The Be - Attitudes. All Scripture searched and my personal Experience.

I remember when I was homeless, speaking to homeless people during the worship service prior to that evenings free meal. I told them that the beatitudes were talking about us!

Verses 1 through 12 in the book of Matthew are often referred to as the beatitudes, which mean a state of utmost bliss. The beatitudes are declarations made in the Sermon on the Mount by Jesus. The word beautify means to make supremely happy, to declare to have obtained or attained the blessedness of heaven.

This like many definitions is an over generalization, so you need to read the beatitudes to understand the meanings. When you do you will find that there is a lot being said. When I broke them down I found that with each beatitude there is an attitude that is rewarded with a blessing. And as children of God each one describes how we are.

As I was reading Scripture I also found that the usage of the word “Be” did not originate with Ebonics, but is sometimes used in like manner in the King James version of the Bible. You will see that I have quoted some verses that use it that way. In Ebonics when “be” is used as a verb, we conjugate it, he be, she be, we be, etc. In the King James you will find ye be, if I be, if it be, thy will be, etc.

So I am speaking two languages when I say it like the following: Blessed is he or she, who be with the attitudes that He desires of thee, because He rewardeth he or she, accordingly. Instead of referring to them as the “beatitudes”, I like referring to them as the “Be-Attitudes”. These be the attitudes of a Child of God.

One thing I noticed is that the word “are” in the Be-Attitudes is in italics. That means that the translators added this word for clarity sake. So I could substitute the word “be” for “are” when I refer to these verses. Just to emphasize the “Be” Attitude. Then you will see that the passages have the “be” followed by the “attitude”. Both the words “are” and “be” have the same synonym, which is the word “exists”. So these attitudes exist, should, or will exist in Gods children through the perfecting work of the Holy Spirit.

What I have done with this writing is to search the
Bible for every verse for the key words in each
Be-Attitude, and let the Bible define, and speak for itself and tell me what the beatitudes mean.

The first Be-attitude mentioned is to be poor in spirit

The reward is the kingdom of God. Blessed is he or she. We need to recognize that we need to be filled with the Spirit of God daily in order to do His will and His way. If we ask God for it He will not turn us away. He will not give us but that which we asked of Him. To walk in and be led by the Spirit of God is to be in His kingdom. In the book of Acts some said we have not even heard of this Holy Spirit as we were baptized in John’s baptism. They then desired it and were so filled.

It seems like when ever my spirit is down; the LORD will send someone to lift me up. Sometimes it seems like my spirit goes down just before a blessing. Blessed am I, as I am filled once again. We are all baptized into one Spirit and minister one to another at our times of need.

The second Be-attitude is to mourn

The reward is that you will be comforted. Blessed is he or she. I am not talking about the type of mourning that is brought upon by oppression. That is another kind to be dealt with differently. We are instructed to put on the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. This is a mourning that is brought upon you by the Spirit of God. After you have done all else it is still there. Its cause is often inexplicable and has a different feel about it than oppression. You are moved to do and say things that are inexplicable. You may be a comfort to others that are mourning. In turn you will receive the comfort that others have been comforted with.

The third Be-Attitude is to be meek.

The reward is that you will inherit the earth. Blessed is he or she. I know, I know you’ve often heard it said that meek is not weak, which is true even though it is defined that way in the dictionary. However my source is the Bible. David was meek and he was a valiant warrior. He knew who his God was. And when God said he was displeased, David did not question God. He immediately said, “I am a sinner, I acted foolishly, cleanse me of my iniquity, and I throw myself at your mercy.” He accepted God’s punishment and moved on to the next assignment. Sometimes you don’t get an ‘A’ when you work for the LORD, but an ‘Amen’ is still required of you.

A meek person knows that the LORD God is in charge and in control. A meek person will submit to God at the least of His provocation. If God say’s jump, a meek person will say how high LORD. Or better yet, jump and then ask was that high enough. A meek person is a soldier for the LORD. He operates with power. Meekness means power.

Paul told the Corinthian Church that he would come to them not with speech like those that are puffed up but with power. For the Kingdom of God is not in word but in power. How would you rather have it? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and in the spirit of meekness?

Paul and David were meek or powerful men of God. Look at their mighty acts and what they suffered through. A weak person would have died. So be of good courage saints of God. For after He makes us meek or powerful for service, after our battles are over, we will have an abundance of peace on a new earth He will prepare especially for us.

The fourth Be-Attitude is to hunger and thirst after righteousness

The reward is that you will be filled. Blessed is he or she. God is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. David thirsted after God, like a hart pants after water, like the dry earth thirsts for water, like being in a land with no water. Jesus spoke of that day to the righteous, you fed me when I was hungry when you fed the least of these, and welcomed them into heavenly places. The 3,000 and the 5,000 that hungered for Jesus’ word stayed all day to hear him preach, and were filled with the word of God. They were filled with spiritual joy and gladness as they witnessed the miracle of the fishes and loaves. Their bellies were filled also.

Israel was filled after they hungered and thirst for their daily sustenance. And God provided manna for their hunger from heaven six days a week, and enough for the seventh on the sixth. He provided water for their thirst that flowed from a rock. Isaiah said as a prophet of God, Ho, every one that thirsteth come to the waters. Jesus said if you ask of Me I will give you living water and you will never thirst again. The woman at the well said, I thirst.

The fifth Be-Attitude is to be merciful

The reward is you will obtain mercy. Blessed is he or she. To be merciful is to show kindness or compassion, to not seek justice, to extend help, to be kindhearted, to be generous, and to have a broad understanding of others. Jesus said to be merciful as your Father is merciful. He said we are called the children of the Highest because we are kind to those who are unthankful and evil.

Proverbs says a merciful person does good to their own soul, but one that is cruel troubles their own flesh. In the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus shows us how to be merciful and instructs us to be so. According to Micah the prophet mercy is one of the things God knows is good and is required of us. We are to love mercy.

To obtain mercy takes time and effort on our part. We are to spend that time and effort being merciful to others. The mercy you give to others is rewarded with the mercies you need. Even the more so it is a way to give to others fulfilling their needs. If we give it will be given unto us pressed down, shaken together, and running over. That means it is returned so abundantly that if it were in a container it would be packed as tight as it can be, plus running over the top. This is what we will receive from others when we need it. And the mercies you receive may or may not come from those you have shown mercy to. O, if only our mercy could be as great as God’s. His mercy is everlasting. His mercy is higher than the heavens. It is by His mercy that we are not consumed. At one time we were a people without mercy now we have obtained mercy from God.

The sixth Be-Attitude is to be pure in heart

The reward is they shall see God. Blessed is he or she. Pure implies innocence and absence of temptation. This can only come about by the infilling and control of the Holy Spirit. It is not as if we take control of our own impulses and actions. If that were the case we would give in to them as we desired, as one having a choice. But when the Holy Spirit governs our impulses and actions we can only respond as He directs us.

But Scripture speaks to us in a fashion as if we do have control. Perhaps we have to at least make an attempt at it to show where our heart lies as when Abraham offered up his son Isaac as a sacrifice unto the LORD. When God was convinced of his sincerity or better yet Abraham was, for God directs the paths of men, then God stepped in and showed Abraham where the real sacrifice was. Someplace he never expected. But he did believe God would provide one. He told his people they would be back. Such should our attitude be as we do what God instructs us to do, to become pure at heart.

God tells us that everyone should purify themselves as Jesus is pure. We are to stir up our pure minds by way of remembrance, to purify ourselves by obeying the truth through the Spirit. That way we will have a love that is not contrived but comes from God. And with this love we can love one another with our hearts that have been made pure. With a pure heart we will love one another with sincerity and steadiness of emotional warmth.

The wisdom that we receive from God is pure and makes us pure. To those who have been made pure all is pure. We are to follow righteousness, faith, peace, charity, with others that call on the LORD out of a pure heart. We are to think on things that are pure. And we are to be an example of the believers in purity. David said of it, “Who shall ascend unto the hill of the LORD? Him that has clean hands and a pure heart.”

The seventh Be-Attitude is to be a peacemaker

The reward is they shall be called the children of God. Blessed is he or she. A peacemaker is one who makes peace by reconciling the differences between parties. Or one who brings peace to another who may be in turmoil. In order to be a peacemaker you need wisdom from above to be peaceable. Pray that the LORD fills you with peace.

The fruit of a righteous man or woman is to be sown into another’s life in peace, by those who are peacemakers. The chastisement of the LORD brings forth the peaceable fruit of righteousness. If a peacemaker says to another peace be upon you, and does not give them what they need, what does it profit them? Let peace proceed you with everyone. Beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace. We wear the full armor of God thereby we are prepared to share the gospel of peace. We walk in peace because we wear peace upon our feet as shoes. Follow after the things that make for peace.

To be spiritually minded is to have peace. We are to love peace. We should seek peace wherever the LORD sends us. Pray to the LORD for it and we will find peace there. To the counselors of peace there is joy. We are admonished to be at peace among ourselves. We are to endeavor to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. Live in peace and the LORD of love and peace will be with you.

When your spirit moves, you can speak peace, you can come in peace, you will be received in peace, and room will be made for you. When the LORD sends you to battle His enemy’s, speak peace first. Peacemakers are sent. If that house be worthy let your peace come upon it. If you are not received nor your words heard, when you depart shake the dust off your feet. Jesus said of them to the seventy disciples He sent one-by-one, if their peace is not returned it will be worse for them than Sodom and Gomorrah on the last day. When you come peaceably people may still tremble.

The bottom line is, if it be at all possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with everyone. Avenge not yourselves but hold your peace. Vengeance is mine. I will repay, says the LORD. Therefore feed, and give drink even to your enemy. For when you do so you will reap coals of fire on his head. And when they bring evil upon you, do not try to overcome them with evil, but overcome evil with good. Be a peacemaker and love your neighbor as you love yourself, for the sake of our Father which art in heaven.

The eighth Be-Attitude is to accept persecution for righteousness sake

The reward is the Kingdom of heaven. Blessed is he or she. When Paul was persecuted he just suffered it. He said that the LORD delivered him out of all his persecutions. All that love God and live godly will suffer persecution. Persecution will not separate us from the love of Christ. Sometimes we are persecuted and scattered. And we end up preaching the word of God somewhere we thought not. Those that are persecuted, having received the word of God, become fruitful. Not deceived by the riches of the world which can choke the word.

When persecution comes for the words sake we are not offended. Satan cannot take away the word sown in our hearts. Have patience and faith in your persecutions that we all may glory in them. Our persecutions are a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God that we might be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which we suffer.

When we are persecuted, the power of Christ rests upon us for it is better, if the will of God be so that you suffer for well doing, than for evil doing. Fear none of these things which thou shall suffer. For what glory is it when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? But if ye do well and suffer for it ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.

Moses chose to accept affliction with the people of God rather than the pleasures of sin in Pharaoh’s house. Be not terrified of your adversaries which to them is an evident token of perdition, but to us salvation, and that of God. If we be afflicted, it is for someone else’s consolation and salvation. Suffer all things so not to hinder the gospel of Christ. The Spirit itself bereth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be glorified together.

An finally, the ninth Be-Attitude is to rejoice and be exceedingly glad when people revile against you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely, for Christ sake

Blessed is he or she. Your reward, although not specifically mentioned is great in heaven. Because you are being persecuted just like the prophets that came before you. That is truly an honor. Anytime the enemy is against you, then you truly know you must be doing something for the LORD. Boy does the enemy hate that. So he comes against us to try and discourage us from continuing in the things of the LORD. But instead, rejoice, for this is a confirmation that God is for you, using you, and with you always.

The multiple things that come against you in this
Be-Attitude is like what happens during the grand finale at a Fourth-of-July fireworks display. Certain fireworks that have been set aside for just this moment are set off in succession. For us it is not a beautiful display of brilliance, but an attack by the enemy turned loose upon us. But be of good courage God has overcome the world. Rejoice and be exceeding glad, when people revile against you. When people revile against you they make fierce abusive verbal attacks using insulting abusive language. We are not to respond in like manner.

Paul was reviled against and in return he blessed. When Jesus was reviled against he did not revile back. When reviled against pray for their salvation or God to remove them from your presence. Revilers will not enter he kingdom of God. Paul reviled against the high priest when the priest commanded that he be smitten contrary to the law. And he wished he wasn’t the high priest because you don’t speak evil against the ruler of thy people. He then set them at odds being Sadducees and Pharisees together to dispute whether there be a resurrection. And the chief captain took Paul to safety. This is the way he was able to escape them this time.

Don’t be afraid of those who revile against you. God has certain judgment against those that revile against the people of the Lord of Hosts. Elisabeth, John the Baptist’s mother was barren and late in years when an angel told Zechariah she would conceive she did. God had taken away her reproach among man. Paul did suffer reproach which found him in prison, receiving bodily harm, in perils, often in journeys, in weariness, painfulness, watching’s often, hunger and thirst, fastings, cold and nakedness. And along with that he had the care of all the Church’s! He asks who is weak and I am not weak? Who is offended and I burn not? If he must needs glory he glories of the things which concern his infirmities. If you find the need to boast, boast of you sufferings for Christ sake not your own for to God be the glory forever Amen.

Having the promise of the life that now is and is to come we labor and suffer reproach. Moses esteemed the reproach of Christ with Gods people greater riches than the treasures of Egypt, because of the recompense of the reward. Jesus took the reproaches that fell on us and let them fall on himself instead. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you. On their part he is spoken evil of, but on your part he is glorified.

As a cloud of witnesses some had trials of cruel mocking’s. They even mocked them that were filled with the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. The chief priests mocked Jesus when he was on the cross; as if he couldn’t come down if he wanted too. I wouldn’t be surprised if they really did want him to in order to cause him to fail at his purpose. Satan already tried that three times, that kind of nonsense did not work with Jesus.

Rejoice and be exceeding glad when people persecute you.
Take pleasure when you are persecuted, for when we are weak we are strong. If you leave all and follow Christ you will receive a hundred fold now in this time, with persecution, and eternal life in the world to come. Be exceedingly joyful in all of your tribulations. God comforts us in our tribulations and we are to comfort others with the same comfort we have received. Other saints glory in you when you are persecuted. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian let them not be ashamed, but glorify God on this behalf. If we suffer we will also reign with Him. The Apostles were beaten and commanded not to speak in the name of Jesus and they departed rejoicing.

Rejoice and be exceeding glad when people say all manner of evil against you falsely for Christ sake. Have a good conscience for they speak evil of you because they are evil doers, that they may be ashamed when they falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. For it is better that the will of God be done and you suffer for well doing than for doing evil. For this is thank worthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. So rejoice and be exceedingly glad. Rejoice for we will be in the presence of Christ at His coming. Rejoice in hope. Rejoice with them that do rejoice. Rejoice in the truth. We can rejoice because we hear the bridegroom’s voice and take joy. We can rejoice as we walk in truth. Rejoice in the word of God. Rejoice that our names are written in the Lambs book of life. Rejoice when the Lord shows his mercy upon us and others.

My spirit rejoices in the LORD when he regardeth’s me in my lowly state. But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. Christ who we have not seen yet we love. And having not seen yet believe we rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory. Let the person of low degree rejoice in that they are exhalted.

Rejoice evermore. Rejoice in the Lord always; and again I say, rejoice. Rejoice in the Lord and have no confidence in the flesh. Jesus said for now you have sorrow because he is not here but he will see us again, and our hearts shall rejoice, and our joy no one will be able to take away. We need to rejoice and praise God for all the mighty works we have seen. He has given us exceeding great and precious promises, that by these we are partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

Let your light so shine before all, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.