Happy Thursday! The Beatitudes continue to help us examine our internal qualities. Our internal qualities flow from our heart and our relationship with the Lord. Over the past three days we discussed poverty or poor in spirit, mourning over our sin, being meek (accepting criticism without retaliation) allowing the Lord to fight for us. Those actions teach us and allow us to be humble before God. It’s an incredible place to be when we are exposed and emptied before the Lord. This is when the Lord can work in and through us. Now lets move forward with two more.

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
⁷ Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” Matthew 5:6-7 NLT

Seek righteousness to be filled.

We are a society that constantly searches for things to fill us, but the only One who can fill us or quench our thirst forever is the Lord. As we seek him in all that we do, he will fill us up with His power and strength as he fills our spiritual appetite and desire for righteousness. Can you see how this works? As the Lord quenches us and removes our emptiness, He extends loving kindness and mercy toward us. In turn, we begin to extend that overflow of kindness and mercy toward others.

Today, will you:

• surrender yourself (e.g., life, attitude, behaviors, etc.) to the Lord? ______
• hunger and thirst for righteousness and allow the Lord to fill you up? ______
• allow the Lord to change you so that the same mercy he extended to you will naturally be extended to others? ______

If you can’t fully commit to all three, will you at least pray for the Lord to begin to work in these areas of your life?

Father God, thank you for showing us mercy. Lord, forgive us when we fail to extend mercy to others. Lord, as we seek your face and look to you for direction and guidance in our lives help us to hunger and thirst for you, the things that matter to you and your righteousness. Lord, wherever we fall short, teach us your ways and imprint your word and character upon our hearts. Lord, we pray for our nation. Lord, bring healing where there is division. Lord, extend hope where there is hopelessness. Lord, allow your peace to overflow in the lost and hurting. Lord, be with those who are in situations that they don’t know how to get out of or recover from. Lord, be with us as we go to work, school, appointments and give us favor today. Lord, we want to hunger and thirst for your righteousness,  continue to change us and fill us up with more of you. In Jesus name, amen.

Keep seeking! Keep trusting! Keep praying!

Do you have a specific prayer request? If so, we would love to pray for you and/or your family.

Send your prayer requests to: prayerrequest@maryewhiteministries.com

Bible Reference: http://www.biblegateway.com