Poor In Spirit

Bible Reading:  Matthew 5:1-12

Key Verse: Verse  3  – “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Key Words: Blessed are the poor in spirit

In Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount the first beatitude that Jesus gives His followers is in regard to their spirit, not their purse. “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” 

Now, that raises an interesting question, how poor in spirit are you? The word poor means to be in great need; but the real key to being poor in spirit is that I realize I can’t meet that need...only God can. Most of us reading this devotional have never really genuinely reached the place where we acknowledge just how poor we really are. 

I recently heard about a man who needed $50. He said, “I’ll work for it” which is admirable; but later the same man needed $500. He said, “I’ll borrow it from momma.” Later he needed $5,000. He said, “I’ll see if the bank will loan it to me.” 

Later he needed $50,000 and said, “I’ll put a second mortgage on the house.” Then he found out that he needed $500,000. Throwing his hands up in the air, the man cried out, “I’ll never be able to get $500,000. Lord, please help me!” That day he acknowledged he was poor. Now, he was poor when he needed $50 but wouldn’t admit it. It took God bringing him to a place where he had nowhere else to go before he would confess he was poor. 

The point is simply that no matter who you are, no matter how much you have...all of us need to cry out daily to God. “Lord, I’m poor in spirit. I can’t meet my spiritual needs. Only you can do that. Lord, help me!!” Only then are you genuinely poor in spirit.

 

                                                                                                            Dr. Mike Rouse

What to do: 

✞ Acknowledge that without God you can do nothing; but with God all things are possible.