Sermon on the Mount

As Jesus traveled from town to town in the area of Galilee, he would preach God's word and heal the sick. He became very popular and gained a crowd of followers. One day, Jesus went up on a mountainside to speak unto his disciples and his followers. He spoke of those people that will be blessed of God. These teaches became known as the "Sermon on the Mount." (Matthew 5)

Jesus began his teaching with saying "Blessed are the poor in spirit:for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." These are the people that may not have a lot of worldly possessions or wealth, but they have their wealth in their relationship with God and their hope for a better land after they have passed away from the Earth. They are blessed with comfort and peace of Heaven. 

He then spoke of those that are mourning. Jesus said that they will be comforted, and blessed with the peace that only God can give. God can heal any broken heart, and replace that sorrow with joy. 

Jesus said that the meek will be blessed upon the Earth for their patience and forgiving nature. Patience and forgiveness are very difficult concepts, but with righteousness in our hearts, we can overcome our flesh and have a nature of God toward others.

Jesus spoke of those that desire to live a life of righteousness, saying that they will be given understanding and shall be filled with the love of God. When God sees that we are really trying to live a righteous life for His sake, He will bless us for our efforts. 

Those that are merciful, compassionate, and generous to others shall find mercy for themselves. It pays to be a selfless person. God wants us to live our life in His image, and that includes having a selfless attitude. Not once has God been selfish and thought about himself, He has always given to others, and this is what God desires for our life as well. If we give others mercy, God will return the favor by showing us mercy for our sins and failures.

The pure in heart shall find God always. Being sincere with God will find many blessings. God knows if we are being sincere with Him or if we are just going through the routines and putting on a show for others. God blesses for a wholehearted attitude toward the work of God. He wants to see that we are genuinely living for Him and have Godly intentions, instead of living for the pleasures of the world. 

The peacemakers that will work to prevent strife and anguish will be blessed for their efforts to keep God's people together. Strife in the world can have devastating outcomes for the people of God. If we let hate inside of our hearts, this is only going to pull us further from God. Those that will devote their lives to prevent this will be blessed. 

Finally, the last blessed people that Jesus described are those that are persecuted for following God. These are the people that are mocked upon the Earth for trying to live for God. They may be called "old-fashioned," "Bible thumper," and "Jesus freak" on the Earth, but in Heaven, they shall be called "Blessed," "Holy," and "Righteous." 

God gave this message to Jesus so that we might find His blessings. God gives us a clear outline of how He wants us to live. He finds joy in being able to bless us for the work that we do for Him. When we put in an effort to find God's blessings, we will be blessed beyond belief with the peace and joy of God. One day when we reach Heaven, and we are given our crown of life, we will be glad that we devoted our lives to the work of our Almighty God, instead of the world. Have a heart of God, and blessings will flood your life. It's not about our image on the Earth, it's about our image in God's eyes. 

Take Up the Armor of God

In Ephesians 6:11, God's word states to ^"Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." God has given us measures to take, so that we could be ready for anything that the devil throws our way on the Earth. Taking these measures will ensure peace, and will lead to a Heavenly end.

In Ephesians 14-19, God describes the armor of God. First, God says to have our "loins about with truth." This is our belt of truth. By having faith in the truths that God set aside in his word, we can trust God to lead and direct us where we need to be. We need truth in our life, so that we don't become deceived with lies. Next, God tells us to have on a "breastplate of righteousness." Having righteousness protects the most important part of us, our heart. If we do not do good by God, we are leaving our hearts opened to be deceived. Once the devil has our heart, it is hard to get back to God. Next is having our "feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace." We aren't going to make it very far without a decent pair of shoes. We have to have strong soles built from the Word of God to walk across the rough paths that the devil will send our way. The shield of faith is to "quench all the fiery darts of the wicked." God is our spiritual and physical protection, much like shields in battle. When we trust God, He will shield us from the heavy blows of the devil. He will stand in front of us, taking the blows of the fiery darts for us. God tells us to take the helmet of salvation. With salvation, our minds can focus on the hope that is to come. This can protect us from the discouragement and sorrows of the world. The devil gives many reasons to be down in the world, but God gives one reason to be joyful, and that is the salvation that comes from Jesus Christ. Within our belt of truth comes the sword of the spirit, which the Bible says is "the word of God." Much like in battle, we can use the word of God to fight. God gives us everything that we need to know in his word; laws, commandments, hopes, prophesies, etc. We can use the knowledge that comes from God to stand for God's word and fight the battle against the devil.

In Ephesians 6:18-19, the word of God states, "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel." God is saying that if we pray and do right by Him, He will open our minds to the mysteries of the gospel. He will open understanding for us, so that we may be able to use the word of God more precisely. If we keep our minds and hearts focused on the word, God will lead us further and further into deeper understanding of what He has left for us in His word.

It is our choice whether we take up the full armor of God, or whether we take a few pieces, or maybe none at all. We aren't going to be prepared for battle unless we take up the full armor. A few pieces isn't going to win the battle, and taking none of the pieces is going to lead to a devilish end. God wants to fight with us. He wants to be our protection and stand beside us in our battle against the devil. So, take the belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, have your feet shod with the gospel of peace, take hold of the shield of faith, helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit. Get a good grip on your weapons of choice, the word of God and prayer, because times are going to get rough as long as the devil has anything to say about it. God never promised an easy life on Earth, but with the armor of God, in the end, losing is not an option.