Blessed are the Spiritually Bankrupt

Blessed are the Spiritually Bankrupt

Today's Three-minute Bible Study
Print, Study and Apply
Title: Blessed are the Spiritually Bankrupt ------------------- Date: 7/3/2003
Keywords: “bankrupt”
Welcome to eXXit, the web site designed to help you stand strong in the face of sexual temptation.
The Beatitudes from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount will be the basis for the next several days’ worth of eXXit studies. The Lord preached the Sermon on the Mount to both serious disciples and to curious onlookers. Regardless of which camp you are in right now, you will find help in your struggle for purity in Jesus’ words.
Passage: Matthew 5:3-8*

3. "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4. "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

5. "Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.

6. "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. (see eXXit study for June 30)

7. "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

8. "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

Questions

1. "Blessed" is a word that occurs repeatedly in the first verses of Matthew 5. What do you think of when you read this word? Check out the translation of "blessed" in a couple of other translations of the Bible (You can find several versions on the eXXit homepage under "Search Systems")

2. What do you think Jesus means by the phrase "poor in spirit"?

Practical help

"Poor in spirit" would seem to be a negative (don’t we want to be spiritually rich?). Yet Jesus says here that recognizing our spiritual poverty is the pathway to blessing. How so?

In point of fact, every last one of us is spiritually bankrupt before God. Not one of us comes to God with a portfolio bursting at the seams. We have no bragging rights with God, and He is not impressed with our moral and spiritual track record.

We are "poor in spirit." We bring nothing to God but our need.

We could easily reverse the beatitude of verse 3 to read, "Miserable are those who deny that they are poor in spirit." People who pretend they have it all together have only their own resources to lean on when tough times arise and when temptations attack.

However, men and women who admit their spiritual bankruptcy find their sufficiency in God. And only those who admit to being "poor in spirit" find that sufficiency.

Applying the first beatitude is the best place to start in a battle with porn. Admit that you are "poor in spirit" and God will supply you with His rich strength to resist temptation and to stand strong.

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*"Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, © Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission."