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Learning That We Are Poor In Spirit

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            Ten members of the church in João Pessoa and I studied the Sermon on the Mount this past Saturday.  We spent the afternoon and most of the night going over what Jesus told His disciples.  We weren't there to hear the words from His lips, but those same words still amaze and cause us to ponder.  What a deep and powerful sermon!  What makes it so powerful is that we know that the person who spoke the sermon was already living what He taught and never has faltered. 
            The first Be-attitude (Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven) seems to be what ties the sermon together.  If we could just see how much we need God, all we have to learn from Him, how far our actions and attitudes are from His, seek Him, being changed by Him, we would be perfect as our Heavenly Father is perfect, we would seek His glory and not glory from other men, we would not worry or be anxious, we would not even judge others' intentions, our focus would be our relationship with the One who allows access into His Kingdom.  If we could only see how poor we are without God, our lives would be built on the Rock.  The thought of losing a job for doing God's will would not affect us.  Rejection of our family for following God would not dissuade us.  Being put in jail for obeying God's will and not the law of men would be a joy.  If we could only see how poor we are and see that God is giving us what we need and a lot more.

Please pray:
  • that the World may see how blind and poor they are
  • that we, as Christians, may not be complacent but continue to seek God's Kingdom and His righteousness.

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