Finale

Thus we come to the end of the Beatitudes. Jesus has just taken us on a journey of the heart. He took us to a place of righteousness, a place of right standing with Him. How amazing is our Lord when we do have to fear disappointing Him because we do not know how to please Him. He gives us a road map through the Beatitudes and continues on throughout the rest of the Bible. Even in the Old Testament we are faced with examples of how to please our God.

Getting back to the subject at hand, the Lord ends the Beatitudes with a simple statement. It is a statement of fact, not possibility:

"Blessed are you when they revile you and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake." Matthew 5:11 NKJV

It is a promise that we will get persecuted for our belief in Him. If we are not suffering for his name sake right now in our walk, then we must question the fact are we truly following Him? I am not talking about death our imprisonment, the suffering that I speak of is on a lower level. Are there those at work who talk about you because of your faith? Does your boss or friends threat you differently because of your faith. This is far from persecution, however, it does take us one step closer to that point of tolerance. If we cannot handle the discomfort of our daily lives how will we stand in that day against the forces of darkness for our King? If we cannot make a stand with those around us whom we know and have built a relationship with, how then can we say that we will stand against the devil? The truth is that persecution is coming, it will be coming very fast and swift. Plant your feet on the Rock, make Him your foundation.

But there is another promise:

"Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you." Matthew 5:12 NKJV

Who are we to think that we are above the patriarchs of our faith? No one of us have been through the trials of Job, no one of us has seen the persecutions of Daniel, no one of us have had a mission field that bore no fruit like Jeremiah. No one of us.

Continue to pray for the strength to stand in that day. Pray for the opportunity that your life might shine forth Jesus. Pray that you demeanor is so that no one can bring any ill repute against you save your faith in the Lord. Because of that life of faith, we have a reward in heaven. Our Lord promises us rest in Him, when that time comes. The Lord has equipped us with the knowledge. We will be persecuted, we will reap reward, we will live eternally.