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 Chapel |
... Are You Blessed?...
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Are you blessed? Do you realize the true blessings of dedicated Christianity? Here are a few, promised by the Lord Jesus Christ...
Matthew 5:3... Blessed are the poor in spirit: for their's is the kingdom of heaven.
Are you humble (poor in spirit)? Do you refrain from boasting or trying to stand out from the crowd. Do you pray in secret, that "...the Lord, which sees in secret might reward you openly..."? Then you are blessed, and your reward is the "kingdom of heaven". This is a promise of the Son of God.
4... Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
Are you carrying sorrow or a heavy load for yourself or someone else? Are you bearing the sufferings and sorrows that befall those who would press on for Jesus? Well, you have a promise...a promise given by the Lord Jesus Christ. You shall be comforted. There will, of a certainty, come a time when there will be no more mourning and no more sorrow...a time of final and everlasting comfort. So press on, Christian, and consider that you are blessed.
5... Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
Carnal thought would seem to dictate that those who wield weapons and are not hesitant about going to war and fighting at any provocation would eventually be the rulers of the earth. But it shall not be so. Are you willing to take abuse from others without getting angry or flying off the handle or turning violent? Are you maintaining an easy-going nature and controlling temper? If you, for the love of Jesus, are willing to handle temptations like this in a gentle and loving manner, then my friend you are blessed. Such as you, it is written, shall inherit the earth. And the earth we are talking about will be the new earth...the one which will be blessed by the living God.
6... Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
Of all the things which would make a man stand above others, the most effective would be righteousness. Righteousness is the condition of being right. Not right in our opinions or our statements or our appraisals, but right in a Godly way. Righteousness is to be right in the way we approach our fellow man, and in the way we approach and worship our God. To be righteous is to follow the dictates of the Lord in every aspect of our daily lives. If you are seeking this kind of a life and this kind of dedication, then you are truly blessed, for the Lord has promised... You Shall Be Filled.
7... Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
Mercy is a precious thing. And I pray God that when it comes my time to be judged, He will have it for me. It is all too easy for us to say "You have done me wrong! You will pay to the fullest!" But it is merciful to say "This is a great wrong, but I will consider the circumstances that led to it, and I will consider forgiving you." Too many times we seek immediate revenge and penalties without displaying and using mercy. One instance of mercy can change a person's life. Let's face it, if you're a Christian, it changed yours. The Lord wants us to show mercy at every opportunity, and to bear in mind while we are doing so, that one day soon we may desire it for ourselves. According to His promise, if we have shown it, we shall receive it. Now that will be a blessing!
8... Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
There are thousands walking about professing true Christianity, but how many of them are truly practicing it. I have seen a few. These are the ones who say each word as though they were face to face with the Lord. When they come home from church, they do not cease to be in church. They carry the Word of God in their hearts at all times, because they are pure in heart. If this is your condition, and it should be, then you are tremendously blessed. The Lord Jesus says that you will truly come "face to face" with God. "...they shall see God."
9... Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
Could there be a better blessing than to be called the children of God. It follows, from this statement that to be a child of God, one must be a peacemaker. Those who cause problems and troubles for others by their actions or their prattle, will NOT be called the children of God. God loves peace and those who work and strive for it. Be not a troublemaker, but rather be a promoter of peace, and you will receive the great blessing of being called a true child of God.
10... Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for their's is the kingdom of heaven.
As a Christians in this day and time, and in those days to follow, we are going to be persecuted. We will be the object of derision...the subject of foul lies and gossip. We will be called fools and idiots. Some are even now tortured and murdered in parts of the world. It is hard to understand why such things are directed at those who teach brotherly love, but it has always been so. Will you stand? Will you remain faithful to the truth through these conditions. If you do, then you are now, and will, throughout eternity, be BLESSED! For the Lord has promised that the "Kingdom of Heaven" shall be yours. And in the following verses, he admonishes those who suffer these things...
11... Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
12... Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
Notice that He says not only that you are "blessed" when these things happen to you, but that you should rejoice, and be exceeding glad through it all. When the Lord says to be "exceeding glad" then the blessings which will follow will be incomprehensible.
ARE YOU BLESSED? It would seem to be up to you. If you are doing those things which are expected of you...you are!
In Jesus' Name,
AMEN
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