Daditude Attitude Update #1:  Begin at the Bottom each Day

“You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.” Matthew 5:3 (The Message)

“God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.” Matthew 5:3 (NLT)

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”  Matthew 5:3

Jesus begins by dropping a hard dose of realty truth on us.  Simply, the sooner we realize we aren’t “all that and a bag of chips” the sooner our attitude will begin to change for the better. He does not say you should be poor to be blessed.  He said to be “poor in spirit” as opposed to the normal human attitude of entitlement, privilege, deserving, and self-determination that says I can and will chart the course of my life in my own way, which is rich, rich in spirit.

He is talking about how we view ourselves. Pride, hubris and arrogance will cause us to fall flat on our face sooner or later. I was doing extremely well in high school football and my dad reminded me “Son, there will always be someone stronger and faster than you.” I finally met them when I began playing college ball and they tossed me around like a child’s rag doll! I fought back with anabolic steroids, a shortcut that gave me amazing gains really quick, lots of success, but I didn’t realize the damage it was causing my body. I gained so much muscle mass that it frayed my ligaments around my knees. It weakened them to the place where I tore all of them in my left knee in one game so damaging it that it effectively ended my football career. Pride comes before a fall (See Proverbs 11:2, 13:10, 16:10).

Jesus does not mean we are to be poor, although there is nothing wrong with being poor. Poor in spirit, means that you are powerless to change your life or others’ lives without Jesus’ help. God expects us to work hard, but we are incapable of changing our wrong internal desires or the wrong desires of others. Poor in spirit also means we have nothing of real value to offer God. Many go through life doing good deeds and living a good life (which is great) but they believe this is going to help their standing with God. God actually says the opposite (see Ephesians 2:8-10, Romans 3:10). We are not righteous enough and have nothing of value to offer God in exchange for salvation, eternal life, forgiveness or Heaven. Compare your life to Jesus’ perfect, sinless life. He is the gold standard and said if we want to get to Heaven on our own, then “be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect.” (See Matthew 5:48). Poor in spirit also means that we are not wise enough to direct our own lives. Do you have any regrets? I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have a book full of regrets. We need God’s wisdom and direction because we are not all knowing and He wants us to come to Him for direction (See James 1:5-8, Psalm 23).

Jesus went on to explain it like this when He said “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5 (ESV)  What?! I can do all kinds of things and you can to, but none of them will be of any eternal value and lasting fruitfulness without Jesus helping us and working through us.  Simply, poor in spirit means that your realize you are nothing, have nothing, and can do nothing apart from the Spirit of Christ helping you, changing, you and working through you.

Receive God’s Promise when we humble ourselves before Him.

^“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”  James 1:17

The good news is His promise to us is that The Kingdom of Heaven is our possession when we have the right attitude! With the correct attitude of humility, everything God has in His Kingdom becomes available to us. Strength, power, resources, new friends, new family, forgiveness, healing of our brokenness, and even righteousness.

Make the Daditude Impact Point with your family:  As dads, our kids need to see us humble, not making a pride filled fool out of ourselves. They need to see us rely upon God for help, strength, direction, and be thankful for the things He has provided for us. They need to see us needing God, connecting with God, and giving thanks to God for how he led us and provided for us. Why? God wants us to model this relationship for them, so they will learn to rely upon Him. They will need Him one day as bad as we need Him. We can point them to Him by simply being like this. Express your need of God to Him daily and expect God’s amazing provision from His vast Kingdom!

“Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves,.. ” Romans 12:3 (NLT)

“Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.” Philippians 2:3 (NLT)

A Prayer to help us be better dads

Dear Jesus,

My pride so fills me and controls me at times.  It keeps me from you, separates me from others and doesn’t allow me to experience the Blessed Happy Life in you.

I get a bad attitude, rush, hurry, and don’t wait on You. I seek to force my own way at times.

Lord, I am powerless without Your help Jesus. Forgive me when I choose to walk in the “wealth” of my understanding instead of the great richness of Your wisdom.  I am poor because I don’t have the wisdom I need, nor the power I need. I am powerless from the control of the flesh, and the slavery of sin without You.  I am powerless to prevent Satan and his demonic army from attacking, destroying my life, and the lives of my family.  But You Oh Lord are all powerful!  Lord, I am powerless to change any person’s life, but You are able with just a Word to forever and radically change the horrible to the holy. Unless I have the Kingdom of God’s help then I fail to be a good dad, help others, serve, do the work you have called me, and be the man you want me to become. I am leading others the wrong way when I don’t follow you.  I am spiritually bankrupt without You. Thank You that You make me a child of yours when I place my faith in You.

Father, I receive your promise when I humble myself before You!

 But now God, I believe Your Word!  I stand on Your promises and by Your grace, I humble myself under Your mighty hand, and I receive the promise of all I need to accomplish everything You have given me.  I receive Your help, provision, resources, and Holy Spirit empowering by faith. I believe Your promises!

I have power over sin because You have given me this power in the name of Jesus! I have power over the desires of the flesh because you have given me a new nature in Christ.

You give me power to escape temptation because you provide a way out for me.  I have everything I need to serve You today because you have or will provide everything I need. That is Your promise!  My faith is in You!

Thank you in advance for providing!   My heart overflows with the joy of the Lord.

In Jesus’ name

Amen

Bill Stevens

(c) 2019 Bill Stevens, Loveland, CO. No copy or reproduction of this without express written permission from the author.