PT-2 “The Commands of Kingdom Love” (Luke 6:27-28)

 

MORNING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 7/21/2026 8:48 AM

My Worship Time                                             Focus: PT-2 “The Commands of Kingdom Love”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                 Reference:  Luke 6:27-28

            Message of the verses:  “But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.”

            I want to continue looking at these verses in this morning’s SD.

            I begin with a quotation from John MacArthur’s commentary: “Paradoxically, love and hate are linked in connection with the gospel.  The Lord’s command to the apostles in John 15:17, ‘This I command you, that you love one another’ was followed immediately by a warning that the world would hate them (vv. 18-19).”  “18 ¶  "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.”  “Since sinners love darkness rather than light (John 3:19), and believers are children of the light (Eph. 5:8), who present Jesus Christ as the light of the world (John 8:12), they can expect to be hated by the world.”

(John 3:19)

“19  And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.”

(Eph. 5:8)

“8  for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light”

(John 8:12)

“12 ¶  Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’”

            “Surprisingly, the most intense hatred always comes from religious people.  Nothing is more precious to religious sinners than the illusion of their virtue and lofty position before God.  They in effect erect their own personal tower of Babel, a monument to their own supposed piosity.  But the gospel strips away sinners’ religious veneer of self-righteousness and reveals them to be wretched, helpless, blind rebels, facing eternal judgment.  In response to being unmasked, they lash out in hatred at those who proclaim the truth to them.

            “When believers face hatred, they are to respond by seeking the welfare of those who hate them, thereby reinforcing their supernatural love.  The credibility of the gospel is at stake and believers must love the lost evangelistically.

            “Christ’s disciples must not only manifest love for their enemies by what they do, but also by what they say.  Instead of reviling them, they are to bless those who curse them; to say good things in response to their evil words.  Many of Christ’s followers were vilified, cursed, and ostracized in an unofficial way, just as Jesus had warned would happen (Matt. 10:35-37; Luke 12:51-53).”

(Matt. 10:35-37; Luke 12:51-53)

35  For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36  And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household. 37  Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.”

“51  Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. 52  For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three. 53  They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.’’

“Others were cursed in an official way by being excommunicated from the synagogue, which Jesus had also predicted would be the case (John 16:2; cf. 9:22; 34; 12:42).

(John 16:2; cf. 9:22; 34; 12:42)

“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.”

“22  (His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone should confess Jesus to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue.)

“34  They answered him, “You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?” And they cast him out.”

“42 ¶  Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue;”

            “This command does not preclude warning unbelievers of the consequences of their sin, as the Lord Himself did (cf. 6:24-26; Matt. 23:13-36).

(cf. 6:24-26; Matt. 23:13-36)

“24  "But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. 25  “Woe to you who are full now, for you shall be hungry. ”Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep. 26  "Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets.”

(I will not quote Matthew 23:13-36 because of the length of it.

“Apart from such warnings, there could be no conviction of sin (cf. John  17:7-11).”

(cf. John  17:7-11)

“7  Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. 8  For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. 9  I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. 10  All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. 11 ¶  And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.”

“Unbelievers must be confronted with the reality that apart from repentance from sin and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ they are cursed (1 Cor. 16:7-11).”

(1 Cor. 16:7-11)

“7  For I do not want to see you now just in passing. I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits. 8  But I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost, 9  for a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries. 10 ¶  When Timothy comes, that see that you put him at ease among you, for he is doing the work of the Lord, as I am. 11  So let no one despise him. Help him on his way in peace, that he may return to me, for I am expecting him with the brothers.”

“But when Christ’s followers confront sinners they must, like Paul, have an attitude of deep concern and love for them (cf. Rom. 9:1-3; 10:1).”

(cf. Rom. 9:1-3; 10:1)

“1 ¶  I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit— 2  that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3  For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh.”

“1 ¶  Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved.”

“And, like Paul, they must be willing to pay whatever price is necessary to take the gospel to the lost (cf. 1 Cor. 9:22: 2 Cor. 11:22-33).”

(cf. 1 Cor. 9:22: 2 Cor. 11:22-33)

“22  To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.”

I am not going to quote 2 Cor. 11:22-33 because of the length of it.

            “Finally, Jesus commanded His followers to pray for those who mistreat them.  Specifically in this context, they are to pray for their salvation, as Jesus (Luke 23:34) and Stephen (Acts 7:59-60) did.”

(Luke 23:34)

34  Jesus said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day, until you deny three times that you know me.’”

“59  And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60  And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.”

7/21/2026 10:27 AM

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PT-1 “The Commands of Kingdom Love” (Luke 6:27-28)

 

EVENING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 7/20/2026 9:31 PM

My Worship Time                                                     Focus:  “The Commands of Kingdom Love”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                 Reference:  Luke 6:27-28

            Message of the verses:  “But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.”

            It took three SD’s to get through the introduction to MacArthur’s introduction, and now this evening I begin the first main point he writes on the first two verses of this section.

            Now as noted earlier, the Lord addressed these four simple yet profound commands to His genuine disciples, the ones who hear and obey His Word, something all true believers should be doing.  These words describe a supernatural love that is vastly different from the kind of love found in the world.  Vengeance is a virtue to the unbelievers, who make heroes out of those who take nothing from anyone, and who lash out at those who wrong them and make they pay.  Joseph Stalin, who perhaps is the most brutal and vindictive dictator of the twentieth century, captured the essence of the world’s lust for revenge when he said , “To choose one’s victim, to prepare one’s plan minutely, to slake an implacable vengeance, and then to go to bed—there is nothing sweeter in the world’ (Death in the Kremlin: Killer of the Masses” [Time magazine, March 16, 1953; http://www.time. Com/time/magazine/article/o,917,935828-7,00.html;accessed 12 January 2010]).  Millions of people tasted the bitterness of Stalin’s :implacable vengeance,” suffering torture, exile, and death.

            Now attitudes were little different in the days of Jesus, not even in Israel.  The first century Judaism was narrow, exclusive, intolerant, and hence largely loveless and condemning.  There was hatred of their enemies, especially Gentiles (and above all their Roman occupiers), was elevated the status of a spiritual virtue (Matthew 5:43).

(Matthew 5:43)

“43 ¶  "You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’”

MacArthur writes “The medieval Jewish scholar Maimonides recorded the Talmud’s maxim that a Jew should not rescue a Gentile who fell into the sea.  Some Zealot extremists took that contemptuous disregard for Gentile life one step further by actually murdering Romans.  Many Jews thus found Jesus’ command love your enemies to be incomprehensible, shocking, and unacceptable.

            “But such vengeful hatred of one’s enemies was contrary to the Old Testament law.  It is true that the imprecatory Psalms call for God’s promised judgment on His foes.  But to arrogate that right to themselves, as some Jews did, contradicted God’s declaration in Deuteronomy 32:35 that vengeance belongs to Him (cf. Rom. 12:19; Heb. 10:30).”

(cf. Rom. 12:19; Heb. 10:30)

“19  Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”

“30  For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.”

“Instead of seeking revenge, Proverbs 25:21 commands, ‘If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink’ (cf. Ex. 23:4-5).”

(cf. Ex. 23:4-5)

“4  "If you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey going astray, you shall bring it back to him. 5  If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying down under its burden, you shall refrain from leaving him with it; you shall rescue it with him.”

“Leviticus 19:18 summarizes the Old Testament teaching of how to view one’s enemies: ‘You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself.’  The term ‘neighbor’ refers to anyone in need (Luke 10:29-37), not merely to fellow Jews.”

(Luke 10:29-37)

29  But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30  Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. 31  Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. 32  So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33  But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. 34  He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35  And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ 36  Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?" 37  He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.’”

            “Instead of seeking revenge, Christ’s disciples are to do good to those who hate them.  Kalos (good) describes what is inherently, not superficially, good.  It refers here to doing things that will benefit one’s enemies.  When they love like that, believers will ‘overcome evil with good’ (Rom. 12:21; cf. 1 Peter 3:9).”

(Rom. 12:21; cf. 1 Peter 3:9)

“21  Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

“9  Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.”

7/20/2026 10:59 PM

 

 

 

 

PT-3 Intro to “Kingdom of Love” (Luke 6:27-38)

 

MORNING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 7/20/2026 9:45 AM

My Worship Time                                                     Focus PT-3 Intro to “Kingdom of Love”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                Reference:  Luke 6:27-38

            Message of the verses:  “But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who are abusive to you. Whoever hits you on the cheek, offer him the other also; and whoever takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic from him either. Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back. Treat people the same way you want them to treat you. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners in order to receive back the same amount. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil people. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. ‘Do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned. Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.’”

            I will continue to quote from John MacArthur’s introduction to these verses in this morning’s SD.

            “Jesus opened the Sermon on the Mount by describing how the  righteous view themselves (6:20-26).”

(6:20-26)

“20 ¶  And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said: "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. 21  “Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied. ”Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh. 22  "Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! 23  Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets. 24  "But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. 25  “Woe to you who are full now, for you shall be hungry. ”Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep. 26  "Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets.”

“He declared blessed those who are spiritually poor, acknowledging their utter lack of any resources by which they might obtain salvation; who are hungry, longing desperately for the righteousness that only God can give; who morn, consumed with grief and sorrow over their sin; and who are persecuted, yet consider it cause for rejoicing when they are hated, ostracized, and insulted for their loyalty to Jeus Christ.

            “In this next section of His message, the Lord addressed His genuine disciples (those who hear, understand, and obey God’s word, in contrast to unbelievers, who have no such capacity [1 Cor. 2:14]).”

(1 Cor. 2:14)

“14  The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.”

“Instructing them on how they are to view others.  They are to be marked not only by hatred of their sin, but also by love for their enemies.

            “The command to love one’s enemies provides an important balance against and tendency toward isolation.  Some believers, over-balance against any tendency toward isolation.  Some believers, over whelmed by a sense of sinful inadequacy, might seek to withdraw themselves.  Others might want to avoid the influence of and persecution by evil people.  Some Christians caught up in politics even view non-believers as the enemy, rather than the mission field.  But for Christ’s true followers to isolate themselves, hate or resent the lost and their agenda, violates the church’s mandate to preach the gospel to the lost world (Matt. 28:19-20; cf Rom. 10:14-15).

(Matt. 28:19-20; cf Rom. 10:14-15)

“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.’”

“14  How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15  And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!’”

            “This important portion of our Lord’s kingdom teaching reveals that His true disciples are to be marked by  a supernatural love that does good to others—even their enemies.  The passage unfolds six aspects of kingdom love: its commands, the reactions to it, the principle behind it, its essence, its benefits, and its goal.”

Spiritual Meaning for my Life Today:  To share the Word of God with others in a good way, not pressuring them to accept it, but allowing the Holy Spirit of God to do that.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  I am trusting the Lord to get Sandy through these next five days without troubles before she gets her next drainage of her abdomen.

7/20/2026 10:06 AM

 

           

 

PT-2 Intro to “Kingdom of Love” (Luke 6:27-38)

 

EVENING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 7/19/2026 8:01 PM

My Worship Time                                                     Focus PT-2 Intro to “Kingdom of Love”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                 Reference:  Luke 6:27-38

            Message of the verses:  “But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who are abusive to you. Whoever hits you on the cheek, offer him the other also; and whoever takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic from him either. Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back. Treat people the same way you want them to treat you. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners in order to receive back the same amount. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil people. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. ‘Do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned. Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.’”

            I will continue to quote from John MacArthur’s introduction to these verses in this evening’s SD.

            “But the most foundational mark of a genuine believer in Jesus Christ is love.  First, Christians love God, which Jesus declared to be the greatest and most important principle in Scripture (Matt. 22:37-38; cf. Deut. 6:5; 11:1; Josh. 22:5; Rom. 8:28; 1 Cor. 2:9; 1 John 5:2).

(Matt. 22:37-38; cf. Deut. 6:5; 11:1; Josh. 22:5; Rom. 8:28; 1 Cor. 2:9; 1 John 5:2)

“37  And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38  This is the great and first commandment.”

“5  You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.”

“1 ¶  "You shall therefore love the LORD your God and keep his charge, his statutes, his rules, and his commandments always.”

“5  Only be very careful to observe the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments and to cling to him and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.’”

“28  And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

“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’”

“2  By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments.”

“Love for fellow believers also marks Christ’s true disciples (John 13:34-45; cf. 15:12; 1 Thes. 4:9; Heb. 13:1; 1 Peter 1:22; 4:8; 1 John 3:11, 14; 4:7, 21:2; 2 John 5).”

(John 13:34-35; cf. 15:12; 1 Thes. 4:9; Heb. 13:1; 1 Peter 1:22; 4:8; 1 John 3:11, 14; 4:7, 21:2; 2 John 5)

“34  A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35  By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.’”

“12  "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.”

“9 ¶  Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another,”

“1 ¶  Let brotherly love continue.”

“22  Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart,”

“8  Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.”

“11 ¶  For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.”

“14 ¶  We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death.”

“7 ¶  Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.”

“21  And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.

“5 ¶  And now I ask you, dear lady—not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning—that we love one another.”

            “Along with loving God and fellow believers, Christians are also to love unbelievers.  While they are forbidden to love the evil, satanic world system (1 John 2:15-17), believers are nevertheless to love the lost sinners trapped within it.”

(1 John 2:15-17)

“15  Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16  For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. 17  And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.”

“By doing so they follow the example of their heavenly Father, who ‘causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous’ (Matt. 5:45), and the Lord Jesus “Christ, who loved even those who rejected Him (Mark 10:21 cf. Luke 23:34).”

(Mark 10:21 cf. Luke 23:34)

“21  And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.’”

“34  And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments.”

7/19/2026 8:24 PM

 

 

 

 

 

 

Intro to “Kingdom of Love” (Luke 6:27-38)

 

MORNING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 7/19/2026 9:59 AM

My Worship Time                                                                    Focus Intro to “Kingdom of Love”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                 Reference:  Luke 6:27-38

            Message of the verses:  “But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who are abusive to you. Whoever hits you on the cheek, offer him the other also; and whoever takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic from him either. Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back. Treat people the same way you want them to treat you. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners in order to receive back the same amount. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil people. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. ‘Do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned. Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.’”

            I will quote John MacArthur’s introduction to these verses in this morning’s SD.

            “There are many things that mark a true Christian, including repentance (2 Cor. 7:10; 1 John 1:8-10), humility (James 1:21; 4:6, 10; 1 Peter 5:5), living for the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31), prayer (Luke 18:1; “Eph. 6:18; Phil. 4:6), separation from the world (James 4:4; 1 John 2:15-17), bearing spiritual fruit (Matt. 13:23; John 15:5, 8), obedience (Matt. 7:21; John 15:14; 1 Peter 1:1-2; 1 John 2:3-5), hunger for God’s Word (1 Peter 2:1-2), and a transformed life (2 Cor. 5:17).”  Now I will take the time to quote all of these verses in the order they are seen in this paragraph.

repentance (2 Cor. 7:10; 1 John 1:8-10)

“10  For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.”

“8 ¶  If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10  If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”

humility (James 1:21; 4:6, 10; 1 Peter 5:5)

“21  Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.”

“6  But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

“10  Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.”

“5 ¶  Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’”

living for the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31)

“31  So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

prayer (Luke 18:1; “Eph. 6:18; Phil. 4:6)

“1 ¶  And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.”

“18  praying at all times in the Spirit, with all and prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,”

“6  do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”

separation from the world (James 4:4; 1 John 2:15-17)

“4  You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”

“15  Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16  For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. 17  And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.”

spiritual growth (Eph. 4:11-15; 1 Peter 2:2; 2 Peter 3:18)

“11  And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12  to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13  until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14  so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15  Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,”

“2  Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—”

“18  But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.”

bearing spiritual fruit (Matt. 13:23; John 15:5, 8)

“23  As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.’”

“5  I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”

“8  By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.”

obedience (Matt. 7:21; John 15:14; 1 Peter 1:1-2; 1 John 2:3-5)

“21 ¶  "Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”

“14  You are my friends if you do what I command you.”

“  1 ¶  Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2  according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you.”

“3 ¶  And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. 4  Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, 5  but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him:”

hunger for God’s Word (1 Peter 2:1-2)

“1 ¶  So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. 2  Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation”

a transformed life (2 Cor. 5:17)

“17  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

Spiritual Meaning for my Life Today:  To try to live up to what these verses are saying, through the power of the Holy Spirit.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  As I take care of my wife, who has cancer, I need to be under the control of the Holy Spirit to give effective help to her.

7/19/2026 10:38 AM

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“The Cursed” (Luke 6:24-26)

 

EVENING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 7/18/2026 9:43 PM

My Worship Time                                                                                         Focus:  “The Cursed”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                 Reference:  Luke 6:24-26

            Message of the verses: “But woe to you who are rich, for you are receiving your comfort in full.  Woe to you who are well-fed now, for you shall be hungry.  Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep.  Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for their fathers used to treat the false prophets in the same way.”

            This section from John MacArthur’s commentary is much shorter than the section that spoke of “ The Blessed.”

            “The use of the strong adversative conjunction plen (but) indicates that the woes pronounced on those who reject Jesus Christ are in direct contrast to the blessings granted to His true believers.  The first woe was not pronounced on the materially rich. Being wealthy in and of itself is not sinful; Abraham, Job, Nicodemus, and Joseph of Arimathea were rich, and according to Deuteronomy 8:18 God grants the power to obtain wealth.  The rich in view here are those who imagine themselves to be rich in the spiritual realm, who think that their righteous deeds are sufficient to obtain salvation.  A prime example is the Pharisee in the Lord’s story, who ‘was praying this to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.  I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get’’(Luke 18:11-12).  The curse pronounced on them is that they are receiving their comfort in full in this life.  What awaits them in eternity is the comfortless, ceaseless torment of hell (cf. Luke 16:25).”

(cf. Luke 16:25)

25  But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish.”

            “The second curse is on those who are well-fed now.  These are the people who are totally satiated with their hypocritical self-righteousness.  Unlike those who hunger for a righteousness they know they do not have and cannot earn, they imagine that they have everything they need, and lack nothing.  The curse pronounced on them is that they shall be eternally hungry, experiencing the gnawing, never-ending hunger of a lost soul in hell.

            “The third mark of the cursed is that they laugh now.  Smugly content with their religious achievements and superficial morality, they happily contemplate the eternal bliss that they foolishly imagine awaits them in the eternal kingdom.  The sobering reality, however, is that while ‘many will come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven,’ many who think that they are ‘sons of the kingdom will be cast out into the outer darkness’ (Matt. 8:11-12).  In sharp contrast to the everlasting joy promised to the true disciple, ‘in that place [hell] there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth’ (v. 12; cf. 13:42, 59; 22:13; 24:51; 25:30; Luke 13:28).

 

            “The final contrasting woe pronounced on the cursed is that of popularity.  Woe to you when all men speak well of you,’ Jesus warned, ‘for their fathers used to treat the false prophets in the same way.’  The Lord had earlier linked the unpopular true disciples to the true prophets; here He linked the false disciples to the false prophets. Refusing to acknowledge their spiritual poverty, arrogant self-righteousness, and baseless contentedness, the cursed enjoy the company of others, having their ears tickled by the deceitful lies of the false prophets (2 Tim. 4:3).  ‘An appalling and horrible thing has happened in the land,’ God declared.  ‘The prophets prophesy falsely…and My people love it so!’ (Jer. 5:30-31).  Those who embrace their teaching will share the false prophets’ doom (cf. Jer. 14:14-15; 23:14-15, 25-34; Ezek. 13:9).

            “There are only two kinds of people in the world.  Christ’s true followers, the spiritually poor, hungry, sorrowful, and rejected, cry out to God for pardon and mercy through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.  They are blessed with eternal riches, satisfaction, joy, acceptance, and reward.  In contrast, those who tell themselves are spiritually full, rich, happy, and accepted will be cursed with eternal poverty, emptiness, sorrow, and judgment.”

7/18/2026 10:16 PM

 

 

PT-4 “The Blessed” (Luke 6:20b-23)

 

MORNING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 7/18/2026 10:06 AM

My Worship Time                                                                               Focus:  PT-4 “The Blessed”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                              Reference:  Luke 6:20b-23

Message of the verses:  “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.  Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be satisfied.  Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.  Blessed are you when men hate you, and ostracize you, and insult you, and scorn your name as evil, for the sake of the Son of Man.  Be glad in that day and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven.  For in the same way their fathers used to treat the prophets.”

            It is my desire to finish this section as it has taken longer than I thought it would and the reason is that I have been quoting many verses in order to help everyone to better understand what these verses mean.

            Now Jesus’ prediction came to pass as the apostles faced persecution from the Jewish authorities as seen in Acts 4:1-22; 5:17-40, which I will not quote here because of the length of those verses.  The church as a whole was also facing persecution as seen in Acts 8:1, 3); Herod murdered James, the brother of John (Acts 12:1-2); Stephen was martyred (Acts 7:58-60); Paul’s life amply fulfilled the Lord’s words about him to Ananias, “I will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake” (Acts 9:16; cf. 2 Cor. 11:22-23); and eventually as noted in earlier SD’s most of the apostles were martyred for their bold preaching of the gospel.  This still goes on in today’s world, all around the world, and it will come to conclusion during the last half of the tribulation period where millions will die for the cause of Christ, but then after the tribulation period ends with the second coming of Christ I don’t see any more of this kind of persecution as I look at the remaining chapters of Revelation.

            Now one would think could think that one would be fearful and despondent with all of these persecutions comes, Jesus commanded believers to be glad in that day and leap for joy.  MacArthur writes “The phrase in that day indicates that persecution will not be the constant lot of believers, but will happen occasionally.  Acts 2:47 describes a time when the church had ‘favor with all the people’ (cf. 5:13), while 9:31 records another time when ‘the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace, being built up; and going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to increase.’ Peter informed his readers that  trials last ‘a little while,’ and only happen ‘if necessary’ (1 Peter 1:6).”

(1 Peter 1:6)

^“6 In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various ^[trials,”

            “When they do face the world’s hostility, believers are to regard it as a time to be glad, to completely carried away to the point that they even leap for joy.  The reason for such exuberance on the part of persecuted believers is twofold.  First, they rejoice because they know that their reward is great in heaven.  To properly handle trails and opposition, Christians must have an otherworldly perspective.  They must keep in mind, as Paul wrote to the Corinthians, that ‘momentary, light afflictions is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the thing which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal’ (2 Cor. 4:17-18; cf. Rom. 8:18).

(cf. Rom. 8:18).

“18  For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”

“It was that heavenly focus that allowed the apostles, after having been beaten by the Sanhedrin, to leave ‘the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name’ (Acts 5:41).  Paul and Silas, having been beaten and put in the stocks at Philippi, nevertheless were ‘praying and singing hymns of praise to God (Acts 16:25).  Paul told the Colossians, ‘I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do not share on behalf of His body, which is the church, in fulling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions’ (Col. 1:24).  Enduring suffering and hostility is a mark of genuine saving faith (Matt. 10:22; 24:13).”

(Matt. 10:22; 24:13)

“22  and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.”

“13  But the one who endures to the end will be saved.”

            MacArthur concludes this section by writing “Not only their future reward in heaven, but second their association with the heroes of faith of the past should motivate believers to joyously endure hostility.  They are in the noblest of company, for in the same way, Jesus declared, their fathers used to treat the prophets (cf. Luke 11:47-51; 13:34; Acts 7:52; Rom. 11:3; 1 Thess. 2:15; James 5:10).

(cf. Luke 11:47-51; 13:34; Acts 7:52; Rom. 11:3; 1 Thess. 2:15; James 5:10)

“47  Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets whom your fathers killed. 48  So you are witnesses and you consent to the deeds of your fathers, for they killed them, and you build their tombs. 49  Therefore also the Wisdom of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and persecute,’ 50  so that the blood of all the prophets, shed from the foundation of the world, may be charged against this generation, 51  from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, it will be required of this generation.”

“34  O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!”

“52  Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered,”

“3  “Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life.’”

“15  who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out, and displease God and oppose all mankind”

“10  As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.”

Spiritual Meaning for my Life Today: I have to say that I have never physically suffered for the sake of the Lord but if that does happen my prayer is that I would not betray my Lord.

My Steps of Faith for Today: I am trusting in the Lord to be able to help my wife get through this next week before she receives treatment to help her endure the issues she is having with cancer.

7/18/2026 10:53 AM