Blessed are the poor in spirit, he said, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Heaven, it seems, will not be home to those who are filled with pride. Blessed are the meek, he said, for they will inherit the earth. It looks like the powerful will get their way forever... but in truth, those who love their neighbors and walk humbly with the Lord... will inherit the earth. Blessed are the pure in heart, he said, for they will see God. No one can stop the fleeting thoughts that sometimes cross their minds, but if we feed our soul with good and holy things, and if we busy our hands in work that is worth doing, and associate with people who are compassionate and righteous, our chances of having "sinful" thoughts will go way down. Blessed are the peacemakers, he said, for they will be called the sons (and daughters) of God... because even those who actually care about and wish for peace... are reluctant to take a stand to bring it about.
Blessed are you when people persecute you for my sake, he said, for you have been faithful and brave enough to let others know that I am your Lord! When we die and our obits are read, pray that no one will be surprised to read that we were Christians! Pray that our faith shines through in what we do and say. YOU are the salt of the earth, he said. YOU are the light of the world, he said. Wow, what an awesome privilege and responsibility this is. I might be the only Christian another person knows in his or her life. As dim as it is, I might present the only reflection of Christ that another person may ever see! Pray that Christians will act like Christians. If your righteousness does not exceed that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, he said, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. If you are obsessed with judgment, rules, and scorekeeping, you will not see heaven because heaven is a place of love, forgiveness, and grace.
Watch your inner thoughts, he said, for they are the source of all sorts of sin. Murder begins in the heart. So does adultery and theft and more. You have heard it said, he said, that you must love your neighbor and hate your enemies, but I tell you to love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, If people got what they deserved in life, we would all be in trouble. Instead of worrying about long, self-serving prayers, simply pray that God will give you your daily bread and forgive your sins, and deliver you from evil. Pray also that God's will will be done on both heaven and earth and that Jesus will come soon. No one can serve both God and money, he said, so put God first and avoid the love of money like the plague! Do not worry about your life, he said, because it doesn't help and it isn't necessary... and don't spend your time judging others! Leave judgment to God because you are too sinful to judge your brother. Be bold in your prayer, he said. Be persistent and believe that God will answer you.
Anyone who hears my words AND puts them into practice is like the wise man who builds his house on the rock. Then, he finished what we call his Sermon on the Mount, and the crowds were amazed at his teaching. (Matt. 7:28) Let those who have ears, hear.
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