Reflecting God - Embrace Holy Living from Wordaction of The Global Church of the Nazarene Publishing House in Kansas City, Missouri, United States "Fullness of Joy and Peace" by Scott and Sherry Sherwood for Sunday, 13 November 2016 with Scripture: Matthew 5:1-11
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"Fullness of Joy and Peace" by Scott and Sherry Sherwood
Matthew 5:1 Seeing the crowds, Yeshua walked up the hill. After he sat down, his talmidim came to him, 2 and he began to speak. This is what he taught them:
3 “How blessed are the poor in spirit!
for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
4 “How blessed are those who mourn!
for they will be comforted.
5 “How blessed are the meek!
for they will inherit the Land![Matthew 5:5 Psalm 37:11]
6 “How blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness!
for they will be filled.
7 “How blessed are those who show mercy!
for they will be shown mercy.
8 “How blessed are the pure in heart!
for they will see God.
9 “How blessed are those who make peace!
for they will be called sons of God.
10 “How blessed are those who are persecuted
because they pursue righteousness!
for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
11 “How blessed you are when people insult you and persecute you and tell all kinds of vicious lies about you because you follow me!
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At the beginning of His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus spoke of what it looks like to be blessed. We call this portion of Scripture “The Beatitudes.”
There is a blessing that begins right here, right now, when we walk in relationship with Jesus, when we hunger and thirst after righteousness. God does not want us to live in the sorrow of our past or to carry the weight of our regrets. He cleanses us so that we can be made new. He replaces our unrighteousness with His righteousness.
It does not mean life will be without struggles. There is a joy that finds us in those moments when we need it most. A joy that comes from praising God and declaring His faithfulness when others fail us or the battle intensifies. I don’t have to conjure up joy. I don’t have to pretend to be happy. Just a whisper for help and the Spirit can produce in me fruit that is unexplainable, such as joy in the middle of a difficult situation or peace in the midst of trials. There is joy in knowing we are forgiven.
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Hymn for Today: "Joy Unspeakable" by Barney E. Warren
1. I have found His grace is all complete,
He supplieth every need;
While I sit and learn at Jesus’ feet,
I am free, yes, free indeed.
Refrain:
It is joy unspeakable and full of glory,
Full of glory, full of glory;
It is joy unspeakable and full of glory,
Oh, the half has never yet been told.
2. I have found the pleasure I once craved,
It is joy and peace within;
What a wondrous blessing, I am saved
From the awful gulf of sin.
Refrain:
It is joy unspeakable and full of glory,
Full of glory, full of glory;
It is joy unspeakable and full of glory,
Oh, the half has never yet been told.
3. I have found that hope so bright and clear,
Living in the realm of grace;
Oh, the Savior’s presence is so near,
I can see His smiling face.
Refrain:
It is joy unspeakable and full of glory,
Full of glory, full of glory;
It is joy unspeakable and full of glory,
Oh, the half has never yet been told.
4. I have found the joy no tongue can tell,
How its waves of glory roll;
It is like a great o’erflowing well,
Springing up within my soul.
Refrain:
It is joy unspeakable and full of glory,
Full of glory, full of glory;
It is joy unspeakable and full of glory,
Oh, the half has never yet been told.
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Thought for Today: Romans 15:13 May God, the source of hope, fill you completely with joy and shalom as you continue trusting, so that by the power of the Ruach HaKodesh you may overflow with hope.
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Please Pray: For the distribution of Holiness literature in Mesoamerica.
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