His Thoughts are Upon You

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Jeremiah 29:11 is one of the great comfort passages in all of Scripture. Many have made it their life verse. But to understand the true meaning and the impact of such a verse one must grasp the context of the passage itself. Specific questions must be asked such as” To whom is the Lord speaking?” and “What were the circumstances of the times?” Only then can one see the beauty and the power of the words spoken.

God’s people were in turbulent times as destruction was upon them. God was using the kingdom of Babylon to bring discipline against His people who had forsaken Him for other gods, made mockery of the Jewish faith and polluted God’s land with pagan idols and corruption. A large contingent of Jews had already been taken captive to Babylon during the initial invasion while Jewish false prophets were prophesizing peace and victory while the worse was yet to come.

These comforting words from God did not come to those still living in Judah, but to those already taken captive. The words were part of a letter God wrote through Jeremiah to a people whom apparently had lost everything: their homeland, their families, their dignity, their religion, and their hope. Surely, they longed to return home from this pagan land and they must have understood themselves as the “unlucky” ones. Surely, they had cried out to God passionately for their deliverance, but instead of words promising immediately deliverance from their trials God instead instructed them to “build houses and dwell in them; plant gardens and eat of their fruit. Take wives and begat sons and daughters…and seek peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive.” God was simply telling these captives to settle in and make themselves productive until He completes His purpose of which He was working in and through them, a purpose which would keep them sojourning another seventy years.

It was to these people, people living under captive circumstances and a people to whom God was telling to wait on Him that He gave these great words of encouragement, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you…thoughts of peace and not evil, to give you a future and a hope.” God was reminding them that His thoughts were on them and His plans included them. Also, even in their captivity they were not the ones to be pitied as those who remained in Judah would soon face destruction.

God spoke these words to encourage people who were experiencing difficult trials so they would trust Him and wait upon Him. He had them exactly where He wanted them in order to fulfill His purpose and plan through them.

You may be in a very difficult place today, a place not of your own making, a place from where you long to be freed, but God does not seem to even hear your prayers. This is no different from the Israelites held captive in Babylon. Maybe God has you right where He wants you so He can fulfill a greater purpose through you. Remember, His thoughts are upon you and He has plan for your life.

Glory in This

Jeremiah 9:23-24 Thus says the LORD: "Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, Let not the mighty man glory in his might, Nor let the rich man glory in his riches; 24 But let him who glories glory in this, That he understands and knows Me, That I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight," says the LORD.

The chief purpose of man is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever. Man’s very existence and reason for being is to bring glory to His Creator. Yet, to understand man’s struggle in fulfilling his purpose is the need to understand man’s chief sin and that is pride which is simply self-glory. Paul addresses this in the first chapter of Romans by explaining “…although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were they thankful….who exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator…”

From the beginning man has desired to rob God of His glory. This was the core of the serpent’s temptation to Eve as he cunningly pricked her desire by saying, “For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God knowing good and evil.” Eve desired to be “like God” and thus obtain the glory due only to Him. Since the fall man has sought glory for himself through his wisdom, his might and his riches as well as many other idols that simply are an attempt to reflect glory back to himself.

Again, selfish pride is the basis for all sin and it strikes against the very purpose for which man was created: to glorify God. If I struggle to find fulfillment in life and thus peace and joy, then I should first honestly ask myself, "What does my life glorify, me or my Creator?" True life will only be found and experienced when man repents of his self glory and then gives His Creator and Redeemer the glory that He alone is due.
---To God be the glory!

Living in Readiness

Mark 13:35-37 Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming--in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning-- 36 lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. 37 And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!"


When being asked by His disciples about the timing of the last days, Jesus made three matters perfectly clear: 1- The Son of Man is coming again to judge the world, 2- No one knows the exact time of His return other than the Father, 3- All must watch and be ready for His imminent return. In the most basic terms Jesus was telling His followers not to be so concerned about laboring over the minor details of His return, but instead, simply live each day with the readiness and anticipation of that He may arrive today.

The problem with most of us is that either we do not honestly believe Jesus is coming again to judge the living and the dead, or we do not truly believe that His return is could be at anytime. Otherwise, we would live our lives in marked difference. These are the same issues of the unfaithful steward (Matt. 24) and the five foolish virgins (Matt. 25) of whom were each condemned for the lack of readiness. Jesus addresses this readiness issue time and again in direct teaching and in parables.

This “living in readiness” would radically change most of our lives. Think for a moment; just how different would my daily plans, daily routines and daily actions be if I truly anticipated the return of Christ sometime today? Obviously, if I truly believed that Jesus was the Righteous Judge and would come at a time unexpected then I would be certain my life, my affairs and my house would be in order. As a host preparing for a special guest I would meticulously examine every room to ensure my guest would be pleased and to avoid embarrassment to myself. For some this task would be overwhelming and in anxiousness since no prior preparation had been made, and therefore much cleaning and rearranging would have to be done. For others, those who live daily in expectation of a special guest, the announcement of arrival would be met with joy since preparations had already been made and their house is already in order.

I must then ask myself, “Do I live in readiness?” And, “How must preparation would I require if I knew Jesus was coming today?” Let us not be caught unprepared and not ready. Oh, the joy of living daily in the anticipation and readiness of Christ’s return! Oh, the peace of knowing that when He knocks at the door my house is already in order!

The Beauty is Worth the Effort

Romans 11:33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!

I had heard of the Grand Canyon, of its indescribable beauty and its overwhelming vastness, but I never desired to spend the necessary time to see this treasure for myself. I had heard the testimonies from others, believed in its reality, but had no desire to experience it for myself.

Then on a family vacation in the western states my wife insisted we visit the Grand Canyon. Inwardly, I growled as this would take at least two days out of our schedule to see nothing more that a gigantic hole in the ground. My thoughts of displeasure only intensified as we drove through hours of desert to arrive at the stated destination.

Upon arrival my displeasure soon began to flee. As I walked to the edge of the canyon I became immediately overwhelmed with the beauty and the vastness of this treasure of God’s creation. The words and photos of others could not accurately describe the vivid colors, the immensity and the glory of this wonder of God’s handiwork. I was wrong, so very wrong! My regret now was that we did not schedule enough time to truly explore the many hidden wonders of this divine masterpiece.

The taste of standing on the edge and gazing at the beauty before me only made me hungry for more. Thank God for my wife insisting this to be in our plans. The drive back through the desert did not seem as tedious as the images that would not be forgotten continued to flash into my mind.

I am afraid that many view Scripture in the same way I viewed the Grand Canyon: belief in the truth of its reality but not willing to take the time or the effort to experience it for myself. I had heard what others had to say and sadly was satisfied, and was never willing to do what was necessary to taste it for myself. How foolish to eat the crumbs of others when we can indulge in the feast itself.

No one will ever taste the depth, the beauty and the majesty of God’s Word until he makes the commitment and the sacrifice to do whatever it takes to stand at its edge and wonder at its glory. Then and only then will one not be satisfied with simply a taste but desire to explore for even more of God’s indescribable riches. No one else’s explanation will do.

Thank God for those who have challenged me to explore for myself the vastness and beauty of God's majestic Word.

Trials of the Race

Jeremiah 12:5 "If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you, Then how can you contend with horses? And if in the land of peace, In which you trusted, they wearied you, Then how will you do in the floodplain of the Jordan?

Jeremiah was tired, weary, frustrated and now complaining to God about the persecution he was facing from his own Jewish brothers for preaching God’s Word. He was in the midst a major pity party complaining of God’s injustice for allowing the unrighteous to prosper while the righteous perished.

There will be times that any faithful servant of God will find himself in the very circumstance of Jeremiah. We would like to think that our faithfulness to God and His Word would be rewarded by immediately blessings from God and appreciation of the people, but history proves this is not necessarily the case. God’s prophets who faithfully preached His Word rather than tickling men’s ears were seldom applauded by their contemporaries and in most cases disdained by their listeners. One has to look no further than Jesus Christ who was crucified by the very people He came to save.

In truth, faithful service to our Lord can be at times a treacherous road and a weary task. This can cause the servant to lose sight of the mark and to begin to feel sorry for himself. But God will not allow us to wallow in the mire of our self-indulgent sorrow. In His grace and mercy He will strengthen and encourage us, but in His truth He will remind us of the preparations for task before us. He will remind us just as He did Jeremiah, “If you become weary in the little skirmishes then how will you stand in the major battles ahead?”

God loves us and His work too much to allow us to remain where we are. He is constantly testing and stretching His servants with trials and tribulations for a greater work ahead. Instead of a spirit of complaint which naturally reveals itself through our flesh, may we have a spirit of rejoicing that God would count us worthy to serve and grow in His work. Let us be as the early church who rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer for His name (Acts 5:41).
--To God be the Glory

Lord, Give us more Stephens

Acts 6:15 And all who sat in the council, looking steadfastly at him (Stephen),
saw his face as the face of an angel.

Lord, give us more Stephens: Men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom; Men who are faithful servants to your people and bold preachers of your word. Men who are full of faith and power; Men of whom when they find themselves in the midst of false accusations and persecutions do not lash out, but have the countenance of an angel; Men whose light shines bright in the darkest of times.

I believe in the heat of persecution the face of Stephen and his final words of compassion for his persecutors were permanently etched in the mind of one of his tormentors, Saul of Tarsus. Could it be that Stephen’s testimony in death was a preparation of Saul’s soon salvation and a prod for his future ministry? If so, Stephen's light continued to burn bright through the powerful ministry of the apostle Paul.

Loved Him

Mark 10:21 "Then Jesus looking at him, loved him, and said to him, 'One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give it to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross and follow Me.'"

This young man was so close but yet so far. He came sincerely to Jesus seeking eternal life but was confused on how to obtain it. He had been faithful, in comparison to others, in keeping the law but this was not the way unto salvation. Jesus looked at the young man with eyes of compassion and with a heart of purest love knowing exactly what was keeping him from eternal life. He had made idols of his riches and thus measured himself by his possessions rather than by a Holy God. Jesus understood this idol had to be removed before true worship could be made and true life obtained. Thus, out of a heart of love Jesus addressed this man's need and what needed to be done so he could obtain the eternal life he was seeking. The idol must be destroyed, all had be given away, and then he must selflessly follow Christ. The words were hard but they were true and flowed from the love of the Lord. Sadly, the young man was not willing to give up his idol of riches for true eternal life. He would rather glory in temporal pleasure than in eternal delight. He walked away sorrowful but in love Jesus did not follow him. Jesus had given him riches greater than any he owned: the riches of truth and love. Sadly, he rejected truth wrapped in love and thus eternal life.

Imitate Me

1 Corinthians 4:16 Therefore, urge you, imitate me.
11:1 Imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.

One of the boldest statements in all scripture is made not once but twice by the apostle Paul, “Imitate me.” Paul was writing to a group of believers who were blessed with strong spiritual gifts from the Lord, but whom had great difficulty separating themselves from the ways of the world. Obviously, they were having a hard time understanding what a Christ-like should appear, and even a more difficult time walking it. Therefore, Paul offered himself as a living example by challenging them to “imitate me.” This statement may appear brash or arrogant on the surface (and it would be if made from a pompous heart) but this was not the case. Paul’s statement flowed from a heart of humility and confidence. Humbly, he understood the magnitude of his challenge for himself and his readers as a failure of him to live a proper example of Christ would place him in great jeopardy of Christ’s judgment and place his readers in danger of a wayward walk. Yet, his dependence was on Christ and not on himself as he could not provide the proper example apart from the power of Christ in him and through him. He was confident in Christ’s provision. His heart was pure and his understanding was clear that as believers we are to be living letters to others to teach them the ways of Christ. We are to be the world’s examples of Christ as we are His body. As Paul, we must not be arrogant but humbly confident in our faith and in our walk. May we, as him, not fear to make ourselves examples of Christ and even challenge young believers, “If you want to live like Jesus, imitate me.”

All that She Had

Mark 12:43-44 And he called his disciples to him and said to them, "Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. 44 For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on."



How many of us can truly say that we have given the Lord “all that we had?” Most of us, if we are honest with ourselves, are much more like the rich givers who gave out of their abundance rather than the poor widow who gave all. Jesus makes it clear that it is not the amount given but the sacrifice by which we give; and it is not about our bank account but our heart. The widow gave all her livelihood, therefore she could give no more. She emptied herself not knowing where her next meal would come. She placed her total dependence upon God believing that if she was faithful to Him, then He would be faithful to her. A key to this passage is that Jesus already knew the accounts by which each giver had to draw upon. It is He in His sovereign will who has given to us whether it be great or small. He is not impressed with large gifts given from our abundance. Instead, He rejoices in the smallest of gifts which are given in sacrifice. Which are these givers were rich in Jesus’ eyes? Certainly, it was the poor widow. She is rich in the kingdom of heaven.

Alone and Rejected

Matthew 27:46b …”My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

Darkness had covered the land and also had invaded the soul of the Son of Man. He, who was the Light of the world was now experiencing the darkness of the soul which accompanies sin. He that knew no sin had been made sin for us and it left Him rejected and all alone exposed naked between heaven and earth. His only audience was those who had made a sport of mocking and ridiculing Him.

Much greater pain did he endure than the scourgings that had ripped his flesh and the nails tearing at his hands and feet. The greatest pain was that which tore His heart. He had been brought to total humiliation as He who had created all things had been rejected by His own creation. Even His closest friends had fled in this moment of His deepest agony. The sin that had been laid upon Him, our sin, had left our Creator and Redeemer all alone. Truly did the prophet proclaim, “He was despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as if it were, our faces from Him. He was despised, and we did not esteem Him” Isa 53:3. Not only did He experience the rejection of men, but also of His Father, who could not look upon Him due to our sin. Isaiah would later remind us of the consequences of sin, “Your iniquities have separated you from your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you. 59:2. When Jesus took our sin He also accepted its consequences: rejection from God.

On this darkest day of humanity this Man of sorrows was left alone, all alone, rejected by man and by God. And why? He did it for you and me. He became the Man of sorrows to carry our sorrows.

“Surely He has borne our griefs
And carried our sorrows;
Yet we esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten by God, and afflicted.
But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray;
We have turned, every one, to his own way;
And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. Isa 53:4-6

What a Savior!

Shake the Dust Off

Matthew 10:14 And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town. ESV


Jesus did not send forth His disciples without first giving them careful instruction. He gave specific instruction concerning those who would not receive their words (the Gospel): “Shake the dust off your feet.” This idiom appears to have a two-fold meaning: 1) move on, and 2) don’t take any of their rebellious ideas with you. Jesus had said earlier, “The fields are white unto harvest,” meaning there are many ready to receive the Gospel. In practical terms Jesus is telling his disciples and us today, “Why should you labor in fields which are not ready and reject the Gospel when there are fields which are ready to be harvested and wait for the Gospel?” Many times we waste much time, energy and resources on those who clearly have no interest in hearing or receiving the good news of Jesus Christ. We must move on; and when we go we must not allow the negative or unholy spirit of those who reject to go with us. We must “shake it off” and move on to the fields white unto harvest.

Kingdom Living

From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Matthew 4:17

Jesus proclaimed the “kingdom of heaven is at hand.” It is not something we have to wait for but that which can be and should be experienced now. The Sermon on the Mount as found in Matthew 5-7 is Jesus’ photo album of what “kingdom living” looks like. He begins with snapshots of kingdom dwellers. They are the poor in spirit, those who mourn (over their sin), those who are meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, those who are meek and pure in heart, those who are peacemakers and yet, are persecuted for righteousness sake. He then reveals other snapshots of kingdom dwellers in daily life by fulfilling the spirit of God’s law as they love their neighbors as themselves. They never murder with their tongue or covet with their eyes. They love their enemies and are slow to judge. Kingdom dwellers do not fret over the things of the earth because they store their treasures in heaven. Their one desire is to please God and seek Him with all of their heart. Jesus warns that not everyone will enter into the kingdom. It is only populated by those who come to Him with a repentant heart and believing heart. As I flip through this album of “kingdom living” I must ask, “Do I see myself?” or am I only an imposter.

Searching for Truth

Acts 17:11 Now these Jews (Bereans) were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.

Paul came to Berea preaching a new word, the gospel of Jesus Christ. Not like the Thessalonica Jews, these were eager to hear this word which at first appeared to contradict their understanding and dogma. But most importantly, they did not quickly embrace this new teaching without examination. Instead, they searched the Scriptures diligently to prove or disprove these teachings of Paul.

Most have never placed their current religious dogma under the scrutiny of the word of God and therefore have been led astray by the teachings of men rather than obediently following the teaching of God. Others run after every “new word” hoping they have finally found the answers to life without ever testing the “new” teachings by the Word of God. They find themselves following slick talking men rather than God. Both are led astray, whether they be closed minded to revealed truth or “open-minded” to anything new. Only those, as the Bereans, who are willing to listen and test what they hear by the Scriptures can truly walk in the light of God’s truth.

How Long, O Lord?

Ps 13:1 How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long must I take counsel in my soul
and have sorrow in my heart all this day?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?
5 But I have trusted in your steadfast love (chesed);
my heart shall rejoice in your salvation
6 I will sing to the Lord, because he
has dealt bountifully with me. ESV


David had found himself in a season of life that he felt forsaken by the Lord whom he so dearly loved. Day by day passed by and prayer after prayer had seemed to go unanswered. David began to wobble in his faith and in the midst of his pain cried out time and again. “How long, O Lord?” Life’s circumstances began to overwhelm and he could not help to think, “Where is my God?” Yet, in the midst of the pain and the questions David chose to look beyond his circumstances and to look unto God. He focused on God’s chesed, His steadfast love. Although he at times “felt” forsaken he was assured that the Lord would never forsake him. He found hope and joy in God’s eternal salvation, because when you have Christ you have everything. Whatever circumstances may bring trouble, these will one day pass away. The Lord’s salvation will never fail. As David remembered the countless blessings the Lord had bestowed on him his heart broke out in song and no longer did he question, “How long?” David was honest in his struggle, but found peace in the steadfast love of God. O what a difference our focus makes. Who has not found himself in the same place of struggles as David and asked the same question, “How long?” Life is tough and there will be times that God does not respond to our cries in our time table. Just as David we must look past the struggle and look to Jesus.

Secret Sins

Psalm 90:8 You have set our iniquities before You, our secret sins in the light of Your presence.

How foolish are we to try to hide our sins from God. We are quite good at hiding sins from man. We become masters of deception. We have some sins that will inevitably come out, but there are always those few, those secret sins we guard almost as precious treasures. No one else knows about them. Even our most intimate acquaintances are not invited into this private part of our lives. These secret sins are brought out and petted during our times of aloneness. We justify ourselves by thinking “No one else knows, therefore this sin cannot be so bad.” But God knows. When we stand in the light of His presence out secret sins will be revealed. There will be no place to hide them. There, in the presence of God, they will be exposed. Oh that we might confess those sins to God. Then and only then will they be covered by the blood of Christ. Then they will be forgiven and washed away.

Persistence in Prayer

Luke 18:7-8 And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on earth?


Persistence in prayer. Is this a virtue or a sign of lack of faith? Some have taught that to ask God over and over for the same thing signifies a lack of faith as one feels he must continually remind God of his desire. Jesus teaches the opposite. He explains that the Father honors persistence. Persistence does not reveal faithlessness but the depth of the desire. When one prays for a want, soon he/she will cease when the prayer is not answered because another want will replace it. But when one prays for a real need, the prayer will not cease because the need remains. Instead of ceasing, the prayers will become more intense as the one seeking the Father has no where else to turn. This is when God blesses His children: when they humbly come to Him due to their helplessness. No, God doesn’t frown upon persistence in prayer. He blesses it.

Nothing Too Hard

Jerermiah 32:17 Ah, Lord God! Behold you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for you.

Jerusalem was under siege by the powerful armies of Babylon. Jeremiah was imprisoned in the besieged city by the fearful king Zedekiah. Yet, in the midst of all the turmoil and tragedy the Lord sent Jeremiah a message of hope: buy a field. For most this command would seem ridiculous. Jeremiah could have easily asked, “Why spend my money and buy a field in these circumstances? Jerusalem will soon be destroyed and I may never even see the light of day would be a prudent excuse.” But Jeremiah did not think of God’s request as absurd. Instead, he viewed it as a promise of hope. God had a future for him and for Israel; and God had the power to fulfill that promise. Jeremiah’s faith rested solely upon the God who created the heavens and the earth. Nothing is too hard for Him. Though Jeremiah’s circumstances appeared bleak at the moment, his hope and future rested in the strong arm and faithful promises of the Almighty God.

Gospel to the Unevangelized

Acts 8:26
Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, "Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." This is desert. NKJV

There is a question that has lingered through the years which has the purpose of attacking the justice of God and the fairness of the Gospel: “What about those who have never heard the name of Jesus?” This question implies that it is not fair for people who have never heard the name of Jesus to be condemned to hell, because they never had a chance. First, this question is built upon an incorrect notion of lostness that people are condemned because they have not accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior. People are condemned because they have rejected God who has revealed Himself through creation (Rom. 1), the conscious and the Law (Rom. 2). Therefore, all men are without excuse. Belief in the atoning work of Christ is the remedy of man’s condemnation and not the source. This leads to another question, “What about the man who receives the light given to him and yearns to know the God of creation yet has not heard of Jesus?” This answer to this question can be found in the passage of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8) as we discover that God will get His message to a longing heart. In this text we find that God snatches Philip from a great revival in Samaria and sends him to the desert road toward Gaza. This may appear contrary to modern mission tactics, but God knew there was a heart longing to know more of Him and God sent a missionary with the glorious message of Jesus Christ. For those who accepted the light given to them God will provide more light even if it is to send a missionary in the middle of the wilderness.

Our Immense God

1 Kings 8:27-28
27 "But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You. How much less this temple which I have built! 28 Yet regard the prayer of Your servant and his supplication, O Lord my God, and listen to the cry and the prayer which Your servant is praying before You today: NKJV

Solomon’s temple was magnificent in its beauty and its size. The finest stones, wood and metals were used in its construction. The Bible's description of Solomon's Temple suggests that the inside ceiling was 180 feet long, 90 feet wide, and 50 feet high. The highest point on the Temple that King Solomon built was actually 120 cubits tall (about 20 stories or about 207 feet) {Jewish Virtual Library}. Although the temple was majestic in human standards Solomon understood it was paltry in comparison to the beauty and the vastness of God. The temple was to be God’s dwelling place on earth, but Solomon knew this was impossible. The temple could not contain God, nor could the earth, nor heaven, nor the heaven of heavens. The sphere of the visual universe is 93 billion light years {Wikipedia, Observable Universe}. God is more vast than all the universe and cannot be contained in space nor time. Yet, the understanding of God’s immenseness did not deter Solomon from crying out to his Creator and pleading with Him to hear his prayer. God may be greater than time and space, yet He hears our every cry no matter where or no matter when. We should each stand amazed as Solomon and even his father who wondered, “When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?” (Ps 8:3-4 NKJV). We serve an omnipresent God. There is no place where He is not, yet He is concerned enough that He hears the prayer of each of His children.

Heart of a Kingdom Dweller

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
- Matthew 5:3-4


The theme of the Sermon on the Mount is “kingdom living.” In this great sermon, preached by Jesus Christ Himself, we are taught what it looks like to be a child of God, a kingdom dweller. Jesus begins this powerful sermon with a list of blessings, the beatitudes, which describes and honors those who are citizens of His Kingdom.

The first two beatitudes reveal the attitude of a kingdom dweller’s heart: “blessed are the poor in spirit,” and “blessed are those who mourn.” The kingdom dweller recognizes his position before the Righteous King. He humbly understands his unworthiness to stand before a holy God due to his sinful condition. Pride has been stripped away and he is totally dependent on the righteousness of God and not of himself; he is poor in spirit.

Next, the kingdom dweller is broken and contrite over his sin. Sin is not taken lightly, but instead the true believer grieves over his offense to the God Who created him and redeemed him through the sacrifice of His Son. He mourns because of his sin.

The heart that is poor and spirit and that mourns over sin is the one acceptable to God as the psalmist explains, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise” (Ps 51:17). This is the attitude that best describes a true child of God. We must then ask ourselves, “What is my attitude before a Righteous God?” and “What is my attitude toward my sin?” These attitudes may very well reveal our citizenship.