Jesus said, 3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
5 “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:2b-12).
Philip Yancey said, “If I fail to understand this teaching, I fail to understand him (Jesus). The above passage is commonly called The Beatitudes. What strikes me is that Jesus began his teaching with a focus on people, not a place, a program, or a practice. With God, it is always about a person. The Children of Israel were called to be a unique people. The promised land, a place to call home, was secondary. Furthermore, in Matthew’s Gospel, the Kingdom of Heaven describes a type of person, not a place. Followers of Christ are Kingdom People first and foremost because they see the world the way God sees it.
I hope this brings you comfort. Holiness is about being the person God desires you to be. It is both who you are and what you do. The order is important—inside first, then outside. Many will reverse the order thinking it is what they do first that leads to holiness. This leads to failure. The heart has to change first, then actions. This week , focus on The Beatitudes. Allow the Holy Spirit to bring change from the inside.
- Monday – Matthew 8
- Tuesday – Matthew 9
- Wednesday – Matthew 10
- Thursday – Matthew 11
- Friday – Matthew 12
- Families in crisis.
- Loved ones battling illness.
- Those seeking to find their way.
- The St. Paul Church family and our ministries.
- The United Methodist Church family.
- Our leaders, our country, and our world.
“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done.” – Philippians 4:6