AUGUST 16

OUR PERSONAL PROMISES

2 Chronicles 29:28

“And the song sang, and the trumpeters sounded: this continued until the burnt offering was finished”

CHARLES SPURGEON:

There is a joy that is attained and another joy that is given.  The first is because of circumstances seen, the second is because it is filled with the bubbling spring of internal and eternal gladness, a gladness because it is always in God and God is always in it.

It glows and grows under all circumstances.  It sings because it IS a song.

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This month we will continue 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.

WHATEVER HAPPENS…………DISCOVER THE SECRET TO CONTENTMENT

GOD HAS SECRETS:

Philippians 4:10-13

“But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again; though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity. 11 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: 12 I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Paul had learned one of God’s secrets.  It’s interesting to think in these terms.  Look, for example, at Deuteronomy 29.  In this chapter, Moses was very old and nearing the time of his death.  He gathered the nation of Israel and led them to renew their commitment to God.  He explained what the Lord would do for them if they remained true to Him, and what the Lord would do it they forsook Him.  Moses implored them to obey the law they had been given.

The final verse, Deuteronomy 29:29, says:

 “the secret things belong to the Lord your God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.”

God has declassified a great deal of information.  He has given us 66 books of the Bible, plus the entire physical universes as a classroom.  But there are things He has not told us.  After all, He is omniscient. 

Isaiah 55:8-9 says:

“My thoughts are not your thoughts….As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are….My thoughts higher than your thoughts.”

But God does reveal some secrets:

Isaiah 45:3 tells us:

“I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, who calls you by name.”

This  was originally addressed to King Cyrus as a prophetic statement by Isaiah, but there’s application here for us too.  God gives us the hidden treasures of His secrets.

When Jesus came, He revealed more secrets, helping us to formulate a clearer picture of the gospel.  He told His disciples, “the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you.”  (Matthew 13:11)

When it comes to God’s secrets, however, there’s one thing that even Jesus in His humanity did not know – the exact time of His second coming. Jesus said in Matthew 24:36:

“About that day or hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”

God had another secret the apostle Paul learned over time.  Philippians 4:10 says:

“I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me.  Indeed, you  were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it.”

Remember that the Philippians had been Paul’s best supporting church, sending him needed funds again and again.  This time they had sent money by the hand of Epaphroditus, and Paul was thanking them.

He went on to write in verse 11:

“I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.”

Notice the simple statement:  “I have learned to be content.”  He explained further in the next verse:

“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty.”

Some days Paul stayed in the wealthy villas of friends and was cared for by wealthy Christians, other times he was exposed to the weather or having to scramble for food.  But he was as content in one situation as in the other.

Verse 12  finishes with: 

“I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.”

The Greek word Paul used here is amazing.  It’s a Greek technical term.  If you read this phrase in English, it is made up of five words:  “I have learned the secret.”  But in the Greek, the entire phrase is one short word:   “memyemai.”

This is the only time this word occurs in the Bible.  It means to be initiated into mysteries.  In secular Greek usage, it had to do with the mysteries of the magical cults.  To become a candidate for a mystery religion, you had to go through various kinds of initiations or rituals.  After you learned the mysteries, you had to take a vow of silence.

In the second temple period, this term was sometimes used to describe the top secret information a king issued involving a war or a matter of national security

Paul said, “I have learned something top secret – classified information.”

He had uncovered one of God’s best secrets.

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