The Pilgrim Path---Matthew 5:3

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

Years ago I was part of Mission Mississippi. Black and White Christians intentionally met, prayed, ate, and worshiped together to demonstrate to all the souls watching: the Gospel of Jesus Christ is actually bigger than race and many of the barriers of the Ole South. Pat Morley (white) came from Florida--- with his Black Evangelist friend Tom Skinner to assist us. We simply "blended" into the Body of Christ. Marvelous lessons learned; tears shed; friendships made that would make an impact for quite sometime...

The county adjacent to mine (in Georgia), would actually have Ku Klux Klan members distribute literature on Sunday afternoon's when I was a boy. The interesting thing was---they did not even cover their faces. You don't forget that type of thing. I grew up seeing race riots on TV---Memphis, Chicago, LA, Detroit, etc.,----All that to say: "Old ways die hard."

You could "try" to "wall-paper" over some of this crud and malice that we come into the world with: indifference, superiority, self-absorption, condemnation, blame, hatred, self-righteousness...But only the God-Man Jesus---has the power to change people from the "inside out" and set them on the Path toward the Kingdom of Heaven. Without yielding to the Living Christ, we will just keep sinking in the same mire.

Poverty of Spirit is the LESSON for the Times:

From Thomas Watson:

---till we are poor in spirit we are not capable of receiving grace

---God must empty a man of himself, before He pours in the wine of His grace!

---till we are poor in spirit, we will see no need of Christ's worth!

---poverty of spirit makes a man little in his own eyes---then a path is made for grace!

---a soul thus made poor in spirit ever complains, "O Lord--I need a broken heart all the time; and a more thankful heart."

---a soul that is poor in spirit is ready to have the Lord Jesus on His terms---always!

"The Lord Jesus calls those blessed, who are poor in spirit. He means humble, and lowly-minded, and self-abased. He means those who are deeply convinced of their own sinfulness in God's sight. These are they who are not "wise in their own eyes and holy in their own sight." They are not "rich and increased in goods." They do not fancy they need nothing. They regard themselves as "wretched , and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked." Blessed are such! Humility is the very first letter in the alphabet of Christianity. We must begin low, if we would build high." J. C. Ryle

"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise." Psalm 51: 17

"Lord, We need a Revival---Let it begin in me." James E. Orr

Grace & Peace in Jesus Christ Our LORD, Pastor Jason