We continue our journey through the Beatitudes. We are discovering how we can examine our lives to ensure we do not find ourselves living like the Laodicean church in the book of Revelation. LUKEWARM! 

We have discovered so far that we must walk in humility which is the foundation of everything else we will discuss. The next thing we discovered is that we must maintain sensitivity to our own personal sins. Not just say that we have sinned but to agree with God in the fullness of what they are.

Today we are going to look at the importance of having a gentle spirit. The Greek word for gentle means that we have strength under control. This is a self-control that is the result of being under the Spirit's control. 

Jesus said that He was gentle and humble in heart and that we were to take His yoke upon us and learn from Him. So let's learn.

On our journey of examining ourselves to see if we fall into the definition that Jesus gives to the church in the last days; being lukewarm, we are using the Beatitudes as our examination tool.

Not only to examine ourselves but also to use as our foundation to keep from drifting into that lukewarmness.  In Matt. 5:3 we've already discussed the humility that needs to be considered and now we will look to Matt. 5:4 and our need individually and corporately to see and deal with the sin in our lives. 

We know that Scripture tells us that where sin abounded that grace abounded all the more, but we must never take the grace for granted and allow sin of any kind to remain in our hearts or minds.

Let the word of God speak!

As we spoke last time concerning the lukewarmness of the church as we live in the last church age of Laodicea, we now will look to the Sermon on the Mount to discover how we can prevent ourselves and the church as a whole from becoming those casual Christians. 

Humility is the foundation of our relationship with Jesus Christ that keeps us from being conformed to this world and becoming lukewarm. 

There is no sanctification, no transformation, no fruitfulness, and no walking by the Spirit with living a life of humility

We are living in the last church age as we look to Revelation and its revealing of the Lukewarm Church. Many of us would try our best to separate ourselves from this defining statement given by Jesus, but the reality is, His word is not up to our own interpretation or justification. 

Are there people in the church today faithfully serving and proclaiming the gospel, as well as making disciples? There are! God has always provided for HImself a remnant to move His kingdom forward. But if we are going to be faithful to HIs word, we must be willing to examine ourselves as well as the church we are placed within to see if we are truly taking up our cross and following Jesus Christ!

His words in Revelation chapter 3 are troubling! They are more uncomfortable than we would like to admit. But to ignore them or justify them away is extremely dangerous. His words to the Lukewarm Church are a loving expression of His love and grace, but they carry eternal consequences if we do not repent!

We are told in Scripture that we are not to be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of our minds. 

But that transformation is not into a better version of ourselves, but into the image of Jesus Christ! This transformation is what allows us to experience the freedom that comes from knowing Jesus Christ and walking in fellowship with Him every day. 

Transformation is impossible for us to accomplish in and of ourselves, it is the work of God in us and through us in everyday life and circumstances. 

Taking up our cross and following Him is paramount to our transformation. Also, vital to our transformation is our faithful obedience as we serve within the body of Christ. 

Salvation starts at the moment of our salvation and continues as God works out the fulness of that salvation as we enter into glory with Him. 

Jesus is the author and perfector of our faith, as well as the author and perfector of our transformation. 

Transformation is focused upon the image and glory of Jesus Christ, and not the image we desire or our glory. The fruit of the Spirit is the evidence of our transformation.

The Apostle Paul said, that I am what I am by the grace of God. Grace is what defined him. He discovered that when he was weak it was then he was strong through the grace given to him through Christ. 

If God's grace is so amazing, shouldn't it be seen by the amazing life we are living to the glory of God? If it is in our weakness that the glory of God's grace is revealed in power, what is the watching world seeing concerning this amazing grace?

Is God's grace truly sufficient for you, and how is this amazing grace transforming your life to become more like Christ?

There are so many men sitting in the pews today that are hiding in plain sight. They are religiously busy but their busyness is nothing more than their futile attempt to hide from God's calling on their life. 

They have chosen comfort and convenience over the cost of carrying their cross and following Jesus wherever He goes. 

There is a cost to hiding and there is a cost to us as men not taking up our cross daily and serving the One who has redeemed us and reconciled us back into a relationship with the Father.

Understand gentlemen, you can run but you cannot hide from the God who called you!

Come out of your hiding and into the glory of your Heavenly Father!

This is not about exposing the darkness of this world, for that darkness has become brash and unashamed to live out in the open every day. 

We as followers of Jesus Christ need to expose the darkness that we have allowed to remain in our own hearts and lives. 

This is about the desires that are naturally ours by God's creation but those in which we attempt to satisfy outside of God's will and design. 

Our flesh and spirit are in opposition to one another, and if we allow our flesh to choose the means of satisfying our personal desires we will find ourselves living in the darkness that comes from our sinful choices. 

Exposure is never a comfortable thing, but we have the grace of God that is sufficient for us to overcome the darkness that remains in our hearts.

This is not an easy journey, but it is the only journey to our freedom and peace.

Every day we write another chapter into our life's story! Many times the chapter we are writing does not play out like we hoped it would have.

A great deal of the anxiety we struggle with comes from our frustration and disappointments in our life's story being played out differently than we have written it.

Did you realize that God has already written your story out to its final details? If we would just understand that our freedom and fulfillment are found in living out the story He has written out for us!

Open up the gospel with me and discover the amazing story God has prepared for you. If you try to save your story you will lose His. But if you lose your story for His sake and the gospels you will find the beautiful story He has for you.

When Jesus Christ becomes real when His word is more than a set of principles for you to live by; life as you once knew it changes. 

Of His fullness, we all have received, and grace upon grace. 

When His word becomes flesh in our life we will begin to be transformed from glory to glory.

When we realize that we are a temple of the Holy Spirit and that His glory abides within us, our desire will be to glorify Him in all that we do. 

Has HIs word become living and active in your life? Are you living for HIs glory or your own? 

How can we believe when we seek the glory that comes from man?

Scriptures: 

John 1:14,16; 2 Cor. 4:3-6; 2 Cor. 3:14-18; 1 Cor. 6:19-20 John 17:22-23; 1 John 1:1-3; John 5:44; John 17:4