Living a Blessed LifeSample

Scripture

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

These are the first recorded words of Jesus to His followers. This is the beginning place of everything in His Kingdom. This is the place where everything starts! But what an odd way to raise an army of followers. What an interesting starting place for everything! "If you want to have My Kingdom, be absolutely poor!" To be poor is to have nothing, to be broke, to be bankrupt. When someone is poor, they lack the necessary resources to meet their basic needs and definitely the resources to help or meet the needs of others. Other words for poor are: destitute, impoverished, low, needy, penniless, poverty-stricken, and empty-handed!

What could He possibly mean? To be poor in spirit is to come to the realization that you have nothing in yourself, even in your most valiant efforts. It is the attitude of the man who has come to the end of himself and all of his own soul-ish resources. He is destitute, needy, spiritually penniless, empty-handed, and flat-broke. And if we come to this deep, inner awareness and do not quit, it leads us on to utter dependence and reliance upon Christ Himself. In essence, Jesus is saying, "Blessed is the man who has tried and tried and tried, and has finally come to the end of HIS own trying, and found Me--the source of all things! Blessed is the man who has entered the life of absolute dependence and reliance upon Me for…”

The Promise: All of the Kingdom of God is now at this man's fingertips. He has become someone to whom the Kingdom can truly come and to whom all of My riches can be given over to.

Can you imagine the shock on the faces of Jesus' first followers when he declared this was the beginning point of all, true entering into Kingdom reality? This is the very opposite spirit of the world!

The world of then and today says, "Blessed is the man who is strong, who has it all together, and who can make things happen through his wits, his strength, or his willpower. He's the one who is rich and always wins.” Not so in the realm of His domain. In His world, everything begins with emptiness and brokenness, leading to complete dependence upon the Lord Himself to become our strength, our joy, and our very source of life.

This is the beginning place of everything in the Kingdom of God. This is the foundation of heaven's culture. Each of the succeeding attitudes and values flows only out of this first-heart attitude. To cultivate this is to gain all of heaven. To miss this is to miss all of heaven (now!).

Prayer: Lord, let us become aware of our utter dependence upon you. Help us to come to the end of ourselves and realize you are our ultimate source. Let us experience your Kingdom now here on earth.