Matthew 5: 1-2 (MSG) When Jesus saw his ministry drawing huge crowds, he climbed a hillside. Those who were apprenticed to him, the committed, climbed with him. Arriving at a quiet place, he sat down and taught his climbing companions.
He went up the mountain. His disciples went with him. The committed climbed with him. There’s just a sense in this passage that not everybody climbed.
Do you want to be a climbing companion of Jesus?
I want to be a climbing companion. I don’t want people who climbed with Jesus to come back and tell me what I missed. Why did these people climb with Jesus? It’s very simple because Jesus was adding value to their lives and giving them a blessed life. Jesus could take you to Higher Ground. Everything that Jesus does when he touches, is blessed.
There’s a difference between telling a story and being in the story. You need to make an effort to spend time with Jesus if you stay at the bottom and you don’t climb with Jesus, you just aren’t going to get all that He has for you. Everything worthwhile is uphill. Sadly, many people have uphill hopes and downhill habits.” – John C. Maxwell
The Blessed Life
The blessed life isn’t a life absent of difficulties or problems. The blessed life is not easy, but it is a blessed life with Jesus in it. Jesus makes it blessed wherever you are. Whatever you’re doing when he is in that life, it begins to be a blessed life. Jesus makes it blessed wherever you are. Whatever you’re doing when he is in that life, it begins to be a blessed life.
1. You are blessed when you push to get close to Jesus
James 4:8 (NIV) “Come near to God and he will come near to you.”
Mark 5:25-34 (NLT) “A woman in the crowd had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding. 26 She had suffered a great deal from many doctors, and over the years she had spent everything she had to pay them, but she had gotten no better. In fact, she had gotten worse..
Mark 5:25-34 (NLT) “27 She had heard about Jesus, so she came up behind him through the crowd and touched his robe. 28 For she thought to herself, “If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed.” 29 Immediately the bleeding stopped, and she could feel in her body that she had been healed of her terrible condition.
2. You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope
Matthew 5:3 (MSG) “You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.
Jesus said you’re blessed when you’re at the end of the Rope.When you say I can’t hold on any longer, Jesus will say YES because when you’re at the end of your rope, he says there’s less of you. That is always a good thing because then there’s more of God.
When you are at the end of your rope, you need a miracle. The one thing that every miracle begins with is a problem. Most of us have at least one problem, which means we can have a miracle.
A miracle needs a problem. If you don’t have a problem, you have a problem. A problem means you are due for a miracle. You are blessed. When you are at the end of your rope, you are blessed. When you have a problem, you’re a candidate for a miracle. Jesus says you’re blessed if you’ve come to the end of your rope because God can display his power in your life. More of God and less of me.
Psalm 109:21-25 (MSG) Oh, God, my Lord, step in; work a miracle for me—you can do it! Get me out of here—your love is so great!— I’m at the end of my rope, my life in ruins.
2 Corinthians 12:9 (NLT) “Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.”
Psalm 109:21-25 (MSG) Oh, God, my Lord, step in; work a miracle for me—you can do it!Get me out of here—your love is so great!— I’m at the end of my rope, my life in ruins.
Psalm 116:1-6 (MSG) I love God because he listened to me, listened as I begged for mercy. He listened so intently as I laid out my case before him. Death stared me in the face; hell was hard on my heels. Up against it, I didn’t know which way to turn; then, I called out to God for help: “Please, God!” I cried out. “Save my life!” God is gracious—it is he who makes things right, our most compassionate God. God takes the side of the helpless; when I was at the end of my rope, he saved me.
Psalm 143:7 (MSG) Hurry with your answer, God! I’m nearly at the end of my rope. Don’t turn away; don’t ignore me!
When we are at the end of our rope—and it happens to all of us sooner or later—God is there to rescue us; so don’t give up.