Thursday, August 30,
2012, 6:06 a.m. – the Lord woke me with the song “Blessed Are You.” Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening. I
read 2 Corinthians 6:3-10; 7:10 (NIV
1984):
We put no stumbling
block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. Rather,
as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in
troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in
hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and
kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the
power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left;
through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded
as impostors; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on;
beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making
many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything…
Since we have these
promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that
contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.
We Commend Ourselves
Paul said that he and his fellow ministers of the gospel
made it their goal to live exemplary lives (above reproach) so that their
ministry would not be discredited in any way, in order that no one would be
hindered from receiving Christ because of how they acted. Wow! I wish every
minister of the gospel today would have that same attitude about ministry.
In fact, as servants of God, they made it their goal and
practice to live in such a way as to demonstrate that they were true servants
of the Lord Jesus. They endured patiently many troubles, hardships, beatings,
imprisonments, hard work, sleepless nights, hunger, poverty, dishonor,
misrepresentation, and persecution for their testimonies for Jesus Christ.
In all this, they exemplified purity, patience, kindness,
sincere love, truthful speech and Christ’s righteousness. They did so in the fullness
of the Holy Spirit within them and in the power of God. Whether they were
treated justly, as they deserved, or unjustly, they endured all for the sake of
Jesus Christ and his gospel of salvation, and for the salvation of human lives.
Even in times of sorrow, they found cause for rejoicing. Even in poverty, they
recognized that true riches are spiritual, not of this world, and they, through
their witness for Christ made many rich in salvation. Amen! Even though they
had little in the way of worldly possessions, yet they recognized that they possessed
everything of eternal value. What a great attitude to have! I pray that I would
have this same kind of attitude under similar circumstances as theirs and for
the same reasons. What a great example to follow!
We Are Blessed
We are blessed (favored; cared for; provided for; protected;
and/or gifted) of God when we are poor (humble; contrite; and repentant) in
spirit, as were the apostles, and when we hunger and thirst after
righteousness, as they did; when we have sorrow and have anguish in our hearts
over lost sinners or wandering Christians, and when we are hated and rejected
because of our faith in and our testimony for Jesus Christ. We are to rejoice,
as did the apostles, that we are counted worthy to suffer for the sake of the
gospel. Yet, we must be careful to love those who hate us by praying for them, by
doing good (what is beneficial) for them, and by saying kind things about them.
We should always treat others the way in which we want to be treated. And, it
is of no credit to us if we love only those who love us. We must show the love
and mercy of Christ even to those who despise and mistreat us.
Blessed Are You /
An Original Work / August 29, 2012
Based off Luke 6:20-49 NIV 1984
“Blessed are you;
Blessed are you who
are poor
For God’s kingdom is
yours.
(Kingdom is yours)
Blessed are you;
Blessed are you who
are hungry,
You’ll be satisfied.
(Be satisfied)
Blessed are you;
Blessed are you who
weep now,
For you will laugh
with joy.
(Will laugh with joy)
Blessed are you;
Blessed are you when
men hate
And reject you because
of Christ.”
(Because of Christ)
“Rejoice in that;
Rejoice in that day
and
Leap for joy; great
your reward.
(Great your reward)
But I tell you;
But I tell you to love
those
Who hate you; do them
good.
(Do good to them)
Pray for those who;
Pray for those who
treat you wrong
And say kind things of
them.
(Kind things of them)
Do to others;
Do to others as you would
have
Them do; have them do
to you.”
(Them do to you)
“If you love those;
If you love those who
love you,
What praise is there
for you?
(What praise for you?)
Because Christ is;
Because Christ is
kind,
Be merciful, just like
He is.
(Just like He is)
Forgive others;
Forgive others their
offense
Against you; be ye
kind.
(Be kind to them)
Hear My words and;
Hear My words and put
them
Into practice, then
you’ll be fulfilled.”
(You’ll be fulfilled)
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