By: Undre Griggs, Jr You ever think what it takes to be a peacemaker? When you do, you start to appreciate and understand why peacemakers are blessed. Matthew 5:9 (ESV): “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. The peacemakers play an active role in making peace with others. They are forgiving, kind, and gentle with the ungrateful and deplorable. When you can consider others greater than yourself, you will find it easier to forgive and treat others with kindness. The peacemakers have the ability to look someone filled with bitterness, envy, and anger in the face and tell them - you are my brethren. Luke 6:27-31 (ESV): “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 abuse you. To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them. To be at peace, requires a willingness to show mercy to others. I often think of this like gang violence. Retaliating against someone who wronged you will only create more violence. Reason being, as soon as one gang retaliates, the other now believes it has the right to retaliate. The only way for violence to end is for someone to decide he or she will not retaliate. When you do not blow your horn when someone cuts you off, the chance of road-rage occurring is eliminated. Like the other blessings we discussed in previous weeks, they have a heavenly and an earthly component. Luke 6:35-36 (ESV): 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 is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. Jesus reiterates the ability to be a peacemaker, to show mercy to the ungrateful and evil will entitle you to the honor of being a son of the Most High. We are empowered to be merciful with others because God is merciful with us. We are ungrateful and evil in our right. We all share the responsibly that required Jesus to die on the cross. It is His death and resurrection, His example, and the Father’s mercy that provides us the opportunity to be sons of the Most High. As much as it depends on you, make sure you are maker of peace with all: the evil and the righteous, the grateful and the ungrateful, as well as the benevolent and the vindictive. Not because you are condoning their actions, but because your kindness and obedience to the will of God may save their soul.
By: Undre Griggs, Jr. When the Bible is speaking of a pure heart, it is frequently speaking of our intentions, desires, and character. When we make decisions, what is our motivation? Are we coming from a place of wanting to help others, or are we seeking personal gain? Matthew 5:8 (ESV): “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” Having been baptized for the remission of sin, the pure in heart live a life in service to Jesus Christ. They serve Him by obeying His commands and serving others in need. They do not love solely in word, but by intentionally living a life of service. The pure in heart see opportunities to help, and feel compelled to do so. This does not need to be in extravagant ways. It can be giving someone a ride to the school, helping someone move, or offering to buy someone’s lunch. 1 Peter 1:22-23 (ESV): Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; Those who are willing to live the life of a pure heart will be rejoined with Jesus on the Last Day. As children of God, we are to be like Jesus. We should esteem others greater than ourselves, follow the will of Jehovah, and treat others as we want to be treated. 1 John 3:2 (ESV): Beloved, now are we children of God, and it is not yet made manifest what we shall be. We know that, if he shall be manifested, we shall be like him; for we shall see him even as he is. There is no greater blessing than the promise to see God. If we find it difficult to live a pure life, the promise to seeing God should motivate us to continue. The apostle Paul warns us not to grow weary in doing good, and it is with good reason. Putting the needs of others before your own is difficult in a world full of evil. But to change the world, we cannot do what the world does. We must live the life of Christ, being a light in the darkness.
By: Undre Griggs, Jr What a blessing it is to be merciful to others. Like many of the blessings we discussed in previous weeks, there are immediate blessings on earth and eternal blessings in heaven. Our ability to forgive and show mercy to others is directly related to the forgiveness and mercy God shows us. Matthew 5:7 (ESV): “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.” The Greek word for mercy in the above verse can also be translated as compassionate. When we show compassion for the situations others are going through, they are appreciative and reciprocate the kind gesture. If we attempt to understand the difficulties others face, we will offer assistance, solutions, or our time. Like faith producing works, mercy and compassion will produce action as well. Colossians 3:12-13 (ESV): Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. When we are sympathetic, we will exhibit patience and forgiveness. We will be kind in our interactions and speak in a humble manner. Even though we will interact with people who do not deserve mercy, we will be humble because we know we do not deserve mercy either. The mercy God shows us by providing us the opportunity to enter the kingdom of heaven is more than any of us deserve. If we remain focused on this blessing, we will be equipped for the task of forgiving those who do not warrant it. Psalm 103:2-4 (ESV): Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, On earth, those who show compassion to others are respected and admired. They receive blessings on earth because people feel compelled to return the favor when they are going through a tough time. From a Spiritual perspective, God forgives and shows mercy to those who show mercy to others. Since we have all sinned, God’s mercy is the only way we will obtain entry into heaven. Mercy is more than words; it is the action of showing patience, endurance, kindness, and humility. Mercy is a choice we can make every day, and it is a choice God rewards us for making.
By: Undre Griggs, Jr. Jesus transitions from the humble and content being blessed in their suffering and mistreatment, to the righteous being blessed in their desire to live a virtuous life. Matthew 5:6 (ESV): “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. A person who seeks righteousness is not going to deal in unethical transactions. This will ensure they are well respected by their contemporaries. A righteous person is not going to mislead others or make decisions that benefit them at the expense of others. They are going to esteem others greater than themselves and they are going to protect the innocent. Isaiah 33:15-17 (ESV): He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly, who despises the gain of oppressions, who shakes his hands, lest they hold a bribe, who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed and shuts his eyes from looking on evil, he will dwell on the heights; his place of defense will be the fortresses of rocks; his bread will be given him; his water will be sure. Your eyes will behold the king in his beauty; they will see a land that stretches afar. The life of an immoral person may appear to be fun on the outside, but they are often living in paranoia. They cannot trust those they interact with because everyone is unethical and dishonorable. An unrighteous person is not concerned about the wellbeing of others and ignores evil when it benefits them. This may benefit a short-term life on earth, but it will not bode well for their Judgment. Jesus expects the righteous to be willing to put their interests aside for others. When we do this, He will provide us protection. As our Savior, Jesus will ensure we are made whole. He will restore us from all we lose while on earth. Matthew 18:18 (ESV): Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. If our focus is solely on preserving whatever life we have gained on earth, we will be unable to partake in a reward of the righteous. The righteous are righteous because God is righteous. For that reason, if we do not live a life in-line with the word of God, we are not righteous and cannot inherit His kingdom. By living a selfless life, we show our faith and trust in God. When we make decisions motivated by greed or fear, we are showing God we do not believe in His ability to provide for us. And as the apostle Paul said in Hebrews 11:6, “without faith it is impossible to please God.”
In His desire for us to live a blessed lives, Jesus shares the need for us to be meek. The meek have the promise of being blessed as well as the promise of inheriting the earth. Meekness is not a weakness, as some believe, but a confidence in the will of God. It is the understanding; I can be content in all outcomes, because I know God is in control. Not that everything will go exactly as we want, but the belief everything will work for the good to them who love God (Romans 8:28). Matthew 5:5 (NKJV): Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth. The Meek inheriting the earth is actually a promise found in the Old Testament. The 37th Psalm is a Psalm of David and it says the meek (v. 11) and righteous (v. 29) will inherit the earth. David encourages the righteous not to worry about what evildoers are doing. He tells us not to be envious of the prosperity they have gained while on earth, because their victory is limited. Sometimes it may seem as if people are getting away with wrongdoing, but it is not our obligation to bring everyone to justice. David does not us to be tempted with short-term gains as the expense of long-term suffering. The Psalm says the wicked will be cut down like grass and wither like green herbs. Psalm 37:3-8 (NKJV): Trust in the Lord, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass. He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, And your justice as the noonday. Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret—it only causes harm. The meek and gentle understand God is in control and they do not need to worry. Peace of mind, patience, and trust are the signs of the meek and righteous. Those who lean on their own understanding will find themselves discouraged, impatient, and anxious. They will sacrifice their salvation for a moment of satisfaction. Do not let the success of someone “doing it the wrong way” cause you to doubt whether God is in control. God promises all will be judged, and they will reap what they sow. No matter how beneficial evil may appear for a time, it will lead to destruction. So do not be tempted. Be strong in your faith, patient and meek in your interactions, for you will receive your inheritance.
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Dean Road
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