The Poor In Spirit are Blessed

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 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven." - Jesus said this in Matthew 5:3

In this post, we're going to explore what it means to be poor in spirit and chat about what the Kingdom of Heaven is. 

Luke 18:9 - 14 says, "He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and looked down on everyone else:  “Two men went up to the temple complex to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee took his stand [he stood by himself] and was praying like this: ‘God, I thank You that I’m not like other people [the rest of men] —greedy, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of everything I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even raise his eyes to heaven but kept striking his chest [a sign of mourning] and saying, ‘God, turn Your wrath from me —a sinner!’  I tell you, this one went down to his house justified rather than the other; because everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

In Philippians 4:12, Paul wrote, "I know both how to have a little, and I know how to have a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content—whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need."

And I think Psalm 51:17 makes it plain and clear: The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit. God, You will not despise a broken and humbled heart. 

Dear friend, God is asking you to humble your heart before Him so that you will be given the Kingdom of Heaven. If you're a parent you understand the desire and the joy to have your kids home. God desires His children to be at Home, in Heaven, with Him for eternity. 

Humility begins with gratitude. 

Paul learned - through heartache, pain of all kinds, screwing up, getting things very wrong, and obtaining wisdom - how to be content with whatever God gave him. There were times that Paul had an abundance of something, and there were times that he had literally nothing - not even enough food or water. Yet, the guy understood contentment; he was simply grateful.

Are you grateful for what you have today? Don't smack me! I'm just the messenger. ;-) For real, though... do you thank God each morning for another opportunity to do His will? If not, try it for a couple weeks before your feet hit the floor and see if your thought patterns change. 

I don't want to dismiss the heartache you may be experiencing in this season - possibly an arduously long season that seemingly will never end. Dear one, I'm deeply sorry for whatever it is that you're enduring right now. I wish I could give you a hug, sit with you, and cry with you. 

Being grateful and content doesn't take away from all the times you've begged Father to take away the pain. Being grateful for the seemingly teeniest of things in the midst of deep sorrow is perfect humility and lacks all pride. 

The poor in Spirit are humble, crouching, and waiting for a need to be met by the only One who can meet the need. The poor in spirit lack self-sufficiency - they know they cannot do this thing called life on their own. The poor in spirit are submissive to the Father's will, even when it seems unfair, hurtful, or may not make sense right now.

The poor in spirit will be blessed and the kingdom of heaven will be theirs!

What is the Kingdom of Heaven? 

In Revelation 21, John wrote that it'll look like a bride adorned for her husband, that God will actually be living with us! WHHHAAATTT?! That's pretty friggin' exciting!

John also wrote that God will wipe away every tear from our eyes, that death will no longer exist; grief, crying, and pain will exist no longer because the previous things [the first things] have passed away. The city called New Jeruselum will be adorned with every type of precious stone The river of living water, sparkling like crystal, will be flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the broad street of the city. The tree of life will be on both sides of the river, bearing 12 kinds of fruit, producing its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree are for healing the nations, and there will no longer be any curse.

I think my favorite part is that there won't be any more pain or crying - we've done enough of that in this lifetime, haven't we?

Paul eludes to our great inheritance in Ephesians 1:15-21. He prays for the church in Ephesus that the perception of their mind, or the eyes of their hearts, so that they know the hope of God's true calling, what Father will give them at the end of the age, and understand the immeasurable greatness of His power according to the working of God's vast strength.

In short, Paul was hoping that they'd open their eyes to the mission God has them on here on earth which would give them the gift of insight of the Kingdom of Heaven - what it'll look and feel like when Jesus is here again, and how to get there. 

Humility and no pride. That's how.


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