Notes of Faith December 12, 2025
Lowliness
The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor.
Luke 4:18
Most of us are curious about the lifestyles of very wealthy people, and we often satisfy that curiosity by reading books. A news channel recently reviewed eight books that “expose the secret lives of the super-rich.” But when you read the Gospel accounts of the life of Christ, you find the opposite story. Though Jesus arrived as the King of the Jews, He was born in a cave, laid in a manger, raised by an impoverished couple, worshiped by ragged shepherds, and mainly ministered in rural areas populated by needy people.
The Lord has a different plan for every one of us, and we all have different levels of need or of income. But Jesus said, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions”
(Luke 12:15, NIV).
The Christmas season tends to bring financial pressure. Be cautious and be a good steward. Your love of Jesus and your simple acts of kindness in His Name are the most valuable gifts you can give.
God is near to lowliness; He loves the lost, the neglected, the unseemly, the excluded, the weak and broken.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
We should be thinking “poor in spirit”, the lost without hope, those in need of a Savior… “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven”! It is most often those who are poor financially, the suffering or emotionally distraught, that respond to spiritual conversations, listen to God speaking to them, respond to Him in faith and receive His eternal blessing. We all too often shun the poor of the world, whether it is financial, emotional, health, or other “poorness” that is more poor than what we consider ourselves. Let us pray for God to open our hearts, minds, and eyes to the world of people that He places around us that appear rich or poor, for they all need a relationship with Jesus to be saved. May we be ready and willing at all times to share the gospel of Jesus and trust Jesus to bring all to Himself that belong to Him. He is faithful! Let us be faithful as well to share the gospel that was shared with us!
Pastor Dale