My apologies for not updating my blog in the last couple of weeks. Traveling around the AOR (Iraq) is not condussive to being communicationally faithful. Hopefully things will slow down enough where I can update it weekly.

For the next several weeks I would like to discuss along with you some of our Lord’s most intriguing words. These words were spoken as he was ministering to the crowds along side of a mountain. This particular sermon begins what is formally known as the "Sermon on the Mount", contained in chapters 5-7 in the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew 5:3-12 reads, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

These popular and oft misunderstood versus form what is commonly known as the Beatitudes. The Latin word for blessed is "beatus", and from this comes the word beatitude. Jesus said if we follow this path in seeking our joy and fulfillment, then we will surely be "blessed".

Warren Wiersbe writes, "Imagine how the crowd’s attention was riveted on Jesus when He uttered His first word, "Blessed". This was a powerful word to those who heard Jesus that day. To them it meant "divine joy and perfect happiness". The word was not used for humans; it described the kind of joy experienced only by the gods or the dead. “Blessed” implied an inner satisfaction and sufficiency that did not depend on outward circumstances for happiness. This is what the Lord offers those who trust Him!” Human happiness is something which is dependent on the chances and the changes of life, something which life may give and which life may also destroy. The Christians blessedness is completely untouchable and unassailable as it comes from and is maintained by God.

William Barclay has said, “The greatness of the beatitudes is that they are not wistful glimpses of some future beauty; they are not even golden promises of some distant glory; they are triumphant shouts of bliss for a permanent joy that nothing in the world can take away.” When we are blessed by God, we are blessed by God, despite the difficult circumstances that may arise.

When you look at this list of ingredients Jesus gives for happiness, it certainly causes many of us to raise an eyebrow. This strange list appears to be the very antithesis of what most of us are looking for when it comes to making us feel blessed. Hopefully as we study these "attitudes that ought to be" they will become to us less foreign and something that we all strive after diligently.

We will discuss what it means to be "poor in spirit" next week. God bless each of you!

Ch P