This is the final of six topics addressed by Jesus on what life in the kingdom of the heavens looks like. Having dealt with anger, lust, sex, truth, and revenge he gets to the heart of it all: love. As if Jesus' earlier suggestions weren't hard...

How do you respond when you feel attacked? Our natural tendency is to defend ourselves or attack back, but Jesus calls something more compelling: grace. Grace is at the center of the gospel, and Jesus invites us to keep it at the center of our lives...

In the fourth of Jesus's comments on how living in the kingdom of the heavens fulfills the Old Testament Law, he addresses the simple matter of truth. He challenges the practices of the first century that people used to hide from the truth. And he...

It’s no secret that we live in an individualistic culture in which the needs of the self take priority over other needs. What’s it like to be married in such a culture, and how can we grow in our marriages in such a culture? In Matthew 5 and...

Jesus teaches His followers that, in His Kingdom, death is not the end but a way to bear much more fruit. What does this look like in our lives? I tell the story of Miranda, Hope's birthmom.

What does Jesus mean when he says that “everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart”? And what sort of approach should we take to counteract temptation?

In the first of six similar statements, Jesus illustrates how living in the kingdom of the heavens results in a transformed heart rather than simply changed behavior. He begins with the issue of anger, explaining its deeper roots and suggesting a...

In Matthew 5:17-20, Jesus contrasts a deeds-based righteousness (that of the scribes and Pharisees) with a heart-based righteousness (righteousness that exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees). The righteousness that Jesus wants—and...

If followers of Jesus live in the kingdom of the heavens, what does that mean about their involvement in the kingdom of earth? Before Jesus gets into his description of what life looks like when you follow him, he answers this question. His...

In the face of painful realities, God’s Word offers us two things: hope and simple instructions. At International Justice Mission, our hope in the power of God and our obedience to is simple instructions is protecting millions of people from...