We will be discussing this in chat today.
Week 1
Mat 5:3Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
I did a lot of reading on the meaning of this. I began reading old sermons. When I say old I mean as in sermons written in 1640 and in 1844 to name 2. Something bothered me about those old sermons. They seems to focus on how worthless we all are.
Now I accept that we can do nothing on our own. Everything we accomplish is by God's decree. I also accept that we have no self created value. However I do not accept that God would allow his Son to die with out his placing some value on us. I also believe that God tells us to love him first and then to love others as we love our selves. There is value intimated in that very command.
So what does being poor in spirit mean if it does not mean believing we are worthless worms?
Poor in spirit from what I have found means we give up our feelings of entitlement. I often hear people say they do this or that because “I deserve to be happy”. Being poor in spirit means putting aside our happiness and putting in its place God's happiness. Giving up our rights is part and parcel of being poor in spirit.
On the surface it seems to mean simply not being prideful or puffed up. However I believe it goes much much farther than that. In my study it is a matter of giving up everything. A lot of Christians claim they believe this. However it is easy to think so when one has a decent home, a full pantry and all our loved ones in good health. How many people though, if just a couple of those things are taken way will give way? Job was poor in spirit.
On the flip side. When we have the nice home and so on, how do we interact with others? Specifically those who have less? I know none of us would knowingly shun or ignore a sister in a lower estate. Having been, and some would say being, in such a state I admit on occasion feeling inadequate when faced with such. I have also been snubbed because my clothes did not measure up or my children did not act just so. It is our duty to ensure that all our Christian sisters are loved and welcomed in all of our churches.
Our challenge for this week is to live being poor in spirit. Look at not only actions but thoughts. Jesus says what defiles us comes from our heart. How does our heart/mind react when we face some one “lower” than us? Do we declare as the publican “have mercy on me a sinner” or do we act as the pharisee “Thank you that I am not like this publican”? Mind you this is in our thoughts here not in what we say or do!
You see God not only sees what we do, he also knows what we think. We may outwardly act poor in spirit while emotionally or mentally being proud.
These are my thoughts, and my challenge to you this week.
Week 1
Mat 5:3Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
I did a lot of reading on the meaning of this. I began reading old sermons. When I say old I mean as in sermons written in 1640 and in 1844 to name 2. Something bothered me about those old sermons. They seems to focus on how worthless we all are.
Now I accept that we can do nothing on our own. Everything we accomplish is by God's decree. I also accept that we have no self created value. However I do not accept that God would allow his Son to die with out his placing some value on us. I also believe that God tells us to love him first and then to love others as we love our selves. There is value intimated in that very command.
So what does being poor in spirit mean if it does not mean believing we are worthless worms?
Poor in spirit from what I have found means we give up our feelings of entitlement. I often hear people say they do this or that because “I deserve to be happy”. Being poor in spirit means putting aside our happiness and putting in its place God's happiness. Giving up our rights is part and parcel of being poor in spirit.
On the surface it seems to mean simply not being prideful or puffed up. However I believe it goes much much farther than that. In my study it is a matter of giving up everything. A lot of Christians claim they believe this. However it is easy to think so when one has a decent home, a full pantry and all our loved ones in good health. How many people though, if just a couple of those things are taken way will give way? Job was poor in spirit.
On the flip side. When we have the nice home and so on, how do we interact with others? Specifically those who have less? I know none of us would knowingly shun or ignore a sister in a lower estate. Having been, and some would say being, in such a state I admit on occasion feeling inadequate when faced with such. I have also been snubbed because my clothes did not measure up or my children did not act just so. It is our duty to ensure that all our Christian sisters are loved and welcomed in all of our churches.
Our challenge for this week is to live being poor in spirit. Look at not only actions but thoughts. Jesus says what defiles us comes from our heart. How does our heart/mind react when we face some one “lower” than us? Do we declare as the publican “have mercy on me a sinner” or do we act as the pharisee “Thank you that I am not like this publican”? Mind you this is in our thoughts here not in what we say or do!
You see God not only sees what we do, he also knows what we think. We may outwardly act poor in spirit while emotionally or mentally being proud.
These are my thoughts, and my challenge to you this week.
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