November 22, 2024

Let Your Light Shine

January 6, 2015 by

SeekingHimLogo

In the same way, let your light shine before men,
so that they may see your good works
and give glory to your Father in heaven.
Matthew 5:16 HCSB

Sounds so easy, doesn’t it?  ‘Let your light shine….’  Letting our light shine is complex but can become easier if we consider two simple points regarding light:

1) What is the source?   2) What does it do?

Jesus told us He is the source of our light:

Then Jesus spoke to them again: “I am the light of the world.
Anyone who follows Me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life.”
John 8:12(HCSB)

While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world.
John 9:5 (NASB)

Jesus is the only Source of our light.  Ephesians 5:8 (NLT) states “For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light!”  His Light shines through us.

So what does light do?  It expels the darkness.  It illuminates…and that’s what we are called to do.  Others must see the Light of Christ in us before we can share His Light with them.

Philippians 2:15b (NASB) says we are to be “…children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world…”.

Charles Spurgeon put it this way:

“Poor world, poor world, it is dark and gropes in midnight
and it cannot get light except it receives it through us.”

We must not hide His Light.  If we do, it is of no benefit to anyone but ourselves.  Jesus intended His Light to shine in us to dispel the darkness of those around us and to illuminate His great love for them.  We are to be intentional in letting this Light of love shine.  Otherwise,

“Hear this, ye humble men and women, ye who have made no figure in society,
ye are the light of the world. If ye burn dimly,
dim is the world’s light, and dense its darkness.”
– Charles Spurgeon

Does the Light of Jesus shine through you or has it been dimmed?

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Father, thank You for the light of Jesus shining in me. Do not let it be dimmed. Remind me to share Your light and Your love with those around me. In Your precious name, Amen – So be it!

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Start A Fire

January 5, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

This world can be cold and bitter
Feels like we’re in the dead of winter
Waiting on something better
But am I really gonna hide forever
Over and over again
I hear Your voice in my head
Let Your light shine, let Your light shine for all to see

Start a fire in my soul
Fan the flame and make it grow
So there’s no doubt or denying
Let it burn so brightly
That everyone around can see
That it’s You, that it’s You that we need
Start a fire in me

You only need a spark to start a whole blaze
It only takes a little faith
Let it start right here in this city
So these old walls will never be the same
Over and over again
I hear Your voice in my head
They need to know
I need to go
Spirit, won’t You fall on my heart now

You are the fire, You are the flame
You are the light on the darkest day
We have the hope we bear Your name
We carry the news that You have come to save
Only You can save

Writer(s): Jon Lowry / Chad Mattson / Seth Mosley

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“Start a Fire” … is an exciting heart cry to live out Matthew 5:16 as the band sings, “Over and over again, I hear Your voice in my head, let Your light shine, let Your light shine for all to see.” “ – Kevin Davis (read more here).

In the same way, let your light shine before men,
so that they may see your good works
and give glory to your Father in heaven.
Matthew 5:16 HCSB

This song speaks to me about being passionate… about being bold.  When we are passionate about something it shows.  Our very demeanor exudes it.  Our inner fire burns bright.  We want to share our passion with everyone, especially those around us.  We should be passionate about our relationship with Christ, and be eager to share His love with others.  But sometimes life gets in the way. Sometimes, it’s a struggle isn’t it?

Life is hard.  Trials and troubles often abound.  How do we let our light shine when we feel cold and bitter, like we are stuck in the dead of winter?  We go to the Source.

Then Jesus spoke to them again: “I am the light of the world.
Anyone who follows Me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life.”
John 8:12 HCSB

While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world.
John 9:5 NASB

Jesus is the Source of our light.  He is the Light of Life within us.  In 2 Timothy 1:6a (AMP) Paul encourages us to “stir up, rekindle the embers of, fan the flame of, and keep burning the gracious gift of God, the inner fire that is in you.”

The gracious gift of God is His Son, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit living within us.  He can start a fire in the wet wood of our heart.  He fans the flames of our passion.  As the bridge of this song says Jesus is the Fire.  He is our Flame. He is the Light on the darkest day.  We have hope because we bear HIS Name.  Our job, our responsibility is to burn so brightly for Him there is no doubt that there is no denying it is Him shining through us, burning in us.  All we need to do is ask Him to

“Start a fire in my soul
Fan the flame and make it grow
So there’s no doubt or denying
Let it burn so brightly
That everyone around can see
That it’s You, that it’s You that we need
Start a fire in me.”

It only takes a little faith.

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Father God, we are truly blessed by Your gracious gifts.  Use them to fan the flames of our faith so we may shine brightly for You.  In Christ’s Name, I ask, Amen – It is so!

Filed Under: Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Joy in the Night

December 14, 2014 by

gchSHadventjoygraphic

For hundreds of years the Jewish people had prepared for and hoped for the Messiah to come. Finally the time had arrived, but it didn’t come as many had expected—with great fanfare and pomp. (Not that angels lighting perhaps a moonless sky wasn’t pretty fantastic!) But there was no big parade in the middle of the day down the center of town for all to see. Instead it came to a few. Instead it came to the forgotten of society. Instead it came in the darkness of night.

That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep.
Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them,
and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them.
They were terrified, but the angel reassured them.
“Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.
The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born….
Luke 2:8-11

The joyful news of the arrival (the Advent) of the long awaited Savior, the Messiah, came at night. Not only was the world dark with physical night-time. I quote from Reverend Billy Graham,

“It wasn’t night because the sun had gone down. It was night because the world was surrounded in spiritual and moral gloom. People were driven by greed, intolerance, and lust for power. Religion had become a device for the rich in the exploitation of the poor. Men robbed and swindled and profiteered under the cloak of religion; they even fought wars in the name of religion. In every arena of life, it was night when Jesus came.”

excerpted from Arrival, Preparing to Celebrate Christ’s Birth.
(click here for a free download of this devotional)

And all this is still true today. People still live in darkness—the darkness of all kinds of sin and its repercussions. But the joyful news is that Jesus came, and He brought light to all mankind.

The Rock of Israel said to me:
‘The One who rules righteously,
Who rules in the fear of God,
is like the Light of morning at sunrise,
like a morning without clouds,
like the gleaming of the sun
on new grass after rain.’
2 Samuel 23:2-4

Jesus, the Light of morning, came for all people so that none of us would have to walk in darkness.

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world.
Whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the Light of life.
John 8:12

Jesus knew that His Light would bring life and joy to all who choose to follow Him. Even in His last major prayer for His disciples He said this:

“Now I am coming to You <His Father.>
I told them many things while I was with them in this world
so they would be filled with My joy.
I have given them Your Word.”
John 17:13-14

If you feel forgotten, if you are mourning, if you are still walking in darkness, then now is the time to allow Jesus, the Light of the world, to step into your world and give you His life and His joy.  Rejoice with great joy!  Jesus Christ, the Messiah, is the Light of the morning!  We don’t have to walk in the darkness of night (sin), because JOY comes in the morning!

Sing to the Lord, all you godly ones!
Praise His holy name.
For His anger lasts only a moment,
but His favor lasts a lifetime!
Weeping may last through the night,
but joy comes with the morning.
You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing.
You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy,
that I might sing praises to You and not be silent.
O Lord my God, I will give You thanks forever!
Psalms 30:4-5, 11-12

Sing for joy, O heavens! Rejoice, O earth! Burst into song, O mountains!
For the LORD has comforted His people
and will have compassion on them in their suffering.
Isaiah 49:13

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Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for Your great compassion.  Thank You for Your joy that comes when we walk out of our “night” and into Your Light.  For those who make that decision during this Christmas season, I pray they will experience Your Light and Joy like they have never experienced anything before.  For those of us who already walk in Your light, we thank You for Your Joy, unspeakable joy!  You are our Light of Life!  All honor and glory belong to You, our Savior and King!  IT IS SO!

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

We Are

August 6, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Every secret, every shame
Every fear, every pain
Live inside the dark
But that’s not who we are
We are children of the day

So wake up sleeper, lift your head
We were meant for more than this
Fight the shadows, conquer death
Make the most of the time we have left

We are the light of the world
We are the city on a hill
We are the light of the world
And we gotta, we gotta, we gotta
Let the light shine

We are called to spread the news
To tell the world the simple truth
Jesus came to save
There’s freedom in His name
So let His love break through

So let your light shine brighter
We are the light 
Jesus
You are the light
We will lift You high
And shine, shine, shine 

Performed by Kari Jobe
Songwriters: James Tealy, Chuck Butler, Hilary McBride, Ed Cash

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God calls us to let our little lights shine wherever we go, and proclaim the Good News and the glorious things He has done in our lives (and continues to do….)

In the same way, let your light shine before others,
so that they may see your good works
and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
Matthew 5:16 ESV

What does it mean to “…let your light shine…”? I love this explanation from In The Workplace.com

“In the Bible, light is used to represent God or God’s truth. It is contrasted to darkness, which represents the evil in the world or the false system of Satan. Our “light” in this sense is our “good works.”
They are to shine in the world in such a way that others will see them and give credit or glory to God. This is to be true in all areas of our lives.
The truth is that we let our light shine the brightest when the contrast is the greatest. In order for light to be noticed, it must shine in darkness. When you turn on a powerful flashlight on a sunny day, it can hardly be seen, but in the dark of the night, it is a bright beacon. So it is with us. When we do the works of righteousness in church, they are good but they don’t stand out as the same acts would outside the church. Remember we said that the scripture doesn’t apply only to the marketplace, but that it does include it.
Our light shines when we act or react to life in ways that contrast to the ways of the world. Jesus said that He is “the Light of the world” (John 8:12). His life contrasted sharply with the lives of the Pharisees and the other religious leaders. The things He said and the things He did were in stark contrast to the acts of the others. His “Light” shone brightly. The people could easily see a difference between Him and the others. They could see it in His acts and they could hear it in His words.”

go here for the entire article.

Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the Light of the world:
he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
John 8:12 KJV

Our lives should shine with the light of Christ.

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Heavenly Father, thank You for this Word today.  Help us by Your strength to be the people whose lives shine the light of You into the darkness in the lives of those around us.  In Jesus’ name, AMEN!!!

Filed Under: Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

In Christ Alone

January 9, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

 ~  Listen while you read, please!  ~

In Christ alone my hope is found; He is my Light, my Strength, my Song;
This Cornerstone, this solid ground, firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace, when fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My Comforter, my all in all—here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone, Who took on flesh, Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness, scorned by the ones He came to save.
‘Til on that Cross as Jesus died, the wrath of God was satisfied;
For ev’ry sin on Him was laid—here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay, Light of the world by darkness slain;
Then bursting forth in glorious day up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory, sin’s curse has lost its grip on me;
For I am His and He is mine—bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death—this is the pow’r of Christ in me;
From life’s first cry to final breath, Jesus commands my destiny.
No pow’r of hell, no scheme of man can ever pluck me from His hand;
‘Til He returns or calls me home—here in the pow’r of Christ I’ll stand.

 

~  In Christ Alone; words and music by Keith Getty & Stuart Townend  ~

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The words of a song can be so stirring!  Particularly, I have found hymns to have this effect on me.  A choir director once told me that hymns are songs that “are soaked in doctrinal truth.”  One definition of hymns says that they are “… songs that help teach faith.”  What we sing through this type of song can profoundly affect how we think and feel.  And each of us have our own favorite hymns and choruses…they come to mean so much to our hearts!  This song, In Christ Alone, is considered a modern-day hymn. It contains such foundational truth.

For example, the very first three words of this song, “In Christ alone…” You could say them in other ways, too—‘only Jesus…’ ‘Jesus is everything to me…’ ‘You, Lord, JUST You…’

The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
For in Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth,
visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities;
all things have been created through Him and for Him.
He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.
And He is the head of the body, the church;
He is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead,
so that in everything He might have the supremacy.
Colossians 1:15-18

In and through Jesus we have been given so very much! He truly is our ‘Light… (John 8:12), our Strength… (Psalms 28:7 and 8), our Cornerstone (1 Peter 2:5 and 6)!’

I just love to sing these next lines of this song; they are so beautiful!

What heights of love, what depths of peace, when fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My Comforter, my All in All, here in the love of Christ I stand.”

Through Jesus, also, we have love (Romans 8:38 and 39), peace (Philippians 4:7), comfort (Psalm 46:10), and joy (John 15:11)! He IS our ‘all in all.’

And when all things shall be subdued unto him,
then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him
that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.
1 Corinthians 15:28

In Jesus our hope, our trust, our constant assurance is in the right place—on the solid foundation of who we are in Christ.  In my own life I must need continual reminding  to not let my feelings get in the way or my circumstances be allowed to dictate my actions. But, as we (I!) stand firmly on the unchangeable truths of the gospel of Christ, our (my!)faith is being continuously built.

This hope we have as an anchor of the soul,
a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil,
where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us….
Hebrews 6:19 and 20

How about you? Do the words of this beautiful hymn evoke a response in your heart when you hear them?  (I would so LOVE to ‘hear’ your answer in the comments below.)

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Interested in joining us for our next Online Bible Study that starts on January 13, 2014?   Click HERE for more details!

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“I AM” Chapter 7 – Day 3: I AM..the LIVING ONE

August 21, 2013 by

2Chron7_14_IAM

What a wonderful way to close out this study knowing that our God is the “Living One.”

 Our Living God from A – Z

A- AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF OUR FAITH (HEBREWS 12:2)

B- BREAD OF LIFE (JOHN 6:35)

C- CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD (ROMANS 8:39)

D- DELIVERER (ROMANS 11:26)

E- ETERNAL LIFE (1 JOHN 5:20)

F- FAITHFUL AND TRUE (REVELATION 19:11)

G- GREAT HIGH PRIEST (HEBREWS 4:14)

H- HEAD OF THE CHURCH (EPHESIANS 5:23)

I- I AM (JOHN 8:58)

J- JESUS (MATTHEW 1:21)

K- KING OF KINGS (REVELATION 17:14)

L- LIGHT OF THE WORLD (JOHN 8:12)

M- MEDIATOR (1 TIMOTHY 2:5)

N- NAZARENE (MATTHEW 2:23)

O- OUR PASSOVER (1 CORINTHIANS 5:7)

P- PRINCE (ACTS 5:31)

Q- QUINTESSENCE – THE MOST PERFECT EMBODIMENT OF SOMETHING (REVELATION 1:8)

R- REDEEMER (JOB 19:25)

S- SAVIOR (LUKE 2:11)

T- TEACHER (JOHN 3:2)

U- UNMATCHABLE – NO ONE IS EQUAL TO HIM (ISAIAH 40:28)

V- VINE (JOHN 15:1)

W- WORD (JOHN 1:1)

X- EXCELLENT (PSALM 8:9)

Y- YOURS – HE IS FREE TO YOU IF YOU BELIEVE (ROMANS 10:9)

Z- ZION, KING OF (PSALM 9:11)

Revelation 1:18  I am the living one.  I died, but look—I am alive forever and ever!  And I hold the keys of death and the grave.

WOW!  God’s Word speaks for itself to show us Life (living life-Himself)

People go around asking all kinds of questions daily.  Some of the many questions we have heard are: Who made the trees?  The flowers?  The birds?  The animals?  The earth?  The rocks?  The stars, sun, moon, ocean, mountains?  Who made you and me?  And the answer is:   Someone who is greater, more intelligent than all, made them!

That Someone is the only true and living God. He is invisible to our eyes, because He is a Spirit.  He lives in heaven.  He is eternal.  He has always existed and He always will.  We know Him because we see the things He has made and because He has given us His book called the Bible in which He reveals Himself to us.  We don’t find His bones in a grave, like other gods who have died, because our God lives!

Do you know the only true and living God?  If not, would you like to?  Do you want to be free from your daily burdens of sin and have a sweet assurance of “living” with the “Living One”?

If you are ready to meet the “I AM” and “live” with the “Living One” for eternity then all you have to do is ask Him.

“Dear Lord Jesus, 
I know that I am a sinner, I believe Jesus died on the cross and shed His blood for my sins, was buried and rose from the grave.  I ask You now, Lord Jesus, to come into my heart, and take away my sins, and save my soul.  Change my heart and life, Lord, to be what You want me to be!  I thank You, Lord for the forgiveness of my sins, Your gift of salvation and everlasting life, because of Your mercy and grace!  AMEN.

Oh what a precious journey you will have as you will get to know the “I AM” – the “Living One” now that you have accepted Him as Christ your Savior.  I may not ever get to meet you personally here on this earth, but know, my friend, that I will be praying for you as you begin your new life with Him, and on the day He returns I will meet you in heaven!  Hallelujah!

**********

Let’s Pray:

Dear God,

I thank You for these past seven weeks that we have been able to dig in Your Word together, Lord, and truly get to know Who You Are and who we are in You.   I thank You for any that have received You as Savior and I ask that You help them to continue to dig in Your Word and become the beautiful creation that You intended for them to be and help them to spread this wonderful news of salvation with the world.  In Your name, I pray.

Amen!

Filed Under: Women's Ministry Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

“I AM” Chapter 4 – Day 4: Jesus is The LIGHT

August 1, 2013 by

John15_11

 

This time last week I sat in the dark.  There were no lamps, no overhead lights on; I couldn’t turn them on if I wanted to.  It was a Monday, a typical Monday if you know what I mean.  My power had been turned off and there was nothing I could do about it.  Can you relate?

On day one of this week, Teresa asked us which verse in John chapter 1 could we relate to the most, right now, where we are.  I chose verse 5, not even realizing that it was my topic for this week.  God is funny like that, right?  John 1: 4-5 says this: “The word gave life to everything that was created, and His life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness cannot extinguish it!”

Do you understand what that means? The darkness of evil never can and never will overcome God’s Light.  Jesus Christ is the Creator of life, and we are dead people walking until He comes into our lives and breathes life into us.  His life brings light to us and in His light we see ourselves as we really are—sinners in need of a Savior, a Redeemer.

When we choose to follow Jesus, He becomes our true Light and we no longer have to walk blindly and fall into our old sinful ways.  He lights the path ahead of us so that we can see the way we need to live.  He removes the darkness of sin in our lives.  He shows us how to walk along the way to freedom from sin and darkness.  See, all who welcome Jesus as Lord of their lives will never have to live in darkness.  Now, that doesn’t mean we will not have trouble or trials; and that doesn’t mean that we won’t sin.  It just means that no matter how dark your world may feel, He is there, giving you hope, peace, and joy.  And remember, He became human Himself and experienced some of the same sufferings and hardships that we go through.  He is your beacon in this sometimes dark world.

Our verse for today is John 8:12. “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life!”  Here, Jesus was talking to the people again, in the part of the Temple called the treasury.  It was where offerings were put and where candles burned to symbolize the pillar of fire that led the people of Israel through the wilderness.  The pillar of fire represented God’s presence, His guidance, and His protection.  In this context, Jesus Himself calls Himself the Light of the world.  He is God’s Presence in our lives.  He is God’s protection over us and He is God’s guidance.  God sent His own Son!  Is that not amazing that He loves us that much?

The last verses I found in the Bible that talk about Jesus being the Light are in 2 Corinthians 4:6-7.  “For God, who said, ‘Let there be light in the darkness,’ has made us understand that this light is the brightness of the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. But this precious treasure, this light and power that now shines within us, is held in perishable containers, that is, our weak bodies, so everyone can see that our glorious power is from God and is not our own.” We are perishable containers yet God entrusted us with His precious treasure, Jesus Christ, His Son; that this Light shines brighter than any darkness we could possibly have in our lives.

I did a little research on the sunflower (it is my favorite flower) and it actually bends toward the sun so that it can catch as much light as it possibly can.  In the early morning, it actually tilts to the east, and by twilight it tilts to the west.  If you take the flower and place it in a dark closet, it will still continue to bend everyday, just as it did when it was outside.  Even the sunflower knows that the ones that are most likely to survive are the ones that catch the most light.

Friends, I don’t want to just survive; I want to really thrive both physically and spiritually!  The only way to do that is to stay bending toward the Light—the light of our Lord Jesus Christ.

What about you today?  Where does He need to shine in your life?  What darkness is threatening to suck the life out of you?  It is simple, really.  Just ask and He will come rescue you and fill you with His Light.

And back to my story about the power outage…God came through as He always does and performed another miracle and the lights came back on.  I praised Him the rest of the day!

Let’s Pray:

Dear Heavenly Daddy, thank You for sending Jesus, Your only Son, as a Light for all who believe and receive Him into their hearts and lives.  For once we were in darkness, and now we have the Light of the Lord.  May we live as people of the Light.  May we produce only what is good, with a heavy reliance on You.  Oh Lord, we love You, we praise You, and we want only You to be the Light of our lives.  Nothing of this world will satisfy and fulfill us.  May we seek You and may our lights shine so that others will want what we have. For it is in Your Son’s precious Name, we pray.

Amen

Filed Under: Women's Ministry Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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