Matthew 5:3

"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
 
Devotional

Notice that the Lord Jesus says blessed are the poor in spirit. Why? Because the poor in spirit know they have nothing to approve themselves before God. And that is the essential attitude that opens the door of God's grace to every repentant and believing sinner, because one's heart is already desperately open too it, and seeking for it. And so throughout the Scriptures we see God interceding and saving and ultimately justifying the repentant nation or individual, not based upon what they are, or what they have done, or not done, but only on His mercies when they seek it from Him. (In regards to this consider David's prayer in Psalm 38, or Jesus' parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-32, or clearly in His justifying the repentant sinner who sought the mercies of God, over the self justifying priest who felt no need for it, Luke 18:9-14.) And so when Jesus says it is the poor in spirit to whom the Kingdom of heaven belongs, He is excluding no one who does not exclude themselves. Whereas the proud in spirit no nothing of their own sinfulness, much less their own need for God through His Son the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior. And so whether consciously or subconsciously they live their lives independent of God, not seeing their own need for God, nor wanting Him to be their God. For if anyone can honestly look at themselves, their own person and conduct throughout their lives and feel satisfied about themselves, then they have not understood the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, nor the Scriptures of God. For the Scriptures do not justify man, the Scriptures only justify God, who justifies everyone who repents and puts their trust in His Son (consider Rom 3:19-28).

And so sadly a person can practice much "religion" throughout their life and yet have very little true relational knowledge of God; as Jesus said of scribes and Pharisees who honored Him with their lips, but their hearts were far from Him (Matt 15:8-9). And so whether Jews or Christians people can have a form of the knowledge of God and yet not have come into a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. For neither church attendance, nor Bible study, nor Christian service makes someone a Christian. Same with "signing off" on a doctrinal treatise. Though these things are good and have their place in the Christian's life, they are not what makes a person a Christian. What makes a person a Christian is being reborn by the Spirit of God. And this only happens when one sees their need for the Lord Jesus Christ and repenting of their sins and or all their own efforts to try save themselves they turn to Him in faith alone, trusting Him alone to save them from all their sins, by what He has done by suffering Crucifixion death to atone for all our sins (John 3:16). That is what makes a person a Christian, and thus opens the door to the Kingdom of heaven to them, when they repent and believe in the Lord Jesus as testified to in the Scriptures; that through His shed blood and death on the cross and His resurrection from dead ,by faith in Him, we receive remission of all our sins and everlasting life. And so by His Spirit He imparts His life (that is new and everlasting life) into everyone of us who believes in Him, who opens their hearts to receive Him as their Lord and Savior. For Jesus Promises to make His home in you the moment you do (John 1:12; Rev. 3:20). For God does not draw near the proud in spirit who think they have no need of repentance. Rather God is always near to the brokenhearted, and saves such who have a contrite spirit (Psalm 34:18). As Jesus said: “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” Mark 2:17 Therefore by a simple prayer of faith you can receive the Lord Jesus Christ into your heart and life as your Lord and Savior, and thus become a child of God, just as the Bible Promises: "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name." John 1:12

Therefore if you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and would like to personally receive Him, inviting Him into your heart and life I urge you pray something like this: Dear Lord Jesus I know that I have sinned and that I can neither save myself, nor change myself. Therefore I'm going to trust You to do for me and in me what I can't. Because I believe the Gospel, the Good News of God, that You willingly suffered death on a cross to both save me from my sins and transgressions, but also transform me by the renewing of Your Spirit within me. Therefore I now invite You Jesus Christ into my heart and life to be My Lord and Savior so that You might not only save me from wrath and judgment to come, but also change me here and now for an eternity with You. I pray this in Your Name Lord Jesus Christ, amen.

Scripture Quotations
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982

Numbers 29:7-11 An Offering without Blemish (republished)

7 ‘On the tenth day of this seventh month you shall have a holy convocation. You shall afflict your souls; you shall not do any work. 8 You shall present a burnt offering to the Lord as a sweet aroma: one young bull, one ram, and seven lambs in their first year. Be sure they are without blemish. 9 Their grain offering shall be of fine flour mixed with oil: three-tenths of an ephah for the bull, two-tenths for the one ram, 10 and one-tenth for each of the seven lambs; 11 also one kid of the goats as a sin offering, besides the sin offering for atonement, the regular burnt offering with its grain offering, and their drink offerings.

 

Devotional
God's command here that the sacrificial burnt offerings on the Day of Atonement be without blemish is important for us to understand. Since these foreshadow (or point too) the Lord Jesus Christ's own sinless Person who was and is without blemish, and thus is God's finial and Perfect offering for all sins, for all time. And so this principal of God only accepting a sacrifice that is without blemish runs throughout the Old Covenant, beginning with the first commanded Passover Lamb (Exodus 12:5). Therefore because you and I are not without sin or blemish Jesus Christ, the Son of Man, came to be and do all that we are not. That is is in every aspect be without sin and blemish. And thus only He could be the Sinless sacrifice for the sins of the world (1 Peter 1:9). For it is only by the blood of Christ, that was shed unto death when He was crucified for us, that we have both cleansing and remission of all our sins, the moment we believe in Him (Matt 26:28; Acts 10:43; Heb 9:22). Therefore Jesus Christ came, as He said, not to destroy the Law, but to fulfill it (Matt 5:17-18); that is every aspect of it, for those who trust in Him. From it's sacrificial ordinances and commands, to its priesthood and tabernacle, all things contained within the Law of God are fulfilled in Christ.
And so the Scripture states that all these things that God commanded before of the Israelites (and specifically of the Levitical priesthood) were ordinances that were in affect until the time of reformation (Heb 9:10): For 11 ...Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. 12 Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, 14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 15 And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

The question then is have you received God's Promise of an eternal life by faith in His Son the Lord Jesus Christ? For that is what God requires of everyone, to look to (that is believe on, or trust in) the Lord Jesus Christ crucified for their sins remission and raised from the dead for their justification, so that God having justified us by faith might impart new and everlasting life in us the moment we believe in Jesus (2 Cor 5:17; Eph. 1:13-14). For God having fulfilled all the righteous requirements of the Law through the death and Resurrection of His Son Jesus, now offers His salvation to all who believe in Him (John 3:16). And so the Scripture states: "Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin." Heb 10:18

And so remission of ones sins and eternal life only comes by faith in Jesus, by God's Word and Work thus His Righteousness, not mans (Rom 3:19-28). And so salvation is now freely granted to all, as a gift of God's love for us all, to be received the moment we repent and believe in Jesus. Now if you believe and rightly see yourself as a sinner in need of God's salvation, then please call upon the Name of the Lord as the Bible says we are to do, confessing Jesus Christ as Lord and believing that He was crucified for all your sins and is risen from dead and you will have remission of them and eternal life (Rom 10:9-10, 13). Now this you can do by praying a simple prayer in faith, something like this:

Dear Lord Jesus I confess that I have sinned against God and You. And I now realize that apart from You there is nothing I can do to take away or atone for any of my sins. Therefore I need You, and want You in My life, to be both My Lord and Savior. For I believe that You alone can, and will save me from God's just wrath against me the moment I in faith call upon You. Therefore I now invite You Lord Jesus Christ into my heart and life, to be my Lord and Savior. amen.

If you have prayed that prayer, or something similar. Then this not the end, but is the beginning of your new life In Christ. And so now as a child of God begin each day with some Scripture readings, for that truly is our daily bread that makes for our growth in all aspects of our lives. As well seek fellowship in a Gospel believing and preaching church, for it is there you will find encouragement and support in your new life and faith. As well, and this is important for spiritual growth, get baptized as Jesus Commanded as an indication of your faith in Him and your willingly following Him in discipleship. And so as you now journey homeward always look for opportunities to share your faith and God's love with others; just as you grow up in it. For Spiritual rebirth is not the end of being a disciple of Jesus, it is the beginning. And so spiritual growth comes by God's Spirit as we are led by Him and seek to obey Jesus in all grace and truth, which we do when we love one another. Now if you have any questions or comments feel free to write them in the comment box and I will try to correspond with you. May God bless you richly as you seek to know Him and love Him better.

In Christ's love

Tom

Scripture Quotations
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982,

 

Ecclesiastes 10:8-10

8 He who digs a pit will fall into it,
And whoever breaks through a wall will be bitten by a serpent.
9 He who quarries stones may be hurt by them,
And he who splits wood may be endangered by it.
10 If the ax is dull,
And one does not sharpen the edge,
Then he must use more strength;
But wisdom brings success.

 

Devotional
The devious waste their energies plotting schemes that ultimately only harm themselves.
The hasty don’t consider the dangers of the work they undertake and rush in, to their own harm.
The simple don’t consider how best to accomplish a task and make it more difficult then it should be.

Consider to dig a pit is to set a trap for someone but Scripture warns against such schemes (Ps. 18:26; Prov. 26:27). To break through a wall is likewise self-defeating, since the serpent waits for the crafty. Quarrying stones or splitting of wood is inherently dangerous work. And if the ax is dull the job is simply more difficult and time consuming. Better to prepare before hand then the work will go more smoothly and safely. Therefore by wisdom a person can avoid the pitfalls that only undermine their own efforts and lives.

Scripture Citations

The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982
 

Exodus 5:1-2

1 Afterward Moses and Aaron went in and told Pharaoh, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘Let My people go, that they may hold a feast to Me in the wilderness.’ ”2 And Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord,that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, nor will I let Israel go.”

Devotional

The Authority of Almighty God, of His Name and of His Word in generations past used to be inherently received. And if not believed, at least acknowledged as having indisputable authority to set moral standards that would govern the affairs of mankind. But now in this morally complacent generation, where it seems nothing is off limits, even when God’s Word is boldly and rightly proclaimed, there are those who just shrug their shoulders and go on with whatever they are doing and pursuing. Some act as if they have heard nothing. While others scoff or laugh at Christ's command to repent and believe in Him, and still others drown or shut it out by whatever means possible anything regarding true knowledge of God. And so there is a generation that is increasingly devoid of any reverence for God, nor regard for His Word. Not even the Lord Jesus Christ’s Words that compel all people to be reconciled to God by faith in His Person, and thus become Jesus' disciple by keeping His Word. And so Pharaoh here is a prototypical unbeliever whose life is lived independent of God, and only governed by his own desires. As he says to Moses: “Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, nor will I let Israel go.”

And so like Pharoah there are those in every generation who likewise in hardness of heart say, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice". Which is only a very foolish response to God’s Word and the Lord Jesus Christ's Gospel. For though men and women try to shut God and His Words out of their hearts and lives, God still is God. Who is neither restricted, nor hindered, nor harmed by anyone's disobedience or unbelief. And so it is God's Spirit who convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8-11). For it is He whom we must all give an account of ourselves too. And so we all have two options before us, too either continue on in sin, rebellion and unbelief, which will reap it's own harvest in it's own time (consider Prov 11:31; 26:10). Or to repent of those things and turn to the Lord Jesus Christ in faith, and be made righteous by Him (2 Cor 5:21). For the Lord Jesus gives some very ominous warnings about sin and enticements to it (Matt 18:7). As well as those who refuse to have Him to rule over them (Luke 19:27). Therefore rather than continuing on in that which will only harm you, why not turn to the Lord Jesus Christ in faith and let Him both forgive you and change you. For that is why Jesus was crucified and shed His blood unto death, not only for the remitting of ever sinners sins, who trusts in His death on the cross, to save them from the coming wrath of God (John 3:16). But also by His Resurrection from the dead, Jesus imparts new and everlasting life by His Spirit into all who believe in Him. Now Jesus Christ's own Resurrection from dead is also evidential proof of a universal resurrection from dead, when He will sit on God's Judgment Seat and will judge all people, from every generation. And so as Jesus says people will rise and come forth either to the resurrection of life, or to the resurrection of condemnation (John 5:24-30). And so for those who believe and receive Him there will be everlasting salvation and Joy. But for those do not believe His Words, there will be a very sorrowful end, as Jesus says, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Scripture Citations

The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982

Jeremiah 5:20–25 (NKJV)

Nations and people often suffer all kinds of sorrows, famines and miseries because of their sins and their refusal to repent (consider Psalm 32:10)
20 “Declare this in the house of Jacob And proclaim it in Judah, saying, 21 ‘Hear this now, O foolish people, Without understanding, Who have eyes and see not, And who have ears and hear not: 22 Do you not fear Me?’ says the Lord. ‘Will you not tremble at My presence, Who have placed the sand as the bound of the sea, By a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass beyond it? And though its waves toss to and fro, Yet they cannot prevail; Though they roar, yet they cannot pass over it. 23 But this people has a defiant and rebellious heart; They have revolted and departed. 24 They do not say in their heart, “Let us now fear the Lord our God, Who gives rain, both the former and the latter, in its season. He reserves for us the appointed weeks of the harvest.” 25 Your iniquities have turned these things away, And your sins have withheld good from you.

 

Matthew 8:1-4

1 When He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. 2 And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” 3 Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4 And Jesus said to him, “See that you tell no one; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”
 
Devotional

Notice that Jesus after giving the sermon on the mount has a leper approach Him first. Not a scribe, not a Pharisee, not even a teacher of the Law, but a leper; an unclean person; a person with neither religious or societal pretenses. Quite literally a social outcast; viewed as a person at the very bottom of society, and one whom it was unlawful for any God fearing Jew to approach much less touch, and so this man carried more social stigma's then we can possibly fathom. Nonetheless it is this man whose uncleanness that was so readily apparent to everyone around him, yet it will be he who is the first man to approach Jesus, after Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, too ask the King of all Holiness too make him clean. And so one can imagine that the crowds quickly parted from him as he moved towards Jesus, so as not too touch, or be touched by him. Now notice the leper does two things when He reaches Jesus. First is that he worships Him. And so he is first and foremost reverent towards Jesus. Unlike the scribes and Pharisees who were often subtly, and not so subtly, antagonistic towards Jesus' Person. Coming to Him with many loaded questions, to try to expose a fault with Jesus' Person or His "theology", so as too dismiss Him before all the people. Nor does he assume upon Jesus, as if Jesus is somehow bound to do this for him. Instead in a spirit of contriteness and faith the unclean leper first and foremost worships Jesus. And that is always the right move when one comes before God too acknowledge and glorify Jesus' Person as being whom He says He is. For that is what true faith in God does. And having worshiped Jesus, the leper says: “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” in essence he epitomizes the very attitude which justified in His Sermon on the Mount, when He said: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of God." Matt 5:3
And so with the Leper's humble request, Jesus, think of it for a moment, with great multitudes of people looking on reaches out His hand and touches the leper saying: “I am willing; be cleansed.”
And so in that tender moment, Jesus not only heals the leprous man, but quite deliberately demonstrates God's healing hand which has come to touch and heal all of believing humanity! And so in that moment we see all that God In Christ has come to do; to touch and heal the brokenness in us all. Now one can only imagine the compassion in Jesus' eyes as He looked into the lepers starving eyes, who likely had'nt had a close personal connection with anyone in years. And so it is easy to see the leper's mesmerized stare, as Jesus undettered by the crowd's now shocked faces, reaches out and touches him. And so in that moment when Jesus' hand reaches out and touches him, the cursed affliction, and all the social stigma attached with it is gone. For as with the remitting of our sins, and the saving of our souls, so too the leprosy is immediately cleansed (vs.3). And so that imagery and act of God in Christ reaching out to the lowest of men, publicly, and touching him publicly, to cleanse him of his leprosy (or in our cases our sins) should not be lost on any of us. For that is why Jesus came, not to preach and teach and heal in a "corner". As if only in certain places, and in certain contexts, and with certain people it is appropriate to do so. No Jesus came to publicly preach, teach and evangelize everywhere and to everyone, as He deemed it appropriate to do so, so that He might heal and restore us all who believe in Him here and now, to a right and secure place with Himself in the Kingdom of God.

And so as the Gospel so clearly portrays, Jesus is not ashamed of sinners, nor of "unclean" people (consider Acts 10:15), either publicly or privately, before or after He "touches" them. For His concern for all is genuine.
In fact in the Gospel (and in my own experience) what is also readily apparent is that anyone whom Jesus has truly "touched" will not be ashamed of Him (consider Mark 8:36-9:1). For I'll be ashamed of my own sins, and my own less then Christ-like behavior when I fail to live as I should. Same with this world and all it's shameful lusts, pursuits and values, I'll be ashamed of it and all the evil justified within it. But I am not, nor will I be ashamed of My Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Neither of His Glorious Person nor His Glorious Words. For He by His Person and by His Word has both justified me, as well Jesus is sanctifying me by His Holy Spirit through it. And so I'm thoroughly honored to belong to Him, and be called by Him, to be His public witness and servant, to both the clean and the "unclean," and so to both the "righteous" and sinner alike.
Now in regards to Jesus' publicly touching the leper to heal him. I imagine only the "religious" folk (then and now) would to get their "noses out of joint", when Jesus deliberately crosses whatever barriers that exist to people's reconciliation with God, both then and now (consider Matt 9:9-13). For being led by the Spirit of God means that there will be times when the "letter of the law" falls short of the surpassing glory of Christ and the liberty He purchased for us all at Calvary (2 Cor. 3:5-6, 17). And so Jesus having healed the leper now has a specific purpose for him to fulfill. As Jesus says to him in verse four: “See that you tell no one; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”
That Jesus says to him “See that you tell no one" is not saying to him to keep his faith a secret. For his healing had happened publicly. And so all who had known and saw him before his healing would've immediately recognized the change in him. Therefore Jesus' not wanting him to tell anyone at that time, was as we see in Marks Gospel account not wanting to be overwhelmed by people because of it. For Jesus had a specific purpose for him to fulfill and that was to be Jesus' witness of having healed him to the priests who were ministering at the Temple in Jerusalem. And so Jesus tells the now healed leper to tell no one what has happened, but go and show himself to them and take the offering that Moses commanded for a leper having been cleansed by God, and present himself to them with it (see Lev 14 for the offerings statutes and requirements). Now in Mark's parallel passage it seems the man in his joy and exuberance, having go out of that location, begins to tell the matter everywhere and to everyone (Mark 1:45). And so as happens, the matter quickly spreads everywhere. And soon Jesus is swamped by so many people so as not to be able to enter the city openly anymore. And so Jesus was outside of it, in deserted places, and still they came too Him from every direction.  

And that is a constant not only in the Gospel but also throughout history, that where Jesus is in presence and at work, there soul hungry people want to be. For there is no other who can heal us, or restore us back to God. And that is what we who have had our fill of this world want most desperately; consciously or unconsciously; the peace and serenity and wholeness of person that no other person or thing can ultimately bring in us. If you have never experienced the life and love of Jesus Christ inside you I urge you today be reconciled to God. "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." 2 Cor 5:21

By a simple prayer of faith then, believing that Jesus was crucified to cleanse you of all your sins, and then rose from the dead to bring His life and Spirit within you, you can remission of all your sins and everlasting life. Simply pray something like this: Dear Lord Jesus I know that I am a sinner and that I sinned against You, therefore I need your forgiveness. Therefore I humbly ask that You in all Your grace and goodness come into my soul and life and be my Lord and Savior and make me whole and clean again, I pray this in Your name Lord Jesus, amen.  

 

Scripture Citations
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982