The Manual of Life

         I have purchased a few books about how to do something.  Manuals are written to explain all of the details of a product.  When one doesn't come in the package, I can find it on the internet and download a version of it.  I had one of those fancy watches that had a lot of buttons on it. It was both analog and digital with no stem for changing the hands and you had to go through a series of steps to move the hands.  The problem was that the instructions were so small, I couldn't read them.  So, i found them on the internet and then used the magnifier on the computer to make it as large as I wanted.  Then, the changing of the watch was simple.  Instructions are important.   Matthew 5:3 says, "Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." 
        David Guzik says this about the Sermon on the Mount:  "The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5 through 7) has been long hailed as the sum of Jesus’ - or anyone’s - ethical teaching. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells us how to live."  The Sermon on the Mount has much for us and as Guzik states, it gives us a lot of information about living this life.  The section that we call the beatitudes gives us instruction on how to live.  Who among us is not mourning, poor, or being persecuted by someone for something.  Life seems to be filled with these things every day that we live.  Jesus speaks about anger and lust and dealing with your enemies.  These are all problems that each and everyone of us have almost everyday.  So, here we have the instruction book that God has given to us in order to live with people and who among us does not live with people all around us.  Not all of these people are friendly, but we still live with them.  Now, owning the book does not make it happen.  If I followed the instructions written on changing the time of the watch, I would get it done.  the same is true with the instructions for this life.  Following them is the crucial element that is often missing.  Guzik's statement, "...Jesus tells us how to live"  it is our instruction manual.  I often find that each book in the Bible has a list of instructions for us to do.  They are written in a form of commands, often what are called, "imperative voice."  They give us the things that we are to do; that we have to do and the things at the same time which are not optional.  How are you doing with the instructions that God has given to us.  Praise God today for the Manual for Life's Issues.  May we all follow it.