Blessed When Persecuted?

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:10

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Before you can really understand what Matthew 5:10 means, you have to understand and be living the rest of the Beatitudes.

If you are living a life that is poor in spirit, that mourns over your sin, that lives meekly through His strength, that hungers and thirsts after righteousness, that is merciful, pure in heart, and making peace…then you will be exceedingly glad for the persecution that comes your way.

You see, the world is going in the opposite direction and they are trying to push you into their mold. Yet you are a twice-born man among once-born people, and you are going to go against the tide.

ACTION POINT:

It costs to serve Jesus Christ—every day and every step. But you are blessed! When was the last time you took some flack for Jesus? Great is your reward in heaven.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Are You a “Peace Corps” Member?

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.”

Matthew 5:9

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Several decades ago, you were really somebody if you joined the Peace Corps. But all this time later, how much peace has been established between brothers and sisters around the world as a result?

Do you know how to bring peace to earth and goodwill to all men? Introduce men, women, boys, and girls to Jesus Christ. That is the only way.

Churches are filled every Sunday, yet where do people go during the week? Are they sharing God’s salvation story with the lost? It’s not your faithful attendance to church that is going to bring peace to earth but your faithful sharing of the Gospel.

ACTION POINT:

Jesus said His mission was not to be a diplomat, not to be a peacemaker, but to bring death to hatred, strife, and sin through His reconciling blood. There is no other way to a holy God, but through the cross. Are you living like a child of God and telling others about Jesus?

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

What Does It Mean to Be “Pure in Heart”?

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.” Matthew 5:8

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

This beatitude narrows our focus into one rich goal—to be pure in heart. Now, “pure in heart” doesn’t just mean you don’t look at pornography or think vile thoughts. That will be a result of being pure in heart. But to be pure in heart really means to have an undiluted heart. That is, there is no substance in your heart that is adulterated. You have a singleness of mind. You are undivided in your devotion. . .all of the issues of your life are brought down into one burning focus—to be pure in heart before God.

ACTION POINT:

Is Jesus Christ the burning focus of your life? Then the promise is that you will see God. “Now, wait a minute,” you say. “No one has seen God.” You’re right. You will see God not with your physical eyes, but with your spiritual eyes. He will become all the more clear!

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Are You Merciful?

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.” Matthew 5:7

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Those who have received mercy are those who show mercy. And only those who show mercy will be those who continue to receive mercy. Showing others mercy isn’t just sentiment or softness. It is sympathy that serves. Jesus doesn’t merely save us from something, He saves us for something. He wants to express His life through us as we serve others.

I thank God for our beautiful churches, but I believe the thing that is going to touch the lives of our communities are not our buildings but our merciful acts of kindness.

ACTION POINT:

One by one, we can make a change as we go out and show the love of Christ to our neighbors. People do not care how much we know, until they know how much we care.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

“Happy” Without Christ?

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.” Matthew 5:6

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Jesus tells us that when we seek after righteousness, we will be filled. Sounds like we’ll be happy, don’t you think? But happiness is not something we find by hungering for it, it is something we receive by serving the Lord.

God doesn’t want us to be happy without Christ. God allows us to experience unhappiness in our lives in the same way we experience pain when we step on a nail. The pain tells us something is wrong.

ACTION POINT:

Now, for us to seek happiness without seeking righteousness would be like breaking our arm and then not taking a pain killer and getting it set. Blessing comes when we find the Deliverer. When you hunger for Him, you will have Him. How much of God do you want today?

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Get Your Word From God

Ask God for a specific word.

Tie it to scripture.

Know God will use it to grow you and to glorify Him.

Boldness

We have a problem.

4 And the herald proclaimed aloud, "You are commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages,

5 that when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. - Daniel 3:4-5

And whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace." - Daniel 3:6

Do not worship other Gods.

(for you shall worship no other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God), - Exodus 34:14

Problems offer us the wonderful opportunity to live out your faith.

We have made up our minds.

Then Nebuchadnezzar in furious rage commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought. So they brought these men before the king. - Daniel 3:13

14 Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, "Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up?

15 Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good. But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?"

16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.

17 If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.

18 But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up." - Daniel 3:14-18

We are accountable to God alone!

He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords!

18 So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.

19 But Peter and John answered them, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, - Acts 4:18-19

For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ. - Galatians 1:10

Not everyone will be on your team!

Speak the truth of God's word regardless!

Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury, and the expression of his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace heated seven times more than it was usually heated. - Daniel 3:19

Because the king's order was urgent and the furnace overheated, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. - Daniel 3:22

Do not budge on your beliefs.

Love the sinner but warn them of the coming judgment.

13 "Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.

14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. - Matthew 7:13-14

You will stand before God accountable for your teaching of His word.

Jesus had thousands of followers, then they turned against Him because of His teaching of God's word. When He began to be persecuted, they deserted Him.

Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. - Matthew 5:1

In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said, - Acts 1:15

After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go. - Luke 10:1

And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach - Mark 3:14

And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. - Matthew 17:1

When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Woman, behold, your son!" - John 19:26

After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. - John 6:66

Sometimes boldness will take you through the fire!

It will cost you.

23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell bound into the burning fiery furnace.

24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, "Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?" They answered and said to the king, "True, O king."

25 He answered and said, "But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods." - Daniel 3:23-25

26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the burning fiery furnace; he declared, "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here!" Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire.

27 And the satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king's counselors gathered together and saw that the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men. The hair of their heads was not singed, their cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon them. - Daniel 3:26-27

There is no god like our God!

28 Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set aside the king's command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God.

29 Therefore I make a decree: Any people, nation, or language that speaks anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be torn limb from limb, and their houses laid in ruins, for there is no other god who is able to rescue in this way." - Daniel 3:28-29

We serve a living God who walks with you!!!

He is alive!

The tomb is empty!

He has risen!!

Thanks Pastor Kevin!!!

Strength Through Authority

1 After he had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum.

2 Now a centurion had a servant who was sick and at the point of death, who was highly valued by him.

3 When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his servant.

4 And when they came to Jesus, they pleaded with him earnestly, saying, "He is worthy to have you do this for him,

5 for he loves our nation, and he is the one who built us our synagogue."

6 And Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to him, "Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof.

7 Therefore I did not presume to come to you. But say the word, and let my servant be healed.

8 For I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me: and I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another, 'Come,' and he comes; and to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."

9 When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, said, "I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith."

10 And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the servant well. - Luke 7:1-10

Kingdom Authority

Are you living a defeated life?

Satan is the great deceiver.

Putting you in the darkness of doubt, he will mislead you with his deceit.

And God blessed them. And God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth." - Genesis 1:28

Dominion definition

To reign, to rule

God has given you His authority.

We lost it because of sin but Christ won it back.

We have been set free from sin by way of the cross.

Do you know this truth?

31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,

32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." - John 8:31-32

17 For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.

18 Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men.

19 For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. - Romans 5:17-19

Are you reigning in your life?

You have been given that authority by Christ!

Authority definition

Legal right to act

The source of kingdom authority:

It comes from above.

You are under God's authority.

Your authority is backed up by God.

We pray in the name of Jesus who has been given all authority!

He is Lord over all!

By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. - 1 John 4:17

We die with Christ and we are identified with Him.

We rise with Christ and we are identified with Him.

3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?

4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.

6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.

7 For one who has died has been set free from sin.

8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.

9 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him.

10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. - Romans 6:3-10

17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him,

18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,

19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might

20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,

21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.

22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church,

23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. - Ephesians 1:17-23

4 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-

6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. - Ephesians 2:4-9

You have victory in Jesus!

Jesus destroyed death and hell.

The church is the body of Christ.

Christ is the head of the body.

18 And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." - Matthew 28:18-20

who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him. - 1 Peter 3:22

The secret of kingdom authority:

You cannot be over until you are under.

All authority is linked to obedience.

If you disobey, you lose your authority.

We are in rebellion.

Bow before the Lord and confess your rebellion.

Bow to His authority.

It will make you strong!

Thank You Pastor Rogers!!!