If you aren't, then He also has really good news for you.
Ya gotta check it out. The person speaking these words (below) in Isaiah 61 is Jesus Christ—this was seven hundred years before He was even born.
"The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, for the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed. He has sent me to tell those who mourn that the time of the LORD’s favor has come, and with it, the day of God’s anger against their enemies." —Isaiah 61:1–2
It's simply a prophecy about the Messiah. The speaker says, “The Lord has anointed me” (nlt), and the term Messiah means “anointed one.”
Seven hundred years later, some people inside a synagogue in Nazareth were treated to a reading of these very same words by the original author of them. Did that audience realize it at that time? No. It sure made them wonder about those words.
Luke explains that post-water-baptism and after Jesus was tempted by the devil, Christ returned to this familiar town of Nazareth. That's the location where Jesus actually grew up. He had a custom at the time, so He went to the synagogue to read Scripture and teach.
Jesus read Isaiah 61:1–2. And then check it out: “He rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the attendant, and sat down. All eyes in the synagogue looked at him intently. Then he began to speak to them. ‘The Scripture you’ve just heard has been fulfilled this very day!’” (Luke 4:20–21 nlt).
Whaaat did he mean by that!? He was basically saying: I am the Messiah you've been waiting for!
The synagogue crowd got it like you get it. No need for a translator with that. And as far as the Jews were concerned, anyone who claimed to be the Messiah was guess what?.. they were guilty of blasphemy. So they pushed and rushed Him like thugs out of that synagogue and toward the edge of the hill on which the city was built. They intended to chuck him off in order to kill this man, or at least seriously harm Him for life.
It didn't happen, because it just wasn’t God the Father’s plan for His sinless Son, so Jesus simply walked. He slipped away, continuing His ministry of sound truth—the work of the Messiah.
You know how Jesus' earthly ministry lasted approximately three and a half years before He was murdered. This is based on the four Gospel accounts, which mention three Passovers, suggesting a ministry of at least three years, with the fourth Passover marking his crucifixion. Throughout Christ's entire ministry here, He fulfilled that very prophecy of Isaiah 61. So glad He did!
When his busy cousin John the Baptizer dispatched some of the JB-disciples to go ask Jesus if he was the Messiah, “Jesus told them, ‘Go back to John and tell him what you have heard and seen—the blind see, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor’” (Matthew 11:4–5 nlt). To who?
The spiritually poor, even that dead-inside tax collector who normally stood at a distance, beating his chest and praying, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner” (Luke 18:13) could indeed be forgiven!
Sure, Jesus taught that the tax collector sinner, who humbly acknowledges his state fo spiritual poverty, could go home completely justified before God.
How wonderful if, like me, you are a needy sinner!
Turn away for your sin to Him. Invite Jesus to live on the inside as Savior and Lord.
But what's it mean.. being poor in spirit?
It's about recognizing one’s need for God’s mercy and salvation. The proud folk, who believe they do not need God’s grace, are very much spiritually impoverished without even realizing it (see Revelation 3:17).
Many poor people tend to be open to hearing the truth about God. Many rich people tend to think, "Hey, I've got other options to deal with these needs." Those who are poor in spirit are open to receiving the gospel message because they know how needy they really are. They know they cannot save themselves. Most people who come to Christ on His terms (instead of on their own terms) have suffered some and they've had a glimpse of their great need for God.
It was n Luke 4:18, we see Jesus beginning to proclaim the good news to the poor. That was a super great time!
For the rest of Jesus' earthly ministry here, He addressed those who saw things as they really were inside -- they recognized their sin and deep need for God’s forgiveness.
So Jesus’ message was received by those who were humble, honestly repentant, and acutely aware of their spiritual bankruptcy before the Father (God). They had “ears to hear” (Mark 4:9).
Q: Do you have ears to hear His words?
The good news is that God’s kingdom is open to all kinds of folk like you and me, offering us free forgiveness of sin, abundant life, regeneration, and eternal life (unending even though our physical bodies die). How good is that! You can be a new creature in Christ and have a new beginning!
The Bible states: "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." 2 Corinthians 5:17 kjv
It really doesn't matter your color or background -- it never did! Jesus loves you and has a good plan if you are willing to receive His indescribable gift! God, I need you. Please forgive me and come inside right now. Rule without rival in Jesus' name. Amen.
By prayer, just take hold of Him! You can come on His terms today -- even now!
Do you consider yourself poor today? Jesus identified closely with all kinds of people in need.
He wants you! He want us to follow Him, His teachings, to love people like He loves, and to do like He did.
Go to Him, pray and get to know Him well so you can make Him well known. Go do the same as He did.
He became one of us -- Jesus entered our world to relate to us where we're at, and to save us.
"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” Luke 19:10 niv
What did Matthew say on this (see 25:34–40)?: “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’ “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’” (nlt).
It's for the poor, it's for the rich, it's for you. God is for you! The good news is that our sins are laid on Christ when we believe, and that his righteousness is then laid on us, and that this great exchange becomes ours not by any good works done on our part, but by simple faith in Jesus alone.
“By grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” Ephesians 2:8–9.
It's by Grace alone (Sola Gratia)
Through Faith alone (Sola Fide)
In Christ alone (Solus Christus)
According to Scripture alone (Sola Scriptura)
For God’s Glory alone (Soli Deo Gloria)
“But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for the just shall live by faith.” Galatians 3:11
That's why the Apostle said, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed." Romans 1:16–17
Small is gate and narrow is the way into eternal life. Jesus is the only way in. That's not merely my opinion. That's based on a much higher authority.
Some Are Rich In Faith, Even Though Fairly Poor In Material Resources. God Has A Good Plan For Them!
The Glory of God in the Lives of the Humble Really Makes A Difference!
The worldly folk bows to wealth (so many do), but in heaven God crowns the meek, humble and obedient. See James 2:5 which declares that God has “chosen the poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom.” This is not mere sentiment—it is divine reality. The Kingdom of God is not for sale. It is inherited through love, accessed by faith, and stewarded by grace.
Read That True Story About The Widow And the Wealth of Heaven
Consider the humble widow in Luke 21:1–4. She dropped two tiny coins into the offering—worth almost nothing by man’s reckoning. But Jesus, watching her heart more than her hand, said she gave more than all the rich. Why? Because she gave her all. She didn’t have wealth, but she had worship. She wasn’t rich in gold, but rich in God.
The 18th-century preacher John Wesley once noted: “Earn all you can, give all you can, save all you can.” But his greatest emphasis was always on generosity that flowed from a heart tethered to heaven—not to a bank account.
Heaven’s Scales Weigh Differently
Horace, the Roman poet, said, “He who is content is rich.” But Scripture goes further: he who is in Christ is rich beyond imagination. Faith is the currency of heaven—and unlike the dollar, it never inflates or collapses. In fact, the Bank of Heaven deals in trust, not transaction. Hebrews 11 lists God’s wealthiest: people who wandered, suffered, lacked earthly stability—but possessed a promise that made them bold.
They could sing, like Helen Lemmel, who wrote in her blindness:
“Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.”
Dwight L. Moody once observed, “The measure of a man is not how many servants he has, but how many men he serves.” Even billionaire John D. Rockefeller admitted, “I have made many millions, but they have brought me no happiness. The poorest man I know is the man who has nothing but money.”
True wealth doesn’t lie in portfolios but in purpose. And when your purpose is to glorify Christ, you walk with the confidence of someone seated in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6).
Walking in the Spirit by Faith, Not in Status or By Sight.
The righteous walk not by prestige but by the Spirit. They are the ones who, like Paul, “have nothing, and yet possess everything” (2 Corinthians 6:10). Why? Because the presence of Christ satisfies what money never can.
John Bunyan, jailed for preaching the gospel, said: “I will stay in prison till the moss grows on my eyelids rather than disobey God.” What kind of man says that? A man rich in faith. A man whose eyes are fixed on eternity.
Eternity’s Inheritance Awaits Believers!
Imagine standing before Christ someday, not with stocks, assets, or applause—but with hands worn from service and knees calloused from prayer. And hearing Him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.. enter into the joy of your Lord” (Matthew 25:21). That is true inheritance. That is the Kingdom.
Until that day, cling to the cross, carry your faith, and count your riches in Christ. You may not have gold in your pocket—but if you have grace in your heart, you’re already walking streets of gold in your soul.
“I'd rather have Jesus than silver or gold,
I'd rather be His than have riches untold..”
—Rhea F. Miller
If you can't be in your current circumstances, you can be encouraged in the Lord.
Christian, if you feel overlooked or under-resourced, remember: God sees, God chooses, and God rewards. The world values treasure. God values trust. Let your life preach that faith is worth more than fortune, and that being rich in Christ makes you poor in nothing.
As Corrie ten Boom once said: “You can never learn that Christ is all you need, until Christ is all you have.”
And when He is all you have—you’ll find He is more than enough. He's all you really need. He rightly meets every need spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically.
- Old Testament:
- Adam and Eve: Sadly introduced sin into the world through their disobedience to God. After Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, this couple learned the consequence of their disobedience to God. Sin would ultimately bring death to humankind, along with the loss of innocence and a sense of guilt. Realizing they were in a fallen condition, now naked and ashamed (see Genesis 2:25), they themselves tried to hide from the Lord and cover their shame with clothing made of fig leaves (See Genesis 3:7). But God did not accept these garments crafted of their own ingenuity: “The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them” (Genesis 3:21). Blood needed to be shed. By faith, they were pointing ahead in time to the Cross of Christ, where our sins were paid in full. We today, point back in time to the Cross and restriction!
- Abel: His sacrifice was accepted by God, implying righteousness.
- Noah: Was found righteous in his generation and was chosen by God to survive the Great Flood.
- Abraham: His faith was credited to him as righteousness, according to Galatians 3:6.
- Lot: A carnal believer? He's described as righteous by the apostle Peter.
- Job: Described as blameless and upright, fearing God and shunning evil.
- Daniel: Called "a man greatly beloved" by God.
- Enoch: Walked faithfully with God and was taken by God without experiencing death.
- Joseph: (Son of Jacob) Displayed wisdom, integrity, and faithfulness even in difficult circumstances.
- Moses: Known for his meekness, his humility and leading the Israelites out of The bondage of Egypt. In the Bible, Egypt is a type of the world that God called us out of. We are to be in the world but not of it.
- Joshua: Faithfully led the Israelites in conquering the Promised Land.
- David the King: Described as a man after God's own heart, despite his flaws.
- Samuel: A prophet and judge who anointed Saul and David as kings.
- Elijah: A prophet who courageously confronted idolatry in Israel.
- Elisha: Elijah's successor, known for powerful miracles.
- New Testament:
- Zacharias and Elisabeth: Parents of John the Baptizer, described as righteous before God.
- Joseph: (the husband of Mary, 2 sinners who believed) Called a righteous man.
- John the Baptizer: Recognized as a righteous man.
- Cornelius: Described as a righteous and God-fearing man.
- Joseph of Arimathea: A rich man and secret disciple of Jesus, described as righteous. (And others)
- Old Testament:
- Cain: Murdered his brother Abel.
- Many of the generation destroyed by the flood: Demonstrated wickedness and corruption.
- Sodom and Gomorrah's inhabitants a few got out God like Lot: Known for their wickedness and ungodliness.
- Pharaoh: Oppressed the Israelites and refused to let them go.
- Many kings of Israel and Judah: Led their people into idolatry and disobedience.
- Gomer: The unfaithful wife of the prophet Hosea.
- Delilah: Betrayed Samson for money.
- Jezebel: An idolatrous queen who persecuted prophets of God.
- Potiphar and His Perverse and Lustful Wife: She was a liar who blamed him after she was rejected. Falsely accused Joseph. Of hitting on her cuz he he wouldn't lay with her sexually.
- King Manasseh: One of Judah's most wicked kings.
- New Testament:
- Herod Antipas: Imprisoned and beheaded John the Baptist.
- Herodias: Instigated John the Baptizer's death.
- Judas Iscariot: Betrayed Jesus.
- Ananias and Sapphira: Not really sure about these two, but they lied to the Holy Spirit and died as a result.
- Many of the Pharisees and religious leaders: Jesus criticized their hypocrisy and legalism.
- Each of us humans have sinned DUH.. really need the Savior more than any other need that we have. We've been born into sin due to the disobedient decisions of Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden. Each huma being here has a fallen nature and needs God's free forgiveness along with a new nature inside: The Bible emphasizes that all humans are born into sin and are inherently unrighteous in God's eyes. We weren't born right the first time and that's why we need to be born again.
- God's Grace and Righteousness cones through Faith plus nothing added to it: It's a free gift. Get one must receive and that calls for a decision. It is given because of Christ's cross at Calvary, his death and physical Resurrection; we each can come to know the Father through him. (Read John chapter 3). Yes, the Bible also offers hope and highlights the possibility of inner regeneration / salvation and righteousness through faith in God and Holy Spirit's redemptive work of Jesus Christ in the believer.
- Ruth: A Moabite woman who, after the sad death of her husband, chooses to remain with her believing mother-in-law, Naomi, demonstrating some unwavering loyalty and faith even in her God despite her poverty as a widow. She had to go to work and glean in fields for food, but God blessed!
- Elijah and Elisha: One seemed to be more a loner type, while the other was more a people person. They were prophets of God who lived by faith. Yes simply, as they depended on God for His guidance and provision (even in miraculous ways at times) during those times of scarcity.
- Jeremiah: The "Weeping Prophet" who faced persecution and hardship, yet he also faithfully delivered God's message.
- Amos: A shepherd and fig farmer was called by God to prophesy against the sinful injustice of the wealthy and the "powerful."
- The Poor Widow: Jesus observes a poor widow giving up two small copper coins as an offering at the temple, commenting that she gave more than the wealthy who gave out of their surplus because she gave all she had. It's good to obey even when it might appear really hard to do. Pray! God will help you know for sure.. His will and then enable you to obey.
- Lazarus: In Jesus' parable of the rich man and Lazarus, Lazarus is a poor beggar who finds comfort in the afterlife while the rich man suffers torment.
- The Apostles: Many of Jesus' disciples, like fishermen Peter, Andrew, James, and John, left their livelihoods to follow him and relied on God's provision as they preached the Gospel.
- Jesus Himself: Jesus' life on earth was marked by humility and, in a sense, poverty, as he "emptied himself" of heavenly glory and privileges. This is according to the Bible.
