The Sermon on the Mount
Daily Bible Studies for June 9-14, 2008
Learn what we believe and how we are to behave!
This Week’s Scripture: Matthew 5:3-12 "The BE-Attitudes!"
3 “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him,
for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
4 God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
5 God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth.
6 God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice,
for they will be satisfied.
7 God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
8 God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God.
9 God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.
10 God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right,
for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
11“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. 12Be 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.
Monday
Prayer: Heavenly Father, Thank you for sending Your Holy Spirit to convict me of my need for salvation; for showing me that apart from You that I am nothing. Thank You that after showing me the poverty of my spirit, that You also showed me the richness of Your salvation through Jesus! I praise You that you have promised me the Kingdom of Heaven and comfort for all the mourning I do in this life. Empower me today to live boldly and confidently in You. This I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Reflection on God’s Word:
3 “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him,
for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
4 God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
The starting point for every believer is to recognize that we are poverty-stricken apart from Jesus. We may have all the wealth the world can offer, but until we have Jesus we are destitute when it comes to spiritual wealth. While such truth may drive us to mourn the great lack in our lives, God promises to comfort all who mourn as He promises to give new life to all who come to Him in Jesus’ name!
Today’s Challenge: I will rely on God alone to give me the only wealth that truly lasts: the abundant life of Jesus, knowing that as I put Him first, He will provide what I need for living each day!
Tuesday
Prayer: Heavenly Father, it is not in my nature to be humble, and I find myself often failing to “hunger and thirst for justice.” Forgive me, Lord. Forgive my pride and my selfishness, and restore me by Your Spirit to the life that is truly life in Your Son, Jesus, in whose name I offer this prayer! Amen.
Reflection on God’s Word:
5 God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth.
6 God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice,
for they will be satisfied.
Humility isn’t one of the top characteristics the world looks for in “successful” people, and yet it IS one of God’s top characteristics. In fact, one of Jesus’ primary qualities is humility. He humbled Himself in order to come to earth, and He humbled Himself daily in order to live among us. Then He offered the ultimate act of humiliation, when He subjected Himself to execution in our behalf. If we want to be like Jesus, one of the traits we will exhibit is humility. The promise we have from Him is when we are humble we will inherit the WHOLE earth!
Today’s Challenge: I will live in humility today that others may see Jesus in me, and understand the true nature of success!
Wednesday
Prayer: Heavenly Father, Your mercy is “from everlasting to everlasting.” Thank You for giving me what I don’t deserve—forgiveness, love, blessing. As you have been merciful to me, empower me by your spirit to be merciful to others. I pray that You will touch my heart and make it pure, because my ultimate goal is to see you face to face and live for eternity in your presence. This I ask in Jesus’ name! Amen.
Reflection on God’s Word:
7 God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
8 God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God.
In the Lord’s prayer, Jesus tells us to ask God to forgive us as we forgive others. Here in today’s Scripture we see that when we are merciful to others, God gives us mercy (and perhaps others as well!) Mercy is getting what we don’t deserve. Instead of getting punishment, we get forgiveness. Only by God’s presence in us are we able to give people what they don’t deserve. As we do that, our hearts reflect the heart of God, and as our hearts become pure, we become suited to one day stand in the very presence of God! All of this is a gift from Him, and yet we must participate in it, or it will never happen.
Today’s Challenge: By God’s grace I will be merciful to others, as He has been merciful to me!
Thursday
Prayer: Heavenly Father, All around us the world is at war, whether the war is external and visible, such as the conflict in Iraq; in internal and invisible as the spiritual warfare each of us faces daily. I pray that you will empower me to be a peacemaker, one who works for peace in my own life, in my family, in my community and beyond. Glorify Yourself in this work in my life. This I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Reflection on God’s Word:
9 God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.
In one sense, any follower of Jesus is a child of God. At the same time, Jesus tells us that those who work for peace are children of God in a special way. That’s because God’s ultimate desire for us is that we will know Him and His peace, which passes human understanding, not only hear and now, but for eternity.
Today’s Challenge: As I go about this day, I will work for God’s peace, (not just the absence of conflict, but the presence of God’s wholeness and well being) in all that I am and all that I do!
Friday
Prayer: Heavenly Father, everywhere we look, we see evil being carried out around us. The world’s ways are not Your ways. I pray right now that You will fill me with the Holy Spirit afresh that I may serve You faithfully and stand up for what is right no matter what! I also pause right now to ask Your blessing on the Steve Wingfield Festival that starts today. I pray that You will draw many people to Yourself through the events of the next three days and that You will be glorified through every event! This I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Reflection on God’s Word:
10 God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right,
for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
As we look at Matthew 5:10-12 today and tomorrow, we will see that Jesus promises blessing in the midst of persecution. As followers of Jesus we WILL be persecuted. That is Jesus’ promise to us. The persecution may be a literal attack on our lives, or it may be the disdain of others. Whatever it is, Jesus tells us that blessings come to us when we put Him first to the point that we are willing to suffer for “doing right” or for Him. In fact, we will know only be blessed, the Kingdom of Heaven will be ours!
Today’s Challenge: I will stand and speak up for what is right today regardless of the consequences!
Saturday
Prayer: Heavenly Father, Please give me a fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit so I can be courageous in dealing with those who mock, persecute and lie about me because I follow Jesus. Give me the courage to be willing to speak up for Him when others use His name in vain, or mock His name. This I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Reflection on God’s Word:
11“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. 12Be 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.
Have you ever been persecuted for Jesus? Maybe not physically, but has anyone ever made fun of you for following Him? He tells us that when we stand up for Him in those situations that we are being like the prophets of old, who were also persecuted for their faithfulness to God. Being a follower of Jesus does not promise that everything will always go well. It does promise that all will END well!
Today’s Challenge: I will stand up for Jesus today no matter what!