SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 3/24/2020
9:30 AM
My Worship Time Focus: PT-3 “The Beatitudes”
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Matthew 5:3
Message of the
verse: “3
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
I mentioned that we will see what
Jesus had to say about the philosophy of the world, as we ended up looking at
what Solomon had to say in yesterday’s SD.
To do this we will look at Luke 12:15 “Then He said to them,
"Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even
when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.’” Jesus is saying that the “tree of happiness”
cannot grow in a cursed earth, as earthly things cannot ever bring lasting
earthly happiness, much less eternal happiness.
Now as we look at this truth we
should also point out that the opposite is also true and that is that spiritual
things cannot satisfy physical needs. If
someone is hungry that person needs food and not a lecture on grace. Likewise when he is hurt he needs medical
attention and not moral advice. True
spiritual concern for such people will express itself first of all in providing
for their physical needs. I have read or
heard about missionaries who go to remote parts of the earth and the first
thing that they do is to provide medical attention and food to those in need
and then after that they are able to talk to the people about their real need,
and that is having Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord. “17 But whoever has the world’s goods, and
sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of
God abide in him?” (1 John 3:17)
There
is a more common danger and this is trying to meet almost every need with
physical things. This philosophy is
futile and also unscriptural. Two
examples from the OT are from the life of Saul who when he was distressed, his
jewels and his army could give him no help.
Then in Daniel chapter five we read about a great feast given by
Belshazzar and then the famous handwriting on the wall caused his knees to
begin to knock together. “Mene, Mene,
Tekel, Upharsin” is what the hand wrote and then what Daniel interpreted for him
26 “This is the interpretation of the message: ’MENE’-God has numbered your
kingdom and put an end to it. 27 “’TEKEL’-you have been weighed on the scales
and found deficient. 28 “’PERES’-your kingdom has been divided and given over
to the Medes and Persians." 29 Then Belshazzar gave orders, and they
clothed Daniel with purple and put a necklace of gold around his neck,
and issued a proclamation concerning him that he now had authority as
the third ruler in the kingdom.”
John
MacArthur quotes the great Puritan saint Thomas Watson who wrote “The things of
the world will no more keep out trouble of spirit, than a paper sconce will
keep out a bullet. Worldly delights are
winged. They may be compared to a flock
of birds in the garden, they say a little while, but when you come near to them
they take their flight and are gone. So ‘riches
make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.’’
Now
with us today in many countries is what we call the “health and wealth gospel,”
and this is not the true gospel at all as this gospel puts God in a box and
says that He must give health and wealth to all believers. Jesus, while on earth lived as a very common
person as when He became old enough He worked with His step-father Joseph
building things like houses, and then once He began His ministry He stated that
the foxes have dens but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head.
We
will end with a quote from John MacArthur and then it is my desire to finish
this section in our next SD. “To expect
happiness from the things of this world is like seeking the living among the
dead, just as the women sought Christ at the garden tomb on that first Easter
morning. The angels told the women, ‘He
is not here, but He has risen’ (Luke 24:6).
Paul said, ‘If then you have been raised up with Christ, kee seeking the
things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the
things that are on earth’ (Col. 1:1-2).
John said ‘Do not love the world, nor the things in the world…And the
world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God
abides forever’ (1 John 2:15, 17).”
Spiritual meaning for my life today: “To
set my mind on the things above and not on the things that are on this earth.
My Steps of Faith for Today: Trust the
Lord to continue to teach me contentment, humility and to continue to give me
joy from the study of His Word each day.
3/24/2020 10:04 AM
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