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| Q24: 31. . . The Sermon on the Mount Show the Desire of Ages is inspired.. (1) Be humble: not proud.. (1) Christ's first words to the people on the mount were words of blessing. Happy are they, He said, whorecognize their spiritual poverty, and Page 300 feel their need of redemption. The gospel is to be preached to the poor. Not to the spiritually proud,those who claim to be rich and in need of nothing, is it revealed, but to those who are humble andcontrite. One fountain only has been opened for sin, a fountain for the poor in spirit. Mt 5:3 � Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Notice how gently GOD writes the SOP to accomodate error in translation, and yet tell us the correct meaning of "ptochos" is the Hebrew word "aniy" which means "humble" but is often translated "poor" or "afflicted" One fountain only has been opened for sin, a fountain for the poor in spirit. Notice the SOP does not write "sin-offering", the sentence is referring to those who want to seek salvation...and again is not correcting fuzzy translations, but working hamoniously with them. So not do worry about fuzzy translations, or that you do not read Hebrew, or that you do not understand much from Scripture...live in the light Jesus gives you and enjoy His presence daily...is all that a child like Christian tree needs...later you will grow and deepen your roots into His word...do not ever be discouraged...Jesus loves best little children in the Word for these are the most humble... For more, see a study of humble. The proud heart strives to earn salvation; but both our title to heaven and our fitness for it are found inthe righteousness of Christ. The Lord can do nothing toward the recovery of man until, convinced ofhis own weakness, and stripped of all self-sufficiency, he yields himself to the control of God. Pride opposes relationship, while humility encourages relationship. Notice the Hebrew object lesson of humilty is NOT people who stand and walk over others, BUT people who sit and watch out for their brother. He seated Himself on the grass, and the disciples andthe multitude followed His example. Page 299 The disciples' place was always next to Jesus. The people constantly pressed upon Him, yet thedisciples understood that they were not to be crowded away from His presence. They sat close besideHim, that they might not lose a word of His instruction. Lu 4:20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. Hebrew preachers in church sat down to preach, not stand up in pride to lord it over the people listening...notice the object lesson of humility. (2) Mourn for what we have: lost.. (2) Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted." By these words Christ does not teach thatmourning in itself has power to remove the guilt of sin. He gives no sanction to pretense or to voluntaryhumility. The mourning of which He speaks does not consist in melancholy and lamentation. While wesorrow on account of sin, we are to rejoice in the precious privilege of being children of God. We often mourn because of our guilt.. We often so rrow because our evil deeds bring unpleasant consequences to ourselves; but this is notrepentance. Real sorrow for sin is the result of the working of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit reveals theingratitude of the heart that has slighted and grieved the Saviour, and brings us in contrition to the footof the cross. The Holy Spirit works on us and brings us to Jesus, restoring the relationship to GOD. For more, see Getting started with Jesus. (3) Meekness: eyes fixed on Jesus.. (3) "Blessed are the meek." The difficulties we have to encounter may be very much lessened by thatmeekness which hides itself in Christ. If we possess the humility of our Master, we shall rise above theslights, the rebuffs, the annoyances, to which we are daily exposed, and they will cease to cast a gloomover the spirit. The highest evidence of nobility in a Christian is self-control. Meekness does not mis-align the character name of Jesus, but whose eye is fixed on Jesus, hides in Him and has Jesus as their master of their soul, has self control over the old master from our old relationship we were born fallen with..is fully dead in Christ..Meekness is the highest development of power in Jesus, when we daily pray in Him for His character of power to flow through relationship to us in co-operation. For more, see the Ten Commandments parallel the Ten Beatitudes. For more, see the study of Meekness. The Spirit of Prophecy does not develop the Ten Beatitudes into a parallel of the Ten Commandments so easily to convince others... Mt 28:17 And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.(KJV) There are always people who doubt...for the Holy Writings are only revealed by the Holy Spirit who is our teacher. Joh 16:12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. God does not reveal all things to us...a tree dies if planted with too much fertlizer all at once...only a little for today is all the root needs and enjoys... Even too much water drowns the roots need for air... Too much of Jesus' knowledge can kill us...too much of the Holy Spirit can kill us...and too much of Father will cause us to burn like straw... A Christian plant grows slowly, little by little, drinking and eating only as it needs...lest too much food we rise in pride and forget the salvation of Jesus...we walk over the saving relationship instead of walking with relationship.. Likewise plant roots die if they receive no water or no food, such fasting can be good for us and the plant, but a long drought causes the eventual death of a Christian plant..we need daily the refreshing presence of relationship with GOD..Shalom This is why Jesus pre-existed as Elohiym and later added humanity to Himself. The only way to change relationship from one form to another and not violate the natural and spiritual laws of GOD, is for a heavenly co-eternal Being to live in both relationships simultaneously, saving those in such a relationship with Jesus! (4) Hungry and thirsty for more.. (4) "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousne ss." The sense of unworthiness will leadthe heart to hunger and thirst for righteousness, and this desire will not be disappointed. Those whomake room in their hearts for Jesus will realize His love. All who long to bear the likeness of thecharacter of God shall be satisfied. The Holy Spirit never leaves unassisted the soul who is lookingunto Jesus. He takes of the things of Christ and shows them unto him. If the eye is kept fixed on Christ,the work of the Spirit ceases not until the soul is conformed to His image. The pure element of lovewill expand the soul, giving it a capacity for higher attainments, for increased knowledge of heavenlythings, so that it will not rest short of the fullness. "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst afterrighteousness; for they shall be filled." Some theories of faith make confusion with pronouns... All who long to bear the likeness of thecharacter of God shall be satisfied. The Holy Spirit never leaves unassisted the soul who is lookingunto Jesus. He takes of the things of Christ and shows them unto him. The Author sees the Holy Spirit functioning as an agency or medium, carrying the power of the Father or Jesus to us, hence the pronoun "He" refers to them. Other theories of faith see the pronoun like this:- All who long to bear the likeness of thecharacter of God shall be satisfied. The Holy Spirit never leaves unassisted the soul who is lookingunto Jesus. He takes of the things of Christ and shows them unto him. If this were so, than... If the eye is kept fixed on Christ,the work of the Spirit ceases not until the soul is conformed to His image. But the Author sees the Holy Spirit as an Agency for Jesus, thus we have If the eye is kept fixed on Christ,the work of the Spirit ceases not until the soul is conformed to His image. For more, see Person of the Holy Spirit. The SOP does not parallel this fourth Beatitude with the fourth commandment of the Father, concerning Sabbath.We have a dim understanding of the function of Ceasing Day...we tend to think Sabbath is about ceasing all activity...but trees do not do this...a tree can only hunger and thirst for more, if the fruit it bears is removed and given away to others...than the plant grows more fruit and becomes larger as well.If we fail to give away GOD's love fruited in us, we shrink and die in our own selfishness. (5) Fruit of loving: Mercy.. (5) The merciful shall find mercy, and the pure in heart shall see God. Every impure thought defiles thesoul, impairs the moral sense, and tends to obliterate the impressions of the Holy Spirit. It dims thespiritual vision, so that men cannot behold God. The Lord may and does forgive the repenting sinner;but though forgiven, the soul is marred. All impurity of speech or of thought must be shunned by himwho would have clear discernment of spiritual truth.But the words of Christ cover more than freedom from sensual impurity, more than free dom from thatceremonial defilement which the Jews so rigorously shunned. Selfishness prevents us from beholdingGod. The self-seeking spirit judges of God as altogether such a one as itself. Until we have renouncedthis, we cannot understand Him who is love. Only the unselfish heart, the humble and trustful spirit,shall see God as "merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth." Ex. 34:6. Mercy is a fruit of love that comes from prayers of meekness that do not mis-use the Name of Jesus.If you have Jesus in your relationship you will be merciful to others...if you are alone without relationship, than your selfishness rules and masters your soul. For more, see the Self Theme. (6) Fruit of loving: Peacemakers.. (6) "Blessed are the peacemakers." The peace of Christ is born of truth. It is harmony with God. The worldis at enmity with the law of God; Page 305 sinners are at enmity with their Maker; and as a result they are at enmity with one another. But thepsalmist declares, " Great peace have they which love Thy law: and nothing shall offend them." Ps.119:165. Men cannot manufacture peace. Human plans for the purification and uplifting of individualsor of society will fail of producing peace, because they do not reach the heart. The only power that cancreate or perpetuate true peace is the grace of Christ. Peace is also a fruit coming from prayers that use the power of Jesus character correctly for holy use.The war in heaven, was not one of force, swords and killing angel against angel. The war in heaven has to be about relationship...relationships at war fight on the inside where the sword of the Holy Spirit kills the relationship of the soul connected to GOD...it was a personal war of words...where the WORD of Jesus was uprooted by Satan's words, causing strife, not peace.The words of Jesus have power and they come with peace. This is why it is important not to use Jesus Name in vain. Ps 147:15 He sendeth forth his commandment (imrah) "Jesus personified" upon earth: his word runneth very swiftly.(KJV) The Father sends the "memra/imrah", His Son personified as His words, in personal form to earth, and they (coloured yellow) His arrangements of words (dabar) runs swiftly. There is power in words...Great Peace is found only in Jesus, the WORD personified. (7) Persecuted for being Straight.. (7) "Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.(8) Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil againstyou falsely, for My sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your Page 306 reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you." The second commandment forbids making things into things that your eye sees are bringing your soul to a human heaven.We are to mourn for the covering we have lost. Mourn for a physical Jesus who supplies our every physical need. But people who are straight and true to Jesus will be persecuted because such evil people hate seeing their crooked ways as crooked, contrasted to your straight lines. Your standing shows them up and they hate you for this.Are we covered by Jesus, or are we naked before GOD manufacturing material idols to replace our paradise lost? For more, see Idols of technology. (9) Salt of the < span style='background:yellow'> earth.. (9) "Ye are the salt of the earth," Jesus said. Do not withdraw yourselves from the world in order to escapepersecution. You are to abide among men, that the savor of the divine love may be as salt to preservethe world from corruption.Hearts that respond to the influence of the Holy Spirit are the channels through which God's blessingflows. Salt preserves and allows communication from one boundary across another, so humans are to continue to reach other humans for GOD. (10) A light for the earth.. (10 ) "Ye are the light of the world." The Jews thought to confine the benefits of salvation to their ownnation; but Christ showed them that Page 307 salvation is like the sunshine. It belongs to the whole world. The religion of the Bible is not to beconfined between the covers of a book, nor within the walls of a church Light banished darkness and seeks out darkness destroying it everywhere. Darkness is an absense of light. (11) Jesus did NOT abolish His laws.. Christ Himself had given both the moral and the ceremonial law.He did not come to destroy confidence in His own instruction. It was because of His great reverence forthe law and the prophets that He sought to break through the wall of traditional requirements whichhemmed in the Jews. While He set aside their false interpretations of the law, He carefully guarded Hisdisciples against yielding up the vital truths committed to the Hebrews. Sure Jesus did not abolish His laws before He died on the Cross, but after the Cross all ceremonial laws cease. So some theories of faith say. Col 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; What is a "dogma"? It is a human man made law :- Lu 2:1 � And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. Without going to the OT Hebrew word equivalent, a dogma were human rules imposed on the saved, such as Paul mentions here, Jews and Gentile people were walled into separate parts around the temple to worship GOD. Jesus removed this through His death on the Cross. The Hebrew word for dogma is "choq". Notice this verse:- Jer 31:35 � Thus saith the LORD, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The LORD of hosts is his name: For more, see (226) on Sin-offering. For more, see SOP on love-feast. (12) Judge if we are saved by our FRUIT.. The Lord says, "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your ownselves." This is our work. "If we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged." 2 Cor. 13:5; 1 Cor.11:31.The good tree will produce good fruit. If the fruit is unpalatable and worth less, the tree is evil. So thefruit borne in the life testifies as to the condition of the heart and the excellence of the character. Goodworks can never purchase salvation, but they are an evidence of the faith that acts by love and purifiesthe soul The Hebrew word for "father" is also "fruit". We judge ourselves as saved by Jesus, if the Father's relationship is also in us. Song 6:11 � I went down into the garden of nuts to see the fruits (ab) "father/fruit" of the valley, God bless the reader's love for the Father, and Jesus who saves us in relationship, and the Holy Spirit who makes this possible for everyone who will. Shalom The next chapter of Desire of Ages..we look at The Centurion. |
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A bigger tree needs more of Jesus (food) and Spirit (water) than a smaller tree, ready to face the Father of photosynthesis for changing our human relationship with Jesus (the Son of Man with the Sons of Men) into a divine relationship ( the Son of GOD with the children of GOD).
