DAY VERSES ~ READ ALONG~

Saturday, July 18


Psalm 87;
Isaiah 41:8-42:9; Philippians 2:5-18

See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse: the blessing, if you
obey the commandments of the Lord your God; and the curse, if you do not obey
the commandments of the Lord your God. Deuteronomy 11:26-28

The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; on finding
one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.
Matthew 13:45-46

O wonderful Savior, Jesus Christ, it is our desire to follow and belong to you
alone. You are the "pearl of great value" who has set us free from our sins.
With grateful hearts we give you our lives and ask that you will make us one of
your own. Amen.

Psalm 87

A Korah Psalm

^1-3 He founded Zion on the Holy Mountain— and oh, how God loves his home!
Loves it far better than all
the homes of Jacob put together!
God's hometown—oh!
everyone there is talking about you!

⁴ I name them off, those among whom I'm famous:
Egypt and Babylon,
also Philistia,
even Tyre, along with Cush.
Word's getting around; they point them out:
"This one was born again here!"

⁵ The word's getting out on Zion:
"Men and women, right and left,
get born again in her!"

⁶ God registers their names in his book:
"This one, this one, and this one—
born again, right here."

⁷ Singers and dancers give credit to Zion:
"All my springs are in you

Isaiah 42

God's Servant Will Set Everything Right

The God Who Makes Us Alive with His Own Life

Philippians 2:5-18

^5-8Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn't think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human!Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn't claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that—a crucifixion.

^9-11Because of that obedience, God lifted him high and honored him far beyond anyone or anything, ever, so that all created beings in heaven and on earth—even those long ago dead and buried—will bow in worship before this Jesus Christ, and call out in praise that he is the Master of all, to the glorious honor of God the Father.

Rejoicing Together

^12-13What I'm getting at, friends, is that you should simply keep on doing what you've done from the beginning. When I was living among you, you lived in responsive obedience. Now that I'm separated from you, keep it up. Better yet, redouble your efforts. Be energetic in your life of salvation, reverent and sensitive before God. That energy is God's energy, an energy deep within you, God himself willing and working at what will give him the most pleasure.

^14-16Do everything readily and cheerfully—no bickering, no second-guessing allowed! Go out into the world uncorrupted, a breath of fresh air in this squalid and polluted society. Provide people with a glimpse of good living and of the living God. Carry the light-giving Message into the night so I'll have good cause to be proud of you on the day that Christ returns. You'll be living proof that I didn't go to all this work for nothing.

^17-18Even if I am executed here and now, I'll rejoice in being an element in the offering of your faith that you make on Christ's altar, a part of your rejoicing. But turnabout's fair play—you must join me in my rejoicing. Whatever you do, don't feel sorry for me.