'Blessed are the poor in spirit...'

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

I have to be honest here, when I came to this verse despite the number of years I read this I actually TOTALLY didn't understand what it meant..."Poor in spirit?what, the Holy Spirit??surely not-we are blessed with the Holy Spirit-how can we be poor in spirit??Does it mean people who don't have the Holy Spirit but then how are they called blessed?" So what on earth does it mean?? From what I've been listening and reading (in particular reading 'The culture of The Kingdom' by Billy Humphries-you may be hearing a lot from that) I've realised it's much more about your realisation of being poor. In John 15:5 Jesus says,

I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

Without Jesus we are spiritually bankrupt. In our flesh we are in spiritual poverty, we are nothing without God.
But Jesus says that this is a blessed place to be...what??I'm thinking, 'are you serious Jesus?' Working as a debt counsellor I spend all my time telling people that they need to get out of poverty and now I've been told to embrace poverty...

But as I have prayed and spent more time with God I have begun to discover how spiritually poor I actually am without my Saviour. To be spiritually poor is to truly be blessed because you realise how much you need God than anything else in your life.

We see again how upside down this kingdom actually is to what our world has become...the more we receive of God and His Spirit, the more we see how spiritually poor we are. The deeper into spiritual poverty we sink...the more blessed we become...

Blessed are the poor in spirit...

Lets begin a journey together...'blessed'

Do you ever get the feeling that God is trying to get something through to you?? It's like wherever you turn a particular subject or topic or person is mentioned and it gets to the point where you cry, 'Ok God I get it...what do you want to teach me??' Well God's been trying to get my attention focused on the Matthew 5-7 or as it is commanly called The Sermon on the Mount. It seemed everywhere I listened and read and people I spoke to, it would come up.
This is Jesus's first ever 'sermon', lengthy teaching that is recorded in Bible-in Matt 4 it says Jesus began to teach but this is first sermon where its written to a full extent. So after 30years of living and preparation and time with the Father-I believe we should take this message very seriously. Billy Humphrey says in his book, 'The culture of The Kingdom'page 11- 12

"In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus was establishing the value system for all who would be citizens of His kingdom. Some today believe the Sermon on the Mount is a 'high bar' of Christianity not attainable in 'real life.' They believe it simply serves as a standard of conviction for us. Yet the truth is that it is intended to be the norm for Christian living. The principles of the Sermon on the Mount are not simply good ideas or something to try for a season. They are the prescribed lifestyle for all who are subjects of the kingdom of God.Jesus' intent for expressing the values of His Kingdom was to set in place the culture for all believers should not only embrace with their minds as truth, but also walk out in their daily lives."

So I was wondering if you wanted to take a journey with me?A journey to learn the value systems of the kingdom of God which, if we call ourselves disciples of Christ, we are now part of...
The first thing that Jesus in this message is 'blessed'.What a beautiful Saviour. He is about to tell about the life that is offered in the Kingdom and yet from the first word we are told 'if you live out what I am about to tell you...You will be blessed.' wow. There is a danger here tho. We might think that 'blessing' means abundancey of possessions or easy times or constant smooth running of everything in our lives. Jesus never told us that's what blessing means...It can include that but if we think that is that exclusively then we are in danger of missing it.The true blessing is knowing and become more intimate with Jesus. That is a truly 'blessed' life.

So are you coming with me? Are you ready or prepared to become a 'blessed' one?

You ready?Here we go...

The danger of writing a blog...

I've realised this week something quite profound...writing a blog like this is a very dangerous thing. What do I mean by that? Well, when I share on my blog about things that God has been teaching me, the enemy also reads it and its like he goes, 'you've think you've arrived in this area-let's test that shall we??'
Since writing about our freedom from sin, this week I have allowed-well have bond myself up more than I have for along long time. Allowing the shackles to snap shut, thinking it was fine. It's not. I have been brought with a price and I realised that is why the WHOLE verse is important.I shared Gal 5:1,

'It is for freedom for Christ has set us free....'

but the 2nd half is crucial...

'...Stand firm, therefore, and do not let yourselves be yoked again with the burden of slavery.'

We are free...we ARE free but God knows and He knew that we would be tempted to be burdened again that is why the 2nd half was written...don't let it happen!!
The Bible says that the enemy is prowling around like a lion ready to devour...but actually do you see the verse-it is not say the enemy will come and attack (but he will) but it says Stand firm...its a comment for the reading. We may not be able to stop the enemy attaching but we can stand against him. But praise God we have the Holy Spirit to give us the strength to stand.

So be aware that sometimes...writing can be a dangerous thing, speaking can be a dangerous thing, sharing can be a dangerous thing...

Stand firm...

This is how it feels to be feel...

This week I've been thinking about freedom. It says in Galatians 5:1

'It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm and do not let yourselves be burdened again by the yoke of slavery.'

It stuck me, I think for the first time, that this is a present tense...it IS for freedom. I don't know about you but when I have heard that verse I would often hear it WAS for freedom...but its about having freedom presently-Now.
You may not be like me...and Praise God for that but me, being honest with you here - i don't always feel free-I feel bound up and when I sin, its not that I have deliberately chosen to in my mind, its like an impulse that I can not shake. Paul's puts it brilliantly in Romans 7:15

'I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.'

But is quite clear - We are free but that freedom is a choice...look again at the 2nd half of Galatains 5:1 ...'Stand firm and do not let yourselves be burdened again...' We have a choice in whether we put the chains back on or not. Each time we sin its like we voluntarily put the shackles back on but then I realised a follower of Christ I am free, the shackles are in my mind...the blood of Christ not only unlocked them, it desecrated them so they have no power or substance any more, unless we allow ourselves to be bound. It is OUR choice, as followers of Christ we are free...
In my gospel choir we had the opportunity, as one of old soloists was back, to sing one of the songs he sings which is called This is How it Feels to Be Free and it hit be (as I had been thinking about freedom) that although this song is designed for non-Christians its so important to take the truth as we walk with Christ, I'll finish my post with the lyrics of the song, originally by Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir (copyright)

There Is A Wall That Has Been Standing
since The Day That Adam Fell
sin Is Where It Started
and Sin Is Why It Held
speakin As A Prisoner
who Was There And Lived To Tell
I Remember How It Fell

I Can Here The Sound Of Freedom
like A Distant Voice Who Called
and Beckon Me To Follow
where I Had Never Gone
and Though My Heart Is Willin'
I Just Stood There At The Wall
prayin Somehow It Would Fall
But In A Cross I Found A Doorway
and A Hand That Held A Key
and When The Chains Fell At My Feet
for The First Time I Could See

chorus:
This Is How It Feels To Be Free
This Is What It Means To Know That
I Am Forgiven
This Is How It Feels To Be Free
to See That Life Can Be More Than I Imagined
this Is How It Feels To Be Free
this Is How It Feels To Be Free Yeahhh!

there Are Days When I'm Reminded
of The Prison I Was In
like A Livin Nightmare
burning within
I Can Feel The Voice Of Evil
I Can Hear The Call Of Sin
But I Wont Go Back Again

see, Once I've Tasted Freedom
then The Walls Could Bind No More
since Mercy Gave Me Wings To Fly
like An Eagle I Can Soar


somewhere There's A Prison
where The Chains Still Burn
if Not For The Grace Of God
those Walls Could Still Be Mine
so for all the Captives I say