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Blessed are the Poor in Spirit
- by: Elder Bert V.
For the man or woman who has nothing.
This may seem like a poor selection for a title, but what
can you expect from a man who has nothing.
For my birthday I received a very special present from my favorite brother in law. It was two blocks of wood hinged together and made to look like a little treasure chest. It was sanded and stained and quite ornate with fancy brass corners and a fancy brass hasp to keep it closed. The interesting thing about this chest was that it was solid and there was no room to put anything in it. There was however written on a piece of paper between the two blocks when you opened them a note.
"To the man who has everything", (That’s from his perspective).
The opposite is true, from my from my perspective, and I certainly appreciate the gift.
SINCE I’VE LEARNED I HAVE NOTHING, AT LEAST I NOW HAVE SOMETHING TO PUT IT IN !!!
If I seem to sound somewhat confused, well bear with me for a few moments and perhaps there will emerge from this something that will bless you.
There is no question, at least in my mind and heart that God has been present with us, in WORSHIP, PRAISE, WISDOM, AND POWER. YES, POWER, WE'VE SEEN SCRIPTURE FULFILLED, PEOPLE ENDUED WITH "POWER FROM ON HIGH", just as it was in the beginning.
It is not just an experience that we were a witness to in someone else's life, but a reminder to each of us that this is God in our midst, still pouring out His "power
from on high" " But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."
The cry of our heart must never be, teach me to heal, teach me to preach, teach me to teach, teach me to sing, or to play an instrument, or to prophecy, or to do a hundred other things that we might think are important. But rather, like the disciples of old our cry should be, TEACH US TO PRAY. Why? BECAUSE PRAYER WILL BRING
DOWN "POWER FROM ON HIGH " And beloved, we need that POWER.
The great task of turning the world, upside down, was not done two thousand years ago, nor will it be done today, by intellectual supremacy, faultless rhetoric, or even spit and holler. If a life of sin has stood you on your head, it will take the, “POWER FROM ON HIGH” to stand you on your feet and get you walking in the narrow way.
If you feel like a turtle on it's back, you sure don't want some roaring steam roller, trying to flip you over, you need “POWER FROM ON HIGH”. Like James says,
"But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy".
This kind of POWER you don't have. This kind of WISDOM you don't have.
You ASK FOR IT. AND WHEN YOU GET IT, YOU USE IT AND, THANK GOD FOR IT.
BUT NOW BE CAREFUL, THIS IS WHERE LOTS OF FOLKS GET IN TROUBLE.
Remember asking, when it's God your asking is praying, and praying to God for something implies an understanding that God is able to supply what you don't have. The DANGER lies in thinking you do have it. Go back to the TURTLE. In wisdom you gently, mercifully, peaceably,
bent down and turned the little fellow over. Now that you have wisdom you think you can apply it anywhere you want to, the next little critter you come to, is caught in a bush. So you just bend down to gently, mercifully, and peaceably help him out, but, to late you realize it's not a turtle, it’s a skunk. And all the sudden, you sweet thing, your hard to be around!!
You see, when we think we have something, we are no longer "
poor in spirit " Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs
is the kingdom of heaven. -
Matthew 5:3
4434 ptochos {pto-khos'}
AV - poor (30)
- beggar (2)
- poor man (1)
- beggarly (1) [34]
1) reduced to beggary, begging, asking alms
2) destitute of wealth, influence, position, honour; lowly
If we desire to see the Kingdom of God happen around us, then we must utterly depend on Christ the King. What does it mean to have the Kingdom of God “happen”?
When you see a need and know you need Jesus to meet it, and you ask, and He meets it, then the Kingdom of God has “Happened”. When POWER FROM ON HIGH flows down, and Jesus
ministering to His Church, and through His Church turns lives from sin to righteousness, there the Kingdom of God is “happening”.
What is the chief cause of lacking the POWER FROM ON HIGH ?
You know it, I know it, we all, know it. "Prayerlessness"
IF THIS WORD DOESN'T CHANGE YOU, IT'S NOT BECAUSE THE WORD IS NOT GOOD, OR NOT TRUE, OR NOT NEEDED, BUT BECAUSE NOT ENOUGH PRAYER WAS POURED OVER IT. IF YOUR LIFE LACKS POWER FROM ON HIGH, IT'S NOT BECAUSE YOU DON'T NEED IT, OR WANT IT. IT'S MORE THAT WE THINK WE CAN GET ALONG WITHOUT IT, or we think we have enough of it already.
PRAYER IS THE LANGUAGE OF A PERSON BURDENED WITH A SENSE OF NEED.
THE VOICE OF A BEGGAR,CONSCIOUS OF THEIR POVERTY,THE POOR IN SPIRIT PRAY.
IT'S MORE THAN JUST HAVING A LACK, IT'S FEELING THAT LACK, ACKNOWLEDGING THAT LACK, A WRESTLING ATTITUDE OF THE SOUL THAT WON'T LET GO UNTIL THE POWER FROM ON HIGH BRINGS REST AND PEACE.
“And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
I know thy works,that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches”. - Revelation 3:14-22
What
should our response be?
"LORD, I KNOW YOU LOVE ME, AND I ACCEPT YOUR REBUKE AND YOUR CHASTENING, AND I REPENT OF MY PRIDE THAT BLINDED ME".
LACK OF PRAYER SHOWS GOD WE ARE NOT POOR IN SPIRIT, BUT SAYS TO HIM "I AM RICH, AND INCREASED WITH GOODS, AND HAVE NEED OF NOTHING".
"GOD FORGIVE US, AND HELP US TO BE POOR IN SPIRIT, THAT WE MIGHT BE PART OF THE PLAN AND PURPOSE OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD".
IN THE WORDS OF A VERY DEAR FRIEND, "BLESSED BE NOTHING".
PAUL WRITES TO THE CORINTHIAN CHRISTIANS,
"As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making
many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things".
- II Corinthians 6:10
In Covenant Love, Bert
