Fulfilled Desire

Jesus said in Matthew 5:10-12Matthew 5:10-12
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WP-Bible plugin, “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Sadly, persecution of God’s people entered this world after the Fall when Cain killed Abel. Through the centuries, many who have followed God have suffered and died at the hands of those who have rebelled against Him.

Those who have suffered “had trial of mockings and scourgings…of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned…sawn in two…tempted…slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented—of whom the world was not worthy” (Hebrews 11:36-38Hebrews 11:36-38
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Yet, they’ve found God’s promises to be true: “As your days, so shall your strength be” (Deuteronomy 33:25Deuteronomy 33:25
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WP-Bible plugin) and “My grace is sufficient for you: for My strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:92 Corinthians 12:9
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Referring to Daniel and his friends, who refused to bow down to Nebuchadnezzar’s golden image, Ellen White wrote, “If you are called to go through the fiery furnace for His sake, Jesus will be by your side, even as He was with the faithful three in Babylon. Those who love their Redeemer will rejoice at every opportunity of sharing with Him humiliation and reproach. The love they bear their Lord makes suffering for His sake sweet” (Thoughts From the Mount of Blessings, page 30).

Indeed, when we suffer for God, He promises us His presence and say with the Apostle Paul, “I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for Whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ…that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings…” (Philippians 3:8, 10Philippians 3:8, 10
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Indeed, God is powerful. He has promised not only to be with us but also to bring a blessing out of suffering for His sake. He assures us, “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:10Matthew 5:10
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To learn more about this topic, read Ellen White’s book Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing and download its digital copy at https://egwwritings.org/.

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This week, Pastor Ted Wilson talks about the fifth, sixth, and seventh blessings Jesus mentioned in the Sermon on the Mount.

Looking around, the world is growing colder and darker. Wars are raging. Political unrest is rising. Harsh words are spoken. Relationships are broken. Families in conflict. Pride and revenge are prominent. Indeed, humanity has fallen from God’s ideal.

Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:7Matthew 5:7
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WP-Bible plugin, “Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.” Yet, showing mercy and forgiveness does not come naturally to the human heart for it is “deceitful above all things and desperately wicked” (Jeremiah 17:9Jeremiah 17:9
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WP-Bible plugin). But when we experience God’s mercy and forgiveness, our hearts melt with compassion for those who need them.

On page 22 of the book Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, Ellen White says, “God is Himself the Source of all mercy…He does not treat us according to our desert. He does not ask if we are worthy of His love but He pours upon us the riches of His love to make us worthy. He is not vindictive. He seeks not to punish but to redeem.”

God calls us to be like Him, saving the lost and showing mercy and compassion to the poor, the suffering, and the oppressed. True enough, “there are many to whom life is a painful struggle; they feel their deficiencies and are miserable and unbelieving; they think they have nothing for which to be grateful…A word of sympathy, an act of kindness, would lift burdens that rest heavily upon weary shoulders. And every word or deed of unselfish kindness is an expression of the love of Christ for lost humanity” (page 23).

During Jesus’ time on earth, the Jewish leaders were very concerned about outward purity that they made hundreds of rules and regulations for people to follow. But this was not the kind of purity Jesus was talking about when He said, “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8Matthew 5:8
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WP-Bible plugin). Instead, God cares about the heart, the mind, and the motivation for doing something. When He lives in our hearts, our thoughts and actions will be pure and refined.

More than being free from sensuality and lust, purity is being “true in the hidden purposes and motives of the soul, free from pride and self-seeking, humble, unselfish, [and] childlike” (Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, page 25). This is why Jesus said that unless we become like “little children,” we will “by no means enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3Matthew 18:3
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Finally, “blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called children of God,” (Matthew 5:9Matthew 5:9
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WP-Bible plugin). “Christ is the Prince of Peace…and it is His mission to restore to earth and heaven the peace that sin has broken” (Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, page 27).

When we confess our sins and accept Jesus’ forgiveness, He gives us peace. And when we accept that peace, He transforms us and helps us to be at peace with others. 

With this, He calls us to be peacemakers. As Ellen White writes in Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, on page 28, “Christ’s followers are sent to the world with the message of peace. Whoever, by the quiet, unconscious influence of a holy life, shall reveal the love of Christ; whoever, by word or deed, shall lead another to renounce sin and yield his heart to God, is a peacemaker.”

Jesus is inviting you now to come to Him and be filled with His mercy and love, to be pure in heart, and to be a peacemaker.

To learn more about this topic, read Ellen White’s book Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing and download its digital copy at https://egwwritings.org/.

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This week, Pastor Ted Wilson talks about the fourth blessing Jesus mentioned in the Sermon on the Mount.

Have you been terribly hungry or thirsty? Your throat went really dry and your stomach was aching so badly. And over time, your craving for food and water became stronger. Then, what a relief it was when you finally got some food and water to satisfy your hunger and thirst!

Jesus tells us in the fourth beatitude, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled” (Matthew 5:6Matthew 5:6
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WP-Bible plugin). Here, instead of talking about physical food and drink, He is referring to spiritual nourishment—longing after righteousness.

What is righteousness?

“Righteousness is holiness, likeness to God, and ‘God is love,'” (Ellen White, Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, page 18). It is conformity to the law of God, for “all Thy commandments are righteousness” (Psalm 119:172Psalm 119:172
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WP-Bible plugin), and “love is the fulfillment of the law” (Romans 13:10Romans 13:10
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Therefore, righteousness is love, and love is the light and life of God. This love is embodied in Him. So, we receive righteousness by accepting Him. This righteousness is not something we can earn because it is a gift from God.

“Not by painful struggles or wearisome toil, not by gift or sacrifice, is righteousness obtained; but it is freely given to every soul who hungers and thirsts to receive it” (Ellen White, Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, page 18).

In every human being, there is a “God-shaped hole”—a place in the heart that only God can fill. Ecclesiastes 3:11Ecclesiastes 3:11
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WP-Bible plugin seems to verify this by saying God has “put eternity” into our hearts.

Though many people try to fill that space with philosophy, materialism, secularism, and the like, only God can truly satisfy the hunger and thirst of the soul. Jesus says, “I am the Bread of Life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst” (John 6:35John 6:35
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Just as we need food and water to sustain physical life, we also need Christ to sustain spiritual life to follow where He leads us.

“A divine element combines with the human when the soul reaches out after God…If you have a sense of need in your soul, if you hunger and thirst after righteousness, this is an evidence that Christ has wrought upon your heart, in order that He may be sought unto to do for you, through the endowment of the Holy Spirit, those things which it is impossible for you to do for yourself” (Ellen White, Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, page 19).

Then, on page 20, we are given this promise: “The words of God are the wellsprings of life. As you seek unto those living springs, you will, through the Holy Spirit, be brought into communion with Christ. Familiar truths will present themselves to your mind in a new aspect, texts of Scripture will burst upon you with a new meaning as a flash of light, you will see the relation of other truths to the work of redemption, and you will know that Christ is leading you; a divine Teacher is at your side.”

And again, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled” (Matthew 5:6Matthew 5:6
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WP-Bible plugin). This is a precious promise we can claim today.

To learn more about this topic, read Ellen White’s book Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing and download its digital copy at https://egwwritings.org/.

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In this episode, Pastor Ted Wilson talks about the third blessing Jesus mentioned in the Sermon on the Mount.

Jesus said in Matthew 5:5Matthew 5:5
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WP-Bible plugin, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.”

This third blessing follows the blessing of those who have felt their need of Christ, have mourned because of sin, and have gone through what Ellen White calls “the school of affliction” with Christ (Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, page 14).

On the same page, she adds, “Jesus places meekness among the first qualifications for His Kingdom. In His own life and character, the divine beauty of this precious grace is revealed.”

It is amazing to know that Jesus set aside His glory, came to earth, and lived not as a king demanding homage but as one with a mission to serve others. And He invites us to follow Him, saying, “Learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart” (Matthew 11:29Matthew 11:29
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WP-Bible plugin). “If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me” (Matthew 16:24Matthew 16:24
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Ellen White continues, “He who learns of Christ is emptied of self, of pride, of love of supremacy, and there is silence in the soul. Self is yielded to the disposal of the Holy Spirit. Then, we are not anxious to have the highest place…we feel that our highest place is at the feet of our Saviour. We look to Jesus, waiting for His hand to lead, listening for His voice to guide” (page 15).

“It is the love of self that destroys our peace. While self is all alive, we stand ready continually to guard it from mortification and insult; but when we are dead, and our life is hid with Christ in God, we shall not take neglects or slights to heart. We shall be deaf to reproach and blind to scorn and insult” (page 16).

In this regard, the Apostle Paul confesses, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet, not I but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, Who loved me, and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20Galatians 2:20
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In doing so, Christ’s peace will abide in our hearts. “No storm of human or satanic wrath could disturb the calm of that perfect communion with God,” Ellen White goes on. And He comforts us, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you” (John 14:27John 14:27
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WP-Bible plugin). “Take my yoke upon you and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest” (Matthew 11:29Matthew 11:29
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The peace of Christ is constant. It does not depend on any circumstances. When we are surrendered to Him, He fills us with His peace, and those around us will see this and realize that we have “been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13Acts 4:13
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When we have the meekness of Christ, the spirit of hatred and revenge will be gone. We will follow His instruction to “bless those who curse you and pray for those who spitefully use you” (Luke 6:28Luke 6:28
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Then, we will speak the language of heaven and inherit the earth—an earth not marred by sin and suffering but one where all will be peace and harmony forever. “There shall be no more curse but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and His servants shall serve Him” (Revelation 22:3Revelation 22:3
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To learn more about this topic, read Ellen White’s book Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing and visit https://egwwritings.org/.

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In this episode, Pastor Ted Wilson talks about the first two blessings Jesus mentioned in the Sermon on the Mount.

“And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated, His disciples came to Him. Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying, ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted'” (Matthew 5:1-4Matthew 5:1-4
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But how can one be blessed while being poor in spirit or in mourning?

Ellen White gives us an insight in Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, saying, “He who feels whole, who thinks that he is reasonably good, and is contented with his condition, does not seek to become a partaker of the grace and righteousness of Christ. Pride feels no need, and so it closes the heart against Christ and the infinite blessings He came to give. There is no room for Jesus in the heart of such a person…They feel that they are full; therefore, they go away empty. Those who know that they cannot possibly save themselves, or of themselves do any righteous action, are the ones who appreciate the help that Christ can bestow. They are the poor in spirit, whom He declares to be blessed…Whom Christ pardons, He first makes penitent, and it is the office of the Holy Spirit to convince of sin” (page 7).

So, by mentioning the “poor in spirit,” Jesus refers to those who feel the need of Him and understand that there is nothing good in and of themselves. This is in contrast to those who claim, “I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing” but do not realize they are actually “wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked” (Revelation 3:17Revelation 3:17
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For these self-absorbed, self-sufficient people, Jesus says, “I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see” (verse 18).

Indeed, the poor in spirit are blessed. When we realize our need of God and confess it to Him, He will pour out His blessings upon us and the kingdom of heaven will be ours.

What about “those who mourn”?

Ellen White says in Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing that “the mourning here brought to view is true heart sorrow for sin…as one is drawn to behold Jesus uplifted on the cross, he discerns the sinfulness of humanity. He sees that it is sin which scourged and crucified the Lord of glory. He sees that, while he has been loved with unspeakable tenderness, his life has been a continual scene of ingratitude and rebellion…He is separated from God by a gulf of sin that is broad and black and deep, and he mourns in brokenness of heart.” It is “such mourning” that “shall be comforted” (pages 9 and 10).

With this, we can see that God reveals to us our guilt so we can come to Him, confess our sins, and surrender our burdens at the foot of the cross. Then, we shall be comforted.

Ellen White continues on Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, “To every stricken one, Jesus comes with the ministry of healing. The life of bereavement, pain, and suffering may be brightened by precious revealings of His presence. God would not have us remain pressed down by dumb sorrow, with sore and breaking hearts. He would have us look up and behold His dear face of love. The blessed Saviour stands by many whose eyes are so blinded by tears that they do not discern Him. He longs to clasp our hands, to have us look to Him in simple faith, permitting Him to guide us. His heart is open to our griefs, our sorrows, and our trials…We may keep the heart stayed upon Him and meditate upon His loving-kindness all the day. He will lift the soul above the daily sorrow and perplexity, into a realm of peace” (page 12).

To learn more about this topic, read Ellen White’s book Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing and visit https://egwwritings.org/.

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This week, Pastor Ted Wilson begins the discussion of the Sermon on the Mount, as Jesus rendered in Matthew 5–7.

In the book Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, Ellen White dedicates her book “to His disciples whom still the Master is calling to choose the spiritual above the earthly kingdom, this little book is dedicated in the hope that its pages may unfold to them more clearly the glory of the unseen.”

She continues, “The Sermon on the Mount is heaven’s benediction to the world—a voice from the throne of God” (page vii).

The book opens with a series of blessings, known as the Beatitudes: “Blessed are the poor in spirit…blessed are those who mourn…blessed are the meek…Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness…blessed are the merciful…the pure in heart…the peacemakers…and those who are persecuted for righteousness’s sake…” (Matthew 5:3-11Matthew 5:3-11
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Ellen White continues, “The Beatitudes are Christ’s greeting not only to those who believe but to the whole human family. He seems to have forgotten for a moment that He is in the world, not in heaven; and He uses the familiar salutation of the world of light. Blessings flow from His lips as the gushing forth of a long-sealed current of rich life” (page vii).

The language of heaven is that of blessing, not cursing. It is a language of peace and joy, not envy and hate. For this reason, Jesus says in Luke 6:27, 28Luke 6:27, 28
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WP-Bible plugin, “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.”

Jesus wants us to manifest love to our fellow men. As Ellen White writes in The Desire of Ages, “love to man is the earthward manifestation of the love of God. It was to implant this love, to make us children of one family, that the King of glory became one with us. And when His parting words are fulfilled, ‘Love one another, as I have loved you’ (John 15:12John 15:12
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WP-Bible plugin); when we love the world as He has loved it, then for us His mission is accomplished. We are fitted for heaven; for we have heaven in our hearts” (page 64).

In the following weeks, we will look more closely at the Sermon on the Mount.

Learn more about the sermon on the mount by reading Ellen White’s book Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing. You can find it and more at https://egwwritings.org/.

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