24 April 2016
Two-Minute Features | 01 May 2016 | 17 April 2016

Beatitude #3- The Meek, Part 1 (TMF:395)

Friday, April 29, 2016
Peace to Live By: Beatitude #3- The Meek, Part 1 (TMF:395) - Daniel Litton
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       The third Beatitude is this: “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5, ESV). When we look at meekness, I think it is important to have the right idea in mind. Meekness means to be gentle and submissive. Looking at the fruits of the Spirit, you’ll remember that one of them is “gentleness.” It is important that we as believers are not quick tempered and that we are kind to others. But, as Christians we also need to be meek in that we are submissive to the Lordship of Christ. When we were saved, we accepted Jesus as Savior and ‘Lord.’ That is, we acknowledged that Jesus would be in control of our lives—that he would have the say in the things that really matter because he knows what is best for us. We surrendered our lives over to him. Having an angry spirit will definitely hinder our ability, as believers, to be “meek.” Sometimes we have anger deep down because of things that have happened to us in the past.

Beatitude #2- Those Who Mourn, Part 3 (TMF:394)

Thursday, April 28, 2016
Peace to Live By: Beatitude #2- Those Who Mourn, Part 3 (TMF:394) - Daniel Litton
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       We not only realize that our own sinful human flesh is corrupt, and this makes us mourn, but we also realize that the world is fallen and corrupted. Again, let’s look at what Paul had to say about this subject. If we turn the next chapter over, to Romans 8, we see the following, starting in verse 18: “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved” (Romans 8:18-24, ESV). So, the world in which we live has been corrupted by our own sin natures. This occurred when Adam and Eve first sinned in the garden of Eden back at the beginning of time. Remember, though, that God has promised that he will renovate the earth for the 1,000-year Reign of Christ.

Beatitude #2- Those Who Mourn, Part 2 (TMF:393)

Wednesday, April 27, 2016
Peace to Live By: Beatitude #2- Those Who Mourn, Part 2 (TMF:393) - Daniel Litton
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       Remember what the Apostle Paul said at the end of Romans chapter 7? Let’s turn over there quickly. So turn or tap there, and let’s consider Romans chapter 7 and verses 21 through 25. This text states: “So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin” (ESV). Here, Paul is talking about his current condition as a Christian. It grieved Paul that even though he wanted to do good to please God, his sin nature in his body would get the best of him from time to time. And as I already stated, it is true that we as Christians don’t lose our sin nature in this life. We will still sin against God even though we want to do good. Now, this is not an excuse to sin at will, but it simply means that no matter how hard we try, we will still fail. But God still loves us.

Beatitude #2- Those Who Mourn, Part 1 (TMF:392)

Tuesday, April 26, 2016
Peace to Live By: Beatitude #2- Those Who Mourn, Part 1 (TMF:392) - Daniel Litton
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       Now, the second Beatitude states: “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” (Matthew 5:4, ESV). When Jesus talks about those who are mourning, that they should be happy, who is he talking about? Is he talking about those who have lost a loved one and are continuing to mourn for the person long after he or she is gone? The Apostle Paul told us never to have prolonged grief over a deceased Christian like unbelievers who have no hope. You see, we as Christians always have hope when a fellow brother or sister dies. This is because we know the person is in a far better place now. We know the person is in complete peace and has full assurance of security in Heaven. It is really us who are left behind who are in bad shape compared to Christians who die. Is Jesus then talking about an unbeliever who has died? No, I don’t think that’s his point here. Jesus isn’t talking about the mourning that comes from grieving over a person who had died, but rather he is talking about the mourning the occurs from realizing our own sinful state and the corruption of the world around us. It grieves us, as Christians, when we realize how bad we are—how unlike Christ we can be.

Beatitude #1- The Poor in Spirit, Part 4 (TMF:391)

Monday, April 25, 2016
Peace to Live By: Beatitude #1- The Poor in Spirit, Part 4 (TMF:391) - Daniel Litton
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       But just because we all need to grow—we all need to change our behaviors—doesn’t mean we have to let that feeling of being poor in spirit overtake us. God doesn’t want us to walk around joyless and without peace. Why, the fruits of the Spirit include both joy and peace. We will all make mistakes in life, both big and small, and we will always make mistakes to some degree. God doesn’t rid us of our human flesh when we become Christians, but rather is he waiting until we die or are Raptured in order to give us our new, resurrection bodies. Now, understanding we will always make mistakes as long as we live here on earth shouldn’t discourage us from being happy. Rather, we should be happy in this realization so that we will not worry that we are unusual or unspiritual when we do in fact make mistakes. We have to allow God to change us from the inside out, yielding to God the Holy Spirit as he convicts us of sin and works in us for our own good. And we must never give up at trying to do good, no matter how often we receive correction or find ourselves correcting ourselves.