Who am I, O Lord?

Reading: Matt. 5:3, Psalm 8:3, 4, 2 Sam. 6 & 7, Psalm 128:1-4,

"Blessed are the Poor in Spirit,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven". 

Matt. 5:3 NKJ

This week we are looking at a few examples of God's people who were poor in spirit before Him. Today, we will look at David, who penned the following Psalm (song). I can imagine him sitting on a hillside, with his sheep bedded down for the night, looking up into the heavens, in awe of it's vastness and glory. By comparison he must have felt so small and insignificant.

"When I look at the night sky 

and see the work of Your fingers, 

the moon and the stars, you set in place-
what are people that you should think about them, 

mere mortals that you should care for them?"

Psalm 8:3-4 NLT

Here we are thousands of years later. The same moon and stars are there, moving in their preordained course through the heavens. In comparison to the vast universe we are small and can feel insignificant. Who am I, O God, that You should think about me and care for me? God answers David's question about 1,000 years later with the coming of Jesus. His answer is our hope. Perhaps David asked this question when he was a young man, maybe as a shepherd. If so did he maintain his spiritual poverty before God, even when he was king of Israel?

Woe is Me

Reading: Matt. 5:3, Isaiah 6:1-5

"Blessed are the Poor in Spirit, 

For theirs is the kingdom of heaven". 

Matt. 5:3 NKJ

Yesterday we looked at how Jesus used a small child to explain the humble attitude needed to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. This attitude of humility begins with the realization of our need for God. The NLT Bible puts it this way:

"God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for Him..."  

Matt. 5:3 NLT

How do you do this as an adult? How do you become poor in spirit? I think of what Jesus said to Nicodemis:

"I tell you the truth, unless your are born again, you can not see the Kingdom of God." This really confused Nicodemus. He said, "What do you mean? How can an old man go back to His mothers womb and be born again?" That's not happening, neither will we ever become a child again.

Note: 2/18/24:

We have been watching the Chosen Series. I am really inspired by Episode 7 of the First Season.  The "Nicodemis" character met with "Jesus" at night. It is very Biblical, mostly quotes from John 3 and Psalm 2:12

So how can we have a child like heart and mind set, as an adult? We need to be transformed by renewing our minds as Paul says in Romans 12 "do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." 12:2 NKJ  In this we become children of God.

What could happen that would change your life forever?

Blessed are the Poor in Spirit

Reading: Matt. 5:3, 18:1-4

"Blessed are the Poor in Spirit, 

For theirs is the kingdom of heaven". 

Matt. 5:3 NKJ

Since I originally wrote and posted this blog post I came across an updated version of the Amplified Bible. It fills in and defines text bringing even more understanding to the verses.

“Blessed [spiritually prosperous, happy, to be admired]

 are the poor in spirit 

[those devoid of spiritual arrogance, those who regard themselves as insignificant], 

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven [both now and forever].”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭5:3‬ ‭AMP‬‬

https://www.bible.com/1588/mat.5.3.amp

The first beatitude is "Blessed are the Poor in Spirit,. What is the meaning of "poor in spirit?" The Amplified Bible defines “poor in spirit” as not being spiritually arrogant, and regard themselves as insignificant. I also like how the New Living Translation states this beatitude. "God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for Him." Both of these versions bring enlightenment and understanding.

In contrast those who are "poor in spirit" are the opposite of the Laodicean people that Jesus addressed in Revelation 3:17. He said "You say, 'I am rich. I have everything I want. I don't need a thing! And you don't realize that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked."
The Laodiceans were so comfortable in their wealthy way of life that they did not realize their need for God. They were the picture of the end times church. In our day and age, how many of us actually realize our need for God? Do we look toward Him to satisfy our souls or do we look toward our world, the culture found on the internet to satisfy our deepest longings? Do we understand how wretched we are without God? Are we so blind as to not recognize how sinful, miserable and poor we are apart from the atonement of Christ? Do we even know that our hearts are completely open and naked before God and that someday we will have to give an account? Hebrews 4:13 In the woke politically correct culture that we live in today, everything is upside down and sadly I think most people do not recognize their need for God, yet live needlessly in great pain and confusion.

In light of that, we will look at what Jesus taught about greatness and entering the Kingdom of Heaven:

Carl Bloch

"... the disciples came to Jesus and asked: 'Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?' Jesus called a little child to Him and put the child among them. Then He said, 'I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. So anyone who becomes humble as this little child is the greatest in the 

Kingdom of Heaven.'" 

Matthew 18:1-4 NLT

Little children do not have very much in the way of possessions,  pride and accomplishments in this age. They know they are little, not able to care for themselves and they understand their need to be loved and cared for by their parents. Similarly the poor in spirit realize their own spiritual poverty in comparison to the greatness of God. They understand their need for Him and His grace. This childlike faith, the perspective of needing God is the entry point into the kingdom of heaven. A person who is poor in spirit recognizes that 'I can do nothing of lasting value without Him'. Jesus tells us in John:

Blessed Are

Carl Bloch

Reading: Matthew 5:1-3

As Jesus traveled, teaching, and healing; crowds of people came to Him. He went up on a mountain, sat down, and began to teach them His famous Sermon on the Mount. He started this sermon with what is called the Beatitudes by saying:

"Blessed are...."

What does it mean to be blessed?

It means to be happy. It is the special joy of being saved by Jesus and having God's favor. Blessing describes a life of joy the true children of God experience. More on Blessed in the previous post, Beatitudes

The Beatitudes

Reading: Matthew 5:1-3

As Jesus traveled all through out Galilee, crowds of people were drawn to Him. They were seeking hope, much like us, like me today. He taught the crowds and He healed them of all kinds of sickness. Do you ever wish you could have been there to see Him... this young winsome, compassionate man; who was teaching and healing. He brought hope to sick and discouraged people. When He saw the crowds, He went up on a mountain, sat down to teach them beginning with:

"Blessed are...."

Today we begin a new series in the Beatitudes that Jesus taught to the crowds in His famous Sermon on the Mount. 

What are the Beatitudes? 
The Beatitudes are blessings that Jesus proclaimed on the Sermon on the Mount. My dictionary describes them as supreme happiness, bliss and blessing.
 

Why are they important to us? 
In them we see a path to blessing, salvation and transformation both now and forever, through the redemption of Jesus Christ.