LIFE'S JOURNEY

The darkening clouds loom overhead
We see the sunset turn deep red
In silence we are left to wonder
Why we tread this earth to ponder
Life's mysterious, twisted road
With its hard, unyielding load.

Is it chance that rules our journey
With a heart bereft and lonely?
Does earth's music sound discordant
As we travel through each moment?
Or is hope our only refuge
From life's threatening, stormy deluge?

Then a voice like distant thunder
Speaks above man's hopeless blunder
With an offer that's transforming
That will change our night to morning
For the path God leads to glory
Is the victor's promised story.
--B. Pent

THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT -- Matt. 5:6

Having played soccer in high school and college, I know a little about thirst during a 90-minute non-stop game. But after viewing the emaciated bodies of starving children in Sudan, Chad and other famine stricken Nations, I'm totally ignorant of its intensity. A starving person has one consuming passion: food and water.

As His followers were overlooking the beautiful Sea of Galilee, Jesus explains the final step in achieving true happiness. He states in verse 6, "blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled." Man wants to be filled but he seeks it in pleasure, riches, vacations, and other surface pursuits, which are only temporal. However, there is a deeper need, a spiritual hunger that only God can fully satisfy. St Augustine put it this way, "thou hast made us for thyself, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in thee." The Bible teaches that true happiness comes only through God's righteousness. John MacArthurs explains it this way: "the heart of every person in the world was created with a sense of inner emptiness and need. Yet apart from God's revelation men do not recognize what the need is or know what will satisfy it. Like the prodigal son they will eat pigs' food, because they know nothing else. The reason is that men have forsaken God, "the fountain of living waters, to hew for themselves cistern, broken cisterns, that can hold no water" (Jer. 2:13). Though God has created man with a need for Himself, they try to satisfy that need through lifeless gods of their own making."

During the first three verses of His Sermon, Jesus reveals man's need before he can be filled. The poor in spirit recognize their sin and spiritual bankruptcy. They mourn at the eternal separation sin has created between themselves and God. In meekness and with deep humility they stand at the Cross receiving His salvation and are clothed with His righteousness. If you don't recognize your need, you will not want to be filled. Understanding the true nature of your need intensifies your desire to know Him. However, Dr. Lloyd-Jones warns: we are not to hunger and thirst after experiences. There are large numbers of people who spend the whole of their life seeking something which they can never find, seeking for some kind of happiness and blessedness."

If you do not hunger or thirst after God's righteousness, you will never be filled. Jesus made that clear: "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty" (John 6:35). So here's the deal: hang out with the world and you'll always hunger and thirst; hang out with Jesus and you'll always be filled. You cannot remain neutral at this point! The choice is yours!

THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT -- Matt.5:5

Man is basically rebellious and pride rules the heart! Think about the times we make excuses for our actions! We tend to be defensive, don't we? When Satan tried to usurp God's throne he was thrown our of heaven. Pride drove man to eat the forbidden fruit and was deposed. Life's course pretty much remains the same. Whatever it takes to succeed and reach the top, that's our mantra! When Jesus said in verse 5, "blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth," He introduced a new strategy for world conquest. Spiritual warfare is won through "meekness" not brute force. A cursory review of Moses' life would not place him on a list of weak and mild leaders, yet Numbers 12:3 states "Moses was a very humble man, more than anyone else on the face of the earth." Jesus was also said to be "meek and lowly in heart" (Matt.11:28) but He was not weak.

John MacArthur puts it into perspective when he states, "the essential difference between being poor in spirit and being meek or gentle, may be that poverty of spirit focuses on our sinfulness, whereas meekness focuses on God's holiness. The basic attitude of humility underlies both virtues. When we look honestly at ourselves, we are made humble by seeing how sinful and unworthy we are; when we look at God, we are made humble by seeing how righteous and worthy He is."

Meekness is the opposite of violence or vindictiveness. it is one of the Fruits of the Spirit (Gal.5:22-23). Emotion out of control destroys productivity. Meekness is power under control. It was often used of breaking a wild horse until it became gentle and useful under the master's control. So the spirit of meekness is the Spirit of Christ who controls the yielded Christian. Peter put it this way: "humble yourselves under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time" (I Peter 5:6). We are the happiest and most useful under His control. His kingdom is inherited through humility. Are you willing to come under His control? Then, you will be blessed!

I GRIEVE FOR ME!

I grieve for me beside your grave
I want to give one last farewell
There are so many little things
That I just long to tell.

So if from heaven's portal gate
You're given one more fleeting glance
To look upon my lonely heart
Please give me one more chance.

Remember when we pledged our troth
When virgin love burst forth in bloom
Our hearts began to beat as one
Each evening, morning, noon.

Then hand-in-hand we walked life's road
We built our castle strong and true
Where happy children learned to grow
And trust our blessed Savior too

Then time began to speed its course
The nest was empty once again
We used our gifts to serve the Lord
For He had promised great reward.

But since you left my aching breast
Your touch of love is felt no more
So I must tread life all alone
Until we meet on yonder Shore.

So tell me dearest, if you can
Since there's a mansion just for you
Could I stop by your open door
For just a glance or two?

Life's comfort would sustain me then
While you wait there for me
And when death's Angel calls me Home
We'll share eternity
--B. Pent

THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT -- Matt.5:4

I'll never forget the day my dentist, looking at the x-ray, told me a tooth needed to come out! I had waited too long! The pain forced me to take action! When we truly understand our spiritual poverty (v.3) and its damage, deep conviction should lead us to mourn. Jesus states in verse 4, "blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted." To mourn is to be aware of our sinful nature in the light of His sinless Nature. God is grieved when we avoid the prognosis of our sin by excusing or minimizing our sinful behavior. That's why we tend to equate happiness with outward success, riches, being famous and popular or involved in activities that show us off as better than others. But listen to God's assessment of our true nature. It is revealing! "There is no one righteous, not even one" (Rom.3:10), and it is because "all our righteous acts are like filthy rags" (Isa.54:6) in God's sight. Discipleship involves sorrow for sin and repudiation of this world's system of measurement. That's why we are called strangers; unwelcome guests of this world.

What a relief after I allowed the dentist to take care of my tooth! Likewise, when we respond to God's prognosis and obey Him, we "will be comforted" and real joy will result. When we acknowledge our sin, true mourning leads to repentance. That is an important second step to authentic discipleship.

I PRAYED FOR YOU

I thought of you today
As I knelt down to pray.
I thought I saw your tears
Your struggle through the years
As you got up again
From life's inflicting pain.

The cross you're called to bear
Is one each saint must share
To show the world in sin
That Christ gives grace to win.
The battle is not yours alone
We join our hearts before His Throne.

So in the quiet of your soul
Allow Him full, complete control.
Then rest in His embrace
And keep a steady pace.
"Well done!" is your reward
For Jesus Christ is Lord!
--B. Pent

THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT - Matt.5:3

Everyone wants to be happy! Mankind is in a mad rush driving down the fast lane of life looking for happiness. Some look for it in drugs, money, sex, cars, vacations, or other pursuits. The concept of God becoming the supreme source of true happiness is foreign to most people. They think of Him as a killjoy who is out to increase our misery Unfortunately, they never really met Jesus. But you and I have! So come with me and lets listen in on what Jesus is trying to say to us as His disciples. I want us to take small bites so we don't get too overwhelmed and quit. Are you ready for this little adventure? Of course you are! Come on! I want you to sit right here beside me on the front row. Verse 3 begins: "blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
If we want to be truly happy and maintain this happiness even in the middle of life's disappointments and hard times, Jesus tells us that the beginning point is to be "poor in spirit." What does that mean? Principally, it means we recognize our own spiritual poverty and the corruption of our own sinful nature before an absolutely holy and righteous God. Dr. James Montgomery Boice hits the nail on the head when he warns, "You see, it is never possible to create a true poverty of spirit by looking within or by looking around at other people. The human heart is corrupt. And because of it you will always latch upon someone who is worse in some respect than you. You will find someone who is prouder than you are, and although you may still be quite proud you will congratulate yourself on being humble. You will find someone who has strong fits of temper, and although you too have a temper you will congratulate yourself on being more moderate in your temper than he. So it will go with all the failings that make you less perfect than Jesus Christ and therefore the fit object of his mercy and salvation."
So today's challenge is simple! As I sit looking at Jesus, comparing my life with His, am I willing to honestly confess that I am completely filthy and bankrupt spiritually before His absolute holiness and ask Him to clean my life and fill me with Himself? If so, you've just taken the first step into the secret of the kingdom of heaven. Congratulations!

BEFORE HIS THRONE

All holiness surrounds His Throne
In unmatched power He reigns alone
No sin can stand before His face
For guilt has marred the human race.

Condemned, the sentence clearly gave
No hope for those beyond the grave
The flames of hell in darkened shame
Engulf the souls who bore the blame.

Yet on life's pathway stands a Cross
Where love and mercy bare the loss
When sinner's guilt on Him is laid
The blood of Christ completely paid.

Real freedom opens wide the door
Its guilty past is there no more
For wings have given flight to soar
The Spirit's power to sin no more.
--B. Pent