The Beatitudes

"The Beautitudes can seem to be sacred paradoxes. Their value system is in contrast to everything the world values. Note the progression of thought: Matt. 5:3 speaks of "the poor in spirit". A person who is poor in spirit has the right attitude about sin, which leads to mourning (v. 4). When someone recognizes his sinfulness and mourns over it he develops meekness (v.5). That leads him to hunger and thrist for righteousness (v.6). Such a hunger manifests itself in mercy (v.7), purity of heart (v.8), and a peaceable spirit (v.9). A person who displays those attitudes can expect to be reviled, persecuted, and falsely accused (vv. 10-11). That's because that kind of life-style is an irritant to worldly people. But in the end believers will be able to "rejoice, and be exeedingly glad; for great is their reward in heaven" (v.12). He who lives in accordance with the Beatitudes will be "the salt of the earth" and "the light of the world" (vv. 13-14)" John MacArthur

Soon after our departure from spiritually destuctive, legalistic churches the Lord had the radio ministry of Grace to You cross our path. When we left these churches (or cult as some say) we found ourselves banished from fellowship from those who still attend like minded churches as well as from some family. (Kind of like when a mormon leaves mormonism. Some Friends and family act as if we no longer exist. That's not completely true, some do acknowledge our existence, but only to tell us how we violate their standards.)That time was very lonely and painful. But this post is not about that painful time of our lives. Instead, this post is about how God began a marvelous work in not only my life but in the life of my beloved. As a result our 4 children began to see what a true walk with Christ is.

At the beginning of our transformation from legalism (or traditions of men) to a true walk with God, He used John MacArthur in a marvelous way. At this time, his radio message was on the Beatitudes or better known as the Sermon on The Mount found in Matt. 5. Much of what was taught in our former churches were simply unbiblical. We now had such a strong desire to know the Word of God...no longer would we comprimise for the traditions of men (Matt. 23) that have been taught in the churches we attend most of our married life. My hunger for His Word was the strongest it has ever been in my life. I really wanted to know the Truth and would settle for nothing else. That desire to know Him for who He really is and not who a pastor or other professing christians told me He was drove me to my knees. So it is no coinicedence that John MacArthur was preaching on the Beautitudes at the same time the Lord was working mightly in my life.

Once I discovered that I could download study guides on the Grace to You website (which is John Macarthurs ministry website) I printed the Beatitude study guides out and began to carefully study the Word of God for the first time in my adult life.

Fast forward 5 years, I am doing this study once again. I have completed two lessons so far and can't wait to get the third one started.

At http://www.gty.org/Resources/Study+Guides/40-5201_The-Beatitudes you will find the first lesson. You can either listen to it online or print it off. I like to print it in PDF so I can do the questions at the end of the study. Also, so I can refer to it later on. I've discovered a neat online program that creates booklets from PDF files. For each lesson I create a booklet. I have also printed out the questions for each lesson for each of our children. We use many of GTY study guides for our Bible course since we homeschool. That gives us a double blessing. Not only do we get sound, Biblical teaching, but we get it for free!

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound

that saved a wretch like me

I once was lost

but now I am found

Was blind, but now I'm free!