THE CROSS

William James says,

“It is our attitude at the beginning of a difficult undertaking which, more than anything else, will determine its successful outcome.”

In his letter to the holy people in Philippi the apostle Paul is telling them that they must have the same attitude that the Lord Jesus Christ had.

“Though he was God,

Philippians 2:6-11

Intr.: 

he did not think of equality with God  as something to cling to.

A.   INSTEAD,

1.  he gave up his divine privileges;

2.  he took the humble position of a slave and

3.  was born as a human being.

4.  When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and

5.  died a criminal’s death on the cross.

B.   THEREFORE,

1.  God elevated him to the place of highest honor and

2.  gave him the name above all other names,

3. that at the name of JESUS every knee should bow,

a.  in heaven and

b.  on earth and

c   under the earth,

4. and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,

End: to the glory of God the Father.”

A hairdresser establishment on Commerce Street here in Kaitaia, in the Far North of New Zealand, has a blackboard outside the shop and on the board I read today:

“A bad attitude is like having a flat tyre …

It never gets you anywhere.”

I saw this flower today

“As someone has said, ‘Patience (hupomone) is that quality of endurance that can reach the breaking point and not break.'” – Billy Graham, in UNTO THE HILLS

I saw this flower today

“It is our attitude at the beginning of a difficult undertaking which, more than anything else, will determine its successful outcome.” – William James

“Looking Back,” it says at the top of one page  of one of our local newspapwers, the NORTHERN NEWS, August 28, 2013.

It says there also “The NORTHERN NEWS has a wealth of photographs from days gone by – what we need are the stories that lie behind them.”

I have hardly any photographs from my past, but I remember stories.

There is one story I will never forget.

“Milestones” is a feature in the same paper. And the following story is a milestone in my life. It happened exactly 55 years ago – September 2, 1958 – when  I passed from darkness to light, from death to life. 

On September 2, 1958 I had my second birthday. When a person is born the second time the Holy spirit creates new life in that person.

The second birth is not different to the first birth. In a second we pass from darkness to light, from death to life. With other words there is a “once” and a “now” in our lives.

We are reading about the “once” and “now” in Ephesians 5:8 and First Peter 2:9. Notice also the words “darkness” and “light”.

In the verses John 5:24 and First John 3:14 we are reading about “death” and “life.”

This is what the Lord Jesus Christ says about DEATH and LIFE in John 5:24: 

“‘I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from DEATH to LIFE.'” 

Can you look back to a second birthday in your life? 

“Sweet treats” it says  at the top of one page. On the opposite page also at the top I am reading “Tasty reads”. I am looking at the August 2013 Paper Plus mailer and I am a bit surprised.

Why?

Because books are advertised on both pages.

But wait a minute.

Have you heard about Job? We read about Job in the Bible. He says that he treasures the Bible (commands of his lips) more than his daily  bread. (Job 23:12)

In one of the psalms David says this about the Bible. He says that the Bibel (ordinances of the LORD) is to him sweeter than honey.  (Psalm 19:10)

Another psalmist says that the words of the Bible (words of the LORD) are sweet to his taste and sweeter than honey to his mouth. (Psalm 119:103) 

Jeremiah says that he ate the words of the Lord when they came. (Jeremiah 15:16)

Ezekiel is encouraged by the Lord to eat the scroll and he says in Eziekiel 3:3:

“So I ate, and it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth.” 

And now I am no longer surprised.