“But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven. For he causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” – Matthew 5:44-45 When Jesus tells us to love our enemies and pray for our persecutors, He adds a reason that might catch us off guard. He says we should do this s...  Read More

“But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” – Matthew 5:44 In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus consistently raises the bar on what it means to follow Him. He tells His audience not just to walk the extra mile or to refuse retaliation, but to go even further by loving their enemies. Then He takes it to a level most weren’t ready for. He says to pray for those who persecut...  Read More

“Pray for those who persecute you” – Matthew 5:44 Jesus does not just ask us to go the extra mile. He tells us to pray for the very people who make us want to quit walking altogether. That was not a casual suggestion. It was a radical command spoken to a group of people who knew firsthand what real persecution felt like. His audience had been mistreated by the Romans, ignored by religious leaders,...  Read More

“But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” – Matthew 5:44 We all have or know someone who makes life harder. Maybe it is someone who has talked behind your back, mistreated you, rejected you, or just keeps making the same choices that test your patience. When you think of them, the idea of love is not the first thing that comes to mind. And yet Jesus calls us to som...  Read More

"But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" – Matthew 5:44 When Jesus said these words, He was not just correcting a teaching. He was confronting a mindset. Over and over in the Sermon on the Mount, He started with the phrase, “You have heard that it was said,” because He was pushing back on the way Scripture had been twisted by the religious leaders of the day. In t...  Read More

"You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" – Matthew 5:43-44 Abraham Lincoln was once criticized during the Civil War for being too kind to his enemies. One advisor told him, “Mr. President, you should destroy your enemies.” Lincoln paused and then replied, “Do I not destroy my enem...  Read More

"Give to the one who asks you, and don’t turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you." – Matthew 5:42 When Jesus talked about generosity, He didn’t put a cap on it. He didn’t say to give only when it’s convenient or comfortable. He simply said to give. And what He’s pointing to is more than a one-time act. It’s a mindset. It’s a way of life rooted in the belief that everything we have come...  Read More

"Give to the one who asks you, and don’t turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you." – Matthew 5:42 Generosity is not about guilt. It is not about giving to anyone who asks, without thought or discernment. Jesus was not calling you to be naive or irresponsible. He was calling you to be compassionate. His words in this verse point to a posture of the heart, not just a reaction to every re...  Read More

"And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two." – Matthew 5:41 In first-century Israel, the law allowed a Roman soldier to force a Jewish civilian to carry his gear for one mile. It was legal oppression, pure and simple. The Jews resented this rule deeply, and understandably so. Most young Jewish boys even measured out the exact distance from their home so they could drop the soldier’s...  Read More

"And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well." - Matthew 5:40 This verse would have shocked the original audience. In Jesus’ day, a person’s outer cloak was untouchable. It was their right, protected by Mosaic Law. If someone sued you and took everything, they could not take your coat. It was essential for survival and was often used as a blanket at night. Givi...  Read More

“But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.” - Matthew 5:39 Most of us know how it feels to be insulted. Maybe someone undercut your reputation, spread lies behind your back, or disrespected you to your face. In those moments, your first instinct is rarely calm and grace. You want to clap back. You want to prove your...  Read More

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.” - Matthew 5:14 It is easy to celebrate the moment someone becomes a Christian. That moment of salvation is real, powerful, and life-changing. But the Christian life was never meant to stop at a moment. Jesus did not just invite people to make a decision. He called them to live in a new direction. There is a massive difference...  Read More