Matthew 5:3~Blessed are the Poor in Spirit...for there's is the Kingdom of Heaven.                   Isaiah 53:19...Who has believed~tender shoot...suffering servant;                                            Romans 8:29...Predestined~forknown...conform to the Image of Jesus.                                Phillippians 2:6-8 Who being the very nature of God.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Jesus left the Glory of God and became a man to serve as an incredible example to us.                       "Who being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross" (Philippians 2:6-8 NKJV).                                                                                                                        By humbling Himself even to the point of death, Jesus left an example of humility that we should strive to recognize in ourselves. The first step we make in being conformed to His likeness is to be poor in spirit. It requires that we humble ourselves in obedience, realizing that nothing is inheritably good about us, and therefore we can do nothing to earn our salvation.                                   If we cannot admit that we are lost without God's saving grace, then we will never be able to humble ourselves enough to allow Jesus to wash cleanse us from sin.                                                     "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart-These, O God, You will not despise" (Psalm 51:17).                                                                                                                              To be poor in Spirit requires a humble and penitent heart toward God, a heart that beats with a desire to submit to His will and to be obedient even to the point of death. Only this kind of heart can inherit the kingdom of heaven.  "For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: 'I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones' " (Isaiah 57:15).                   In the heart-rending parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32), God is pictured as a father who watches and "runs" to receive the brokenhearted. "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds" (Psalms 147:3).                                                                                                                                During, His first sermon in Nazareth recorded in Luke 4, Jesus opened the book of Isaiah. He read the prophecy about the anointed one of God who came to heal the brokenhearted (vv. 16-22; Isaiah 61: 1-2). Beloved, we are among those brokenhearted ones.                                                            Broken things are considered worthless in our culture. Many times we throw them away and buy others. But God's ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are not our thoughts. God does not throw away the broken heart.                                                                                                                               God requires a heart that is broken.                                                                                                          The broken heart leads us to humility, which leads in turn to being lifted up by God. This is not something we can ever do for ourselves. The world may reach for pride and glory in accomplishments, in wealth in possessions or in power. But God is not interested in these things.           Those who are poor in spirit are ready to inherit the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, all who commit to the revolution of conforming to the image of Christ will have first acknowledge their poverty in spirit.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        STUDY    QUESTIONS                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    1.  List some of the things that Christ gave up when he enters the Earth as a man  (John 17:5)                                                                                                                                                                                 2. Describe the Man of sorrows depicted in (Isaiah 53:3).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          3.  What has Jesus born and carried (Isaiah 53:4)?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    4.  Why was Jesus wounded, and how are we healed (Isaiah 53:5)?                                                                                                                                                                                                                        5.  Upon whom was laid the iniquity of us all (Isaiah 53:6)?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      6.  Who will the righteous Servant justify (Isaiah 53:11)? How will He do this (Romans 3:24; 5:9:          Galatians 2:16)?                                                                                                                                  7.   Who makes intercession for the transgressors (Isaiah 53:12)?                                                                                                                                                                                                                              8.  What will God do for those who humble themselves in his sight? (1 Peter 5:6)?                                                                                                                                                                                              9.  Is there anything we can do to earn our salvation? Whom must we trust to bear our sins and transgressions Isaiah wrote about (John 14:6).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       10. How does reading about the suffering of Christ make you feel? Does it help to creat in you the "poor spirit" attitude God is looking for?