Podcasts about pure in heart

Raul Sandoval

Presented by Julie Busteed I've been reflecting on some of Jesus' sayings—his proverbs—and I've noticed how often they return to the posture of the heart. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says, blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God (Matthew 5:8). That raises an important question: what does it mean to have a pure heart? We often assume a pure heart means doing everything right—appearing polished and put together on the outside. But that kind of purity is rooted in our own striving, and it doesn't work. It doesn't last. It isn't sustainable. Scripture tells us the truth about our condition: The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick (Jeremiah 17:9). Have you ever surprised yourself with your own reaction—something you said, thought, or felt—and wondered, where did that come from? It wasn't how you wanted to respond, yet it was real. The human heart is complex, deceptive, and difficult to understand. But when our hearts are turned toward purity, this posture gives the Holy Spirit room to work in us and through us. What difference does a pure heart make in the workplace? It shows up in genuine joy when a coworker receives a promotion or praise. It looks like helping others even when it doesn't advance your own position. It means refusing to gossip, choosing authenticity, and living with integrity when no one is watching. The right heart begins with humility. Scripture often speaks of a broken or crushed heart as a picture of humility. This kind of brokenness is essential, because a hard or stony heart will not submit to God's will. We pray with the psalmist, create in me a clean heart, O God (Psalm 51:10). Jesus promises it is the pure in heart who will see God. And when we invite Christ to dwell in our hearts, everything changes. This is why Paul's prayer for the Ephesians is such a powerful one to pray: I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power…to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:16–19). Oh, that you and I would know this love—love that surpasses everything else—and be filled with it. Press on. Don't be discouraged. The work God is doing in the heart is often slow and unseen, but it is never wasted.

Pastor Ken confronts the pervasive danger of lust in a sexually saturated culture, grounding its urgency in Jesus' radical teaching in Matthew 5 that even lustful desire constitutes spiritual adultery, demanding radical commitment to purity. emphasizes that lust is not a minor moral failing but a spiritual battle that warps the soul and threatens eternal destiny, citing Scripture to show that unrepentant sin excludes one from God's kingdom. The central truth is that saving faith is inseparable from sanctification—justifying faith is a lust-fighting faith that transforms the heart, empowering believers to pursue purity through the Holy Spirit, the Word of God, and a deep satisfaction in Christ. The sermon calls for radical, proactive measures: rejecting excuses, resisting temptation by yielding to the Spirit, cultivating spiritual taste through Scripture, and relying on God's promises rather than worldly pleasures. Ultimately, it affirms that victory is possible through faith in Christ, who alone satisfies, and that the goal is not merely abstinence but the pursuit of holiness, so that, as Matthew 5:8 promises, the pure in heart will see God.

Text: Matthew 5:8; variousTheme: In a complicated and often perverse world, being pure in heart seems impossible. However, it's not only possible, it's part of our journey with Jesus and the benefits are incredible.Memory Verse: Matthew 5:8 (NIV) Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.Message Notes: https://www.bible.com/events/49566193

Blessed are the pure in heart: those who have a devoted, undivided heart towards the Lord. Pastor Lance continues explaining the characteristics of all who belong to Christ, according to Christ Himself. Text: Matthew 5:8. For more messages and resources, visit us at www.ccc-online.org.

Blessed Are the Pure in Heart (Practice the Presence of God) Description: In Matthew 5:8, Jesus promises something staggering: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” In this message, Pastor Eric explains that “pure” means without mixture — an unmixed heart and a single devotion. We look at the difference between positional purity (what God does for us in salvation) and progressive purity (how grace teaches us to live and how confession restores fellowship). Jesus doesn't call us to perfection of performance, but purity of pursuit — a life where our treasure, attention, and affection are steadily re-centered on Him. As devotion becomes unmixed, vision becomes clear: the pure in heart “see God” at work in daily life. Key Scriptures: Matthew 5:8 John 15:3–5 Titus 2:11–14 Titus 3:4–7 Romans 3:10, 23 Matthew 6:19–24 Colossians 3:1–2 James 1:5–8 John 10:27–30 In This Sermon: What “pure” means in Scripture: without mixture Positional purity vs. progressive purity (relationship vs. fellowship) Why salvation is not earned: Christ alone, grace alone How mixed devotion clouds discernment and creates instability “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” The single eye, the unmixed life, and learning to “see God” daily A practical call to “Practice the Presence of God” (Brother Lawrence) Next Step: Ask honestly: What has my heart this week? Then re-aim your treasure toward Christ — because where you invest is where your heart will follow.

Daily Anglican Prayer - Tuesday Morning – 17th February 2026 Readings NRSVUE: Psalm 106. 1-24; Jeremiah 22. 20-23.8; Jude 17-25. Led by Felicity Scott, an Anglican prayer minister in Queensland, Australia. The full prayer transcript is available by going to this episode on the Podcast website. https://dailyprayeranglicanprayerbookforaustralia.podbean.com Welcome to Tuesday morning prayer from the Anglican ‘A prayer book for Australia'. We proclaim the Good News of our Lord Jesus Christ: GOD in his infinite mercy, forgives all sins, and through our baptism in the name of our Saviour, Jesus Christ, we are given a rebirth into new life, free from the burden of all sin. ALLELUIA With faithfulness we respond to the good news: We acknowledge Christ our Saviour has already saved us and accept with gratitude, that we are forgiven for all wrong doings, past and present. To honour the gift of forgiveness, we release our burden of guilt and rise up to live in the glory of God forever more. Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Blessed be God forever. Let us Pray.   1c                                                              We will proclaim the name of the Lord Ascribe greatness to our God   Glory to God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit:  as in the beginning, so now, and for ever. Amen.    2 The Opening Canticle, God who is rich in mercy out of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead through our trespasses. made us alive together with Christ, and raised us up with him: and made us sit with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus that he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace:  in kindness towards us in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2.4-7   3 The Opening Prayer The night has passed and the day lies open before us;  let us pray with one heart and mind.    Silence may be kept. As we rejoice in the gift of this new day,  so may the light of your presence, O God,  set our hearts on fire with love for you;  now and for ever.  Amen.   4 The Psalms as appointed. A pause is observed after each. Psalm     5 At the end of the (last) pause there may follow Lord, our God, our Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier: we ask you to cleanse us from all hypocrisy, to unite us to our fellow men and women, by the bonds of peace and love, and to confirm us in holiness; now and for ever.  Amen.     6 One or two Readings from the Bible as appointed.   1st Reading Hear the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. 2nd Reading   Hear the message of Christ. Thanks be to God.   7 The Canticle, A Song of the Blessed Blessed are the poor in spirit:  for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  Blessed are those who mourn:  for they shall be comforted.  Blessed are the meek:  for they shall inherit the earth.  Blessed are those who hunger  and thirst for what is right:  for they shall be satisfied.  Blessed are the merciful:  for mercy shall be shown to them.  Blessed are the pure in heart:  for they shall see God.  Blessed are the peacemakers:  for they shall be called the children of God.  Blessed are those who are persecuted  for righteousness' sake:  for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  Matthew 5.3–10     8 The belief and principle is said I believe in God, creator of heaven and earth, whose love and merciful forgiveness endures everlasting. I believe in Christ the saviour, whose example of love and compassion, taught us a restored way to live, in collaborative unity with all people. I believe in the Holy Spirit, whose divine guidance brings us together to be one with the Holy Trinity.     9 The Prayers Lord have mercy.  Christ have mercy.  God have mercy.   10 The Lord's Prayer Our Father in heaven,  hallowed be your name,  your kingdom come,  your will be done,  on earth as in heaven.  Give us today our daily bread.  Forgive us our sins  as we forgive those who sin against us.  Save us from the time of trial  and deliver us from evil.  For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours  now and for ever. Amen.                  Prayer of the Week following the last Sunday after epiphany Almighty God, You have given your only son to be for us, both a sacrifice for sin, And also, an example of godly life: Give us grace that we may always thankfully receive the benefits of his sacrifice, And also, daily endeavour to follow the blessed steps of his most holy life; Through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy spirit, one GOD, now and for ever. Amen   11 Intercessions and Thanksgivings may be made according to local custom and need. Let us pray   God, how great your healing hand that reaches out to those in need, how great your love for all your people. We ask you to bestow your healing on all people who are combating the illness of cancer. We thank you for your healing kindness for all your people. Humbly we Pray – LORD hear our prayer   Lord, we have been socially inept and continue to foster broken communities of lack, yet we remain in this state without taking necessary steps to change for the better. We ask you this day to stay with us, to help us and to guide us. We know we can do better, and we are asking you to be our guide, to guide the path you expect us to walk. Humbly, we Pray – LORD hear our prayer   Lord, we thank you for your mercy towards us even though we continue to sin. Graduate us to live sinless lives, enabling our relationship with you to become one of trust and love. We thank you for your great teachings and want only to acknowledge your name as our saviour. Humbly, we Pray – LORD hear our prayer     God, we ask your blessing for those listed on the Anglican cycle of prayer:   The Diocese of East Tennessee – The Episcopal Church The Diocese of North Queensland: The Parish of North Pine: Little Angels Early Learning Centre, Tarragindi The Southport School, Southport:  The Prison and Hospital ministry chaplaincy teams All people joining in this prayer offering Humbly, we Pray – LORD hear our prayer     12 The Morning Collect Lord and heavenly father, you have brought us safely to this new day: Keep us by your mighty power, protect us from sin, guard us from every kind of danger, and in all we do this day direct us in the fulfilling of your purpose, Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.   13 The Lord be with you. And also with you.  Let us praise the Lord.  Thanks be to God.    May the Lord bless us and keep us; the Lord make his face to shine upon us and be gracious to us; the Lord lift up his countenance upon us and give us peace.  Amen. Numbers 6.24–26 Music ‘Sing my Soul' by The Australian Voices & Graeme Morton, Composer Ned Rorem. A reminder disclaimer to the listener. The readings in the podcast may include ancient and old-fashioned sayings and instructions that we do not in any way condone as in use or to be used in today's modern world. The readings have not been modernised to reflect todays thinking, instead the readings remain from the old version of the NRSVUE bible. The podcast owners explicitly declare that each listener is responsible for their own actions in response to the bible readings and the podcast owners bare no responsibility in this sense.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Many of us have mistaken pure in heart to mean perfection, or sinlessness. But to be pure in heart means something quite different. How do we see God? This week, we continue our study of the Beatitudes as we learn about what it means to be pure in heart.

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8).

Send a text“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” What does “pure” (katharos) really mean—and why does Jesus locate purity in the heart (kardia) rather than just external behavior? We explore the Old Testament background (clean hands/pure heart), the difference between purity and perfectionism, and how purity is best understood as single-heartedness—an undivided inner life that's honest before God. We also talk about what it means to “see God” now and ultimately, and how distraction, secrecy, and the attention economy can fragment our hearts and blur our spiritual vision. You'll leave with practical BuddyWalk practices to retrain your attention, bring hidden places into the light, and pursue a clean, integrated heart that can actually recognize God's presence in everyday life. Support the show If you have any questions about the subjects covered in today's episode you can find us on Facebook at the links below or you can shoot me an email at joe@buddywalkwithjesus.com One Stop Shop for all the links Linktr.ee/happydeamedia

We continued going through the Sermon on the Mount and learn more about the kind of life that reflects the Kingdom of God. We looked at the characteristics of 'Mercy' and what it means to be 'Pure in Heart'. These two statements from Jesus reach straight into the core of who we are, how we treat others and how we see God.

What hardens a heart? This week the Rabbi Blum Pastor Kahlil Carmichael shows us the causes of a hardened heart and how to be pure in heart. We begin in Exodus and Proverbs 4 with the message, “A Unified Service with Rabbi Blum and Pastor Khalil Carmichael.”Live Well, your spiritual family, gathers every Sunday at 11 a.m. at 51 Church Street, Robbinsville, Windsor, NJ. We look forward to welcoming you and sharing this faith journey with you.Thank you for givingpushpay.com/g/itiswellchurchVisit our website at livewellchurch.orgFollow us on Facebook @pastorkahlilFind us on Instagram @livewellwithpastorkahlil

Tuesday – Matthew 5:6-8Jesus began to teach them saying:6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.8 Blessed are the pure in heart,    for they will see God.

Somebody accused me of twisting scripture to fit my political perspective. I didn't know that wanting to stop the bullying, beating, imprisonment, and killing was a political perspective. I didn't know that wanting to feed the hungry, attend to the sick and poor was a political perspective. In this Sermon Short I will twist some more biblical scripture at you.Psalm 51:10 says, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me." Matthew 5:8 . “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Matthew 12:34. You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. Matthew 15:18-20. But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person. Matthew 5:8. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. https://dr731.substack.com/p/twisted-biblicap-scripture

Join Senior Pastor Josh Pardee and Executive Pastor Nate Murray as they explore the message from week 6 of our current series titled Kingdom Manifesto.

In Kingdom Manifesto: The Revolution of the Blessed, Jesus launches a movement that challenges the world's idea of success. His Beatitudes are a manifesto for a new kind of revolution—one built on mercy, meekness, and grace. Together, we'll discover what it means to live beautifully and courageously in a world desperate for something different.

Matthew 5:1-12 (ESV)The Sermon on the Mount5 Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.The Beatitudes2 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.

Most of us know what it feels like to live split—pulled between what we want, what people expect, and what we know God is asking of us. In Matthew 5:8, Jesus names a better way: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” Not perfect hearts—whole hearts. We're talking about how the good life is an undivided life, and how a pure heart doesn't just “behave better,” it sees better—God in full, not in part. We'll look […] The post Pure in Heart appeared first on Pine Lake Covenant Church.

Send Shirah Chante a TextA Divine Encounter: The Inspiration Behind 'Perfect Body' | Relationship Rock Poetry PodcastIn this episode of the Relationship Rock Poetry Podcast, host Shirah Chante shares a profound personal experience that inspired her latest song, 'Perfect Body.' Shirah recounts a mystical encounter at a laundromat where she met Jesus in human form. She delves into the song's lyrics, the significance of the encounter, and explores Biblical accounts of Jesus' post-resurrection appearances. This episode intertwines creativity, personal reflection, and scriptural insight to foster relationships built on the rock of Jesus Christ.00:00 Welcome to Relationship Rock Poetry Podcast00:38 Exploring the Song 'Perfect Body'02:28 The Story Behind 'Perfect Body'06:07 A Divine Encounter at the Laundromat11:20 Biblical Accounts of Jesus' Appearances19:17 Conclusion and BlessingsSupport the show

Ready for more Dallin Oaks stuff? First we talk about a letter Joseph Smith wrote to W.W. Phelps. Then we discuss the law review article  "Ethics, Mortality, and Professional Responsibility", by Dallin Oaks published October 1975 in the BYU Law Review. For the Sword of Laman, we take a look at the first two chapters of Oaks' book Pure In Heart.  We finish it off with some happy news about a judge overturning Trump's block of an off-shore wind project that could power 600,000 homes. Enjoy!    Show Notes:  Letter to W. W. Phelps Jan 11, 1833 https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/letter-to-william-w-phelps-11-january-1833/2#historical-intro Modern D&C 52 https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/revelation-6-june-1831-dc-52/2 Ethics, Morality, and Professional Responsibility by Dallin Oaks http://digitalcommons.law.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1039&context=lawreview Wickersham Commission https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/law/wickersham-commission Criminal Justice in U.S. History https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/history/criminal-justice-us-history   Sword of Laman: Pure In Heart, by Dallin H. Oaks  Woes of the Pharisees: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woes_of_the_Pharisees  Cleansing the Inner Vessel by Ezra Taft Benson (April 1986 GenCon): https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/1986/04/cleansing-the-inner-vessel?lang=eng  Inspiring Music, Worthy Thoughts by Boyd K Packer (GenCon 1973): https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/1973/10/inspiring-music-worthy-thoughts?lang=eng  Worthy Music, Worthy Thoughts (1976 filmstrip): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJ5Z6AoEKuY  Richard G Scott in April  GenCon 1992: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/1992/04/healing-the-tragic-scars-of-abuse?lang=eng     Happy News: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/02/trump-halted-offshore-wind-project-to-proceed   Other appearances: Chris Shelton interviewed us in the beginning of a series on Mormonism on his Speaking of Cults series. Our most recent discussion was on The Unpaid Army of God: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=de543-d9tME  He has had MANY different fascinating people on so go take a look!  Here is the whole playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpGuS7GcsgA&list=PLGrPM1Pg2h72ADIuv8eYmzrJ-ppLOlw_g   Email: glassboxpodcast@gmail.com  Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/GlassBoxPod  Patreon page for documentary: https://www.patreon.com/SeerStonedProductions BlueSky: @glassboxpodcast.bsky.social  Other BlueSky: @bryceblankenagel.bsky.social and @shannongrover.bsky.social  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glassboxpodcast/  Merch store: https://www.redbubble.com/people/exmoapparel/shop Or find the merch store by clicking on "Store" here: https://glassboxpodcast.com/index.html One time Paypal donation: bryceblankenagel@gmail.com  Venmo: @Shannon-Grover-10  

We're dealing with the second half of the Beatitudes today. First a brief recap of where we were last week, and then jumping right into the rest of it. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. This is not at all how the world works. But when mercy is shown, it has the power to transform. Not only the one being shown mercy, but the one who is merciful. This is how we start making a better world. Instead of retribution, we show mercy and grace. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. This one is a hard one, and lots of people have weighed in and I'm really not sure, but let's take a crack at it. This one makes me uncomfortable to begin with. Pure of heart sounds like, spotless, untainted, perfect. We immediately connect it to some kind of moral perfection. But what if it's something different? What if pure heart refers to an undivided heart? A fearful heart sees a threatening God. A shameful heart sees a condemning God. A controlling heart sees a micromanaging God. What if we dwelled on the divine and the things of the divine? Things that are true, noble, right, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy. When we desire those things - desire the divine and the things of God suddenly the whole world becomes charged with the presence of God. Blessed are the pure in heart. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Let's talk about a whole lot of other blesseds. Blessed are those who are brave enough to shake up the status quo. Blessed are those who are courageous enough to speak truth to power. Blessed are those who are willing to jump into the fray and speak words of grace and peace. This is tough stuff. If we actually start living this way, we should expect pushback. But Jesus says, "Blessed are those who are persecuted because of me, for theirs is the kingdom." God is on our side - with us - near. Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12 http://bible.com/events/49559249

The post Blessed Are The Pure In Heart – Matthew 5:8 – February 2, 2026 first appeared on Enduring Word.

Can weakness really become strength? And can ordinary, imperfect people actually become Zion?

“Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them. He said: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”‭‭Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭1‬-‭12‬ ‭NIV‬‬

CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO to this reflectionMatthew 5: 1-12Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainsideand sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them. He said: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Matthew 5:1-12   When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany Old Testament: Micah 6:1-8 1Hear what the Lord says: Rise, plead your case before the mountains, and let the hills hear your voice. 2Hear, you mountains, the controversy of the Lord, and you enduring foundations of the earth; for the Lord has a controversy with his people, and he will contend with Israel. 3"O my people, what have I done to you? In what have I wearied you? Answer me! 4For I brought you up from the land of Egypt, and redeemed you from the house of slavery; and I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. 5O my people, remember now what King Balak of Moab devised, what Balaam son of Beor answered him, and what happened from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may know the saving acts of the Lord." 6"With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? 7Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?" 8He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? Psalm: Psalm 15 1 Lord, who may dwell in your tabernacle? *        who may abide upon your holy hill? 2 Whoever leads a blameless life and does what is right, *        who speaks the truth from his heart. 3 There is no guile upon his tongue;   he does no evil to his friend; *        he does not heap contempt upon his neighbor. 4 In his sight the wicked is rejected, *        but he honors those who fear the Lord. 5 He has sworn to do no wrong *        and does not take back his word. 6 He does not give his money in hope of gain, *        nor does he take a bribe against the innocent. 7 Whoever does these things *        shall never be overthrown. Epistle: 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 18For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19For it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart." 20Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those who believe. 22For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, 23but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25For God's foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God's weakness is stronger than human strength. 26Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, 29so that no one might boast in the presence of God. 30He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31in order that, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord." Gospel: Matthew 5:1-12 1When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. 2Then he began to speak, 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 will be comforted. 5"Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7"Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. 8"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 10"Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11"Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

  1 When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. 2 And he began to speak 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 will be comforted.   5 "Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.   6 "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.   7 "Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.   8 "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.   9 "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.   10 "Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.   11 "Blessed are you when people 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 in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you." 

Matthew 5:1-12When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. I like to be right. Just ask Katelyn. Or better yet, ask Pastor Mark when he points out a grammatical error in my writing. Yes—the Oxford comma should be there.What's worse than liking to be right is having a toddler who also likes to be right. I hold up an orange and he declares it an apple. I say it's too cold to go to the park and he responds, “No it's not—it's perfect!” You get the picture.I imagine I'm not alone in this. We all like to be right. And our certainty—our confidence that we are right—can be far more dangerous than we realize.In 2008, a woman went to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, a Harvard teaching hospital, one of the best in the world. She's taken back to the OR, put under, and the surgeon completes the surgery successfully. Everything went great…Until she woke up in recovery and realized the wrong side of her body had been stitched up. The surgeon had operated on her left leg instead of her right.When the hospital later explained how this happened, Kenneth Sands, a vice president, said this: “The surgeon began prepping without looking for the mark and, for whatever reason, he believed he was on the correct side.”We've all felt utterly right about something, only to discover later that the opposite was true. And more than we like being right, we hate realizing we're wrong. Now, an important clarification - Being wrong and realizing you're wrong are not the same thing. Kathryn Schulz uses an image from Looney Tunes to explain this. Wile E. Coyote chases the Road Runner straight off a cliff. He keeps running, completely confident, even though there's nothing beneath him. It's only when he looks down that he realizes he's in trouble.That's the difference. Being wrong is standing over thin air and thinking you're on solid ground. Realizing you're wrong is looking down and seeing there's nothing holding you up.This morning, I want to linger with just two of the Beatitudes. Not because the others don't matter—but because these two speak directly to the world we're living in right now. Our longing to be right, and our deep resistance to admitting we're wrong, sit at the heart of so much division: in our homes, our communities, our churches, our nation, and even within ourselves.And into that reality, Jesus speaks a word of blessing—a word that turns our fear, our hatred of being wrong into good news.Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. We know what it means to be hungry and thirsty. Those longings are part of being human. We hunger not only for food, but for connection, purpose, community, beauty, and joy.But to hunger for righteousness? That's not a phrase we use or even hear outside of this space. In fact, it's a word many of us avoid. It can sound pious, self-righteous, or just plain uncomfortable.And that's unfortunate… Because our discomfort with the word comes from confusion about what it means. Righteousness simply means being made right: made right with God, made right with others, and made right with yourself. Blessed, then, are those who long to be made right.Like the other Beatitudes, this one surprises us. Standing there on the mountainside, we might expect Jesus to say, Blessed are the righteous. Blessed are the ones who get it right. Blessed are the ones who already are right.But that's not how it goes. When people come to Jesus assuming they are righteous, he has a way of setting the record straight. It is those who come knowing they are wrong—those who long to be made right—who receive grace and mercy.The truth of the matter is this: we cannot make ourselves right with God, no matter how hard we try.All the praying, Bible reading, worshiping, serving, and learning in the world do not make us righteous before God. Rather, the Holy Spirit works through these practices to make us aware of the grace of Jesus. And that grace alone is what makes us right. Not our words nor our posts on Facebook. Not our deeds. Not our politics. Grace alone.Which is why Jesus finishes the Beatitude in the passive voice: for they will be filled.Those who recognize they are wrong, those who don't always get it right, those who long to be made right rather than clinging to the certainty that they already are - they will be filled. They will be made right with God, with others, and themselves.This is a blessing for those of us who get it wrong—who mess up, who don't always get it right.So much of what we see and hear around us—in our culture, in business, certainly in politics—tells us to do the opposite: never admit fault, double down, point fingers, claim victory at all costs, and insist that we are always right. But there is no hunger or thirst to be made right if we never admit that we're wrong. This blessing is for those who screw up - and can say so.What if this was our posture in the present moment, instead of the certainty that we are right?What if we moved through the world not with the desire to be right, but with the desire to be made right—not only with God, but with one another? What if we faced our spouses, our kids, our neighbors with the simple possibility that maybe… I'm wrong on this.Believe me, I'm preaching to myself here. How much better would your marriage be? Your relationship with your kids? How many friendships might be healed if we could say, “I was wrong. I'm sorry. I want this to be made right.”To error is to be human. So be human, admit you're human, and be blessed.And the best news comes with the Beatitude that follows: Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.Jesus meets our wrongness—our sin, our failure, our getting it wrong—not with contempt, not with an I told you so, but with kindness. With mercy. In this life, we expect being wrong to be met with punishment. But Jesus shows us another way. Instead of meeting our sin with punishment, he meets it with sacrifice, generosity, and mercy.And it is only because we have received mercy that we can extend mercy to others. We cannot give what we have not first received.So when someone comes longing to be made right—admitting they were wrong—it does no good to meet that honesty with harsh contempt or punishment. We resist this because we're afraid. Afraid mercy will be taken advantage of. Afraid kindness will be trampled on.And yet, what does the Lord require of us but to love kindness.We don't need to hate being wrong. Because when we admit we're wrong, we are not earning grace—we are simply telling the truth. And grace is already there to meet us.This week: look for one moment—just one—where you can say the words, “I was wrong. I'm sorry. I want this to be made right.” Say it to your spouse, your child, your neighbor, your pastors, or to God.Don't refute. Don't double down. Don't defend yourself. Instead, hunger and thirst to be made right.And then be surprised by the grace of Jesus that meets you there, fills you up, and says, I forgive you.In a world where leaders and institutions seem incapable of doing such a thing, this may be one of the strongest witnesses Christians can do in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, who gives us mercy, makes us right, and blesses us: not in spite of our mistakes, but because of them.Amen.

Who are the blessed ones of God? For Micah, they are those who do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God. For Jesus, they are the poor, the meek, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, those who mourn, and those who hunger for righteousness. In baptism we find our blessed identity and calling in this countercultural way of living and serving.Scripture Readings: Micah 6:1-8; Psalm 15; Matthew 5:1-12

Sometimes we keep our faith and our day-to-day lives in separate boxes. But it turns out that "worship" is something that brings them back together again. Worship does just happen once a week when we sing a few songs. Worship as things turn out, was always meant to be, a way of life.   Connecting Inside and Out Well, this is the second message in a series that I've called, "Living a Life of Worship". Something that we love to do and it seems to come naturally to us, is to have a disconnect between our faith in Christ and our lives. I mean, Sunday you may go to church – this kind of sacred zone – and we go there and we sing songs and we worship. "O God, You are so wonderful and I love You so much and I exalt You above all. Lord, I worship You and praise You and all of that stuff". Brilliant! Great! We are going to talk about that later on today in the programme. But then on Monday morning we go back to work – the same old, same old – back in the groove. Mum is maybe getting the kids off to school or maybe rushing out the door to work, dad's on the train or in the car or on the bus doing the commute. Or perhaps you're unemployed or retired or whatever, sitting at home alone and that thing that we call "worship" that happened back there on Sunday morning, it can seem a million miles away. Somehow it's not connected to the reality of life. It was great while it lasted but now it's back down to earth with a thud – it's Monday morning! Ever felt like that, that there's some disconnect between faith and life? Worship is that thing that happens over there but back in the real world it's hard, you know; it's tough. It's the grind; it's the pressure; it's the issues to deal with; it's the compromises people make. Well, you're not alone because in the West many Christ followers experience that. The fact that faith and worship and all that stuff over here, is somehow in a separate box from life over there. In the East, in Asia and places like Africa, people's upbringing in culture means that their spirituality is a lot more connected to their lives – but not in the West. Anyway, wherever or whatever, it's important that we understand what worship is all about. It's not just something we put in a box and take out on Sundays. Worship is a way of life – that's the name of this series, "Worship as a Way of Life". When we understand what worship is in God's heart, then all of a sudden life and spirituality become inseparable. Last week we began to look at the fact that the New Testament talks about two different forms of worship. One verse where they both appear is Luke, chapter 4 and verse 8. Grab your Bible. Jesus had been out in the desert; the Holy Spirit had let Him out in the desert for forty days of fasting, so by the end of it He was weakened; He was starved; He was at a low point. This was part of God's plan, in fact, next year we will be doing a whole four week series on this wilderness passage in Like chapter 4. Today I just want to look briefly at the second temptation because at the end of the forty days the devil comes along and tempts Jesus. And this second temptation is a grand delusion. If you have a Bible, open it up at Luke, chapter 4 beginning at verse 5. This is what it says: The devil led Him up to a high place and showed Him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And the devil said to Jesus, "I will give You all their authority and splendour for it has been given to me and I can give it to anyone I want, so if You worship me, it will all be yours. Jesus answered, "It is written, worship the Lord, your God and serve Him only." Here is a standard temptation of the devil - look at this wonderful world that I have control of. You don't have to look very far to see what an influence the devil has. I mean, Jesus called him the prince of the air. "What are you doing," says the devil, "in this wilderness for God? Look, just worship me and all this can be yours." Yea, right! Listen to what the devil says to Jesus – "so if you worship me, it will all be yours." Now the Greek word that's used here for the word "worship" is "proskuneo" - it's the word from which we get "prostrate", so to prostrate ourselves; to lie down; to bow down; to kiss someone's hand; to fall down on our knees, face down and worship. That's the sort of worship I guess we do on Sunday morning in church. Hebrews chapter 12, verse 28, talks about worshipping God with awe and reverence – it's a heart of worship – it's expressing our allegiance and our gratefulness and our awe and reverence and wonder of God, by singing songs of worship and bowing down to Him. The devil says to Jesus, "Now bow down to me as You would to God." But look at Jesus' reply! Jesus answered, "It is written, 'Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only." Jesus here is quoting the Old Testament – Deuteronomy chapter 6, verse 13 and there are two verbs in this sentence – worship and serve. Now the word "worship", the English word, is the same word as the devil used – the Greek "proskuneo" – "to bow down". But then the second verb – (Verbs are "doing" words) the second verb is and "serve" Him only. Now, this word is "latreuo" – it's the Greek word from which we get the word "lateral" or "outwards". This word is used a number of times in the New Testament and it's variously translated either as "serving" or "worshipping". "Latreuo" means to render religious service or homage, to worship, to perform sacred services, to offer gifts, so it's a "doing" word. It's about worshipping God through serving Him. For Jesus the answer went beyond simply bowing down to God or in this case, as the devil wanted, to the devil – it included who Jesus served. It's not only about what we do in our hearts, it's about what we do with our hands - inside and outside. Jesus said it again. You can read it in Luke chapter 10, verse 27. He answered: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind. In other words, with the stuff that's going on inside you and then with your strength, which is what you do inside and outside. You know something, if what we believe on the inside isn't reflected in how we live on the outside, what we believe on the inside will die. In James, chapter 2, verse 26: Faith without works is dead. If we exalt God in our hearts but not in our lives, by the way we think and act and treat other people, it doesn't work. One of the Psalms talks about having "clean hands and a pure heart". In fact this linking of inside worship and outside doing worship - "proskuneo" on the one hand, "latreuo" on the other – "bowing down" worship and "living out" worship – is something that happens over and over and over again in God's Word – you just can't separate the two.   Hidden Places The heart is where everything begins – that hidden place, deep inside. The Bible talks a lot about the heart, in fact it mentions it five hundred and forty one times! – over and over again. Jesus talked a lot about the heart. He said, "From the overflow of the heart the man speaks." He said, "adultery and murder and all that stuff, begins in the heart" – it starts on the inside and then works its way outside. So the heart is incredibly important when it comes to worship. It's that hidden place, deep inside where we live and laugh and cry and think our deepest and most secret thoughts. Let me ask you – in that place do you worship God? This is "proskuneo" worship; this is bowing our lives down. In your heart, have you bowed down your life to God? In your heart, is He exalted above all things? Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount, in Matthew, chapter 8, verse 5: Blessed are the pure in heart for they will see God. The heart though is a deceptive place. A.W. Tozer in his book, "The Pursuit of God", writes it this way. "The self is the opaque veil over our hearts that hides the face of God from us. It can be removed only in spiritual experience and never by mere instruction. As well, try to instruct leprosy out of our system. There must be a work of God in destruction before we are free. We must invite the cross to do its deadly work within us. We must bring our "self-sins" to the cross for judgement. We must prepare ourselves for an ordeal of suffering in some measure like that through which our Saviour passed when He suffered under Pilot." You see, worship of the heart is bringing ourselves before God, just as we are and allowing Him to discern the thoughts and the attentions of our hearts. And the question for each one of us is this, "who reigns in our hearts, me or Christ – myself or Jesus?" And if Christ, am I prepared in my heart to suffer for His sake? Am I prepared to take up my cross? Am I prepared to let certain things go for Him? Because when we so lay down our lives and our hearts through faith in Christ – when we decide deep on our hearts, to take a "Christ above all position, once and for all" – Christ above my selfish ambitions – Christ above the desires of my flesh – Christ above comfort and future and hopes and dreams and everything else that I want – Christ first, through faith in Him. When we decide that then He makes our hearts pure. And then this point that Tozer is making becomes our experience; the very words of Christ become our reality. Blessed are the pure in heart for they will see God. And we will see God with the eyes of our soul – gaze upon Him – and when we do we can only respond the way the twenty four elders do in the Book of Revelation. "The twenty four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns down before the throne and say, "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honour and power for You created all things and by Your will they were created and have their being." We are talking here about complete surrender of our hearts; that secret hidden place; that place that only we and God Himself may inhabit. When we surrender in that place, our lives to Christ, no matter what the cost, that, my friend, is worship. "Proskuneo" - bowing down our all to Him. So many people try to live out a "me" centred Christianity – get a revelation – there is no such thing! "I am my own little tin-pot god," just doesn't cut the mustard, when we have gazed upon Christ with the eyes of our soul. Like the elders, if we want to worship God, we have to take off our crowns and cast them down before Him at His feet and cry from deep within our hearts, "You alone are worthy, my Lord and God, to receive glory and honour and power and I worship You." How much of our prayer life is worship? How much time do we spend simply resting in His presence and glorifying Him in our hearts? This is the birthplace of worship in our lives. The Spirit in our experience brings the reality of a relationship with God Himself through Christ, to life in our hearts. It is the place of true and complete surrender. It is the place of complete sacrifice of self. It is the place where we take up our cross and utter, "Lord, not my will but let Your will be done". Painful and glorious, loss and gain, hunger and filling. "It is written, "Worship the Lord your God alone." Let me ask you gently, but quite directly, have you come to that place in your life or have you been there and perhaps drifted off? Let me pray with you a prayer that A.W. Tozer wrote in his book, "The Pursuit of God". "O God, I have tasted Your goodness and it has both satisfied me and made me thirsty for more. I am so painfully conscience of my need of further grace. I am ashamed of my lack of desire, O God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit – I want to want You alone. I long to be filled with longing, I thirst to be made more thirsty still. Show me Your glory, I pray, so that I may know You indeed. Begin in mercy a new work of love within me. Say to my soul, "rise up My love, My fair one, and come away, then give me the grace to rise and follow You, up from this misty lowland where I have wandered for so long. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.   On the Outside If on the inside we worship God in our hearts, you know, we say, "Lord, I lay down my life; I bow down; I delight in You," but then on the outside we don't live that out. Well, that incongruity; that mismatch; what you see is not what you get, well we have a name for that, it's called "hypocrisy". And it is fabulous that people go to church on Sunday morning or Sunday night or whenever they do, and they worship God. They sing all of those wonderful songs – that is an awesome thing. But if then on Monday, we go to work and tear someone's head off, that's adulterous. I mean, that's professing one thing and doing another. It's like me marrying my wife and saying, "I'm going to set myself aside for her; she's my wife", and then I go and find a mistress on the side. You know, that's a stressful way of living and it doesn't work and it hurts a lot of people. Eventually, we have to resolve that incongruity - you can't go on living like that because the tension between inside and outside is just too great. Either we have to bring our lives on the outside in line with what's happening on the inside in our hearts, or we abandon what's been going on in our hearts in worshipping God and we just go with the desires of our flesh on the outside – it's as simple as that. It's one or the other. I remember before I came to faith in Jesus – I used to try to be someone wonderful and exciting and dynamic on the outside but on the inside, you know something, my heart was rotten? I was selfish; I didn't care about other people and you know, ultimately, that showed. I'm a tough nut and before I came to Christ I would crawl over people; I would hurt them. I really didn't care because it was all about "me". Ultimately, what's going on in our hearts shows on the outside – we can't live two separate lives. We can't sit there in the morning and read a Bible and pray and pretend to worship God and then go on and live a life that is so far away from God. The two just never connect. The Apostle Paul knew that! If you've got a Bible open it at Romans chapter 12, beginning at verse 1. This is a really pivotal verse for me. This is what Paul writes, he says: Therefore I urge you brothers and sisters, because of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices holy and pleasing to God. This is your spiritual act of worship. Let's unpack that! He begins by saying, "therefore". I mean, whenever you see a "therefore" in the Scriptures, it's always pointing back to something else. And in this case, the Apostle Paul is pointing back to all that he said in the first eleven chapters of the Book of Romans. And those eleven chapters are about God's goodness in coming to rescue us through Jesus Christ. It's the stuff that causes us to worship Him. If you are struggling with the fact that Jesus came to die for you; if you are struggling with the fact "am I forgiven, am I not forgiven", read the first eleven chapters of the Book of Romans and you'll be in no doubt about God's goodness. You read those chapters and you just want to worship and praise God for who He is and what He's done. And so it's the heart stuff; it's the stuff that causes us to worship God on the inside. And so Paul says because of what He's done in your hearts, because of that mercy that you have received deep in your heart, because of that "offer your bodies as living sacrifices." See, in this verse Paul is making a connection between the heart and the hand. He is saying that we need to translate the worship in our hearts into action. We need to be living sacrifices. That is a gruesome picture! It's definitely not good marketing spin. You know, people in those days knew what sacrifices were – animals were sacrificed at temples, both Jewish temples and pagan temples. But Paul says: I urge you brothers and sisters, because of God's mercy, because of what you have experienced of God in your hearts, now on the outside, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. This is your spiritual act of worship. Now I like this next bit, "This is your spiritual act of worship". See we are talking about worship but here is the word "latreuo" which is what we talked about before. Some translations us the word "service", the two concepts combine here in this Greek word "latreuo" and it's about worshipping God through what we do. This is where the rubber hits the road. The worship of the heart is the "proskuneo" worship that we talked about before – this is the worship about prostrating ourselves; bowing down, saying, "Lord, I worship You." It's about what people do in churches on Sunday when they sing songs of worship and praise. It's what we do in our quiet times on our own, as we speak to God and say, "Lord, thank You; I praise You; I worship You." That's great – this worship, Paul is saying, because of that, now live out your worship – now "do" your worship. When you and I treat someone kindly and gently – someone that really deserves to have their heads kicked in, that's spiritual worship. When I deal honestly and fairly with someone, when I could have ripped them off, that's spiritual worship – bringing the life into line with the heart, dying to all those things that we would rather do that we know aren't God's ways. That's spiritual worship – it's being a living sacrifice. It's hard; it's tough; the road to follow Jesus always is – it's a narrow road. Dying to self and living to Christ; this is worship. Worship is not off in some separate Sunday morning sacred zone – we need to worship God with our hearts and with our lives – clean hands, pure hearts. Paul goes on to explain in the next verse what this means. "Don't let the world squeeze you into its mould anymore, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind so that you will really know and agree with God's good and perfect will for your life." What begins in our hearts as worshipping God, works its way out into our lives, living life as a life of worship.

Prayer of the DayHoly God, you confound the world's wisdom in giving your kingdom to the lowly and the pure in heart. Give us such a hunger and thirst for justice, and perseverance in striving for peace, that in our words and deeds the world may see the life of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.Welcome to Calvary Lutheran Church 619 3RD AVE SW, PERHAM, MN 56573Thank God. Share Jesus. Help Others  Support Our Livestream Ministry—and Empower Our Youth!Each week, our YouTube, Facebook Live and our podcast services are made possible by our amazing youth media team. That's right—they run the cameras, audio, and streaming software—and we're proud to pay them for their work, helping them build life skills while serving the church.Your donation supports:Livestream costs (equipment, internet, tools)Paid media roles for our youthContinued outreach through digital ministry If you've been blessed by our services, consider giving here: https://www.calvaryperham.com/giftsThank you for helping us serve our community—and raise up the next generation!Facebook: / calvaryperham YouTube: / @calvaryperham Podcast on Spotifyhttps://open.spotify.com/show/7hbXujm...Podcast public sitehttps://rss.com/podcasts/april16th2023/Lakes 99.5 Radio Sundays at Ten Thirty AMhttps://player.listenlive.co/64121TUESDAY WORSHIP9 AM Arvig TV Channel 14Egiving https://secure.myvanco.com/YMVS/homeWebsite: https://calvaryperham.com/Vanco Mobile App on Phone/Tablet: Vanco Mobile Faith Engagement has replaced the Give+ App. Search “vanco mobile faith engagement” in the app store to download on your phone or tablet, Calvary is “Calvary Lutheran Church ELCA.”Website: Click the orange E-Giving button at https://calvaryperham.com/

Mark expands on Makarios - Blessed,  and the Beatitudes.The Beatitudes3 ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit,    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.4 Blessed are those who mourn,    for they will be comforted.5 Blessed are the meek,    for they will inherit the earth.6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,    for they will be filled.7 Blessed are the merciful,    for they will be shown mercy.8 Blessed are the pure in heart,    for they will see God.9 Blessed are the peacemakers,    for they will be called children of God.10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.11 ‘Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Fr Chima Offor says Jesus' Beatitudes reveal a surprising vision of true happiness, emphasizing that true happiness comes not from worldly circumstances but from the heart. To be “pure in heart” means to be wholehearted and undivided, centred on the one thing that truly matters—loving and trusting God—so that everything else finds its place

The Beatitudes. The beginning of the Sermon on the Mount. We ask Sarah Stenson and Lars Olson: What is Jesus conveying in this sermon and how can preachers build on that in their own sermons? How do Christians misconstrue this text to be an instruction manual for being a good person?And how are you actually blessed when people revile you, persecute you, and utter all kinds of evil against you? CARE OF SOULS - ADDICTIONIn Care of Souls, a special mini-series podcast from Luther House of Study, Lutheran pastors and theologians come together to explore the deeply personal and pastoral task of preaching to and caring for those struggling with life's challenging situations: addiction, death, family disharmony, and more. With conversations, real-life stories, and reflections from the front lines of ministry, Care of Souls equips listeners to enter the broken places of addiction not with easy answers, but with the crucified and risen Christ.Because in the end, it's not about fixing people—it's about preaching the Gospel.Listen to Care of Souls wherever you listen to podcasts or on the Luther House website: Care of Souls - AddictionCONFIRMATION Does your church have a confirmation class? Luther House of Study is excited to present a comprehensive online confirmation curriculum. The curriculum includes interactive digital lessons and supplemental teacher guides featuring custom videos, quizzes, drag and drop tasks, discussion questions, scripture passages, and prayers about the Apostles' Creed, the 10 Commandments, the Lord's Prayer, and the Sacraments. Visit lutherhouseofstudy.org/confirmation to dive into the curriculum and share it with your church or your pastor. SING TO THE LORD Martin Luther said, "Next to the word of God, the art of music is the greatest treasure in the world." To understand the importance of hymnody in the Lutheran church, Lars Olson and Mason Van Essen sit down with Zachary Brockhoff to discuss the lectionary's hymns, their meaning and history, and how the music preaches the Gospel. 

What if resistance is proof that you're living out your faith correctly? In the final Beatitude, Jesus reframes persecution as a pathway to joy, authority, and spiritual maturity. This episode explores why obedience invites opposition, how subtle attacks test conviction, and what faithful leaders must be prepared for. Press play to discover why persecution isn't failure, it's formation. Key Takeaways To Listen ForHow persecution can actually signal obedience rather than failureThe subtle ways spiritual resistance shows up through doubt, exclusion, and dismissalWhy joy grounded in Christ remains steady even when circumstances changeWhat faithfulness reveals in others when it challenges comfort or compromiseHow enduring opposition shapes resilient, long-term Christian leadershipResources Mentioned In This EpisodeEP280: Blessed are the Poor in Spirit EP284: Blessed are Those Who Mourn EP289: Blessed are the Meek EP292: Blessed are those who HungerEP297: Blessed are the Merciful with Joe Thompson and Travis RevelleEP309: Blessed are the Pure In Heart with Joe Thompson and Travis RevelleEP310: Blessed are the Peacemakers with Joe Thompson and Travis RevelleConnect With UsMaster your context with real results leadership training!To learn more, visit our website at www.greatsummit.com.For tax, bookkeeping, or accounting help, contact Dr. Nate's team at www.theincometaxcenter.com or send an email to info@theincometaxcenter.com.Follow Dr. Nate on His Social MediaLinkedIn: Nate Salah, Ph.DInstagram: @natesalah Facebook: Nate SalahTikTok: @drnatesalahClubhouse: @natesalah

In this episode, we continue through the Sermon on the Mount as Jesus reveals the heart of Kingdom ethics—calling us to examine our inner life, our relationships, and our unwavering commitment to Him. We explore what it means to be pure in heart, to live as true peacemakers, to remain faithful under pressure, and to embody our calling as salt and light in the world. This message confronts shallow religion and invites us into a life of authentic discipleship—where transformed hearts lead to visible impact and God alone receives the glory. ______________________________________________________________________________________ NEW HERE? We'd love to connect with you. Text "NEW" to 323-405-3232 SERMON NOTES: www.bible.com/organizations/f223…-a8fc-3297da42c26a - Or Text: "SERMON" To: 323-405-3232 CONNECT WITH US: Hopeland Website: www.hopelandla.com Hopeland Podcast: @steinbot-519314947 Hopeland YouTube: www.youtube.com/@hopelandchurch Hopeland Facebook: @hopelandla Hopeland Instagram: @hopeland.church To support this ministry and help us continue to reach people with the gospel click here: hopelandla.com/give Or, choose a giving option here: - Venmo: @Hopeland-Church - CashApp: $HopelandChurch - Zelle: shawn@hopelandla.com - Text "Hopeland" to 833-767-5698

When we have pure hearts, we can see truth, life and love. It is God's desire that our choices are for the goodness of others, to store up love that will flow like a river from our lips, refreshing our families, our friends and whomever we meet. All are thirsty. Everyone needs to be loved, to belong, to know they matter – to someone. God, would you open our hearts to love as You do?Daylight Meditations is a daily podcast from CFO North America. Please visit CFONorthAmerica.org to learn more about our retreats, and online courses. If you are encouraged by this podcast, please consider supporting us. Contributors: Michelle DeChant, Nancy Holland, Adam Maddock, and Joy Peyton

Proverbs 16

Effective Christian leadership requires peacemaking, not peacekeeping. In this episode, the hosts explore the Beatitude “Blessed are the peacemakers” and explain how internal peace drives healthier leadership, conflict resolution, and faith-based decisions in business and family life. Listen now to learn why courage and clarity are essential to lasting peace.Key Takeaways To Listen ForHow peacemakers actively create peace instead of avoiding hard conversationsThe key difference between peacekeeping and peacemaking, and why it mattersWhy internal peace must come first before external peace is possibleHow true peacemaking requires courage, strength, and emotional maturityWhen walking away is not failure, but a necessary act of peacemakingResources Mentioned In This EpisodeEP280: Blessed are the Poor in Spirit EP284: Blessed are Those Who Mourn EP289: Blessed are the Meek EP292: Blessed are those who HungerEP297: Blessed are the Merciful with Joe Thompson and Travis RevelleEP309: Blessed are the Pure In Heart with Joe Thompson and Travis RevelleConnect With UsMaster your context with real results leadership training!To learn more, visit our website at www.greatsummit.com.For tax, bookkeeping, or accounting help, contact Dr. Nate's team at www.theincometaxcenter.com or send an email to info@theincometaxcenter.com.Follow Dr. Nate on His Social MediaLinkedIn: Nate Salah, Ph.DInstagram: @natesalah Facebook: Nate SalahTikTok: @drnatesalahClubhouse: @natesalah

Words of Christ from the blessed “Sermon on the Mount” are just as true and needful today. What a pursuit to be pure in heart—from the “beatitudes,” or “attitudes to BEcome.”

Strong Christian leadership is rooted in clarity, not control. In this episode, we will unpack the Beatitude “pure in heart” and explain how internal clarity fuels faith-driven leadership, wiser decisions, and lasting personal growth. Listen now to learn why aligned motives create stronger leaders and healthier lives.Key Takeaways To Listen ForHow the Beatitudes shape leadership at home, not just in faithTeaching “pure in heart” through clarity, not perfectionRecognizing mixed motives in parenting decisionsWhy internal clarity brings peace to family leadershipHow surrender strengthens you as a parent and guideResources Mentioned In This EpisodeEP280: Blessed are the Poor in Spirit EP284: Blessed are Those Who Mourn EP289: Blessed are the Meek EP292: Blessed are those who HungerEP297: Blessed are the Merciful with Joe Thompson and Travis RevelleConnect With UsMaster your context with real results leadership training!To learn more, visit our website at www.greatsummit.com.For tax, bookkeeping, or accounting help, contact Dr. Nate's team at www.theincometaxcenter.com or send an email to info@theincometaxcenter.com.Follow Dr. Nate on His Social MediaLinkedIn: Nate Salah, Ph.DInstagram: @natesalah Facebook: Nate SalahTikTok: @drnatesalahClubhouse: @natesalah

This is the time of year when we often say, “Merry Christmas”and “Happy New Year.” Christmas has already passed, and now we are preparing tobegin a new year. I'm not so sure that “Happy New Year” is always the bestexpression, because happiness, for the most part, is based on happenings. Ifeverything goes well—if things turn out the way I want them to—then I'm happy.If something happens that I don't like, then I'm unhappy. What we really oughtto say is, “Have a blessed New Year.” Jesustells us what it means to be blessed in Matthew 5. “Blessed are the poor inspirit. Blessed are the meek. Blessed are the pure in heart. Blessed are thepeacemakers.” He gives us about eight “blesseds.” What He is teaching us isthis: when you are blessed by God—when you do what you ought to do in the powerof the Holy Spirit—you will experience true happiness. You will have joy inyour heart. Why? Because you are trusting the Lord with every area of yourlife. To be truly blessed is to have God's smile on your life and even in thetough and difficult times you know the God has your back and that all thingswill work together for good (Romans 8:28).  Thatkind of life happens as we discipline ourselves as disciples of Jesus Christ todo the right things. That is why we are talking about 1 Timothy 4:7, where Paulwrites to Timothy and says, “Have nothing to do with worldly fables fit onlyfor old women.” In other words, don't waste your time with worldly stories,distractions, or ideas that have no lasting value—and often aren't even true.We can get so distracted by what's going on socially, economically, orpolitically. Paul says, Don't give your time and attention to those things. “Onthe other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness. For bodilydiscipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for allthings.”We want to talk about what it means to be disciplined for the purpose ofgodliness. As we said yesterday, discipline means that you go to the spiritualgym, so to speak. You put yourself in the pathway of God's grace. You do thethings that build spiritual growth in your life. You establish a foundation forliving each day by doing what you ought to do, rather than simply what you feellike doing. My friend, that takes discipline to be in the Word of God. TheApostle Paul, in 2 Timothy 2:3-6, told Timothy to be a good soldier of JesusChrist. That speaks of the discipline of a soldier. Then he goes on to talkabout an athlete—how an athlete trains and disciplines himself in order to winthe prize. He also speaks of the discipline of a farmer—a hardworking farmerwho gets up early, sows at the right time of year, and does what he may notalways want to do, but must do if he is going to reap a harvest in the fall.  Myfriend, that is description of the Christian life that pleases the Lord. Wedon't do this in our own strength. We do it in the strength and power of theHoly Spirit and by the energy He supplies as we set our hearts on pleasing Himand doing what is right every day. Yes,physical exercise profits a little. It is good to eat right and to exerciseproperly. But my friend, it is far more profitable to pursue godliness.Godliness affects our relationship with God. It shapes our character. Itinfluences our relationships with others. It impacts our peace, our wisdom, andour joy—and ultimately, even our eternity.  Noticethat Paul says godliness holds “promise for the present life and also forthe life to come.” It matters now, and it matters forever. When youdiscipline yourself for this purpose, you are not only living to please theLord today—you are living with eternity in view. Your sights are set on heaven,on the day when you will stand before the Lord and hear, “Well done, thougood and faithful servant.” 

*Listen to the Show notes and podcast transcript with this multi-language player. Summary “Creating a Pure Kingdom Atmosphere” explores how purity of spirit shapes the environment in which God moves. Each speaker emphasizes the inner condition of the heart—brokenness, humility, confession, and right motivation—as the essential foundation for maintaining a spiritual atmosphere where revelation, healing, and unity flourish. The episode stresses that a pure atmosphere is not something we enter; it is something we become. By refusing to relate to one another after the flesh, confronting our reactions, embracing God's dealings, and pressing on to know the Lord, we create an atmosphere where His presence is free to work in and through the Body of Christ. Show Notes 1. Purity Creates Atmosphere - A pure spirit purifies the environment around us. - The pure in heart see God (Matt. 5:8). - Jesus could not perform miracles among those who knew Him after the flesh. - We must know one another after the Spirit. 2. The Formula for Purity - Psalm 51:17: A broken spirit and contrite heart create an atmosphere God receives. 3. Entering a Pure Atmosphere - Humility and contrition open the door to God's presence. 4. Confession and Reactions - Confessing sins cleans the air spiritually. - Hidden reactions obstruct personal and communal growth. - Even small attitudes shape atmosphere. 5. Evaluating the Spirit, Not Deeds - True evaluation is the motivation of the spirit. - Past victories or failures cannot define us. 6. God's Loving Wounding - God exposes, heals, and purifies. - Hosea 6:1–3—He tears and heals. 7. Becoming the Atmosphere - By God's grace, we become the spiritual atmosphere for one another. Key Quotes “A pure spirit can purify the atmosphere.” — Dale“A broken spirit and a contrite heart: there is the formula.” — Pauline“If I react against someone, I hinder their growth and my own.” — Linda“All you can evaluate is the motivation of your spirit.” — Pat“The Lord can lance wounds and heal them—He can hurt you and bind you up again.” — Debbie Scriptural References Matthew 5:8 — Blessed are the pure in...

Witness the ultimate act of faith and forgiveness as Stephen, the first martyr, sees the heavens open and prays for his persecutors.In this episode, experience the powerful and poignant story of Stephen, the first Christian martyr, and his unwavering faith even in the face of death. Discover the purity of heart that allowed him to see Jesus and forgive his enemies.Today's Bible verse is (Matthew 5:8, from the King James Version.Download the Pray.com app for more Christian content including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.Pray.com is the digital destination for faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.