Paul On Shining

Music: Newsboys - Shine (lyrics)

when you let it shine
you will inspire
the kind of entire turnaround
that would make a bouncer take ballet

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Romans 12:21->1

Don't let evil conquer you, but conquer evil with good. Instead, as the scripture says: "If your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them a drink; for by doing this you will make them burn with shame."

Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. Do your best to live in peace with everyone. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Try to do what is honorable in everyone's eyes. Be friendly with everyone. Don't be proud and feel that you know more than others. Make friends with ordinary people. Laugh with your happy friends when they're happy; share tears when they're down. Bless those who persecute (you), bless and do not curse them.

When God's people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality. Have hope and be cheerful. Be patient in trials and pray constantly. Never be lazy, but be diligent. Burn with spirituality. Always slave for the Master. Love each other as much as brothers should, and have a profound respect for each other. Let love be genuine. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.

Is [your gift] telling others how they should live? Then tell them.
Is it giving to those who are in need? Then give freely.
Is it being a leader? Then work hard at it.
Is it showing mercy? Then do it cheerfully.
[He whose gift is] practical service, let him give himself to serving;
he who teaches, to his teaching;

God has given different gifts to each of us because he is so very kind to us. God gives a gift to some people so that they are able to speak his messages. So, those people should believe God when they speak his messages. And they should speak the messages that God has told to them. So collectively we form one body in Christ, while individually we are linked to one another as its members. For, even as in one body we have many members, but the members don’t all have the same function,

But I say to every one of you, through the grace given to me, not to have an over-high opinion of himself, but to have wise thoughts, as God has given to every one a measure of faith. You must not adopt the customs of this world but by your new attitude of mind be transformed so that you can find out what God's will is—what is good, pleasing, and perfect. I entreat you, then, Brothers, by the mercies of God, to offer your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, for this is your rational worship.

-- Romans 12:21 (God's Word to the Nations)
-- 20 (Good News Translation: Today's English Version)
-- 19 (Today's New International Version)
-- 18 (New Century Version)
-- 17 (Christian Standard Bible)
-- 16 (Contemporary English Version)
-- 15 (The Message)
-- 14 (New American Bible)
-- 13 (New Living Translation)
-- 12 (Christian Community Bible)
-- 11 (21st Century Version of the Christian Scriptures)
-- 10 (Jerusalem Bible)
-- 9 (The Common Edition: New Testament)
-- 8 (New International Reader's Version)
-- 7 (Amplified Bible)
-- 6 (Easy English Bible)
-- 5 (The New Testament in Modern Speech)
-- 4 (The Sacred Scriptures: The Concordant Version)
-- 3 (The Basic Bible)
-- 2 (An American Translation)
-- 1 (Twentieth Century New Testament)

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Light vs. Pride

Christ Was Not Proud

16 Take a strong hold on the Word of Life.

15 In that way, you can prove yourselves to be without blame. You are God's children and no one can talk against you, even in a sin-loving and sin-sick world. You are to shine as lights among the sinful people of this world.

14 Be glad you can do the things you should be doing. Do all things without arguing and talking about how you wish you did not have to do them.

13 He is working in you. God is helping you obey Him. God is doing what He wants done in you.

12 My Christian friends, you have obeyed me when I was with you. You have obeyed even more when I have been away. You must keep on working to show you have been saved from the punishment of sin. Be afraid that you may not please God.

11 And every tongue will say Jesus Christ is Lord. Everyone will give honor to God the Father.

10 So when the name of Jesus is spoken, everyone in heaven and on earth and under the earth will bow down before Him.

9 Because of this, God lifted Jesus high above everything else. He gave Him a name that is greater than any other name.

8 After He became a man, He gave up His important place and obeyed by dying on a cross.

7 He put aside everything that belonged to Him and made Himself the same as a servant who is owned by someone. He became human by being born as a man.

6 Jesus has always been as God is. But He did not hold to His rights as God.

5 Think as Christ Jesus thought.

A Christian Should Not Be Proud

4 Do not always be thinking about your own plans only. Be happy to know what other people are doing.

3 Nothing should be done because of pride or thinking about yourself. Think of other people as more important than yourself.

2 Then give me true joy by thinking the same thoughts. Keep having the same love. Be as one in thoughts and actions.

1 Are you strong because you belong to Christ? Does His love comfort you? Do you have joy by being as one in sharing the Holy Spirit? Do you have loving-kindness and pity for each other?
-- Philippians 2:15->1 (NCV)

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Normally I have something to write after a Word reversal to explain or expand the meaning to the current point of view. This time I don't. Pride puts out your light.
Read this passage forward and then reversed and ask yourself "Are you strong because..?"

In this reversal, there are a few points that the meanings seem slightly impaired by the reversal. This is a draft version, and likely to change. for now these notes should be taken carefully with the reversal.

1. In verse 15, the words "In that way" should still be highlighting verse 13-15, not verse 16. It is misleading to have these specific words present as they imply verse 16 (reading the Bible) is "that way" instead of 'shining' and letting God work in you.

2. In verse 9, the 'Because of this' refers to vs 5-8 and not 12-10.

I eventually will have to repost this with various versions due to specific copyright rules on percentages of content (this post is over 50% NCV at the moment..) but the words here are so much clearer than a rehash, I'm compelled to leave this draft viewable.