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Ask God: God wants to help us and to answer our every prayer. But, we need to come to God knowing who He is and in a right attitude.

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Good Evening Reader,

I hope you are well. God want to answer your every prayer. He has plainly explained the prayers he answers in His Word.

A prayer that is prayed according to the Word of God, prayer is faith, and prayed by someone in right standing with God is answered.

Glorify God in all you do.

All Glory to God.

Elvin

Poor in Spirit

What does it mean to be "poor in spirit?"

Many lessons have been taught about "the poor in spirit." The poor in spirit was the first Beatitude Jesus taught in His Sermon on the Mount. We may have heard it so often that it has lost its deeper meaning.

Or because we have our definition of poor—meaning financially poor—that the more profound meaning has been lost, and Jesus' teaching has taken on a different meaning than what Jesus wants His followers to understand. So, let's look closely at Jesus' teaching and the message that Jesus wanted His disciples, the people of Judah, and today's believers to learn and understand.

"Now, when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them. He said:

"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:1-3).

It is Spiritual Poverty, Not Financial Poverty

A "poor in spirit" person understands they are spiritually empty without God. It is recognizing that we need God. We need a much greater power to accomplish God's purpose than we can do on our own. Before Jesus departed the earth, He said He would send us another "Helper." He sent the Holy Spirit to teach, guide, and strengthen us.

Some think Jesus is speaking of financial poverty and that He doesn't want man's riches and possessions to come between us and God. This is not the point Jesus makes when He speaks of the "poor in spirit." Jesus is speaking of being "spiritually poor." It is your spiritual bankruptcy before God that Jesus wants you to understand.

The "spiritually poor" person recognizes his need for God and his inability to be saved by his own works. Before he can enter God's kingdom, he must realize how utterly worthless his spiritual currency is.

Once a "poor in spirit" person understands he needs God, he enters the kingdom of heaven. He doesn't rely on his righteousness but on God's mercy, grace, and strength. This attitude is the foundation of a strong Christian life, leading to deeper faith, dependence on God, and, ultimately, the kingdom of heaven.

In the kingdom of heaven, each person recognizes Jesus is king and follows His commands. In the kingdom, he gives total allegiance and loyalty to King Jesus. It is living in dependence and obedience to Jesus.

Foundation of a Strong Relationship with God

Being "poor in spirit" is the foundation of a strong relationship with God. It is realizing your need for God's grace in which you approach God with humility, not self-righteousness. It is relying on faith, not on your own strength.

So, "poor in spirit" leads to a deeper, stronger faith. When we recognize our weakness, we depend on God's power instead of our own.

The Greek word for "poor" is "ptochos." It doesn't simply mean "low income" or "having little"; it refers to absolute poverty and totally dependent on others for survival.

Ptochos describes a person who recognizes their total spiritual poverty before God and has nothing to offer God. He must ultimately depend on God's mercy and grace. It is the opposite of pride or self-sufficiency.

Examples of Two People Who Realized Their Spiritual Poverty

The first example found in Mark 5:24-34 is about the woman who had been subjected to bleeding for twelve years. She had tried everything she could, spent all her money on doctors, and exhausted every resource, to no avail. In fact, she had gotten worse. Her last hope rested with Jesus.

She squeezed through the crowd around Jesus to touch His cloak and thought, "If I just touch His clothes, I will be healed." She touched his robe and was instantly healed. Jesus immediately felt healing power go out of Him. He asked, "Who touched my robe?"

"But he kept on looking around to see who had done it. Then the frightened woman, trembling at the realization of what had happened to her, came and fell to her knees in front of him and told him what she had done. And he said to her, 'Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace. Your suffering is over'" (Mark 5:32-34).

Sometimes, this is the way life happens. We try everything we know to do, spend our resources, and have no positive results happening in our lives. The operative words are: "We try everything."

Just like this woman, we do all we can do. This woman had reached the place of "spiritual poverty" before she reached out to Jesus. She came to the place in her life where she realized Jesus was the answer to her problems and turned to Jesus.

She prayed that if she could just touch the robe of Jesus, she would be healed. She showed faith in the healing power of Jesus. Jesus said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace. Your suffering is over" (Mark 5:34).

Only Jesus can rescue you from "spiritual poverty." But first, you must recognize your need for Jesus.

The second example of someone poor in spirit is the Tax Collector in the parable in Luke 18:9-14. The tax collector is contrasted with the Pharisee, who had great confidence in his own righteousness.

"Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: 'I thank you, God, that I am not like other people—cheaters, sinners, adulterers. I'm certainly not like that tax collector! I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.'

"But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, 'O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.' I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."

Jesus told this parable to expose the difference between spiritual pride and spiritual humility. The Pharisee was self-righteous and boasted about his religious works.

The tax collector showed his humility. He didn't approach God with pride but with repentance and brokenness, knowing his need for mercy. He depended on God's grace by throwing himself on God's mercy.

Finally, today's world makes it easy for a person to hit rock bottom. A person who once lived a life of pride and self-sufficiency but now realizes that his money or success can't save him. In his realization, he recognizes he must humbly turn to God, admit his need for Christ, and place his complete trust in God to fix himself.

Now, he can enter the kingdom of heaven. He trusts God's grace and prays daily, knowing he needs God's help in every decision. He begins to treat others with humility and grace.

"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

Elvin

The Beatitudes.

Ask God For Help

Christian faith

Reader,

Hosea said his people were destroyed for lack of knowledge. Knowledge give believers and non-believers a choice. When a person does not know, they cannot choose.

Feel free to forward this lesson to your friends and family.

Grow in the knowledge of God.

Elvin

Send your comments to elvin.aycock@AskGodForHelp.net and let me know what you think of the lessons.

Go to: www.AskGodForHelp.net

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