Poor in Spirit

The GT Weekend! ~ Blessed Week 1

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The GT Weekend!

At Gracefully Truthful, weekends aren’t for “checking out”.
Use this time to invite the Almighty’s fullness into you life in a deeper way!
Saturdays and Sundays are a chance to
reflect, rest, and re-center our lives onto Christ.
Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with other women in prayer,
rest your soul in reflective journaling,
and spend time worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) When hitting the very bottom is your reality. When you’re barely holding on to the very last thread, or maybe you’ve already let go. When you have absolutely nothing left to go on and you’re at the uttermost end of yourself. When everything seems lost. This is where hope enters. This is poor in spirit. When we have finally laid aside every defense possible, because there is nothing left, and we are left utterly destitute of our own abilities. THIS is when the Almighty God whispers, “Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.” Only when we lose our grip on all things, most of all our control, are we in a position to look up and see the face of God welcoming us with outstretched arms. It is in the giving of our poor spirits, in the desperate poverty of ourselves, that we find the richest abundance available within the very heart of a God who loves to love us. Where are you ready to surrender in poverty and weakness so you can welcome His strength and fullness?

2) Lori shared on Wednesday, “Weeping, by no means removes our grief, but at least for me, it allows a necessary purging of bottled up emotion.” Perhaps weeping doesn’t release your deep grief, but it’s important to identify what is a good release for you. Maybe it’s a good work out, a good cry in the closet, an afternoon walk outside in nature, or time spent talking with good friends. Whatever it is, take a few minutes to consider how you handle grief, and how you can intentionally allow space in that process to welcome the comfort of Christ in the midst of your pain. Grieving is important, but equally so, is holding onto truth about God in that grief. Every tear that falls is held by Him. Every broken heart is known by Him. Those who weep, will be blessed because the Father will bring His comfort!

3) We hear “meek”, and generally, we immediately think, “weak”. Merry reminds us that “meek” is neither weak nor passive; it’s not a doormat. Jesus used “meek” because it is defined by an intentional choice to lovingly, gently defer in order to esteem and value another. As you roll around with this definition, letting it settle into your mind, think of specific instances when someone displayed meekness in their interaction with you. Maybe it was a spouse, a good friend, or even a stranger you observed in a public setting. How did their humble strength make you feel? Were you encouraged to also live with meekness characterizing your interactions? Think of your upcoming week, pray over it, and ask the Lord to show you how you can live with the strength of meekness!

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from 1 Corinthians 3:18-20 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness,” and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.”

Prayer Journal
In honesty, Lord, the list of the beatitudes is not very inviting. Poor in spirit, mourners, and the meek who lay themselves aside in gentle strength to elevate another are the first three in a line of nine. While I don’t find myself raising my hand to be poor in spirit and grieve deeply, I know Your wisdom far outshines my own. Catch me up in my own thinking, Lord, and show me Your ways. Turn my thoughts upside down so I can see You more clearly! Thank You for welcoming me when I am at my lowest. I praise You for never neglecting me or tossing me aside because I am not who everyone wants me to be. Teach me to surrender to You, perpetually, so I may become wise by You!

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Blessed Day 2 Blessed Are The Poor In Spirit: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Blessed Are The Poor In Spirit!

The Questions

1) What was the situation/context when Jesus began to teach this parable? (verse 9)

2) What was the significance of the two characters in the parable, one a tax collector and the other a Pharisee?

3) What did the Pharisee in the story think of himself?

4) What did the tax collector in the story realize and admit about himself?

Luke 18:9-14

9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and looked down on everyone else: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee was standing and praying like this about himself:  ‘God, I thank you that I’m not like other people—greedy, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of everything I get.’ 13 “But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even raise his eyes to heaven but kept striking his chest and saying, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this one went down to his house justified rather than the other; because everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Original Intent

1) What was the situation/context when Jesus began to teach this parable? (verse 9)
The audience for this parable was mainly the disciples of Jesus, though others were likely in hearing proximity. (Luke 17:20-22) Chapters 16-18 of Luke highlight Jesus’ teaching about the difference between a works-focused obedience, which the Pharisees emphasized, and the sincere heart of a God-focused life. The parable in verses 10-14 is preceded by Jesus’ teaching about sincere and persistent prayer. The subtle connection between this parable and the preceding one is that they both include someone who is praying. The link between these two stories of Jesus is the character of the people He mentions and their genuine faith. (Luke 18:8) This parable contrasts those who rejected Jesus’ message regarding real righteousness with those who have understood and received God’s mercy. Jesus is painting a verbal picture to identify the characteristics of these two specific groups of people. In verse 9, the stage is set for the parable which follows. It gives us a description of the heart of many of the religious leaders of the day. Most of the Pharisees who criticized Jesus “were confident that they were righteous and looked down on everyone else.” Their prayers were often presented in pious ways. On other occasions, Jesus’ teaching confronted this kind of self-righteous praying. (Matthew 6:5-8)

2) What was the significance of the two characters in the parable, one a tax collector and the other a Pharisee?
The Pharisees were the Jewish religious leaders of the day who opposed Jesus’ message of mercy. They are seen throughout the four gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) separating themselves from those they regarded as unrighteous and unacceptable. Whether it was Gentiles or Jews, those who embraced a different view than they held about the Old Testament Law were to be avoided, excluded, and condemned. Their extreme interpretation of the Levitical law caused them to create standards for others that were not intended by God. Jesus consistently rebuked their hypocrisy, exposing their sinful hearts. (Mark 7:6-9) It’s ironic that the occupation of “tax collector” was looked down upon by these Jewish leaders as well as the general public. They were known for their dishonest schemes. Their fraudulently obtained wealth linked them to other tax collectors with whom they formed their own elite clan and separated themselves from the rest of society. (biblehub.com) A significant difference between these two groups – Pharisees and tax collectors – was Jesus’ interaction with them. Scripture indicates that Jesus spent a great deal of His time engaging these obviously unrighteous people. It also reveals that some of them humbly responded to Him, showing us that unrighteous people were more likely to see their need than self-righteous were.

3) What did the Pharisee in the story think of himself?
In the gospels we read that most of the religious leaders thought their own righteousness was so extraordinary it couldn’t possibly fail to bring about God’s acceptance. They held meticulously to the traditions of the Law, even producing their own standards for the people which were not what God had purposed. The specific Pharisee mentioned in the parable is the representation of all self-justifying religious leaders. In this one scene, Jesus gives His listeners a clear and contrasting image of a person who comes before God in arrogance and a person who approaches Him in humility. The Pharisee’s prayer offers no self-awareness of his sinfulness. What he does offer is a self-generated righteousness that confirms his justification before God. There is no hint of praise or thanksgiving to God for this good condition. Even his expression of thanks promotes only himself and elevates his life above the “other people” who live unrighteous lives. (verse 11) Once, there was a man who approached Jesus and rehearsed his good deeds, thinking they qualified him for eternal life. When Jesus stated that sincere desire is exhibited by a generous heart, the man walked away. His achieved goodness was merely a means in which to be self-justified. (Mark 10:17-22)

4) What did the tax collector in the story realize and admit about himself?
Jesus had asked His disciples a question in verse 8, “When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?” Jesus’ question implies there will be relatively few on earth who believe in Him at His return. (Luke 17:22-30) Although Bible scholars disagree about the specifics of Jesus’ return, His obvious assertion is that those whom God declares righteous “in that day” will not be the ones the Pharisees have thought to be so. (Matthew 7:21-23) In fact, it will be those who recognize their unworthiness who will be received by God. It will be those, like the widow in verses 1-8, who will have their prayers answered. The posture of the tax collector demonstrates his meekness and his sense of unfitness before God. There he is, with his head and heart bowed toward the ground. He is keenly aware of the distance created between himself and God by his own sinfulness. He knows he can only cry out to God for mercy. It is this kind of humility, not self-righteousness, that will be rewarded with eternal life. (Titus 3:5-7)

Everyday Application

1) What was the situation/context when Jesus began to teach this parable? (verse 9)
As I write this Digging Deeper Study, we are in the midst of a world-wide pandemic. It is possible that some of us are in contact with people who have adopted a mindset revealing a self-righteous attitude toward others. Maybe we have allowed prideful thoughts to enter our own minds or conversations as we look down on others based on their opinion. The enemy of our souls (Ephesians 6:11-12) allures us with the same temptations he used against Adam and Eve and Jesus. He strikes at our minds, convincing us that because of our hard work, our education and right living, we are deserving of a life of comfort and ease. We begin looking down on other people and countries and start believing our nation’s power and wealth are signs of being a “blessed” people. We proudly declare our thanks that we are not like “those people.” If that has become a subtle way of thinking for us, this pandemic has possibly humbled us. Jesus’ parable is relevant to us this very moment in time in a brilliant new light.

2) What was the significance of the two characters in the parable, one a tax collector and the other a Pharisee?
It is right for us to have a humble appreciation for how God has richly blessed us as a nation, as well as ways He has personally blessed our lives. But we must never associate the blessings of God as His way of demonstrating favoritism or partiality. If we entertain a mindset that promotes ourselves above others, this is not the posture God intends. Humans have never been very accurate at judging the value of one another. We have a difficult time looking beyond outward appearances. It has been this way since the beginning of time. With a heart of mercy, Jesus has a message for all of us when we exhibit these Pharisaical attitudes. Contained in His message is usually a tale of two hearts, one inclined to self-glory, and one inclined to God’s glory. Often, the unlikely hero of Jesus’ stories is typically the one least expected by the crowd.

3) What did the Pharisee in the story think of himself?
Many modern-day Christ followers have heard this parable so often we immediately recognize what Jesus was teaching. We have possibly studied Jesus’ life and interaction with the Pharisees, and we know to associate the religious leaders with self-righteous hypocrisy. What we may miss is the real point Jesus was making. In Jesus’ day, the Jewish people held these leaders in high regard. The Pharisees were the models of righteous conduct. Maybe the crowd was hardly listening before that gutsy punchline. These leaders were the respected Bible teachers of the day. When Jesus said about the tax collector that “this man went down to his home justified” it was shocking! I can hear the gasps of the listeners even now. But before we rush to criticize this Pharisee in the story, we may need to ask ourselves if we pray similar prayers. And I must examine my own heart toward others. Because in a twist of irony, I can easily find myself rushing to judgment and praying a prayer of thanks that “I’m not like those Pharisees around me.” Ask the Lord to reveal your own heart motives in how you see others!

4) What did the tax collector in the story realize and admit about himself?
This parable offers us a picture of a tax collector who exhibits what Jesus spoke about in the Sermon on the Mount when He said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs.” (Matthew 5:3) When Jesus taught the large crowd on the mountainside, I doubt many of them had considered the blessings of God as Jesus described them. Jesus told them that true blessing came in poverty of spirit, in mourning, in humility, in a hunger and thirst for righteousness. This is of great importance to us. Every single person comes to God as an empty, destitute, reviled, penniless, pitiful, desperate spiritual beggar. Just as that tax collector recognized his sinful condition and cried out for mercy, we must confess our need of Christ in every facet of our lives. The evidence of grace in our lives is the recognition that we desperately rely on that grace for everything. We are indeed a people #blessed!
“Just as I am, I would be lost, but mercy and grace my freedom bought.
And now to glory in Your cross, oh Lamb of God I come, I come.
I come broken to be mended.
I come wounded to be healed.
I come desperate to be rescued.
I come empty to be filled.
I come guilty to be pardoned by the blood of Christ the Lamb.
And I’m welcomed with open arms, praise God, just as I am.”
(Just As I Am by Travis Cottrell)

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Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

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Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

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Blessed Day 1 Blessed Are The Poor In Spirit

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Matthew 5:3
Luke 12:22-34
Luke 18:9-14
Isaiah 66:1-2

Blessed, Day 1

My shoulders heaved as sobs wracked my body. I sat in the driver’s seat of my Expedition, heavy rain pouring down outside.

“That’s it, Lord! I’ve got nothing. I’m done! I can’t do it! It’s You. It’s gotta’ be all You….”

As the rain poured, so did my tears. Soon, I felt His peace.
My desperate cry was met with Love. Part of me began to hope that maybe, just maybe, I was exactly where God wanted me to be.

The Life of a God-Pleaser
The memory of that day is seared into my mind. It’s one of the few times in my life I have realized something was not within my power to do. Naturally confident and overly ambitious, I tend to believe I can (and should) do all the things.

In fact, if you’ve ever read my story, you know I have struggled often with pride and my sense of accomplishment. For too many years, I felt what I did for God far outweighed my heart for Him. This is not what the Bible teaches! In fact, Jesus addresses this specific misconception in Matthew 5:3, where He begins unfolding the Beatitudes.

The Beatitudes
The word “beatitude” comes from the Latin word “beatus,” meaning “blessed.” It most often refers to these eight verses in Matthew, where Jesus describes a series of Christ-like attitudes we, as His followers, should adopt.

I admit I have often shied away from this portion of Scripture because it baffled me. How could one who mourns be blessed? How could persecution be a good thing?

The more I have come to know Jesus, however, the more I have understood His upside-down economy and appreciate its sheer beauty. The first Beatitude in this series spoke to my heart:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs.” (Matthew 5:3)
“Poor in spirit,” I wondered. “Could I ever become poor in spirit?”

What It Means to be Poor in Spirit
The Greek word for “poor” in this verse is “ptochos.” It literally means to have nothing and be destitute. To be poor in spirit then, is to come to a place of understanding we have nothing to offer God in exchange for our salvation.

There is nothing within us that could earn His love!
No amount of good deeds could afford His grace.
Our salvation is completely dependent on His goodness, His mercy and His love for us.

To be a Christian is to be poor in spirit, as the only way we enter into His salvation is to know we cannot save ourselves and to put our faith in Christ.

A beautiful illustration of this truth is found in Luke 18, as Jesus tells a story of a Pharisee and a tax collector.
“He [Jesus] also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and looked down on everyone else:
‘Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee, the other a tax collector. The Pharisee was standing and praying like this about himself:
“God, I thank you that I’m not like other people–greedy, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of everything I get.”
But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even raise his eyes to heaven but kept striking his chest and saying, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner!”
I tell you, this one went down to his house justified rather than the other; because everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.’”
(Luke 18:9-14)

The Beauty of Our God
We see, once again, God is not after our good deeds, but a humbled, repentant heart. What I find so astonishing about all this is not that God would ask us to come to terms with our true state and confess it in His presence, but that He doesn’t choose to lord it over us. A lesser god would step upon our prostrated bodies. A crueler force would rub our faces in our destitution and shame.

But our God lifts our chins and meets our eyes. He promises to embrace the humbled and lift them to a place of honor. (James 4:10) He declares the beggar “blessed” and grants her a position of honor as co-heirs of His kingdom!

Have you faced your own poverty?
Have you confessed your inability?

Through this portion of Scripture, Christ is inviting you, imploring you to do so! It is safe to humble ourselves before the King because He is a loving and wildly generous God. Don’t waste another moment uttering prideful prayers! Humble your spirit and be declared “blessed!”

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Here’s a link to all past studies in Blessed!