6: Of course, to hunger and thirst after something implies a lack of it. Those who have such an attitude towards righteousness do not flatter themselves with the pretense of possessing it. Instead, they afflict their souls with a constant desire for it that is as strong as the most basic of needs. Many do not see it this way. They see righteousness as a burden rather than a pleasure. However, as our daily food, though it must be worked for, righteousness may be enjoyed very much. Those who see it this way will be the recipients of it, according to Christ.

Personal Journal Entry #12144
Prayer Journal Entry #12144
Daily Bible Reading: Ezra 2:1-3:13
Praise Journal Entry #12104: Heavenly Father, thank You for this blessing from Your Word today. It was just what I needed. So often we forget how helpful Your Word can be in our daily lives. May we never forget the power of Your Truth to get us through the most difficult things. We can always depend upon Your faithful answers to our most important questions. Remind us always to keep coming back to the resources that You have provided. Give us each day a gem from Your treasure trove of promises. Your Word is a lasting joy! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

4: Those who morn seem to be those who are bereaved. However, in the context, it could also mean those who are repentant, morning over sin. Either way, it has the same bottom line meaning. Christ is here saying that those who recognize and mourn over the trouble that is in this world through sin will be comforted. Whereas those who are simply sad, but fail to recognize the root cause of all troubles, are not included here.
5: Meekness is the opposite of pride. These verses are getting at more or less the same truth stated in different ways. Humility rather than pride will be characteristic in those who inherit the earth. The earth here meant is the future new earth. Thus, seeing God, possessing heaven, inheriting the earth, and being called the children of God are all fundamentally the same thing. As Jesus says in the letters to the churches in Revelation, those who overcome will be the recipients of many great things.

Personal Journal Entry #12143
Prayer Journal Entry #12143
Daily Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 35:1-Ezra 1:11
Praise Journal Entry #12103: Our Gracious Heavenly Father, thank You so much for Your comfort. If we seek comfort in anything or anyone else but You, we are let down. Make us humble, Father. Meekness before You is such a worthy cause. May we always keep a tender spirit, being sensitive to Your Truth, and Your Will. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

2: It is said here that Jesus taught his disciples. It must be said that this particular discourse is the finest and most influential piece of instruction ever to be delivered. It is the most well-known message of the most well-known speaker ever to speak on planet earth. And, observe now how it starts.
3: The ones who are recipients of the blessings of God are those who are poor in spirit. They are guaranteed the kingdom of heaven. But, who are they? What does it mean to be poor in spirit? Well, they are not poor spiritually quite simply because they are poor in spirit. To be poor in spirit means to be destitute of spiritual life. We would quickly say that such persons could never enter the kingdom of heaven. However, the poor in spirit are those who see and understand their great spiritual need. They realize that they are so far removed from what they should be spiritually, that they are glad to receive the righteousness that God provides through Christ. Just as those who are monetarily poor will shirk no task to enrich themselves, the poor in spirit would never dream of turning down the surpassing spiritual riches made available through Christ Jesus.
Thus, the poor in spirit are those that are hungry for what Almighty God is ready to pour into their soul.

Personal Journal Entry #12142
Prayer Journal Entry #12142
Daily Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 32:1-34:33
Praise Journal Entry #12102: Heavenly Father, Almighty God, maker of heaven and earth, I praise You for your wisdom. You seek after those who are sensitive to their need for You. May we always be aware of our deep need for Your righteousness, Your spiritual gifts, Your Holy Spirit in our heart and life. Never allow us to be satisfied with a counterfeit spirituality. Thank You for the real and full life that we can have in Christ! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

1: It is likely that Jesus went to a higher place not to escape the multitude, but to let them all hear better. However, those who could be called his disciples came yet closer to him. This is always the pattern. Those who are the most interested in the truth will go to the front of the class so as to learn that much better. The crowd, who may only hear for the sake of hearing, not necessarily learning, will stay at the outer edge in the further seats. If they must get some things second hand they are not upset. Jesus was, of course, aware of this commonality. Thus, his going into the ‘mountain’ would help people hear and draw the true disciples to the front of the crowd.

Personal Journal Entry #12141
Prayer Journal Entry #12141
Daily Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 25:1-28:27
Praise Journal Entry #12101: Heavenly Father, I want to be at the front of the class. Give us that desire Lord. Inspire us to want You with all our heart. A thirst for You will never let us down. You are worth searching for, seeking after, and following with all our hearts. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

25: We often miss the fact that quite a number of people followed Jesus early on. This is a large region mentioned here, from which many people came.

Personal Journal Entry #12140
Prayer Journal Entry #12140
Daily Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 25:1-28:27
Praise Journal Entry #12100: Heavenly Father, help us to remember that the response to Your Truth has truly been great. Often we feel as if nobody believes. Help us to be mindful of the countless multitudes both today and in the past that have turned to Christ in faith. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

24: Jesus healed every type of distress that might come to a person. He healed illnesses, chronic conditions, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, etc. He also delivered those who had been possessed by demons. Thus, Jesus delivered many who would have no hope of a cure otherwise.

Personal Journal Entry #12139
Prayer Journal Entry #12139
Daily Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 21:1-24:27
Praise Journal Entry #12099: Heavenly Father, thank You for healing our diseases. Sin is such a terrible thing, and yet You give us relief from it. Thank You for Your mercy and grace. You always know what we need from You. May we keep our hands constantly open to You, and closed to this world. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

23: Jesus taught many times in the synagogues. This was the best place to reach the Jewish population with the Truth. It is said here that he preached the gospel of the kingdom. Many have conjectured that, had the Jews accepted him as the Messiah as a nation, he would have set up his earthly ‘kingdom’ at that time. The fact is that God already knew the Jews would not respond well to his coming. This is why we see throughout Jesus’ ministry an emphasis on him as the Messiah, not the timing of the earthly kingdom. The only way for the Jews to be prepared for an earthly kingdom would be to accept the Messiah by faith. They were ready to accept one who worked miracles, but they were not willing to accept him on the basis of what was written about him in the Word of God.
It must also be noted that Jesus performed a greater number and variety of miracles for the Jews than had ever been performed before in history. He healed passing sicknesses as well as long-standing diseases.

Personal Journal Entry #12138
Prayer Journal Entry #12138
Daily Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 18:1-20:37
Praise Journal Entry #12098: Heavenly Father, thank You for the miracles that You have given us. But, Father, I thank You so much more for the Truth. Though miracles let us know how wonderful You are, the Word lets us know how much You love us. Transform our lives by Your Word. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

22: In the case of James and John no less of a call was issued to them than Peter and Andrew. They also responded with an immediate abandonment of their present business. It was, as we see, the family trade. This was not to be left lightly. And, they did not leave it lightly. The were called to something more important.

Personal Journal Entry #12137
Prayer Journal Entry #12137
Daily Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 13:1-17:19
Praise Journal Entry #12097: Heavenly Father, thank You for caring enough to guide our lives. Thank You for leading us day by day, step by step. You are so merciful and kind to us. May we praise You for Your faithfulness forever. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

21: It is amazing to see the difference that God can make in a person’s life in a short period of time. Not many years later, James would be martyred for the gospel. John would serve the Lord for many years, much longer than he was a fisherman.

Personal Journal Entry #12136
Prayer Journal Entry #12136
Daily Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 9:1-12:16
Praise Journal Entry #12096: Heavenly Father, thank You for sometimes allowing us to serve You allongside family members. It is a great blessing to work with any of Your servants. However, it is an extra comfort to have our family close by. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

20: This is the nature of the call of God on a person’s life. Peter and Andrew did not follow because Jesus possessed some magical drawing power. Nor was it a magnetic personality or extra charisma in him that moved them. They simply knew Who was calling them. They were responding to the Truth. They recognized the legitimacy of a higher calling. They saw that there was more to life than fishing. There is a great eternity out there ahead of us, and they saw Jesus, as he is, the key to life in that eternity. It is for this reason that they were willing to leave so much to follow him.

Personal Journal Entry #12135
Prayer Journal Entry #12135
Daily Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 6:1-8:18
Praise Journal Entry #12095: Heavenly Father, thank You for calling us to a higher plane. Thank You for making it possible for our lives to be elevated beyond the tyranny of the mediocre, mundane, and even macabre. As we seek to humble ourselves before Your awesome glory, You graciously lift us above the common forces of our sinful nature. O Father, thank You for Salvation from this body of death! Thank You for a truly alive and abundant life from You! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.