God made us in His own image, so it’s up to us to make the most of our gifts and seek a right relationship with our holy creator.”
                    –John Deacon  (Conn)

       “The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace.”
                    –Romans 8:6 (NIV)
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     Two quick thoughts–one positive, the other a little on the negative side.  The positive–as I have written often, I try to never miss a sunrise.  There is something about a new day, the opportunities that lay within it besides the wondrous artistic work of the Holy Spirit.  There is a freshness, a wonder, and a comfort knowing that God is there with me through each moment of the day.  “Each morning provides an opportunity for renewed spiritual awakenings.  Every believer can come to Christ anew and find His presence refreshing.”  (Philip Comfort)  It is a time to reflect on the love of God for Jeremiah tells us, “Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each day.” (Lamentations 3:23, NLT)
     The negative aspect is that my feeble brain struggles with poetry.  Always did, still does.  Oh I can handle the little Ogden Nash poem, “Fleas,” which states, “Adam, Had ’em,” but so much I really have to focus and concentrate when I read.  Once in a while, however, there is one that I can grasp and this one fits this morning‘s writing.  It was written around 1827 by John Keble.

                Mornin Hymn
New every morning is the love
Our wakening and uprising prove;
Through sleep and darkness safely brought,
Restored to life, and power, and thought.

New mercies, each returning day,
Hover around us while we pray;
New perils past, new sins forgiven,
New thoughts of God, new hopes of heaven.

If, on our daily course, our mind
Be set to hallow all we find,
New treasures still, of countless price,
God will provide for sacrifice.

The trivial round, the common task,
Will furnish all we ought to ask;
Room to deny ourselves, a road
To bring us daily nearer to God.

Only, O Lord, in thy dear love
Fit us for perfect rest above;
And help us this and every day
To live more nearly as we pray.

     To waken each morning is a gift from God, yet do we see it that way?  We should devote and dedicate the day to the Lord and our lives to it.  All should be done to His glory, therefore, we should not dread the so-called mundane chores–those tasks of everyday life–but we can commune with God while carrying out our duties and be a good steward by doing them with excellence.  Dread doing the dishes, thank God that you have them and a sink and water to wash them.  Dread washing clothes, thank God that you have them to wear, and that you have the modern conveniences of cleaning them.  Get the picture?
     Let me close with these poignant words by Philip Comfort.  “As we awake each day, we can decide from the start to live for Christ, refusing to waste the day complaining or living for self-fulfillment.  By turning our heart and mind to Christ, we will not only gain a fresh knowledge of God but also mature in our faith and relationship with Him.”

Whatever you do, tackle it like a man—do a man’s job and don’t be a slacker.”
                    –D.C. Adkisson  (The True and Unbiased Life of Elias Butler)

       “His watchmen are blind, They are all ignorant; They are all dumb dogs, They cannot bark; Sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.”
                    –Isaiah 56:10 (NKJV)
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You’ve worked with them–the person who won’t do his share of work, the one with all kinds of excuses.  I used to hate group work, for there would inevitably be the one who would sponge off the others earning a grade that they didn’t contribute to.  As an administrator there was nothing worse than a lazy teacher…  Today we’ll take a look at Proverbs 10:4-5.

          4 — He who has a slack hand becomes poor, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.
          5 — He who gathers in summer is a wise son; he who sleeps in harvest is a son who causes shame.  (NKJV)

          4 — A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.
          5 — He who gathers in summer is a prudent son, but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who brings shame.  (ESV)

     We see first the idea of sloth or laziness which these versions call “slack.”  The fruits of a lazy person are poverty, and disgrace.  Bob Beasley says, “Sloth therefore becomes not just a material problem, but a moral one as well.”  The term for “slack” is literally “deceitful”; this is the person who “pretends to serve his Master.” (Charles Bridges)  The lazy, the slacker is a deceitful person.  He takes his wages, he signs up to do the work, but puts it off or does a haphazard job.  Beasley writes, “Laziness impoverishes in every way–materially, spiritually, physically, and mentally–and makes us unprepared for the challenges that lie ahead.”  This is a person who is wasting their trust.
     Look at the situation in our country today.  Much of it is due to the slacker, the lazy person who wants a handout rather than earning their keep.  They have the “give me” mentality, in fact, the new mayor of New York has said that the idea of “rugged individualism” must be done away with and we must become a community.  In other words, “give me.”  The theologian of earlier days, Bishop Hall said, “Our idle days are Satan’s busy days.”  Idleness leads to poverty, not just material but moral–see again what is happening in Minnesota.
     Dan Dick brings this idea, “There is nothing to be gained by resting on our laurels.  Hard work and integrity are important values to possess.  If we can learn to be disciplined in our daily work, then we can improve our spiritual discipline as well.  It is pleasing to God when we put forth our best efforts.  When we refuse to do our best, then we are failing to utilize the talents and gifts that God has given to us all.”  Satan wants to stop our work.  See there is great value in work.  We must be diligent–“decisive in all things, one who economises their times and means”. (Andrew Fausett)  We need to be like Nehemiah in our answer, “I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down.  Why should the work cease while I leave it and go down to you?” (6:3, NKJV)  Leave the work, become a slacker, lose the opportunity that God has given us, the training that is ours–that is what happens to the slacker.
     We must not be like the person that Jeremiah describes when he proclaims, “The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved!” (8:20, NKJV)  We realize that we are not saved by works, but because we are saved we are to do works.  J. Vernon McGee says, “Faith and laziness will not mingle.  A lazy Christian is not a Christian with real faith in God.”  Similar to what James tells us, “Thus faith by itself, if it does not have works is dead.  But someone will say, ‘You have faith, and I have works.’  Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” (2:17-18, NKJV)  The Swiss theologian Zollikofer said, “The industrious man lives in the entire true intimate consciousness of himself.  He rejoices in his life, his faculties, his endowments, his time.”  In other words, he fulfills the purpose for which he is placed on earth.  He does not idle away the time.
     Our work for the week helps prepare us properly for the day of rest.  The Sabbath rest is sweeter and more rewarding after a week of diligent work.  Look at this another way, the work of the week–“life”–helps to prepare us properly for the time of rest–“eternity.”  Charles Bridges writes, “The wise gathering in this summer gives substance, vigour, high tone and power of usefulness in after-life!  How often may we trace poverty of mind, enervation of character, unprofitable habits, to sleep in this fruitful harvest!”

The pursuit [of gold and wealth] was a dream—a glittering allurement; the possession incited a lust for more, and that was madness.”
                    –Zane Grey  (The Border Legion)

       “Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’–and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked–“
                    –Revelation 3:17(NKJV)
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“Blessed are the  poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”  –Matthew 5:3 (NASB)
“How happy are the humble-minded, for the kingdom of Heaven is theirs.”  –Matthew 5:3 (Phillips)

One thing that must be observed and is very important when studying the beatitudes is to keep in mind that they are spiritual in nature for the most part.  Do not try to understand them totally in the natural sense.  This will become clear as we look at the first beatitude–the poor in spirit.  John Calvin said, “He only who is reduced to nothing in himself, and relies on the mercy of God, is poor in spirit.”
     The Greek word means absolute and abject poverty.  Does that mean that only the poor are blessed enough to see the kingdom of heaven?  See, it must be seen in the spiritual sense.  This phrase describes the humble and helpless who must put their whole trust in God.  David wrote, “This poor man cried out and the LORD heard him…” (Psalm 34:6, NKJV); it speaks of a man who was brought to the sense of his sins.  This is the gist of the great hymn by John Newton that shows forth this concept:  “Amazing grace…that saved a wretch like me…”  That person was poor in spirit.
     That is one reason why Jesus said that it would be hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.  He has trouble being low, for what does he need?  But it is not impossible, for a rich person can recognize his great need of a Savior because of his sin.  Then he has become poor in spirit.  Light is shown on this by William Barclay, “Blessed is the man who is abjectly and completely poverty-stricken.  Blessed is the man who is absolutely destitute.”  He is not speaking of the homeless that we see on the street.  He is not speaking of the down and out who have nothing to call their own.  This is the man that is described in Psalm 51:17, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart–these, O God, You will not despise.” (NKJV)  This is the tax collector of Luke 18:13, “And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!'” (NKJV)  These individuals are poor in spirit.
     The theologian D.A. Carson says, “To be poor in spirit is not to lack courage but to acknowledge spiritual bankruptcy.  It confesses one’s unworthiness before God and utter dependence on Him.”  William Barclay adds to this, “The man who is poor in spirit is the man who has realised that things mean nothing, and that God means everything.  A very literal translation would be blessed is the man who has realized his own utter helplessness, and who has put his whole trust in God.  He is completely detached from things, and therefore, he is completely attached to God.
     We often quote Philippians 4:19 in the comfort of our living room, “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (NKJV)  Notice that it is singular.  What is our need?  Jesus Christ!  Everything else is secondary.  When we study this verse it is good that we take time to inventory our lives, look at our priorities and adjust them if necessary.  “To be poor in spirit is to realize that I have nothing, am nothing, and can do nothing, and have need of all things.” (Arthur Pink)  That is hard for us to say or to realize.  We can use that little plastic card, or now use the phone to get what we think we need.  Remember, poor in spirit is not natural for it means health and strength in God.  The opposite of which is haughty, self-assertive, and self-sufficient.  “Poverty of spirit is evident in a person when he is brought into the dust before God to acknowledge his utter helplessness.” (Pink)  
     “Amazing grace…that saved a wretch like me…”  This is the poor in spirit; this is the person who receives grace.  Thomas Watson said, “A man never comes to himself until he comes out of himself.”  This week, look at your heart.  Where is your wealth?  Where do you put your trust?  Can you add a single day or hour to your life?  Compare your prayer to that of the tax collector and that of the Pharisee (Luke 18:9-14).