The amplified New Testament reads, 'spiritually prosperous are the poor in spirit, the humble who rate themselves insignificant, for their's is the kingdom of heaven.'
This contradicts the spirit of the world, where wealth, influence and success - not brokenness or destitution - qualify for God's richest blessing. Let's examine the scriptures to see God's standard for enrichment.

David wrote in Psalm1, 'Prosperous is the man who walks and lives not in the counsel of the ungodly, following their advice, plans and purposes, nor stands in the path where sinners stand, nor sits down to relax and rest where the scornful and mockers gather. '(1:1) God's blessedness relates to the one, 'Who delights and desires the law of the Lord. A special member of our family received a scholarship to an exclusive college in our city. While dux of her classes, she deplores the affluence of their designer clothes and the reckless unlimited spending, when they offer little sacrifice for needy children. One is blessed, though saddened for others.

David further wrote on this great truth in Psalm 32, 'Blessed is the man whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.' He added, 'Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity and in whose spirit there is no guile' or trickery. Please notice these are the lowly, who plead forgiveness with the Lord and discover HE has covered their sin with His atoning blood, and has not calculated evil to his eternal account. We greatly value this delightful state.

Our Lord's ordination address at Nazareth quoted, 'The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor, He has sent Me to heal the broken-hearted to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to those who are bound.' This ties in with the Lord in His beatitudes; He preaches an enriching message to the poor or broken in spirit. The materialist or self-sufficient cannot receive the riches the Lord longs to pour into their lives. Their heart attitude disqualifies them from this blessing.

Our Lord Jesus was specially concerned for those broken-hearted, and oppressed, because the word of God penetrates such lives more deeply, who have been heartbroken. How can 100 million believers turn to Christ in the Communistic nation of China? They have been persecuted; tortured, deprived of family support and comfort, yet have been healed of their broken hearts. Of course, God has worked a divine miracle; it is also an eternal law.

When 'A certain woman in the crowd raised her voice, saying to Him, 'Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts that nursed you; our Lord gently rebuked her, 'Instead of that, blessed are those who hear the Word of God and keep it.' The Lord longs for us to open His Word daily, humbly and brokenly digesting its precious contents. We are not self-sufficient before the living word; nor over-confident, rather seeking blessing with a broken, yearning spirit,
Our Lord illustrated this in the sweet innocence and simplicity of little children. 'When they brought little children to the Lord, that He might touch them, His disciples rebuked those who brought them,' which was totally unacceptable to our Lord. 'When Jesus saw it, He was displeased and said to them,'Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them, for of such is the kingdom of heaven. He continued, 'Assuredly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, will by no means enter it.' (Mark 10:13) This agrees with the blessedness of the poor in spirit, for little children are dependent, lowly and seeking help from their parents.' So, we see the kingdom of God in a new light.

A little child values learning and teaching from a parent or grandparent. When we open our hearts to receive His precious truth like little children, kingdom blessing flows into our lives. When pride blocks our reception of heavenly values, our Christian life shrivels and sadly the wells of His grace run dry.
What a profound prayer; 'Gentle Jesus, meek and mild. Look upon a little child. Pity my simplicity; Suffer me to come to Thee.'

James, the half-brother of our Lord Jesus, confirms this truth, when he said, 'Listen, my beloved brethren: has not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which He has promised to them who love Him.'
(James 2:5) So, the lowly and afflicted in this world strangely qualify for the riches that our faith brings to us. Some national evangelists serve Christ on a pittance.

Many of the farmers in our dry state are lowly and dependent on the Lord's rain and seasonal provision. A dear friend had a series of dry years, when his son was preparing for University. He cried out to the Lord, and his son received a scholarship which took him through his primary degree, honours and doctoral research: his own resources were exhausted. Truly, 'their's is the kingdom of heaven': for the Lord blessed the father's faithful preaching and missionary prayer even to hoar hair; while his son served the Lord in a disadvantaged nation.

Trite sayings or correct titles cannot admit us to the kingdom of heaven; for the Lord Jesus said, 'Not every one who says to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.' (Matthew 7:21) The humble, lowly and the destitute delight to do the Father's will.

Material prosperity cannot forge an entrance into heaven itself. Only spiritual prosperity shown in brokenness can do so. Christ said, 'Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich Man to enter the kingdom of heaven.' 'It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.
Just as a camel must unload its total burden and scramble through on its knees, so must the child of the king humbly brokenly bow before his Lord.

TRULY SPIRITUALLY PROSPEROUS ARE THE LOWLY AND DESTITUTE.
THEIR'S IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. Are you blessed?