“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.”   Matthew 5:8 THE PROPERTIES OF PURITY - Psalm 24:3-4 THE PLACE OF PURITY - Proverbs 4:23 THE PROCESS OF PURITY - Ezekiel 36:26 THE PROMISE OF PURITY - 1 John 3:2-3

“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.”    Matthew 5:7 Mercy is an unearned response to someone else’s need.  It is the emotion of pity put into action.  And it is displayed in the character of God Himself! In the scriptures, mercy goes hand-in-hand with compassion.  We see this in the story of The Good Samaritan.

• The Notion—noticing a need
• The Emotion—moving beyond sympathy to empathy
• The Motion—being moved to action
• The Devotion—an ongoing commitment to be helpful

Mercy also goes hand-in-hand with forgiveness.  Jesus illustrates the need for this in the Parable of the Unmerciful Servant.  We see a positive example in the life of Joseph the son of Jacob. There is no receiving mercy without a willingness to give it. Who can you show compassion to this week? Who do you need to forgive today?

Jesus began his Sermon on the Mount with a set of teachings we call The Beatitudes.  We are going to be looking at the spiritual truths of these “sacred paradoxes” and considering how our lives and our attitudes may need to change in order to experience God’s greatest blessings in our lives. “Blessed are the poor in spirit . . .” “Blessed are those who mourn . . .” “Blessed are the meek . . .” “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness . . .”  “He guides the humble in what is right, and teaches them His way.”  Psalm 25:9

“Walking in the Light”    Isaiah 2:1-8  In Isaiah 2:5 there is an invitation to “Come, let us walk in the light of the Lord.”  “Walking in the Light” is also a common New Testament theme.  The prophecies of Isaiah help us understand when we are walking in the light, and when we are not. Signs of a People Walking in Darkness:

• Too much like the rest of the world. (2:6)
• Too much dependence on material wealth. (2:7a)
• Too much dependence on military might. (2:7b)
• Too much human pride resulting in idolatry. (2:8)

Signs of Walking in the Light of the Lord:

• A commitment to worship. (2:2-3)
• An acceptance of all people.
• Taking a stand for justice. (2:4a)
• Striving for peace. (2:4b)

Let us, as followers of Jesus, set a positive example for our neighbors and our nation.  Then let us also offer the invitation to come and walk in the light of the Lord.