Blessed are the Poor in Spirit
by John Moreland
The statement made by Jesus in Matthew 5:3 is this: "Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Among the many enigmas in the word, such as dying to live, giving to receive, rejoicing in trials, loving your enemies, this is almost the most puzzling to the mind. Wouldn't it have sounded much nicer to the ear if Jesus had said "blessed are the rich in spirit?" After all, rich is better than poor, isn't it? But isn't it wonderful to know that Jesus is the truth, speaks the truth and manifests the truth! So this declaration by our Lord must hold for us a great eternal blessing and revelation.
To begin with, the word blessed in the original Greek can mean supremely blest. So whatever Jesus meant by the statement, it carries a supreme blessing in it's fulfillment. I wish to give to us what I believe this verse is all about.
When Jesus declared this word He certainly did not mean poor spirited. There is nothing in the Word or the Christian experience which could define the phrase as such. All of the great saints in the Word were just the opposite. Who could possibly call deacon Stephen poor spirited when the words of his mouth so convicted those surrounding him they were so incensed they stoned him to death (see the story in Acts 6:8 - 7:60)? Even the Lord stood to honor him as He received Stephen's spirit. Or the apostle Paul, when he stood before the Jewish council and gave his testimony concerning his salvation experience? Or the Hebrew children who faced the fiery furnace because they refused to bow down before Nebuchadnezzar's idol? Or the thousands of Christians who were thrown to the wild animals in Rome's coliseum because they refused to denounce the Lord? Or the present Christians in Iran who are thrown in jail and their families persecuted simply because they are Christians? Or the saints in China today who face imprisonment for proclaiming the gospel? And I could go on and on. No, the statement certainly did not mean poor spirited!
Jesus could have not meant mean spirited either. This is totally contrary to His life in us. So what did He really mean?
I believe the Lord was referring primarily to pride and self love. When one is poor in spirit he is teachable. Have you ever tried to share something with another when they already knew everything about what you were trying to share? Your words simply fall to the ground. Or, have you ever shared a truth with another and they continued to justify themselves in their behavior?
I remember reading a word from Watchman Nee in 'THE RELEASE OF THE SPIRIT', page 16, paragraph 2 which says, "Let us remember that the one reason for all misunderstanding, all fretfulness, all discontent, is that we secretly love ourselves. Thus we plan a way whereby we can deliver ourselves. Many times problems arise due to our seeking a way of escape - an escape from the working of the cross."
I believe being poor in spirit comes when we learn to empty ourselves. That is the example of our Lord Jesus. When He came to earth he emptied Himself (Phil 2:6-7), identifying Himself with us and became a learner. (Heb. 5:8). The apostle Paul defined it in Gal. 2:20 when he wrote, "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me."
Being poor in spirit is essential in walking in the Kingdom of God. It is the condition by which we acknowledge and walk under His Lordship. It is releasing control of our lives into His control. Proverbs 14:14 says it like this, "The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: ..." It is impossible for one to be filled with his own ways and with the ways of the Lord at the same time.
Being poor in spirit is the heart of a disciple. Isaiah 50:4 expresses it like this:" ... He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear to listen as a disciple." The very word disciple means a learner, a pupil. Again, we could quote Galatians 2:20 for this is the heart of what Paul was writing - being a disciple.
I think Jesus addressed this problem when speaking concerning those in Matthew 7:21-23 when He said, {21} "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. {22} "Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' {23} "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'" Surely these are the rich in spirit ...
But Oh the benefits!! He said, " ... for theirs is the kingdom of heaven", a present benefit as well as an eternal one. Hear the Word. (Rom 14:17 NASB)" ... for the kingdom of God is ... righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." This is one definition of His Kingdom, and there is nothing in this world that can give us righteousness, peace and joy except His Kingdom. There is nothing so frustrating, depressing or more devastating than the lack of peace. It is one of the most prevalent conditions in our present society. But, thanks be unto our God, it is not part of our spiritual inheritance. Ours is the Kingdom of Heaven.
May our Lord help us to understand what it truly means to be poor in spirit. May He reveal to us the great benefits and blessings of this condition of the heart. And may he help us walk as those poor in spirit that we may glorify Him and manifest His life in all we do. In Jesus name. Amen.
More Deep Thoughts by John Moreland
Rivers of Living Water
by John Moreland
(John 7:38 NASB) "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, 'From his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water.'"
I beg your indulgence as you read this treatise, for I cannot write of things of the Spirit except they become subjective as well as objective in nature. As I read this marvelous statement from our Lord I was smitten with it's wonder and magnitude. I am coming to understand more and more the words that our Lord spoke to the disciples when He said, (John 6:63) It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
As I read John 7:38 I was amazed by the sense of abundance revealed. I have lived by several rivers in my lifetime, among them the Mississippi and the Missouri. Each time I crossed over them I was aware of the abundance of water they carried. This scripture suggests the same - abundance. Whatever is to flow from our bellies will flow in abundance, like the rivers.
The next thing revealed is there would be more than one, there would be rivers - plural! This makes it all the more astonishing when the mental picture of the combined Mississippi and Missouri are flowing side by side along with other mighty rivers. It is difficult for the mind to grasp. But He said it! - It is true!
At this point we must consider just who the Lord was speaking of when He spoke these words. It was addressed to believers, all believers. The mentality which pervades the Christian world in general today is that these rivers are reserved for "the ministry." That is one of the schemes of the devil. The tragedy of this is that our Lord is holding every Christian, all believers accountable for this. Every child of God is to be this reservoir of life, of living water.
While this word is addressed to believers, we must remember that it is a promise only for believers. If one is not a believer, a person of faith, it will not be evident in his life. Every child of God is this reservoir of Christ's life. We have this capacity inherent within us. It has been given to us by the Lord Himself.
The object of the rivers of living water is to produce and sustain life. Jesus said "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."
Let me digress here for a moment. I think through the years that many have come to believe that Jesus was saying "I am come that they might be comfortable as they live" and this is not what He said! So often this becomes the goal of our life, to be comfortable. While God can certainly do this, it must not become the passion of our lives. The Scriptures teach us that it is often just the opposite. Hear the words of the apostle Paul when he said, (Acts 14:22) " ... strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, "Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God." Our walk with the Lord and the result which it brings is a process of spiritual maturation even as the natural life is a process of the natural. While some would deny the necessity of suffering, it is clearly a real and important part of the Christian life. But thank God, while it is a real and important part of the Christian life, it is only a part. Christ's life is infinitely more.
There is one river I want to call to our particular attention. It is the river of love. And it is unmistakably one of the great rivers to flow from our bellies, if not the greatest of all. It is the very essence of the person of God Himself. Two scriptures here. (1) (1 John 4:8 NASB) " ... for God is love." and (2) (1 John 4:16 NASB) "And we have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him." Who can ever read John 3:16 and doubt God's love! Christ Himself is the manifested, demonstrated evidence of our Father's love, i.e, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." If the Father's love sent the Son, (and it was the underlying cause) then it was the love of the Son for the Father and for us that He laid aside His royal robes of heaven and came to earth and identified Himself with us.
It is the hallmark of the Christian life. Jesus said, (John 13:35 NASB) "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." And it is such a mighty, powerful river that it never fails. It is that attribute and quality of the character of God imparted to us in the life of our precious Lord Jesus Christ that gives definition to us to the world. It is so mighty in scope that it includes our enemies. Matthew 5:44 states it like this. (Mat 5:44 NASB) "But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you ... "Only the character of God within us can give us this kind of love and grace." John 14:16 reveals love is the evidence that God abides in us.
Sadly however, Christ's body does not give evidence to this love as it should. Christ's body is so divided that we have a tendency to retreat with our love within our denominational/sectarian and doctrinal walls. It is my firm conviction that when Jesus was praying the high priestly prayer in John 17 and said (John 17:21 NASB) " ... that they may all be one; even as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be in Us; that the world may believe that Thou didst send Me." that He was speaking of the unity manifested by love.
There is a song which we used to sing (not so much anymore) which said, "There's a river of love flowing out through me ... "May the Lord help us to release this great never-failing river, that the world may see the testimony of God and be reconciled to Him!
Oh, there are so many other great rivers of living water! - the river of grace, the river of hope, the river of forgiveness, the river of wisdom, the river of joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, self control, etc., etc. And remember, they are rivers! Dear saints, think of these things.
This is written after the terrorist attack on our nation on September 11th, 2001. If there was ever a need for the release of these rivers of living water it is now. As previously stated, water not only produces life but sustains it. These rivers are all testimonies to our gracious God, and our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Dear Lord, Oh may You open the flood gates of this great reservoir within us. May these rivers of living water flow from within us in such proportion that Your glory may be seen in all the earth, draw men unto Yourself, and redeem and reconcile all men unto You. Amen.
More Deep Thoughts by John Moreland
Dear friends,
This is a very personal word concerning my heart. The Lord keeps refining me in these last days to fulfill my course.
John
The Stewardship of My Grace
by John Moreland
In Ephesians 3:2, Paul writes of the stewardship of his grace. His grace began with a revelation, the mystery, which is revealed in Ephesians 3:6," ... to be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel, ..."
The purpose of that gift is found in the same chapter in verses 8-10. {8} "To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ, {9} and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God, who created all things; {10} in order that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places."
February 13, 1973 a lady named Fran Russell in Archer City, Texas gave me a verse of Scripture. She was new to the things of the Spirit. As I entered the Russell house that night she said to me "Brother John, the Lord gave me the scripture for you today which is Isaiah 58:12. I didn't know if Isaiah had 58 chapters or if the chapter had 12 verses, but He said to give it to you. I believe with all my heart that it was the stewardship of my grace. It is as follows."
(Isa 58:12 NASB) "And those from among you will rebuild the ancient ruins; You will raise up the age_old foundations; And you will be called the repairer of the breach, The restorer of the streets in which to dwell."
I also am convinced that as this scripture relates to my gift, it also is related to the mystery of which Paul wrote. Every since the day in which I was baptized in the Holy Spirit, the passion of my life has been the Church, the ekklesia or "called-out ones". My motivational passion has been to see the Church manifest what she is, the body of Christ. Today, 28 years later, although my revelation in this grace has been an on-going process, my passion for it has not changed.
Christ's body is so divided, has become so comfortable in the divisions, that they are accepted as normal and proper. What "I believe" has become the criteria for fellowship, rather than the person of our Lord Jesus Christ. There are some welcome signs appearing that the Lord is beginning to get through to His people, but we still have much further to go.
The Lord recently showed me a truth that has stirred me to a new dedication to my grace and calling. It is found in the high priestly prayer of our Lord, John 17. I saw it in the following verses from John 17.
(John 17:21-23) {21} "...that they may all be one; even as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be in Us; that the world may believe that Thou didst send Me. {22} "And the glory which Thou hast given Me I have given to them; that they may be one, just as We are one; {23} I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, that the world may know that Thou didst send Me, and didst love them, even as Thou didst love Me".
One cannot read these verses without realizing that our unity validates us to the world. In verse 21, "that the world may believe". In verse 23 "that the world my know." Do you see it! No amount of theologizing of doctrinalizing can change it to mean anything other than what Jesus said! In America we are gradually losing our validation. Christianity no longer carries the moral impact it once had. This is manifest in the media, the restrictions the government puts on our message, and the general attitude of the American people. In the mind of many, we are just another 'religion'.
It's time to raise up the foundation, repair the breach and restore the streets in which to dwell.
May our God give us knowledge, wisdom and understanding as we steward the grace He has given to validate our testimony to a lost and dying world. In Jesus' name, Amen.
More Deep Thoughts by John Moreland
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