Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"
The word "beatitude" is a big word which in the Bible is rendered as "blessed," and that simply means "happy." It means that certain people enjoy a happiness that is the natural result of their faith and obedience; it can also mean that God in a supernatural way gives happiness to such people. But we hasten to add that He does not show respect of persons, favoring one person over another (James 2:1).
Don't let Satan discourage you with his suggestion that you are not one of God's favored ones. You may feel that way, but that doesn't mean that his suggestion is true. Even Jesus as He hung on His cross cried out, "My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" No, because of Christ's sacrifice, you must believe that the Lord loves you and has chosen you to be His child. That's what the "believing" in John 3:16 means. So, who are the "blessed" ones in the Bible? The answer has to be: those who believe God's gracious Good News. Their faith works, and that is why they obey, and the natural result is "blessedness."
There are well over 100 "beatitudes" in the Bible. But when Jesus came, He surprised the Jews of His day with "blessings" that seemed directly the opposite of their ideas: "blessed are the poor in spirit," "Blessed are they that mourn," "Blessed are the meek," "Blessed are they who are hungry and thirsty," "Blessed are they which are persecuted," "Blessed are you when people revile you and say all manner of evil against you falsely," etc., etc. Stunning!
Those words awoke a class of people who had been educated to feel left out of the kingdom of God! Surely Jesus must have been impressed by that "beatitude" in Psalm 94:12 which says: "Blessed is the person whom you chasten, O Lord, and teach him out of Your law; that You may give him rest from the days of adversity." A happiness to be found in the most unexpected place! And Paul adds, "Whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son [daughter] whom He receiveth" (Heb. 12:6). Do you really want some evidence that He loves and receives you?
From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: April 12,1998.Copyright © 2011 by Robert J. Wieland.
Be sure to check your e-mail for "Dial Daily Bread" again tomorrow.
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Please forward these messages to your friends and encourage them to subscribe. The "Dial Daily Bread" Web site resides at: http://1888message.org/
To subscribe send an e-mail message with "subscribe" in the body of the message to: dailybread@1888message.org
------------------------------
Robert J. Wieland's inspirational "Dial Daily Bread" messages are availalbe via e-mail to anyone who wishes to receive a daily portion of uplifting Good News. "Dial Daily Bread" is FREE. Due to travel or other circumstances, there may be intervals when "Dial Daily Bread" will not be sent.
The word "beatitude" is a big word which in the Bible is rendered as "blessed," and that simply means "happy." It means that certain people enjoy a happiness that is the natural result of their faith and obedience; it can also mean that God in a supernatural way gives happiness to such people. But we hasten to add that He does not show respect of persons, favoring one person over another (James 2:1).
Don't let Satan discourage you with his suggestion that you are not one of God's favored ones. You may feel that way, but that doesn't mean that his suggestion is true. Even Jesus as He hung on His cross cried out, "My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" No, because of Christ's sacrifice, you must believe that the Lord loves you and has chosen you to be His child. That's what the "believing" in John 3:16 means. So, who are the "blessed" ones in the Bible? The answer has to be: those who believe God's gracious Good News. Their faith works, and that is why they obey, and the natural result is "blessedness."
There are well over 100 "beatitudes" in the Bible. But when Jesus came, He surprised the Jews of His day with "blessings" that seemed directly the opposite of their ideas: "blessed are the poor in spirit," "Blessed are they that mourn," "Blessed are the meek," "Blessed are they who are hungry and thirsty," "Blessed are they which are persecuted," "Blessed are you when people revile you and say all manner of evil against you falsely," etc., etc. Stunning!
Those words awoke a class of people who had been educated to feel left out of the kingdom of God! Surely Jesus must have been impressed by that "beatitude" in Psalm 94:12 which says: "Blessed is the person whom you chasten, O Lord, and teach him out of Your law; that You may give him rest from the days of adversity." A happiness to be found in the most unexpected place! And Paul adds, "Whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son [daughter] whom He receiveth" (Heb. 12:6). Do you really want some evidence that He loves and receives you?
From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: April 12,1998.Copyright © 2011 by Robert J. Wieland.
Be sure to check your e-mail for "Dial Daily Bread" again tomorrow.
------------------------------
Please forward these messages to your friends and encourage them to subscribe. The "Dial Daily Bread" Web site resides at: http://1888message.org/
To subscribe send an e-mail message with "subscribe" in the body of the message to: dailybread@1888message.org
------------------------------
Robert J. Wieland's inspirational "Dial Daily Bread" messages are availalbe via e-mail to anyone who wishes to receive a daily portion of uplifting Good News. "Dial Daily Bread" is FREE. Due to travel or other circumstances, there may be intervals when "Dial Daily Bread" will not be sent.
