Jan 29, 2024

Today I'm covering the fifth Beatitude which reads, “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy." Matthew 5:7 (NRSVUE)

Mercy is intertwined with sin, judgment, and forgiveness. Without sin, there would be no need for mercy. Being merciful is showing forgiveness and compassion towards someone who has wronged...

Jan 22, 2024

Today I'm covering the fourth Beatitude which reads, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." Matthew 5:6 (NRSVUE)

As Christians, we've been made righteous in the eyes of God because of Jesus' death and resurrection. If we're already righteous, why should we hunger...

Jan 15, 2024

Today I'm covering the third Beatitude which reads, “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth." -Matthew 5:5 (NRSVUE)

Meekness is often misunderstood. Modern definitions don't convey what the Biblical authors were trying to convey. I once heard someone describe it as "power under control" but that's not...

Jan 8, 2024

Today I'm covering the second Beatitude in Matthew 5:4 which reads, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted." (NRSVUE)

Mourning is something many of us don't do well. There's a misconception among Christians that we should always be happy.

Think about this, though: If you don't mourn you'll miss out on...

Dec 26, 2023

This week I’m talking about Matthew 5:3 which reads, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (NRSV) 

Poor in spirit can refer to humility or knowing that you’re in need of God’s grace. It can also refer to physical poverty but most people see this phrase as more of an...