Mat 7:24-27; The Sheep Who Climbed Everest.

                      Thursday October 17, 2024

Main theme: The key to doing what Christ says is in the Beatitudes. 

Mat 7:24-27
 

To do we must first be of the type that He has made us. 

Mental attitude: poor, mournful, meek (weak). 

Desire: thirst and hunger for righteousness. 

Character: merciful, pure, peacemakers. 

Environment: ridiculed and persecuted. 

How do these translate into doing? The Promises - theirs is: 

The kingdom of heaven. Comfort. Inherited earth. Satisfied. Receiving mercy. Seeing God. Called sons of God (election and inheritance). 

The type is blessed and a guaranteed recipient of the promises - now you can do: 

Reference to Law: 

Not given to conflict (5:22-23) - peacemaker + blessing. 

Pure loyalty (5:28) - pure in heart + blessing …. 

Always true in word (5:37) - hunger for righteousness.

Charitable (5:42) - poor and meek. 

Divine love for all (5:44, 48) - merciful. 

Reference to God: 

Worship in secret (6:1) - hunger for righteousness. 

Seek kingdom of heaven and His righteousness - hunger for righteousness, pure in heart. 

Store up treasure in heaven - hunger for righteousness, poor, mournful, meek. 

Reference to others: 

Do not judge but do not be a fool (7:1, 6) - peacemaker, merciful. 

Ask, seek, knock (7:7-8) - hunger. 

Live by golden rule (7:12) - poor, mournful, meek, peacemaker, pure, merciful. 

Seek the quality of eternal life though it will be difficult (7:13-14) - hunger, pure in heart. 

Beware of false prophets (not a fool) and do according to the true prophet (7:15-27) - persecuted but blessed, poor, mournful, meek. 

Hearing and believing, and especially teaching to others, puts you on the hook for doing. 

Corrie Ten Boom faces forgiveness (The Hiding Place, p. 247)

Just do it.  

Be a spiritual design engineer: Design your own life:

Be curious - makes all things new and invites exploration. 

In what areas of your life have you ignored because you were afraid of the answers? 

Are you curious as to what your life will look like when you give more and more areas over to the will of God? 

Try stuff: all have a bias to action. 

Do you sit on the bench thinking about doing? Why not reach out to that person, or serve in that capacity, or try that spiritual discipline? 

Reframe problems: Do you quit when something doesn’t work? 

Keep a journal of your day for three weeks. Evaluate your daily tasks and write down whether they are engaging or energetic. Are you spiritual in them? 

Know it is a process: Life takes time. 

We’re going to make mistakes. Sometimes good things come out of the mistakes. 

Ask for help: pride wants to be on an island. 

Ask God for help, ex. Corrie. 

Ask others for help. There are Christians in your life who would love to help you. Ask. Ask for prayer as well. 

Be vulnerable.