BLESSINGS
Jesus' disciples gathered around him, and he taught them:
God blesses those people who depend only on him. They belong to the kingdom of heaven!
God blesses those people who grieve. They will find comfort
God blesses those people who are humble. The earth will belong to them!
God blesses those people who want to obey him more than to eat or drink. They will be given what they want!
God blesses those people who are merciful. They will be treated with mercy!
God blesses those people whose hearts are pure. They will see him!
God blesses those people who make peace. They will be called his children!
God blesses those people who are treated badly for doing right. They belong to the kingdom of heaven.
God will bless you when people insult you, mistreat you, and tell all kinds of evil lies about you because of me. Be happy and excited! You will have a great reward in heaven.
Matthew 5:1-12 Contemporary English Version (CEV)
When we think of blessings, we often think of receiving something tangible we can see or use in some way. Believers in Jesus Christ know we are blessed with mercy, peace and protection, among the many other things God gives to show His love for His children. However, Jesus spoke in His Sermon on the Mount of the blessings on our lives that could manifest into material possession when we receive the kinds of blessings He spoke of as we live following Him to the Kingdom of God. He gave His life to bless us with eternal life there. With these words, He told us how to "Be" for further blessings by God as we live on earth.
When most of us see a child cry, we try to comfort the child in some way. The blessing of comfort is not usually an inanimate article that they can hold in their hands. It is often a hug or words spoken softly to remind them that we care for them. We can present them with a toy or some other tool designed to bring pleasure but the feelings transferred through loving contact does a much better job of comforting a child than more stuff.
We are God's children blessed with God's love. In the Beatitudes, Jesus shared with His disciples what blessings could come from adversity, humility, persecution and believing in Him. These blessings extend to those who follow Him even now. In this world that we live in, we will need these blessings to survive until Christ returns but we will need to follow His instructions to receive them. Pure hearts and obedience are two things God asks for in return for His promises to bless us. Our devotion to the ways of our Lord and Savior may seem difficult to follow at times, but a great reward is promised to those who try. God is the Giver of Blessings and it pleases Him to bless us all.
Be blessed!
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