Jesus said the poor in spirit are blessed, but I don't know if we really act we like understand what that means, or believe it.
So much of what we do in our western church culture is assertive, aggressive and a reflection of the consumerist culture we are embedded within. This can produce a pride and selfishness of spirit that can hinder what God wants to do through us, and limit the glory we are willing to give Him.
There is an old saying that we should "pray like everything depends upon God and work like everything depends upon us." There is a lot of truth in that, but I think we mostly err on the side of things depending upon us.
The opposite of poverty of spirit is wealth of spirit. Those who are wealthy in spirit have little need for outside help- they can handle anything on their own.
'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing'--and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked-- Revelation 3:17 (NKJV)
Those poor in spirit are blessed because their humility allows them to readily accept the rulership of Jesus as Messiah and king of their own lives. "--theirs is the kingdom of heaven".
"Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord and He will lift you up."
So much of what we do in our western church culture is assertive, aggressive and a reflection of the consumerist culture we are embedded within. This can produce a pride and selfishness of spirit that can hinder what God wants to do through us, and limit the glory we are willing to give Him.
There is an old saying that we should "pray like everything depends upon God and work like everything depends upon us." There is a lot of truth in that, but I think we mostly err on the side of things depending upon us.
The opposite of poverty of spirit is wealth of spirit. Those who are wealthy in spirit have little need for outside help- they can handle anything on their own.
'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing'--and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked-- Revelation 3:17 (NKJV)
Those poor in spirit are blessed because their humility allows them to readily accept the rulership of Jesus as Messiah and king of their own lives. "--theirs is the kingdom of heaven".
"Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord and He will lift you up."
1 comment:
I have experienced pride in my life and didn't realize I that had pride until God brought me to a place of brokeness. It was in my brokeness that I learned humilty. God exalts the humble and brings down the prideful.
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