Matthew 5:10

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. – Matthew 5:10

Dear Jesus,

It seems to natural to avoid being criticized at all cost. But you teach me otherwise, O Savior. When I am persecuted for thinking the right things, or saying the truth, or doing what you would have done, then I am blessed. I should expect people who have un-renewed minds to be aggravated that I am doing the right things for the right reasons. When you lead my life, I know my behavior will prick their consciences When they are not used to letting their consciences be their guide they will rebel. Give me strength Jesus, to be resilient even when those who persecute me are close friends or family. Give me the discernment to sift through their criticisms to find out what areas I need to grow in and what areas I need to celebrate. Help me see when praise is a trap and criticism a blessing. And give me your supernatural love to reach out to my critics instead of being judgmental and resentful. Without you and your indwelling Spirit, I could not do any of this. So, fill me up with your Holy Spirit so I laugh in the face of persecution.

AMEN

Pastor Donald Patterson

How we think will dictate how we live and how we live will dictate how others think.

Matthew 5:9

Blessed are the peacemakers,
    for they will be called children of God. – Matthew 5:9

Dear Jesus,

I’m starting to get just how important it is to you, the Father and the Holy Spirit that we, your people, have peace between us.  The angels sang “Peace on earth!” when you were born.  You were making peace between us and God the Father your whole life.  You want us to make peace between ourselves and others.  I’m more sinfully inclined to make a statement than peace.  It hurts others and I am sorry that I have done it so much.  Help me to be a peacemaker, to readily admit my faults, to refuse to argue just to be right, to murder my passive aggressive nature.  Give me the courage to reach out to those I know are annoyed by me, and to humble myself in apology to them.  I want their emotional welfare to be more important to me than my vindication.  Oh Jesus, free me from the desire to win over people to be one who wins them over with love. 

AMEN

Pastor Don Patterson

Making peace with someone erects a monument to grace in their heart. 

Matthew 5:8

Blessed are the pure in heart,
    for they will see God. – Matthew 5:8

Dear Jesus,

When I’m having a bad day it’s usually because I have a bad perspective on everything happening to me.  If I would see you behind every disappointment and remember your promises to work it out for my good I would be slower to judge my situation as bad.  I want that pure heart that’s cleansed by grace so that I have a faith filled optimism about what’s going down.  I want to see you and your saving work behind every difficulty and every hurt. Jesus, purify my heart with your love and make me a reflection of how you lived here, seeing your Father in every moment.

AMEN

Pastor Don Patterson

When God cleanses the lens in your heart, everything looks brighter.

Matthew 5:7

Blessed are the merciful,
    for they will be shown mercy. – Matthew 5:7

Dear Jesus,

Sometimes I think you love to make sure everyone knows the rules so they will get in line.  That’s probably more because I want everyone else to follow the rules too.  But you love it more when we understand forgiveness, show mercy and give people relief from guilt and suffering.  You even tell me that if I believe in mercy enough to share it I will keep receiving mercy from you.  I already have your mercy but you would pull it back if I let my heart refuse to practice mercy toward others.  Oh Jesus, make me merciful like you.  Make me relieve the burdens of guilt, shame and trouble.  Make me one who surprises others with grace and forgiveness too.

AMEN

Pastor Don Patterson

Mercy toward another is like blowing heaven’s breath into their face.

Matthew 5:6

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
    for they will be filled. – Matthew 5:6

Dear Jesus, some of my own people will say that since we cannot be perfect that we should avoid trying to be good.  I don’t agree.  I see you don’t either.  You want me to hunger and thirst for righteousness.  But you have taught me something few really understand.  I would not have understood it either without your Holy Spirit.  It is this: the righteousness I hunger for is found in the gift you have shared with us of your righteousness and not one that I produce.  The peace in my conscience of getting things just right comes from having your life cover mine and not my life covering yours.  You are my righteousness.  You fill my heart with completeness when I receive by faith the gift of you.  Now, I want to be good but not with any worry about failure.  I just live, laugh and love in your name.  You have made me righteous by grace.  Help us to live with satisfied hearts in the way we treat each other too. 

AMEN

Pastor Don Patterson

It’s human to hunger for righteousness.  It’s divine to give it. 

Matthew 5:5

Blessed are the meek,
    for they will inherit the earth. – Matthew 5:5

Dear Jesus,

I have often thought that meekness was weakness.  I have even actively tried not to be meek.  Then you say, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.”  You once described yourself as meek.  But you were anything but weak.  So, meekness must be something other than weak and shy.  It must be about an attitude of dependence on our Father instead of thinking it is all about me and my effort.  It must be about denying me the privilege of credit for earning what are really the gifts of a benevolent Father.  It must be about holding others up instead of pushing them down.  It must be about competing without manipulating, about working hard without angst and bitterness, too.  It must be about springing into action when you call and holding back when you say sit.  It must be about contentment with my callings, too.  Oh, Jesus you were perfect at this.  Thanks for getting it right for me.  Make me better at it, too. 

AMEN

Pastor Don Patterson

Meekness is strength to say “yes” and “no” to your heart based on God’s will and not your own.

Matthew 5:4

Blessed are those who mourn,
    for they will be comforted. – Matthew 5:4

Dear Jesus,

I live in a country where being sad even for good reasons is thought to be bad.  But then you say “blessed are those who mourn.”  I have felt that blessing many times.  You have walked me through the grief caused by death, regret caused by honesty, sadness caused by guilt.  And through all those feelings you have changed me for the good.  You have made me more real with purer motives and greater wisdom.  I don’t want to selfishly avoid pain.  I want to feel what you want me to feel.  I will join you at the cross rejecting the gall that deadens pain so I can learn the grace and power of your love.  You’ve taught me that I must lose false comforts so I can embrace that comfort that goes the deepest and lasts the longest.  Oh Jesus, thank you for the power to mourn and not be perplexed. 

AMEN

Pastor Don Patterson

Wisdom is learning to embrace the pain that preempts healing.

Matthew 5:1

Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them.– Matthew 5:1

Dear Jesus,

When you saw crowds you saw hearts that needed your word.  I hate to admit it, but when I see crowds my first thought is, “I hate crowds.  Those people stress me out.” I like what you see better than what I see.  Give me your shepherd’s heart that owns the welfare of everyone else.  Give me a passion for instructing people in the peace of your mercy and truth.  Help me to seize teachable moments and to leave behind the teachings you have shared with all of us.  And teach my heart also so I can live in peace, with meaning and purpose. 

AMEN

Pastor Don Patterson

As long as we share this planet with anyone else, Jesus wants us to share him with them.     

Matthew 5:3

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. – Matthew 5:3

Dear Jesus,

So much of what you said is counter-intuitive for me.  I do not think that being poor in spirit means that I am on the fast track to glory.  To be sad and admit I have failed makes me think I am one step closer to ruin.  But it’s not true.  Admitting I have a problem is 51% of the solution.  So, when your Holy Spirit speaks through someone to point out my faults and lead me to repentance, I need your help seeing it as a light out of the darkness.  I want to be a realist about myself and to courageously let myself grieve over sin and failings.  But I also need your redemptive hand to pick me up, dust me off and put me back on the road of life.  Open my heart to your truth but heal me and sew me back up again.

AMEN

Pastor Don Patterson

It’s important to be honest with ourselves as long as we are forgiving at the same time.  

Nehemiah 13

Nehemiah wrote, “I had gone back to Persia for a while to serve the king.  But when I returned to Jerusalem after some time I found out that the high priest had allowed the foreigner, Tobiah, to move into the temple storerooms with his family.  The storerooms were no longer in use and the Levites had returned to their own fields to support themselves.  The temple sacrifices and services had all but ceased.  I drove Tobiah out of the temple, called the Levites back and restored the temple services.  I also found people not keeping the Sabbath day’s rest.  So, I retaught everyone the Sabbath laws and refused to let merchants sell their wares on the Sabbath day.  Then I discovered that many Israelite men had married foreign women.  Their children knew more about paganism than they did the Lord.  I confronted all of them and rebuked them in front of everyone.  It was a tough time but I reformed Israel best I could to the ways that pleased the Lord who saved us.” – Nehemiah 13 paraphrased.

Dear heavenly Father,

You gave Nehemiah to Israel for a time and under his leadership your people were brought back to you again and again.  We have the same wayward tendencies that your Old Testament people had.  Without strong, godly, leadership we wander off into worldly pursuits and neglect the teaching of your word for the salvation of people.  Oh Lord, raise up men like Nehemiah in our day who will be well versed in your truth and will have the courage to force your word in front of your people.  Light a fire in the hearts of men and women to make them harder than the apathy they face so they break through the walls that people erect to keep you from being their God and Savior. Give these leaders real estate in the hearts of their followers so that when they call people back, the people respond with repentance and obedience that comes from faith.  Oh God, reform your people in our day the way you did back then. 

Amen

Pastor Don Patterson

Leadership is the greatest need in the church.  We already have the gospel.

Nehemiah 12

Nehemiah wrote, “I gathered priests and Levites, doorkeepers and singers together and formed two great choirs to celebrate the completion of the wall around Jerusalem in a corporate, spiritual way.  The choirs started out together and then split into two groups, one going one direction and the other going the opposite direction.  They marched, blew trumpets and sang joyfully.  The old priest, Ezra, led one choir and I led the other one.  When we came back together we entered the temple in a great musical procession.  In all of this we glorified God for helping us finish the wall around his city.  Sacrifices were made to honor God and his grace on such an occasion.  Our singing and music could be heard far away outside of Jerusalem.  The days immediately following this event were marked by renewed tithes and offerings to support the priests as they served us the word and works of God. “ – Nehemiah 12 paraphrased.

Dear heavenly Father,

You love to help your people accomplish big projects for you, especially when those projects advance the teaching of your grace on the earth.  It was very appropriate for Nehemiah and Ezra to lead your people to celebrate what you had done with them.  Their hearts were full of your forgiveness and renewed zeal to make you the center of their lives.  Oh Lord, rise up today with your people and complete big projects for your grace to reach more people.  Help us renew our commitments from hearts filled with your love and truth.  Make us a people who get lost in celebrating what you have done in our lives.  Make us a people who love to praise you openly and joyfully when we gather each week.  Help us sing from our hearts to yours the wonderful thankfulness we have for all that you do for us.  Glorify your gracious name through your people.

Amen

Pastor Don Patterson

Full hearts sing in full volume when God’s people come together in heartfelt praise.

Nehemiah 11

Nehemiah wrote, “The people’s commitment to serve God with one voice was so great that they even let God’s cause dictate where they lived.  All the leaders moved into Jerusalem to be supportive of the temple and its ministry to Israel.  One tenth of all the rest moved into Jerusalem for the same reason.  The city of God that was once vacant and drab became alive with families and bustled with activity.  Temple singers made sure that people could hear his music all day, every day for their encouragement.  Daily prayer and sacrifices were steadily performed.  The city flourished with God’s people as did the surrounding countryside where they settled close to his city.” – Nehemiah 11 paraphrased.

Dear heavenly Father,

You don’t have a temple city anymore.  You tell me to be intentional where I live to make sure that I bustle with activity for you as I serve neighbors and friends in tangible ways.  Help me to live intentionally on my street to be a witness of your love to those who dwell close by.  Make me cross the street and greet people, to invest in their lives and to support them when they are down.  Make me generous and kind and one who protects their property.  I want my home to be a place where your name is glorified and where people find your love and truth.  And give me a love for my church property so I make it a place that bustles with activity for you and the families that gather there.  Help my church family to make Sunday worship a wonderful faith building experience too. 

AMEN

Pastor Don Patterson

God drives his people to live intentionally by faith in every arena of their lives. 

Nehemiah 10

Nehemiah wrote, “There were many priests who signed the agreement to follow God’s ways.  I listed their names.  But there were also doorkeepers, Levites, musicians and temple servants.  They all gathered along with their wives and children to commit to following the law given through Moses 1000 years earlier.  They committed to not give their children into marriage with non-Israelite people.  They committed to keep the Sabbath Day rest laws, to cancel debts every seven years, to bring tithes, sacrifices and first-fruit offerings to the temple in a consistent and timely way.  They committed to take turns supplying wood for the burnt offerings and to keep up the temple grounds to the glory of God.” – Nehemiah 10 paraphrased.

Dear heavenly Father,

It's the nature of faith to make us want to glorify you in the way we support the ministry of the word.  There is no temple anymore with all of its sacrificial demands.  Your Son is the temple and his body the church.  But we still have church properties, clergy who dedicate themselves to our spiritual health and the spread of your wonderful news of forgiveness through your Son.  I have benefited from this good news for many years.  I have peace in my soul and my guilty conscience has something to cling to when the devil comes hounding me with my mistakes.  I will support your ministry of the word with my money, my time and my unique abilities.  I will “be there” for those laboring in your field.  I will give and give with joy just as you give and give to me.  I want the world to know that you are a great God who restores guilty sinners and gives people a new lease on life every day.  Oh God, cause your people to rise up today in committed support of your gospel mission. 

AMEN

Pastor Don Patterson

The gospel is that something bigger than ourselves that we can be a part of without regret. 

Nehemiah 9

Nehemiah wrote, “The people of Israel gathered before me and confessed their own sins and the sins of their ancestors.  They recounted how they had wandered away from God and his ways for many centuries.  As they recounted each generation’s sins they also noted all the times God had forgiven and restored his people.  They praised God for being compassionate and slow to anger.  They took ownership of their own sins and the consequences they were experiencing as oppressed people under the Persian Empire.  Then believing they were forgiven by God and blessed to finish the wall, they wrote out a vow of commitment to live for God and to follow his law.  All the spiritual leaders signed it too.”  – Nehemiah 9 paraphrased.

Dear Heavenly Father,

We find no rest for our souls until we find our rest in you.  Just like the Israelites who realized that their biggest problem was their own wayward hearts, I know that sin is my biggest problem, too.  I am your problem when I wander away from you just like my parents and grandparents before me.  But you were gracious to them and blessed them in spite of their sins.  I believe you will bless me, too, because you are the God who is slow to anger and full of compassion.  Oh Lord, forgive me of my many sins and help me keep my commitments to follow you.  Walk with me through my day and cover every moment and interaction with grace.  Make me a great partner for your Holy Spirit to speak his truth and love to those who need it, including my own needy soul. 

AMEN

Pastor Don Patterson

The foundation of all true spirituality is contrition over sins and faith in a forgiving God. 

Nehemiah 8

Nehemiah wrote, “Ezra , the priest, read God’s word to all the people who gathered in the square at Jerusalem.  As he read several men help explain to the people spread out in the large crowd, what God was saying through these words.  All the people realized that for a very long time they had been living outside of God’s will in their daily lives.  They wept but I encouraged them to be happy that God had graciously shown them his word.  I told them to celebrate how God’s word had led them back to him.  They all went home to celebrate and then came back to follow the feast of booths just as God had prescribed in his word for this month of each year.” – Nehemiah 8 paraphrased.

Dear heavenly Father,

Your word is always powerful to bring hearts back to you.  Visit my church with the same kind of leadership that you gave the people in Nehemiah and Ezra.  Give us leaders who will read Scripture and explain it plainly to your people.  Use that word to cleanse hearts, show your love and change people from the inside out. Open the hearts of the people to understand, accept, love and cherish your word.  Give them excitement to change their own lives and bring them in line with your truth. Make your presence known in the way you restore your people today to godly faith and living.  Sweep through your people Lord and restore them to ardent Christianity.

AMEN

Pastor Don Patterson

God’s word will do amazing things if we will but let it out of its kennel.

Nehemiah 7

Nehemiah wrote, “After I finished the wall around Jerusalem, I restored the temple activities and the necessary leadership for prosperous city life.  I found leaders who were filled with faith and godly attitude. I counted all the people and cleaned up the public records.  I gathered offerings and contributions for the work of restoring the homes and streets in the city as well as the temple ministry.  It would not be long and I would get Ezra, the old priest, to read God’s word to all the people.” – Nehemiah 7 paraphrased.

Dear heavenly Father,

I understand that good leadership means that I will empower others to lead your people too.  I cannot do everything myself, but I can help others to do a part of the work that fits their skills and gifts.  Help me to find faith filled people with good attitudes to get your work done by my side.  Give me friends who will go and grow in the same direction that you are leading me. Make all your people willing to serve the whole community for the greater good of all.  Make your church a city like Nehemiah’s Jerusalem, led by godly people with a constant bent on restoration for your glory and the good of all people.

AMEN

Pastor Don Patterson

Christ’ church lives in constant renewal as long as his Holy Spirit is allowed to take over the lives of the leaders.

Nehemiah 6

Nehemiah wrote, “The men who hated the fact that I was rebuilding the wall heard that we were almost done.  They knew all that was left was to hang the gates at each of the openings.  They tried to trick me into coming to a meeting outside the city where they would have killed me.  They accused me of leading a revolt and they tried to get me to hide in the temple.  But I prayed that God would strengthen me and help me to finish the work and with his help we completed the wall around Jerusalem in 52 days.  My enemies lost confidence because they realized that God has helped us finish his project in spite of all their efforts to stop us. – Nehemiah 6 paraphrased.

Dear heavenly Father,

I am amazed how you helped Nehemiah discern when his enemies were plotting his harm.  I am in awe that he finished the wall in 52 days.  I am encouraged that you will help me the same way in my life.  I need your help discerning a good idea from a bad one.  Sometimes I just can’t see what the devil is up to on my own.  Help me discern good from evil and give me the stamina to choose what is right. Strengthen my heart and hands to finish your work.   I look forward to celebrating the completion of tasks in your name.  I will live and work in hope that someday you will put your arm around my shoulder and reveal to me all that you have done to preserve my life and to make it a blessing.

AMEN

Pastor Don Patterson

With God, there is no unfinished business, no incomplete life, no meaningless suffering.

Nehemiah 5

Nehemiah wrote, “While we were working on the wall the people approached me begging that I fix a problem that had been going on for some time.  The people had been heavily taxed by the Persians and there had been a famine.  In order to pay their taxes and survive they mortgaged their vineyards and farms to fellow Jews.   They even sold their children as slaves.  Their fellow Jews charged them interest on the money they lent them for their farms.  The people were getting poorer and poorer and they begged me to help.  I confronted the leaders and told them to give back the vineyards and farms and to treat their fellow Jews like family and to be benevolent toward them.  The leaders listened and gave back their vineyards and farms and quit charging interest.  I was benevolent as I could be and did not demand that I be treated as extravagantly as other Persian governors expected.  I pray that God remembers me for me generosity.” – Nehemiah 5 paraphrased.

Dear heavenly Father,

It’s so easy to try to take advantage of other people’s misfortune and to make sure I have what I need while being careless with theirs.  Nehemiah demonstrated a truly benevolent and selfless heart.  He lifted burdens and protected people’s property.  Give me the same leadership that makes me lead my own soul away from materialism and the exploitation of others.  Help me to defend the rights of the underdog and to relieve suffering wherever I am able.  Give me eyes to see their needs, ears to listen to their complaints, hands to help them and a tongue to speak in their behalf to others.  Make me a good and generous leader like you are.  You lead yourself to give your Son for me.  Lead me to give up precious things for others too. 

AMEN

Pastor Don Patterson

When a person denies themselves the easy profit from others plight, you know God is at work in their soul.

Nehemiah 4

Nehemiah wrote, “While we were building the wall around Jerusalem, some local leaders of the people who had inhabited the land, opposed us.  They insulted us by saying we were too weak to the do the work and that stones were too burned and brittle to hold up.  So, I encouraged everyone that God was behind the project and forged on to complete the entire wall up to half its height.  Then our enemies threatened to attack and kill us.  I prayed to God and encouraged the people.  I had them carry their swords while they worked and half the men stood guard while the other half worked.  It was very frightening but the work on the wall continued to progress as God blessed us.” – Nehemiah chapter 4 paraphrased.

Dear Heavenly Father,

It is easy for me to get bewildered and disillusioned when I meet opposition and difficulty as I am trying to do something good for you. I want to give up and sink into doubt and depression.  But Nehemiah guides me how to react.  The better response is to pray to you and encourage the people working with me.  It is to continue to do what is right expecting blessing and protection.  I do not have to build any walls around a city for you.  But I am deeply involved in building up your kingdom and spreading your word.  Give me the resolution and faith of Nehemiah to stay hard at the task you have given me. And give me the wisdom to see out of myself to encourage others.  Thank you for your constant protection and promise to work out everything, even opposition, for the good of your cause.  I will trudge on with sword in one hand and a trowel in the other.   It helps knowing that heaven is my home. 

AMEN

Pastor Don Patterson

God loves to first harden our resolve to do his work and then help us finish it.

Nehemiah 3

Nehemiah wrote, “There were many men and women who helped rebuild the wall around Jerusalem.  Not everyone in each clan was mature enough to overcome fear and laziness to help.  But most of them worked faithfully on that portion of the wall close to their home.  I like telling others their names and how much work they did.  I did’nt rebuild the walls.  They did and they deserve credit for it.  God used a team and not a star to get his restoration done. – Nehemiah 3 – Paraphrased.

Dear heavenly Father,

Nehemiah wisely gave credit where credit was due.  Help me to remember to praise family and friends in front of others as they faithfully do their part to become a blessing to your church and society.  Help me to make room for them to share their skills, time and treasures to do big things together for you.  I do not believe that it diminishes your work on the cross for me to praise your saints for their good works.  Instead, it enhances it, because all true good works are an act of love and faith toward you. They spring from appreciation that your people has for you.  Give me the name of some person today that you want me to thank in your name.  Then help me to set aside the time to call, text or write them a thank you note. 

Amen

Pastor Don Patterson

Jesus acted alone to save us but since then he always acts through his entire team.