(Breath of Life Theme Music)
00:00:01.36\00:00:06.90
Sermon #B681 - Living
Your Blessed Life_Part 3
00:00:06.94\00:00:20.82
Dr. Byrd: Take your Bibles,
and turn with me to the Book of
00:00:20.85\00:00:23.45
Matthew. Matthew Chapter 5 is
where we are going, and we are
going to three verses.
00:00:23.49\00:00:27.89
The final three beatitudes,
three verses, Matthew Chapter 5,
and we are going to Verse number
00:00:27.92\00:00:35.46
9. Matthew Chapter 5, Verse
number 9. 9, 10, 11, 12, the
three final Beatitudes.
00:00:35.50\00:00:40.84
The word of God, Jesus Himself
speak and says in Matthew
chapter 5 verse number 9,
00:00:40.87\00:00:47.58
"Blessed are the peacemakers.
They should be called the
00:00:47.61\00:00:54.28
children of God. Blessed are
they which are persecuted for
righteousness' sake, for theirs
00:00:54.32\00:01:02.29
is the Kingdom of Heaven." Verse
number 11, "Blessed are ye when
men shall revile you and shall
00:01:02.32\00:01:08.43
persecute you, and shall say all
manner of evil against you
falsely, lying on you for My
00:01:08.46\00:01:14.67
sake." Because Jesus says in
verse number 12, "Rejoice and be
exceeding glad for great is your
00:01:14.70\00:01:22.44
reward in heaven. For so
persecuted, they the prophets,
which were before you."
00:01:22.48\00:01:29.82
Before I talk with you, let us
talk with God. God bless us now.
00:01:29.85\00:01:33.39
Oh, we have listened to a
wonderful selection by True
00:01:33.42\00:01:37.59
Identity. Lord, we have listened
to our praise to you. We worship
you through offering
00:01:37.63\00:01:41.16
and children's ministries. We
worship you through prayer on
the call to worship.
00:01:41.20\00:01:45.67
Oh, but God it is time for you
to speak. Speak Lord for your
00:01:45.70\00:01:52.34
servant's hereth, and we promise
we will give you praise, honor,
and glory, not hiding behind
00:01:52.37\00:01:55.64
your cross. Forgive me of my
sins. I am not worthy to stand
00:01:55.68\00:01:59.61
here today; but Lord, I thank
you for those twins called
"grace and mercy." Grace and
00:01:59.65\00:02:05.32
mercy, I praise you for
them because of them, we are not
00:02:05.35\00:02:08.19
consumed. And so Lord God, I
pray that you would speak, and
when the appeal time comes.
00:02:08.22\00:02:12.36
I pray that men and women, boys
and girls, who respond to your
00:02:12.39\00:02:16.20
voice, they will make the
decision to live a blessed life
for you. It is in the name of
00:02:16.23\00:02:23.17
Jesus, we pray. Begging you,
Oh God, for forgiveness of sin.
00:02:23.20\00:02:29.14
Amen. Amen. Living your blessed
life part three. Living your
00:02:29.18\00:02:36.02
blessed life 103. We come now to
part three in this series,
living your blessed life.
00:02:36.05\00:02:42.39
In part one, we discussed
the first three beatitudes.
00:02:42.42\00:02:47.50
In part number two, we discussed
the next three beatitudes,
beatitudes four, five, and six.
00:02:47.56\00:02:54.14
Today, we have come to part
three, and we will discuss the
final three beatitudes.
00:02:54.17\00:03:01.64
Now quickly, let us get
straight into the text today.
00:03:01.68\00:03:04.05
Jesus says that in Matthew 5:9,
beatitude number 7, "Blessed are
00:03:04.08\00:03:10.75
the peacemakers. For they shall
be called the children of God."
00:03:10.79\00:03:15.46
Now, let us begin by looking
at this word, peacemaker.
00:03:15.49\00:03:20.36
This word is what we call a
compound word because it is made
up of two very common words,
00:03:20.40\00:03:28.17
peace and maker. When we have
peace and we have maker, we have
00:03:28.20\00:03:37.21
peacemaker. The word peace means
freedom from disturbance.
Freedom from trouble. Freedom
00:03:37.25\00:03:45.92
from commotion. It comes from
the Greek or the Hebrew word
meaning, "shalom," and in
00:03:45.95\00:03:52.39
biblical days, when Jews said,
"shalom," they were wishing the
full presence, the full peace,
00:03:52.43\00:04:00.70
and the full prosperity of God's
blessings on another individual.
00:04:00.74\00:04:05.21
The second word after peace is
maker, and maker comes from the
Greek verb that means to do or
00:04:05.24\00:04:14.18
to make. So a maker then is
a person that produces or makes
00:04:14.22\00:04:19.52
something. A maker does not just
watch something. A maker does
not just talk about something.
00:04:19.55\00:04:26.46
A maker does not just wish
something, but a maker does
00:04:26.49\00:04:33.67
something. In the text, Jesus is
not saying blessed are the peace
wishers, or the blessed are the
00:04:33.70\00:04:42.04
peace hopers, or peace dreamers,
peace lovers, or the peace
talkers, or the peace watchers;
00:04:42.08\00:04:49.12
but Jesus is saying blessed are
the peacemakers, which means
then peace must be made.
00:04:49.15\00:04:57.59
Peace does not happen by chance.
A peacemaker makes peace happen.
Are you hearing what I am
00:04:57.63\00:05:06.37
saying? When we put these two
words together and we put them
together, peace and maker,
00:05:06.40\00:05:13.48
it describes somebody who
is intentionally and actively
00:05:13.51\00:05:21.45
seeking peace. Someone who is
actively pursuing peace, that is
00:05:21.48\00:05:27.69
a peacemaker. You need to know
that peacemaking is not always
easy. Sometimes, peacemaking can
00:05:27.72\00:05:37.23
be tough. Sometimes peacemaking
does not even work. There are
some people who love mess, love
00:05:37.27\00:05:45.74
confusion, and love picking
fights with everybody they come
in contact with. They are
00:05:45.77\00:05:52.71
mean-spirited, they are messy,
and they love keeping up
confusion and commotion.
00:05:52.75\00:05:57.75
I believe somebody knows
somebody like that. Sometimes,
00:05:57.79\00:06:01.92
peacemakers have to become
troublemakers to make peace
because real troublemakers are
00:06:01.96\00:06:09.13
causing trouble, and peacemakers
have to trouble the
troublemakers to bring about
00:06:09.16\00:06:12.57
peace. You all don't here what I
am saying? Peacemaking is not to
be confused with pacifism.
00:06:12.60\00:06:19.04
Because sometimes, in
order to be a peacemaker,
00:06:19.07\00:06:22.94
you have got to be a
troublemaker for the sake of
peace and speak up against what
00:06:22.98\00:06:31.99
is wrong and speak
up for what is right.
00:06:32.02\00:06:36.16
Remember, it was Dr.
Martin Luther King who said,
00:06:36.19\00:06:38.49
"In the end, we will not
remember the words of our
00:06:38.53\00:06:44.10
enemies, but we will remember
the silence of our friends." And
during this period of civil and
00:06:44.13\00:06:51.77
social and racial unrest in our
world, some people,
unfortunately for them, have
00:06:51.81\00:06:58.58
accused me, picture that, of
being a troublemaker. They said
I am a troublemaker causing
00:06:58.61\00:07:05.19
discord and causing strife
simply because I have been
peacefully protesting against
00:07:05.22\00:07:12.13
injustices and speaking up for
the removal of Confederate
monuments and statutes.
00:07:12.16\00:07:18.70
But the reality, friends, is
this: if people would act right,
you all do not hear what I am
00:07:18.73\00:07:25.17
saying. If they would act right,
I would not have to peacefully
00:07:25.21\00:07:29.14
protest. I would not have to
march if people would just act
00:07:29.18\00:07:33.38
right. I was in downtown
Huntsville when we were marching
00:07:33.42\00:07:37.62
earlier this year. And somebody,
I had to tell them, "Look, we
are not here because of
00:07:37.65\00:07:44.69
something we have done. We are
here because of something
someone else has done.
00:07:44.73\00:07:48.93
If a knee had not been put on
George Floyd's neck, we would
not have to be here.
00:07:48.96\00:07:54.77
If Breonna Taylor had not been
shot while she was sleeping, we
would not have to be here.
00:07:54.80\00:08:00.38
If Ahmaud Arbery had not been
shot while jogging, we would not
00:08:00.41\00:08:05.81
have to be here. If the police
had not been called on Christian
Cooper while he was
00:08:05.85\00:08:12.05
bird-watching in Central Park in
New York, we would not be here.
Do not get it twisted. Because I
00:08:12.09\00:08:17.23
think sometimes, we get this
thing twisted. We are not here
because of something we have
00:08:17.26\00:08:21.66
done. We are here because
of something somebody else has
00:08:21.70\00:08:25.67
done." Sometimes a peacemaker
has to become a troublemaker for
00:08:25.70\00:08:31.71
the sake of peace. It was the
great John Lewis who said there
is something called "good
00:08:31.74\00:08:37.05
trouble." I wish I had
a witness in this place.
00:08:37.08\00:08:39.31
On the other hand,
troublemakers, real
troublemakers, who make trouble
00:08:39.35\00:08:47.52
for the sake of trouble, are
people who spread rumors and
gossip about others.
00:08:47.56\00:08:51.93
Troublemakers are people
who constantly promote discord.
00:08:51.96\00:08:56.73
Troublemakers are people who
are always faults-finding and
00:08:56.77\00:09:02.44
finger-pointing. Troublemakers
are people who find joy and
happiness when scandal or
00:09:02.47\00:09:10.08
trouble abounds. But I am so
glad today that the good news of
the gospel is simply this:
00:09:10.11\00:09:15.82
that a troublemaker can become a
peacemaker. By beholding Jesus,
we can become change.
00:09:15.85\00:09:24.39
But no one can become a
peacemaker until he or she has
found peace in himself or
00:09:24.43\00:09:31.70
herself. In other words, you
cannot make peace if you do not
have peace. You cannot give what
00:09:31.73\00:09:39.07
is not in you. But I am so glad
that I serve Jesus. I am so glad
today that I serve the Supreme
00:09:39.11\00:09:48.65
Peacemaker. I am so glad today
that before Jesus came to this
Earth as a [inaudible],
00:09:48.68\00:09:54.16
it was prophesied that he would
be the coming Prince of Peace.
00:09:54.19\00:09:58.43
Jesus came to this earth to
establish peace. His message
00:09:58.46\00:10:03.90
explained peace, his death
purchased peace, and his
resurrected presence enables
00:10:03.93\00:10:10.24
peace, hallelujah.
Jesus' presence brings peace.
00:10:10.27\00:10:15.14
which reminds me, my friends,
00:10:15.18\00:10:16.85
that life is not determined
by what you have but by who has
00:10:16.88\00:10:22.02
you. That is peace, my friends,
because there are a whole lot of
folk who are miserable today if
00:10:22.05\00:10:28.69
they cannot have this or that.
They have got to have this car.
They have got to have this
00:10:28.72\00:10:34.73
house. They must live in this
neighborhood. They must have
these clothes. They have got to
00:10:34.76\00:10:39.37
have this, they have got to have
that. If you are able to get it,
go ahead, be my guest.
00:10:39.40\00:10:44.57
But if you do not get
it, do not get mad at God.
00:10:44.61\00:10:46.84
Because remember that success in
life should not consist of the
abundance of things you possess,
00:10:46.88\00:10:50.75
but succession that consists of
the God who possesses you.
Because when the car gets old,
00:10:50.78\00:10:58.32
when the house is no longer any
good, where children move out.
00:10:58.35\00:11:04.76
When your body starts giving in,
you have got to be able to be
secure in yourself enough to
00:11:04.79\00:11:12.17
know that God is my refuge and
my strength. A very present help
in time of trouble.
00:11:12.20\00:11:19.67
I do not know about you, but I
want to be able to go to bed at
00:11:19.71\00:11:23.81
night. I want to be able to
sleep at night. I want a peace
where when even stuff is not
00:11:23.85\00:11:29.72
right, that I can still get up
in the morning because my God is
my keeper. God is my sustainer.
00:11:29.75\00:11:37.39
God is the one who watches over
me, and there is no need for me
to worry if my God is watching.
00:11:37.43\00:11:43.30
Are you hearing
what I am saying?
00:11:43.33\00:11:44.97
The psalm says, "I will lift up
mine eyes into the hills from
whence cometh my help,
00:11:45.00\00:11:50.24
my help cometh from the Lord who
made heaven and earth." The
psalm says. "He, that watches
00:11:50.27\00:11:55.98
over me, He that watches over
Israel, slumbers not nor
sleeps." And so if we believe
00:11:56.01\00:12:02.35
that, then why should we both be
awake at night? God is watching.
What do I need to be watching
00:12:02.38\00:12:09.36
for? I have peace,
and I can go to sleep.
00:12:09.39\00:12:12.99
Jesus said, "Blessed are the
peacemakers for they shall be
called the children of God."
00:12:13.03\00:12:20.44
Oh, that makes me want to shout
right there. Because when I am a
peacemaker, I am a child of God.
00:12:20.47\00:12:25.41
I am a son of God. You are a son
of God. You are a daughter of
God. You are a King's kid.
00:12:25.44\00:12:34.48
Heir of salvation. [inaudible]
of God. Born of His spirit,
washed in His blood.
00:12:34.52\00:12:42.86
When you seek to reconcile
people to God and one another,
00:12:42.89\00:12:47.23
when you try to put two family
members back on speaking terms,
00:12:47.30\00:12:51.60
when you try to help coworkers
get along, you are a peacemaker
and you are a child of God.
00:12:51.63\00:12:58.61
You are a son of God.
You are a daughter of God.
00:12:58.64\00:13:01.91
Blessed are the peacemakers
for they shall be called "the
00:13:01.94\00:13:09.05
children of God." But we do not
stop there. Let us go to
beatitude number 8. Beatitude
00:13:09.08\00:13:15.52
number 8 says, "Blessed are they
which are persecuted for
righteousness' sake.
00:13:15.56\00:13:20.33
For theirs is the Kingdom of
Heaven." Let me say that again.
00:13:20.36\00:13:24.33
"Blessed are they which are
persecuted for righteousness'
00:13:24.37\00:13:29.17
sake. For theirs is the Kingdom
of Heaven." When you read this
00:13:29.20\00:13:34.48
text, it is important for you to
understand that not all
persecuted people are blessed.
00:13:34.51\00:13:40.08
The text says, "Only those who
are persecuted for
righteousness' sake are
00:13:40.12\00:13:46.19
blessed." Are you
hearing what I am saying?
00:13:46.22\00:13:48.16
Paul makes it clear in second
Timothy chapter 3 verse 12 that
all who live Godly lives in
00:13:48.19\00:13:53.70
Christ Jesus will suffer
persecution. There is a tension
between the mindset and the will
00:13:53.73\00:13:59.53
of the Christian, and the
mindset and the will of the
world. Sooner or later,
00:13:59.57\00:14:02.97
a deeply God sinner Christian
will be mistreated for the
things he or she believes in in
00:14:03.00\00:14:09.24
his or her life.
00:14:09.28\00:14:10.85
And even though freedom of
religion is currently practiced
in the United States,
00:14:10.88\00:14:15.95
Revelation 13 clearly teaches
that the day is coming when that
will not be the case.
00:14:15.98\00:14:23.12
Revelation 13 clearly teaches
that those who love Jesus and
keep His Commandments,
00:14:23.16\00:14:30.00
the day is coming when they
will be persecuted by the United
00:14:30.03\00:14:36.14
States government. Do not get
mad at me and call me crazy. I
00:14:36.17\00:14:41.34
am not crazy. I am just telling
you Bible prophecy truth which
must come to fruition.
00:14:41.38\00:14:47.58
Remember, Daniel and the
Revelation are our two prophetic
books in the Bible.
00:14:47.62\00:14:53.19
Daniel in the Old Testament and
Revelation in the New Testament.
00:14:53.22\00:14:57.53
Daniel is Revelation concealed
and Revelation is Daniel
00:14:57.56\00:15:03.50
revealed. You will remember
that Revelation 13 speaks of two
00:15:03.53\00:15:08.87
beasts. The first beast is Papal
Rome in Revelation chapter 13
verses 1 through 10,
00:15:08.90\00:15:14.84
and the second beast is the
United States which was
Revelation chapter 13 verses 11
00:15:14.88\00:15:21.58
through 17. But how do I know
this second beast is United
States? I am so glad you asked.
00:15:21.62\00:15:25.55
The Bible says that the second
beast comes up out of the Earth
with two horns like a lamb,
00:15:25.59\00:15:32.36
but yet speaks like a dragon.
And Bible prophecy, according to
Daniel chapter 7 verse 17
00:15:32.39\00:15:38.17
and Daniel chapter 7 verse 23,
a beast represents a kingdom.
00:15:38.20\00:15:43.07
This beast, this kingdom the
Bible says, comes out of the
earth. The earth is not water.
00:15:43.10\00:15:50.25
We remember that water in Bible
prophecy according to Revelation
17:15, water represents people.
00:15:50.28\00:15:57.29
But the text does not say
this beast comes out of water,
00:15:57.32\00:16:00.76
the text says this
beast comes out of the Earth;
00:16:00.79\00:16:04.66
and the Earth represents a
sparsely populated area with a
small number of people.
00:16:04.69\00:16:11.07
It was the United States,
the second beast according to
00:16:11.10\00:16:15.54
Revelation 13, that rose up out
of the Earth from a sparsely
populated area after the
00:16:15.57\00:16:20.58
division of Western Europe and
after the papacy, the first
Beast of Revelation 13, had to
00:16:20.61\00:16:26.41
go in exile in 1798. Think about
it. The United States declared
its independence in 1776.
00:16:26.45\00:16:32.35
The United States [inaudible]
its constitution in 1787.
00:16:32.39\00:16:37.16
The United States adopted
the Bill of Rights in 1791.
00:16:37.19\00:16:41.23
And the United States was
clearly recognized as a world
power by 1798. But not only
00:16:41.26\00:16:49.10
that. The Bible says that the
second beast, this kingdom, has
00:16:49.14\00:16:54.41
two horns. Horns according to
Daniel 7:24 means kings. But
according to Revelation 13:11,
00:16:54.44\00:17:00.78
these horns have no crowns. No
crowns mean no kings. Notice, in
00:17:00.82\00:17:09.29
the United States, there is no
king. It has no king but it has
a democratic form of government.
00:17:09.32\00:17:15.06
The two horns mean this
government is rooted in two
things, republicanism and
00:17:15.10\00:17:20.84
protestantism. A republic is a
kingdom without a king, and
protestantism is a church
00:17:20.87\00:17:28.51
without a pope. The United
States has no king and no pope.
The beast is lamb-like because
00:17:28.54\00:17:37.15
it appears docile. It appears
peaceful, but the Bible says it
speaks like a dragon.
00:17:37.19\00:17:42.46
Who is the most powerful country
in the world that promotes peace
but when it speaks,
00:17:42.49\00:17:49.10
everybody listens? The United
States. Who is the most
influential country in the
00:17:49.13\00:17:55.64
world? The United States. When
the United States speaks, like
it or not, everybody listens.
00:17:55.67\00:18:03.18
Revelation 13:12 teaches that
the second beast will make
everyone worship the first
00:18:03.21\00:18:11.12
beast. I am going somewhere
here. Remember, the church
cannot enforce worship.
00:18:11.15\00:18:16.39
It cannot even enforce a day of
worship but the government can.
00:18:16.42\00:18:21.86
So the first beast cannot
enforce anything but the second
00:18:21.90\00:18:26.80
beast can. Do not forget,
friends of mine, this whole
00:18:26.84\00:18:31.07
cosmic conflict, this whole
world conflict that we find
ourselves in is about worship.
00:18:31.11\00:18:36.24
Who are you going to give your
worship to? Choose to this day
whom you going to serve.
00:18:36.28\00:18:41.22
But as for me and my house,
we are going to serve the Lord.
00:18:41.25\00:18:44.85
The second beast forces people
to worship the first beast.
00:18:44.89\00:18:50.23
God is telling us these last
and evil days. To fear Him and
00:18:50.26\00:18:55.96
worship Him. If the first beast
promotes worship on the first
00:18:56.00\00:18:59.77
day of the week, the Bible is
telling us that there is going
to come a day when the second
00:18:59.80\00:19:02.90
beast, the United States, will
force us to worship on the first
day of the week in homage to the
00:19:02.94\00:19:09.11
first beast. Remember, do not
think I am crazy because
currently, Sunday observance is
00:19:09.14\00:19:13.42
not being enforced by law. It is
only going to happen when the
issues are clearly drawn between
00:19:13.45\00:19:17.95
the Commandments of God and the
declarations of men. The United
States will become a persecuting
00:19:17.99\00:19:23.59
power that will force people by
law to disobey God's commands
just like Papal Rome; and again,
00:19:23.63\00:19:27.86
the church cannot force you to
do anything, only the government
00:19:27.86\00:19:32.07
can. The church of old could not
do it, but the government and
Constantine did do it in 325 AD.
00:19:32.10\00:19:39.17
Who were the two most
influential powers on the earth?
The papacy, first beast,
00:19:39.21\00:19:46.01
and the president of the United
States, representing the second
00:19:46.05\00:19:49.62
beast. When there is a union
of the two, you better look out.
00:19:49.65\00:19:52.42
As the moral fiber of our
country continues to fall, as
wars and rumors of wars grow
00:19:52.45\00:19:59.56
stronger today, as civil unrest
and racial unrest continue to
mount with crime on every hand,
00:19:59.59\00:20:06.50
as pestilences, like earthquakes
and hurricanes and tornados, the
00:20:06.53\00:20:11.01
coronavirus and other viruses
steadily increase as our
economic system is decimated
00:20:11.04\00:20:18.01
before our very eyes, the state
or government will believe that
there is a need for greater
00:20:18.05\00:20:23.55
spirituality. Because of the
moral decline of our society,
00:20:23.59\00:20:26.39
because of the moral decline
of our world and country,
00:20:26.42\00:20:29.72
the United States will make an
image to the beast by
legislating religious practices.
00:20:29.76\00:20:36.43
It will pass laws regarding
worship and will force people to
obey them or face death.
00:20:36.46\00:20:43.27
Not now, but in the future.
Although these motives may
00:20:43.30\00:20:48.44
appear nice, although
these motives may appear pure,
00:20:48.48\00:20:51.35
like you cannot buy certain
things on Sunday before a
certain time, like prayer in
00:20:51.38\00:20:57.69
public school. Although these
things may seem positive,
anything that is forced with
00:20:57.72\00:21:04.99
regards to worship, it is always
bad. God in our worship never
forces us to do anything.
00:21:05.03\00:21:10.90
God always gives us
the power of choice.
00:21:10.93\00:21:14.60
But the Bible continues about
the second beast in Revelation
00:21:14.64\00:21:17.84
13. It teaches that we will not
be able to buy or sell unless we
have the mark of the beast.
00:21:17.87\00:21:22.81
"Pastor Byrd, how can that
be? How can we not buy or sell?"
00:21:22.84\00:21:25.78
We can buy or sell but have
you noticed, we are moving to a
00:21:25.81\00:21:30.59
cashless society. People today
rarely carry cash. Everybody has
a debit card. Everybody has a
00:21:30.62\00:21:35.42
credit card. Everybody has cash
app. You can purchase your gas,
your food, clothes,
00:21:35.46\00:21:38.79
even McDonald's, with a card.
But not only that, we now have
00:21:38.83\00:21:42.83
GPS, Global Positioning Systems
everywhere. We have GPS
monitoring in our cars, in our
00:21:42.86\00:21:48.27
phones. Everywhere. You can
track down anyone, anywhere at
00:21:48.30\00:21:53.21
any time. The ability of our
government to identify
individuals through the use of
00:21:53.24\00:21:56.54
cards and numbers gives them
immediate access to your
personal records, bank accounts,
00:21:56.58\00:22:00.88
and location which means
they can stop any desire for
00:22:00.92\00:22:06.22
purchases. When the religious
issues in our world become
clear, people are forced,
00:22:06.25\00:22:11.29
and will be forced, to choose
whom they are going to worship.
00:22:11.33\00:22:15.60
Either the image of
God or the image of Satan.
00:22:15.63\00:22:20.87
Even the image of the mark of
the beast or God's law and his
seventh-day Sabbath.
00:22:20.90\00:22:26.54
Then those who choose man's way
over God's way will be
worshiping the beast,
00:22:26.57\00:22:33.58
and those who refuse to conform
to the beast will be persecuted.
00:22:33.62\00:22:39.52
And that is why I am glad
Jesus said in this beatitude,
00:22:39.55\00:22:43.02
"Blessed are they which are
persecuted for righteousness'
00:22:43.06\00:22:48.20
sake. For theirs is
the Kingdom of Heaven."
00:22:48.23\00:22:51.67
Let me make this practical.
Sometimes in this life, we are
persecuted and we get mad.
00:22:51.70\00:23:00.61
We get frustrated. Why is
God letting this happen to me?
00:23:00.64\00:23:05.11
Sometimes we are persecuted and
we do not even realize that God
is allowing it in His permissive
00:23:05.15\00:23:12.35
will. I am going to be happy
about something I have been
00:23:12.39\00:23:15.29
crying over. I am going to get
happy about something I have
been worried about.
00:23:15.32\00:23:18.59
Because I realized that God
allowed me to go through it.
00:23:18.63\00:23:22.30
And because He allowed me to
go through it, it must have been
00:23:22.33\00:23:26.74
for my good. And we know that
all things work together for
good to them who love the Lord
00:23:26.77\00:23:32.44
and are the called according to
his purpose. I do not know who I
am talking to right now, but in
00:23:32.47\00:23:39.25
the name of Jesus, God is going
to bless you, in the name of
Jesus, God has got your back.
00:23:39.28\00:23:44.32
Serving the Lord will pay off
after a while. A better day is
coming after a while.
00:23:44.35\00:23:49.99
Weeping may endure for a night,
but joy comes in the morning.
00:23:50.03\00:23:53.50
Blessed are they that do His
Commandments, that they may have
a right to the tree of life,
00:23:53.53\00:23:57.47
and may enter in
through the gates into the city.
00:23:57.50\00:24:00.47
I am almost done, but I got one
more beatitude. Beatitude number
9. I feel my help coming.
00:24:00.50\00:24:06.57
Blessed are ye when men shall
revile you and persecute you and
00:24:06.61\00:24:11.75
shall say, "All manner of evil
against you falsely for mine's
00:24:11.78\00:24:15.52
namesake." But Jesus said,
"Rejoice and be exceeding glad,
for great is your reward, not
00:24:15.55\00:24:22.99
here on Earth, but great is your
reward in Heaven for so
persecuted they the prophets
00:24:23.02\00:24:29.06
which were before you." But
somebody wants to know, "Pastor
Byrd, how can we rejoice when we
00:24:29.10\00:24:34.10
have been reviled? How can we be
joyful when we have been hated
on, mocked, teased, talked
00:24:34.14\00:24:41.41
about, tortured and killed?"
Make no mistake about it. Jesus
in this text, He is talking
00:24:41.44\00:24:46.21
about death, because that is
what they did to the prophets.
That is what they did to the
00:24:46.25\00:24:50.09
disciples. That is what they
are going to do to you and me.
00:24:50.12\00:24:52.39
But Jesus in the last days said
in Matthew 24:9, "Then shall
they deliver you up to be
00:24:52.42\00:24:58.23
afflicted and shall kill you and
you shall be hated of all
nations for My name's sake."
00:24:58.26\00:25:04.53
But you can rejoice because
this persecution, it is only
00:25:04.57\00:25:12.57
temporary. Because one day,
those who have lived for Christ,
those who have endured for
00:25:12.61\00:25:20.98
Christ, those who have stood for
Christ, those who have died in
Christ, one day, they will reign
00:25:21.02\00:25:31.93
with Christ. And I saw as it
were, a glass mingled with fire
and them that had gotten the
00:25:31.96\00:25:40.80
victory over the beast, over his
image, over his mark, over the
number of His name stand on the
00:25:40.84\00:25:47.88
sea of glass, have the harps of
God and they sing the song of
Moses, the servant of God, and
00:25:47.91\00:25:54.68
the Lamb saying, "Great and
marvelous are thy works." Lord
God Almighty, just and true are
00:25:54.72\00:25:59.79
thy ways, thou King of saints.
Let me tell somebody today. I am
almost done. But let me throw
00:25:59.82\00:26:04.63
this in. You are going to be
persecuted sometimes. You are
going to cry sometimes.
00:26:04.66\00:26:10.60
You are going to hurt sometimes.
You are going to be talked about
00:26:10.63\00:26:15.44
sometimes. You are going to be
criticized sometimes, I know.
You are going to be accused
00:26:15.47\00:26:21.21
falsely sometimes. But you have
got to hang on in there. You
have got to be in this thing for
00:26:21.24\00:26:27.05
the long haul. You have got to
make up in your mind no matter
00:26:27.08\00:26:31.99
how bad it gets. I am not
going anywhere until I get the
00:26:32.02\00:26:36.02
promises of God, and the
promises of God are always "Yes"
and "Amen." And when we endure,
00:26:36.06\00:26:42.36
God has promised us that he
is going to give us a heavenly
00:26:42.40\00:26:47.20
reward. I am a witness that life
is tough, that life is rough,
that things get shaken,
00:26:47.24\00:26:54.38
that attitudes get shaken.
Sometimes, God will shake your
stuff to change your attitude.
00:26:54.41\00:26:59.65
Sometimes, God will shake
your stuff to bring you to your
00:26:59.68\00:27:02.88
knees. Sometimes, God will shake
your stuff so you do not trust
00:27:02.92\00:27:06.65
in money. Sometimes, God will
shake your stuff so you find out
who your real friends are.
00:27:06.69\00:27:10.56
Sometimes, God will shake your
stuff so you will get your focus
back on what really matters.
00:27:10.59\00:27:15.53
Sometimes, God will shake your
stuff because He is really not
00:27:15.56\00:27:19.67
after you but He is
after somebody in your house.
00:27:19.70\00:27:21.64
So sometimes, He has to shake
your stuff to get their
attention. You all hear what I
00:27:21.67\00:27:26.68
am saying? But you have got to
endure. You have got to keep
standing. You have got to keep
00:27:26.71\00:27:33.72
fighting. This is not a time to
be weak. This is not a time to
be running with panny-wanny
00:27:33.75\00:27:39.19
folk. You have got to be around
folk who can take a licking and
00:27:39.22\00:27:42.76
keep on ticking. You have got to
be around somebody who has been
through something and say, "I
00:27:42.79\00:27:50.30
made it." Thank you very much
for tuning in to this week's
Breath of Life broadcast.
00:27:50.33\00:27:54.67
We hope and pray that you've
been blessed by Dr. Byrd's
inspirational message.
00:27:54.70\00:27:59.37
If you would like to hear
this sermon in its entirety,
00:27:59.41\00:28:01.88
please feel free to visit
us at www.breathoflife.tv.
00:28:01.91\00:28:07.82
Or, call us at (256) 929-6460.
00:28:07.85\00:28:21.03
When I was eight years old,
I was diagnosed with Crohn's
00:28:21.06\00:28:26.77
disease. When I was fifthteen, I
had my first surgery. When I
think about the time that I lost
00:28:26.80\00:28:37.61
during my adolescent years, I
just can't seem to put it
togther. Even now I'm doing
00:28:37.65\00:28:47.62
treatment for my disease.
Everyone experiences loss. It's
not of matter of if but when.
00:28:47.66\00:29:00.60
www.breathoflife.tv
00:29:00.64\00:29:10.61
[END]
00:29:10.65\00:29:25.66