"Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 5:3).
Posted : 12 Nov, 2011 04:45 AM
Above all spiritual conditions, cultivate�most industriously, prayerfully, earnestly, and fervently�poverty of spirit. Do not rest short of it. This is the legitimate fruit and the only safe evidence of your union to Christ and the indwelling of the Spirit in your heart.
Nothing can suffice for it. Splendid talent, versatile gifts, profound erudition, gorgeous eloquence, and even extensive usefulness, are wretched substitutes for poverty of spirit. They may dazzle the eye. They may please the ear. They may delight the taste. And they may awaken the applause of man. But, dissociated from humiliation of mind, God sees no glory in them. What does he say? "But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is poor and contrite in spirit and trembles at my Word" (Isa. 66:2).
We may think highly of gifts, but let us learn their comparative value and true place from the words of our Lord, spoken in reference to John: "Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he" (Matt. 11:11). Behold the true position that Christ assigns to distinction of office, of place, and of gifts�subordinate to lowliness of spirit. This is their proper rank; and he who elevates them above profound self-abasement, deep lowliness of spirit, sins against God, impeaches his wisdom, and denies the truth of his Word.
But how shall we adequately describe this blessed state? How shall we draw the portrait of the man who is "poor and contrite in spirit"?
Look at him as he appears in his own apprehension and judgment�"the foremost of sinners" (1 Tim. 1:15), "the very least of all saints" (Eph. 3:8), "though I am nothing" (2 Cor. 12:11)�prostrate where others exalt him; condemning where others approve him; censuring where others applaud him; humbling himself where others have put upon him the greatest honor; confessing in secret and in the dust before God, the flaws, the imperfections, and the sins of those things which have dazzled the eyes of many.
Look at him in the place he assumes among others�taking the low position; in honor preferring others; washing the disciples' feet; willing to serve, rather than be served; rejoicing in the distinction, the promotion, the gifts, the usefulness, and the honor put upon his fellow-saints; and ready himself to go up higher at his Master's bidding.
Look at him under the hand of God�meek, patient, resigned, humbled, drinking the cup, blessing the hand that has smitten, justifying the wisdom, the love, and the gentleness which mark the discipline, and eager to learn the holy lessons it is sent to teach.
Look at him before the cross�reposing all his gifts, attainments, and honors at its foot, and glorying only in the exhibition it presents of a holy God pardoning sin by the death of his Son, and as the hallowed instrument by which he becomes crucified to the world, and the world to him.
"Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 5:3).
Posted : 12 Nov, 2011 08:20 AM
Your words are as the poison of asps..
You never have anything positive or good thing to say to anyone, except that it benefits you..
"The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks." [Luke 6:45]
"Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 5:3).
Posted : 12 Nov, 2011 08:31 AM
To speak truth in love is never poison.
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"Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 5:3).
Posted : 12 Nov, 2011 08:20 AM
Your words are as the poison of asps..
You never have anything positive or good thing to say to anyone, except that it benefits you..
"The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks." [Luke 6:45]
These lies are always glorifying the father of Death, That is a good thing to expose Satan..'
You do not have to call evil good you can change like all the rest.
"Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 5:3).
Posted : 12 Nov, 2011 08:52 AM
In almost every instance you [PJ] elevate yourself as "being that Authority" that everyone should listen to..
I detect no humility in you; your every word is arrogant, thinking to correct the World!
This is not YOUR world, and these are not YOUR CREATURES; you think so highly of what amounts to nothing, for only the pure Word of God has any power.
For I am not ashamed of the gospel for IT [not your words] is the power of God unto salvation, to the Jew first and then to the Greek." [Romans 1:16]
"To the law and to the testimony, if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them."
You try in vain to win converts to this heresy you spew, all so as to gather accolades and applause unto yourself!
This is why you and others on here are always ganging up on these posts, trying to berate someone, thinking that your agreement really means power; but you are the blind guides leading the blind.
"Except that your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven."
"Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 5:3).
Posted : 12 Nov, 2011 09:19 AM
PJ writes:
"Octavisus doest not orate as one saved but as one under the law."
This is an example of your arrogance. You love so much trying to attack others to make yourself appear as this towering intellectual, but as I am about to point out, this is but an attempt at self-aggrandizement.
You wrote, "Octavisus doest not orate as one saved but as one under the law."
You are correct, "Octavisus does not orate", because Octavius Winslow is DEAD! (1808-1878)
To orate means, "to deliver an oration, or to talk in a declamatory, grandiloquent, or impassioned manner." [Webster's Unabridged Third New International Dictionary]
DEAD men do not ORATE! DEAD men do nothing!
self-aggrandizement means, "the act or process of making oneself greater (as in power or influence)
"Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall." [Proverbs 16:18]
"Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 5:3).
Posted : 12 Nov, 2011 10:00 AM
You are a very prideful man pj. Always can depend on your empty one liners. No encouragement whatsoever out of your mouth. Just your empty imaginations.
A prolonged form of the poetical μάκαρ makar (meaning the same); supremely blest; by extension fortunate, well off.
A better wording is to be 'CONTENT'.
English- Poor
Greek-pto'chos
pt�chos: (of one who crouches and cowers, hence) beggarly, poor
Original Word: πτωχός, ή, όν
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: pt�chos
Phonetic Spelling: (pto-khos')
Short Definition: poor, destitute
Definition: poor, destitute, spiritually poor, either in a good sense (humble devout persons) or bad.
4434 ptōx�s (from ptōssō, "to crouch or cower like a beggar") � properly, bent over; (figuratively) deeply destitute, completely lacking resources (earthly wealth) � i.e. helpless as a beggar. 4434 (ptōx�s) relates to "the pauper rather than the mere peasant, the extreme opposite of the rich" (WP, 1, 371).
Word Origin
adjective from pt�ss� (to crouch, cower)
Definition
(of one who crouches and cowers, hence) beggarly, poor
NASB Word Usage
poor (29), poor man (5), worthless (1).
NAS Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible with Hebrew-Aramaic and Greek Dictionaries
Copyright � 1981, 1998 by The Lockman Foundation
All rights reserved Lockman.org
beggar, poor.
From ptosso (to crouch); akin to ptoeo and the alternate of pipto); a beggar (as cringing), i.e. Pauper (strictly denoting absolute or public mendicancy, although also used in a qualified or relative sense; whereas penes properly means only straitened circumstances in private), literally (often as noun) or figuratively (distressed) -- beggar(-ly), poor.
English-kingdom
Greek-basileia
Better english-'KINGSHIP'
basileia: kingdom, sovereignty, royal power
Original Word: βασιλεία, ας, ἡ
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: basileia
Phonetic Spelling: (bas-il-i'-ah)
Short Definition: kingship, sovereignty, authority, rule, kingdom
Definition: kingship, sovereignty, authority, rule, especially of God, both in the world, and in the hearts of men; hence: kingdom, in the concrete sense.
932 basile�a (from 935 /basile�s, "king") � properly, kingdom; the realm in which a king sovereignly rules. A kingdom (932 /basile�a) always requires a king � as the kingdom (932 /basile�a) of God does with King Jesus! 932 (basile�a) especially refers to the rule of Christ in believers' hearts � which is a rule that "one day will be universal on the physical earth in the Millennium" (G. Archer).
[The kingdom (932 /basile�a) is constantly used in connection with the rule of Christ in the hearts of believers � which also extends in various stages.]
Word Origin
from basileu�
Definition
kingdom, sovereignty, royal power
NASB Word Usage
kingdom (159), kingdoms (3), reigns* (1).
NAS Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible with Hebrew-Aramaic and Greek Dictionaries
Copyright � 1981, 1998 by The Lockman Foundation
All rights reserved Lockman.org
kingdom, reign.
From basileus; properly, royalty, i.e. (abstractly) rule, or (concretely) a realm (literally or figuratively) -- kingdom, + reign.
Better translation
Content are those which recognize their spiritual bankruptcy,
for theirs is the Kingship of YHWH.
Content are the spiritually bankrupt,for theirs is to be under the Kingship of YHWH.
