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
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