Whittaker Wisdom

Rev. David L. Whittaker, Washington

Go with me on a journey.  We are going up the mountain, because the word is out.  Jesus is going to teach the people.  Pay close attention when you get there, because you are going to find that the crowd gathered there, are no different than you and me.  The difference is, that they don't dress the same.  Amongst the crowd, A Big Crowd, are skeptics, bullies,  hate mongers,  Robbers, killers, as well as believers.

"Why?" you ask, are so many people there who don't go to church, who refuse to believe that there even is a God.  They went there to poke fun at what Jesus had to say.  I could ask - "Why?" Do we, who have so much doubt in the power of Jesus and the Holy Spirit, go to church?  People are so beaten down from the bullying, the backbiting, the family members who hate us, say all manner of evil against us, lie to us, the spouses that we married who aren't Christians, who determine they are going to keep our spirits down until we have no joy,  our kids who constantly rebel against our efforts to shelter them from the bad in the world, and they get involved in the world and end up in trouble, and I could go on.  Meanwhile, back to the crowd, and the lesson of the day.

We expect that the message might tickle the ears of believers/non believers alike.  That's what many teachers and preachers do today.  We might expect some to shout out bad things, and humiliate the rest, including Jesus, But the message is quite different.  Matthew five shows that Jesus holds no grudge towards anyone.  He may be hurt at some things,   but He gives it all to His Heavenly Father, and rests in the power of the Holy Ghost, and carries on the days happening.  So, to the backbiter, the hater, the bully, and the bad spouses, etc. -  the ones who are just bad influences all around, (this includes some church members),  He says to those who are trying to endure all of this, and keep the victory,  He says, Blessed are you.  I am quite sure that no one expected to hear words like this.  How can we feel blessed at times like this?  We're not even sure that we can even forgive all this stuff, Blessed are we?

Folks, the reason we worship, the reason we pray, is to be encouraged and uplifted.  If you can look at the perpetrator and say, "I forgive you.  I will pray for you," instead of getting mad and letting the devil have a good time, you will be blessed.  You will grow, and the world around you, will have a witness that everything you have said about God and His word, and His love, really does have meaning.  Folks, the world is full of hate, etc, don't be robbed of your Christianity, and become a part of it.  Be ALL that the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit wants you to be.  Be Blessed this day.

God Bless and Keep you.

I love you.

         Rev. Dave