Today’s Walk in the Word

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.           —Genesis 1:1 Voyager 1 was launched by NASA on September 5, 1977, to study the outer Solar System. At the time of this writing (August 2021), it is 14.2 billion miles from Earth. In 1990, when it was only 4 […]

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.                      —Matthew 5:10 The ancients believed that suffering was a sign of God’s displeasure—that the sufferer was being punished for some sin committed. In this beatitude, Jesus reversed that view—but […]

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.                        —Matthew 5:9 Some repairs can be made with needle and thread. Some repairs can be made with hammer and saw. And some repairs can only be made with friendly smiles, tactful words, […]

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.     —Matthew 5:8 “Who may ascend the hill of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart” (Ps 24:3–4). We know ourselves too well to claim perfect purity of heart: “I have the […]

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.             —Matthew 5:7 Awareness of God’s mercy to us motivates us to be merciful to others. “When you were dead in your sins . . . God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins . . […]

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.    —Matthew 5:6 Self-evaluation is challenging. Check the beatitude boxes: Are you poor in spirit? Do you mourn over your sins? Are you meek? Merciful? Pure in heart? A peacemaker? The fourth beatitude—hungering and thirsting for righteousness—is a solid foundation on […]

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.            —Matthew 5:5 This blessedness doesn’t come from thinking something, saying something, or doing something—but from being something. Meekness is not something we’re born with but a disposition we develop. In his early manhood, Moses came upon a scene that infuriated […]

Blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted.            —Matthew 5:4 Jesus isn’t speaking of those who mourn the loss of a loved one or friend, but of those who mourn over their sins: it isn’t the sorrow of bereavement but the sorrow of sinfulness. Our sins took the […]

Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.                  —Matthew 5:3 Blessedness is possessed by neither rich nor poor unless they are rich in faith and poor in spirit. Jesus eliminated self-sufficiency with three words: “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” It isn’t […]

[Jesus] began to teach them. —Matthew 5:2 Eight of the world’s beatitudes of winners: Blessed are the rich. Blessed are the powerful. Blessed are the popular. Blessed are the connected. Blessed are the talented. Blessed are the beautiful. Blessed are the successful. Blessed are the elite. The eight beatitudes with which Jesus began his Sermon […]