April 29 - Matt 5:3

April 29
Matthew 5:3

Matthew 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.

One of the awesome beauties and wonders of the whole of Scripture is that "every" word is inspired by God and is profitable for whatever we need.  I never know each day when I open up my Bible which verse I will be using for the Daily Devotions that I give to you. I generally seek God first, asking Him to bring me to the right scripture, then I open up my Bible. I generally briefly scan through my very marked-up Bible as I continue to seek the Lord for the right verse. Each verse I give out every day are generally not preplanned, but I simply rely upon the Lord to show me where to go. Then whatever scripture verse He brings me to, God then downloads in my spirit what He wants me to glean from that verse to pass on to you.

This verse in Matthew are the first words that Jesus told His disciples on the mountain beside the Sea of Galilee on how to be blessed and to receive the Kingdom of heaven. I so vividly remember when I went to Israel a number of years ago, and sat on a rock on this mount imaging what it was like when Jesus gave out His most famous sermon.

Jesus began with this opening verse in a series of verses that became known as the Beatitudes or the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus began by presenting a list of heart conditions to receive God's blessings, as well as show the attributes of the citizens of the Kingdom of heaven, and how to enter into that Kingdom.

The Kingdom of heaven is offered to all mankind regardless of wealth, merit or race.  It cannot be obtained by one's own strength, for none of us have anything to offer to God but our desperate need for him.  To be poor in spirit then is the recognition of the desperation of our heart, acknowledging we need and desire Christ in our lives. We have to come to a place where we know we can't do life on our own - for we have proven to ourselves that life done our way always fails and we so desperately need the Lord in order to live a life that is promised to us by God in His Word.  Poverty of spirit is an absolute prerequisite for receiving God's blessings and entrance into the Kingdom of heaven. It begins with the most basic condition of the heart - knowing that you have a need for a Savior and desiring for the things that Jesus offers mankind - salvation, including spending your eternity with God in the Kingdom of heaven.

That desperation starts by humbly repenting before God, acknowledging that you have sinned, and asking Him to forgive you.  That, however, is only the beginning. After repenting, by accepting all the Jesus has given you, that then begins a lifestyle of being poor in spirit - always needing Him, totally relying upon Jesus in all aspects of your life.  Jesus goes on to tell His disciples in the succeeding verses about the nature and aspirations of the citizens of heaven, as they are the blessed of God because they live in a continous heart attitude of humbly seeking Him everyday -for as this verse ends...for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.