As a Deer As a deer pants for the waterSo my soul longs after You,You alone are my heart’s desire,And I long to worship You.

Chorus: You alone are my strength my shield,To You alone may my spirit yield, You alone are my heart’s

desire, And I long to worship You.

I want You more than gold or silver, Only You can satisfy,You alone are the real joy giver,And the apple of my eye.(Chorus)

Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness . . .

How does this 4th Beatitude fit ?

• POOR IN SPIRIT

• MOURNFUL

• MEEKNESS

• HUNGER AND THIRST

Beatitudes in Conversion

• POVERTY OF SPIRIT

• MOURNING

• MEEKNESS

• HUNGER & THRIST

Key Principles

• There is no hunger or thirst among the dead!

• What you hunger for says a lot! • The Physical hungers for the physical..• The Spiritual hungers for the spiritual..

Thesis:

We are NOT to hunger after . . .

• KNOWLEDGE• Don’t confuse knowledge and

righteousness. • It is important: II Peter 3:18• Must not be an end in itself. I Cor 8:1

We are NOT to hunger after . . .

• HAPPINESS . . .• Irony: Happiness Finds you while you

are looking for something else!• False ideas:

• Materialist = THINGS = Happiness

• Addict = ESCAPE = Happiness

• Emotionalism = FEELINGS = Happiness

• Solomon found the answer: Ecc 12:13

Ps 1:1-2

How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!

• 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night.

WE ARE TO HUNGER AFTER:

• RIGHTEOUSNESS• Not our own … Perfectionism• Rm 10:3 For not knowing about God's righteousness

and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.

• Matt 6:33 "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness . .

• II Peter 1:3-4 “.. seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. 4 For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.

What do You Hunger after?

• 1 Peter 2:1-3 Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, 2 like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation . . .

• Are you hungry?

The Gospel is …