OUR DAILY BREAD : LIGHT UP THE NIGHT

[cimi]

september 8
Sunday

LIGHT UP
THE NIGHT

READ:
Daniel 12:1-3
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Those who are wise
shall shine like the
brightness of the
firmament.
__Daniel 12:3
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On a mild fall evening when the sky was dark and the moon was full, thousands of people in my hometown gathered along the banks of the river to light sky lanterns. They released them into the darkness, and watched as the lights rose to join the moon in a dazzling display that turned the night sky into a sparkling work of art.

When I saw pictures of the event. I was disappointed that I was out of town and had missed it. But a few days later I realized that what had happened in Grand Rapids could be seen as a symbol of the conference I was attending in New York City. More than 1,000 people from 100 cities around the world had gathered there to plan a "work of art" __how to light up the darkness of their own cities by planting churches and reaching thousands of people with the gospel of Christ, the Light of the world.

The prophet Daniel wrote about a time when those who turn others to the Lord will shine like stars forever (Dan. 12:3). We can all join in that great event. When we shine the light of Christ in dark places where we live and work. He is lighting up the night sky with stars that never will go out.
__Julie Ackerman Link

````````````````````I want to shine for You in my world, Lord. Show```````````````````
``````````````````me how to lift You up, the Light of the world. I look`````````````````
````````````````````forward to that day when I will gather with people`````````````````
````````````````````from all nations to bow at Your feet and worship You```````````````
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When the Light of the world illuminates the earth,
His beauty will attract people from every nation

***************Today's Bible Reading __ Daniel 12:1-3***************

1 At that time Michael
shall stand up, the great
prince who stands watch
over the sons of your
people; and there shall be a
time of trouble, such as
never was since there was a
nation, even to that time.
And at that time your
people shall be delivered,
every one who is found
written in the book.

2 And many of those who
sleep in the dust of the
earth shall awake, some to
everlasting life, some to
shame and everlasting
contempt.

3 Those who are wise shall
shine like the brightness of
the firmament, and those
who turn many to
righteousness like the stars
forever and ever.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Today's reading comes from one of the few apocalyptic portions
of the Old Testament. Apocalyptic simply means "forecasting the
ultimate destiny of the world." But because apocalyptic passages
make regular use of symbolism and imagery, they are among the
most difficult portions of Scripture to interpret. Today's text from
Daniel contains two ideas repeated in New Testament passages:
the resurrection of the dead and names written in a book (v.1).
This latter imagery is echoed in several places, most notably in
Revelation 20:15 and 21:27, where the locatin of a person's name
is tied to one's eternal destiny. As with Revelation, Daniel was
written to give the people of God hope in the promise of salvation.