JULY 23

OUR PERSONAL PROMISES:

NAMES FOR GOD:

EL SALI—GOD MY ROCK

EL SHADDAI—ALMIGHTY GOD

ELOHIM SHOPHTIM BA-ARETS—GOD WHO JUDGES IN THE EARTH

*** * **

This month we will read the book, “Whatever Happens – How to Stand Firm in Your Faith When the World is Falling Apart.”  By a contemporary author of many best-selling Christian books, Robert J. Morgan.  He took care of his wife when she had MS, until she went home to her Savior.  “He knows of which he speaks.”  I pray that this book blesses you.

*** ***

Philippians 2:6-11

“who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.  And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,  and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

CHRIST’S CRUCIFIXION

The cross was the most repulsive form of execution ever invented.  From the heavenly throne to the anguishing cross – no one but Jesus has ever made a journey like that……and He did it for you and for me.

Back in 2015, a Bolivian politician named Edwin Tupa wanted to run for mayor of his town.  Unfortunately, he was a former congressman and Bolivian law banned national politicians from running in local races.  That frustrated Tupa so much he staged a hunger strike.  When that didn’t work, he did the most dramatic thing you can imagine.

He said he was going to let himself be crucified in front of the Electoral Tribunal Building in La Paz.  The news media gathered along with a large crowd.  Tupa stretched himself out on a cross, but the crucifixion didn’t get very far.  As soon as one twelve inch nail was hammered into his right hand, he screamed in intense pain and begged his supporters to stop.  He passed out, and it took paramedics ten minutes to remove the nail from his hand.

Jesus offered both His hands and His feet to the nails.  He offered His back to be scourged.  He offered His brow to the thorns, His side to the spear, His clothes to His tormentors, His mother to His disciple, and His life’s blood for all of us.  Why?

God created us in His image to live with Him forever.  Our personal failures separate us from Him.  So God Himself, through the second person of the Trinity, descended into this world to die for our sins.  He offered Himself as a sacrifice to atone for our sins, becoming obedient to death on the cross.

CHRIST’S EXALTATION

Philippians 2:9-11 (of our verse for today) bring the story full circle:  “Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

In Jesus, we see the humblest Man who ever lived exalted to the highest place ever conceived.  One day every tongue will acknowledge Him – those in heaven (all the angelic hosts), everyone on earth (all the humans), and everyone under the earth (all the demonic spirits.)

Likewise, our future exaltation will be in reverse proportion to our current humility.

Years ago, I was teaching a teen camp in New York State.  One day I asked the young people to answer the question:  “Who is Jesus Christ?”  As I read their answers later that day, I was intrigued by their diverse understanding of Christ, but one answer in particular has stayed with me all these years.  A teenaged boy wrote these words:  “Who is Jesus Christ?  He is the God who made my relationship with my dad peaceful and meaningful.”

The young man knew two things about Christ.  First, he knew that Jesus is God.   Second, he knew that Jesus has the power to change our lives and our relationships.  That young man knew more about Jesus Christ than many of the millions who crowd into church every Sunday.  Jesus is God, and He has the power to change our lives and our relationships.

Dr. Harold J. Sala, a pioneer in Christian radio, has many stories that have been told and retold.  On one of his broadcasts, he mentioned his friend Doug Nichols, who worked in India.  Doug had contracted tuberculosis and was sent to a sanitarium to recuperate.  His fellow patients thought he was a rich American and wanted little to do with him.  They didn’t realize he was just as impoverished as they were.  Doug tried to tell them about Jesus and offer them literature, but they politely refused.

One morning, Doug noticed an old man trying to sit on the edge of the bed, but because of weakness he fell backward and started sobbing.  Soon a stench wafted from his bed.  The old man was unable to get to the bathroom. 

Doug recalled, “the nurses were extremely agitated and angry because they had to clean up the mess.  One of the nurses in her anger even slapped him.  The man, terribly embarrassed, just curled up into a ball and wept.”

The next morning about 2;00 am., Doug noticed the old man trying to get himself out of bed again.  Doug got up, went over to him, put one arm around his neck and the other under his legs.  Then he gently carried him to the bathroom.  When the man finished, Doug carried him back to his bed.

The old man, speaking a language Doug didn’t understand, thanked him profusely and kissed his cheek.  Doug went back to bed and fell asleep, but the next morning he awoke to a steaming cup of tea served by another patient, who motioned he would like some of Doug’s literature.

“Throughout the day,” Doug said, “people came to me, asking for the gospel booklets.  This included the nurses, the hospital interns, the doctors, until everyone in the hospital had a tract, booklet, or Gospel of John.  Over the next few days, several indicated they had trusted Christ as Savior as a result of reading the good news.

The world doesn’t care much about our opinions; they need men and women who have the mind,  the heart, the attitude, the humility of Christ.  “I simply took an old man to the bathroom,” Doug said, “Anyone could have done that.”

Anyone can, but not everyone does.

It takes someone with the mind of the Man of Galilee – Jesus Christ.

Published by liveinthelightofourlord

View all posts by liveinthelightofourlord