The Sermon on The Mount Continued....

Let's get onto the next line of this incredible speech and all encompassing principles for living the good life from JC himself.  The second line says, "Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted."  I have always relied on God in all trouble.  Mourning is not a fun thing.  Especially when you lose someone you love so deeply.  However, four years ago when my husband got very sick and was so critical that he nearly died, I remember this overwhelming feeling of grace and strength that came over me.  I'd never really experienced before, but I realized after we made it through this trying time that it was God's Grace.  Indeed, I did not mourn and I did not crumble.  God literally swooped in and filled me up with so much of his spirit that there was none of me left...only Him and he carried me and my family through this dark time.  I believe that this is why human beings need to seek "solitude" or "aloneness" when trouble hits and we mourn because you must make space for Him and hear Him.  God is the one and only Source you will ever need.  Often human beings leave God to the last minute...the final hour.  When the finances are bad, when they get sick, when someone they love is in danger and of course we all have a choice whether we seek our God or not.  Regardless...if you seek him now or later, he will swoop in and comfort you.  My preference is to seek him early on and everyday - for then I trust him and I always know that his Grace is beside me, in me and all around me.  Seek God and make him your absolute first priority he will comfort you, relax you, and find the sacred for you right in the middle of our stressed out crazy world.  God is so good.  XO

Go Tell it on the Mountain! Start with Jesus' Best Speech Ever - The Sermon on The Mount

Jesus made one of the COOLEST SPEECHES ever -  known as "The Sermon on The Mount."  I was telling my mom the other day that this is an excellent place to start if you are unfamiliar with the Bible because it lays out the principles for life prescribed by Jesus himself.  You can find The Sermon on the Mount in the New Testament of Mathew 5.  So Jesus and his disciple buds were now like a bunch of rock stars and people from all over Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan began to follow him.  They'd heard about his incredible man who simply astounded people everywhere when they saw with their own eyes his ability to perform miracles.  "Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on the mountainside and sat down.  His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them what is called:

The Beatitudes.  Now before I type out his speech, just stop and take a look at what this speech was called and let's break it up...Be Attitudes.  Jesus my friends was the very first ever self-help guru and mental health practitioner, however, his Beatitudes have what no one else can offer - the spiritual component and the ability to change and inspire your life at the core level.  Jesus knew that if your head was on right and your mind stable and filled with positive thoughts you could do what you were put here on earth to do.  Once I type out the Beatitudes we will over the next week or so break down each line to interpret it's true and much deeper meaning.  Indeed The Beatitudes are exquisite principles for incredible living.

"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful
for they will be shown mercy
Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.  Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

So what does this all mean?  Let's meditate on the first line.

1.  "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."   Well first of all everyone must realize that words such as "poor" when used in the Bible (keeping in mind the time in which it was written) has a completely different interpretation in our modern day usage of the word "poor."  The word poor doesn't refer to having no money or being poverty ridden, God doesn't want you to be destitute, however it is the "love" of money that ruins people..those who love it above all else, who are greedy, and put it above love and relationships.  Money is not bad, it is the heart of a person that can make it bad.  Money after all when it is in the possession of good God loving people can use it to build schools, donate clothes to the needy, or provide food for those who are hungry.  To be poor in spirit, means that you become aware of the "ego" and "pride" and empty yourself of it so that you do not believe that you are better than anyone else.  When you are poor in spirit you do not have spiritual pride (thinking you know everything about Jesus and the Bible and Lord it over others to condemn them) and as spiritual writer Emmet Fox once said, those who are poor in spirit, "have gotten rid of the love of money and property, of fear of public opinion, and of the disapproval of relatives or friends....they are no longer overawed by human authority, or cocksure in their own opinions...they have come t see that their most cherished beliefs may have been and probably were mistaken and that all their ideas and view of life may be false and in need of recasting.  They are ready to start again at the very beginning and learn life anew."  In other words, you have completely surrendered to God...you yourself are not God.  Empty yourself of pride and superiority - because you are not. Be humble.  As a little sidebar, have you ever noticed which celebrities in life have longevity, legacy and the great love of people who they entertain?  They are classy humble actors, singers, and entertainers who do more for others and are often self-deprecating about their accomplishments preferring instead to focus on others?  People like George Clooney and Oprah Winfrey come to mind for me, because they are "poor in spirit."  Can you think of anyone else?   We will get onto line two soon....XO

In The Beginning....

Welcome to my Gorgeous Dreamy Faith Blog - a simple look at the coolest book ever put together, the Bible,  and how I apply it to my life.  I decided to put this blog together because I have so many family and friends who want so much to learn more about the Bible but who understandably feel overwhelmed when they crack open this sacred book or who have tried church out but can't understand a thing the pastor/priest is saying.  This blog is simple not radical and I can hardly wait to share with you all the passages, Proverbs, Psalms, and stories that have inspired me, thrown me, taught me, and comforted me when life has been both good, challenging, scary, and joyous.  I will say this.  When I started to read the Bible for myself I was astounded at how amazing it was.  Sometimes I would have to close the good book just to catch my breath so that I could absorb its magnificence and wisdom.  It's seriously nuts in the best possible way!  So where do we begin?  Let's be random...so you can sip in it's delicious nectar a little bit at a time (I don't want you to get too drunk all at once).  The Bible is poetry, prophecy, and it offers you the most powerful purposeful way to live your life.  I am not here to preach but rather to inspire and hopefully share with you that which I have found to be the most fabulous and fascinating way to live my own little life.  I am not a scholar of theology but kind of a newbie myself who has enjoyed reading the Bible for many years.  They say that you teach what you also most need to learn.  This blog is for me too!  Oh this will be so much fun!  XO