Keith Burnett Ministries

Equipping for Evangelism

Blessed: If You Only Knew!

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Blessed by God! What is your reaction? My friend Mike always says, I’m blessed, doing better than I deserve. If we believe that, then the cover image should be just the beginning of our reaction when God says we are: Blessed! So it might just make your day to know what that really means! I hope so.

Blessed Are You

Most readers know I’ve been working on our next course for Pastor Training. Next month will be the first time we teach this course. And support from many of you is why I can put together an in-depth study of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). And I easily identify with that guy in the cover photo. I’ve jumped for joy several times as I’ve studied Jesus’ Sermon. So let me see if I can put you into that picture. I’m pretty sure you’ll also be jumping for joy by the end of this post.

Blessed: A Word Of Grace

Grace is a gift; that which is unearned. That point is necessary because some scholars believe Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount teaches a salvation of works. They teach that those who would be saved must strive for the qualities set forth in Jesus’ Sermon. But if  that is true then there would be disagreement between Jesus and the Apostle Paul about salvation by grace. Notice Ephesians 2:8-9 –

It is by grace you are saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast.

Matthew 5:3 is the beginning of Jesus’ Sermon. And Jesus’ blessing is declared – and that’s important. Before the Sermon John the Baptist was preaching:

Repent for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.

So in Jesus first ministry action in the New Testament, He is describing those who will be citizens of His new Kingdom. The King declared what Kingdom Citizens are – the nature of their character. And His first word was, Blessed.

Dig Out The Meaninggrace

One section of the new website is going to be How to Study the Bible. This post will appear in that group of resources. So stay with me for a minute and you’ll see why.

What we see as Blessed is the Greek word makarios. Some recent versions of the Bible translate this happy or fortunate. The problem with that is how these words are used today. These definitions trivialize the real meaning of Jesus’ choice of words. Happiness is something we connect to our outward circumstances and/or our wants. But if those circumstances change we can quickly become unhappy. So it’s necessary to get to the bottom of the word: Blessed.

The root word of Makarios gives us what we need to know. It means:

Become long, large

Strong’s Concordance defines blessed as: supremely blest; by extension, fortunate, well off. The most ancient usages carry the idea of being prosperous. So what are we to make of that information? What was Jesus declaring His citizens to be? Are we all supposed to be millionaires? Some think so but they are incorrect.

Here’s how we apply what we learned. A person is blessed when/if God extends (become long, large) to them that which He is (a conferring of His qualities). Blessed describes a believer in the enviable (fortunate or prosperous) position of receiving God’s provisions (Divine favor) – which (literally) extend (make long, large) the benefits of His grace. This immediately brought Matthew 23:37 to my mind. Jesus cried out in prayer for Jerusalem, lamenting that He had desired to gather Jerusalem as a hen extends her wing over her chicks. And there’s something more!

Makarios is used of God. Paul was inspired by the Spirit to write in I Timothy 1:11 (emphasis added) –

According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.

As noted above, God extends to us that which He is. We don’t earn it. It is declared to be true of genuine disciples of Jesus Christ.

The WHY Question

graceI’ve said it many times. We ought to always read the Bible with Why? on our minds. The question leads us to many discoveries. God the Son declared Kingdom Citizens to be blessed. And God’s Word carries the power to create what He says. Citizens receive this declaration of grace and it’s not random or lacking in reason. The answer is in what follows Jesus’ declaration:

The poor in spirit…

Looking into the word poor, we see these are people who are destitute of any spiritual value, standing, or worth. These are the people who understand their dire circumstance before a holy God. They have nothing, they bring nothing, and they ask nothing but mercy and forgiveness. Jesus’ first Beatitude is about what we don’t have rather than anything a person might bring. Therefore, whosoever will may come. The blessing is open to all who will seek and receive God’s forgiveness. And when forgiveness is received, the recipient is:

In Christ – new creation – old things are passed away and all things are made new.  

We know that from 2 Corinthians 5:17. God’s word of grace-filled blessing powerfully re-creates. So makarios is being in right relationship to God. Those in that relationship know they are blessed even if they are unhappy during difficult circumstances. Nothing can take away God’s blessing of those who are in right relationship with Him.

The Essence

The essence of  Jesus’ declaration is: Life. I could leave it there, but I won’t. It just wouldn’t be complete. Here’s the path. The first stop is Genesis 2:7 –

God breathed into Adam and he became a living soul.

Second, Jesus is Life. We know this from John 1:4 and John 14:6. Notice:

In Him was life and that life was the light of men.

And…

I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no man comes to the Father except by Me.

So makarios (the blessing) extends to us the gift of life (that which God is). If those steps of implication are challenging, let’s look at something that’s much more simple:

God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes on Him should not perish but have eternal life.

And now we have come full circle. We began by observing that Jesus declared us to be blessed. So I leave you with Matthew 4:4 –

Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. 

Kingdom Citizens have life in His declared blessing (makarios). I’m ready to jump up and down all over again! How about you?

Soli Deo Gloria! 

What Does Grace Look Like?

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For all the twisted senses of humor, Grace is not 5′ 6″ with long brown hair and a captivating smile! Our granddaughter is named Grace and if that was the direction of this post I’d just put her picture here. She’s cute and I’ve spent a good bit of time with her in my lap. But I’m asking about that grace we can’t hold. Can you see it? If you could, what would you it looks like?

1 Peter 4 - 8The answer begins with love. Poetry, theater, movies, and social media all tell us we ‘fall in love.’ Love is a warm, fuzzy, emotional feeling. Somehow, we are overtaken by this great, powerful feeling and we are subject to its whims. A look at the divorce rate among Christians shows people don’t understand love on any deeper level than this. But God commands us, Love one another!

God, our example, loved us while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8). He chose to bestow His love on us. Love is ‘action by choice,’ focused on the good or well-being of its object. Loving brothers and sisters in Christ is choosing to believe the best about them, doing that which builds them up, honors them, or helps them.

But there are things love does not do. Love refuses to tear others down, listen to someone else do it, or engage in anything that harms them. God commended (commanded) His love toward us and we’re to do likewise. The command prevents sin because loving others lessens conflict and minimizes competition.

Grace: A Family Trait

Have you ever seen sibling rivalry at your house? Competition causes kids to be hateful and rude to each other. They don’t understand it’s not possible for parents to love them more than they are already loved. Question: If we being evil know how to give good gifts to our children, how much more does the Father in heaven know how to give good gifts to His children? You don’t like sibling rivalry at your house and God doesn’t like it at His house! If sibling rivalry hurts our sinful hearts, how much more must it grieve the heart of God? Peter wrote in I Peter 4:8 –

Love one another deeply (fervently) because this will cover a multitude of sins.

There are many ways to love, and 1 Peter 4 - 10verse 9 says practicing hospitality is one of them. We’re to use our spiritual gifts to serve others and demonstrate love. It’s a double demonstration: first, obedience demonstrates love toward God; second, it demonstrates love to others. By doing so, verse 10 says we have administered the grace of God.  That’s what grace looks like! Can someone look at you and see it?

Soli Deo Gloria!

Image Is Everything!

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Foreword to: Image Is Everything

The teaching and equipping work we do is a huge blessing in many ways. One of those is all the study necessary to put teaching materials together. Those thoughts and ideas are developed and shared with many people, in many places, and in various ways. But the labor and study continues to give. How? The Spirit calls those principles and ideas to mind over and over again in speaking opportunities and sermons.

Currently, the project is the Sermon on the Mount. But just last week, as I was speaking to a church group, several items in Genesis rose to the fore. As I was driving away from that church I thought back to the time spent putting two study guides together for pastor training. They cover the entire book of Genesis. So I counted my blessings all the way to our house. So for all who support this ministry with resources and prayers, Thank You! Here’s a few of those Genesis thoughts I put in a piece entitled:

Image Is Everything

Do you know how many things God didn’t say when He created Man in His image? When God made the plants, Moses recorded it with words that note plant structure. He mentioned grasses. Grass seed is often not readily perceptible to our eyes. He then mentioned herbs. One can’t help but notice the seed. Moses mentions fruits with their seed ‘within.’ It’s all about form. Or, in the words of politicians and modern culture, Image is everything!

The animals are given a similar description. The words used to catalog them indicate four-legged domesticated animals, four-legged beasts (wild animals), and things that swarm (insects). They are described according to bodily form or structure.

The ‘fish of the sea’ and the ‘winged birds of the air’ are described according to body structure and environment. And how does God describe the creation of Man?

In God’s Image: It Is Everything!

Image is everythingNothing in the creation of Man notes his physical structure. The Scripture does not mention Man walking upright on two legs, or Man’s lack of fur, feathers, or fins. Man’s opposable thumb is omitted. Man has the ability to communicate abstract concepts with language. That is a God quality. Animals ‘communicate’ danger to herds or young, but none can communicate like Man. A variety of facial expressions are potent communication tools for Man. And only Man has a sense of shame or embarrassment. We call it blushing.

Personality is also unspecified, but Man has knowledge of himself, his feelings, and his will. Man alone naturally walks upright, facing upward. This isn’t mentioned. All this tells us the words in Genesis, in Our image, do not primarily refer to physical form. God is a spirit (John 4:24) and does not have a material body. But, He designed Man’s physical body so he could do many things God does:

  • See and speak
  • Hear and smell
  • Touch and think
  • Plan and so on

This is all learned by reading the conversations between God and Adam and observing what Adam did.

Finally, Man has dominion over creation. God holds His creation together. He has ultimate dominion and sovereignty over it. In His image (likeness), God gave dominion to Man. Man’s pre-eminent place in the created order and his ability to affect his environment is no accident; it is part of God’s plan for Man and the earth.

You were made with a design in mind. You have a purpose. The evolutionist sees it as ‘a little higher than the animals.’ In Psalm 8:5 David said of Man:

You have made him a little lower than the angels.

Which is it for you? What’s the difference between a little higher than the animals and a little lower than the angels? It’s image. You see, it’s true. Image is everything!

Soli Deo Gloria!

What’s Behind the Door, a Home or a Hovel?

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Have you thought much about a door? It keeps things out, but it also keeps things in. Most doors block sight. You can’t see what’s inside until you go through the door. And why should you be interested in a door? The answer has ancient and recent examples. I’ll start with the recent…

Why the recent example? Well, it’s a poignant example of how to choose the right door! It was a conversation in our Pastor Training School. The words were few but overflowing with insight. It went like this:

Host Pastor to class: After each session we will take a short break and everyone will have an opportunity to get a drink.
Student Pastor in the class: Let’s don’t waste time drinking water. We need the Word of God more than we need water.

That thought would have served my ancient example very well. It should serve all of us well!

Now, disciples like you know about doors. And we all know faith can sometimes be a struggle. These two things are connected. In Genesis 12, Abram had reached the land of Canaan. His faltering steps of ‘partial obedience’ finally got him there. When he arrived, God clearly spoke to him. The Lord reminded Abram the land where he stood would belong to him and his descendants. The very next verse records Abram building an altar and worshiping. Pretty good so far!

Scripture tells us Abram camped between Bethel and Hai. Bethel means house of God and Hai means pile of rubble. It is amazing how God includes such irony in His word. Abram decided to move away from Bethel and go south. Oddly enough, it’s the next verse (after his decision) that says a famine was in the land. When Abram arrived in the land, he had noticed the Canaanites. Then he noticed the famine. But neither of these was necessarily a problem. They were present to test his faith.

Door Of: Reason Or Faith

Now, about the door. Abram’s ‘reason and logic’ dictated he keep going south toward Egypt. Things could be better there. Abram’s faith would dictate he stay where God had sent him and trust God to take care of him. One door is Faith and the other is Reason. They each function as all doors do. Behind the open door

The door of Reason kept Abram from seeing the trouble he would encounter in Egypt. Opening that door led him out of Canaan and straight into Egypt.

The door of Faith would have kept him out of Egypt and in Canaan. Behind that door Abram would have found God’s abundant provisions for dealing with Canaanites and a famine.

As you can read, Abram opened the door of Reason and spent a while living in Hai, a pile of rubble. That’s what Egypt was compared to the Promised Land. We can all take courage and hope in the fact that God is patient and kind. He understands our frailties. And He gives us more than one chance to walk through the door of  Faith. He did it for Abram and He can do it for you!

Soli Deo Gloria!

Mission: Improve Life – The Essential First Step

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Is your mission to improve your life! If so, what does that bring to mind? Maybe it’s:

  • A newer car or bigger house
  • Maybe you thought of a vacation home
  • Greater investment returns or retirement income.

In fact, it might be anything. But if improving life is your goal, where do you begin? What do you improve first? Which part of your life did you pick? Many answers could improve life a little. But is there a greater, better answer? I think there is!

emerson quote forestWas your first answer something for yourself? All the suggestions above were it’s-about-me items. There’s nothing necessarily wrong with those answers. But what if improving life doesn’t start with your own life? The great poet, Ralph Waldo Emerson, made an astute observation. He said the answer lies in improving someone else’s life. Here is how he said it:

It is one of the most beautiful compensations of life, that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself.

And Emerson’s wisdom will improve your life more than cars, homes, investments, or a retirement income. But there’s still a better answer.

A Mission Example

Elijah was on Mt. Carmel in the showdown of a lifetime (I Kings 18). With his own life on the line, Elijah prayed for something we might not expect:

Answer me, O LORD, answer me, that this people may know that You, O LORD, are God, and that You have turned their hearts back again.

Elijah prayed for a nation of sinful people. More importantly, he prayed for God to be rightly known. That’s a prayer! And that is almost the first essential step for someone whose mission is to improve life.

Jesus’ mission was to improve life. As He left the Upper Room with His disciples, Jesus said:

I will not speak much more with you, for the ruler of the world is coming, and he has nothing in Me; but so that the world may know that I love the Father, I do exactly as the Father commands Me. Get up, let us go from here, (see John 14:30-31).

Does that hit you like it hits me?  “…so the world will know that I love the Father…”  Genuine love for the Father includes obedience. And His love for the Father was proved in His obedient death on a cross. His mission of obedience honored God and benefited others. That’s how to succeed in your mission of life improvement!  John 14 - In Jesus Name 2

To meet the mission of improving life we must honor God and benefit others. Being a mission volunteer is a great way to do that. And I’d love to talk with you about the opportunities we have coming up in the next year. Volunteering is one way to:

  • Receive Emerson’s ‘compensation’
  • Honor your Father
  • Help someone else
  • And receive the blessing of your life!

Just comment below and I’ll be in touch. Until then…

Soli Deo Gloria! 

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Keith Burnett Ministries
P.O. Box 803
Scottsboro, AL 35768
(256) 244-5453
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