|
Blessed has been translated happy or given the meaning of empowered.
Blessed may also mean suitable to receive the blessing or in the right
state of being to receive the blessing. Thus "blessed are the pure in
heart for they shall see God." Can mean those who are pure in heart
are in a right state of being to receive the sight of God. They are
suitable to receive mercy, the kingdom, peace, the earth, and fullness
(Math.5 the Beatitudes). It is also true that faith is a prerequisite to receiving. "Then touched he their eyes saying, according to your faith be it unto you." Mark 9:29 Therefore, a person of faith is blessed; he is suitable to receive from God. If we want to maximize our suitability to receive, then we want to maximize our faith, we want to be blessed. As we all know, however, there are obstacles to receiving. The devil can snatch the word from us, we can give up in trial or temptation, and we can get sidetracked by the cares and riches of the world (Mark 4 The Sower). But we who have an honest and a good heart, and hear the word and keep it (Luke 8:15) or he who hears the word and receives it (Mark 4:20) or he who hears the word and understands it (Math. 13:23), will bring forth fruit (with patience). To bear fruit, we must receive it, keep it, understand it; we must be honest and have a good heart. Part of having faith and being blessed, suitable to receive, is a spirit that is single-minded or pure, free of clutter and distractions, open to the revelation of God. Now we know that "faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God." Rom. 10:17 so in Mark 11:23-24 "if you say to this mountain" or "you shall have whatever you say" speaking is important to developing one’s faith which in turn puts us in a position to receive from God. Speaking the word is part of faith. We also know that faith must act. "My mother and brethren are these which hear the word and do it." Luke 8:21 "Faith without works is dead" James 2 When we move in faith, things happen. But prior to speaking and prior to acting in faith, one must be in a certain state of being to hear the word of God. "Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it." Luke 11:28 they are blessed, suitable to receive, who can hear and keep the word. "Jesus said unto him, if thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth." Mark 9:23 Unfortunately, not only the cares and concerns for the world choke the word, but fear and doubt and sin can prevent the word from taking root. "But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering... For let not that man think that he shall receive anything from the Lord.' James 1:6-7 nor can we be weak in effort. "God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him". Heb. 11:6. To receive, we must maintain a steady course. We must maintain a position of faith. The first prerequisite of faith is in knowing the scriptures and the power of God (Math. 22:29), but that is not enough. Nor is speaking the word sufficient, nor is acting on the word sufficient. They are necessary but not enough. Our state of being has to be such that we are open to our imagination and our perception to hear and keep and do. We need sight into the spiritual world and to speak and act accordingly. That is truly a blessed person, a person of faith, a person who receives from God "who looks not on what is seen but what is unseen" 2Corth. 4:18. Being merciful, a peacemaker, meek, hungry and thirsty (Math. 5) is that state of being, that kind of faith-filled person who not only receives in this world but will receive the fullness of the next. To do that we must unclutter our lives, get into the word, seek the kingdom first, and get grounded in God. If we do this, then when we hear a promise of God like "By his stripes I was healed" 1Peter 2:24, we can bring it into our heart, receive it, perceive its truth, keep it, believe it, speak it, and act on it. We will see ourselves as whole, complete, sound, nothing lacking, nothing broken, nothing missing and we will be blessed and receive through faith the word that God and we have planted in our hearts. We must get alone with God to have his word germinate and bear fruit. Nothing short of this will do and nothing else will provide a greater reward. Amen. |