“God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.”  Matthew 5:11-12

The persecution of the righteous and the Kingdom of God just seem to go hand-in-hand. We shouldn’t take it personal when we are being mistreated for righteousness sake. Truth be told, it isn’t personal it is spiritual. The enemy and his unbelieving children are envious toward […]

“Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.”  Matthew 5:9

It is good to be reminded of what it means to be a converted Christian. When you are converted in the Kingdom of God, you constantly become more like Jesus. This is what Jesus meant when he said peacemakers shall be called the children of God. Since, Jesus is the Prince of Peace, his followers are peacemakers too.  God’s children take on His character. They have His DNA and look like Him. Kingdom citizens bring the kingdom wherever they go. This means Christian’s bring peace where […]

“Yet we who have this spiritual treasure are like common clay pots, in order to show that the supreme power belongs to God, not to us. We are often troubled, but not crushed; sometimes in doubt, but never in despair; there are many enemies, but we are never without a friend; and though badly hurt at times, we are not destroyed. At all times we carry in our mortal bodies the death of Jesus, so that his life also may be seen in our bodies. Throughout our lives we are always in danger of death for Jesus’ sake, in order […]

“Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.”  Matthew 5:8

When Jesus measures a person, he looks at their heart, not at their waist. The heart is the way the bible talks about the real you. When we talk about the heart, we are talking about the whole person: body, spirit, and soul.  The “pure in heart,” is a metaphor used to describe people that are redeemed through faith in Jesus. When Jesus died on the cross for the sins of the world, He became an organ donor. He gave His clean heart in exchange for our sinful […]

“Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy”  Matthew5:7

In the “Sermon on the Mount,” Jesus describes people who are blessed in His kingdom, who are normally thought to be unfortunate in this world. Jesus mentions that some of the blessed people are those who are merciful people. Those who are merciful are caring and compassionate. They prefer forgiveness over punishment. These kinds of individuals are usually trusting and kind by nature. Often time, they get a raw deal when they treat other people so good. Usually, when you treat people better than they deserve, others think you are either […]

“Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.”  Matthew 5:6

In today’s world, when we call someone “thirsty”, it is usually used in a negative way to describe someone as desperate. These types of people want something so bad, that they are willing to do anything to get it. They do not care what anybody thinks of them either. We usually look at such a person as being sad and pitiful. We say, “Man, they sure are thirsty.” In Jesus’ day it almost meant the same thing too. Being hungry and thirsty meant you […]

Jesus answered, “I am telling you the truth: no one can see the Kingdom of God without being born again.”  John 3:3 Did you know that when the Bible mentions the word “blessed” it is often referred to as happy? Happy people in the Bible are blessed people. In the “sermon on the mount,” Jesus mentioned eight blessings Christians call beatitudes. Each of these beatitudes is a proverb like proclamation, which follows a simple pattern. What is the pattern? Great question, I’m glad you asked! Jesus names a group of people that the world labels as unfortunate or foolish, then […]

“You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.”  Matthew 7:13-14

If you ask someone, “do you want to be happy?” they will likely answer “yes”. It is assumed that everybody wants to be happy. The problem is, happiness is hard to find and knowing where to look is the key.  Too many people are looking for happiness in all the wrong […]

“Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.”  Matthew 5:5

The root word for “meekness” is a hard word to interpret. It is not defined as being weak, like some may think. It is actually quite the opposite. It is really referred to as a strength that is restrained. It is a power that is subjected to discipline. Jesus taught that meek individuals are happy individuals and that they can be trusted with more. Some people chase after happiness by throwing their weight around to get what they want. They think that happiness can be achieved […]

“And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter,
that he may abide with you forever;”  John 14:16

“Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted,” Matthew 5:4.

Many people believe that when they accept Christ into their lives, there will be no more pain and suffering. Christians who have lived long enough know this is not the case. Christians experience pain and suffering in this life just like everyone else. In fact, the word “mourn” used in Matthew 5:3, is a word used to describe an overwhelming grief. It is a deep sorrow which is […]