Skip to main content

Are You Poor?


 "And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying: "Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.""

    The Sermon on the Mount gives us a lot of valuable information. We need take a moment and think on it. So let’s do that in the next few days. Starting in Matthew chapter 5 we see Jesus stand before the multitudes and give a formal declaration. He opened His mouth and taught them all. The great teacher on the mountain top, with multitudes at His feet, didn’t hold back the truth. He preached it like it is.  The first thing He says is “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven”.  What does that mean? Let’s look at it. 

    This “poor” is not about money or material wealth. The poor still means lacking. This lacking in spirit is about needing something. Christ is talking about the attitude one has that causes him to seek God and His righteousness. This poverty that drives us to depend on God is what gives us the kingdom of heaven. We know we lack and only God can fill that need (Acts 4:11-12).

  That attitude is one that allows us to follow and do as He has asked. He is the only one who can rescue us from that poverty. In constantly seeking that which fills us we will live faithfully (Rev. 2:10). We will compete according to the rules (2 Tim. 2:5). Those that are poor in spirit are not too proud to follow the one who fills their needs, God.  We must have this attitude to hear and do all that God ask of us (Luke 8:19-21).



Are you poor in spirit?
Do you look to God to fill your needs?
Are you seeking God every day?
Have you found yourself  no longer seeking God?
What do you need to change about your attitude?
 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Your Structure

“But  I  discipline  my  body and bring it into subjection, lest, when  I  have preached to others,  I myself  should become disqualified” (1 Corinthians 9:27). It would be best if you worked on creating in your mind mental structures for success. A study was done where  two basketball teams had to shoot free throws. One group went out and shot 100 free throws with something life 30% accuracy. The second group had sat for 30 minutes and visualized making a perfect free throw 100 times. That team went out and shot 100 free throws with 75% accuracy. What is the difference? The mental structure. You can do the same. Paul said, “I discipline my body, I seek to please God.” Just like Paul, we must get in our heads what we will do to be successful in Christ. Work to create Godly mental structures.                          ...

Love Provoked

         The world is provoked for different reasons. Anything from God’s word to good deeds for others to envy can cause wrath to be poured out (Jonah 3:10-4:1; Luke 15:20-28; Genesis 30:1, 2). What should provoke a New Testament Christian is quite different. Things like idol worship, inadequate treatment of others, turning from God, and dishonoring the house of God should cause indignation to swell up inside us (Exodus 32:19-22: 1 Samuel 20:33, 34; Matthew 21:12, 13; Acts 17:16, 17). This type of anger is justified (Mark 3:1-5). However, when this righteous indignation sets in, we will not forget who we are. We must be slow to anger (Nahum 1:3). It should not set in fast (Titus 1:7; Ephesians 4:6). We should be seeking to stir up love and good works no matter what (Hebrews 10:24, 25; 1 Corinthians 9:1, 2). We love the Lord so much it should bother us when He and His are mistreated. We need to handle things right and make sure we are never at fault for mistreat...

Love Never Fails

    Luke 15:11-32            The beautiful picture painted for us in the prodigal son is amazing to ponder. We often talk about the son and the father, the choices made, and the redemption found. But, have you ever thought about the love that never failed? The father never stopped loving his sons. Even when one went wayward, he still loved him and loved him dearly. I heard someone say to their child the other day, “Even if you make mistakes and do wrong, I still love you the same.” I know how it feels to think someone’s love may leave you. I know what it is like to worry that you will do enough wrong or the one wrong thing for their love to end. It makes for tear-filled nights and days filled with an aching heart. It causes things to be done, and a life lived out of fear. One day, I don’t remember when but I realized God is not that way. God’s love never ends. You cannot do enough wrong for God to stop loving you. That do...