God did not leave us alone to muddle through life, helpless. God sent his Son. One day Jesus took the time to sit on a mountainside to let us in on a few secrets of the kingdom of heaven. The problem is that we all have a problem that prevents us from even listening to him. That is why Jesus would often preface many of his teachings with the phrase: "Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear." Not everyone will hear. The problem is not with the ears. The problem lies with our hearts.

We go to a cardiologist for the heart. How about a cardiologist for the spiritual heart? Who better than the Great Physician to give us HIS diagnosis of health: "Blessed are the pure in heart." Stop what you are doing, listen to, and, "hear" this message.

The Sermon on the Mount begins with the beatitudes. The beatitudes are comprised of eight sayings that convey the blessings that are reflected in the lives of all who belong to the King. "Blessed are..." says the King.

The first four "blessed" sayings point to need: poverty of spirit, mourning over sin, meekness that leads to dependence on God and hunger and thirst for righteousness. The reason the need is a blessed state is that without the need there would be no need of help. Those who once lacked and admitted their need are now filled. Now they will be able to go out in fullness and power. They will have power to represent the King. The next four beatitudes will define this power. The first beatitude heading the list is: "Blessed are the merciful." Listen closely to this message and be blessed.

Desire can drive us and move us in ways nothing else can. We all know the feeling of drudgery when we are called to a task when desire is lacking. We will procrastinate. We will balk. We will squawk. There will be foot-dragging, head-drooping resistance.

However, sprinkle in a little dash of desire and all things change. What was once relegated to procrastination now gets moved to the front of the line. Deep within us we say, "I must do this thing." We become diligent and focused. Our face and eyes spring to life. It is amazing what desire can do. An identifying mark of all who belong to God is the fact that desire for the things of God is alive and well. Jesus described desire as hunger and thirst. Listen closely and you'll understand.

Jesus said, "Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth" (Matthew 5:5). The people of the world won't understand this. The world is fixated on strength and sees meekness as weakness. What they don't know is that the only thing the people who belong to the world will inherit is the grave. The people of the world do not know the gospel.

Human nature is natural. So, naturally, we feel that if we give to the Lord the rights to our lives (the definition of meekness) we'll be missing out on something. However, if we belong to the Lord, we will humble ourselves before him. If we will recognize God's rightful place in our lives and yield to him, he will FILL our lives with himself. Meekness then becomes power – power according to the will of God. Listen closely to this message.

Jesus came to earth and gave away the secrets to his kingdom. He came to a hillside in Israel 2,000 years ago. It's amazing that the world would receive such a visit. Jesus revealed the status of all who belong to him. One word says is all: "Blessed." Jesus said, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted" (Matthew 5:4).

The world has only half a gospel. Half a gospel is when there is awareness of deep trouble, but rejection of the only remedy. Sin is the deep trouble and Jesus is the only remedy. The missing half of the gospel begins with the word: "blessed" and ends with "comforted." If people would come to the King on his terms, they will discover for themselves just how good the gospel is. Listen closely to this message and you'll see.

The Bible tells us about life. It tells us how things began: "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" (Genesis 1:1). It also tells us how things will end. History will end one day at the feet of Jesus Christ. "...at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord" (Philippians 2:10-11). Jesus is "King of kings and Lord of Lords" (Revelation 19:16).

What is the answer to life? Bow at the feet of the King. The King took the time to visit his creation to give insight into his kingdom. He sat on a lonely hillside in Israel and taught. Who will sit at his feet today? Take the time to humbly listen to Jesus as he gives us the Sermon on the Mount.

Sometimes placing truth in the form of a question is a good way to shake out answers. It's like a lush fruit tree. You know the fruit will drop down as soon as the wind kicks up. God has the wind of the Spirit ready to shake us up. He has taken aim at the center of our hearts. He will hit us with a few questions to shake us up to allow the fruit to drop into our lives like never before.

The questions take aim at the center of our being. One such question is this: "If God be for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31). This is more than rhetoric. It is truth and reality. Listen closely to this message because the wind of the Spirit is coming.

Suffering is part of life. We all suffer. Things happen to us and around us that will go contrary to our plans, hopes and dreams. It could be something as simple as getting stuck at a red light. Or it could be teeth-clenching agony that no words can describe. Sometimes the only word that fits is "Why?" When there seems to be no answer even that word mocks us.

What if we could see suffering from a different perspective? Sometimes a fresh perspective can make all the difference in the world. Instead of "Why?" we now say, "Oh, now I see." What if we could see suffering from the point of view of God? The first eight chapters of the book of Romans set the stage for such a view. Listen to this message and discover a new way to see suffering.

People yearn for a sense of belonging. There is comfort and security knowing that we are connected somewhere in this cold, impersonal universe. The need for belonging can drive people to go to extravagant lengths to avoid the feeling of alienation. Some join gangs. Some worry and fret. However, most people are blessed to have family and friends to give them the much needed feeling that they do belong.

One of the blessings of the gospel is that it describes a miraculous provision from the throne of God. God himself has extended his hand to give us belonging through the gift of his One and Only Son. The once impersonal universe suddenly becomes home. If we are in Christ, we belong to God. We belong to God by the power of adoption. Listen closely and find out just how this can be.

The Christian gospel is the only "therefore" religion. The meaning of the "therefore" lies in the fact that something has happened allowing for the power of that great transitional word: therefore.

I know that all have sinned. I know that I still sin even though I have received Jesus Christ as my Savior. I can say with the Apostle Paul that "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do" (Romans 7:15). I can't be perfect and sometimes I feel like I am driving myself crazy with failure to measure up. The power of the gospel is that the answer is in Christ. "THEREFORE, there is now no condemnation of those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1). Listen to this message and find out what the "therefore" is there for.

The question is often asked, "Can't Christians sin all they want since they are saved by grace? Paul explains in chapters six and seven in the book of Romans that, despite what it may seem, a Christian is not free to sin without hindrance. The reason is that the Christian has received a NEW NATURE, a NEW MASTER, a NEW POWER and finally, a NEW HOPE.

Paul concludes his answer at the end of chapter seven. He deals with the perplexing problem that sin still persists in many troubling ways despite our new position in Christ. Paul makes this confession, "When I want to do good, evil is right there with me" (Romans 7:21). He goes on to declare that there is a war going on inside of him. Is there any hope of victory? Listen to this message and you'll have the answer.