Categories
Beatitudes Persecution Victory

Persecution

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:10 (ESV) It has been estimated that as many as 160,000 Christians are martyred each year worldwide. Godliness generates hostility. To live for Christ is to live in constant opposition to Satan and his crafty agenda to undermine […]

Categories
Beatitudes Peacemaking Soulwinning

Helping Others Make Peace with God

“All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.” 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 (ESV) Peacemaking involves helping others make peace with […]

Categories
Beatitudes Justification Peacemaking

Make Peace With God

“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 5:1 (ESV) The first crucial step in becoming a peacemaker is to make peace with God. Until you are in a right relationship with God, your horizontal influence for the kingdom of God will not be […]

Categories
Beatitudes Jesus Peacemaking

Build the Bridge

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” Matthew 5:9 (ESV) While viewing a leadership talk delivered by Pastor Andy Stanley, I was captivated by his statement, “In eternity past, God looked upon our sin-saturated planet and asked, ‘What can I do to help?’” That concept painted a vivid image in […]

Categories
Beatitudes Jesus Purity

Positional and Practical Purity

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” Matthew 5:8 (ESV) God’s standard of perfection is Christ. The purity of Christ is the bull’s-eye for the believer. To be pure in heart is to be right with God. You cannot have a right relationship with God without having a relationship with others. […]

Categories
Beatitudes Jesus Mercy

Compassion in Action

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.” Matthew 5:7 (ESV) Have you ever been on the receiving end of the hurtful treatment rendered by an unmerciful person? It was not an enjoyable experience was it? Being unmerciful is a direct result of our fallen nature. However, Jesus ushered in a new way to […]

Categories
Beatitudes Jesus Righteousness

Thirst Quencher

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” Matthew 5:6 (ESV) You were born with a hole in your heart that only God can fill. Once you respond in faith to the vertical tug of the convicting work of the Holy Spirit, you become a new creation. Your earthly […]

Categories
Beatitudes Bridled Meek

Decisive Restraint

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” Matthew 5:5 (ESV) Christ-centered living involves being bridled. Meekness is not weakness; it is power under control. You have the capacity to live a sinful lifestyle that will bring disrepute to Christianity and disdain to the character of Christ. The world, Satan, and your flesh have […]

Categories
Beatitudes Brokenness Sin

Good Grief

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” Matthew 5:4 (ESV) Are you constantly broken over your sinfulness? Christ-centered living involves brokenness. In the language of the New Testament, there are nine different words used to describe sorrow. The Greek word Jesus uses here is the strongest of the nine. This level of mourning is equated with grieving over the […]

Categories
Beatitudes Happiness Pride

Take Pride for a Ride

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:3 (ESV) Delays, detours, and distractions are common in this life. Sin, sickness, and sorrow permeate the landscape of our humanity. Is it possible to find happiness while living in a fallen world? The keys to happiness are found in the […]

Categories
Beatitudes Peacemaking Soulwinning

Helping Others Make Peace with God

“All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.” 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 (ESV) Peacemaking involves helping others make peace with […]

Categories
Beatitudes Justification Peacemaking

Make Peace With God

“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 5:1 (ESV) The first crucial step in becoming a peacemaker is to make peace with God. Until you are in a right relationship with God, your horizontal influence for the kingdom of God will not be […]

Categories
Beatitudes Jesus Peacemaking

Build the Bridge

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” Matthew 5:9 (ESV) While viewing a leadership talk delivered by Pastor Andy Stanley, I was captivated by his statement, “In eternity past, God looked upon our sin-saturated planet and asked, ‘What can I do to help?’” That concept painted a vivid image in […]

Categories
Beatitudes Jesus Purity

Positional and Practical Purity

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” Matthew 5:8 (ESV) God’s standard of perfection is Christ. The purity of Christ is the bull’s-eye for the believer. To be pure in heart is to be right with God. You cannot have a right relationship with God without having a relationship with others. […]

Categories
Beatitudes Jesus Mercy

Pushing Compassion into Action

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.” Matthew 5:7 (ESV) Have you ever been on the receiving end of the hurtful treatment rendered by an unmerciful person? It was not an enjoyable experience was it? Being unmerciful is a direct result of our fallen nature. However, Jesus ushered in a new way to […]

Categories
Beatitudes Jesus Righteousness

Hungering and Thirsting

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” Matthew 5:6 (ESV) You were born with a hole in your heart that only God can fill. Once you respond in faith to the vertical tug of the convicting work of the Holy Spirit, you become a new creation. Your earthly […]

Categories
Beatitudes Happiness Humility

The Haven of Humility

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:3 (ESV) The highway of happiness is paved with humility. Happiness and humility go together. Jesus modeled a life of humility by submitting to the Father’s agenda and by living to benefit others. In humility, Jesus sacrificed His life on the […]

Categories
Beatitudes Happiness Pride

Take Pride for a Ride

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:3 (ESV) Delays, detours, and distractions are common in this life. Sin, sickness, and sorrow permeate the landscape of our humanity. Is it possible to find happiness while living in a fallen world? The keys to happiness are found in the […]

Categories
Beatitudes Persecution Victory

Persecution

“Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:10 (NIV) It has been estimated that as many as 160,000 Christians are martyred each year worldwide. Godliness generates hostility. To live for Christ is to live in constant opposition to Satan and his crafty agenda to undermine God’s […]

Categories
Beatitudes Peacemaking Reconciliation

Build the Bridge

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.” Matthew 5:9 (NIV) The Bible opens with peace in the Garden of Eden and was interrupted when man sinned. Jesus made peace a reality again by sacrificing His life upon the cross to destroy the penalty of sin and death. In eternity, peace will be fully […]

Categories
Beatitudes Purity Righteousness

Purity

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” Matthew 5:8 (NIV) Christ-centered living involves purity. God’s standard of perfection is Christ. The purity of Christ is the bull’s-eye for the believer. To be pure in heart is to be right with God. You cannot have a right relationship with God without having a […]

Categories
Beatitudes Jesus Mercy

Extending and Receiving Mercy

“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” Matthew 5:7 (NIV) Christ-centered living involves being merciful. Has the Lord been merciful to you? Capture a snapshot of what shape you would be in right now had you not been a personal recipient of God’s mercy. God is not asking you to do anything He […]

Categories
Beatitudes Holy Ambition Hunger

Holy Ambition

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” Matthew 5:6 (NIV) Christ-centered living involves holy ambition. There is nothing more appealing to a starving person than food. For the follower of Christ, the spiritual appetite is a craving for righteousness. At salvation, you receive the righteousness of Christ and a resulting […]

Categories
Beatitudes Bridled Meek

Decisive Restraint

“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” Matthew 5:5 (NIV) Christ-centered living involves being bridled. Meekness is not weakness; it is power under control. You have the capacity to live a sinful lifestyle that will bring disrepute to Christianity and disdain to the character of Christ. The world, Satan, and your flesh have […]

Categories
Beatitudes Brokenness Sin

Sensitive to Sin

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” Matthew 5:4 (NIV) Are you constantly broken over your sinfulness? Christ-centered living involves brokenness. In the language of the New Testament, there are nine different words used to describe sorrow. The Greek word Jesus uses here is the strongest of the nine. This level of mourning is equated with grieving over the death […]

Categories
Beatitudes Brokenness Humility

Paved with Humility

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:3 (NIV) The highway of happiness is paved with humility. Happiness and humility go together. Jesus modeled a life of humility by submitting to the Father’s agenda and by living to benefit others. In humility, Jesus sacrificed His life on the […]

Categories
Beatitudes Humility Pride

Filing Spiritual Bankruptcy

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:3 (NIV) Delays, detours, and distractions are common in this life. Sin, sickness, and sorrow permeate the landscape of our humanity. Is it possible to find happiness while living in a fallen world? The keys to happiness are found in the […]

Categories
Beatitudes Persecution Victory

Persecution

“Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matt 5:10 (NIV) It has been estimated that as many as 160,000 Christians are martyred each year worldwide. Godliness generates hostility. To live for Christ is to live in constant opposition to Satan and his crafty agenda to undermine God’s […]

Categories
Beatitudes Peacemaking Reconciliation

Build the Bridge

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.” Matt 5:9 (NIV) The Bible opens with peace in the Garden of Eden and was interrupted when man sinned. Jesus made peace a reality again by sacrificing His life upon the cross to destroy the penalty of sin and death. In eternity, peace will be fully […]

Categories
Beatitudes Purity Righteousness

Purity

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” Matt 5:8 (NIV) Christ-centered living involves purity. God’s standard of perfection is Christ. The purity of Christ is the bull’s-eye for the believer. To be pure in heart is to be right with God. You cannot have a right relationship with God without having a […]