   The Greek word for 'pure' is 'katharos', from which we get our English word 'catharsis'. Psychiatrists talk about catharsis as the cleansing of a person's destructive attitudes. The biblical word refers to a cleansing of all impurities from your inner spirit - impurities that include evil tendencies, thoughts or desires, lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and pride of life (see 1 John 2:16). To be pure is to have all impurities removed so that you might reflect the character of Christ Jesus.

   One of the main plagues in our society today, and even in many churches, is double mindedness. We have mixed motives, a divided mind and heart. We must put an end to segregating our lives, which causes us to speak and act one way around fellow Christians and another way around those who don't know Jesus. To be pure in heart is to have integrity - to have your heart, your head and your hands fully integrated and aligned with the commands of God. To be a person of integrity is to say what you believe, and then do what you say. Jesus said very plainly, 'No one can serve two masters' (Matthew 6:24 NKJV). 

   'Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God' (Matthew 5:8 NKJV). The pure in heart see God's loving heart and mercy in every passage of Scripture. They see God in every event, shaping and moulding circumstances to serve his higher purposes. And they see God in the midst of their own difficulties and pain. When your heart's desire is to see and know God better, he will fulfil that desire.





— SCRIPTURE —

    'Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.' Matthew 5:8 NKJV
— SOULFOOD —

    Jer 7-9, Luke 21:1-19, Ps 38:13-22, Pro 8:24-26
    

The Greek word for 'pure' is 'katharos', from which we get our English word 'catharsis'. Psychiatrists talk about catharsis as the cleansing of a person's destructive attitudes. The biblical word refers to a cleansing of all impurities from your inner spirit - impurities that include evil tendencies, thoughts or desires, lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and pride of life (see 1 John 2:16). To be pure is to have all impurities removed so that you might reflect the character of Christ Jesus. One of the main plagues in our society today, and even in many churches, is double mindedness. We have mixed motives, a divided mind and heart. We must put an end to segregating our lives, which causes us to speak and act one way around fellow Christians and another way around those who don't know Jesus. To be pure in heart is to have integrity - to have your heart, your head and your hands fully integrated and aligned with the commands of God. To be a person of integrity is to say what you believe, and then do what you say. Jesus said very plainly, 'No one can serve two masters' (Matthew 6:24 NKJV). 'Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God' (Matthew 5:8 NKJV). The pure in heart see God's loving heart and mercy in every passage of Scripture. They see God in every event, shaping and moulding circumstances to serve his higher purposes. And they see God in the midst of their own difficulties and pain. When your heart's desire is to see and know God better, he will fulfil that desire.
 
 — SCRIPTURE — 
 'Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.' Matthew 5:8 NKJV 
 — SOULFOOD — 
 Jer 7-9, Luke 21:1-19, Ps 38:13-22, Pro 8:24-26

The Word For Today is a daily devotional by authors Bob and Debby Gass. Every day, tens of thousands of people across New Zealand are encouraged and uplifted by its relevant insights.

The daily readings resonate with people as they often speak into their current circumstances. Often readers express wonder at how a particular day’s devotion appeared to be ‘written just for me’

The Word For Today is a daily devotional by authors Bob and Debby Gass. Every day, tens of thousands of people across New Zealand are encouraged and uplifted by its relevant insights.
The daily readings resonate with people as they often speak into their current circumstances. Often readers express wonder at how a particular day&rsquo;s devotion appeared to be &lsquo;written just for me&rsquo;

The Word For Today

The sixth Beatitude

   Jesus said: 'Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for my sake. Rejoice...for great is your reward in Heaven' (Matthew 5:10-12 NKJV). To be persecuted for righteousness' sake is to live as Jesus lived - with his character, his motives, his obedience, his trust in the Father and his purity of heart. It's to be a peacemaker, to hunger and thirst for what's right, to turn your back on sin and to be a fountain of mercy. If you live this way, you will probably be persecuted just as Jesus was persecuted. You won't have to be confrontational in what you say or do - your very life will be confrontational. It's the contrast that will bring confrontation! 

   Jesus spoke the truth, lived the truth and was willing to die for the truth. He spoke up every time the truth he spoke was challenged. And he promises that when you are insulted and abused for the same reasons he was, if you remain faithful, you'll receive the Kingdom of Heaven. In other words, you'll have a reward in Heaven and be given spiritual authority in the Kingdom of Heaven. 

   What you may suffer here on earth is only temporary rejection, insult or abuse. What you gain in Heaven will be eternal and glorious. The Bible says: 'The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us' (Romans 8:18 NKJV).





— SCRIPTURE —

    'Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.' Matthew 5:10 NKJV
— SOULFOOD —

    Jer 14-17, Luke 21:25-33, Ps 69:19-36, Pro 8:30-31
    

Jesus said: 'Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for my sake. Rejoice...for great is your reward in Heaven' (Matthew 5:10-12 NKJV). To be persecuted for righteousness' sake is to live as Jesus lived - with his character, his motives, his obedience, his trust in the Father and his purity of heart. It's to be a peacemaker, to hunger and thirst for what's right, to turn your back on sin and to be a fountain of mercy. If you live this way, you will probably be persecuted just as Jesus was persecuted. You won't have to be confrontational in what you say or do - your very life will be confrontational. It's the contrast that will bring confrontation! Jesus spoke the truth, lived the truth and was willing to die for the truth. He spoke up every time the truth he spoke was challenged. And he promises that when you are insulted and abused for the same reasons he was, if you remain faithful, you'll receive the Kingdom of Heaven. In other words, you'll have a reward in Heaven and be given spiritual authority in the Kingdom of Heaven. What you may suffer here on earth is only temporary rejection, insult or abuse. What you gain in Heaven will be eternal and glorious. The Bible says: 'The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us' (Romans 8:18 NKJV).
 
 — SCRIPTURE — 
 'Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.' Matthew 5:10 NKJV 
 — SOULFOOD — 
 Jer 14-17, Luke 21:25-33, Ps 69:19-36, Pro 8:30-31

The eighth Beatitude

   The Hebrew word for 'peace' is 'shalom'; it refers to a sense of well-being that produces calmness and confidence, even in a crisis. It's assurance in the midst of uncertainty and confusion. Those who have an immovable, unshakeable, rock-solid trust in God are those who experience genuine peace of heart. 

   How do you acquire such peace? First, know what God says in his word and believe it. Make God's word the foundation of all you believe and, therefore, of all you say and do. You must take God at his word and surrender your will to his commandments and his plan. You must root your expectations and hope in his promises and his desires. True peace of heart is always built on truth - the truth of who God is, who you are 'in him', and how God wants you to relate to him and with others. To know God's truth is to experience God's peace. As you seek to bring this kind of peace to the hearts of others, you are acting like your heavenly Father. 

   It's God's desire that you be reconciled to him and experience salvation and genuine heart peace. Our message is this: 'Acquaint yourself with him, and be at peace; thereby good will come to you' (Job 22:21 NKJV). Paul put it this way: 'Having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ' (Romans 5:1 NKJV). Our ultimate role as peacemakers is not simply to see men and women at peace with one another but also at peace with God.





— SCRIPTURE —

    'Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.' Matthew 5:9 NKJV
— SOULFOOD —

    Jer 10-13, Luke 21:20-24, Ps 69:1-18, Pro 8:27-29
    

The Hebrew word for 'peace' is 'shalom'; it refers to a sense of well-being that produces calmness and confidence, even in a crisis. It's assurance in the midst of uncertainty and confusion. Those who have an immovable, unshakeable, rock-solid trust in God are those who experience genuine peace of heart. How do you acquire such peace? First, know what God says in his word and believe it. Make God's word the foundation of all you believe and, therefore, of all you say and do. You must take God at his word and surrender your will to his commandments and his plan. You must root your expectations and hope in his promises and his desires. True peace of heart is always built on truth - the truth of who God is, who you are 'in him', and how God wants you to relate to him and with others. To know God's truth is to experience God's peace. As you seek to bring this kind of peace to the hearts of others, you are acting like your heavenly Father. It's God's desire that you be reconciled to him and experience salvation and genuine heart peace. Our message is this: 'Acquaint yourself with him, and be at peace; thereby good will come to you' (Job 22:21 NKJV). Paul put it this way: 'Having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ' (Romans 5:1 NKJV). Our ultimate role as peacemakers is not simply to see men and women at peace with one another but also at peace with God.
 
 — SCRIPTURE — 
 'Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.' Matthew 5:9 NKJV 
 — SOULFOOD — 
 Jer 10-13, Luke 21:20-24, Ps 69:1-18, Pro 8:27-29

The seventh Beatitude

   Mercy is more than forgiveness, less than love, different from grace and one with justice. Forgiveness becomes operational only when a wrong is committed, but mercy is operational at all times. Mercy leads to and produces forgiveness, but mercy is more than forgiveness. Mercy reaches out to the weak, to the needy and to those needing protection and direction. Just as forgiveness flows out of mercy, so mercy flows out of love. Love is the source of mercy, but love is greater than mercy - it exists apart from any need or sin. Mercy offers a reprieve from punishment, but grace offers complete pardon. Mercy relieves our pain, but grace cures the disease. Mercy overlooks the mistakes, but grace forgets the mistakes. 

   God is merciful and just at the same time. Mercy that ignores or refuses to deal with sin is a false mercy. Justice requires that we face and deal with sin. Mercy grants us the privilege of facing and dealing with it so we might be forgiven of it. 

   Jesus said, 'Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy' (Matthew 5:7 NKJV). The more mercy we exercise, the more mercy we receive from God. We are to be conduits for God's mercy with an ever-increasing capacity to impart it to others. The person who exercises mercy is unshackled from emotional chains, freed of spiritual bondage and liberated from the bitterness that hinders spiritual growth. Mercy flowing from God to us removes the blockages that keep us from becoming whole. And the good news is that we will never be asked to extend more mercy to others than God has extended to us.





— SCRIPTURE —

    'Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.' Matthew 5:7 NKJV
— SOULFOOD —

    Jer 4-6, Luke 20:27-47, Ps 38:1-12, Pro 8:22-23
    

Mercy is more than forgiveness, less than love, different from grace and one with justice. Forgiveness becomes operational only when a wrong is committed, but mercy is operational at all times. Mercy leads to and produces forgiveness, but mercy is more than forgiveness. Mercy reaches out to the weak, to the needy and to those needing protection and direction. Just as forgiveness flows out of mercy, so mercy flows out of love. Love is the source of mercy, but love is greater than mercy - it exists apart from any need or sin. Mercy offers a reprieve from punishment, but grace offers complete pardon. Mercy relieves our pain, but grace cures the disease. Mercy overlooks the mistakes, but grace forgets the mistakes. God is merciful and just at the same time. Mercy that ignores or refuses to deal with sin is a false mercy. Justice requires that we face and deal with sin. Mercy grants us the privilege of facing and dealing with it so we might be forgiven of it. Jesus said, 'Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy' (Matthew 5:7 NKJV). The more mercy we exercise, the more mercy we receive from God. We are to be conduits for God's mercy with an ever-increasing capacity to impart it to others. The person who exercises mercy is unshackled from emotional chains, freed of spiritual bondage and liberated from the bitterness that hinders spiritual growth. Mercy flowing from God to us removes the blockages that keep us from becoming whole. And the good news is that we will never be asked to extend more mercy to others than God has extended to us.
 
 — SCRIPTURE — 
 'Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.' Matthew 5:7 NKJV 
 — SOULFOOD — 
 Jer 4-6, Luke 20:27-47, Ps 38:1-12, Pro 8:22-23

The sixth Beatitude

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