It is the great tragedy and the source of all that is wrong with our world. Since the Garden, we have pridefully felt we could do a better job than our Creator. Our arrogance is at the root of our failure.
When Jesus entered the world in human flesh, He gave us a new way of living, made possible by the Holy Spirit’s indwelling of every true believer. His instructions are recorded in Matthew 5-7. We call it the Sermon on the Mount, and it is a concise, revolutionary manifesto for the New Kingdom.
… give us a progressive understanding of the only way to enter and live in the kingdom. It begins in Verse 3 by telling us we must recognize our spiritual poverty. No man will desire God unless he sees his sin and need.
We must see it so deeply that we “mourn” (Vs. 4). This mourning is the foundation of all true repentance, a “change of mind” about ourselves.
This is followed by a straightforward statement that is at the heart of successful Kingdom living.
“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” (Matthew 5:5)
This meekness is not a natural temperament or some false face we put on like a coat. It is a “willingness to be governed by another,” as the great pastor, G. Campbell Morgan, said. It is a man who has seen himself so clearly that he looks to God and gladly says, “Rule me!” It is one that has submitted to God’s control.
REPEATED, DAILY SURRENDER
… is needed because we have lived long in this independent world. We are tempted by the First Rebel himself, who knows the greatest threat to his kingdom is a man or woman who is entirely under God’s direction and empowerment.
WHO’S IN CHARGE RIGHT NOW?
Self-reliance is deadly. Pause and ask God to help you see the groundwork of your heart. Acknowledge your need to be wholly governed by God and surrender afresh to His Lordship. Submit every area of your life to Him—relationships, finances, work, play, recreation, habits, etc. If you do and will humbly follow His promptings and Word, you will find the joy of the Kingdom. You will experience what we were made to do and be. And you will be a mighty force for the expansion of His Kingdom on earth.
