God Blesses Those...

"And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:..." Matthew 5:1&2 (NKJ)

In the 5th chapter of the book of Matthew, we find Jesus teaching His disciples. What He taught them there is often referred to as the Sermon on the mount. And within that teaching are a number statements that are commonly referred to as The Beatitudes. I humbly suggest that whoever it was that coined that term might have been more accurate and to the point if they had called them The "BE- Attitudes" since Jesus was in fact telling His disciples both then and now, about the spirit of how to "be".

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.

Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God.

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,

For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake."  Matthew 5:3-11 (NKJ)

Jesus was giving us insight to set a direct God given goal for the position and content of our hearts, but as my habit has taught me to do - tracing these statements, along with everything else God has said back to their author, also tells us something about the Author's heart. Reflecting on the whole of chapter 5, I think that He's given us a direct mandate to "Be" like He IS and to have an attitude that reflects His person. He is so much more than we will ever be, but The Sermon on the Mount, in reflection, is teaching us some ways that we CAN "Be" like Him. And in all of scripture we find God, both precious, tender and perfect, but also terrifyingly powerful, majestic and uncompromisingly pure in passages, verses and books that tell us something about His heart and what He desires from us. We have only to search Him out in earnest in order to know Him. 

Can we actually know God? Can we know His personality, His character, what He likes and dislikes?...

"For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, And the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings."  Hosea 6:6 (NKJ)

"Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, But the Lord weighs the hearts. To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice."  Proverbs 21:2-3 (NKJ)

“Listen to Me, O Jacob, and Israel, My called: I am He, I am the First, I am also the Last. Indeed My hand has laid the foundation of the earth, and My right hand has stretched out the heavens; When I call to them, they stand up together."  Isaiah 48:12-13 (NKJ)

“You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments."  Exodus 20:4-6 (NKJ)

...Of course we can! Our God's essence is in everything He's taught us through the history and content of scripture. He doesn't hide from us, but instead makes Himself known to anyone who sincerely seeks Him and is willing to submit themselves to Him. It's His desire that we know Him, but the choice is on us to seek Him out or to choose to be a stranger to Him. I wouldn't dare to risk being a stranger to Him on the day that He comes to gather only those who are His ... And none of us knows the day.

"Blessed is the man You choose, and cause to approach You,

that he may dwell in Your courts. We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Your house, Of Your holy temple." Psalm 65:4 (NLT)

“And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you? He requires only that you fear the LORD your God, and live in a way that pleases him, and love him and serve him with all your heart and soul." Deuteronomy 10:12 (NLT)

"No, O people, the LORD has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God." Micah 6:8 (NLT)