Poverty

 Matthew 5:3 ESV

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


We might assume that the spiritually rich would inherit the kingdom of heaven. Maybe they could buy themselves a passport into the kingdom of God. Jesus turns the tables on our assumptions.

We need to realise our spiritual poverty. Only then will we come to Jesus for his spiritual riches. If we assume we're sorted spiritually, we'll never come to Christ for salvation.

We wouldn't tend to equate poverty with happiness. Yet Jesus does. If we know ourselves to be spiritual beggars, we can receive the joy that our generous God bestows.

If we think we can earn a place in the new creation, we're deluding ourselves. Like Christian in Pilgrim's Progress, we're refugees from this worldly City of Destruction to God's heavenly, Celestial City. Only by grace can we enter.

'God our Father, we praise you for the grace we receive through faith in the Lord Jesus, in whose name we pray, amen'.

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