22 May 2016
Two-Minute Features | 29 May 2016 | 15 May 2016

Beatitudes #8 & 9- The Persecuted, Part 2 (TMF:415)

Friday, May 27, 2016
Peace to Live By: Beatitudes #8 & 9- The Persecuted, Part 2 (TMF:415) - Daniel Litton
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       And it’s also important to note that this persecution can come from within our own families. For Jesus said, “Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law” (Luke 12:51-53, ESV). Jesus said that peace would be divided in families, but we can always live by peace of mind in our relationship with God and fellow believers. Jesus also guaranteed that people who are against us will say false things about us. I think many of us have experienced the persecution of false accusations in our lives, whether it was in grade school, within in your family, or even perhaps it is currently going on for you in your workplace. You stand for right things—for truth—and people may twist what you stand for.

Beatitudes #8 & 9- The Persecuted, Part 1 (TMF:414)

Thursday, May 26, 2016
Peace to Live By: Beatitudes #8 & 9- The Persecuted, Part 1 (TMF:414) - Daniel Litton
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       Now, for the final two Beatitudes: ““Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness 'sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” You see, Jesus guarantees his true followers that they will experience persecution in some way, shape, or form in their lives. If you’re a Christian and you never experience persecution, even here in the United States, then there is something wrong. You will definitely face persecution because if you are living a life of truth and speaking truth, there are going to people you come across who don’t agree with you, who think it’s just your opinion among many opinions. And some of these people who don’t like what you have to say, or what you stand for, will persecute you. Now, they may just say something against you, or joke about you, or they may even treat us abusively, whether emotionally or physically. People of the past persecuted the Jewish people and Christian people in their times, and it will be no different for us in this life both now and in the future.

Beatitude #7- The Peacemakers, Part 3 (TMF:413)

Wednesday, May 25, 2016
Peace to Live By: Beatitude #7- The Peacemakers, Part 3 (TMF:413) - Daniel Litton
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       I would like us to consider a couple of verses from the Apostle Paul written in Galatians chapter 6. Paul said, “Brothers and sisters, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:1-2, ESV). So, we as fellow believers are supposed to be gracious and kind to fellow believers within our church if they caught in a sin. When the person is repentant, we are to help the best we can to restore that person to fellowship. We are not supposed to be like the world, where often times when someone is caught doing something wrong, the world will send the person into exile. The person is expected to resign or whatever it be and go off into a corner, at least for a while. And that may be true for a time even with a Christian, but the person should be restored. We are supposed to help each other, in the body, with their problems and thereby facilitate peace and be a peacemaker. This makes God happy, and makes everyone happy really.

Beatitude #7- The Peacemakers, Part 2 (TMF:412)

Tuesday, May 24, 2016
Peace to Live By: Beatitude #7- The Peacemakers, Part 2 (TMF:412) - Daniel Litton
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       Paul also said, “And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body” (Colossians 3:15, ESV). So, in the household of God—the body of believers—we are to be peaceful within ourselves, which will then lead us to be peaceful with one another. And we can depend on God for our peace with others, as Paul said, “Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all” (2 Thessalonians 3:16, ESV). I would like us to consider a couple of verses from the Apostle Paul written in Galatians chapter 6. I think these verses are a good summery of being a peacemaker in the body of Christ. Paul said, “Brothers and sisters, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:1-2, ESV). So, we as fellow believers are supposed to be gracious and kind to fellow believers within our church if they caught in a sin.

Beatitude #7- The Peacemakers, Part 1 (TMF:411)

Monday, May 23, 2016
Peace to Live By: Beatitude #7- The Peacemakers, Part 1 (TMF:411) - Daniel Litton
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       The next Beatitudes states, ““Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” I think we in this country often have a misunderstanding of peace. Many think that to be peaceful means that you don’t ever say anything that might offend another person. They marry tolerance and peace together, and make them one and the same. In other words, if you're not tolerant of other people’s beliefs, you aren’t being peaceful toward others. But you’re not loving people if you don’t tell them the truth. After all, anyone who disbelieves in God and doesn’t live righteously is in route to hell, and freely letting people go to hell without telling them the truth isn’t very loving. It is true that Christians are supposed to try to live at peace with all, as the writer of Hebrews noted in Hebrews 12:14. In Matthew chapter 5, Jesus put a great emphasis on being at peace with your accuser—when your being accused of something. He also said that we, as Christians, should love our enemies and he described various ways we can do that. As a matter of fact, the third fruit of the Spirit, as mentioned by Paul, is “peace.” Paul also said, “And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body” (Colossians 3:15, ESV).