The “Beatitude Attitudes,” are so critical that Jesus spends the rest of his Sermon unpacking them. Possessing and practicing these Christ-like qualities propagates every good life quality God intend for us. One can hardly imagine a more succinct description of a Jesus-shaped life. Let’s imagine these eight attitudes as portals through which we enter, enjoy, …
Addicted to Positivity
Blessed are those who mourn. I’m a charismatic. Joyful songs, lifting hands, shouts of triumph along with some dancing peppered in when I have the strength are all part of my preferred hour (or two) of congregational worship. We “Spirit-filled” folk love services that we can experience palpably, while at the same time we tend …
How Hungry?
The kind of surpassing righteousness Jesus prescribes involves a daily dying to everything for which our lower selves clamor. The life he invites us into involves lugging around a heavy piece of timber designed for nothing short of execution of that lower self. Fortunately this execution is routinely followed by resurrection! Many Christians want to …
The Civility of the Meek
You may have noticed that disparate sociopolitical viewpoints are treated with less courtesy than they used to be, even among the sons and daughters of God. A lot of people seem to prefer to silence their opponents than to engage with them for the purpose of influencing their neighbors toward the way they believe is …
Unrestricted Love
Loving our “own kind” and those who already love us is easy love. Where’s the “surpassing righteousness” or reward in that? It brings God maximum glory when our love is as expansive as his. I admit that the enemy-love message is not exactly what you’d call “attractional.” Sadly, it’s easier to gather a crowd with …
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