October 26

The Sermon on the Mount

Today's readling has a lot to consider and take to heart. Jesus was giving important instructions and teachings to His followers. If there is ever a time when you don't know what to do in a certain situtation, chances are you will find the answer in this sermon.

These are a couple key points that stood out to me:

~ God will comfort those who suffer and reward those those who do His will. (The Beautides)

~ Material wealth in this world does not equal true wealth in the kingdom of heaven.

~ Sinning in your mind is still just that: sin. There is no difference between committing a sin outwardly and committing a sin in your mind. (Jesus gives examples with the 6th and 7th commandments).

~ Do to others as you would have them do to you. Jesus said that the entire Law and teachings of the Prophets can be summed up in this sentence. It maybe hard for some of us to believe that the Old Testament could be summed up in such a simple way. But when you think about it, it is clearly the truth. Everything God does for us is out of His infinite love for us. Everything we do for God should be out of our love for Him. The same goes with how we should treat each other as well.

~ When Jesus said "Do not worry," it was not a suggestion, it was a command. When we worry, it means we are doubting God's ability and desire to take care of us. When you feel worry or anxiety, think about all the things God has done and all the things He is capable of. There is no such thing as a situtation or problem too great for God to control.

~ When you pray or give to the poor, make sure your motives are pure. Follow God's instructions out of love for Him and gratitude for all He has done for us.

I pray that we will all take to heart Jesus' teachings. Throughout your days, ask God to help you put His words into practice in order to experience His love and to show it to the world.