2 Thessalonians 2:13-17

What is our purpose as Christians? What is it we strive for? Ultimately what we strive for on this earth, is what will be gifted to us in eternity, the perfection of the image of Christ. One day we will be made complete in Jesus, wholly holy, no sin, no flaws, and no shortcomings. We hope and do our utmost to glorify Christ, our Lord. But on earth we still have our flesh and while The Holy Spirit makes us more like Jesus every day, and we endeavor to be like Him. While we live on this earth we still have our flesh, the sin nature we were born with.  Verses 13-14 read,

“But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. 14 To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

The first century Christians are the firstfruits. Firstfruits is defined as “the earliest gathered fruits offered to God in acknowledgment of the gift of fruitfulness, and the earliest products or results of an endeavor” They were the first results of Jesus’ ministry.  They were gifts to God as thanks for Jesus richness and blessings. We are the results of their faith and glorification of Jesus. Our lives, like theirs are gifts to God for His blessings. The way we live our lives affects other people. We can glorify Christ, that is project Jesus’ character and love to the world, or we can live in stagnation and never impact the Kingdom of Heaven.  Romans 12:1-2 reads,

“I appeal to you therefore, brothers by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect”

We are not alone in our effort to be like Jesus. We are not alone in our hopes to be firstfruits to future generations and living sacrifices to The Lord. We have our Lord Jesus as an example and our Holy Spirit as our teacher, sanctifier, and comforter. We have each other. We have the Christians of the past and the Apostles who have taught us so much. Verse 15 says,

“So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter.”

Ritual is not meant to replace relationship but the traditions of our faith can teach us and enhance our relationship with God. He doesn’t want ritual, He wants love and He wants us to grow in that love. (Hosea 6:6). It is not legalism to understand and practice the traditions passed down to us from Jesus to the Apostles and to us. Jesus told us to continue the practice of The Passover Seder that we know as The Lord’s Supper. (Luke 22:14-23). When Jesus washed the disciples’ feet, He told them to wash one another’s feet. (John 13:1-17 verse 14). We practice these customs because Jesus told us to and because they glorify Him. These traditions give us a practical lesson in Jesus’ salvation and love. They remind us of what Jesus did for us. They encourage us to continue walking the walk with The Lord and with one another. Verses 16-17 read,

“Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, 17 comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.”

Because The Lord is indwelled in His people, it is He who teaches us, even when it is our pastor, brother, sister, or mentor who lets God use Him. None of us is finished and so we can understand what we’re going through, help each other, and encourage one another. We are not perfect, but we are comforted in knowing that God began working in us and one day that awesome work will be completed and we will be perfected. We take consolation in knowing that God will never give up on us, and we do not give up on each other. Our salvation is not due to us, it is due to Jesus’ grace. Philippians 1:3-7 reminds us,

“I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.7 It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel.”

Psalm 29

One of the best ways to praise the Lord is to attribute to Him, His titles and works. By doing so we remember all He has done for us, we glorify Him by testifying to the everyone how great He is. Verses 1-2read,

“Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings,
    ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
2 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
    worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.”

The words heavenly beings in this verse does not refer only to angels the word is actually benei which translates sons or descendants. We praise God by crediting Him with who He is. He is glorious and strong. He is our glory and our strength. He is worthy of these praises and our worship because He is holy and all the good things like faith, hope, and love come from Him.

He is our Almighty Creator. He created the heavens and the earth and everything in it. Verses 3-9 read,

“The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
    the God of glory thunders,
    the Lord, over many waters.
4 The voice of the Lord is powerful;
    the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.

5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;
    the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon.
6 He makes Lebanon to skip like a calf,
    and Sirion like a young wild ox.

7 The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire.
8 The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;
    the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

9 The voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth
    and strips the forests bare,
    and in his temple all cry, “Glory!”

 It is with His voice, His word that His will is achieved. He spoke the heavens, earth, animals, plants, and people into being. So everything is His. He has authority over all of creation. It is His sea, His forest, and His animals. Even the weather obeys Him. The thunder and lightning are His. Calamities such as earthquakes and hurricanes must answer to Him.

We, The Lord’s sons and daughters do not have to fear the weather, nature, or animals because our Father rules over them. He sends them with purposes and He cares for us throughout. He is our King, the King of the entire universe from galaxies to atoms, it is all in His control. What do we have to fear? Verses 10-11 read,

“The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;
    the Lord sits enthroned as king forever.
11 May the Lord give strength to his people!
    May the Lord bless his people with peace!”

All God’s names, Lord of Peace, Almighty, and King of kings, Lord our healer, and the others are all gifts He gives us, His traits given to us, or accounts of what He has done. In His name as His children we act in the way God would have us act. We are people who can bring the peace of God to the lost, who can demonstrate the strength of the Lord to the weak, and who can be the love of God to the world. Nothing can move Him from His place of sovereignty.

How wonderful it is to praise Him by recounting all He has done for us. It is lovely to repeat to the lost and the saved all of His mighty deeds! Our Savior. Our Healer. Our Father. Our Bridegroom. Our Comforter. Our Peace.

Psalm 23

Most of us are familiar with this lovely Psalm. Its peaceful imagery and encouraging words soothe the soul. It is a picture of our relationship with God, the Son as He guides and pastors us. It is a picture of our relationship with God, the Father as He disciplines and protects us. And it is a picture of our relationship with God, the Spirit as He comforts and leads us. Verses 1-3 read,

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2     He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
3     He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
    for his name's sake.”

Sheep have no concerns. They trust completely in their shepherd, who wants them to be healthy, fed, and safe. Jesus does that for us. We can wholly have faith in and rely on Him. We have no needs that He will not meet. We do not lack anything in Him. He takes us to a place of rest with plentiful provision. We can rest because He is watching out for us. We can rest because we do not have to earn redemption, He paid for it and gives it to us freely.

In His care and rest we are made whole. Our weary souls are restored to perfection. He guides us to walk and be like He is, righteous and holy. He does all this good for us so that we can glorify him, represent His name, and let the lost know He can shepherd them as well.

Verse 4 reads,

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
    I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
    your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.”

We walk as innocent strangers in a world of evil. But God is with us, leading us through it. Enemies surround us. The devil like a prowling lion waits to attack. The lost hate us for Christ’s sake. But we have no fears because God is with us. He protects us. He is all we need.

The shepherd’s rod is what he uses to protect himself and his sheep. It is his weapon against predators and it is his discipline for wayward sheep as he teaches them to follow him instead of straying. He also uses his rod to keep track of and count the sheep so that he will not lost a single one to its wanderings or hungry predators and so that he can know there were no sheep from a different flock among his own. Further as the sheep pass under his rod for counting, the shepherd uses the rod to examine them and make certain they are healthy and have no hidden wounds he needs to tend to. Ezekiel 20:37 mentions the rod in this way,

“I will make you pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant.”

The staff is the tool that clearly identifies the shepherd as a shepherd. The tool is used solely by shepherds for sheep, and only sheep.  While the rod conveys authority, protection and discipline, the staff speaks of patient kindness. The shepherd uses the staff to keep the flock together as a unit. He will use the crook to gently lift a lamb and bring it to its mother. He uses it to bring the sheep to himself as well. And thirdly he uses the staff to guide the sheep into a new path, through a gate or along treacherous and difficult roads. He does so by gently laying the staff along the side of the sheep thus softly guides the sheep in the proper direction.

God’s discipline, protection, and guidance is certainly a comfort. We have no anxieties or worries in His care. And He cares deeply. He does more than simply provide the bare essentials. He lavishes us with blessings and gifts. He doesn’t hand us a scrap of bread and a cup of water. He lays out a meal to share with us. He chooses us and makes us holy, royal, and His heirs. We are not beggars at the door. We are not even honored guests. We are His bride and the meal he provides is a feast announcing it to everyone. We are His and no one may hurt us or touch us while we share His name and His table. Verses 5-6 read,

“You prepare a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
    my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
    forever.”

We will not lose the goodness and richness of God. The blessings he bestows are ours eternally. His mercy is ours forever. We will go through the world and share His mercy, His righteousness, and His love with the lost and with the saved. We are eternally God’s own beloved.

In John chapter 10 Jesus described Himself as our Good Shepherd and He made some promises to us in that description. These promises echo Psalm 23. John 10:1-5 reads,

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”

John 10:8-14 says,

“All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me,”

And John 10:27-30 read,

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”

Take comfort, Believer. You are not on your own. You can depend entirely and utterly on God. He is your Good Shepherd.

Psalm 21

Believer, God has made you into more than who you were before. David was a young shepherd boy but God made him into a hero and a king. You were a pauper, spiritually indigent, but The Lord has made you a king, a priest, and richly blessed as His heir. David recognized the many facets of his life that had been elevated by his faith and joy in God and he praised Him for it. We can read this Psalm and see that everything David praised God for, we can too. Verse 1 reads,

“O Lord, in your strength the king rejoices,
    and in your salvation how greatly he exults!”

It is The Lord’s strength and not our own that saves us, changes us, and keeps us. We are incapable of righteousness without Jesus. We are powerless to do good without The Spirit. We are helpless to have faith without The Father. And so we do not gloat about our virtue, our power, nor our gifts. We boast in Christ, we revel in The Holy Spirit, and we glory in the greatness of The Father. No matter what we did before we were saved, nothing compares to the miracle of our new birth through Jesus. It is all garbage, because Jesus was not glorified. Paul had a lot he could brag about himself. His achievements were truly amazing. But they were nothing compared to God. 1 Corinthians 1:28-31 says,

“God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

He doesn’t just save us and leave us. He gives us good things, He is our Abba, our Papa God, The King of kings, and Lord of lords. Our Father in Heaven bestows good things on us. He blesses us. He grants our requests, and He gives us abundant and eternal life. In Matthew 7:7-11 Jesus explains it this way,

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!”

Psalm 20 Verses 2-7 reads,

“You have given him his heart's desire
    and have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah
3 For you meet him with rich blessings;
    you set a crown of fine gold upon his head.
4 He asked life of you; you gave it to him,
    length of days forever and ever.
5 His glory is great through your salvation;
    splendor and majesty you bestow on him.
6 For you make him most blessed forever;
    you make him glad with the joy of your presence.
7 For the king trusts in the Lord,
    and through the steadfast love of the Most High he shall not be moved.”

Look at those verses and see the awesomeness of what God grants His beloved children, His bride the church. He made us royal when He placed that crown on our heads. For us this will happen physically when we are in Heaven, to God and so to us it has already happened. His promises are so sure that we can refer to them in past tense, even if like receiving the crowns in Heaven we have not tangibly experienced them. It is the same with eternal life. We asked and God granted us eternity.

In His redemption and our continuous and enduring transformation our lives become a testimony, a living sacrifice that glorifies God. We become His image and His ambassadors. We bring Him glory by exulting and exalting Him. And He lifts us up, He makes us more and more like Him. His Spirit shines out from us. Just as the Father looks at us and sees Jesus righteousness, so should the world look at us and see Jesus. His Holy Spirit is not meant to sit inactive and unmoving within us. He is meant to flow out of us in greatness and goodness.

We are blessed, happy and filled with joy forever, even through the worst because God is always with us, always. We can trust in the Lord. He loves us persistently, consistently, and stalwartly. He is the Most High and in our humble submission to Him, He lifts us up to a relationship with Him.

Although we should remain aware of the enemy who prowls like a hungry lion, we have nothing to fear from him. The Lord God Almighty has triumphed over him. We are in God’s loving shelter. The enemy will pay the price for his hate of us and our Lord. Verses 8-12 describe it like this,

“Your hand will find out all your enemies;
    your right hand will find out those who hate you.
9 You will make them as a blazing oven
    when you appear.
The Lord will swallow them up in his wrath,
    and fire will consume them.
10 You will destroy their descendants from the earth,
    and their offspring from among the children of man.
11 Though they plan evil against you,
    though they devise mischief, they will not succeed.
12 For you will put them to flight;
    you will aim at their faces with your bows.”

Satan, his minions, and his followers, and those who ignorantly follow him will be burned up with the earth when Jesus returns. They will be cast into the eternal fires of Hell because they hated Holy God and His beloved. We are safe. We are triumphant because God will avenge us. Remember though the prisoners of war, held captive by the enemy need The Deliverer, just as we needed Him.

Consider all the Lord has saved you from. He not only saved you from Hell. He delivered you from captivity to freedom. He delivered you from who you used to be to be as He meant you to be, His royal cherished beloved child, His heir. Praise Him as David praised Him. Verse 13 reads,

“Be exalted, O Lord, in your strength!
    We will sing and praise your power.”

The Beatitudes: Reasons to be happy I have decided to choose happiness. With prayer, the Holy Spirit led me to study the Beatitudes. According to Strong’s Concordance, blessed is translated from the word makarios which is defined as happy, blessed, and to be envied. The further explanation of the word is “properly, when God extends His benefits, the advantages He confers; blessed.” (Help's Ministries Inc, 2011).

The Beatitudes begin the discourse known as The Sermon on the Mount recorded in Matthew. Jesus’ teachings were groundbreaking and shook the foundations of religious establishment. The beatitudes spoke to people who were struggling, living in poverty under a tyrannical government and a religious system that catered to ritual in order to honor God, but had left God out of the equation. Jesus told them that even in those positions they could be envied and considered fortunate and that they could be happy.

That was not the common view then, and it is not the popular opinion now. Let’s read them and you will see that it doesn’t seem a happy or good thing to be in any of the situations Jesus says are advantageous. Matthew 5:1-12 reads,

“Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.

2 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

This is an example of the difference between the world and the Kingdom of God. It is very different in the Kingdom of God, those outside consider us foolish, crazy, and even evil. But they don’t understand, and cannot understand until they have the Holy Spirit to help them.

How is it good to be poor in spirit, mourn, or meek? Those qualities are not desired by the world. In fact they are disdained. These traits are only possible with the Holy Spirit as He conforms to the image of Christ. It is not an easy task to want righteousness so badly that it is akin to deep hunger and desperate thirst, a need. Being merciful is, for me something I have to work hard for. Being pure in heart in a foul and sinful world is a struggle analogous to climbing a mountain. Being a peacemaker means that somehow in the middle of strife, turmoil, and conflict that one cannot only maintain his peace but bring it to others. Being persecuted for righteousness? Well we all know that is no fun.

But Jesus says these are all reasons to be happy! He says these are good things and we are blessed even to be envied for those qualities. Believer, remember Jesus words, “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven.”

Blessed are poor in spirit “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” –Matthew 5:3

Remember that blessed is translated from the word makarios which is defined as happy, blessed, and to be envied. (Help's Ministries Inc, 2011).

This is the first of the Beatitudes. The word for poor in this verse is translated from the Greek word ptochos. The word is defined, "to crouch or cower like a beggar – properly, bent over; figuratively, deeply destitute, completely lacking resources.” (Help's Ministries Inc, 2011). It is not merely poor but absolutely in need. In a position where one has no choice but to beg because he cannot fill his need on his own.

The word spirit is translated from pneuma which means spirit, wind, or breath. (Help's Ministries Inc, 2011). It is our life force. It is ourselves as we relate to God. It is in fact the same word that is used to denote the Holy Spirit when the word is preceded by the adjective holy.

Therefore, poor in spirit means destitute of spirit, begging in humility for spiritual needs to be met. Romans 5:23-25 tells us that we are all in spiritual poverty and that Jesus provides the way to meet those needs. It reads,

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.”

Although all have sinned and consequently every person needs Jesus, only some ever acknowledge the need. It is for those who concede it that the Kingdom of Heaven is given. Those people who recognize they are dependent on Jesus to meet their need, not just once but every moment of every day, who are given the joy of salvation, the joy of living in the Kingdom of Heaven even now while we walk on earth.

The more we understand how much we have sinned and how there is nothing we can do on our own, the more we admit our necessity and reliance on Jesus the more we are able to celebrate and be overjoyed at His grace and mercy. Romans 5:19-21 reads,

“For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.

20 Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, 21 so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Genuine happiness is not gained by pretending to be good. Authentic bliss is not achieved by justifying or ignoring one’s corruption. True joy is reached when we are able to recognize our sinfulness and ask Jesus, the only one who can to forgive us and make us righteous.

Choose happiness. Don’t close your eyes to your depravity, recognize it. Submit yourself to Jesus as the beggar you are and let Him freely give you the richness of His grace. Jesus turns the tears of mourning over your sin to gladness and praise for His salvation. Jesus quoted Isaiah 61 about Himself. Read verses 1-3 and see that Jesus will do it for you too.

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
    because the Lord has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor;
    he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
    and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
2 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor,
    and the day of vengeance of our God;
    to comfort all who mourn;
3 to grant to those who mourn in Zion--
    to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
    the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;
that they may be called oaks of righteousness,
    the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified”

Let Jesus turn your mourning to gladness, let Him give you a garment of praise instead of a faint spirit.

Blessed are those who mourn Matthew 5:4 reads,

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”

The second beatitude seems almost backwardly confusing. How can someone who mourns be happy? Mourning is expressing sorrow and grief. The Greek word translated to mourn in this verse is pentheó. Strong’s concordance defines it as “to grieve over a death or a personal hope that comes to divine closure. It is manifested grief so severe it takes possession of a person and cannot be hid.” (Helps Ministries Inc, 2011). Blessed means happy and to be envied. (Help's Ministries Inc, 2011).

How can lamenting that intense be something that give you happiness or a reason to be envied? Because they will be comforted. They won’t be comforted with clichés or empty words. They will be comforted by truth and love. They are comforted by God Himself.

What was your reaction when you realized the depth of your sin compared to God’s holiness? What was your response when you grasped what Jesus had done for you? If you are like me, even now, when you consider your sin there is a deep heaviness of your soul for a moment, a sadness so deep that it should overwhelm you. But the Comforter reminds you that Jesus loves you so completely that your sinful soul was healed by the wounds of His crucifixion and that because of that you are called a Friend of God and a child of our Awesome Father. He repeats to you, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1). He tells you again who Jesus is and what He has done. Isaiah 61:1-4 reads,

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
    because the Lord has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor;
    he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
    and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
2 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor,
    and the day of vengeance of our God;
    to comfort all who mourn;
3 to grant to those who mourn in Zion--
    to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
    the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;
that they may be called oaks of righteousness,
    the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.
4 They shall build up the ancient ruins;
    they shall raise up the former devastations;
they shall repair the ruined cities,
    the devastations of many generations.”

That is not only a reason to be happy but to be overjoyed, jubilant, and celebrate. It is reason enough to praise God for eternity.

And though we sometimes feel like all hope is gone, though we ache and strain for those we’ve lost and miss, though we sometimes think we cannot endure one more struggle, He reminds us of we do have hope. Eternity is waiting for us and with us now. Some of our loved ones have died and we miss them horribly, but this life on earth is not the end. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 reads,

“But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 15 For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.”

The lost cannot be comforted by that truth. They do not have the hope of Jesus. There are no words that can comfort them. Only Jesus can bring them the consolation and succor they desperately need. But until they acknowledge it, feel it and express it, He will wait.

Blessed are the meek Matthew 5:5 reads,

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.”

When I imagine the earth belonging to someone in a worldly sense, I picture people like Alexander the Great or Attila the Hun conquering countries as their own. I envision strong powerful people with armies and weapons harshly attacking others.

Yet Jesus said the meek will inherit the earth. Meekness gives me a picture completely different than conquerors such as Napoleon, I see a person of submission and weakness, a person who doesn’t fight back when he is injured. But that isn’t exactly what the Greek word for meek means. The Greek word praus is translated to meek in English, but it is more than meekness. It means exercising God's power under His control. (Help's Ministries Inc, 2011). Praus means the strength it takes to turn the other cheek. It is gentleness. It is letting God be strong instead of you.

You do not have to fight on your own. There is no way to overcome the world without Jesus. Jesus died and resurrected and He beat the enemy.  You do not win the world, Jesus did that. You will inherit the earth. It will be given to you as an heir with Christ. It is yours because God bequeathed it to you. Jesus did what we cannot do. Romans 8:1-4 says,

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. 3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”

The battle is in the future and the battle is now, but Jesus already won it. Instead of beating the air and making a weak and useless effort fighting the enemy yourself, let Jesus’ victory be yours.

John 16:33 reads,

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

Deuteronomy 20:4 says,

“For the LORD your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory."

You are in the fight! You are in the battle, but it is not your strength, weapons or abilities that are effective. It is God. Ephesians 6:10-11 reads,

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.”

When you let God be your strength you are already a victor. When you rely on what God has done for you and the gift of His never-ending grace you are a conqueror. Revelation 3:12 reads,

“The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name.”

God is giving you a whole new earth. It is all yours, you’ve inherited it already. Revelation 21:1-3 reads,

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God”

What an amazing reason to celebrate because we are weak. It is in genuine and biblical meekness of complete reliance on God that we have victory. Jesus lived, died and resurrected for you. Vengeance is God’s. He has already written the last battle and the enemy loses. But those who are meek enough to rely on God are covered by Jesus’ blood and we are conquerors with Christ! Nothing can change that! Nothing can take the love of God from you. It may look like weakness to the world. It may look like the world is winning. But it isn’t true. Christ wins. Romans 8:35-39 reads,

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
    we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness

Matthew 5:6 reads,

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”

The Greek word translated hunger is peina and it means to be hungry, needy, and desire earnestly. (Help's Ministries Inc, 2011).  The Greek word for thirst is dipsaó and it likewise means to thirst and desire earnestly. (Help's Ministries Inc, 2011). Imagine desiring righteousness as much as you want a glass of water when your mouth is parched, not just when it would be nice to have a drink but when you are thirsty, when you long for the cool water to slide down your hot throat and satisfy your need only the way water can. That is the way we should seek righteousness. Not just wanting it or thinking it would be nice, but needing it, craving it, not able to live without it as the sustenance of our souls.

Righteousness or dikaiosuné is defined as justice, justness, righteousness of which God is the source or author, God's judicial approval. (Help's Ministries Inc, 2011). Do you want God’s approval that desperately? Well, there is great news for you if you do.

Jesus said you can be happy because you will be satisfied. The Greek word for satisfy, chortazó means to feed, satisfy and fatten. (Help's Ministries Inc, 2011). You may be starving for righteousness, but Jesus will give you so much, you will be fat with it! You won’t have to be meager with goodness because Jesus will give you plenty to exercise.

Your yearning for righteousness will be fulfilled. He is the source of life, He is the source of eternal life and the only way to the Father. (John 14:6). Jesus told the Samaritan woman at the well that He was the source of living water and anyone who drank from Him would never thirst again. (John 4:14-15). Your longing for righteousness will be satisfied much deeper than you could imagine. 2 Corinthians 5:21 reads,

“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

In Jesus, you are righteous! In Jesus, you are righteousness! Yes, God approves of you! God loves you and Jesus made the way for you to be reconciled to the Father and be righteousness. You aren’t that old self anymore who craved self-satisfaction or worldly things. You are a new creation, you are righteous. You are blameless in the eyes of God. He doesn’t see your sin anymore, He sees your righteousness. (2 Corinthians 5:16-21).

All you have to do is ask Jesus and it is yours. Free! Done! If you sincerely want it, Jesus gives it to you. Then you will find other things happening. You will want that righteousness to be evident in your life. You will want to demonstrate your love for God by wanting to be as good as He says you are. And you will want it for other people too. And as deeply as you want it, Jesus will continue to satisfy your desire for righteousness. You will seek it out. You will pursue that need, the way you go after food and water, not as a luxury but a need. And then you will strive for it above and beyond food or water, but that is okay because Jesus also promised that if you chase God and His righteousness above all else, the rest of the stuff would fall into place. Matthew 6:31-34 reads,

“Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

Do you want God’s approval? Do you want Him to say you are good? He will if you simply ask Jesus to make you right. Jesus promised to satisfy your want for goodness. In fact not just meet the need to make you rich with it.

Blessed are the merciful Matthew 5:7 reads,

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.”

What is it to be merciful? The Greek word used here is eleéō. It means to have pity or show mercy as it aligns with God’s truth. It is to act on God’s terms in His covenant. (Help's Ministries Inc, 2011). Merriam-Webster’s defines merciful as treating people with kindness and forgiveness, not cruel or harsh, and giving relief from suffering.

Compassion for another person in such a way that you are able to forgive their flaws and be kind to them is what being merciful is. And being merciful is not always so easy. It is something we must choose to do deliberately. It is not a natural trait, but it is a characteristic of the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22-23). It is one we can exercise because God is in us and we are operating in His covenant. It is also a quality Jesus expects us to implement. In Matthew chapter 6:14-15 Jesus said,

“For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, 15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

And what right do we have not to forgive people? What right do we have not to be merciful? Ephesians 4:30-32 says,

“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”

Consider that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23). And the wages of sin is death. (Romans 6:23). We deserve death. In fact before we came to Christ, we were dead. Ephesians 2:4-5 reads,

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—“

We deserve death. We deserve not to have a relationship with God. But He is rich in mercy. He chose to forgive us and not give us death. By His grace, He gave us new life and a relationship with Him.

When you elect to forgive others and show them kindness you are opting happiness. You are forgiven, God decided not to make you pay for your sins. He paid for them instead. He chooses not to bring to mind your sin any longer. He asks the same of you. God was merciful to you. He has a never-ending supply of mercy. Be merciful and God shows you mercy. All those mistakes you make, God forgives them.

Deciding to forgive others, showing them kindness and compassion, letting go of the bitterness and anger over the wrongs done to you allows you to be happy. Emptying yourself of the right to hold onto the injuries inflicted on you makes room for the Spirit. He makes it possible for you to be joyful, peaceful, and merciful.

Blessed are the pure in heart Matthew 5:8 reads,

 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”

The Greek word translated as pure is katharos. It means without admixture, separated, purged and therefore clean. (Help's Ministries Inc, 2011). Heart is translated from the word kardia which is defined as the affective center of our being, the inner-self, the intention that establishes who we are. (Help's Ministries Inc, 2011). So pure of heart means that our inner-self, our true self has been flushed out of everything that would make it unclean. A pure heart is forgiven, cleansed by Jesus’ blood and intends to follow Him. It is not an outward ritualistic cleanliness. God doesn’t want the outward show of looking religious. He wants the heart, the desire to follow Him in love.

In Psalm 51, David asked God for a clean heart. He knew the way to that end was the forgiveness of his sins. Verses 1-2 say,

“Have mercy on me, O God,
    according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
    blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
    and cleanse me from my sin!”

It is only Jesus who can cleanse your heart. It is only His blood that can forgive sins. Hebrews 10:19-22 reads,

“Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.”

What is it to see God? 1 John 3:2 says that one day we will see God as He is. It reads,

“Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.”

And 1 Corinthians 13:12 reads,

“For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.”

So it is a promise of our future hope as we live in New Jerusalem in the presence of Jesus. But there is more to the promise. Every promise of eternity is also shadowed for us now in this life. One day we will see God clearly and fully, but right now we know Him incompletely. But we still seek Him. We still want to know Him and we strive know Him more deeply every day.  God wants us to know Him. He said so in Hosea 6:6

“For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice,
    the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.”

Knowing God, having a deep relationship with Him was the reason He saved us. (John 17:3). Knowing the Father is done by knowing Jesus Christ. (Colossians 1:15, John 14:6).

So how do we know God more deeply?

I’ve already established that you must have a relationship with Jesus first in order to have a relationship with God. That is done by making Jesus the Master of your life and acknowledging that only He can forgive your sins and reconcile you to God.

God will enter into you as the Holy Spirit when you ask Jesus to save you. The Holy Spirit then begins teaching you and transforming you. He shows you who He without barriers. 2 Corinthians 3:18 says,

“And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”

And 1 Corinthians 2:6-13 reads,

“Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. 7 But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But, as it is written,

“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
    nor the heart of man imagined,
what God has prepared for those who love him”--

10 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. 11 For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. 13 And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.”

The Holy Spirit is God. He reveals His nature to us, He transforms us so that we reveal Him as well. That is one reason we need other Brothers and Sisters in Christ. Each one is indwelled with God and we speak to each other, teach, encourage, exhort, and edify one another through the Spirit.

We read the Bible, His word and learn more about Him. Psalm 119:105 says,

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”

The Word of God will do work on us to purify our hearts and help us know Him more. Hebrews 4:12 says,

“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

One day, we will see God wholly, but for now we seek Him and get to know Him as best we can in our flesh. If we seek and ask, He will reveal and answer. Deuteronomy 4:29 says,

“But from there you will seek the Lord your God and you will find him, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul.”

And Matthew 7:7-8 reads,

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.”

Is it the desire of your inner core to know God? Then you will know Him. Has your heart been cleansed by the blood of Jesus? Then you will see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers Matthew 5:9 says,

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.”

Peacemaker is from the Greek word eirénopoios. It is defined as pacific, loving peace, a peace-maker. A peacemaker, bravely declares God's terms which makes someone whole. The only time this word is used is in Matthew 5:9. (Help's Ministries Inc, 2011).

Eiréné the “peace” portion of peacemaker is defined as peace or peace of mind. Properly peace is wholeness, i.e. when all essential parts are joined together; God's gift of wholeness. It was common and still is a common Jewish farewell to invoke the peace and sense of the health of an individual. (Help's Ministries Inc, 2011).

When we look at the word that way, we see the peacemaker as one who proclaims God’s message, the gift of Jesus’ grace and salvation to the lost in order to reconcile them to the Father and bring them peace with God.

Sons of God is another term I wanted to look at more closely. The Greek word huios means son, or descendent but it means more than that too. It is defined properly, as a son by birth or adoption and figuratively anyone sharing the same nature as their Father. (Help's Ministries Inc, 2011).

It is the nature of the Father to love. Love is more than God’s nature, it is who He is. 1 John 4:8 says,

“Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.”

Because God is love, and He loves us so deeply He desires a relationship with every person. He wants us to be whole, healed in Him, no longer under the burden of sin that separates us from Him. He is patient and has withheld the final judgment so that more people will know Him. 2 Peter 3:9 says,

“The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”

1 Timothy 2:1-7 reads,

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. 7 For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

 God wants everyone to be saved. He wants us to want what He wants. He wants us to do something about it. He wants us to proclaim Jesus to the lost. He wants us to bring them the good news that they can be made whole in God.

When we act on the love of the Father, loving people as Jesus loves us, we glorify God. We are being conformed to His image and more and more we reflect His nature by displaying the outcome of that transformation that is called the fruit of the Spirit. Displaying the fruit of the Spirit, loving people as Jesus loves entails us wanting what the Father wants. It requires us affirming and proclaiming Jesus to the world so that they too can be made whole and called sons of God. Eternal life comes from glorifying God. John 17:1-4 says,

“When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, 2 since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. 4 I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.”

Glorifying God means reflecting His image. When people see you, do they see Jesus? Do they recognize God in you? That is being called a son of God. When they interact with you, they should be interacting with the Son of God and therefore even if they don’t exactly who it is they are dealing with they will at least know you are not like the world. You share God’s nature. His nature, His being is Love. Without that love, people can’t recognize you as having the spirit of God because without that love you can’t have the Spirit of God. Remember who God is. 1 John 4:8 says,

“Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.”

 

Blessed are those who are persecuted, reviled, and maligned The final two beatitudes are similar. Matthew 5:10-12 says,

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Really a person has to ask, how can we be envied or happy if we are persecuted, slandered and hated? Most true followers of Christ have dealt with vilification and loathing from people. Too many, mostly in other countries have been persecuted and even martyred for Jesus. And the problem grows. There will come a time soon when even in countries like the USA persecution will become more common and even more widely accepted than it already is.

Jesus described the end times. John, Paul, and Peter all described the end times. We can see signs of it now. But the fact is that persecution and revulsion of Christians has gone on since the church began. If you haven’t faced the hate of the world, perhaps you haven’t truly followed Christ.

Jesus told us people would hate us. John 15:18-19 says,

“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.”

So let’s look at the fact that Jesus says we can be happy and envied for the persecution we will face as His followers. The word persecute in all three verses is the word diókó. Diókó is defined as to pursue, to earnestly desire to overtake, to aggressively hunt down. It is interestingly enough the same word used to describe Israel’s pursuit and passion for the Law in Romans, to describe the way we are supposed to pursue hospitality toward one another also in Romans, and the word Paul uses in Philippians chapter 3 to describe his pressing on toward the goal. But most often the word is translated with the negative connotation of persecution. (Help's Ministries Inc, 2011).

Righteousness is the same word from Matthew 5:6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” The word dikaiosuné is defined as justice, righteousness of which God is the author. It is God’s approval. (Help's Ministries Inc, 2011).

So people who are persecuted, aggressively hunted down for God’s justice and approval are blessed because the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. The Kingdom of Heaven is described in the gospel of Matthew by Jesus through parables. Jesus mentions it in Matthew 13:11 in answer to the disciples’ question of His use of parables. “And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.”

Those who believe in Christ are the ones who are able to have the faith and discernment to see the Kingdom of Heaven around us. A little further on in Matthew chapter 13 Jesus compares the Kingdom of Heaven to a farmer sowing good seed while his enemy secretly sows weeds in the farmer’s field. Rather than gather the weeds and risk hurting the good seed, the farmer says to wait until harvest time when the weeds will be revealed, gathered and burned. As followers of Christ we understand the secrets of the story, that false followers, false prophets, and false teachers will receive their punishment when we receive our reward.

Jesus also compared the kingdom of heaven to a mustard seed, a tiny seed which when planted grows into a plant so large it is like a tree and birds can rest in its branches. He also said it is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened. (Matthew 13:31-33). The Kingdom of Heaven looks small yet it grows into something much bigger than imagined, something that does good for others, something that provides sustenance for many.

The kingdom of heaven can’t be perceived by those who don’t accept Jesus. But it is good, amazing, and it grows. It doesn’t stay small and inert. The Kingdom of Heaven doesn’t stay secret. It is revealed to people who are willing to hear it. And it holds great promises for believers. When Jesus was teaching us to pray in Matthew 6:9-10 He said,

“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
10 Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
    on earth as it is in heaven.”

The Father’s will is done on earth just as it is in Heaven when we ask it. Heaven is not our future destination, a place we go after we die. It is where God dwells. It is here and now, all around us. And it is within us. Believers live in the Kingdom of Heaven right now and God lives in us! 1 John 4:7-16 says,

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.

13 By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.”

When you live out love as Jesus commanded and the Spirit enables, when you seek righteousness you manifest God. You glorify Him and people will see Him. You are living in the kingdom of Heaven and offering it to others. But so many have hard blind/deaf hearts and those people will hate you and persecute you.

The last beatitude is in Matthew 5:11-12

 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

When you are hated because you testify that Jesus is Christ, you can be happy because you have the hope of eternity and that reward is great! In Heaven, our treasures are stored and will be bestowed on us one day when God makes a New Heaven and a New Earth and we will rejoice with God in perfection.

God tells us He saves our real treasures for us in Heaven with Him while we live on earth. In Matthew 6:1 Jesus says,

“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.”

He tells us not to stockpile treasures on earth because all that is just temporary. He says in verses 20-21 of the same chapter, “but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Eternity is described for us in Revelation 21 where God will give us our reward, the treasure of crowns God has for us. (2 Timothy 4:8. James 1:12, 1 Peter 5:4).

Revelation 21: 3-4 says,

“And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

In that New Heaven and New Earth where we will spend forever, we will be whole, sinless, completed. Hebrews 22-23 tells us we will be able to be with God without fear.

“But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23 and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,”

So even though we are persecuted, hated, and slandered we can be happy. We should be happy. We have the Kingdom of Heaven now and we have the promise of Heaven for eternity. Persecution for righteousness, hatred for Jesus sake is proof of God’s love in you, of the Spirit of God in you, and the promise of eternity. You may cry tears of sadness and pain now, but one day God Himself will wipe those tears away and you will live forever with Him as yours and you as His.

Rejoice and be glad Believer, you have so much reason to rejoice. Celebrate and be happy! Though you are poor in spirit in desperate need of grace, you have all the riches of the kingdom of Heaven. While you mourn and grieve, you are comforted by the hope of eternity and forgiveness. Although you are meek and depend on God’s strength the world is yours. Because you hunger and thirst for righteousness, you are overflowing with it. Since you are merciful you are given mercy. Because you have a pure heart you will see God. As you are a peacemaker, you are a son of God. And even while you are persecuted and hated for righteousness and Christ, you’re reward is great. Believer, delight, cheer, and dance, you have Jesus. Jesus is all you need. No matter how weak, poor, faint, or desperate you are, Jesus is enough. No matter what you go through or how difficult your circumstances, Jesus is all you need. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 reads,

“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Be blessed. Rejoice and be glad.

References:

Help's Ministries Inc. (2011). 1343. dikaiosuné. Retrieved from Biblehub; Strong's exhaustive concordance: http://biblehub.com/greek/1343.htm

Help's Ministries Inc. (2011). 1372. dipsaó. Retrieved from Biblehub; Strong's exhaustive concordance: http://biblehub.com/greek/1372.htm

Help's Ministries Inc. (2011). 1377. diókó. Retrieved from Biblehub; Strong's exhaustive concordance: http://biblehub.com/greek/1377.htm

Help's Ministries Inc. (2011). 1515. eiréné. Retrieved from Biblehub; Strong's exhaustive concordance: http://biblehub.com/greek/1515.htm

Help's Ministries Inc. (2011). 1518. eirénopoios. Retrieved from Biblehub; Strong's exhaustive concordance: http://biblehub.com/greek/1518.htm

Help's Ministries Inc. (2011). 1653. eleeó. Retrieved from Biblehub; Strong's exhaustive concordance: http://biblehub.com/greek/1653.htm

Help's Ministries Inc. (2011). 2513. katharos. Retrieved from Biblehub; Strong's exhaustive concordance: http://biblehub.com/greek/2513.htm

Help's Ministries Inc. (2011). 2588. kardia. Retrieved from Biblehub; Strong's exhaustive concordance: http://biblehub.com/greek/2588.htm

Help's Ministries Inc. (2011). 3701. makarios. Retrieved from Biblehub; Strong's exhaustive concordance: http://biblehub.com/greek/3107.htm

Help's Ministries Inc. (2011). 3983. peinaó. Retrieved from Biblehub; Strong's exhaustive concordance: http://biblehub.com/greek/3983.htm

Helps Ministries Inc. (2011). 3996. pentheó. Retrieved from Biblehub; Strong's exhaustive concordance: http://biblehub.com/greek/3996.htm

Help's Ministries Inc. (2011). 4151. pneuma. Retrieved from Biblehub; Strong's exhaustive concordance: http://biblehub.com/greek/4151.htm

Help's Ministries Inc. (2011). 4239. praus. Retrieved from Biblehub; Strong's exhaustive concordance: http://biblehub.com/greek/4239.htm

Help's Ministries Inc. (2011). 4434. ptóchos. Retrieved from Biblehub; Strong's exhaustive concordance: http://biblehub.com/greek/4434.htm

Help's Ministries Inc. (2011). 5207. huios. Retrieved from Biblehub; Strong's exhaustive concordance: http://biblehub.com/greek/5207.htm

Help's Ministries Inc. (2011). 5526. chortazó. Retrieved from Strong's Concordance: http://biblehub.com/greek/5526.htm

Matthew 5:4 reads,

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”










The second beatitude seems almost backwardly confusing. How can someone who mourns be happy? Mourning is expressing sorrow and grief. The Greek word translated to mourn in this verse is pentheó. Strong’s concordance defines it as “to grieve over a death or a personal hope (relationship) that comes to divine closure. It is manifested grief so severe it takes possession of a person and cannot be hid.” (Strong's). Blessed means happy and to be envied. (Strong).

How can lamenting that intense be something that give you happiness or a reason to be envied? Because they will be comforted. They won’t be comforted with clichés or empty words. They will be comforted by truth and love. They are comforted by God Himself.

What was your reaction when you realized the depth of your sin compared to God’s holiness? What was your response when you grasped what Jesus had done for you? If you are like me, even now, when you consider your sin there is a deep heaviness of your soul for a moment, a sadness so deep that it should overwhelm you. But the Comforter reminds you that Jesus loves you so completely that your sinful soul was healed by the wounds of His crucifixion and that because of that you are called a Friend of God and a child of our Awesome Father. He repeats to you, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1). He tells you again who Jesus is and what He has done. Isaiah 61:1-4 reads,

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
    because the Lord has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor;
    he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
    and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
2 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor,
    and the day of vengeance of our God;
    to comfort all who mourn;
3 to grant to those who mourn in Zion--
    to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
    the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;
that they may be called oaks of righteousness,
    the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.
4 They shall build up the ancient ruins;
    they shall raise up the former devastations;
they shall repair the ruined cities,
    the devastations of many generations.”

That is not only a reason to be happy but to be overjoyed, jubilant, and celebrate. It is reason enough to praise God for eternity.

And though we sometimes feel like all hope is gone, though we ache and strain for those we’ve lost and miss, though we sometimes think we cannot endure one more struggle, He reminds us of we do have hope. Eternity is waiting for us and with us now. Some of our loved ones have died and we miss them horribly, but this life on earth is not the end. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 reads,

“But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 15 For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.”

The lost cannot be comforted by that truth. They do not have the hope of Jesus. There are no words that can comfort them. Only Jesus can bring them the consolation and succor they desperately need. But until they acknowledge it, feel it and express it, He will wait.


References:
Strong. (n.d.). 3701. makarios. Retrieved from Strong's Concordance:  http://biblehub.com/greek/3107.htm

Strong's. (n.d.). 3996. pentheó. Retrieved from Strong's Concordance:  http://biblehub.com/greek/3996.htm

John Chapter 16 Verses 1-4

Yesterday we read about how much the world will hate us if we follow Christ. Jesus told the disciples they would be hated and persecuted. Many times in the Bible it is assured that we will suffer. Suffering and persecution are not maybes but will bes and ares. Jesus continued teaching. Verses 1-4 read,

“I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away. 2 They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. 3 And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me. 4 But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you.”

It is so easy, especially for those who have newer or weaker faith to fall away from the walk with God when bad things happen, when the world persecutes, or those whom they once counted as friends and community harass them. But Jesus said we would be put out of our old communities and circles. He said the world would hate us, and He said we would suffer. But He told us so that we wouldn’t lose faith, and fall away, but rather remember what He said and hold tight to His truth, His hope, and to Him.

To remember what He has said, you have to have read and heard what He has said for yourself. Other people will try to comfort you during your sorrows. They may use scripture. They may use misquoted scripture or misguided words to make you feel better. Those misrepresented words may make you feel better, but they will not bring you closer to your Lord, and they will not help you reach the goals or discipline the situation has for you. Rather than let people tell you what they think will lift your spirits, bring to mind what God has said and let Him guide you and comfort you through your troubles.

When people are persecuting you and hating you, remember John 15-18-19. Take to heart that their hate means that you are following Christ and chosen by Him.

“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.”

When you are suffering, consider that God, your Father disciplines you for a purpose and let the Comforter do what He needs to do in you. Romans 5:3-5 reads,

“Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”

Jesus didn’t tell you to go through your struggles alone. He is with you and your Brothers and Sisters are with you. They, like you are filled with the Holy Spirit and you are meant to be there for one another and hold one another up. Romans 12:10 reads,

“Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. “

Verses 15-16 of the same chapter read,

“Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight.”

1 Thessalonians 5:13 tells us,

“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.”

Believers, be careful about how we encourage one another. Saying whatever comes to mind, misquoting scriptures and saying things we think the Bible says rather than what the Bible actually says is harmful. Remember you are filled with the Spirit. He is truth and love. Let Him talk. And when receiving that comfort let Him discern the truth from the hogwash. Ephesians 5:15-20 reads,

“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, 20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.”

The Bible is filled with truth, wisdom, and comfort for us regardless if we are rejoicing, mourning, trudging, walking or running. Whatever you are going through, recall God’s words and let them edify you and help you along the way.