For serious followers of Jesus Christ, Lent is an opportunity to confront our own selfish tendencies and to humble ourselves before God. Since the 7th Century Christians have discovered real spiritual benefit as they have observed a season of spiritual emphasis before Easter - a 40 day fast over six weeks from Ash Wednesday to Easter. This book is a devotional guide based on the Sermon on the Mount to help believers examine themselves and to deepen in their love and commitment for Christ. Despite persecution in many places on the globe, Christians today have a greater share of this world's wealth than previous generations. Wise believers have always been more concerned about the pollution of the church by the world from within, than the threats against the church from without. Materialism, pride, and self-centeredness are issues that every generation of Christ-followers must address - this is where the real spiritual battle takes place. This devotional guide is personal and introspective, guiding the believer to examine himself against the biblical standard, and to re-focus his life on Christ. It is a celebration of the Savior's constant love and mercy that forgives our sins, cleanses us within, lifts us up and draws us to His face and His heart. Dr David Packer is from American originally but he has lived most of his adult life outside the United States. He holds a Doctor of Ministry from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, with a specialization in World Missions. He and his wife have lived and served in missionary and cross-cultural work in Asia and Europe. Previously, from 1992-2004 he served as Senior Pastor of the International Baptist Church of Singapore and currently he is Senior Pastor of the International Baptist Church of Stuttgart, Germany - a spiritual home to people from more than 40 nationalities. Together they have personally ministered in more than thirty different nations, and in 2009 they founded International Churches Ministry, Inc, a US-based legal charity to address the needs of international churches around the world. They have three grown children and two grandchildren...so far.