We should be doers of the Word.

James 1:19-27

1:19-21
Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save you souls.


When I look at this passage, I see  that we should be both. We need to hear the Word, and we also need to put action behind what we hear. We should strive for righteousness. The way we do that is by focusing fully on Jesus. Satan knows when and how to strike us. Satan goes after us Christians for a reason. He already has the unbelievers, but if he can destroy our witness then he thinks he wins.

1:22-25
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.

It is not good enough to be hearers only. Think about this: If you are filled with the Holy Spirit, you have no choice but to be a doer of the word. If you are not filled with the Spirit, then you are just a hearer deceiving yourself. We are supposed to be in constant communication with God.

Another thing to think about. What do you do if you love something? You talk about it. If you are filled with the Holy Spirit then you will talk about Him. You will do things that will glorify Him. You will do things because you love Him. If you are just hearing Him speak, you will have no desire to do anything for Him. We have to be in His presence at all times, in order to defeat the temptations given by the enemy.

1:26-27
If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.






So we need to be in constant communication with God. If we do this then we will automatically be doers of the word because we will be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Thanksgiving and Praise

Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations. (Psalm 100:4-5 ESV)

I can't tell you how many times I've heard these verses read. I feel around Thanksgiving they get over used and lose their meaning. Enter His gates giving thanks, and enter His courts with praise! Many of us have mastered the praise through scripture reading, music, prayer, etc. but I know I struggle with giving thanks as often as I should. Why? I don't know. I have plenty to be thankful for. If you don't feel you have something to be thankful for then start counting your blessings. 

Read and mediate over these verses, we could always use more praise and thankgiving in our lives. 

Bro. Austin

Liberated

“Christ has liberated us to be free. Stand firm then and don’t submit again to a yoke of slavery.” - Galatians 5:1

Jesus is liberating. What in the world does this mean? It means that you’re free. You’re free to breathe. You’re free to laugh. You’re free to fail.

Let me explain. Most believers I know are too uptight. They take themselves too seriously and they take their religion too seriously. I was like that too. It affected everything. Church, work, marriage, parenting. I couldn’t help it, really. That’s the natural (and only) result of dwelling on what I call “bootstraps Christianity.”

One of my favorite preachers/authors, Tulian Tchividjian, states correctly that most believers trade a cross, which saves us gloriously through the grace of Jesus, for a ladder. In other words, grace saves us, but it’s our works that keeps us. We may not say those exact words, but they’re preached every Sunday. Go into a typical church and you’ll be given a to-do list. A checklist. You’ll be implored to be better, try harder, do more.

This is not the Gospel. The Gospel is good news for those who just can’t cut it. It’s cold water for the parched. It’s a remedy for the terminal.

I can’t muster up enough strength to climb the ladder. I just can’t. I’m not good enough or faithful enough. And I’m tired of telling other people to do the same.

Good thing the Gospel is true, huh? Good thing that Jesus brings liberation. You see, the Gospel presents to us a God that got His hands dirty. It presents to us a perfect Savior dying for imperfect creatures. It presents to us Jesus, crying out, “It is finished.”

What is finished? Your sin. Your efforts to earn favor with God. Your strained, vain efforts of self-improvement. And in their place, Jesus offers peace. Freedom. Liberation. A peace that enables you to have a clear conscience. An assurance that nothing you can do or can’t do will separate you from God. My friends, this is freedom. You don’t need a ladder. You have complete, utter forgiveness in Christ for every sin you ever committed or ever will commit. Some of you wrestle with this. I know. You’ve told me. You’re not sure you agree with it. You’re afraid my saying that will give you license to sin. That’s ok. You might just find the opposite is true… that a complete, all-in dive into grace actually empowers you to the growth and maturity you’ve searched for so doggedly.

I’ve started to embrace this freedom. Heck, it’s about all I talk about. Because it’s liberating. It’s freeing. Like Galatians 5:1 says, I refuse to let anyone submit me to that bondage again. And, by the grace of God, I won’t submit anyone to that either. I’ve lightened up. You should do. I’m free to breathe. I’m free to laugh, watch a little too much TV, and play bratty pranks on my daughter. I’m free to breathe, to relax, to know that God likes me. He really, really likes me. I’m free to fail. To mess up without doubt creeping in as to whether God’s angry with me. Because He’s not. Some of you may disagree with that too.

One more thing. I’m also free to love. Free to love. Free to live my life sharing the good news of God’s grace with everyone who will listen. Allow me to close with the words of this amazing hymn and let the amazing grace of Jesus empower you to relax, laugh, live, love, and serve.

And Can it Be That I Should Gain by Charles Wesley, 1738 -

Long my imprisoned spirit lay
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray,
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee. 

By His Grace,

Adam

The Seriousness of Neglect

"Anyone who hears my teaching and ignores it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand" (Matt. 7:26, NLT).

Like a house of cards, the fool's life crumbles. Most people do not deliberately seek to build their house on sand (on a bad foundation); instead, they just don't think about their life's purpose. Many people are headed for destruction, not out of stubbornness but of ignorance. Part of our responsibility as believers is to help others stop and think about where their lives are headed and to point out the consequences of ignoring God and His Word.

Are you neglecting God and His Word? 

Bro. Brandon

What to do when you are Suffering.

Psalm 25   

1Lord, I turn to You.

2My God, I trust in You.

Do not let me be disgraced;

do not let my enemies gloat over me.

3No one who waits for You

will be disgraced;

those who act treacherously without cause

will be disgraced.

4Make Your ways known to me, Lord;

teach me Your paths.

5Guide me in Your truth and teach me,

for You are the God of my salvation;

I wait for You all day long.

6Remember, Lord, Your compassion

and Your faithful love,

for they have existed from antiquity.

7Do not remember the sins of my youth

or my acts of rebellion;

in keeping with Your faithful love, remember me

because of Your goodness, Lord.

8The Lord is good and upright;

therefore He shows sinners the way.

9He leads the humble in what is right

and teaches them His way.

10All the Lord’s ways show faithful love and truth

to those who keep His covenant and decrees.

11Because of Your name, Yahweh,

forgive my sin, for it is great.

12Who is the man who fears the Lord?

He will show him the way he should choose.

13He will live a good life,

and his descendants will inherit the land.

14The secret counsel of the Lord

is for those who fear Him,

and He reveals His covenant to them.

15My eyes are always on the Lord,

for He will pull my feet out of the net.

16Turn to me and be gracious to me,

for I am alone and afflicted.

17The distresses of my heart increase;

bring me out of my sufferings.

18Consider my affliction and trouble,

and take away all my sins.

19Consider my enemies; they are numerous,

and they hate me violently.

20Guard me and deliver me;

do not let me be put to shame,

for I take refuge in You.

21May integrity and what is right

watch over me,

for I wait for You.

22God, redeem Israel, from all its distresses.

We see in verse one that we are to turn to God. Right from the beginning David gives a plead to God. Turn our hearts toward You Lord. We trust You O God.

David was being surrounded by his enemies. This is causing David to suffer severely. He is waiting for God to speak to him. He is in constant and earnest prayer.

That is really what we have to do in times of grief and suffering. We have to go on our knees and humbly pray that God will protect us, that He will never leave us, and that He will bring us out of our sufferings and afflictions. 

On the eighth of September, I found out that a friend was murdered in Chile. It was a really, really tough time for me. I ask that you continue to pray for the family of this woman. The one thing that has gotten me through these past couple of weeks is the constant prayer that others, and myself have given. We ask God to fill us with the peace that surpasses all understanding. We also pray that the friends and family of this woman can forgive this person who has done this act. I pray that he becomes convicted of his sin, and becomes a follower of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

So when you are suffering, or grieving, just remember to pray. Make your requests known to God. He will help you, if you let Him. 

It is good to be back with you all.

Bro. Michael

Trials for the Believer

James 1:2-4,12-17 HCSB

2 Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.

 

Before we go any farther into our text let’s stop and analyze this small portion. Personally I’m a visual learner. I can read a set of text and get nothing, but if you give me an illustration I’ll get it 100%. When I read the text I get confused ‘consider it a great joy whenever you experience trials…” Obviously that’s taken out of context, but that’s why I constantly got confused. After studying I made the graphic below to help me understand the natural flow of events outlined in the verses.

Now it makes sense why we should count it great joy when we experience trials, because ultimately it leads to our growth and maturity as a follower of Christ. The phrase “lacking nothing” in verse 4 isn’t saying we will be perfect (at least not in this life anyway). It means we will be matured, having Christ.

 

Let’s continue in our scripture (note that we are jumping down from verse 4 to verse 12.

 

12 A man who endures trials is blessed, because when he passes the test he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him. 13 No one undergoing a trial should say, “I am being tempted by God.” For God is not tempted by evil, and He Himself doesn’t tempt anyone. 14 But each person is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own evil desires. 15 Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully grown, it gives birth to death. 16 Don’t be deceived, my dearly loved brothers. 17 Every generous act and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights; with Him there is no variation or shadow cast by turning.

 

From above we can understand why a man who endures trials is blessed (mature and complete) but verse 12 adds more be saying when he passes the test he will receive the crown of life. That test is life here on Earth. When we’ve past that test (meaning we die) then we will receive the crown of life (eternal life in heaven with the Father). That’s the ultimate prize.

 

However, we don’t all view trials like that (be honest). Many times we do the opposite and blame God.. We get upset when things don’t go our way. We may even begin to curse God or say “Why do bad things happen to good people??” “It’s God’s fault! He could’ve stopped this from happening!” Verse 13 tells us to be careful saying that temptations come from God. James makes it clear that NO TEMPTATION comes from God, nor is God tempted by anyone. Our trials come from our temptations. If we press on with endurance, following Christ (like the graphic above) we will mature. If we fail and fall into temptation then (verse 15) we will fall into sin, and sin leads to death. See the graphic below.

Temptations are typically negative, but don’t always have to lead towards sin. That is why God allows temptations to come our way. If we respond correctly (rejecting temptations and clinging to Christ) we will grow. If we respond incorrectly (giving into temptations and falling into sin) we will distance ourselves from Christ.

 

Trials and temptations will be hurled your way every day. We can’t stop the trials and temptations. What we can do is decide how we will accept them. Will you reject temptation and run to Christ, or will you welcome temptation with open arms, falling into sin?

Bro. Austin

Psalms 91

Today, I just want everyone to take a few minutes to think about and receive encouragement from these few verses.

Psalms 91:1-16 KJV

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.  I will say of the Lord , He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.  Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.  He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.  Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;  Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.  A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.  Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.  Because thou hast made the Lord , which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;  There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.  For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.  They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.  Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.  Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.  He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.  With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.

Have a great weekend and may the Lord always bless and protect you!

In Christian Love,
- Ethan

If You Don't Use It...

There are three things about God's gifts I'd like us to see, but before we do that let's take a moment to read the scriptures.

Matthew 25:14-30 NKJV
14 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. 15 And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. 16 Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. 17 And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. 18 But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money. 19 After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.

20 “So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ 21 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ 22 He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ 23 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’

24 “Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look,there you have what is yours.’

26 “But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. 27 So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. 28 Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.

29 ‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

In the passage above we find three distinct things about God's gifts.

1. They have been given to You: V14-15
The man gave talents to his servants, and when they accepted them the servants became entrusted with them. He gave to each what he deemed fit. NOT EVERYONE WILL GET THE SAME GIFTS.

Some are blessed with the gift of music, others teaching, or money, speaking, encouragement, etc. No gift is "better" or "worse" than any other. None are more or less useful. Just because I get one gift and you get a different gift doesn't mean God loves me any more of any less than He loves you.

The first gift offered to you from God is Salvation. If you accept it, it becomes entrusted to you.

**You aren't entitled to any of these gifts, especially salvation.

2. Don’t Hide Them, Multiply Them: v16-27
The man gave these talents out to be used. If he wanted them untouched wouldn't have given out.
God wants His gifts to be used for Him and His glory. It’s a waste if we refuse to use them.
In this text, the test wasn't how much they earned, but rather how hard they tried.

Servant 1 & 2: True Believer
Used the talents their lord gave to them for him Uses the gifts God gives
Offered more than what was given to them Wins more souls for Christ
Considered faithful servants and trustworthy Lives a fruitful life
Entered the joy of their lord Spends eternity in Heaven

Servant 3: Unbeliever
Didn’t use the talents but hid them Never uses God’s gifts
Had nothing extra to offer Doesn’t witnesses
Insulted his lord, made excuses Blasphemy towards God
Considered wicked and lazy Bears no fruit
Cast out from the presence of the lord Spends eternity in Hell

I know you are probably asking yourself "But what if I am unable to work for God?"

My answer is in verse 27.

The "lord" in our text mentions at least giving the money to the bank to draw interest.

For us this translates to giving to others who can multiply God's gifts.

Perhaps you aren't called to go over seas...but you can give to those who are in support.

Give your money, prayers, encouragements to missionaries, churches, and other Christ-centered organizations.

3. If You Don’t Use it… v28-30
Those who desire to be used for God’s glory are given the means to do so. The more they do, the more they are enabled to do for Him. Conversely, we lose what we don’t use, meaning God will take away that ability. We as believers can lose gifts and blessings from God.

**Understand that this scripture is in no way supporting the idea of works save you
Good works will never save you, but a saved heart will produce fruit.

The third servant didn't lose his salvation for not producing fruit. He was never saved, because he lacked faith from the start.

Look at Matthew 7:17-20
The difference here is that a saved heart will produce fruit over the whole life. Yes we will still make mistakes and we will have fruitless days. But during those times God uses many things to get our attention. 

If we are backslidden God can remove some blessings or gifts to get our attention refocused on Him. These loses don’t have to be permanent, we can get right with God & be restored. A lost heart will never bear fruit for Christ. This is the one who God will remove from those who don’t even have (v29b) They are the ones cast out (v30).

Thank you!

Bro. Austin

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Call On The Name of the Lord

          What does it mean to "call on the name of the Lord"? In Romans 10:13, we are told that "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." Obviously, there are other things that one must do (see Mk. 16:16, Acts 2:38, Rom. 10:10, etc.) and sometimes it's easy to overlook the part about calling on the name of the Lord. The thing is, however, all of the actions and thoughts that we should experience as a Christian start at one point - the point where we call on the Lord.

Calling on the Lord is a sign of trust. It's a sign that you trust Him to save you, and it is from this fertile soil of trust in the Lord that we grow as Christians and produce good fruit. When the fruit that we produce falls from the tree, then they too will grow from the soil of trust.

It all starts with trust.

The way people gain or earn our trust is by being there for us when they say they will and following through on their word. Our trust in the Lord is different, however. He offers us a life of spiritual peace and promises us salvation in the future. We must have faith to trust in the Lord.

That's what Christianity really boils down to, at its very core. If someone asked me "What's Christianity about?" I would say faith, trust, and love. These three things form the foundation of our relationship with Christ.

          If you are weak in your faith, you are having difficulty trusting God, or you are having difficulty feeling the love of Christ and showing love to others, have no fear. God can and will save you from your moment of weakness.

All you have to do is call on His name and live righteously, living by the Word of God, and the rest will fall into place. It may not happen today, tomorrow, or within the next year, but it will happen. Anyone who trusts in the Lord will tell you that - everything will work out and you will find peace. All you need to do is open your heart to receive that peace.

Why wait?

With Christian love,
Ethan

Philosophy According to Jesus

"See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy, and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ" (Col. 2:8).

Paul isn't writing against philosophy, for he himself was a philosopher. Not as Plato or Democritus, but because everyone with a view of the world is a philosopher. Typically, when you hear someone call themselves a "philosopher," you might imagine them questioning all things, giving new insights about issues, and resting their chin on their fist. But today, we often use the term worldview(s) in taking about philosophical matters. If you have a view of the world, you have a worldview. Everyone has a view of the world; concerning its origins, how we are to obtain and use knowledge, and how we are to live and act.

Paul was writing against a real threat to the Colossian church. He wasn't making a blanket condemnation of all philosophy, but philosophy that is "not according to Christ." The fundamental problem with this philosophy mentioned in the text is that it is not in accord with Jesus Christ and the gospel message.

Examine your worldview/philosophy. It's not enough to have just any worldview (everyone has one!), but having the right one is what matters. Is your worldview/philosophy "according to Christ"? Does it come from God, exalt Him, and lead you to action that would glorify Him? If your philosophy isn't glorifying the Lord, you need to get a new philosophy.

Bro. Brandon

Be Still and Know

“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” (Psalm 46:10 ESV)

I love this passage. In today's busy, crazy, hectic world, we rarely take time to be still and rest. We stay so tense and stressed. This passage reminds me to take time out of my busy day and to be still and observe the power and might of God. He is the exalted One! I think we forget that God is all powerful, all knowing, and is in control of everything. We get too consumed in our problems and never look to the problem solver, Christ. 

Take time this week to be still and know the power and presense of God Almighty. 

Bro. Austin

What Do I Do?

Do you ever struggle with understanding where you fit into the grand scheme of the world?

I think we have all approached intersections in our lives and not known where to go, but just remember: everything you do has consequences, and they will be either good or bad. Make sure that whatever you choose to do is "worth it," whatever "it" may be. Remember Jesus and the words he said in Matthew 11:

Matthew 11:25-30 ESV

At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children;  yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.  All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.  Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

You will always find rest in Jesus. Remember that.

With Christian love,
Ethan

Grace is Scary

A couple of days ago as I was getting ready for work, and I was suddenly overwhelmed with a sensation of fear.

My legs began quivering, my hands began shaking, and I started getting short of breath. I was scared. Of what, you ask? Of hell.

I've been a believer for eighteen years this month. I'm also a preacher. You'd think those two things would keep this from happening. But on this day it didn't.

The fear that I might spend eternity in hell, suffering forever, overwhelmed me like it hadn't in years. I panicked. I almost had to sit down. I started praying, asking God to confirm to me that I was His child.

Then, like a student flipping out because he's got a final coming up that he hasn't studied for, I decided to do a little flipping out myself.

Why, do you ask? Because I haven't been nearly good enough.

Sure, I placed my faith in Christ. Sure, I've trusted Him for salvation. Sure, I asked Him to forgive me of my sins and be my Savior back in '96. But... grace is scary.

It's scary because I haven't been nearly good enough. Tell me all you want about how it's not about my own works or my own efforts. Let me tell you, buddy, when the reality of eternity hits you square in the face, you start looking at yourself.

I'll say it again. I haven't been nearly good enough. Not before I became a Christian, and not since. I still wrestle with some of the same sins I did ten years ago. I think things and say things when no one's looking that surprise people. I haven't been nearly good enough.

So there I was, panicking. Trembling. Almost in tears. I told God again how sorry I was for my failures. I apologized for not being a better Christian, reminded Him of all the dark secrets and thoughts that haunt me.

Here's what I told Him: "I hope, I really hope this grace this is true. Because if it isn't, I don't have a prayer."

Guess what? You don't either. Grace better be as good as I've been talking about for months on this blog. It better be as powerful as I preach about in the pulpit. It better be as revolutionary and radical as the New Testament says it is.

It is. It's scary, but it's true. It's risky, because you're not in control, but it's true. It's unconditional, uncompromising, unabashedly radical. Far more radical than you think it is, because you try to balance it with works. Sorry, it won't be balanced. It won't be earned.

It'll be given... by a loving Father who lavishes it upon you simply because He delights in redemption. By a loving Father who meets His wayward child at the top of the hill, throwing His best robes onto the prodigal before the son can even open his mouth to lay out his best plan for "doing better."

So grace is scary. But it's good. Kinda... like God sometimes, eh?

To finish my story, God overwhelmed me with this scary grace. I dared to trust Him. I got up, dusted myself off, and smiled. Why could I smile? Because God was smiling. At me. Because in His eyes, I'm righteous and redeemed. I'm covered by the blood of His Son.

Grace is scary... but it's true.

By His Grace,

Adam

The Poor in Spirit

Jesus says in Matthew 5:3, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” The word “poor” here is from a Greek verb ptochos meaning “to shrink, cower, or cringe,” as beggars often did in that day. Classical Greek used the word to refer to a person reduced to total destitution, who crouched in a corner begging. As he held our one hand for alms he often hid his face with the other hand, because he was ashamed of being recognized. The term did not mean simply poor, but begging poor. Jesus is speaking here of spiritual poverty. To be poor in spirit is to recognize one’s spiritual poverty apart from God.

The Scriptures have much to say about our spiritual poorness apart from God. Just to name a few, Romans says that we are haters of God (Rom. 1:30), not seeking Him or doing any good (Rom. 3:11). The prophet Ezekiel says that the “soul that sinneth, it shall die” (Ezek. 18:20, KJV). If that’s the case (Rom. 6:23), then who has sinned? “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). Ephesians probably describes our depravity with the most vivid picture: “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins” (Eph. 2:1). Further, Paul describes there that we walked with the world, followed Satan, and were “sons of disobedience” (2:2); that we lived in the passions of our sinful flesh, and were “by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind” (2:3). Similarly in Colossians, we were “alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds” (Col. 1:21). This is only a brief examination of our spiritual poverty apart from God, and being “poor in spirit” is to see oneself as one really is: lost, hopeless, helpless. Apart from Jesus Christ, every person is spiritually destitute, no matter what his education, wealth, social status, accomplishments, or spiritual knowledge.

That is the point of the first Beatitude. The poor in spirit are those who recognize their spiritual poverty and their complete dependence on God. They perceive that there are no saving resources in themselves and that they can only beg for mercy and grace. They know they have no spiritual merit, and they know they can earn no spiritual reward.

Similarly, Jesus told the parable of the Pharisee and the tax-gather to “some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt” (Luke 18:9). Jesus says that “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’” (Luke 18:10-13). The Pharisee was listing his spiritual accomplishments, and considered himself to be self-righteous, while the tax-collector would not even lift his eyes to heaven! The Pharisee was proud in spirit; the tax-collector was poor in spirit.

Who are you like most in this story? The proud, self-reliant Pharisee or the humble tax-collector? Are you 'poor in spirit?'

Bro. Brandon

He Will Sustain Thee

Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. (Psalms 55:22 KJV)

This verse is one I cling to. It helps me to know that I'm never alone. My stress, my worries, my burdens, God will take them all. He will sustain me.

I don't have alot to share tonight and I apologize. Today was a day of rest and restoration for my wife and I. The first year of marriage can be tricky. Today we took advantage of our day off and enjoyed eachothers company. We cast our burdens upon the Lord and let Him sustain us. 

God Bless,

Bro. Austin