If in everything that we do, we need to follow God's commandments and be faithful to Jesus' teachings and the beatitudes (as in Matthew 5:1-12): to love one another, to humble ourselves and be poor in spirit, to be forgiving as God has been forgiving, and to be compassionate and caring, then would there not be true peace in ourselves and in our life?
Whilst we respect the practice of all religion amongst all people in this world, the need to stand by our faith is our calling and that the whole world may know about the truth in the teachings of Christ Jesus as we show our love for all our neighbors as that of God's love for all men manifested in His Son Jesus.
As in John 3:16, Jesus said, “For God so loved the world that he gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
In Matthew 5:3-10, Jesus Christ said,
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are the those who mourn for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called the sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness for theirs is the
kingdom of God."
And our God is a "God of love and of life, a God of peace, humility, mercy and forgiveness, and He is good all the time"
Reading from the book of Jeremiah 33:11 in the Old Testament, "Give thanks to the Lord Almighty, for the Lord is good; his love endures forever."
In Matthew 6:33, Jesus tell his disciples, "... seek first His (God's) kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."
Also in Matthew 5:19, Jesus said to the crowd, "Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven."
And in John 15:12, Jesus made clear his commandment of love, "... Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."
"I and the father are one". In John 14: 11-14 Jesus added, "Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me... I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it."
Even before the world was made, God had already chosen us to be his through our union with Christ, as in Ephesians 1:4 (echoed from similar messages in Isaiah 49:16 and Jeremiah 1:5). And those who believe and do what God teaches will be blessed. Still, we should not lose heart but try to win the unbelievers that they too may see the light and be healed. As Jesus has said to his apostles (Matthew 13:14-15), "In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah,
"You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving; for this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them."
In Luke 10:21-22, Jesus full of joy through the Holy Spirit said to his apostles, "I praise you Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure."
"All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to who the Son chooses to reveal him."
Many people had the privilege of seeing Jesus, and there would be other people in this lifetime to be given the chance to see Jesus, however, not all will.
And for the true believers, in us, his spirit lives. Many will be called, but only a few will be chosen to see and witness with Jesus in their hearts.
Many will continue to despise and refuse to believe in him despite the many miracles that may happen and will happen in his name in our lifetime as they chose to material gain over spiritual enlightenment.
And we pray for these people that one day they may be guided and see the light.
Jesus added further in Luke 10:23 "Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it."
Upon being asked by the Pharisees who were testing Jesus of his teachings, in Matthew 22:37-40, Jesus said to them on the question of what is the greatest commandment, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law of the Prophets hung on these two commandments.”
When asked about judgment day, in Matthew 25:31-40, Jesus said to his disciples, “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with, him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly gory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
Then the King will way to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirst and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.
The righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we wee you sick or in prison and go to visit you?"
The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’”
And looking back at Proverbs 29:23, it states, “A man’s pride brings him low, but a man of lowly spirit gains honor.”
Proverbs 15:9-10 puts it, “The Lord detests the way of the wicked but he loves those who pursue righteousness. Stern discipline awaits him who leaves the path; he who hates correction will die.”
And in 1 John 4:13-16, apostle and gospel writer John proclaims through the divine guidance of the Holy Spirit who Christ Jesus is, “We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. And we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.”
In the parable of the tenants, the landlord’s servants and his son himself were all killed by the ungrateful tenants sent to harvest the fruits in his land. And in Matthew 21:42-43 Jesus said when asked of what the landlord will do to the tenants, “Have you never read in the scriptures:
‘The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone, the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous is our eyes.’
Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.”
May all be guided by these words and heed God’s words in Jesus, that all will be saved from imminent destruction as we abide by him to bear good fruit at harvest or day of judgment.
In Matthew 7:15, 19-20, Jesus said while preaching to the crowd, “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly they are ferocious wolves… Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.”
Jesus reminds us not to lose our soul by clinging to what is worldly or evil.
In Matthew 16:25-26, he tells his disciples, “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?”
And regarding his teachings, Jesus made it clear to his disciples in Matthew 24:35 as he said, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.”
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We pray for guidance and enlightenment for all our neighbors in this world as we express the love of Jesus in our heart. Yes, let's KJOH.
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