 |
|
Vol. 11 No. 6 June 2009 |
Page 5 |
|
|
Vol. 11 No. 6 June 2009 |
Page 5 |
Mark McWhorter
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3). Some people are poor even though they work. They may not make very much, but they live on what they can earn. These people just barely make enough on which to live. They are needy, but they do not necessarily ask for anything else.
Other people may not be able to work or cannot find any work that they are able to perform. These people are extremely poor and needy. They are completely destitute and must ask for help. In many instances, they are at the point of begging for assistance. There is nothing they can do, and they must ask others for what they need.
The word for “poor” in the verse above is the word that was used for those that can do nothing to obtain what they need but ask others. Those that will inherit heaven are those who realize that they have no inherited righteousness. They know that it is only through the grace of God that there is even a hope for heaven. They know that it is only by accepting and obeying the Gospel that they can obtain heaven. They know that it is only by having a beggar’s heart that they can obtain the mercy of God.
Study your Bible. Learn about God’s grace and mercy. Learn what you must do to obey God. Then have the beggar’s heart and work the work’s of righteousness. If any of this is hard to understand, ask an adult to help you.
Mark McWhorter
Can you think of something that makes you very happy? Think of something that would not just make you happy, but would make you very happy. This would make you jump up and down with joy.
There are things we learn from the Bible that give us that kind of joy and happiness. Peter talks about this in his first letter. Peter says that we have hope through the resurrection of Jesus (1:4). Jesus rose from the dead, and thus, He gives us the great hope of living with him in Heaven.
We have that hope only because of abundant mercy (1:3). Without the mercy of God, there is no hope. The home in heaven is our inheritance for proper obedience (1:4). That home will not fade away, nor will it be corrupted by anything (1:4).
It is because of these things that we can greatly rejoice (1:6). We also greatly rejoice because we will see Jesus when he comes again (1:8 – same Greek word as in verse 6).
John saw this same type of great rejoicing in Heaven regarding Jesus and the church (Revelation 19:7-8). If those in heaven are so joyful about these things, then we should be as well.
Study your Bible. Learn what is necessary to obtain the mercy of God and have an inheritance in heaven, so that you can live with Jesus eternally there. Learn what is necessary to have great rejoicing. If any of this is hard to understand, ask an adult to help you.