Blessed are you who can’t do it on your own. God’s kingdom is made for you.
Blessed are you who are sad and broken. Comfort is coming.
Blessed are you who are timid and shy. You will overcome.
Blessed are you who hunger and thirst to see God’s will being done. You will be satisfied.
Blessed are you who remember the needy. You will not be forgotten.
Blessed are you who have not been defiled by the world. You will see God.
Blessed are you who seek peace and reconciliation. You are acting like Jesus.
Blessed are you who are attacked, insulted, and slandered because you will not go along with the world. God sees your pain and will not let your sacrifice go unrewarded. Look at the prophets of old. They were hated by many, but they were glorified by God.

Do you think Jesus came to earth so that you could keep on living like a heathen? He didn’t. He came to be our perfect example and break the grip of sin on our lives. If you ignore what the Bible tells us, and teach others to do the same, you are not honoring Jesus. He wants you to study God’s message and tell others about it. Salvation is not something you achieve by acting better. The only way to God is to die to yourself and surrender your life as a sacrifice. Anything else is not God’s kingdom. It is merely a counterfeit religion.

You are the salt of the earth. You give it flavor and keep it from going bad. But if salt stops doing those things, what good is it? The best thing to do with it would be dump it on the roads during winter to let trucks run over it.

You are the light of the world. You can’t hide a city that sits atop a hill. It can be seen for miles in every direction. You don’t install a new light where no one can see it. Instead, you put it where it will do the most good. If you are a light, are you where you can do the most good? Shine before men, and be the light that draws them to God.

Your eyes let the light around you flow in. In the same way, when you are open to the presence of God and recognize his work in the world, your life is filled with the light of God. But if you get so caught up in the ways of this world that you shut him out, you are blinded and the darkness will fill you.

Don’t obsess over what this world considers success. If you waste your time thinking about how to keep up with the world, you’ll miss out on the more important issues. Who has ever worried his way to happiness and a long life? Don’t fret. God will provide. Look at the animals outside. They don’t worry themselves sick over how the newest enconomic trend will affect their 401(k) and yet they are fed. Do you really believe that God can look out for them, but not for you?

Consider the flowers. They are dressed in more beautiful colors than the greatest kings ever wore. If God has provided clothing for the grass of the fields, won’t he provide for you? Those who have no hope in God are always anxious about how they’ll get by, but God is already fully aware of your needs and cares deeply. When you leave the cares of this world in God’s control, you will finally be free to focus on being like Jesus. Don’t waste today worrying about what might happen tomorrow. Instead, put that energy to use solving the problems of today.

Don’t chase after the wealth of this world. It doesn’t last. The resources you have been entrusted with in this life are meant to expand God’s kingdom. When people look at where you invest your time, energy, and money, they see what is really important to you. Either you serve the kingdom of God or you serve your possessions. There is no middle ground.

Now be on guard. I am not encouraging outward holiness. If you are trying to impress others with your godliness, don’t expect God to honor that. There are people who need to hold press conferences and be in the newspaper whenever they do anything that looks good. Don’t be like them. They gain the approval of men but lose the approval of God. When you help the needy, don’t make a big deal about it. Don’t keep track of every penny you spend and every second you give. Don’t do good things to impress men, or even to feel good about yourself. Do it all for the glory of God, and let his smile be reward enough.

I know you’ve heard “Thou shalt not murder”, and if you commit murder you must answer to the courts. But the truth is that if you hate someone in your heart, even if you never do anything to him, you are a murderer. You know that if you commit slander or libel you can be sued by the injured party. But the truth is that every time you insult, belittle, or gossip about another human being, you are killing him with your words and will face the penalty for murder.

You know all about the “us against them” mentality: Our side is righteous and wise. Their side is evil and stupid. Killing and hatred reign and many innocent bystanders are hurt in the process. That is no way to live. Love those that others would consider an enemy. If they attack you, pray for them. That’s what Jesus did.

Have you noticed that the weather isn’t always sunny for the righteous and always rainy for the wicked? If God isn’t playing sides, why are you? Do you think you’re some great person because you love those who love you? Anyone can do that. If you hurry to greet your friends but ignore the outcasts, can you really say you are any different than the world? God loves everyone unconditionally, and so should you.

Don’t condemn others or you will find yourself condemned. Don’t think you can hold others to one standard and yourself to another. With the measurement you use on others, you yourself will be measured. Why are you so quick to try to fix the failings of others but sweep your own sins under the rug? Can you really say “Let me take the speck of sawdust out of your eye,” when your own vision is blocked with a log? Don’t be a hypocrite. Get rid of the log in front of your eyes and maybe then you’ll be in a position to fish the sawdust out of the eyes of others.

Don’t let wrongs and grudges grow out of control, but rather do everything in your power to make peace. Let yourself be wronged, rather than risk wronging someone else.  You’ve seen how the world handles things. Do you really think that everyone suing everyone else because they feel they’ve been wronged is a good way of doing things? Then be willing to admit when you are wrong and make it right. Otherwise, your stubborn refusal to admit your own faults will end up costing you far more than it would to just humble yourself in the first place.

Don’t hold a grudge against anyone. If you can’t extend grace to others and forgive their sins against you, you can’t accept the grace of Jesus to forgive your sins against God.

If you are in church when you remember or realize that you have wronged someone, walk out of the service and go be reconciled that very moment. Do not wait. Reconciliation and peace are more important than what other people may think. You can come back and worship after your broken relationship is restored.

You’ve certainly heard “Thou shalt not commit adultery”, but do you realize that when you are flirting and lusting after someone it’s the same thing? What matters is the fixations of your heart, not whether you get the chance to carry out your sexual fantasies. If your computer is leading you to sin, throw it out. If your television is hurting your relationship with God, cancel your subscription. Isn’t it better to miss out on some things in this life than to miss out on everything in the life to come?

And while we’re on the subject of adultery, I’m sure you know that there’s a prescribed legal process of getting a divorce, but that doesn’t make it right. Anyone who divorces his wife to marry another is committing adultery. And anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery as well.

You know that when you sign and date a contract, it is legally binding and if you violate it you can be taken to court. You know that if you put your right hand on the Bible and swear that you are telling the truth in a court, you can be charged with perjury if you lie. But please don’t let those be the only times people can trust you. If you say something, mean it. Your word is your bond, and when you say “Yes” or “No”, people shouldn’t have to wonder what you really mean. Anything else dishonors God.

The Old Testament taught “An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.” It was a good system, because it limited how much retribution anyone could carry out against another, but there is a better way: Don’t get even at all. If someone insults you, don’t insult back. Show him love, even if it means you get insulted again. God has forgiven you, so you can forgive others. Don’t fight for your own rights, but surprise others by going beyond the call of duty. Help everyone you can and make sure you don’t neglect the needs of those who are less fortunate than yourself.

You don’t have to impress everyone with how hard you are working. If you wear a glum look and make sure that everyone knows how much you are suffering for Jesus, you are performing for men, not honoring God. Your father in heaven sees everything you are doing for him, even if the rest of the world never knows, and that is enough.

In the same way, when you pray, pray to God, not to those who are listening to you. So what if you can deliver a great speech? So can a politician. God is not impressed by your fancy words. You don’t need to pray for twenty minutes, or use all sorts of spiritual sounding language to make God listen. He is with you everywhere and hears your every word, even the ones you never say. If you really want to talk to God, go somewhere that you can be alone with him, pour out your heart, and listen for his answer.

If you’re not sure how to pray, here’s a good example:
“Father, you mean more to me than anything else. Please enable me to carry out your will in my life, and help your kingdom grow. Please provide for my family. When others hurt me, let me forgive them just like you forgave me. Protect me from temptation and help me not to sin.”

Never give up. Keep on asking for what you need. Keep on knocking on that closed door. Keep on searching for the answers. God will provide. He can open any closed door. He can restore what you have lost. What father would give his son a stone when he needs food? God is your father. He loves you more than you will ever know, and he sees all of your needs. If you refuse to give up, you will see him provide.

God’s kingdom is not found by going with the flow. If you let yourself be swept along, your destination is destruction. To find life, you must fight the current. This world is hostile to God, and it will always try to make the path away from God more attractive than the one that leads to salvation. The path God has prepared for you is very narrow and it’s so easy to wander from it. Watch every step, because many will try to lead you the wrong way. They may seem harmless enough at first, but their way will destroy you. Be on the lookout. Here’s an easy test: Actions speak louder than words, and results speak louder than promises. If someone tells you a plant is a grape vine, but it only grows thorns, you know it’s actually a thorn bush. Likewise, the way of those who follow God will build up others, bring peace, and spread love. The way of those who defy God will result in division, fighting, and pain. Watch the fruit they bear so that you can recognize them.

You have been entrusted with the very kingdom of God. Don’t treat it lightly. Don’t let the mockery of those who are perishing prevent you from standing boldly for God’s kingdom. Recognize that they only attack you because they resent the thought of humbling themselves before God.

Being like God is not about saying the right words. You must accept God as your Lord and give him your life. When Jesus returns to judge mankind, many will think they’ve made it. They’ll say “Lord! Lord! Look at all the wonderful things we’ve done!” But the truth is that since they only lived to impress men and never surrendered themselves to God’s will, he will send them away.

In everything you do, remember this this: Do to others what you would want others to do to you. All of God’s law is summarized in this.

You can choose to ignore these teachings. You can choose to agree with them but never put them into practice. There are many that choose this way, and they will realize their folly too late. The wise will make the sacrifices necessary to put these words into actions and, when the storms come, they will stand firm. Will you be among them?

During Persecution, players must stay vigilant if they want to survive. They are being hunted and any moment could be pivotal. As a player, you can’t always know who is friend or foe, and the situation can change from day to day. Paranoia and suspicion build as players try to be active participants without making themselves easy targets. In some case, players are tricked, lied to, or betrayed by others. The point of Persecution is not to help the players realize that some people from the church are real jerks, but rather to draw a focus to something that is easy to forget in the United States of America: That in many parts of the world, Christians are the targets. To the players of Persecution, getting found out is the end of the game. For those living Persecution, it’s just the beginning.  Some are pressured, arrested, and eventually made to disappear if they don’t recant. Yet Christians in these countries continue to live out their faith. They continue to honor God and spread the word about his salvation, despite the risk that sharing with the wrong person could mean harassment, imprisonment, or even death.

When Paul writes to the church of Galatia about “the offense of the cross”, he is referring to the fact that the salvation we have is not acceptable to everyone. Whether it was the Jews of Paul’s time who didn’t want to include those they considered unclean, the despotic governments that don’t like the freedom found in Christ, or the religious radicals who refuse to allow the Gospel a fair hearing, the message of the cross isn’t always given a warm reception. It is our hope that during this short game, everyone playing will gain a better grasp of what our brothers and sisters go through every day.

God had chosen to reveal himself to this particular people so that they could reveal God to the other peoples of the earth. It seems reasonable that the Israelites should have some sort of headquarters – a land of their own. And yet I am reminded over and over again that there wasn’t necessarily anything special about the Israelites apart from God. God had called Abram and Abram followed. Like any other group of people, the nation of Israel contained some folks who took God seriously and a few more who didn’t. Check out what Moses says in Deut. 9:4-6.


After the LORD your God has driven them out before you, do not say to yourself, “The LORD has brought me here to take possession of this land because of my righteousness.” No, it is on account of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD is going to drive them out before you. It is not because of your righteousness or your integrity that you are going in to take possession of their land; but on account of the wickedness of these nations, the LORD your God will drive them out before you, to accomplish what he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Understand, then, that it is not because of your righteousness that the LORD your God is giving you this good land to possess, for you are a stiff-necked people.


It was made quite clear that Israel had done nothing to deserve this rich land. Thankfully, we have as an example those who truly cared about and obeyed God through all of this. Often, we find ourselves thinking selfishly that we are special or deserving. We are precious to God, but not because of anything we have done to earn it. God knows our motives, and yet he still loves us. Does your life scream “me, me, me!” or is your life a humble witness to God’s grace?