Monthly Archives: July 2013

In truth, God will accomplish His ends regardless of whether or not we choose to follow Him.  This is why Jesus didn’t say, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for they will help God succeed.”  Instead, He promised us a … Continue reading →

We see, however, that while Jonah found obedience in the belly of the fish, he was hardly poor in spirit.  Obedience is a sign of spiritual life, but it is possible to have one and not the other.  In the … Continue reading →

Of course, the possibility exists He is already trying to teach me these things and I am yet too dense to see them.  Either way I am incomplete and need to pursue the poverty of spirit to come to greater knowledge… … Continue reading →

Dear Morning Devotion Group: I apologize for last week’s absence.  I was involved in a busy week of Vacation Bible School and was unable to find the time to write.  We pick up where we left off with the second … Continue reading →

This is the point at which we break some of the unfortunate stereotypes associated with the poor spirited.  They are not emotionally impoverished or stoic, mindless automatons.  Instead, they are zealous for the kingdom and often offer their last ounce … Continue reading →

From yesterday…”Two areas of concentration will help us stay this course: growing in our passion for God and understanding His plan for us.  As a growing dynamic, these two pursuits bring us to a place of spiritual poverty and put … Continue reading →

Together with the Apostle Paul, we no longer live for ourselves.  The Lord has redeemed us for a holy purpose and therefore we struggle daily against spiritual lethargy, lest we return to our old ways. Our preoccupation with the sinful … Continue reading →

Filtering out Self  We must never lose ourselves.  Jesus’ first disciples were undeniably independent and although they needed to learn humility and obedience, they were never asked to relinquish their identity.  On the contrary, Jesus drew on Peter, Andrew, James … Continue reading →

We must see the Beatitudes as a spiritual filter through which our whole being passes.  Each phrase has the ability to cleanse our human hearts and bring both the kingdoms of God and of this world into clearer focus.  As … Continue reading →

Three Things to Keep in Mind The filters through which we view anything biblical will impact how we apply truth to our lives.  This doesn’t mean truth changes, but rather that the way we perceive it is multi-faceted. When I was a … Continue reading →