All The Beatitudes

The First Beatitude

Before He became man, Jesus purposely volunteered to shift Himself from the Son of God, to the son of man, to be placed in the womb of Mary. He initiated transparency and a vulnerability that is unprecedented in all history. In response to this, Satan retaliated by having 1000’s of children slain (thru Herod), at the time, and in the geographic location Jesus was born in. Satan was already jealous of and knew who Jesus was, so he tried to sabotage the whole nativity. Satan comes to steal, kill and destroy but Jesus came to bring abundant life; John 10:10. Jesus modeled transparency and vulnerability.

The Third Beatitude

The meek are fortunate because the whole wide world belongs to them. Matt 5:5 TLB

The word meek is defined as gentle and mild mannered. However this Interesting Greek explanation has a difficult-to-translate root (pra-), meaning more than "meek." Biblical meekness is not weakness but rather it refers to exercising God's strength under His control – i.e. demonstrating power without undue harshness. This lends a whole different perspective on meaning.

Meek • modest, patient without bitterness (as if He was waiting for His (very young) disciples to mature and for the religious (who He taught from the age of 12) to begin to recognize Him and turn from their ways to God.

Taking all this into consideration, as we move ahead with God, and begin to carry His presence, we also begin to sense a mild mannerliness within us, because of the added dimension of Holy Spirit’s activation. It’s almost as if we carry an unfair advantage over so many temptations, infirmities and circumstances. Meekness is never weakness, its a quiet superiority that moves in humility, anonymity, and very often obscurity, just like Jesus did.

The Sixth Beatitude

Purity of heart and trusting are synonymous. Jesus took the cup, was obedient to finish the task and completed the mission. His seed bears much fruit today because He has secured His heart in God. Jesus’ teachings and examples will keep us on the narrow road of abundance.

Jesus and His Father are One: I and the Father are one." (John 10:30, NIV).

But if I do it, even though you do not believe me, believe the miracles, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father." (John 10:38, NIV).

The Eighth Beatitude

The Gospel records many times the slander and hatred the religious had against Jesus (who He came to save). Obviously He finished His work, even under terrible conditions.

Jesus modeled to His followers to:

stay on the narrow road,
obey His commandments and Holy Spirit (which would indicate a need to know Holy Spirit)
stay in fellowship with one another (1 John 1:7)
staying out of darkness
walking in the light where the blood of Jesus keeps us clean and productive.