To a CPA gentleman! I said: Do you know a man has how many lives? He did not know!
Do you know what blessed are the poor in spirit mean in Matt.5:3
He looked up his Bible very fast and read!
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
I asked him: What does poor in spirit mean?
He said: I think it is about God is spirit and the Holy Spirit!
I said: Please do not think, read what Bible says! Let God think for you!
A. If we practice “I think” these will happen! Matt.7:22-23
1. Jesus said: Many will say to me: Lord, Lord, did we not preach in thy name?
And in thy name cast out demons and do many mighty works?
2. Jesus said: I will tell them plainly: I never knew you, depart from me, you evildoers!
B. Here were the I think, you think and Jesus think! Jn.4:19-25
1. The Samaritan woman said to Jesus: Sir, I can see that you are a prophet. Jn.4:19
2. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain. Jn.4:20
3. You Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem. Jn.4:20
4. Jesus declares: Believe me, woman, a time is coming
when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. Jn.4:21
5. A time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit
And in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. Jn.4:23
6. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth. Jn.4:24
7. The woman said: I know Christ is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us. 4:25
8. Jesus declared: I who speak to you am he. Jn.4:26
9. Jesus declared: They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men. Mk.7:7
C. This modern “I think” teaching take soul to hell with them!
1. The NIV Bible had 115 Bible scholars think together in 10 years!
2. They came up the way to change the having believed into had believed! Jn.8:31
3. They think to say the having believed Jews want to kill Jesus does not make sense! Jn.8:37,40.
4. They think it does not make sense to say having believed Jews belong to Satan. Jn.8:44
5. How can Jesus say to the having believed Jews do not believe him? Jn.8:45
6. How can having believed Jews picked up stones to stone Jesus! Jn.8:59
7. Thus they practiced the "I think”! They changed having believed into had believed!
8. They think they had solved the problem by changing the original text!
D. Now read the Bible and let God guide us to think!
1. God will guide you to Matt.16:13-18!
You will know the having believed Jews believed Jesus as a prophet!
2. Then God will guide you to Matt.23:37!
You will know, that was their usual way to treat a prophet at the time!
3. Otherwise, how do you think, by myself, an un-known Chinese man can discover these?
E. I told him English educated people cannot know what “poor in spirit” mean!
1. I found this one in Chinese translation!
2. Yes, the Chinese translation is closer! They translated as “destitute in the heart”!
3. Yes, it is destitute in the soul! It is the soul is hungry for divine knowledge!
Like new born baby crave for pure spiritual milk! 1 Peter 2:2
4. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matt.5:3
It is blessed are the destitute in soul, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven!
The original text contains also strong desires to be fed with divine knowledge!
5. Now we have the original meaning of Matt.5:3!
The soul is destitute in Bible knowledge craved to have it! For theirs is the kingdom of heaven!
More scriptures for reference! Gen.1:37, 2:7, Ecc.12:7, Eze.18:20, Matt.5:6, Lk.16:22-23, 23:43, Ro.3:23, 7:18, 1 Cor.2:10-16, Gal.1:6-12, 5:19-21, 6:8, 1Jn.3:7.
May the Lord bless you and keep you always! Written October 12, 2018.