Thursday 9 Nov 2017

November 9: Matthew 5:1-12

Key Verse: Matthew 5:12
Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Devotion:
The one thing everyone is after is happiness. Everyone who has lived has sought happiness, but, sadly, not everyone will find it. Our view of happiness may not agree with what everyone else's view and it will probably not agree with what others think our happiness should be! But Christ has promised us we will find happiness so long as we seek it from Him... If we are willing to live our lives for Christ, then He will be willing to bring happiness into our lives – but that happiness will not necessarily be a worldly happiness everyone else will be after. This happiness which Christ gives us is a happiness no other can give us!

If we are willing to put the world behind us and follow Christ's will, then we will certainly find a great peace and comfort which will be better than any worldly example we can seek for! If we are willing to lay aside our need and greed for worldly comforts, we will find spiritual comforts which will far outweigh worldly comforts. Christ gives eight perfect characteristics that should be in our lives in our walk with Him.

We don't have to be rich in worldly items to be happy because true happiness is spiritual. We will find greater happiness when we comfort others and love others so we miss them when they are gone. We don't have to seek popularity and notoriety because God has already promised us the earth! We need to seek out good things because it is those things we seek which will fill our souls. Showing mercy to others will allow them to show mercy to us. Being content with what God gives us will stop us from focusing on earthly things all the time. Keeping the peace instead of causing arguments will help us to be more like Him. And when we get mocked for being Christians, we need to stand proud because others have finally recognised us as being God's Children! Then we know our happiness is secure!

Points to Ponder:
What sort of person would you like to have in charge of your country?

Are you heading for a worldly slump or a Godly blessing?