Firm Foundation with Bryan Hudson

DAY 2 | Everyday and Present Blessing | 21-Day Devotional on Jesus’ Beatitudes and Sermon on the Mount | Introduction, Cont.

Jesus’ first in a series of sermons (teachings) from Matthew 5:3-12 is called “The Beatitudes.” (Re-read these verses)
In these statements of blessings (Beatitudes), Jesus did not speak of what WILL BE, He spoke of WHAT IS. As a Christ follower, always think of blessing in the present tense, not in the future tense. 
Definition of blessing: (Greek μακάριος transliterated, makarios)
To speak well of, to invoke blessings upon, to cause to prosper, to make happy, to bestow blessings on.
We live in a world where circumstances can incite concerns and fear. It has been said that the most basic human instinct is survival. However, a survival mentality creates a feeling of insecurity, nervousness, and uncertainty. Mass media  and social media contributes to that fear and uncertainty. For example, cities are described as "murder capitals.” Some people still fear COVID vaccines. A recent winter weather event was called a "bomb cyclone” – something that in all my decades of winter experience, I had never heard of! 
While the circumstances we face in life are real, the state of our hearts and minds can be conditioned to live in the reality of the blessing of God. I shared this quote from Maya Angelou recently with someone who was feeling discouraged: “You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them.”
There is a way to not be reduced by circumstances: It is through establishing a foundation of living in the reality of God’s blessing. That is the objective of these devotional series. We want to help you become established in the everyday and present power of Christ in your life.
On Day 3, we will highlight Jesus’ first beatitude and recognize the wealth of being "poor in spirit” from Matthew 5:3. Jesus taught, Blessed are the poor in spirit, for THEIRS IS the kingdom of heaven.
Notice that Jesus did not state what would be, he stated what is. He said, “…THEIRS IS the kingdom of heaven.” This is the pattern we will follow during this study in the beatitudes. 
We will close today's lesson with another quote from William Barclay, who further defined the word blessed:
“Makarios describes that joy which has its secret within itself, that joy which is serene and untouchable, and self-contained, that joy which is completely independent of all the chances and the changes of life. Human happiness is something which is dependent on the chances and the changes of life, something which life may give and which life may also destroy. The Christian blessedness is completely untouchable and unassailable.”
Reflection Question
Describe how you will maintain encouragement and a good outlook in this crazy world.

DAY 1 | Things That Are – Not Just Things That Will Be | 21-Day Devotional on Jesus’ Beatitudes and Sermon on the Mount | An Introduction

AN INTRODUCTION | by Bryan Hudson, D.Min.
 
NOTE: This devotional will not be emailed or sent out by text everyday. Be sure to subscribe to this blog to receive your lesson by email daily. OR bookmark this webpage and visit.
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Welcome to the February 1-21 devotional exploring the Beatitudes of Jesus and the Sermon on the Mount from Matthew chapters 5-7!The word “Beatitude” comes from the first words of Jesus' teaching beginning at Matthew 5:3, beati sunt, (in Latin) meaning“blessed are.” These words from Christ are much more than promises that “will be.” The beatitudes are exclamations or proclamations of the believer’s reality.Matthew 5:1, Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them. He said:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 
9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.11 Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.As a Christ follower, when you read and study these brief statements, know that each summarizes a whole world of truth beyond the simple words. Embrace everything God is doing in your heart and life NOW! Elevate your thinking to match His blessing on your life. Don’t allow negativity to reduce the impact of God’s word.Embrace these marvelous words of William Barclay, from his Commentary entitled Barclay's Daily Study Bible.“The beatitudes are not pious hopes of what shall be; they are not glowing, but nebulous prophecies of some future bliss; they are congratulations on what is. The blessedness which belongs to the Christian is not a blessedness which is postponed to some future world of glory; it is a blessedness which exists here and now. It is not something into which the Christian will enter; it is something into which he has entered.”“The Beatitudes speak of that joy which seeks us through our pain, that joy which sorrow and loss, and pain and grief, are powerless to touch, that joy which shines through tears, and which nothing in life or death can take away.” As you journey with us over the next 21 days, consider spending some quality time reading and studying more about the Beatitudes and the Sermon on the Mount.
 
I look forward to sharing devotional lessons along with Patricia Hudson, Elder Gaylan Owens, Chaplain Delores Epps, Min. Bertha Fields and Stacy Williams.
 
RESOURCES:• Follow THIS LINK (or copy/paste) to a resource from Zondervan Academic: https://zondervanacademic.com/blog/beatitudes
• Follow THIS LINK (or copy/paste) to the web version of Barclay's Commentary on the New Testament: https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/dsb.html
• THIS LINK is a downloadable PDF of Barclay's Commentary'
 
REFLECTION QUESTIONS:
1. What do you expect to gain from the Beatitudes over the next 21 Days?
2. Why is it important to elevate your thinking to match Jesus' words?
 
ACTION ITEMS BASED ON TODAY'S LESSON:
 
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Listen to the Teaching
“The Beatitudes: Blessing on Purpose”
 

Blessing on Purpose – Introduction to 21-Day Devotional on the Beatitudes

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Where It All Started: Prayer
Luke 6:12,Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. 13 And when it was day, He called His disciples to Himself; and from them He chose twelve whom He also named apostles:
The gospel of Matthew presents Jesus as the King of the kingdom of Heaven
What we call The Sermon on the Mount was the foundational teaching to the lives, character, and work of Jesus’ disciples – then and now.
Matthew 5:1, Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him
This is the first use of the word “disciple” in the gospels. 
A disciple is a learner. 
Are you a learner or a knower?
Matthew 5:2, And he began to teach them.
KJV,  “He opened his mount and taught them.”
Two ways to understand what Jesus did:
Something that was completed in the past (aorist verb tense)
Something that was repeated, continuous, or habitual action in past time (imperfect verb tense)
The Sermon on the Mount is not one sermon of Jesus given at one particular time and on one particular occasion. 
It is the essence of all that Jesus continuously and habitually taught his disciples.
Beatitudes Are More than “Will Be”
Beatitudes Are “What is”
Definition: μακάριος
makarios
To speak well of, to invoke blessings upon a person, to cause to prosper, to make happy, to bestow blessings on.
“The beatitudes speak of that joy which seeks us through our pain, that joy which sorrow and loss, and pain and grief, are powerless to touch, that joy which shines through tears, and which nothing in life or death can take away.”  (Willam Barclay Commentary)

Warm Love in a Cold World –Firm Foundation Inspiration Minute for January 25, 2023

Listen to Full Message from Sunday, January 22, 2023
Faith Refresher for 2023 – Part Three: The Greatest is Love
 
WATCH AND LISTEN TO THE TEACHING
 
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Faith Refresher for 2023: Part Three - The Greatest is Love

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1 Corinthians 13:13, And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love
Faith Works by Love
Galatians 5:6
NKJV - For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.
NLV - If we belong to Jesus Christ, it means nothing to have or not to have gone through the religious act of becoming a Jew. But faith working through love is important.
NLT - For when we place our faith in Christ Jesus, there is no benefit in being circumcised or being uncircumcised. What is important is faith expressing itself in love.
Love is the great motivator /  Faith is the great activator. 
How to Keep Your Love Warm
Love on purpose, not by feeling
Have good frames – See people, love people
Stay committed to truth (Divine and Objective)
Be merciful to receive mercy
Have the mind of Christ

Choose Your Frame. Craft Your Hope. - Firm Foundation Inspiration Minute for January 18, 2023

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Message from Sunday, January 16, 2023
Faith Refresher for 2023 – Part Two: What is Hope?
Examples of Hope From the Civil Rights Movement
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Faith Refresher for 2023. Part Two: What is Hope?

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Hebrews 11:6, Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
Hebrews 11:1, Now faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.
Colossians 1:26-27 (J.B. PHILLIPS)
They are those to whom God has planned to give a vision of the full wonder and splendor of his secret plan for the sons of men. And the secret is simply this: Christ in you! Yes, Christ in you bringing with him the hope of all glorious things to come.
 
We all benefit from the faith, hope, and actions of others. But we tend not to notice especially when our lives have become “normal.”
The key is to remember that there are people, perhaps people you know, whose lives are not “normal.”
Dr. King wrote in his letter from the Birmingham jail:
“We will reach the goal of freedom in Birmingham and all over the nation, because the goal of America is freedom. Abused and scorned though we may be, our destiny is tied up with America's destiny. Before the pilgrims landed at Plymouth, we were here. Before the pen of Jefferson etched the majestic words of the Declaration of Independence across the pages of history, we were here.”
WHAT IS HOPE?
A picture of something good that can happen 
Confident expectation 
Anticipation of good
“Framing” or re-framing yourself and your circumstances
In the social sciences, framing is comprised of concepts and perspectives on how individuals, and groups organize, perceive, and communicate their view of reality.
Perception is often not reality.
Present yourself to God / in your frame, you belong to God
Do not be conformed / don’t accept a frame that does not belong to you 
Think soberly / you don't let everything into the frame of your mind
Walk in faith  / you trust what God can do more than anything else
 

“A Letter of Hope for Today” Commentary on Dr. King’s Letter from the Birmingham Jail

This is my tribute to Dr. King on his holiday. Will share my thoughts from portions of his letter from the Birmingham Jail on how we may benefit from his wisdom in our day. 
Read his entire letter, originally published in The Atlantic, August 1963: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2018/02/letter-from-a-birmingham-jail/552461/
Content from Chapter Seven of my book: "Biblical & Social Justice: What Is it? An Everyday Person’s Guide to Understanding Justice And the Role of the Church in Our Society"
Available in print and Kindle editions on Amazon. Learn more at, https://biblicaljusticebook.com
TOPICS COVERED FROM REV. DR. KING'S LETTER FROM THE BIRMINGHAM JAIL
Preparing to RespondNot One Man, an Inevitable Force for ChangePrinciples of ActionA Network of MutualityPhilosophical FoundationWhy We Won’t WaitTwo Kinds of LawsUnjust Laws Damage the SoulDismantling Injustice ArgumentsGenuine Law and OrderExamples of Civil DisobedienceThe Sacrifices of Leaders Martin Luther King, the PastorUsing Christ to Hinder Fellow ChristiansLoss of Authenticity for the American ChurchLooking for the Church Within the ChurchOppression Cannot ContinueConfidence in the Promise of America Optimism in the Face of Despair

Belief vs. Faith - Firm Foundation Inspiration Minute for January 11, 2023

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Message from Sunday, January 8, 2023
"Crowned with Goodness! What is Faith? A Faith Refresher for 2023"
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Crowned with Goodness! What is Faith?

Crowned with Goodness! What is Faith?
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This teaching is a "faith refresher" at the beginning of 2023. God has crowned, or surrounded, your year. He has made great promises to you. Learn how to elevate beyond belief, and activate your faith through a growing relationship with God!
Psalm 65:11, You crown the year with Your goodness, and Your paths drip with abundance.
These are great promises. But every promise of God requires us to have faith. Not only to believe, but to have active faith. Belief and Faith are two sides of the same coin.
The primary characteristics of faith in God:
1. It is belief that consistently takes action based on God’s word (obedience)
2. it is energized by our relationship with God.