This is the air I breathe
Your holy presence living in me
This is my daily bread
Your very word spoken to me
And I, I'm lost without you
And I, I'm desperate for you
It is for the will of God that I live,move and have my being. Without Him I am nothing. I must die to myself and my wants and live for His wants. It is only when we consider ourselves "poor" then we will be rich.
2 Chronicles 7:14 (Amplified Bible)
14If My people, who are called by My name, shall humble themselves, pray, seek, crave, and require of necessity My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.
Let us require of necessity His face and will.
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Day 9 - Poor in Spirit
ReplyDelete"Now when He saw the crowds, He went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and He began to teach them saying: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:1-3
Imagine that! Wouldn't I LOVE to be there -- sitting on a hillside while the Master is teaching -- sharing such simple, yet profound, truths with those who were there! Like a sponge, I would soak up every syllable, every word, every sentence..... hmmmmmm!
The great United States is full of spoiled, rotten people. Very few people know what it is like to be 'poor in spirit'. When we visit foreign lands, we are often considered to be a haughty people.... arrogant and proud. We are accustomed to working, getting paid, paying our bills, and spending our excess on toys, hobbies, and habits that are completely unnecessary and often unhealthy. We take for granted the freedom that we live in and we fully expect that the cup will never run dry... we reflect another people that is mentioned several times in the Bible... the nation of Israel. Like Israel, the USA was a nation originally founded on faith in the one true God. Like Israel, the USA has neglected its faith and gone astray. Like Israel, the USA has fallen into idolatry.
Being poor in spirit does not mean being poor (not having money &/or possessions). It means that you understand that NOTHING is more important than Christ.... not our dreams, our goals, our homes, our cars, our family, our careers, our hobbies... NOTHING. It is an attitude, not a socioeconomical statistic. Being poor in spirit is being willing to live by faith -- totally trusting God, being totally dependent on God.
Hebrews 11 is often called the faith chapter. It would be good to read it, to reflect and remind yourself of the many examples of faith that are described in this chapter. I challenge you to write out a list of the things in life that are the most valuable to you. Are any of these things hindering your relationship with God?? Is there anything you can do to change that? Are these things worth dying for?? Are you like the rich, young ruler who walked away from serving God because "things" meant more to him??
Even as you progress in life, God will challenge you in various seasons of your life, to see if your heart is in the right place. You may need to step down from a position of prestige, downsize your home, delay or deny a long-desired purchase, etc., in order to walk in faith. It is not that God does not want you to enjoy the blessings He provides for you -- it is that He desires your willingness to give all and to walk in faith... it is about your perspective concerning possessions. "Without faith, it is impossible to please Him..." Heb. 11:6 "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise." Psalm 51:17 'Poor in spirit' is a condition of the heart.
Pray with me for the Lord to search our hearts and to give us a broken and contrite heart. Let us always be willing to COMPLETELY rely on God, and to walk in faith. Let us help the USA to turn back to God, one man-woman-and child at a time, and restore this nation to its original place of faith in the one true God - Jehovah! NJ
I have often thought "But for the grace of God, there go I." I know that I can not do anything on my own. I need God to help me to be less like I am. I need Him to help me not to think more highly of myself than I ought to. I am arrogant and prideful, and I know only God can remove those things and make me humble. God is my all sufficient One - my All in All.
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