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In Matthew 5 through 7 Jesus gives the Sermon on the Mount. He began his sermon with words that seem to contradict each other. But God’s way of living usually contradicts the world’s. If you want to live for God, you must be ready to say and do what seems strange to the world. You must be willing to give when others take, to love when others hate, to help when others abuse. By giving up your own rights in order to serve.--- Life Application Study Bible notesWhat does it mean to be poor of spirit? Since there is not a capital “s” in spirit, Jesus is not talking about the Holy Spirit. Jesus is talking about our spirit. If you replaced “poor” with “empty” it might help make more sense. To be poor of spirit means not full of your spirit or full of yourself. To be poor at spirit means to empty yourself of “self”so you can be filled with the Holy Spirit. PRAYERDear Lord, Keep me from pride but grant me a heart that is humble in spirit.Remind me “apart from You, we can do nothing” for every moment of my life.Help me to walk by faith in Christ not to live with self-sufficiency.Allow me to embrace my full dependence on You.Lead me to the life that is not self-focused but the life that pleases You now and always.In Jesus’ name,Amen