THE POWER OF GOD'S LIGHT IN HIS SON AND IN US !
I close my eyes and Wonder….what must it have been like for the Shepherds when they first saw the Wondrous Star lighting up the dark sky that surrounded them. Imagine their awe as the bright light and voices of the Heavenly Host proclaimed to them the Birth Of GOD’S SON ! How could they possibly understand the power and brevity of what that LIGHT would mean for their lives, and the lives of countless generations of people that would follow them ? Even with my eyes closed, I can feel the light that JESUS HAS POURED INTO MY LIFE :) The thing about our lives is that they are full of challenges and also OPPORTUNITIES ! There are times when we face things that seems incredibly difficult and frustrating, and yet, THE LIGHT OF CHRIST, IF HE IS IN YOUR HEART, WILL SHINE AND GUIDE YOU THROUGH EVERYTHING WITH STRENGTH, GRACE, AND CLARITY. With our eyes closed, we can SENSE THE LIGHT. WILL OUR HEARTS OPEN UP TO LET THAT LIGHT SHINE FORTH UPON ALL THOSE AROUND US ? A close friend and sister in Christ, Cindy, brought the gist of this question up in a discussion with me recently, and it was a question we will all face at various times in our Christian Walk. “WHAT IF CHALLENGES ARE COVERING THE LIGHT THAT WE NEED TO SHINE INTO THOSE IN OUR LIVES ? In contemplating this question, it revealed to us that Shining God’s Light around us IS A CHOICE. There are untold excuses to focus on self and question why our bodies, minds, thoughts, and difficulties challenge us….Who will we blame ? Others ? Bad Luck ? Satan ? Maybe even God ? In my Biblical Leadership Class, I learned a valuable lesson: Solving Problems Are God’s Opportunity For US TO MATURE AND GROW :) Can we ENDURE ? Can We Be PATIENT in the Waiting and In The Moment ? WILL WE TRUST GOD AND KNOW HIS LOVE AND PROMISES ? Far too often we forget that WE ARE GOD’S LIGHT INTO THE WORLD ! People SEE and NOTICE our action and Faith….and it will ultimately Influence Their Thoughts About Jesus. OUR LIGHT, or lack of it has a much more significant effect on the world and people than we think it does, In God’s Word, we gain Understanding and Clarity on just how The Light Of Christ Will Guide Us And Those Around Us.
I HAVE COME INTO THE WORLD AS LIGHT, SO THAT WHOEVER BELIEVES IN ME MAY NOT REMAIN IN DARKNESS. John 8:12
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
FOR GOD, WHO SAID, “LET LIGHT SHINE OUT OF THE DARKNESS’, HAS SHONE IN OUR HEARTS TO GIVE THE LIGHT OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE GLORY OF GOD IN THE FACE OF JESUS CHRIST.
THE PEOPLE WHO WALKED IN DARKNESS HAVE SEEN A GREAT LIGHT; THOSE WHO DWELT IN A LAND OF DEEP DARKNESS, ON THEM HAS LIGHT SHONE. Isaiah 9;2
It is a great time to Contemplate Our Own Light, and Strive To Recognize the things that can dim or cover it from truly SHINING BRIGHTLY. Is it Circumstance ? Is it Envy ? Is it Frustration leading to Doubt ? Is it being Too Comfortable ? Pride, Laziness, Self Centered Focus ? There are many, many reasons that we can let our light be covered, and often We Don’t Even REALIZE IT ! The Birth Of Jesus is SO SIGNIFICANT because It Is TIMELESS :) We celebrate His Birth for the same reasons today that those very shepherds celebrated it from the very beginning. TAKE NOTE that His Birth was FOR EVERYONE ! Shepherds, Wise Men, Poor or Rich, Comfortable or Suffering. CHRIST MEETS US WHERE WE ARE ! He was born in the most Humble Of Settings, but in the most GLORIOUS LIGHT IMAGINABLE. EVEN BRIGHTER was the LIGHT that He Shone on the people He interacted with. Taking common men and growing them into Apostles ! Men who would carry the GOSPEL to All The World. Solidifying a Truth in so many amazing Women that would Shine His Truth into a culture that often devalued them and their Wisdom. Leaders, Craftsmen, Businessmen, Farmers, Workers, Slaves, Rich, Poor, Blessed, Struggling, Healthy, Sick….all, walking in Sin at some level, and not fully in a COMPLETE RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD. JESUS CAME FOR ALL OF THEM, AND ALL OF US :) The LIGHT of His Love and Wisdom is open to all who will SEEK HIM….RIGHT WHERE WE ARE !
BUT WHEN ANYTHING IS EXPOSED BY THE LIGHT, IT BECOMES VISIBLE, FOR ANYTHING THAT BECOMES VISIBLE IS LIGHT. THEREFORE IT SAYS, “AWAKE, O SLEEPER, AND ARISE FROM THE DEAD, AND CHRIST WILL SHINE ON YOU. Ephesians 5: 13-14
BUT YOU ARE A CHOSEN RACE, A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR HIS OWN POSSESSION, THAT YOU MAY PROCLAIM THE EXCELLENCIES OF HIM WHO CALLED YOU OUT OF THE DARKNESS INTO HIS MARVELOUS LIGHT. 1 Peter 2:9
My friend Cindy will soon Head to Tanzania to Climb Mount Kilimanjaro ! It will be a grueling and amazing Physical Challenge. Perhaps the Coolest thing about this adventure for Cindy though is that in Preparation For The Task, GOD HAS GIVEN HER THE VISION OF HOW IMPORTANT HIS LIGHT IS IN HER LIFE AND OTHERS :) In Africa, Cindy will be SHINING GOD’S LIGHT ! None of us know the timing and exact purpose of How and When God will move to Use Us…but we count it All Blessing when He Does :) In this Season Of Celebration may we all strive to SEEK CHRIST; ABIDE IN CHRIST; LET HIS LIGHT SHINE FORTH FROM US INTO OTHERS ! It is easy to have our Eyes Closed. Closed to God; closed to Others and their needs; closed to the desire to be Outside Of Ourselves. Throw Off the things that are covering The Light Of Christ Inside You. If you don’t have Jesus, or have a thousand excuses for Not Having Him, I ask but one Question…WHY ? Fear ? Arrogance ? Doubt ? HE CAME AS A HUMBLE BABY BOY FOR YOU ! Time to wake up and see what His Light will ILLUMINATE outside your current vision. EYES OPEN. SEE all the opportunities that are coming into view and GET BUSY ! Open your Heart, Seek Jesus, and TELL OTHERS ABOUT HIM ! SHARE HIM ! SHINE HIS LIGHT ! May His Birth bring forth your Own Birth into a New Creation….YOU….Abiding In CHRIST, and HE IN YOU :) I give Praise and Thanks for Jesus, and my New Life In Him, and pray that YOU may find LIFE IN HIM AS WELL ! Be Blessed In The Light Of Christ….Born For YOU ! Be Like Cindy :) TIME to SHINE GOD’S LIGHT/JAA
FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY SON, THAT WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH, BUT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE. John 3:16
Jesus….Born, Died, and RISEN….All For Us :). Amen.