Tzedekah  (ze·da·kye) - Accepting and Living Our Influence!   Download the audio of this message.    Windows Media format Click to download    MP3 format Click to download   Friends, grab a cup of coffee and listen to this message, Live! making the right decision to live righteously. Our Senior Pastor, Mark Savage taught this message February 18, 2007. May it give you clarity to our ability to live making the right decision to live righteously on this journey? When I was kid, I would go down to the creek (pronounced crik) with my friends and we would journey into the big drain tiles They were 3-4 feet in diameter. We would journey as far as we could see and then turn on our flash lights to keep going. Some times we would meet up with some pretty scary experiences.    Friends, as we journey this road of faith, we too can meet up with some scary experiences. With this message I am launching a new series, Tzedekah (zedakye) which is the Hebrew word for righteous.  This series is intently looking at the words of Jesus Christ, found in Matthew 5-7, known as the Beatitudes, and discovering how we are given the power and strength to walk the journey rightly.    As we study the Beatitudes, some phrases that I think are important for you to know are from Matthew 5:3-10, from the NLT, New Living Translation.   3 God blesses those who are [empty of self] poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. 4 God blesses those who [are broken over self and sin] mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 God blesses those who are humble [accept their need for God], for they will inherit the whole earth. 6 God blesses those who [are passioned to live righteousness] hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied. 7 God blesses those who are [are grace-givers to others] merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8 God blesses those whose hearts are [driven by God’s agenda] pure, for they will see God. 9 God blesses those who [are peacemakers] work for peace, for they will be called the children of God. 10 God blesses those who [live God open lives] are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.   As you prepare for this teaching, ask the Holy Spirit to ready you for you to experience Him. I am bringing a Word of hope that will challenge you to 1) Live being the right person, the one God says that you already are, 2) Live being the right influence, and 3) Live rightly directed by Jesus Christ.    If you haven’t let me know what God is leading you by faith to trust Him for, be sure to fill me in.  We want to partner win prayer with you.  So, fill me in by e-mailing me, mark.savage@c3mail.org.  I love doing this journey with you.  I am excited that we are doing this together.  So friends, may God’s Words direct you on your journey.