WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE POOR IN SPIRIT? Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. --- Matthew 5:3 The phrase poor in spirit refers to spiritual poverty due to sin and alienation from God, who perfectly supplies all the life and richness of ones spirit. Being poor in spirit means having a sense of humility, brokenness, and lacking self-sufficiency or self-reliance before God; it means being conscious of ones spiritual need of God. When a person is poor in spirit, they admit that, because of their sin, they are completely destitute spiritually and are totally incapable of delivering themselves from their grim situation. Jesus said at Matthew 5:3 that, regardless of a persons status in life, they must recognize their spiritual poverty before they can come to God in faith to receive the salvation He offers in Christ. THE FOLLOWING CROSS REFERENCES EXPLAIN WHAT IT MEANS TO BE POOR IN SPIRIT: Therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes. --- Job 42:6 The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. --- Psalm 34:18 My flesh and my heart fail; but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. For indeed, those who are far from You shall perish; You have destroyed all those who desert You for harlotry. But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all Your works. --- Psalm 73:26-28 The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility. --- Proverbs 15:33 By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil. --- Proverbs 16:3 By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life. --- Proverbs 22:4 All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the LORD. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at My word. --- Isaiah 66:2 Seek the LORD, all you meek of the earth, who have upheld His justice. Seek righteousness, seek humility. It may be that you will be hidden in the day of the LORD’s anger. --- Zephaniah 2:3 The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed. --- Luke 4:18 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Therefore submit to God. Resist the Devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. --- James 4:6-10 Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. --- Revelation 3:17-19
Posted on: Fri, 14 Nov 2014 01:41:36 +0000
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