Scripture – Observation – Application – PrayerScripture:God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God. (‭Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭8‬ NLT)”Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. (‭Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭8‬ NASB)Observation:In the time that these words were spoken, the focus was on ceremonial purification. Being pure was more about being faithful in all the rituals and actions of the law and had even taken on...

Scripture – Observation – Application – PrayerScripture:God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy. (‭Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭7‬ NLT)Observation:To those who heard this spoken, the word “mercy” held two meanings. One was to give forgiveness when you have been wronged or injured. The other was to show compassion through charitable giving to those in need. I think both would apply here. Although most...

Scripture – Observation – Application – PrayerScripture: God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied. (‭Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭6‬ NLT)Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. (‭Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭6‬ NASB)Observation:Jesus used two of the most basic natural desires to express how important this must be in one's life. We all must have food and water to...

Scripture – Observation – Application – Prayer Scripture: God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth. (‭Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭5‬ NLT) Observation: We are more used to seeing this verse in other translations saying “blessed are the meek”. The word used here is one that would denote being “mild” or in an old sense a “gentleman”. This blessing is for those who are not...

Scripture – Observation – Application – Prayer Scripture: God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted. (‭Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭4‬ NLT) Observation: The quick thought would be that this is speaking of those who have lost a love one in death and although we comfort those in those situations, this is not what this passage refers to. This refers to the ones whom the scriptures speak of who “mourn” in Zion...

Scripture – Observation – Application – Prayer Scripture: “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.” (‭Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭3‬ NLT) Observation: Some debate whether these are those who are actually poor or those who are humble. The gospel was to be preached to the actual poor and not just to the rich. Other preachers had come and talked about how happiness and...

Scripture – Observation – Application – Prayer Scripture: Jesus traveled throughout the region of Galilee, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. (‭Matthew‬ ‭4‬:‭23‬ NLT) Observation: We could focus here on what he preached and what kind of things he healed, the diseases were chronic ongoing illnesses and the illness dealt with any kind of...

Scripture – Observation – Application – Prayer Scripture: One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers—Simon, also called Peter, and Andrew—throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” And they left their nets at once and followed him. A little farther up the shore he...

Scripture – Observation – Application – Prayer Scripture: When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he left Judea and returned to Galilee. He went first to Nazareth, then left there and moved to Capernaum, beside the Sea of Galilee, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. This fulfilled what God said through the prophet Isaiah: “In the land of Zebulun and of Naphtali, beside the sea, beyond the Jordan River, in...

Scripture – Observation – Application – Prayer Part five of five with this text… Scripture: Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil. For forty days and forty nights he fasted and became very hungry. During that time the devil came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.” But Jesus told him, “No! The...

Scripture – Observation – Application – Prayer Part four of five with this text… Scripture: Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil. For forty days and forty nights he fasted and became very hungry. During that time the devil came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.” But Jesus told him, “No! The...

Scripture – Observation – Application – Prayer Part three of five with this text… Scripture: Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil. For forty days and forty nights he fasted and became very hungry. During that time the devil came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.” But Jesus told him, “No! The...

Scripture – Observation – Application – Prayer Part two of five with this text… Scripture: Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil. For forty days and forty nights he fasted and became very hungry. During that time the devil came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.” But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures...

Scripture – Observation – Application – Prayer Part one of five with this text… Scripture: Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil. For forty days and forty nights he fasted and became very hungry. During that time the devil came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.” But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures...

Scripture – Observation – Application – Prayer Scripture: After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.” (‭Matthew‬ ‭3‬:‭16-17‬ NLT) Observation: Two things here. First this continues the example for believers with the Holy...

Scripture – Observation – Application – Prayer Scripture: Then Jesus went from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized by John. But John tried to talk him out of it. “I am the one who needs to be baptized by you,” he said, “so why are you coming to me?” But Jesus said, “It should be done, for we must carry out all that God requires. ” So John agreed to baptize him. (‭Matthew‬ ‭3‬:‭13-15‬...

Scripture – Observation – Application – Prayer Scripture: But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to watch him baptize, he denounced them. “You brood of snakes!” he exclaimed. “Who warned you to flee God’s coming wrath? Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing,...

Scripture – Observation – Application – Prayer Scripture: In those days John the Baptist came to the Judean wilderness and began preaching. His message was, “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near. ” The prophet Isaiah was speaking about John when he said, “He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the LORD’s coming! Clear the road for him!’”...

Scripture – Observation – Application – Prayer Scripture: After this interview the wise men went their way. And the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and...

Scripture – Observation – Application – Praye Scripture: Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.” King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as was everyone in Jerusalem. He called a meeting of the...

Scripture – Observation – Application – Prayer Scripture: This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. Joseph, her fiancé, was a good man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly. As he considered this, an...

Scripture – Observation – Application – Prayer Scripture: And you must show mercy to those whose faith is wavering. Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. Show mercy to still others, but do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives. (‭Jude‬ ‭1‬:‭22-23‬ NLT) Observation: Don’t abandon others, but show mercy to those who are struggling with faith, rescue others by pulling...

Scripture – Observation – Application – Prayer Scripture: But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit, and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life. In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God’s love. (‭Jude‬ ‭1‬:‭20-21‬ NLT) Observation: For those of you who are living in the truth, you must build up each other in your...

Scripture – Observation – Application – Prayer Scripture: But you, my dear friends, must remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ predicted. They told you that in the last times there would be scoffers whose purpose in life is to satisfy their ungodly desires. These people are the ones who are creating divisions among you. They follow their natural instincts because they do not have God’s Spirit in them. (‭Jude‬...