Blessed are the persecuted

"Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:10

Paul wrote to Timothy: "All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution" (2 Timothy 3:12).

It is a fruit of saving faith in Jesus Christ to desire to live for Him and keep His Word. Those who repent of their rebellious and sinful ways and trust in Jesus for forgiveness and life do not desire to continue in sin and opposition to God and His ways. Rather, they desire to be more and more like Jesus who died for them and rose again.

The Bible says: "He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again" (2 Corinthians 5:15; cf. Romans 6:1ff.).

They continually acknowledge and confess their sins and failures to the LORD God, receive His forgiveness for the sake of Jesus' shed blood, and seek God's help and strength to amend their lives and live for Him (cf. Psalm 51; 1 John 1:7 -- 2:2).

However, in a world which is becoming more and more evil (cf. 2 Timothy 3:13), those who go against the flow and seek to keep God's commandments are not well received. They suffer persecution. But those who are persecuted in this world for seeking to live righteous and holy lives for Jesus their Savior are indeed blessed of God and can even rejoice in their suffering, for they have a place in God's eternal kingdom (cf. 1 Peter 3:14).

This does not mean they have a place in God's eternal kingdom because of their suffering here in this world. Rather, they are blessed, even in the midst of their suffering, because they have a place in God's eternal kingdom through faith in Jesus Christ, their Savior!

Dear Lord Jesus Christ, give me a steadfast heart, a heart which trusts in You alone for forgiveness of sins and eternal salvation, a heart which loves You and seeks to live for You even in the midst of suffering and persecution in this world, and a heart which rejoices because You have granted me a place in Your eternal kingdom. Amen.

[Devotion by Randy Moll. Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.]