“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:3

Jesus says, “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for Him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.” (Matthew 5:3 NLT) He means we must come to the end of ourselves. We have to leave behind any self-sufficiency or self-righteousness and come to the place where we realize our only hope is in Jesus Christ, our Lord.

We must be desperate for God: “You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and His rule.” (Matthew 5:3 MSG) Bonhoeffer notes the original disciples did not have religious wealth, in the sense that they did not have Pharisaical prestige or position.

And, as they followed Jesus, they were inexperienced in this new way. All they could do was follow Jesus for each next step; they couldn’t rely on well-worn traditions that are so easily leaned upon in place of a relationship with Jesus.

They had nowhere else to turn but to Jesus—and it should be that way for us, as well. If you deeply believed there was nowhere else to turn but Jesus, how would your life change?

By Jon Walker
Used by Permission

FURTHER READING

Strength Comes from God

Does God See the Pain I’m Facing?

How God Views the Self-Directed Man

Follow Us On:  Facebook  • ‘X’ Twitter •  Instagram • Pinterest

The post Blessed are We When We’re Insufficient appeared first on Thoughts About God.

“Those who do not take up their cross and follow in my steps are not fit to be my disciples. Those who try to gain their own life will lose it; but those who lose their life for my sake will gain it.” Matthew 10:38-39 (TEV)

Will we be loyal to our fears or loyal to Jesus?

Jesus says we should understand this: if we fear we will lose out on life by following him, the truth is we will lose it all anyway, and at the same time, we will lose out on the real, kingdom life we’re searching for.

On the other hand, if we abandon our fears and follow him, Jesus will lead us into the kingdom of heaven, where we will find the life we always hoped for.

It is a very practical decision unless you’re trapped in the kind of fallen thinking that tells us disposable things and temporary relationships are the end all and be all of the universe.

When someone argues that following Jesus is impractical, it shows they do not have a clue about the kingdom of heaven.

“The Message that points to Christ on the Cross seems like sheer silliness to those hell-bent on destruction, but for those on the way of salvation it makes perfect sense,” says the Apostle Paul. (1 Corinthians 1:18 MSG)

When we suggest the commands of Jesus are impractical or unrealistic, we show our own ignorance about the kingdom of heaven

And so Jesus comes with his eye on the Final Judgment. With the cross, Jesus brings peace, notes Bonhoeffer.

“But the cross is the sword God wields on earth.” The Word of God is “sharp as a surgeon’s scalpel, cutting through everything, whether doubt or defense, laying us open to listen and obey.” (Hebrews 4:12 MSG) Jesus slices across our loyalties, demanding that we chose him as the priority.

By Jon Walker
used by permission

FURTHER READING

• The Side Effects of Fear
• Fear of the Unknown
• Fear God and You Need Fear Nothing Else 

The post Loyal to Your Fears or Loyal to Jesus appeared first on Thoughts About God.

“And he has committed us to the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us”
2 Corinthians 5:19-20

We were invited to a dinner party where the ambassador from a South East Asian country was the special guest. As you can well imagine, it is an honor for a person to be chosen to represent their country in another land. She was an effective ambassador.

During the evening she told us about her country – the beauty, the history, the people. She told us what they imported and what they exported. It was a very thorough overview. And when the dinner came to a close, she warmly invited us to come visit her country.

On the way home, my husband and I discussed the close comparison of what Christians are called to be – Christ’s ambassadors – and what she had been commissioned to be – the ambassador for her country. Meeting with her was a reminder of our calling. All Christians represent the Kingdom of God. This world is not our home.

We are here for one thing:

To tell others everything we know about our King and the heavenly home we are going to. We are to invite them to come to the Kingdom of God.

Do you ever feel inadequate representing King Jesus? We all do. We can’t do it in our own strength. But God has provided the Holy Spirit who will provide the words and the boldness. Just before His ascension Jesus said,

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses…” Acts 1:8.

Do you want to experience the power to be His witness? I encourage you to ask God to fill you with His Holy Spirit.

We are Christ’s ambassadors! What an honor He has bestowed upon us. Together let’s make people aware that we represent the Kingdom of God. And don’t chicken out when it’s time to invite them to come visit God’s Kingdom.

Father, thank You for granting us the privilege of being Your subjects to represent You here on earth. We have to admit, Lord, (please forgive us) that sometimes we get so busy with life that we forget why we are here. Sometimes we are downright cowardly. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit, so we will be bold and loving in order to represent you effectively. Amen.

by Katherine Kehler
used by permission

Comments: If you don’t see our response form, please go to https://thoughtsaboutgod.com/blog/katherine-kehler_christs-ambassadors/

Learn more about knowing Jesus at: https://thoughtsaboutgod.com/four-laws/

Follow Us On:

The post We are Christ’s Ambassadors appeared first on Thoughts About God.