Are you a good listener? So often, what we call listening is really just mindlessly waiting for our turn to be heard. Sadly, we even do this with God! Instead of listening, we'd rather interrupt and tell God what we expect of him. Not surprisingly, this doesn't always go over so well. Today, we learn that Jesus is worthy of all our attention and all of our obedience. So, let's strive to listen to him this week and worship him together this morning!

Have you ever heard the phrase "when helping hurts"? Sometimes, our attempts to ground ourselves in God can turn into empty distractions away from Him. Though important, these disciplines are never meant to be done in isolation, insulating ourselves from the world. God wants these disciplines to be done in service to those around us. Thankfully, our savior provides a perfect example of how to live out these disciplines daily in service to others!

How we view things is often shaped by our past experience. This perspective is an important gift for understanding. At the beginning of Jesus' famous Sermon on the Mount, He reshapes what it means to be blessed in the kingdom of God, helping us to understand the rest of the sermon. We are blessed by God, as demonstrated by the ministry of Jesus, our savior. Thankfully, the Gospel is the key that frames our entire lives. Through it, we know just how blessed we really are. So, let us praise Him!