Blessed are you

  Blessed are you

Jesus said,

“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.” Matthew 5:11,12.

There are a great number of Christians in this world who are persecuted and put in prison for simply believing in Jesus. This has been going on since the very early days of the Church.

To say persecution is a hard thing to go through is an understatement but to those who follow Jesus despite being persecuted great is their reward in heaven

If you are a Christian please pray for the persecuted church around the world. Remember your brothers and sisters in the Lord who are in prison, or being forced to leave their homes for simply following Jesus.

Pray for those who persecute Christians around the world. Jesus said,

“You have heard that it was said,

 ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  

But I tell you: 

Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,...” 

                                                                                   Matthew 5:43,44.

Please if you are a Christian reading this don’t just think about praying for the persecuted church. Do it!

It's hard but we have to

  It’s hard but we have to

Jesus said,

"You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbour and hate your enemy.'  

But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.  

If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?  

And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?  

Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect" Matthew 5:43-48.

Do you love your enemy or those who persecute them. Jesus said we should. He didn’t say we should love the things our enemies of persecutors do. But rather we are to love the person.

It is the Christians duty to love those who dislike him.

The late great American civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. said,

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; 

only light can do that.

 Hate cannot drive out hate; 

only love can do that.” 

                                                        Martin Luther King, Jr.

So the question becomes do you love your enemies and persecutors?

Please think about it.

Love & Mercy

Love & Mercy
The apostle Paul wrote,
“Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.  
But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life. 1Timothy 1:15,16.
As believers in Christ Jesus I think we must be able to say like Paul we are the worst of sinners. 
The fact is, if you are indeed a follower of Christ Jesus, you have to admit you are a sinner. That you fall short of God’s ideal.
We must remember the words of the apostle Paul who said,
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8.
The apostle Paul writing to Titus said,
“But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit” Titus 3:4,5.
We must remember the reason Jesus came to this earth. Jesus who speaking of himself said,
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”John 3:16,17.
The sole reason Jesus came into this world was to provide a way to heaven for anyone who would believe in Him.
As a result we believers in Christ Jesus, must do everything we can to present the Love of God, the Love of Jesus to all we come in contact with. That they may receive the saving grace of God through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
We must be careful not to put up barriers between God and the individuals we come in contact with.
I like what James the half brother of Jesus wrote,
“Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!” James 2:12,13.
We are to show mercy even to our enemy. The apostle Paul writing,
“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.  
Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.  
On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink....” Romans 12:18-20a.
We as believers in Christ Jesus are not allowed to Judge anyone. Jesus said,
"Do not judge, or you too will be judged.  
For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Matthew 7:1,2.
Judging others especially when we may not have all the facts puts up barriers between the individual and the one he or she is judging. In doing so it can create a barrier between the individual and God. This should never be so.
The late evangelist Billy Graham said,

“It is the Holy Spirits Job to Convict,

 God’s job to judge 

and

 my job to love,” 

                         Billy Graham.

If you claim to be a follower of Christ Jesus, do you admit you are a sinner saved through the cleansing blood of Christ Jesus, through the Grace of God?
Are you showing mercy to those around you, even your enemy?
Are you judging others or are you showing Mercy to those around you?
Are you truly showing the Love of God to all whom you come in contact with, friend and foe alike?
Please think about it.