SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 6/17/2020 10:00 AM
My Worship Time Focus: PT-3 “The
Posture”
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Matthew 5:12
Message of the verse: “12 "Rejoice
and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they
persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
As
we continue with this last verse in the Beatitudes I want to begin by saying
that when a believer suffers for our Lord what happens is that we join with the
prophets and the other saints of old who “experienced mockings and scourgings,
yes, also chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they
were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in
sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated 38 (men of whom the world was not worthy),
wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground” (Hebrews
11:36-38). We can see from verse 38 that
the world was not worthy of their company, but surely every persecuted believe
is. MacArthur states “To be persecuted
verifies that we belong to the line of the righteous.
“Our
assurance of salvation does not come from knowing we made a decision somewhere
in the past. Rather, our assurance that
the decision was a true decision for Jesus Christ is found in the life of
righteousness that results in suffering for the sake of Christ. Many will claim to have preached Christ, cast
out demons, and done mighty works for His sake, but will be refused heaven
(Matt. 7:21-23). But none who have
suffered righteously for Him will be left out.”
The
world and the people of the world for the most part cannot handle the righteous
life that characterizes kingdom living.
I surely can see that in one of the political parties who desired to
have God removed from their platform and also want “In God we Trust” taken off
our money, and they don’t want to swear by the Lord when taking office anymore,
as the righteous living of believers is not understandable to them and
therefore they hate it. “Poverty of
spirit runs counter to the pride of the unbelieving heart.” The one who is repentant and contrite in
disposition, the one who mourns over sin is never appreciated by the callous,
indifferent, unsympathetic world which is becoming more and more evident in our
world today. MacArthur adds “The meek
and quiet spirit that takes wrong and does not strike back is regarded as
pusillanimous (fearful), and it rasps against the militant, vengeful spirit
characteristic of the world. To long
after righteousness is repugnant to those whose fleshly cravings are rebuked by
it, as is a merciful spirit to those whose hearts are hard and cruel. Purity of heart is a painful light that
exposes hypocrisy and corruption, and peacemaking is a virtue praised by the contentious,
self-seeking world in words but not in heart.”
John
MacArthur concludes his comments on this Beatitude along with all of the
beatitudes with a story that I will quote as we also end our study of the
Beatitudes.
“John Chrysostom, a godly
leader in the fourth-century church, preached so strongly against sin that he
offended the unscrupulous Emperor Arcadius, Chrysostom was threatened with
banishment if he did not cease his uncompromising preaching. His response was, ‘Sire, you cannot banish
me, for the world is my Father’s house.’
‘Then I will slay you,’ Arcadius said.
‘Nay but you cannot, for my life is hid with Christ in God,’ came the
answer. ‘Your treasures will be
confiscated,’ was the next threat, to which John replied, ‘Sire, that cannot
be, either. My treasures are in heaven,
where none can break through and steal.’
‘Then I will drive you from man, and you will have no friends left!’ was the final, desperate warning. ‘That you cannot do, either,’ answered John, ‘for
I have a Friend in heaven who has said, ‘I will never leave you or forsake you.’” Chrysostom was indeed banished, first to
Armenia and then farther away to Pityus on the Black Sea, to which he never
arrived because he died on the way. But
neither his banishment nor his death disproved or diminished his claims. The things that he valued mostly highly not
even and emperor could take from him.”
This
ends our study of the Beatitudes which began on March 22 of this year. I have learned much over these almost three
months. I hope that everyone who has
read these also have learned from the Beatitudes and that it will make a
difference in how you live your life for the Lord.
6/17/2020 10:43 AM
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