The Ultimate Kingdom

Heart Prep

Lord, help me to be strong for You in this life and to remember that
I am living for Your Kingdom and not my own.

Matthew 5:10 “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Jesus knew, as He spoke His “Sermon on the Mount”, that righteous living, although it will bring our ultimate reward in heaven, might bring us difficulties on this earth. In the verse above, Jesus says that if we are persecuted for the sake of our righteousness, we will be blessed. That does not mean that we will necessarily always feel blessed as we live our life on this earth, but it does mean that we will be blessed by God for our obedience. If you have ever been made fun of or persecuted for believing in Jesus, for reading your Bible, or being open about your prayer life, God knows about it and has blessed you for it. If your friends or family do not understand your dedication to going to church or living a pure life, do not let that discourage you. The Bible teaches that no matter what difficulties or persecution we face in this life, it will seem so small compared to the great joy and fulfillment we will have with Jesus as we spend eternity with Him. So, keep your eyes on Jesus, “Who endured the cross, hating its shame, because of the joy that was set before Him” (Hebrews 12:2). As you go through your day today, remember the ultimate joy you have in Christ, and remind your Christian friends, too, that no matter what other people think about your Christian life, you are blessed by God because you have an eternal joy awaiting.

Life Application

What is God saying to me?

Something I want to remember from this is....

How does this change my life and what are my next steps?