Category: Beatitudes

Behold, Your God

The history of the Jews was full of oppression and difficulty. Since the destruction of Jerusalem and the exile in Babylon about five centuries earlier, the Jews had faced serious turmoil under many different rules and governments. It’s no wonder the Jews believed their Messiah would be a ruling king

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Suffering For Our Faith

A woman once said, “I love my suffering because it comes from God.” Can you say this? Do you love your suffering because it comes from God? I know I don’t. Suffering is hard and it hurts. It is Isolating and discouraging, but it is also something that ties all

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Faithful To The End

The beatitudes end with the promised blessing of persecution. After studying the many ways that believers are blessed by God, we might expect to end on something more positive and hopeful. However, I think it is fitting that persecution would be the likely result for those who follow hard after

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Peace Not of This World

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” – John 14:27 The car door had barely closed behind me before uncontrollable tears began to stream down

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Seek Peace

This week we’re studying what it means to be a peacemaker. Psalm 34 gives us specific instruction to seek and pursue peace. Psalm 34 is categorized as a psalm of praise. David (the author of Psalm 34) praised God for His greatness. He remembered how God answered him and delivered

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Blessed Are the Peacemakers

I turned around to face the sink as my husband brushed by me into the garage. I wanted to discuss when we would sit down for dinner, but he was busy working on a project. His curt response cut me to the quick. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll fend for

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The Lord Looks on the Heart

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees; man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7 Sometimes I wonder

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Your Heart Matters To God

  But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees; man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7 Sometimes I

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Five Prayers To Pray in Pursuit of a Pure Heart

“Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully.” – Psalm 24:3-4 What specific triggers or “pressure places” throughout your week can you count

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Blessed Are The Pure In Heart

He invited Jesus to dinner, not recognizing who his dinner guest really was. She was uninvited but went to the dinner anyway to worship and honor the One who had the power to save her soul. Both had been blind Simon, the Pharisee, was blind due to his pride. The

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