Listen To the Bible! | King James Audio Bible | KJV | King James Version
Jesus teaches this invitation to deeper prayer. Jesus calls us to pray from the heart, in humility and intimacy with the Father. Take a moment to quiet your mind and open your heart.
I invite the Holy Spirit to guide my thoughts. How can my prayer life be more in tune with God’s will?
Matthew’s account of the Sermon on the Mount has been related through the whole of chapters five, six and seven of his Gospel. Jesus concludes his teachings with today’s Bible verses, which carry both a promise and a warning. Commencing with the Beatitudes, Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount has presented to the people, toward the start of his ministry, a most beautiful, transformative understanding of God’s call to us to be with Him and to live according to the real, inner truth of the law [ … ]
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Faith, then, is far from being a denial of reality – indeed it is the opposite; it is a meeting with reality, and where we are at our most real. Jesus asks us to be careful that our faith be not a kind of escapism. We are to ask ourselves how we are doing as Christians [ … ]
There is a beautiful lesson in love, which is to test ourselves when we are offering gifts of love to our beloved/s, and this is by imagining that we actually don’t know the person or people to whom we are giving. This way, we can make sure that what we are doing is giving, rather than making an investment and expecting something in return [ … ]
Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine. This is difficult text. The dogs, the pigs – these would be terms to describe the non-Jewish, yet in acknowledging this we are aware of Jesus’ ministering to everybody, gathering crowds of disparate people, and enjoining them to coexist peacefully, while he walked in the land of the Gentiles [ … ]
When we are offended or injured, Jesus teaches us not to demand pay-back, an eye for our eye, a tooth for our tooth, but rather to forgive, and where there was hatred, to bring instead to the situation the opposite of hatred, which is love [ … ]
Through these verses of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus directs us to consider and take to heart not the outward show of the Law, the behaviour which other people can see, but rather the inward spirit – our thoughts, our mind, the invisible part of ourselves, which is visible to ourselves and to God [ … ]
This is an extraordinary scene. Many, many people are gathered with Jesus to hear his teaching, which is the Sermon on the Mount. The people will not all be friends; there will be different, sectarian groups, and rivalries between them. Some of those gathered to listen to Jesus will be suspicious of others. Nor can the people yet understand what is happening here, just who and what Jesus is. The people have flocked to – see someone, hear someone, someone new and extraordinary, someone perhaps who can answer their needs. Their coming to Jesus is an expression of hope and longing. Who knows what thoughts there must have been as people looked around to see all those others gathered. This is a vast company of strangers [ … ]
The Beatitudes form our gateway to the Sermon on the Mount, the first of the great five discourses which are recounted in Matthew’s Gospel, and a beautiful invitation to be with Jesus, a programme by which we may live a Christian life. Moses ascended a mountain to be with God and to bring the Law back to the people. Now Jesus ascends this mountain and draws the people with him, both his disciples and the multitude, and here he reforms and brings new life to the Law, teaching with authority as only he can [ … ]
Lord Jesus, I come before you with a weary heart and a burdened soul. Life’s challenges have left me feeling tired and overwhelmed. I seek your comforting presence and the rest that only you can provide. Please grant me your peace, renew my strength, and carry my burdens as I surrender them into your loving hands. In Your name, I find solace and find rest for my weary soul. Amen [ … ]
Jesus, as the Prince of Peace, showed us the way to be peacemakers. Jesus taught us to love our enemies, to forgive those who hurt us, and to seek reconciliation. Jesus’ life exemplified the power of forgiveness and the possibility of healing broken relationships [ … ]
As followers of Jesus, we are called to respond to reviling, persecution, and false accusations with grace, love, and a steadfast commitment to truth. We should not be discouraged by the world’s reaction but rather find strength in knowing that we share in the sufferings of Christ [ … ]
When we are persecuted, it means that we are facing challenges or being treated unfairly because we are trying to live the way God wants us to. We might feel left out, made fun of, or even hurt because of it. But Jesus reminds us that in the end, we have a special place in the kingdom of heaven [ … ]
When our hearts are pure, our vision becomes clear. We are able to recognize God’s hand at work, His love in action, and His guidance in our lives. We see the beauty of His creation, the divine purpose in every circumstance, and the ways in which God is leading us on the path of righteousness [ … ]
Blessed are those who choose to respond to others with mercy rather than judgment. The merciful recognize their own imperfections and extend grace to others who may have wronged them. They choose forgiveness over resentment, love over anger, and compassion over harshness. In their acts of mercy, they experience the freedom of releasing grievances and find themselves recipients of God’s abundant mercy [ … ]
Jesus taught us to champion justice, love, and mercy. Jesus encouraged us to challenge injustice and to actively engage in acts of compassion. Jesus demonstrated that true fulfilment comes from living a life rooted in righteousness and fighting for what is right [ … ]
Jesus exemplified meekness through his actions. Despite having immense power, Jesus chose to serve others, show compassion, and sacrifice for their well-being. Jesus demonstrated that genuine strength lies in selflessness and aligning oneself with a higher purpose [ … ]
Jesus himself experienced deep sorrow during his time on earth. Jesus wept at the tomb of his friend Lazarus and in the Garden of Gethsemane before his crucifixion. Jesus understands the pain we feel, and invites us to bring our sorrows to him. In our mourning, we can find solace and comfort in knowing that Jesus is with us, empathizing with our pain, and offering his peace [ … ]
Being ‘poor in spirit’ means understanding that we have nothing to offer God on our own. It’s like realizing we’re empty inside and need God to fill us with His love and guidance. When we’re humble and admit our weaknesses, God’s kingdom becomes available to us. It’s a kingdom where God’s love, peace, and goodness rule [ … ]
