Blessed

When I used to work in the retail world, grand openings were always a big deal. There were weeks of preparation to make sure that everything was clean, stocked and all the employees were properly trained. There were giveaways, local celebrities, special deals, spotless aisles, sparkling and plentiful employees, in other words, everything was designed to make an incredible first impression.

In the book of Matthew, we see the beginning of Jesus' public ministry, his grand reveal so to speak, as he addresses a crowd at the Sermon on the Mount. And the first words that He uses when addressing the many people gathered on the hillside was "Blessed."

Not a command. Not even a calling to perform a duty of some sort, and definitely not a condemnation of choices, but the word Jesus chose was "Blessed".

What I find interesting also is the group of people that Jesus addressed, these were not the type of people that you would ideally want to gather for your grand opening event. Most of these people were desperate, they were not affluent, they were not men and women of great power and influence, they were poor physically, emotionally, and spiritually. 

So what did Jesus say to this group of people? He started off with the first four beatitudes which consist of blessings for those who were in need. And the next four beatitudes addressed those who help those people in need.  

Shaking My Head . . .

American Family Radio (AFR), a broadcast division of American Family Association (AFA), announced Wednesday it will no longer air Alistair Begg’s radio program “Truth For Life” because of remarks Begg made last year about Christians attending LGBTQ weddings.

The controversy stems from a September 2023 interview in which Begg promotes his book “The Christian Manifesto.” In the interview, he detailed counsel he had given a grandmother who was asking for advice on attending her grandson’s wedding to someone who identified as transgender. Before continuing, Begg acknowledged people may disagree with his answer. Click HERE to read the entire interview. 

Begg said he first confirmed that the woman’s grandson understood she was a Christian and could not affirm his lifestyle choices. When she said that was true, he responded, “Well then, okay. As long as he knows that, then I suggest that you do go to the ceremony. And I suggest that you buy them a gift.”

When the grandmother was caught off guard, Begg continued, “Well, here’s the thing: Your love for them may catch them off guard, but your absence will simply reinforce the fact that they said, ‘These people are what I always thought: judgmental, critical, unprepared to countenance anything.’”

How to be Happily Sad | John Ortberg

 

The Love of God

Shadows turn to monsters, light retreats from view

No relief from darkness, no matter what we do

Our age is fraught with tension, and peace flees from our minds

For when storms become the norm'

And shelter cannot be found

Our dreams no longer attainable

We escape reality with remotes in hand

Seeking our rescue in the company of playthings,

Governments, celebrities, pursuits, friends and pets

Yet none can provide,

The peace that the world rejects

For Jesus, is our only hope

The true Light in a world bathed in darkness

He is our Savior and Creator

Where else are we supposed to run?