Jesus begins by teaching His disciples eight attitudes called, the "beatitudes," or "blessed attitudes," because each one is introduced by the word "blessed." Jesus is promising to bless the disciple who has each of these attitudes. This word "blessed" can actually mean "happy," "spiritually prosperous," or "in a state of grace." Each attitude also includes a promise that describes the form in which this blessing will come into the life of that disciple.
Read about courageous men and women whose faith is flourishing in the face of ISIS and other terrorists. You’ll weep at believers’ suffering and losses . . . and laugh at the creative audacity of indigenous church planters who just won’t take “no” for an answer, whether in the former Soviet Union, in corners of India where Hindu extremists are burning churches, in communist holdouts in other parts of Asia, or in challenging places in Africa and Latin America.