Key Thought

Today's Prayer

O gracious and holy LORD, I know my heart can be deceptive and self-serving. But through your Holy Spirit, cleanse my heart, make your home there, and let your influence live there until I come home to be with you. I want my life to show forth my allegiance to you, so help me as I seek to guard my heart from impurity, duplicity, and selfishness. Help me, O God, as I try to be pure in heart. Thank you, in the name of Jesus, your pure and perfect sacrifice. Amen.

Today's Verses in Context

Jesus saw the many people that were there. So Jesus went up on a hill and sat down. His followers came to him. Jesus taught the people. He said: "What great blessings there are for the people that {know they} have spiritual needs! The kingdom of heaven belongs to them. What great blessings there are for the people that are sad now! God will comfort them. What great blessings there are for the people that are humble! They will have the land {God promised}. What great blessings there are for the people that want to do right more than anything else ! God will fully satisfy them. What great blessings there are for the people that give mercy to other people! Mercy will be given to them. What great blessings there are for the people that are pure in their thinking! They will be with God. What great blessings there are for the people that work to bring peace! God will call them his sons and daughters. What great blessings there are for the people that are treated badly for doing good! The kingdom of heaven belongs to them. "People will say bad things against you and hurt you. They will lie and say all kinds of evil things against you because you follow me. But when people do those things to you, know that God will bless you. Be happy and glad. You have a great reward waiting for you in heaven. People did those same bad things to the prophets that lived before you. "You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its taste, then it cannot be made salty again. Salt is good for nothing, if it loses its salty taste. It must be thrown out and people walk on it. "You are the light that gives light to the world. A city that is built on a hill cannot be hidden. And people don't hide a light under a bowl. No. People put the light on a lamp table. Then the light shines for all the people in the house. In the same way, you should be a light for other people. Live so that people will see the good things you do. Live so that people will praise your Father in heaven.

Related Scripture Readings

God, create a pure heart in me! Make my spirit strong again!

Who can go up the Lord's mountain? Who can stand {and worship} in the Lord's holy {temple}? People who have not done evil things, people who have pure hearts, people who have not used my name to make lies sound like the truth, and people who have not lied and made false promises. {Only those people can worship there.}

Can any person really say that he has always done his best? Can any person really say that he has no sin? {No!}