BLISSED ARE THE SPIRITUALLY NEEDY - by Brent Lokker

Last Saturday we began a series on the Beatitudes, which means blessed, happy, joyful and even blissful. Yet those Jesus described who would experience such a blessing is pretty much the exact opposite of what the world would tell us. He speaks to battered people who have no hope when he says: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3, NIV)
 
Here's that same verse in a variety of translations:

  • God makes happy those who know that they need him. The kingdom of heaven is for them. (WE)
  • Blessed are those who recognize they are spiritually helpless. The kingdom of heaven belongs to them. (NOG)
  • You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule. (MSG)
  • I’ll tell you who’ll laugh last: the people who don’t think too much of themselves, who know they’re a mess—their ticket to heaven’s already in the post—first class. (Word on the Street)
  • Oh, the bliss of those who realize the destitution of their own lives, for the blessings of the Kingdom of heaven are theirs here and now. (Barclay’s)

 
Our greatest block to the abundant life Jesus promised us is our inability to grasp just how utterly dependent we are on Jesus every moment of every day. We are so used to doing life and figuring out life on our own, it doesn’t occur to us that we are going about our daily tasks and solving hundreds of issues without an ongoing awareness of the indwelling Christ in us.
 
Yet, God has a way of bringing us to the end of ourselves—to a frustratingly beautiful place where we know we’ve done everything we know to do and it still isn’t getting us to where we want to be. This discontent of how far our own effort and intellect will take us is the dwelling place of the poor in spirit. This is the place where we know we don’t have it all figured out and we’re finally convinced we can do absolutely nothing apart from Jesus. And this is where God’s kingdom treasures are found, like His love and peace and joyful bliss. Not that they were ever absent, but now they become fully accessible.
 
So if you’re at the end of your rope, your timing couldn’t be more perfect to receive and enjoy the kingdom of heaven!

Below is the prayer of surrender that we prayed together on Saturday night.

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