How Poor Are You?

"Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of God." These are the first words of the most famous sermon ever preached, the "Sermon on the Mount" by Jesus Christ. Have you ever meditated on what these words might mean? What does it mean to be poor in spirit? Why is it necessary to be so in order to be given the Kingdom of God? And what does it mean to be given the Kingdom of God???

To be poor in spirit means we recognize our complete spiritual poverty apart from Christ. Apart from Christ there is no forgiveness of sins, no salvation and no relationship with God. To recognize one's poverty is to recognize complete dependency upon Christ. As long as we think we can save ourselves or attempt to appease God through activity we are denying complete and total dependency on Christ for everything!

To be given the Kingdom of God means becoming a child of the King! Poverty of spirit allows us to receive the salvation Jesus came to give us through the Cross. This Kingdom of God means forgiveness, salvation, relationship with God and eternity with Him in heaven. Of course there is much more to the "Kingdom" than any human could ever comprehend but this short list gives us a good start in understanding what we have to look forward to because of our salvation through Christ alone.

It is by God's grace that we are saved and not because of works! Jesus loves us and has done EVERYTHING for our salvation so we might spend eternity worshipping Him and enjoying the inheritance He is preparing for us! Rest in Him today!

James