SHINING LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS

Joni Eareckson Tada has stated, “Gradually, though no one remembers exactly how it happened, the unthinkable becomes tolerable. And then acceptable. And then legal. And then applaudable.”

Jesus prayed a very fitting prayer over His disciples in John 17:15-21, which I believe applies for all believers, for all times. “I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth. I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.”

We live in a time where Satan doesn’t even hide anymore and we still don’t see him. 

People are in need. The world is dark, yes. But the light of Jesus, His message, His saving message of hope and salvation and transformation, can pierce, illuminate, and completely overtake any darkness there is. People are in need, yes. And the devil isn’t hiding anymore with his attacks.

Where is the church? It is time we shine the light in every dark crevice there is on this planet. 

In Matthew 5:14-16 Jesus told His disciples, “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” 

-- Author Unknown

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WHAT WE NEED WHEN WE NEED IT – Part 1 of 2

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”  (Philippians 4:6)

Few people have witnessed more miracles than George Müller (1805 – 1898).

Along with pastoring one church for sixty-six years, Müller established the Ashley Down orphanage in Bristol, England. He cared for 10,024 orphans while establishing 117 schools for their education throughout England. Adjusted for inflation, George Müller raised $150 million dollars for those kingdom causes. This is an incredible sum of money by any standard, but what makes it even more remarkable is the fact that George Müller never asked anyone for anything – not a single penny. He made a covenant to ask only God. Müller figured that God knew exactly what he needed and when he needed it, and God could make provision for it. It is estimated that Müller experienced thirty thousand specific answers to prayer, as recorded in his journal. Time and time again, food would be dropped off on their doorstep right when they ran out, a donation was made right before a bill came due, or a plumber offered his services right when a problem needed to be fixed.

I live by an Oswald Chambers maxim: “Let God be as original with other people as He is with you.” So I’m not prescribing George Müller’s methodology across the board. I think it’s okay to verbalize a need or ask for help, but shouldn’t we put it to prayer first rather than last? And why do we take matters into our own hands when we can put them into the hands of God? Few things are harder than letting go and letting God, but that’s what George Müller modeled. And I can think of thirty thousand reasons to follow his example. 

-- Mark Batterson in “The Grave Robber: How Jesus Can Make Your Impossible Possible” 

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DEMONSTRATING THE GOSPEL

Jesus said to His disciples, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”  (Mark 16:15 NIV)

Anyone wanting to proclaim the glory of Christ to the ends of the earth must consider not only how to declare the gospel verbally but also how to demonstrate the gospel visibly in a world where so many are urgently hungry. If I am going to address urgent spiritual need by sharing the gospel of Christ or building up the body of Christ around the world, then I cannot overlook dire physical need in the process. 

-- David Platt

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AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST

“Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.”  (2 Corinthians 5:20 NKJV)

The Church is in the world to save the world. It is a tool of God for that purpose; not a comfortable religious club established in fine historical premises. Every one of its members is required, in one way or another, to co-operate with the Spirit in working for that great end; and much of this work will be done in secret and invisible ways. We are transmitters as well as receivers. Our contemplation and our action, our humble self-opening to God, keeping ourselves sensitive to His music and light, and our generous self-opening to our fellow creatures, keeping ourselves sensitive to their needs, ought to form one life: mediating between God and His world, and bringing the saving power of the Eternal into time. We are far from realizing all that the human spirits can do for one another on spiritual levels if they pay the price; how truly and really our souls interpenetrate, and how impossible and un-Christian it is to “keep ourselves to ourselves.”

-- Evelyn Underwood in “The Spiritual Life”

#5451

YOU GROW AS YOU SERVE

The determination to minister in love to anyone who enters our workday world produces an unexpected by-product. Throughout the New Testament, we find a principle of gain and loss, of life and death. “In seeking the glory of God and the good for our fellow-creatures,” as Jonathon Edwards put it, “you take the surest way to have God seek your interests, and promote your welfare.”

“I tell you the truth,” Jesus said, “unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” (John 12:24-25)

The caring soul can’t lose. Make your priority other people’s and you’ll add a foot to your spiritual stature. Learn to feel the throb of another’s heart and your own will beat stronger. Lose your life in the lives of the needy for Jesus’ sake and you’ll find it. Leave your self-interests and personal preoccupations behind and see what wonderful things God has in store for you.

-- Steve & Lois Rabey, General Editors, in “Side by Side: Disciple-Making for a New Century”


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ACCEPTING A HELPING HAND

“You guide me with Your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny.” (Psalm 73:24 NLT)

When a steamship enters the harbor and seeks to dock, they call for a "pilot" to come aboard and steer the vessel to port...

We have all seen pictures of beautiful luxury liners steaming into New York harbor. They are splendid, gleaming, smooth, and self-sufficient -- until they get close to land. Then tiny little tugboats come alongside and gently nudge them toward the dock. These tiny boats ease them in the right direction so that their docking is safe and secure.

These ships are no less magnificent because they accepted help from a friendly little tugboat. We are no less magnificent if we, too, accept a helping hand [when we are in physical, emotional or spiritual need.]

-- Ted Menten in “After Goodbye”


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