JULY 27

OUR PERSONAL PROMISES:

NAMES OF GOD:

ELOHEI HAELOHIM—GOD OF GODS

EHYEH ASHER ELYEH—ETERNAL, ALL SUFFICIENT GOD

JEHOVAH ADON KOL HA-ARETS—LORD, THE LORD OF ALL THE EARTH

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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.

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Philippians 2:14-1

“ Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,  holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.

 Yes, and if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all.  For the same reason you also be glad and rejoice with me.”

BE BLAMELESS AND PURE (Cont’d)

In the early days of photography, a rather sour and unpleasant woman went to have her picture taken.  She sat before the camera with a stern look on her face.  The photographer pulled his head from under the black cloth and said, “brighten up your eyes a little.”  She tried, but without success.

“Relax and let your face get into a cheerful mood.”

“Look here,” said the woman.  “If you think an old woman can brighten up and an old face can soften up, you don’t know anything about living,”

“Oh, yes I do,” said the photographer.  “you have to work on it from the inside.  It comes from the inside out.  Now, try to get into a good mood, be cheerful and smile and let it show on your face.”

Just as she did so, he snapped the picture.

When the picture arrived, her friends gathered around and said, “Oh Catherine, you look so young and cheerful.”

That evening she went into the bathroom and looked in the mirror.  “If I could do that for the photographer,” she said, “I can do it again.”   Every morning and evening, she stood in front of the mirror and said, “Brighten up your eyes a little.  Relax and get your face into a cheerful mood.  Work at it from the inside.”

In this way, she became a younger, brighter, happier person.

We have a divine photographer who has come out from under the dark shroud of death to say to us;  Rejoice in the Lord …this is the day I have made;  rejoice and be glad in it …Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world…do not fear….Be of good cheer.

As we shake off our hurt feelings and negativism and listen to His Word, our hearts become younger, brighter, happier – and we grow into the righteousness of Christ.

Where does this happen?  Right here, in the middle of a perverse and crooked generation!

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REALIZE YOU’RE IN A WARPED AND CROOKED WORLD.

Why be cheerful?  Philippians 2:15 goes on to say, “so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.”  This is a quotation from Deuteronomy 32:5;  “they are corrupt and not his children: to their shame they are a warped and crooked generation.”

We don’t need convincing of that.  Here in America, we’ve sunk to a level hard to imagine.  I recently read a popular elementary school textbook on sexuality.  I felt sick to my stomach from both the words and drawings I saw.  All I can say is that if you have children in school, you need to know exactly what’s in their textbooks.  These are the same schools where the Bible is unwelcome and unwanted.  

We’re the children of God in a perverse and wicked age.  But the Lord has us here for a purpose.

TO SHINE AS STARS IN THE SKY, HOLDING FORTH THE WORD OF LIFE.

This is in verse 15, and also from the Old Testament.  In Daniel 12:3, the Lord promised that “those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.”

Recently at a banquet, I was seated by a member of the Gideons International.  This man lives in California and told me he frequently goes to UC Berkeley to give Bibles to students.  He literally holds forth the Word of Life.  I asked him if he received any opposition.  “Yes, a lot.” He said.  One student came up to him and belligerently asked, “don’t you have anything better to do with your time?”

“No” he replied.  “I cannot think of one single thing that would be a better use of my time than giving free copies of the Bible to university students.”

That young man cursed him and walked away, but there were other students who gladly received the Scriptures.

God put the burning stars into the dark sky to teach us something about our own lives and about the mission he has for us.  We are to shine His light into a dark world.  I cannot think of a single better way of using my time than by holding forth the Word of Life.

THEN I WILL KNOW I DID NOT LABOR IN VAIN

Paul ended the passage with a personal note.  “and then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run in vain.  But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you.  So you too should be glad and rejoice with me (Philippians 2:16-18)

This portion reflects the drink offerings of Leviticus and also alludes to Isaiah 65:23, which promises we will not labor in vain because we will be blessed by the Lord.

There have been times when I found that the Lord had used me in ways I can’t even remember, or wasn’t aware of.   The same is true for you.  We’re doing greater good than we know and our labor in the Lord is not in vain.

Let this divine passage come true in you.  Do everything without grumbling or arguing so that you can be blameless and pure, a child of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation, where you shine like a star in the sky as you hold forth the Word of Life.

Let’s keep on shining and sharing, trusting the Lord to bless our efforts in ways we may not realize until we get to heaven.

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