Devotional Guide for Thursday, January 11

Matthew 5:1-12

Reflect
Today we read what some would call the preamble to Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (chapters 5-7). It is likely there were three different groups of people listening in on Jesus’ teaching: the disciples, the religious leaders, and the crowd.

As Jesus speaks to these three groups, He gives us a powerful picture of what is available for those who choose to live a kingdom life. Our passage today gives us a snapshot of the way God’s kingdom makes its impact on the lives of those who choose to respond to it.

This teaching was good discipleship for those who were already following Jesus and it gave the crowd something to think about and challenged them to consider becoming a disciple.

The message Jesus proclaims is about a kingdom that is present with us today, which should offer us some comfort, but also has a future component that provides us with a sense of hope of what is yet to come.

Pastor Terry

Pray for Canadian Bible Society
The mission of the Canadian Bible Society is to help the world hear God speak through His Word. Where people are at risk, when faith is under siege, to millions craving hope and a generation seeking purpose, God speaks. We help them hear. Thanks to our generous supporters, CBS is able to champion the Bible as God’s voice, revealing the living Word of God, lead in the translation, publication and distribution of Bibles and Bible portions, innovate in new formats and delivery channels to reach a wide range of people, and partner in opportunities for Scripture to transform people’s lives. Pray for the safety and strength of Bible Society staff around the world as they work to make God’s Word available to those in need of comfort and hope. Pray that God will continue to open doors for CBS to share God’s Word in Canada and around the world.