Matthew 5:7-12
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Firstly, blessed are those who are merciful for they will be shown mercy. The Lord is full of mercy. The Bible talks about how Jesus had compassion on many. Because when the Lord saw that they were helpless like sheep without a shepherd. Using the word "helpless" to describe the modern day men is indeed appropriate. Modern day men are trapped in their bondage and have no way out. Those who are merciful to people as the Lord was, will be blessed because they will be shown mercy. Not only can we show mercy to others, but we can receive mercy from the Lord as well.
Secondly, blessed are the pure in heart. Being pure in heart means to be whole-heartedly devoted. When you come before God, you need to have a pure heart. Do you seek God or seek your own interest? May God open our hearts so that we seek Him wholeheartedly and find Him.
Thirdly, blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called children of God. When Jesus came to this earth, he was a peacemaker. While we were still sinners, the Lord died for us on the cross and reconciled us to God. In the same way, in our everyday lives, we need to be at peace with God and at peace with men. When we can live in peace with men, the blessing of Jesus Christ can be manifested in our lives.
Fourthly, blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness because theirs is the kingdom of heaven. As Christians, we may not be physically persecuted for our faith, but here it says that being persecuted has many facets. Sometimes we are ridiculed by others because of our faith and sometimes we give up our rights because of our faith. All of these are considered being persecuted for righteousness. Note that we are referring to being persecuted for "righteousness" and not for "sin". Many people suffer as a result of their sin. If you are persecuted for your sin, you need to repent. However, if you are persecuted because of righteousness, you should rejoice because yours is the kingdom of heaven.
Pray with Pastor Tong
Lord, may your Spirit open our eyes so that we can see that your grace is sufficient for us and that your presence and blessings are real in our everyday lives. Let us be like you and live out the life of Jesus. I thank you and pray in the victorious name of Jesus, Amen!
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.