In the last entry (“Many Forms“) I mused on the real problem with complaint, fretting, and irritation. It may well be that the cause of these negative thoughts, speech, feelings, and actions are physical or mental/emotional, but they will soon become a spiritual problem unless immediately curbed. So, it may be that I have to take care of physical problems like fatigue, hunger, sickness, or emotional problems like stress or broken relationship. Charles Stanley liked to say that one should HALT what they are doing when Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired, and correct these things before making any decision or moving forward. They increase the likelihood of falling to temptation. Eat, discover the source of anger and resolve it, be reconciled and build relationships, rest, and cover all things with prayer.
These considerations are all along the lines of what needs to be done when I am in a place of temptation or have fallen to it. Of course, with the latter there is also repentance. But prevention and maintenance of a peace and joy requires more. I think that the best way to avoid complaining, fretting, and irritation is to regularly praise God and be thankful to Him in all things. Certainly, being thankful in general is good, that is, being appreciative to those around us. But this is no call to thanking the Native Americans at Thanksgiving or thanking your lucky stars. The Pilgrims thanked God for protection and abundance. Thankfulness is a Christian discipline, privilege, and conduit for blessedness of soul. Being the giver of all good gifts (James 1:17), God deserves our thanksgiving for what He does. He also deserves our praise for who He is. Being rightly oriented to God through praise and thanksgiving brings joy and peace and the blessedness of God’s presence.
I want to live more in that light and less in the blasphemous darkness of complaint, fretting, and irritation.
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Moving Forward
Posted in Assurance, Civil Debate, Consequences, Cultural commentary, Faith, General, God Thoughts, Gospel, Implications, Sermon, Society, tagged bible, Blessed, Blessedness, Charlie Kirk, christianity, Faith, God, Jesus, Persecution, Results of Persecution, Sermon on the Mount on September 17, 2025| Leave a Comment »
I avoid political comment or commentary on this blog, but Charlie Kirk’s death is not primarily or most essentially a political assassination. His was a death (1) for his faith and the boldness with which he proclaimed the truth of God’s Word and power of Christ to save those who will turn from their wickedness to trust in the finished work of Christ on the cross and in His resurrection. This past Sunday, my pastor preached on how the Beatitudes of Matthew 5 apply to this and other situations of persecution. You can hear the sermon at “The True Meaning of the Blessed Life”. Without fully reviewing or summarizing the sermon, I want to point out three ideas that he communicated about the text, Matthew 5:1-12.
Firstly, he pointed out that the word “blessed” that Jesus spoke to His Jewish hearers would be understood to mean a “spiritual well-being growing out of a close relationship with God resulting in a happiness and settled nature in the recipient.” This is not prosperity gospel; it is peace and joy in knowing God.
Secondly, verses 3-9 about what blessedness looks like will result in verses 10-12, persecution. I add that Paul said, “all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” (2) Therefore, Peter explains that since you do not do their sinful deeds, “In all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them into the same excesses of dissipation, and they malign you.” (3) On the other hand, “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you.” (4). Persecution for doing what is right is to be expected.
Lastly, my pastor began listing some of the benefits of persecution even in the face of its horrors and difficulty. He seemed to have perhaps four or five items on his list, but he went on to list many more from which I made the following list:
Persecution brings
In all of these encouragements I have realized another most obvious result which Peter says most clearly, “If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.” (4) The reason for the 16 things above in the life of individuals and the Church is the presence of God. I do not desire persecution to come, but God will bless us as believers when it does- all glory be to Him. May God give us zeal through the loss of this brother in Christ to raise up many more like him, bold to proclaim truth.
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