You're blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God's kingdom. Not only that—count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even!—for though they don't like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses … [Read more...] about Devotions: Beatitudes (8) —Persecution
Sermon on the Mount
Devotions: Beatitudes (7) —God’s Peace Corps
You're blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That's when you discover who you really are, and your place in God's family. -- Matthew 5:9, The Message Perhaps no other saying from Jesus needs attention as this one in our very dangerous and destructive world. World and area events point to the need for "peacemaking." What is a peacemaker? Can the ordinary believer be a peacemaker? The answer, says Jesus, is a resounding YES! The church group to which I belong actually has … [Read more...] about Devotions: Beatitudes (7) —God’s Peace Corps
Devotions: Beatitudes (6) —Pure in Heart
You're blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world. -- Matthew 5:8 (The Message) Notice that God does NOT say, "Blessed are the perfect." Purity of heart, that is, the inner life, is not the same thing as perfection. This beatitude is for normal people who mess up, who fail, who sin, who don't have it together, who think less of themselves than they should. "Purity" means those who seek and serve God in accordance with the truth in his Word and in … [Read more...] about Devotions: Beatitudes (6) —Pure in Heart
Devotions: Beatitudes (5) —Mercy
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. -- Matthew 5:7 Probably next to love, no other character quality so defines God as that of "mercy". And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The LORD.' And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy." -- Exodus 33:19 "Remember your mercy, O LORD, and your steadfast love, for they have been from of old." -- Psalm 25:6 "Have mercy on me, O God, according … [Read more...] about Devotions: Beatitudes (5) —Mercy
Devotions: Beatitudes (4) —Hungering and thirsting for God
You're blessed when you've worked up a good appetite for God. He's food and drink in the best meal you'll ever eat. – Matthew 5:6 "Hungering and thirsting" for God is one of the principles of kingdom-living, Jesus teaches us here. We usually get what we want, and Jesus challenges us here to want God more than anything else, to "pant" after Him, using the figure of Psalm 63. In his temptation, Jesus retorted to Satan who tempted him to turn stones to bread after forty days and nights in the wilderness, "Man does not … [Read more...] about Devotions: Beatitudes (4) —Hungering and thirsting for God