BEATITUDES

Matthew 5:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

INSIGHT -In Greek, blessed is written as makarios & it means fortunate, happy, well being, bliss, pleasure, loveliness. -Poor in spirit means yielding to the Holy Spirit. The kingdom of heaven is at hand/with us (Mat 4:17). Thus the poor in spirit will be profitable in all good things as they believe in their hearts.

PRAYER Fill us Holy Spirit with Your fruit & gifts. We come in humility & submission to receive from You. Help us to have firmer faith in God so that we can live a life full of blessing in all good things. Amen

Matthew 5:4 Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted.

INSIGHT -The Holy Spirit helps us in weakness. When we don’t know how to pray the Spirit makes intercession for us in groanings (Rom 8:26). We usually mourn when troubled & most times within ourselves. Thus the Holy Spirit comforts us in these occasions for He know what is in our hearts.

PRAYER May we become strong in weakness through Your intercession, Holy Spirit. Comfort us when we are troubled at heart & the times we don’t know how to pray. Intercede for us in distress, fear & all difficult matters, that our joy may be full through Your unfailing love. Amen

Matthew 5:5 Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth.

INSIGHT -By humility and the fear of the Lord Are riches and honor and life (Prov 22:4).

PRAYER Oh Jesus; meek & humble of heart, mould our hearts like thee. We call on You in humility to increase our love for You & our neighbour so that we may live in peace & unity with one another here on earth until Your second coming. Amen

Matthew 5:6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.

INSIGHT -Jesus answered “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him (John 14:23). -Jesus died & resurrected so that we may become righteous. The Holy Spirit dwells within all of us. When we love God & keep His word, the Holy Trinity makes His kingdom in our hearts.

PRAYER Our Father who at in heaven Hallowed be Your name. Your Kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread & forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who are indebted to us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom the power & the glory forever. Amen

Matthew 5:7 Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy.

INSIGHT -In Psalm 136:1, Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Luke 6:36, Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful. -In Luke 6, We are reminded to be merciful always in works of charity, forgive one another, love for enemies, lend without expecting repayment; with the promise of a great reward & being called sons of the Most High.

PRAYER You are gracious, full of compassion, slow to anger & great in mercy, Oh Lord. We thank You for Your goodness & tender mercies to us all. Instill in us the heart of mercy so that we may always be merciful to those who need it most. Amen

Matthew 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.

INSIGHT -In Psalm 73:1, Truly God is good to Israel, To such as are pure in heart. -God looks at our hearts. The heart is purified by having perfect faith in God with love for Him & men; resulting to moral order.

PRAYER Create in us a clean & pure heart, Oh Lord & renew Your steadfast Spirit within us. Cleanse us with Your blood; Jesus & forgive us all our sins. May we see You & Your goodness in our daily lives, families, leadership & country. Amen

Matthew 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God.

INSIGHT -In John 14:27, Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. Rom 8:14, For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. -Internal peace is manifested externally through Jesus Christ.

PRAYER Lead us; Holy Spirit in the peace of Christ so that our hearts may be steadfast in the Word. May Your peace; Father; that surpasses all understanding be evident in our homes, schools, workplaces, nation & the whole world & especially the war-torn countries. Amen

Matthew 5:10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

INSIGHT -In Eph 6:12, For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
-We are always in spiritual battles which are evident in the physical; but when we hold we hold on to Christ; we will always emerge victorious.

PRAYER No weapon formed against us & no tongue which rises against us in judgment shall prosper in Your name; Jesus. Enhance our righteousness & faith in You as we walk in Your obedience. Amen

Matthew 5:11-12 “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

INSIGHT -In 2 Cor 12:10, Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

PRAYER We pray to You, Father with thanksgiving in our hearts. Strengthen us in our weaknesses & help us in all our needs. May we rejoice in You always as we await Your second coming. Amen

SUMMARY
-Blessed is past tense for bless & those who perform the preceding action in faith have the blessing. The beatitudes can be clearly seen in reverse. Blessed means fortunate, happy, well being, consecrated, loveliness.
-The poor in spirit yield to the Holy Spirit & have the kingdom of heaven, making them blessed.
-Those who mourn shall be comforted by the Holy Spirit, which makes them blessed.
-The meek/humble shall inherit the earth for they walk in God’s blessing.
-Those who hunger & thirst for righteousness are blessed for the Holy Trinity will make a home in them.
-Those who always give mercy will receive the everlasting mercy of Christ.
-The pure in heart are blessed for they shall see God in dreams/visions, their daily lives & at the end of time.
-The peacemakers are blessed for they will be called sons of God.
-Those who are persecuted by principalities, powers, rulers & spiritual hosts of wickedness for righteousness sake are blessed for they have the kingdom of heaven.
-Those who are reviled, persecuted & falsely accused for Christs’ sake are blessed with a great reward in heaven

PRAYER
Our Father who at in heaven; Hallowed be thy name….

Please meditate on the theme; Beatitudes