Blended Broken Restored

Dr. Kenneth Ulmer blessed us a few Sundays ago... Here are my notes from his sermon. When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ( Matthew 5 : 1-3 NASB) Jesus pronounced, declared the people in the multitude "happy". Blessed = Happy, happiness. But not a happiness as the world knows.  He speaks of the term of the "gods" which is a state where you're unaffected by the world of men, doesn't waiver with the rise and fall of your circumstances of life.  First exhortation was to repent - a change of mind, change of direction.  Root word = mind, to think.  An intellectual dimension of following Christ.  Go beyond or go further than.  To think beyond what you thought.  Something about repentance that enables you to see beyond the right now to the not yet.  You are where

Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving; (Colossians 4:2 NASB) Paul shows us that we win our war through prayer. Does your life feel like a war right now? Your answer is prayer, because prayer is where you find God and get His heart written inside your heart. -Pastor Bob Botsford

Consider what it means to be blessed in Christ with every spiritual blessing. Take 2-3 minutes to prayerfully think about how you could approach your day today with this in mind. When you have a moment of decision or a crisis today, recite your verse quietly to yourself. Then go forward in faith, believing "God has blessed me in Christ with every spiritual blessing." Trust in His strength and remember His love for you. ~Laurie Aker

Know that you are not walking this alone. There is no need to fear. There is no good in hiding. Call out to your Lord: "O Lord, have mercy. O Lord, I need your grace!" He will be all the strength and comfort that you need.  Read Galatians 2:20. ~Laurie Aker

The Bible declares that faith is a gift, obtained "through hearing and hearing through the word of God!" (Romans 10:17).  We must put ourselves in the position to "hear" God's word by spending time in God's word, studying His word, and meditating on it. Upon hearing the word by the power of the Holy Spirit, we must apprehend that word by choosing to believe it and live according to it in the power of the Holy Spirit. When we do, we are planting seeds of righteousness in our hearts that will bring forth a harvest of righteousness.  ~Laurie Aker

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:14-19 NASB) Praying you have a blessed day!