561: Stand firm in your faith | Matthew 5:11

Living for Jesus isn't always easy. The Sermon on the Mount is the greatest sermon ever told. For almost three chapters in the book of Matthew, Jesus lays out many of His core teachings. Over and over, He calls us to a new way and a new outlook on life. In Matthew 5:11, He says, "Blessed are you when people insult you because of me." What Jesus? How is that a blessing? Persecution is a blessing when it is for Jesus. Are we standing firm in our beliefs? Or are we going with whatever is popular at the time? This is tough, because there is a good chance that we are going to disagree on some issues. The Bible is complex and deep. Jesus calls us to draw close to Him, study His Word, and stand firm in our faith. Maybe we won't always agree, but we CAN stand firm and stand together on the name of Jesus! Maybe we will be insulted, even persecuted. That's ok. Jesus reminds us that we will be blessed, and our reward will be great in heaven.