Daily Devotional
We Are Spiritually Bankrupt Before God
“And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. Then He opened His mouth and taught them…”
Matthew 5:1-2
October 1, 2020
Ponder This
Whatever your circumstances, Jesus’ teaching in chapters 5-7 of Matthew tells you how you can go from spiritual rags to spiritual riches. We call it the “Sermon on the Mount.” It begins with the Beatitudes. He’s talking about how to live from the inside out –– how to be saved, satisfied, and sanctified, how to enter the kingdom, enjoy the kingdom, and express the kingdom to the world.
That’s what serious followers of Jesus want. But it won’t happen without inward change. If all we have are those outer trappings the world thinks are so important, we’re spiritually bankrupt. So, what do we do? A good place to start is what Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount.
- “Blessed are the poor in Spirit…” We are spiritually bankrupt before a holy God. Give up any idea of self-reliance. Rely completely on Him.
- “Blessed are those who mourn…” Come with broken-hearted repentance.
- “Blessed are the meek…” Surrender control of your life. Give it to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
- “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness…” Jesus Christ is our righteousness. Desire Him above all else.
- “Blessed are the merciful…” Let His love flow through you to others.
Practice This
The Christian life is a marathon, not a sprint. These five “blesseds” are the basics. Each one of these Beatitudes is an action for you, as a believer, to do. The time to begin is now.
FOR YOUR GIFT TO THE MINISTRY
Front Porch Moments by Gayle Foster
WITH KEY INSIGHTS FROM HER FATHER, ADRIAN ROGERS
I try to unplug each morning with Jesus with just my rocking chair, my Bible, and a pen.
Having a secret place is very important because I know that Jesus is always there waiting for me. I know where I can find Him! His presence is everywhere, but there are places where it is so thick you can cut it with a knife. You may not even have a front porch, but there is a secret place for you as well. God’s invitations are for anyone who will respond. There is no more important request than the one found in Psalm 27:8: “My heart has heard You say, ‘Come and talk with Me.’ And my heart responds, ‘Lord, I am coming.’”
