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Decision Time The Beatitudes Matthew 5:6. February 13, 2005 Grace Community Church. Matthew 5:6. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” BLESSED Makarios (blessed) means happy, fortunate, blissful.
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Decision TimeThe BeatitudesMatthew 5:6 February 13, 2005 Grace Community Church
Matthew 5:6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” BLESSED • Makarios (blessed) means happy, fortunate, blissful.
“To be blessed is not a superficial feeling of well-being based on circumstance, but a deep supernatural experience of contentedness based on the fact that one’s life is right with God.” ~John MacArthur
Every believer can experience deeper devotion to God by making threedecisive decisions of the will.
Decision #1 To decideto seek God above everything else (…those who HUNGER and THIRST… Mt. 5:6) • What does it mean to truly hunger and thirst? • Hunger and thirst are some of the STRONGEST impulses we have • To be hungry and thirsty Is to be absolutely desperate – to be starving – to feel life is ebbing out
Decision #1 THE PROBLEM IS: • We hunger and thirst not only after food. • We hunger after positions, possessions, pleasures, and person (s) • We must allow a new taste palette to be cultivated
Decision #2 To decideto believe God to provide for your deepest need (Righteousness) • What does this righteousness mean and what exactly what am I believing God for? • It does not mean general righteousness; morality or peace
Decision #2 THE PROBLEM IS: “It is a law of righteousness which no child of Adam can possibly obey” – John Stott
Decision #2 So what Am I believing God for? For how we are made right with God – and how we are to live in God. • For those who do not know Christ – this righteousness is available through the blood of Jesus Christ (Justification) • For those who know Christ it is an ability to become increasingly like God (Sanctification)
Decision #3 To decide to trust God to withhold no good thing (for they will be filled) This is both a present reality and a promise • If you know Christ you are filled –you need not seek it. • We are filled – we are satisfied You will increasingly be delivered from the power of sin and it’s pollution • Are we enjoying our Christian experience? • Experienced now – but perfected in eternity.
Decision #3 The point is: Are we increasingly receiving more of God and yet secure in our relationship with God?
Every believer can experience deeper devotion to God by making threedecisive decisions of the will. • Decision #1: Decide to seek God above everything else (Hunger and Thirst) • Decision #2: Decide to believe God to provide for your deepest need (Righteousness) • Decision #3: Decide to trust God to withhold no good thing (they will be filled)