mercy, because of his iniquity. He knows that he is feeling the way he is due to his own sinfulness. And, God will comfort him with through his repentance. Heavenly Father, Thank you for the comfort you give. Thank you for The Beatitudes to help us understand the earthly verses the heavenly joys and which are important. Help us to appreciate and focus on the heavenly and not the earthly things. I ask you this through your Son, Jesus. Amen. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Reflective questions for Matthew 5:4 (KJV): *What does Matthew 5:4 mean to me? *What message is God giving me through Matthew 5:4? *What kind of mourning do I think is meant in Matthew 5:4? *How do I feel when I read Matthew 5:4? *What can I do better to appreciate and live according to Matthew 5:4? Now, it is your turn. I am so glad you are here. I hope you are enjoying The Beatitudes Series. If you missed Part 1, you can read it here. I am interested in your thoughts, ideas, prayer requests, suggestions, questions, and more. Please, feel free to comment below or contact me. If you are finding value in the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations, please share it with friends, family, and church members, so they can find value in it as well. Thank you. Also, if you haven't already, please consider signing up below to receive the Faith Blog and other faith content by email. Thank you. God bless. 
“Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Matthew 5:3 (KJV) Hi friends, How are you? I enjoy reading the Beatitudes, which was part of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. (You can read more about the definition of Beatitudes on Wikipedia here.) They are encouraging and inspirational words that gives us the map to true happiness. So, I thought that I would do a series on the Beatitudes. I pray you are blessed by it. Speaking of blessed, what does it mean to be blessed? Some people use it every day, but do we really know what it means? I have heard the word blessed be defined as another name for happy. I have read somewhere else, that it is more than happy. I guess, I think of it as being more than happy, more like a spiritual happiness instead of a mere emotional happiness. The first beatitude is found in Matthew 5:3, “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” So, what does that mean? What does poor in spirit mean? I have researched it, thought about it, and prayed about it. I am still not sure if I know what it means for sure. What makes the most sense to me is that people who put believe that without God, they would be nothing. In other words, people who are poor in spirit don’t put their trust and belief in themselves, but in God alone. Recently, I wrote a post about being self-made or God-made, which also reminds me of this concept. Many people like to say that they are self-made, that they learned things and did things because of their hard work and determination. Worldly people in society believe this is a good thing. Yet, it is when we know that we are reliant on God and can’t do or be without Him, that we gain more than we know. Many of us have heard the saying, “you are full of yourself.” Again, that would be like the self-made person. That person thinks he or she is great and can do this or that so wonderfully, etc. To me, the poor in spirit would be just the opposite. The poor in spirit would be more like an infant crying for a parent’s help or a child asking questions and asking for help. However, instead of asking each other for help, we rely on God to give us all that we need. To me, the second half of this statement is a bit more difficult to understand, “for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” I have read where that could mean God’s kingdom on earth. The words “theirs is” get me the most though. That usually means it belongs to you, as in ownership. Yet, it is easier to understand if it is that you are a part of it, not owner of it. I think we all have our own thoughts and ideas on the kingdom of God. We take what we read and come to our own conclusions. I guess for me, I can understand Matthew 5:3 if I look at it like, if people think they rely on themselves, they won’t get closer to God. They will rely only on themselves and won’t get closer to God or His kingdom. Yet, if people know they are nothing with out God and reach out to God, trust Him to be their provider and Father, know that He is their creator, then people will be closer and among those in the kingdom of God. Then, if we think about being part of the kingdom of God, we will be blessed beyond measure. We will feel and be happier than we can even imagine. We will enjoy the peace Jesus can give us, the joy of being with our Heavenly Father, and so much more. Heavenly Father, Thank you for sending Jesus to us to give us the message of the Beatitudes. You are so loving and merciful; that you want to give us every chance and guidance you can to show us the path to you. I thank you and praise you for that. Help us to be poor in spirit, so that we may gain your kingdom. I ask you that through your Son, Jesus. Amen. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Reflective Questions for Matthew 5:3 (KJV): *What does Matthew 5:3 mean to me? *What is my definition of blessed? *What do I think “poor of spirit” means? *Am I poor of spirit? *What do I think “for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” means? *What can I do to better live according to the words in Matthew 5:3? Now, it is your turn. I am thankful that you are here and would like to know your thoughts as well. Please, comment below or feel free to contact me. Also, if you have an idea or request for a topic, I would really enjoy knowing that as well. If you find value in the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations, please share it with friends and family. And, if you haven't already, please consider signing up to receive the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations and other faith content by email. |
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This is Jodi. I am so glad you are here! I am a Christian and life-long learner. I enjoy sharing and encouraging others. I pray you are blessed by this blog. Thank you for being here. Archives
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