Verse of the Day 1/5
Matthew 5:3 God blesses those people
????????who depend only on him.
They belong to the kingdom
????????of heaven!?????? Contemporary English Version (CEV)
Today and the next few days are some of my favorite days of the year for reading through my Bible.?? Each year I read through a different translation (this year it is the Contemporary English Version CEV) and as I come to January 5 I know that I'll be reading the greatest sermon ever preached, Jesus' "Sermon on the Mount".?? My prayer for you is that you will read through this sermon over the next few days and spend some time digesting what Jesus, the Son of God, has to say to you in this sermon.
Many, if not most of you, will be going to church today and hearing a sermon.?? Many will start off with an anecdote or perhaps a joke to "break the ice" before getting into the "meat" of the sermon.?? That wasn't Jesus' method here.?? He went to the foundation and built up from there saying "God blesses those people who only depend on him".?? They depend on him for their very being, for their vision; how they see and interpret the Word and the world; how they will live; how they will pray; how they will serve.
C.S. Lewis writes in his book "The Weight of Glory":?? "I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen; not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else."?? Is that how you see the world, through the lens of God's Word"?
These thoughts brought me to the old hymn "Be Thou My Vision".?? May we be able to read and sing these words from our hearts, acknowledging that we "only depend on Him".
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art
-- In Christ, Mike Folllow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace. NIV
Matthew 5??English Standard Version (ESV)
The Sermon on the Mount
5??Seeing the crowds,??he went up on the mountain, and when he??sat down, his disciples came to him.
The Beatitudes
2??And??he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:
3?????Blessed are??the poor in spirit, for??theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4?????Blessed are??those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
5?????Blessed are the??meek, for they??shall inherit the earth.
6?????Blessed are those who hunger and??thirst??for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
7?????Blessed are??the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
8?????Blessed are??the pure in heart, for??they shall see God.
9?????Blessed are??the peacemakers, for??they shall be called??sons[a]??of God.
10?????Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for??theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11?????Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely??on my account.??12??Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for??so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
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