Pure In Heart – December 12th
Key Verse: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” (Matthew 5:8 CSB) “Cleanliness is next to godliness,” or so the ancient proverb goes. While he may not have originally coined the expression, it is most popularly attributed to John Wesley from a sermon that he preached back in 1778. But is […]
The Mercy Rule – December 11th
Key Verse: “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” (Matthew 5:7 CSB) If you are a sports fan, you may be familiar with the “mercy rule.” Typically it’s only used with kids’ sports and comes into effect when one team is completely dominating the other and there is no hope for the […]
Hunger for Righteousness – December 10th
ReadMatthew 5:6 Key Verse: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” (Matthew 5:6 CSB) Whenever you go to a restaurant for a meal, one of the first orders of business, after you sit down, is to take a menu from the server and figure out what it is […]
What Kind of Rich? – December 8th
Read Luke 12:13-21 In their book, The First Year of Marriage, Miriam ArondandSamuel L. Pauker suggest that people see money in one of four ways: (1) money as status, keeping ahead of one’s peers; (2) money as security, avoiding poverty; (3) money as enjoyment, satisfaction from acquisition; (4) money as control, maintaining independence. I would […]
Faith Like a Child – December 7th
READ MATTHEW 18:1-5 Key Verse: He called a child and had him stand among them. 3 “Truly I tell you,” he said, “unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child—this one is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:2-4 […]
Strength Under Control – December 6th
Read Matthew 5:5 Key Verse: “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” (Matthew 5:5 ESV) In the business or sports worlds, in order to be considered successful, you need to surpass or crowd out your competitors. In military campaigns, it is the army that is most dominant or that takes the most […]
Blessed Are Those Who Mourn – December 5th
Read Matthew 5:4 Key Verse: “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” (Matthew 5:4 CSB) If you have ever stood by a graveside, you know what it’s like to experience or to witness someone who is grieving. The sorrow and sadness of losing a loved one can be especially intense. The prophet Isaiah […]
Our Desperate Need for Jesus – December 4th
Read Matthew 5:1-3 Key Verse: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs.” (Matthew 5:3 CSB) When you think of someone who has been blessed by God, what comes to mind? Is it the person who owns a big house, drives an expensive car, or gets to go on exotic […]
Choosing to Worship – December 3rd
Read:Psalm 34 Key Verse: “I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. I will boast in the Lord; the humble will hear and be glad. Proclaim the Lord’s greatness with me; let us exalt his name together.” (Psalm 34:1-3 CSB) I don’t know about you, but there […]
The Dangerous Trap of Discontentment – November 30th
Read1 Timothy 6:6-10 Key Verse: “But those who want to be rich fall into temptation, a trap, and many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and by craving it, some have wandered away from the faith […]