"Beatitudes" Pt. 9

"Beatitudes" Pt. 9

Matt. 5:11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute
you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for
so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Jesus saved the best for last in this Beatitude. He said that when
people do you wrong for his sake, great is your reward in heaven! Wait
a minute! You mean that we are going to heaven to get a great reward?
The reason I asked that question is because PEOPLE AREN'T PREACHING
HEAVEN AND HELL ANYMORE!!!!! The problem is that we have made the
earth our home but it's not! The reason why we have pain, hurt, misery
and turmoil here on earth is because this is not our home! All the
prosperity messages, the breakthrough messages, the money cometh
messages, and the television hype messages all suggest that we should
have heaven here on earth. But there is no way we can have heaven on a
place that is not our home. The sin here on earth should disturb us
but many of us are so busy trying to get all that we can until it
doesn't even bother us anymore. Sure, we are to have money, that's why
we have jobs and education. Sure we are to have peace, that's why we
don't practice sin. Sure we are to have a good time, that's why we
have family and friends. But we will continue to suffer and be
persecuted because this world is not our home.

Because so many don't have the hope in Christ's return anymore they do not
live like he is coming back. People feel that he is not coming back to
get us any time soon, so they live like the world and do what they did
back in Noah's day. But Jesus said that your hope in his imminent
return will cause you to walk purely. And that's the way it was when
we were younger. But now, church folks are thinking about what we can get
while we are here. I caught a glimpse of the 2009 Celebration of Gospel last night and
was so ashamed of the way Christians were seeking fame, fortune, and
worldly accolades for talents that God gave them. So many homosexuals and
secular performers. So many self centered performances and glory hogs! So
many tight skirts and painted on pants (that was man wearing those!) Aren't
you sick of some of these artists pretending to be deep and spiritual, yet hosting
an event that promotes homosexuality and worldliness? A truly Spiritual person,
especially one that supposedly struggled with homosexuality, wouldn't be caught
dead in an atmosphere so vile and godless. The Spirit of God was no where near
that event because God shuns people that don't stand against sinful
lifestyles and lasciviousness! I came to the conclusion that this
Celebration of Garbage will be going on even after Jesus has come and gone. We
are acting like this is our home and we should be celebrated for our
talents here on earth. But Jesus said great is your reward in heaven.
He also said that if you seek your reward here on earth, that's all you
will get. He said if you seek the praises of men, then that's all you
will get. But if you seek a reward in heaven, you will be greatly
rewarded when you return home. Heaven is our home people and the earth
is not. So, get your affections off this place and keep them in things
above. Save souls for the Kingdom and change lives, and stop seeking
to be something in this world. If you seek first the Kingdom of God,
then he will make you what you are to be and you will get your reward
in heaven! Jesus is coming back for us and we must be ready at all
times because he said, when the world forgets he is coming and are no
longer concerned with heaven and his return, that's the moment he will
return.
Suggested Reading: Matt. 6:2, Matt. 16:27, John 18:36, Matt. 24:44