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Kurt Steinbrueck March 21, 2026

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Loving Your Enemies

The Other Six Daily Devotion - Matthew 5:43-45

“Loving Your Enemies”

“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, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.”

What do you think of people who hurt you?

This passage is both a difficult and freeing passage. I remember when I was in middle school I was bullied a bit by this one kid. He never actually hit me, but he tried to intimidate me and provoke a fight. I guess he figured if he could get me to throw the first punch, he wouldn’t get in trouble for beating me up.

My response wasn’t great. While I never did throw that first punch, I wanted to. I thought about it a lot and if the opportunity had presented itself outside of school, I might have done it. Thankfully, it didn’t.

A fight with that bully would have lasted a few minutes at most, but my sinful nature used that to capture my mind for weeks.

It’s hard to love those who hate you or persecute you. It’s hard to forgive those who have hurt you. That, however, is what Jesus is telling us to do.

We are to love everyone, even our enemies.

The amazing thing is that when we do that, it frees us. Had I responded to the bully with love and forgiveness, I wouldn’t have dwelt for weeks on how I could get my revenge. I would have been freed from the anger, hurt, and hatred I felt.

I heard one person say,

“When we hold a grudge, it’s like drinking poison to get back at the person who hurt us. We’re just hurting ourselves.”

So, how to we learn to love our enemy and pray for those who persecute us?

Pray about it and think about Jesus.

I know that sounds cliche at first, but prayer should always be our first response. It is God working in us that fights our old sinful nature. When we think about Jesus, we remember that He lived this out for us as a perfect example. Romans 5:8 says:

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

We were once enemies of God, but He showed us love. He loved us so much that He died for us so that we could be forgiven and saved. He didn’t wait for us to change or start loving Him, He just loved us.

When I consider who I was and how Jesus treated me. It makes it a bit easier to love the person who has wronged me. By the grace and power of God we all can love our enemies. For all those times we don’t…well..

“While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Let’s pray…

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for loving me. Thank you for loving me even when I was still rebellious against You. Thank you for continuing to love me even when I sin, now. Forgive me for the times I have not showed love to others and help me to love not only those who show me love, but even those who hurt or persecute me.

Amen.

As part of your devotion time, I encourage you to also pray for at least some of the following:

Your family
Your local church
Your pastor
Some of your fellow church members
The people on your B.L.E.S.S. list
Your country and her leaders
Your community

After praying for these people, you may want to finish your devotion time with the Lord’s Prayer…

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. They will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever and every. Amen.

In Christ’s Service,

Pastor Kurt

Kurt Steinbrueck March 20, 2026

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There Was Once Two Kingdoms

The Other Six Daily Devotion - Matthew 5:38-42

“There Were Once Two Kingdoms”

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 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. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.”

How do you respond when someone hurts you?

Evil is all around us. We live in a fallen world, and we can’t go a day without either being harmed or harming someone else. But how are we, as Christians, to respond?

Matthew 5:38–42 guides us—but only when we understand it in context. At first glance, Jesus seems to change the Law. Earlier in the Sermon on the Mount, He deepened the understanding of commandments (not just “don’t kill,” but don’t hate). Here, however, it may seem initially like He replaces the Law. He doesn’t.

The original command,

“An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth,”

is recorded in Exodus 21:24-25 and Deuteronomy 19:21. was not a general command for individuals. It was given to govern Israel’s courts. The principle is simple: the punishment should fit the crime. It both enables justice and limits excessive punishment.

The problem is that people were taking this command into their own hands—seeking personal revenge instead of leaving justice to the proper authority.

This person punched me. Instead of letting the judge deal with him, I just punched him back. Like they are Batman or something.

That’s a misuse of the command.

The key to understanding this passage is the doctrine of the two kingdoms.

God works through two kingdoms:

The Church – Offering grace and mercy
The Government – Enforcing law and justice

The two kingdoms are distinct and should not be confused or mixed.

Jesus teaches that Christians are not to seize the government’s role by taking revenge. Instead, we love and forgive, while allowing governing authorities to carry out justice.

I think there is an analogy in the game of Football.

Think of it like football. When a player is pushed after the play, his role is to keep playing. The officials handle the penalty. If he retaliates, he takes on a role that isn’t his—and often gets penalized himself.

So, how should we respond when harmed?

This is a little tricky at first, but it makes sense if we keep the two kingdoms separate and consider our vocations, or roles. Each of us has multiple roles (vocations). As Christians, we are called not to resist evil against ourselves or seek revenge. We love others and seek their good, even when wronged.

But we also live in other roles—citizen, parent, spouse, neighbor. In these roles, we obey the law and may report wrongdoing. We also protect those entrusted to our care. So, it’s good to protect my family or neighbor if they are endangered.

Police, judges, and soldiers, likewise, serve by upholding justice as they fulfill their vocations within the government.

Jesus is not discarding the Law—He is correcting its misuse and addressing the heart. Christians are not to harbor hatred or seek revenge, even as they faithfully live out their other responsibilities.

So:

Personally, we endure wrong and respond with love
As citizens, we allow justice to be carried out lawfully
In our vocations, we protect and serve others

And in all of this, we act without hatred or malice.

Unfortunately, our sinful nature resists this. It demands revenge and justifies retaliation, justifying our “righteous” cause the whole time.

Thankfully, Jesus deals with us as He calls us to deal with others—with mercy. When we fail, we confess, receive forgiveness, and ask for help to forgive as we have been forgiven.

Let’s pray…

Heavenly Father,

Protect us from the evils of this world. When we are wronged, give us hearts of love and forgiveness. Help us to trust the authorities You have established and not take vengeance into our own hands. Strengthen those who serve in government, that they may act justly as Your servants.

Amen.

As part of your devotion time, I encourage you to also pray for at least some of the following:

Your family
Your local church
Your pastor
Some of your fellow church members
The people on your B.L.E.S.S. list
Your country and her leaders
Your community

After praying for these people, you may want to finish your devotion time with the Lord’s Prayer…

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. They will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever and every. Amen.Protect us from the evils of this world. When we are wronged, give us hearts of love and forgiveness. Help us to trust the authorities You have established and not take vengeance into our own hands. Strengthen those who serve in government, that they may act justly as Your servants.

In Christ’s Service,

Pastor Kurt

Kurt Steinbrueck March 19, 2026

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I Swear

The Other Six Daily Devotion - Matthew 5:33-37

“I Swear”

“Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.”

In His sermon on the mount, Jesus does quite a bit of unpacking of the 10 Commandments. As sinful people, the people of Israel (like all of us) had taken the 10 Commandments and done two things with them.

First, they turned them into the means by which they thought they would make themselves right before God.
Second, they found loopholes and work-arounds to be able to say they were following the commandments, even if they weren’t.

So, for example, you could hate your brother and harm him in certain ways, but not kill him and you’ve still followed the 5th commandment.

In today’s passage, Jesus is dealing with the 8th Commandment not to lie. One phrase that has always amused me is when people have been talking to you for a while and then they start a statement with,

“To be completely honest…”

What? Have you been lying to me up until now?

Speak the Truth
Jesus approaches the commandment in a simple, but perhaps surprising way. He says not only should you not swear falsely (lie), but you shouldn’t take an oath at all.

Some people have taken this passage to mean they can’t take the oath at the beginning of a legal testimony, but that’s not what Jesus is getting at. What he’s saying is, just be honest. If you don’t lie or bend the truth, but simply be honest, there’s no need to take an oath.

The oath is said to either prevent lying or to give the impression that someone isn’t lying. But if you make a habit of telling the truth, you won’t need that. You won’t need the extra element of an oath to convince people you are telling the truth if you are known for telling the truth. They will rightly believe you.

Interestingly, psychologists will tell you that when someone starts a sentence with something like, “To be completely honest…” there’s a very good chance they are about to lie to you.

Speak the Truth in Love
It has to be said that the Bible also tells us to speak the truth in Ephesians 4:15, but adds that it should be done in love.

The truth can be used as a weapon. It can be used to harm and destroy rather than heal and built up. We are to always speak the truth, but we are also to show love to each other. If a friend were to come to me in confidence and confide in me about a struggle they were going through, I could go tell everyone what they told me and be speaking the truth, but I wouldn’t be showing love.

Similarly, how we say the truth matters. The Bible says that we should be gentle.

If I call out a sin, I should do so in private (at least initially, see Matthew 18), gently, and with a desire to forgive.
If I feel like I need to share an unflattering truth (e.g. “You need to use deodorant”), I should also do that privately and gently, not publicly redicule the person.

Love is to govern all that we do, including speaking the truth. That means considering the time, people, place, tone, and purpose of how we speak the truth to be sure it is done in a loving way that heals, protects, is just, and builds each other up in Christ.

This is how God deals with us. He tells us the truth in love. His Law reveals our sin, which can be difficult to hear, but He also gives us His promises of forgiveness, salvation, and eternal life. Both are true and both are loving.

Let’s pray…

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for the truth of Your Word. Gently reveal my sin to me in order to lead me to repentance. Also, comfort me with the truth of your wonderful Gospel promises. Help me to treat others the same way, to always speak the truth and do so in love. Please, also give me the wisdom to when, how, and to whom I should share truths.

Amen.

As part of your devotion time, I encourage you to also pray for at least some of the following:

Your family
Your local church
Your pastor
Some of your fellow church members
The people on your B.L.E.S.S. list
Your country and her leaders
Your community

After praying for these people, you may want to finish your devotion time with the Lord’s Prayer…

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. They will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever and every. Amen.

In Christ’s Service,

Pastor Kurt

Kurt Steinbrueck March 18, 2026

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To Love and Honor in Good Times and Bad…

The Other Six Daily Devotion - Matthew 5:31-32

“To Love and Honor in Good Times and Bad...”

“It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.”

What do you think of marriage?

For a long time in the U.S., the divorce rate was increasing. Between infidelity, no-fault divorces, a more secular society, and a general loss of reverence for the institution of marriage, people had less and less of a problem divorcing. People were taking the life-long commitment of marriage less and less seriously.

Then, about 25 years ago, the divorce rate compared to the population started to drop. According to the CDC, we went from 4 divorces per 1000 people in the year 2000, to 3.2 divorces per 1000 people in 2016. That sounds good at first until you see that during that same time period we see the marriage rate drop from 8.2 (in 2000) to 6.9 (2016).

Fewer people are getting married in the first place.

We’ve gone from not taking the commitment as seriously to not bothering to make the commitment in the first place.

In our passage for today, we see Jesus re-emphasizing the seriousness of divorce…or maybe it would be better to say the seriousness of the commitment of marriage.

Marriage isn’t meant to be entered and exited easily or lightly. Actually, it’s not meant to be exited at all. Later, in Matthew 19, Jesus says divorce was never meant to exist at all but was a concession by God due to the hard hearts of the Israelite people.

Marriage is meant to be a life-long commitment.

Sin makes that difficult. Couples hurt each other, grow apart, and hold grudges. Marriage takes work.

Love and forgiveness make the life-long commitment of marriage possible. That love and forgiveness we show are an extension of the love and forgiveness we receive from God through Jesus.

The Image of Our Relationship with God
Throughout the Bible, God uses marriage as an analogy for His relationship with His people, whether Israel or the church. Here, too, sin is a problem. Here, too, love and forgiveness is the answer; not our love and forgiveness, but God’s.

We constantly struggle with our faithfulness and fail repeatedly, but God is faithful. His love never fails. His forgiveness overcomes our failures. Where we continue to dirty our white wedding garment, Jesus blood continues to wash it white as new. God is the perfect faithful husband to His imperfect often-wandering bride, the church.

For those of you who are married (or will be one day), I pray that God will bless your marriage with love and forgiveness. You will have struggles, but love covers a multitude of sins. For those who have divorced, there is forgiveness, grace, and healing in Christ.

For all of us, married or single, I pray that we will always turn to Jesus, confessing our sinfulness, knowing that He will always be faithful. He is the faithful and forgiving bridegroom. His love is forever.

Let’s pray…

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for loving us! Bless all marriages. Help husbands to love their wives and wives their husbands. Help them to confess to each other and forgive one another. We also pray that our society would once again honor marriage for the benefit of the couple, of their children, and of society as a whole. Give strength and purity to those who are single.

Amen.

As part of your devotion time, I encourage you to also pray for at least some of the following:

Your family
Your local church
Your pastor
Some of your fellow church members
The people on your B.L.E.S.S. list
Your country and her leaders
Your community

After praying for these people, you may want to finish your devotion time with the Lord’s Prayer…

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. They will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever and every. Amen.

In Christ’s Service,

Pastor Kurt

Kurt Steinbrueck March 17, 2026

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Daily Devotion: Passing the Peace

The Other Six Daily Devotion - Matthew 5:23-26

“Passing the Peace”

“So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.”

Every week at Faith, right before we celebrate Communion (the Lord’s Supper), we have the passing of the peace.

We walk around the sanctuary greeting each other and sharing the peace of Christ with each other. If you’ve gone to church for long time, it probably feels normal and natural, but to someone who hasn’t been in church before, it actually can seem like a very strange and disruptive practice.

The service is going along. We sing songs, say a few things in unison, and listen to a message. Then it’s like we decided an hour was too long, so we put an intermission in the service.

“Alright, everyone can get up and walk around for a while talking with each other…and say something we don’t normally say in everyday conversation.”

It can seem awkward and like a disruption to the flow of the service.

So, why do we do it?

Are we stretching our legs?
Is it just to greet people or is there something more to it?

The passage from Matthew 5:23-26 gives us an answer. In this passage, Jesus is talking about our relationship with others and its connection with our relationship with God.

In the verses right before this, Jesus says we shouldn’t hold grudges or harm our brothers and sisters with our words. Now, He brings it to a point, you can’t separate your relationship with God from your relationship with others.

God’s love and forgiveness compels us to love and forgive each other.

The people weren’t just supposed to confess to God and move on. They were to seek out those they had sinned against and make things right.

As we prepare for Communion, we examine ourselves and confess our sins, looking to Jesus for forgiveness in His body and blood. The passing of the peace during this preparation time is an opportunity to confess to each other and apologize if we have sinned against someone. It’s also the opportunity to set aside any grudge or issue you may have with your brother or sister in Christ.

We have peace with God because our sins have been forgiven in Christ and we pass that same peace to each other, a peace between each other that comes from forgiving each other as Christ has forgiven us.

This is why we say,

“The peace of Christ be with you.”

We blessing each other with the peace that comes from Christ’s forgiveness and grace. Then we come as one body, truly unified, to receive Christ’s body and blood.

The passing of the peace is more than just an intermission or a time to greet each other. It’s a time to go to your brother or sister and offer or receive forgiveness and assure them that there is peace between you.

Let’s pray…

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for forgiving me. Help me to forgive my Christian brothers and sisters and, when necessary, to confess and receive forgiveness from them. Make us one, truly unified in peace, love, and forgiveness we have in You.

Amen.

As part of your devotion time, I encourage you to also pray for at least some of the following:

Your family
Your local church
Your pastor
Some of your fellow church members
The people on your B.L.E.S.S. list
Your country and her leaders
Your community

After praying for these people, you may want to finish your devotion time with the Lord’s Prayer…

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. They will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever and every. Amen.

In Christ’s Service,

Pastor Kurt

Kurt Steinbrueck March 16, 2026

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Daily Devotion: Sticks and Stones and Such

The Other Six Daily Devotion - Matthew 5:21-22

“Sticks and Stones and Such”

“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment. But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.”

Have you ever killed someone…with your words?

In our previous devotion, I wrote about how the Jewish religious leaders of Jesus’ day had lost the real meaning of the Law. The Law had, to them, become a list of very specific rules to follow. They had lost the heart of the Law, that we are to love God and love our neighbor.

Starting in verse 21 of Matthew 5, Jesus proceeds to illustrate how the religious leaders were missing the point.

When we try to deal with God according to the Law and our works, we often try to lower the bar to a point that we think we can achieve.

“Don’t murder. I can do that. See, I’m a good person, I’m not going around murdering people.”

That’s the same thing the Jewish religious leaders were doing.

In this passage, however, Jesus pulls the rug out from that approach. He brings us back to the underlying purpose of the Law, to love God and love our neighbor. Sure, you may not be physically killing your neighbor, but…

Are you holding a grudge for something they did instead of forgiving them?
Have you said nasty things about them?
Have you called them names?

When I was a kid, I learned the phrase,

“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.”

But I learned through experience that it’s not true. You’ve probably learned that lesson, too. Words can hurt…badly. In fact, bones and bruises heal in a few days or weeks, the damage from words can last a lifetime.

Loving each other means more than refraining from killing. It’s not hating each other. It’s not destroying each other with words.

This passage gets real at the end.

“Whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.”

What are we to do?

Shoot, I’ve done that and worse. What hope do I have?

When the bar of the Law is placed correctly, we can never achieve it. We have all fallen short of the glory of God. So, we don’t approach God by our works, but by His mercy in the work of Jesus Christ on the cross.

Through faith in Jesus our sins, even those nasty things we’ve called people have been removed. They are as far from us as the East is from the West. In Christ, you have been made holy and righteous in God’s sight.

Being made holy and righteous by God (not of ourselves) we are then called to walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5) and receive the fruit of the Spirit. In this case, we look to patience, gentleness, self-control, and most of all…love.

These are the work of God within us which help us to let go of the anger and control our tongue.

Heavenly Father,

I confess I have held grudges instead of forgiving. I have called people names and torn them down with my words instead of building them up. I am sorry and ask for Your forgiveness, trusting Your promise that You will forgive. Help me to love others. Help me to forgive others as You have forgiven me. Give me patience, gentleness, self-control, and love.

Amen.

As part of your devotion time, I encourage you to also pray for at least some of the following:

Your family
Your local church
Your pastor
Some of your fellow church members
The people on your B.L.E.S.S. list
Your country and her leaders
Your community

After praying for these people, you may want to finish your devotion time with the Lord’s Prayer…

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. They will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever and every. Amen.

In Christ’s Service,

Pastor Kurt

Kurt Steinbrueck March 14, 2026

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Daily Devotion: I Fought the Law and the Law Won

The Other Six Daily Devotion - Matthew 5:17-20

“I Fought the Law and the Law Won”

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

How do you feel about laws and commands?

There’s an old song from the 1960’s called, “I Fought the Law and the Law Won”. I was reminded of that song when I read Matthew 5:17-20, today.

This can be a challenging passage. Here Jesus is addressing an accusation by the Jewish religious leaders, that Jesus was trying to do away with the Law, which they had received from God. Jesus, however, counters their attack by saying that He wasn’t there to abolish the Law but fulfill it.

There were two primary Jewish religious leaders of the day:

Scribes – There were the Scribes, who studied the Scriptures (the Old Testament) and other religious writings and knew them backward and forward. They were kind of like lawyers.
Pharisees – Then there were the Pharisees who also knew the Law and Jewish traditions well, but were primarily focused on following the Law…and making sure everyone else did as well. A little bit like religious police.

Both these groups looked very religious and looked like they were the ones who were the holiest. However, their faithfulness to the Law was only outward. They had lost the internal obedience to the Law, to love the Lord with all their hearts and love their neighbor.

It was all about the rules, for them, not the love.

Jesus sounded like He was teaching something contrary because the Jewish leaders had lost the real message of the Law and the Prophets and Jesus was teaching the true meaning.

Today, we still see this in the church.

We see people who are totally focused on the Law. You have to do this and don’t do that. This can be a problem. It’s not that the Law isn’t good, it is good. But if you aren’t seeking to follow the Law out of a love for God and our neighbor, you’re missing the point. As Paul writes in Romans,

“Love is the fulfillment of the law.” – Rom 13:10b

So, what does all this have to do with a song from the 60’s?

Well, when we try to make ourselves worthy of God through the obedience of the Law, we lose. We always lose. We simply always come up short. When we look at our lives honestly in the light of the Law, it always condemns us. We are sinners and can never achieve righteousness through our works.

This leaves us in a scary place. As Jesus said,

“For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

We are forced to respond like the disciples in Matthew 19:25,

“Who, then, can be saved?”

It’s at this point that the Law has done its job. It’s shown us our sinfulness and shown us we can’t save ourselves. We can only look to Christ.

It is Jesus who perfectly fulfilled the Law, lovingly obeying the Father in all things, even unto death. In His death, Jesus took our sins upon Himself and took our punishment.

“He became sin, who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God” 2 Corinthians 5:21.

Through faith in Jesus, we not only have our sins forgiven, but we have Jesus’ perfect righteousness imputed to us (put on us like it was our own).

By faith we have been declared righteous, more righteous than the scribes and the Pharisees. We could never achieve that righteousness ourselves, but God has given it to us as a gift. So, when we look at the Law and it accuses us, we can respond as Paul does in Romans 7:24-25a

“Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!”

Heavenly Father,

I confess that Your Law is good. I also confess that I have not obeyed Your Law. I ask for Your gracious forgiveness through Your Son, Jesus. I cling to the promise You have made that by faith I have been cleansed of all my sin and made righteous in Your sight not by what I have done, but what Jesus has done in His perfect fulfillment of the Law. Thank you.

Amen.

As part of your devotion time, I encourage you to also pray for at least some of the following:

Your family
Your local church
Your pastor
Some of your fellow church members
The people on your B.L.E.S.S. list
Your country and her leaders
Your community

After praying for these people, you may want to finish your devotion time with the Lord’s Prayer…

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. They will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever and every. Amen.

In Christ’s Service,

Pastor Kurt

Kurt Steinbrueck March 13, 2026

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Daily Devotion: Shining Bright Like the Son

The Other Six Daily Devotion - Matthew 5:14-16

“Shining Bright Like the Son”

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

Have you ever gone out at night when there was a full moon, and you could see almost as well as if it were day?

Have you ever seen the moon when it was so bright it was almost difficult to look at?

I’ve seen some pretty bright moons over my years and have always been fascinated by the night sky, but I learned something fascinating a while back about the moon.

The moon isn’t very reflective.

It has a reflectiveness rating (Albedo) of only 0.12, meaning it only reflects about 12% of the light shown on it. It is actually one of the least reflective bodies in our solar system. I heard one scientist (I can’t remember his name right now) say it’s about as reflective as an old, dirty tire.

Why does the moon appear so bright in the sky?

It isn’t because the moon is so great at reflecting the sun’s light, but rather because the sun is so bright and the moon is so close to the earth.

In Matthew 5:14, Jesus says,

“You are the light of the world.”

When you first hear this, you may wonder, “Wait. I thought Jesus was the light of the world.” Yes, He is. As John 1 describes,

“In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” John 1:4-5

Jesus is the light that came into the darkness. However, in the Sermon on the Mount here in Matthew 5, Jesus is telling us that we are the light of the world.

Much like the moon, we don’t generate our light in and of ourselves. Rather, we reflect the light of Christ. Also, much like the moon, the truth is that we don’t tend to reflect the light of Jesus very well.

We sin. We mistreat people. We often live like the dark world. Thankfully, the light of Christ is bright enough to shine through that.

Jesus has called us to shine the light of Christ before others. Like the moon is near the earth, we should be near those who need the light. that requires two things:

We get out of our houses and get to know people who don’t know Jesus.
We don’t hide our faith when we are with them. We live out our faith and speak freely about God.

We should be in the world, though not of it, that others may see the light of Jesus and glorify the Father.

Heavenly Father,

I confess that I do not reflect the light of Christ very well. I often see more darkness in my life than I’d like to admit. Please forgive me and help me to shine the light of Jesus to everyone around me.

Amen.

As part of your devotion time, I encourage you to also pray for at least some of the following:

Your family
Your local church
Your pastor
Some of your fellow church members
The people on your B.L.E.S.S. list
Your country and her leaders
Your community

After praying for these people, you may want to finish your devotion time with the Lord’s Prayer…

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. They will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever and every. Amen.

In Christ’s Service,

Pastor Kurt

Kurt Steinbrueck March 12, 2026

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Daily Devotions: Blessed When People Revile You

The Other Six Daily Devotion - Matthew 5:11-12

“Blessed When People Revile You”

“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Have you ever had someone say something about you that simply wasn’t true?

Maybe someone misunderstood something you said.
Maybe a rumor spread that damaged your reputation.
Maybe someone criticized or mocked you unfairly.

It can be incredibly frustrating when people say false things about us. We want to defend ourselves. We want to set the record straight.

In this final Beatitude, Jesus speaks about a very specific kind of situation. He says we are blessed when people insult us, persecute us, and say false things about us because of Him.

Throughout history, this has happened to Christians again and again.

Early Christians were accused of terrible crimes they never committed. Some people claimed they were disloyal to the Roman Empire. Others spread rumors that Christians practiced strange and immoral rituals. These false accusations often led to persecution and even death.

Something similar still happens today.

Christians are sometimes mocked for believing the Bible.
Others assume Christians are hateful simply because they hold to what Scripture teaches.
Sometimes people spread false ideas about what Christians believe or what the church teaches.

Jesus tells us not to be surprised when this happens. If the world misunderstood Him, it will often misunderstand His followers as well.

But Jesus also says something unexpected. He tells His disciples to rejoice.

How can anyone rejoice in the middle of insults or false accusations?

Jesus points us to two important truths.

You’re In Good Company
First, when we suffer because we belong to Christ, we are walking the same path the prophets walked before us. God’s messengers throughout history were often rejected and mistreated because they spoke the truth.

A Great Reward
Second, Jesus reminds us that our reward is not found in the approval of this world.

Our reward is in heaven.

The world may misunderstand us or hate us. People may say things about us that are unfair or untrue. But none of those things can take away what God has given us in Christ.

Through Jesus, our sins are forgiven.
Through Jesus, we belong to God’s kingdom.
Through Jesus, we have an eternal inheritance waiting for us.

And in the end, Jesus has the victory. In fact, that’s the main point of the entire book of Revelation. When you suffer, don’t lose hope. Jesus is still in control and Jesus (and thus you) have the victory. When we remember that promise, the insults of this world lose much of their power.

They are temporary.

God’s kingdom is forever.

That is why Jesus calls this a blessing.

Let’s pray…

Heavenly Father,

When we are misunderstood or criticized because we follow Your Son, strengthen our faith. Help us to remain faithful to Christ and to remember the reward You have promised to those who belong to Him. Give us hope and peace on all circumstances and give us courage, patience, and joy as we live as Your people in this world.

Amen.

As part of your devotion time, I encourage you to also pray for at least some of the following:

Your family
Your local church
Your pastor
Some of your fellow church members
The people on your B.L.E.S.S. list
Your country and her leaders
Your community

After praying for these people, you may want to finish your devotion time with the Lord’s Prayer…

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. They will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever and every. Amen.

In Christ’s Service,

Pastor Kurt

Kurt Steinbrueck March 11, 2026

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Daily Devotions: Blessed Are Those Who Are Persecuted

The Other Six Daily Devotion - Matthew 5:10

“Blessed Are Those Who Are Persecuted”

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Have you ever been treated badly for doing the right thing?

Maybe you told the truth when it would have been easier to stay quiet.
Maybe you stood up for someone who was being mistreated.
Maybe you tried to live according to your Christian faith and someone mocked you for it.

Doing the right thing does not always make life easier. Sometimes it makes life harder.

Jesus tells us that those who are persecuted for righteousness are blessed. That can sound strange at first. After all, persecution is painful. It may involve ridicule, rejection, loss, or even physical harm.

Why would Jesus call that a blessing?

Part of the answer is that persecution reveals something important. It reveals that we belong to Christ. We should be clear here, that Jesus isn’t saying when anyone is persecuted it means they belong to Him. It’s when Christians are persecuted for their faith.

Jesus never promised that following Him would make us popular or comfortable in the eyes of the world. In fact, He warned His disciples that the opposite would often be true.

“Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” – Matthew 16:24

The values of God’s kingdom are very different from the values of the world. The world often celebrates pride, power, selfish ambition, and revenge. But Jesus calls His people to humility, mercy, forgiveness, and love for enemies. When Christians live according to these values, they stand out. Sometimes that difference brings criticism or opposition.

Throughout history many Christians have experienced persecution for their faith.

Some have been mocked or excluded. Others have lost their jobs or their homes. Some have even been imprisoned or killed because they refused to deny Christ.

Yet Jesus says they are blessed. Why?

Because their suffering connects them to Him.

Jesus Himself was rejected, mocked, beaten, and crucified. The world opposed Him because He spoke the truth and revealed the darkness of human sin. When Christians suffer for righteousness, they are walking the same road their Savior walked. It is a continuation of the suffering of Christ which is why, after Jesus ascension, when Saul was persecuting the church, Jesus appeared to Saul and asked,

“Why are you persecuting Me?”

When the church, otherwise known as Christians, is persecuted. It is Jesus who is being persecuted. The church is the body of Christ.

And Jesus gives them a promise.

“Theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

That promise echoes the very first Beatitude:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

The kingdom of heaven belongs to us.

It used to be believed by many, that if a person was persecuted or experienced hardship, God had either left them or was against them. This flips that idea on its head. If you are persecuted for following Jesus, God is most certainly with you and for you. You are very much a citizen of God’s Kingdom.

And when Jesus returns, every injustice will be set right. Those who suffered for righteousness will stand in the joy of God’s eternal kingdom.

What a wonderful promise that is.

Let’s pray…

Heavenly Father,

Give us courage to follow Your Son even when it is difficult. When we face opposition or hardship for doing what is right, remind us that we belong to Your kingdom. Strengthen our faith and help us to remain faithful to Christ in all circumstances, knowing Jesus’ has the final word.

Amen.

As part of your devotion time, I encourage you to also pray for at least some of the following:

Your family
Your local church
Your pastor
Some of your fellow church members
The people on your B.L.E.S.S. list
Your country and her leaders
Your community

After praying for these people, you may want to finish your devotion time with the Lord’s Prayer…

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. They will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever and every. Amen.

In Christ’s Service,

Pastor Kurt