Jesus speaking

Inward and Outward

April 14, 2014 by cynda cottrill

Blessed (happy, enviably fortunate, and spiritually prosperous—
possessing the happiness produced by the experience of God’s favor
and especially conditioned by the revelation of His grace,
regardless of their outward conditions) are the pure in heart, for they shall see God!
Matthew 5:8 AMP

Easton’s Bible Dictionary defines the heart as the “…centre not only of spiritual activity, but of all the operations of human life. The words, “heart” and “soul”, are often used interchangeably. The heart is the “home of the personal life”. The heart is also the “seat of the conscience” , all definitions we would agree with. Then, what is it to be pure in heart?

Most people would agree that to be pure in heart is to be cleansed, spotless. But Chuck Smith presents the idea that one who is pure in heart mourns because of their sin and because their heart is divided. A pure heart is one that is undivided; fleshly desires do not compete with Godly desires in the pure heart. A pure heart embraces God and finds joy in Him. None of which can be accomplished on our own. A pure heart comes from God. It is an attitude we desire.

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
Psalm 51:10.

It is heart knowledge, not head knowledge…
and must be experienced inwardly before we can share it outwardly.

Proverbs 21:2
People may be right in their own eyes, but the Lord examines their heart.

Proverbs 4:23
Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life.

Matthew 12:34
For out of the fullness (the overflow, the superabundance) of the heart the mouth speaks.

Matthew 15:18
But whatever comes out of the mouth comes from the heart,

Luke 6:45
…for out of the abundance (overflow) of the heart his mouth speaks.

Being pure in heart is WHO we are, shown in WHAT we do

The blessing of being pure in heart is the ability to see God. Many people believe this speaks to the future when we will actually, physically, see God face-to-face. What a joy that will be! But we can also see God now.

The promise of seeing God in the present is twofold as well. We are able to see God inwardly by experiencing greater intimacy and communion with Him. God will make Himself known to us through His Word and we will become more aware of Him and His companionship. We will see His hand over us, in our lives. And as we see Him more clearly inwardly, we will begin to recognize Him more outwardly. We will see God in the ordinary and recognize His favor on a daily basis.

When You give it to them, they gather it up; You open Your hand and they are filled with good things.
Psalm 104:28

Purity of heart leads to the inward desire to “see” God. “Seeing” God enables us to recognize the outward daily blessings and favor of God upon us. Are you gathering up the good things God has for you?

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Heavenly Father, thank You so much for the blessing of being able to see You in our lives. Increase our desire to be pure in heart so we can experience greater intimacy with You. We recognize that being pure in heart is not something we can achieve on our own but comes through our faith by knowing You. We lift up praise to You for the favor You rain down upon us each and every day. In Your precious Son’s name. Amen, so be it!

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: Beatitudes, cynda cottrill, daily devotions, GCH, Girlfriends Coffee Hour, Jesus speaking, luke 5:45, Matthew 12:34, matthew 5:8, proverbs 21:12, Proverbs 4:23, psalm 104:28, Psalm 51:10, pure in heart, Seeking Him devotional

Face to Face

April 13, 2014 by Ann Mwafulirwa

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Matthew 5:8

At first, this Beatitude appears to be referring to those who are morally clean—those who don’t defile themselves with impure thoughts, or anger, or other internal sins that wreak havoc on one’s life, and which can make a Christian ineffective. This is certainly an aspect of “pure” or “clean.” And if we understand the phrase “see God” in the sense of being in God’s Presence and being able to commune with Him, then certainly, the less sin there is in our lives, the more we are aware of the abiding Presence of God. It is more often the case that God seems most distant from us when, in fact, we are distant from Him as a result of an impure and hard heart.

“Create in me a clean heart, O God,” David cried out in Psalm 51, “And renew a steadfast spirit within me.” This thought of having a “steadfast” spirit, one that is devoted to God, may also be in mind here. David wrote this psalm on the heels of his sin with Bathsheba, which was indeed one of the most dramatic and deep moral failures of a man of God in Scripture. Not only does David want a clean heart, but he wants steadfastness…the ability to focus on God…to lean on Him at all times, and not be distracted by the temptations of the world.

The Greek translation of Psalm 24 (please check it) uses the same phrase, “pure in heart.” Here I think we get further insight into the meaning of this term. Notice that the one with clean hands and a pure heart avoids falsehood and deceit. There is a sense, then, that being pure in heart is more than just avoiding sin. Rather, it is being devoted to God, and having a life that is His, and that is recognizable as being His. It is about serving only one Master, not two, and drawing near to God. The words of James echo this thought:

Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.
Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
James 4:7-8 NASB

What does Jesus mean, then, when He says that the pure in heart “shall see God.” Wasn’t Moses told that no one could see God and live (Exodus 33:20)? First, I think there is a present reality to seeing God here, in the sense that those who are pure in heart draw near to God, as James says, and in turn God draws near to them. But I think there is also a future reality, looking forward to the time when ALL those who have endured this fallen world, who come out the other side beaten and bruised but, by the grace of God, have pure hearts, solely dedicated to God’s word and will, shall indeed stand before His throne and, in a sinless state (on account of the work of Christ), and see Him face to face.

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Dear Father, we thank You for the opportunity to see You face-to-face through the Holy Spirit. Create in us a clean heart, O Lord. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: ann mwafulirwa, Beatitudes, daily devotions, exodus 33:20, james 4:7-8, Jesus speaking, matthew 5:8, psalm 24, psalm 51, pure in heart, Seeking Him devotional

Showing Mercy

April 12, 2014 by coleen hayden

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Matthew 5:7 NIV

Two examples of showing mercy. May they each encourage you greatly! ♥

Our Merciful Lord

Blessed are the Merciful

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: Beatitudes, being merciful, Casting Crowns, coleen hayden, daily devotions, Friendly Persuasion, Gary Cooper, Jesus speaking, Mathew 5:7, Seeking Him devotional, showing mercy, Your Mercy

The Meaning of Mercy

April 11, 2014 by Tonya Ellison

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Matthew 5:7 NIV

mer•ci•ful

: treating people with kindness and forgiveness: not cruel or harsh
: having or showing mercy
: giving relief from suffering

I like definitions. I like to know the exact meaning of words because I think that a lot of words have been lost in translation. And, despite the emotional power of words, I like to know the exact meaning in addition to the feeling they bring. Merciful is one of these words. We know the general concept, but I think we often forget what this word really means.

Kindness
Forgiveness
Not cruel
Not harsh
Giving relief

Mercy takes another step past the feeling it brings and the words used to define it. Mercy is something we can have and something we can show—merciful should be our way of life. The thing I love about mercy is that throughout the day we are constantly presented with opportunities to offer mercy to others: while driving and we get cut off; to our snarky co-worker; to the person in a hurry who bumps into us on their way out; to our spouse; to our children. Mercy isn’t reserved for the pure of heart, in fact it may be most effective on those we feel don’t deserve it.

There is another category of people who deserve our mercy—perhaps the hardest group to offer it to—ourselves. When I’m working with patients dealing with guilt issues, I always remind them that in most cases it is hardest to forgive ourselves…hardest to show ourselves mercy.

This week I want to incorporate these words into my daily prayers; I want to be intentional in living and showing them to myself and others. Not because I know what it feels like, or because I know what it means, but because Christ is merciful to me. He showers mercy on me daily, and because of this I know that I can show it myself and I can show it to others.

Let’s pray: Dear Heavenly Father, mercy is a common word, yet most of us don’t know what it truly means. Lord, please play these words over and over in our heads this week—”kindness…forgiveness…not cruel…not harsh…giving relief.” Remind us of the times we were shown mercy and, because You have done so, we can and should do the same. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: Beatitudes, GCH, Girlfriends Coffee Hour, Jesus speaking, Matthew 5:7, merciful, mercy, showing mercy, Tonya Ellison

Mercy to Others

April 10, 2014 by laurapattillo

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Matthew 5:7 NIV

Do you ever feel like you have been wronged by someone or by a group of people? We are going through this right now. It is a struggle to stay Christ-like in our situation. We have an unfinished fence and an unwilling neighbor. This neighbor is using part of our unfinished fence to build their own fence. Yet, this neighbor is complaining about our unfinished fence and our backyard. My husband works hard to maintain our backyard. Also, our neighborhood is in the woods. Critters abound but we get blamed. It is hard to show restraint and not bow down to this neighbor’s methods. Instead of coming to us, this neighbor is creating havoc. We are showing mercy trying to work with this neighbor, and we are not getting any mercy. Surely, there is a better way (on the neighbor’s end) to work this out.

As Christians we are supposed to show mercy to those who do us wrong. We are supposed to be forgiving of them. We are supposed to look beyond the sin that is committed against us and be forgiving. Yet it is hard to be merciful when the wronging party does not want to be merciful back.

Judge not, and ye shall not be judged:
condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned:
forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:
Luke 6:37

It is hard not to be judgmental of our neighbor at this time. We are trying not condemn them. It is hard to be forgiving of someone who won’t even come see you face to face. We are trying not to be judgmental. We are trying to be merciful and look past human actions. We are trying to do our part and be forgiving of our neighbor.

God looks past our sins against Him and shows us mercy. One day He will take us into His Kingdom and bless us with blessings that we can’t even imagine at this time. We will be given the ultimate mercy. There will be no more suffering, sickness, sadness, or woe. There will be ultimate glory and love.

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Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your mercy. Also thank You for giving us the ability to show mercy and be forgiving. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: Beatitudes, daily devotions, GCH, Girlfriends Coffee Hour, Jesus speaking, laura pattillo, luke 6:37, Matthew 5:7, merciful, mercy, Mercy to Others, Seeking Him devotional

Relationships

April 8, 2014 by Tina Marin

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Matthew 5:7 NIV

The word mercy for me conjures up memories of scenes from movies portraying Christ. Dictionary.com gave this meaning: “compassionate or kindly forbearance shown toward an offender, an enemy, or other person in one’s power; compassion, pity, or benevolence: Have mercy on the poor sinner”. How many times have we been shown mercy in our DAILY walk? I shudder to think of how I may unknowingly have offended my heavenly Father.

Then I began to think, “How do I show mercy to others?” Do I become short when I am pressed for time and someone asks me questions? Yes, unfortunately I feel like I do sometimes. My boss is an excellent example of showing mercy and being fair. No matter how busy she is, she takes the time to speak with that person and make them feel valued.

Christ is a perfect example of mercy. When the woman who was caught in adultery was brought before Jesus for Him to condemn and punish her, He showed her mercy. He was gentle in His reproach to the men of the synagogue, to the point that they slowly turned away, one by one (see John 8:1-11). He did not need to be told her background…He already knew her story. But He also knew the hearts of the men who had brought her to Him. Jesus loves us unconditionally, and He wants to know us. His Father will discipline us when necessary, but Jesus will always intercede on our behalf.

My mom told me one day she was mad at me because of a dream she had. It was this: Someone had broken into our store. She had hit the man over the head with a cast iron skillet and knocked him unconscious. She told me to watch over the man and make sure he didn’t leave while she went to get help. When she came back she was shocked to see that I was dressing the man’s head wounds! She laughed and I said, ‘Well that sounds like me doesn’t it?’ She just shook her head.

I want to continue to be that person and show compassion and mercy toward others. When we pray and listen to the Holy Spirit, He will direct our paths and help guide us in our choices. This will go so far in our own relationships with family and friends. Remember there are those who watch and learn from your actions and reactions. Just remember you can start a new way of thinking today. No matter how old you are, with the Holy Spirit, you can begin practicing mercy and compassion toward others. Once you begin to extend it in all situations, you will feel a new lease on life…a refreshing of your spirit.

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Heavenly Father, thank You for Your gift of mercy. Show us, Lord, how we can use this gift in our everyday lives. In Jesus’ name, Amen!

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: Beatitudes, daily devotions, GCH, Girlfriends Coffee Hour, Jesus speaking, Matthew 5:7, merciful, mercy, Seeking Him devotional, shown mercy, Tina Marin

The Blessing of Mercy

April 7, 2014 by Ann Mwafulirwa

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
Matthew 5:7

The Beatitudes were not given as commands but as realities for those who are part of Christ’s Kingdom. We might call them Kingdom-Characteristics or Kingdom-Evidences. They describe the believer; and, by the same token, they are effective instruments to root out unbelief in the heart and expose an unregenerate condition. They do reflect attitudes of the heart, but they also explain the way believers will relate not only to God but also to those about them. Without attempting to slice them too neatly, it does appear that the first four Beatitudes focus primarily on the believer’s relationship with God, while the latter four aim primarily toward others. All of the Beatitudes have to do with Kingdom Life, and thus each of them will impact all of our relationships.

We speak of having mercy, or showing mercy, or being merciful, but we don’t speak of mercy-ing someone. Yet mercy is more than a feeling–it’s something that is apparent in our actions. As Christians, we have been on the receiving end of God’s merciful acts; and so we should be the first to make mercy a characteristic of our lives.

In Matthew 18, Jesus tells the story of a king who forgave one of his slaves who owed him a lot of money. Although the slave had been forgiven a great debt, nevertheless he went out and had a man thrown in prison who owed him a relative pittance. The king’s retribution against the slave was severe, because the slave was unwilling to show the same kind of mercy he had received. Jesus told the story in answer to Peter’s question, “How many times should we forgive someone?” This is how the Kingdom of Heaven operates, Jesus is saying…as much as mercy has been shown to you (and, in Christ, we have been shown greater mercy than we can comprehend), you show that mercy to others.

The previous Beatitudes have referred to blessings poured out upon those who are oppressed, weak, and in need of mercy. This Beatitude directs those who might be in a position to help such people to show mercy. I think other Biblical teaching, particularly the example set by the early church in Acts 4, indicates that the Christian’s first object of mercy should be those within the Church. Every church has people who are in need of help—whether physical, financial, or spiritual—and the Body of Christ should be willing to help those people.

But then, every church should also look beyond their own walls to the community, and seek ways to show the love and mercy of Christ to those outside the church. And not simply as a tool to get them to come to church. But rather as a genuine, compassionate outreach that God might be pleased to use us to affect people’s lives–that we might be conduits of the Spirit’s blessings to people who desperately need Him. We can’t change people’s hearts but, through our actions, we can demonstrate the love and mercy of the One who can. It just might be that God would use us to draw people to Himself.

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Lord, thank You for Your mercy upon us. Let the Holy Spirit help us show mercy as a sign of love, too. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: ann mwafulirwa, Beatitudes, blessed are the merciful, daily devotions, GCH, Girlfriends Coffee Hour, Jesus speaking, Matthew 5:7, mercy, Seeking Him devotional

Am I Merciful?

April 6, 2014 by cynda cottrill

Blessed (happy, to be envied, and spiritually prosperous—
with life-joy and satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation,
regardless of their outward conditions)
are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy!
Matthew 5:7 AMP

As I was researching this verse, what struck me was the call for self-evaluation—am I merciful? What does it mean to be merciful? Systematic Theology defines mercy as “…the eternal principle of God’s nature which leads Him to seek eternal salvation….even at the cost of infinite self-sacrifice.” He extends mercy and grace to us, even to those who oppose Him, both now and forever more. Am I willing to sacrifice in order to show mercy? Do I show mercy to those I don’t like, even to those who have hurt me or oppose me? Easton’s Bible Dictionary says mercy is a Christian grace. The Greek Dictionary uses words like “tender, kindly, compassionate.” Is that who I am?

Joyce Meyer calls the Beatitudes the “Be-Happy-Attitudes.” Mercy (and being merciful) is just that—an attitude. It is more than taking action, more than a surface experience.

Mercy needs to become ingrained in me.
Merciful should be what I am as a Christian.
Merciful means I need the right attitude before I take action.

Mercy is not about overlooking sin or being easygoing in the face of wrong. It is having sympathy and compassion for those who are hurting. To be merciful is a heartfelt desire to help, or to alleviate suffering. Being merciful is to bear the pain and misery of others, without pride, (being aware of the mercy I have been shown) with no expectations, not seeking anything in return. For Matthew 25:40 tells us “…to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.”

There is no better reason to be merciful than the mercy that has been extended to me. Undeserved mercy! But our gracious God rewards us when we are merciful. The Amplified Bible says we are “…happy, to be envied, and spiritually prosperous…” when we are merciful.

Proverbs 11:17 tells us: “The merciful man benefits himself [for his deeds return to bless him].”
James 2:13 puts it this way: “Mercy triumphs over judgment.” But we should be merciful even if there are no rewards simply because we are called to be merciful.
Micah 6:8 says “And this is what He requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.”
Luke 6:36 states: “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”

So today I am examining my attitudes.

I want mercy to be who I am, not just something I do.

Maybe you do, too.

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Lord, I am so very thankful You chose to extend mercy to me, even before I knew You. I did not nor do I deserve the sacrifice You made for me. But I gratefully accept Your merciful gift. Please remind me to be merciful in heart and spirit as well as action and deed. My desire is to become more like You and for others to see You shining through me. In Your precious and holy name! Amen, so be it.

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: Beatitudes, cynda cotrill, GCH, Girlfriends Coffee Hour, james 2:13, Jesus speaking, luke 6:36, Matthew 5:7, merciful, Micah 6:8, proverbs 11:17

As The Deer – Matthew 5:6

April 5, 2014 by coleen hayden

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled.
Matthew 5:6

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: As The Deer, Beatitudes, coleen hayden, daily devotions, GCH, Girlfriends Coffee Hour, Jesus speaking, Robin Mark, Seeking Him devotional

Spiritual Hunger and Thirst

April 3, 2014 by laurapattillo

God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice,
for they will be satisfied.
Matthew 5:6

As children we hunger to learn what is right and what is wrong. We are supposed to learn this from our loving parents—the ones that God has blessed us with. From a young age when we start to learn between right and wrong, we hunger and thirst to do right so as to please those around us. As children of God, we should do the same. We should hunger and thirst for the righteousness of God.

As Christians, we have a hunger and thirst for a relationship with God. Once we accept Christ, we begin that relationship. Even before the Samaritan woman received Christ, she thirsted for the righteousness of God. The Samaritan woman was already thirsting for Jesus before she even met and spoke with Him. When she asked for the living water, Jesus told her everything about herself. He already knew her. She ran back to tell the people who shunned her. That day many became children of God. Even though she had sinned, Jesus blessed her.

As the children of God we, like the Samaritan woman, have sinned. However, if we want to be in a relationship with Jesus, our spiritual thirst and hunger can be satisfied by accepting Him. All we have to do is believe that He died on the Cross for us and rose three days later to defeat death and sin.

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Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for satisfying our thirst and hunger with Your righteousness. Without You, our spirit would be forever hungry. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: Beatitudes, daily devotions, GCH, Girlfriends Coffee Hour, hunger and thirst, Jesus speaking, John 4:9-15, laura pattillo, matthew 5:6, Samaritan woman, Seeking Him devotional

Inward and Outward

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Face to Face

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Showing Mercy

The Meaning of Mercy

mer•ci•ful

Mercy to Others

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Relationships

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The Blessing of Mercy

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Am I Merciful?

I want mercy to be who I am, not just something I do.

Maybe you do, too.

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As The Deer – Matthew 5:6

Spiritual Hunger and Thirst

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I want mercy to be who I am, not just something I do.

Maybe you do, too.

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