The Verse of the Day

-October 1, 2020-

Good morning, happy Thursday,

-Blessed Are Those Who Are Reviled And Persecuted For Jesus’ Sake-

“Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

(Matthew 5:11-12).

The context of today’s verses is that Jesus is giving His revered “Sermon on the Mount.” Jesus uses the phrase, “Blessed Are,” nine times in Matthew 5:3-12. This teaching represents how we should live in the kingdom of God. He says, Blessed are the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, those who are persecuted, and those who are reviled and persecuted for Jesus’ sake.

Those who believe in Jesus are persecuted for their association with the Savior. They are treated badly for doing good. They are hated for their love for Jesus and the people of God. Jesus said in John 15:18-19, “If the world hates you, you know that hated Me before it hated you. If you were of this world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of this world, but I chose you out of of the world, therefore the world hates you.”

Believers ever since have experienced some form of persecution. The crime of the these followers is their identification with Jesus. They are falsely accused and attacked. Some persecution is physical, some is mental, some emotional, and some spiritual. Paul wrote, “Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12).

A believer is not only content to suffer for Christ but rejoices with exceedingly great joy. Peter and John were beaten and thrown into prison. Acts 5:41 says of them, “So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name.”

There are places in the world today where believers face heavy physical persecution and are even put to death. But in our country, though we are not physically persecuted, we are put down, reviled, and falsely accused, and discriminated against. You can talk about God and religion and you may be tolerated, but if you mention the name of Jesus Christ, you will be attacked and unmercifully.

May the Lord help us to identify with Him, share the gospel, and live godly in Christ. Jesus promised, “… for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Have a blessed day living for and speaking of Jesus. Stay safe and healthy.

Dean