CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST... WOMEN IN THE WORD WEDNESDAY...

 

Sometimes it helps to get the big picture, to see where we are going.  Jesus loves you and me and we love Jesus. Last Wednesday I asked, "How do You and I live to show Him our love for Him?"

I think I'll ask the same question again today!  THIS IS SO IMPORTANT!  Join me again this Wednesday as we consider how He says we should live.  The first part of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount has 27 marks of:

• THE BLESSED LIFE
• THE CHRISTIAN LIFE
• THE JOY-FILLED LIFE
• THE LIFE OF LOVE

Instead of numbering the verses of Matthew chapter 5, I'll number those "27 marks" for us to consider.  The italicized words are scripture; the non-italicized words summarize the longer thought in scripture.

The Sermon on the Mount:

When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying,

1.  Blessed are the poor in spirit ...
2.  Blessed are those who mourn...
3.  Blessed are the meek (gentle)... 
4.  Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness... 
5.  Blessed are the merciful...
6.  Blessed are the pure in heart ...
7.  Blessed are the peacemakers...
8.  Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness... 
9. Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you...Rejoice and be glad...
10. You are the salt of the earth... 
11. You are the light of the world... 
12. Your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees...
13. You are devoid of anger with brothers/sisters:  ...who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court;
14. You use no contemptious words:  "...whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.
15. You do not allow a brother or sister to hold anything against you:  First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering...
16. You have the spirit of quick agreement:  Make friends quickly with your opponent... 
17. You have no inward lustful thinking: ...everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. If your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to go into hell...
18. You have right relations with your spouse:   It was said, ‘WHOEVER SENDS HIS WIFE AWAY, LET HIM GIVE HER A CERTIFICATE OF DIVORCE’; but I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for the reason of unchastity, makes her commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
19. You are relentless about anything that offends against the LORD:  Again, you have heard that the ancients were told, ‘YOU SHALL NOT MAKE FALSE VOWS, BUT SHALL FULFILL YOUR VOWS TO THE LORD.’ But I say to you, make no oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet, or by Jerusalem, for it is THE CITY OF THE GREAT KING. Nor shall you make an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black.
20. You have truth in speech and attitude:  But let your statement be, ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no’; anything beyond these is of evil.
21. You turn the other cheek:  You have heard that it was said, ‘AN EYE FOR AN EYE, AND A TOOTH FOR A TOOTH.’ But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.
22. You give your cloak also:  If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also.
23. You go the second mile:  Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two.
24. You give to those who ask of you:  Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you.
25. You love your enemies:  “You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and...
26. You pray for those who persecute you:  ... pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.  For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?
27. You are to be perfect (mature), as your heavenly Father is perfect (mature).

I invite you back here each day, through the month of February, to learn more about how to love yourself enough to do it Jesus' way!  It hurts because it begins with BROKENESS!

~Oh, the J.O.Y!~

CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST... GRATITUESDAY...

 
BLESSED are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

BLESSED are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.


This morning, I am sad on more than one account:

1.  When I turned on my computer, this morning, the first thing I saw was the words of someone who grew up in christianity, yet has now chosen to become a Jesus basher. 

2.  Then, when I came to my blog, I realized once again that another song with the word CHRIST in it has been taken off my playlist.  What?  So, I went to my playlist to add it again - to no avail!  As you can see above, our theme song, is listed on the playlist as both song 1 and song 2, but they do not play.  The playlist skips on to song 3.  In the last few months, when I try to post a song with Christ or Jesus in the title, it seems to mysteriously not be able to stay as my theme song.... hmmmmm....

To be honest, I'm frustrated... I'm mad... I'm sad...  Yet, I am reminded that Jesus wants me to LOVE MY ENEMIES.  Is the playlist's website my enemy?  Oh, I think it's greater than that... but scripture comforts me with these words from Romans 8:

  ³⁷ But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who LOVED us. ³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, ³⁹ nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the LOVE of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

~Oh, the JOY~

CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST... MEDITATION MONDAY...

Each year, I try to spend time focusing on Christ's sermon on the mount.  His sermon is a call to discipleship for His followers.  His sermon is the way to THE BLESSED LIFE.  His sermon begins with crucifixion!

• 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.

I've learned a lot by reading a book written by E. Stanley Jones in the early 1900's - CHRIST OF THE MOUNT.  Here are some concepts I am meditating on today as I considered the life and will of our LORD:

• PAGE 56:  "Self renunciation is far deeper than world renunciation, for one may give up the world and not give up (her)self.  I have seen many a sadhu who was poor in material things, but not poor in spirit, for if you crossed (her), (s)he would flash back in anger.  No (wo)man is free until (s)he is..."

• PAGE 57a:  "...free at the center.  When (s)he lets go there, (s)he is free indeed.  When the self is renounced, then one stands utterly disillusioned, apart asking for nothing.  (S)he anticipates the sorrows, the buffetings, the slights, the separations, the disappointments of life... it is life's supreme strategic retreat.  You can then say to life:  "What can you do to me?  I want nothing!"  You can say to death:  "What can you do to me?  I have already died!"  Then is a (wo)man truly free...   Asking for nothing, if anything comes to (her), it is all sheer gain.  Then life becomes one constant surprise."

• PAGE 57b:  "The gospel begins at the cross, so that a (wo)man chooses to be utterly  vulnerable - (s)he wounds (her)self to death.  Then, (s)he is impervious to wounds. You cannot defeat a (wo)man who has already accepted defeat; you cannot break brokenness.  You cannot kill a (wo)man who has chosen to die - (s)he is now deathless."

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.

~Oh, the JOY!~

CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST... SUNDAY IN THE SON...

VERSE 1:

As I look back on what I thought was living
I'm amazed at the price I choose to pay
And to think I ignored what really mattered
Cause I thought the sacrifice would be too great
But when I finally reached the point of giving in
I found the cross was calling even then
And even though it took dying to survive
I've never felt so much alive.

CHORUS:

For I am crucified with Christ and yet I live
Not I but Christ that lives within me
His Cross will never ask for more than I can give
For its not my strength but His
There's no greater sacrifice
For I am crucified with Christ and yet I live

VERSE 2:

As I hear the Savior call for daily dying
I will bow beneath the weight of Calvary
Let my hands surrender to His piercing purpose
That holds be to the cross but sets me free
I will glory in the power of the cross
The things I thought were gain I count as loss
And with His suffering I identify
And by His resurrection power I am alive

(CHORUS)

BRIDGE:

And I will offer all I have
So that His cross is not in vain
For I found to live is Christ
And to die is truly gain

(CHORUS)

~Oh, the JOY!~

LOVE THE LORD... FAMILY FELLOWSHIP FRIDAY...

Sometimes good intentions don't get the job done!  After injuring my knee further and spending most of the morning in water therapy and at the doctor's office, I now am walking with a cane AND a boot.  This is really gonna slow this girl down!  But never fear... I've got FAMILY and FRIENDS!

Brenda arrived at my house to clean.  While she did that, I was able to make my list of phone calls and do school work on the computer.  Then, I got to sit and be encouraged by reading my daughter-in-love's blog about our 2 grand-girls.  Afterwards, Brenda chauffered me to the University where I had a meeting and office work.  A professor friend helped me gather my files for an hour and a half to prepare for the testing I'm giving all day tomorrow.  Chauffeur Steve arrived just in time for my friend to carry my files to his truck while I hobbled along.

As I thought more about being "Poor in spirit!"  I knew that I was being taught today in multiple ways.  I cannot do life on my own strength!  Humility!  Non-resistance!  Service!  Love!  Those were all in my face today!

Also "in my face" today was my GRANDdaughter C.  Oh, she is not here!  But some things she has done/said recently remind me of the "poor in spirit heart of a child". 

"C" story #1 remind me to BE poor in spirit, BE mournful when things go wrong, BE meek enough to be moldable:



When "J"  commented, "Sad,"  "C" piped up, "What's sad, mom?"


"J" said, "I was just sad the ice cream place had closed, but it is fine." 

"C"  immediately said, "We need to pray for it. And then maybe it can open back up."

"J" and "J" smiled. Then they prayed. And they thank God for this moldable little heart and the ways He's already working in it.

 

 

"J" has begun to work on the ABC Scriptures with 2 year old "C".  Here is "C" story #2:

 

When they did the "A" verse, "J" wrote:  It's week 2 with the verse, so we made a craft today.

"As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."Joshua 24:15

 

 

Later, "J" wrote, "Last week we were supposed to finish B. We read the story of the Good Samaritan, and talked about how he built another up. When I finished, "C" asked me, "Can I give the Good Samaritan a hug?" Sweetie! 

First, we wrote ways that we can make others feel love, or build them up.

"C" came up with

a)play with them

b)be a nice friend

c) make them something with cute things

d) say something nice

 e)share

f) give a hug.

 

We wrote each inside of a heart, and she colored it."

 

WHAT A HEART FULL OF JESUS' LOVE

LITTLE MISS "C" HAS!

 

If you would like to get yourself and

your children started on this spiritual

journey of understanding and  memorizing God's word,

go to Jenae's blog at:

http://www.icanteachmychild.com/2011/10/abc-printable-scripture-cards/

 

Love Yourself like Jesus loves You!

 

Blessed are the poor in spirit...

Blessed are those who mourn...

Blessed are the meek...

 

OH, THE JOY!!!

LOVE THE LORD... TRANSFORMING THURSDAY...

Love the LORD?  Then, love Yourself enough to follow Him!

Jesus says, in Matthew 5 that the way to get started with His kind of life is to BE a certain way.  That's why people call this part of His Sermon on the Mount - THE BE-ATTITUDES.  In fact, if we call ourselves christians, there is no other way for us to BE.  Let's look at the first one today (and a little bit at the second one):

• Be poor in spirit (then yours is the kingdom of heaven).
• Be a person who mourns over your sinfulness (then you will be comforted).

This is something that I've written about on this blog in the past.  Please join me in reading the following posts.  I think all of them will be very worth your while, but if you only have time for one, then I believe the last one would be the one I suggest:

http://momstransformed.blogspot.com/2008/07/for-when-i-am-weak-then-i-am-strong.html

http://momstransformed.blogspot.com/2008/07/for-theirs-is-kingdom-of-heaven.html

http://momstransformed.blogspot.com/2008/07/blessed-are-poor-in-spirit.html

http://momstransformed.blogspot.com/2008/07/pour-it-out.html

BLESSED ARE THE POOR IN SPIRIT

Love Jesus!

Love Yourself!

~OH, THE J.O.Y.~

LOVE THE LORD... WOMEN IN THE WORD WEDNESDAY....

J.O.Y.

Jesus loves you and me and we love Jesus. Now, how do You and I live to show Him our love for Him?  Today let's listen to Him and consider how He says we should live.  The first part of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount has 27 marks of:

• THE BLESSED LIFE
• THE CHRISTIAN LIFE
• THE JOY-FILLED LIFE
• THE LIFE OF LOVE

Instead of numbering the verses of Matthew chapter 5, I'll number those "27 marks" for us to consider.  The italicized words are scripture; the non-italicized words summarize the longer thought in scripture.

The Sermon on the Mount:

When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying,

1.  Blessed are the poor in spirit ...
2.  Blessed are those who mourn...
3.  Blessed are the gentle (meek)... 
4.  Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness... 
5.  Blessed are the merciful...
6.  Blessed are the pure in heart ...
7.  Blessed are the peacemakers...
8.  Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness... 
9. Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you...Rejoice and be glad...
10. You are the salt of the earth... 
11. You are the light of the world... 
12. Your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees...
13. You are devoid of anger with brothers/sisters:  ...who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court;
14. You use no contemptious words:  "...whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.
15. You do not allow a brother or sister to hold anything against you:  First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering...
16. You have the spirit of quick agreement:  Make friends quickly with your opponent... 
17. You have no inward lustful thinking: ...everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. If your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to go into hell...
18. You have right relations with your spouse:   It was said, ‘WHOEVER SENDS HIS WIFE AWAY, LET HIM GIVE HER A CERTIFICATE OF DIVORCE’; but I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for the reason of unchastity, makes her commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
19. You are relentless about anything that offends against the LORD:  Again, you have heard that the ancients were told, ‘YOU SHALL NOT MAKE FALSE VOWS, BUT SHALL FULFILL YOUR VOWS TO THE LORD.’ But I say to you, make no oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet, or by Jerusalem, for it is THE CITY OF THE GREAT KING. Nor shall you make an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black.
20. You have truth in speech and attitude:  But let your statement be, ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no’; anything beyond these is of evil.
21. You turn the other cheek:  You have heard that it was said, ‘AN EYE FOR AN EYE, AND A TOOTH FOR A TOOTH.’ But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.
22. You give your cloak also:  If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also.
23. You go the second mile:  Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two.
24. You give to those who ask of you:  Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you.
25. You love your enemies:  “You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and...
26. You pray for those who persecute you:  ... pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.  For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?
27. You are to be perfect (mature), as your heavenly Father is perfect (mature).

I invite you back here each day, through the month of February, to learn more about how to love yourself enough to do it Jesus' way!

~Oh, the J.O.Y!~