“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lamp stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven." Matthew 5:14-16
One of the things I grew up with (and I suspect most kids did and still do) is to be sure to be in the house by the time the street lights came on. Why was this such an important rule in so many families? The simple answer is that it gets dark and in the words of my mom, "nothing good happens after dark." The implication was that those who were up to no good used the darkness as a cover and that I was not to be up to no good nor confused with anyone who was.
If you think about it, street lights were created to provide illumination against the dark, but their effect is limited. The admonition was to come into the house where it was and is safe and that the whole place could be lit up and the family could be together. Even if a room was dark, you turned on the light before entering.
Beloved, though there were no street lights in Jesus' day, forms of light against the darkness were available and he analogizes the exercising of our faith to them. It seems that the darkness of this world is ever increasing and there are more and more people up to no good. As Jesus beckoned us to come to the light that he himself is, he has also said that having been illuminated by him, we too are light. And as light, we can attract others from the darkness into the safety of the house of the Lord where all the family is located. We do this simply by sharing with others what he has shared with us.
Do you share your light with those in need of it or do you hide it so as not to attract a "bad element"? We must be willing to do just as Jesus has done: let it shine, let it shine, let it shine!
One,
Lee
Showing posts with label Light. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Light. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
The Difference of Light 12/18/2012
"For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus." Titus 2:11-13
There ought to be a difference between those who are the children of God and those who are not. That difference should be able to seen in behavior and readily apparent to all who observe carefully. This is not to say that we should walk around evaluating one another but that the things we choose to say and do should be indicative of our status as members of the family of God. Regardless of what was thought about Jesus, the fact that he healed the sick, fed the hungry, preached love, reached out to the poor and hopeless, and helped those in need (rather than judge them) was undeniable to all who observed him. Even his enemies dealt very carefully with him so as not to incite an insurrection against themselves by the recipients of his goodness.
Beloved we are called to be the presence of the Lord on earth. Jesus has said to us and of us, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven" Matt 5:14-16. The light that comes from him yet shines through his own is to be a beacon to those who are seeking love, truth, peace and salvation. Let us not ever send mixed messages. Let us not be confused with those who do not know God. We should strive to be different because, through His grace, we are different. Let that difference attract others even as they were when The Light shone among men.
Rejoicing in the Lord,
Lee
There ought to be a difference between those who are the children of God and those who are not. That difference should be able to seen in behavior and readily apparent to all who observe carefully. This is not to say that we should walk around evaluating one another but that the things we choose to say and do should be indicative of our status as members of the family of God. Regardless of what was thought about Jesus, the fact that he healed the sick, fed the hungry, preached love, reached out to the poor and hopeless, and helped those in need (rather than judge them) was undeniable to all who observed him. Even his enemies dealt very carefully with him so as not to incite an insurrection against themselves by the recipients of his goodness.
Beloved we are called to be the presence of the Lord on earth. Jesus has said to us and of us, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven" Matt 5:14-16. The light that comes from him yet shines through his own is to be a beacon to those who are seeking love, truth, peace and salvation. Let us not ever send mixed messages. Let us not be confused with those who do not know God. We should strive to be different because, through His grace, we are different. Let that difference attract others even as they were when The Light shone among men.
Rejoicing in the Lord,
Lee
Monday, November 19, 2012
This Little Light of Mine 11/19/2012
"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven." Matt 5:14-16
It is important for Christians to know that being a child of God is not simply a status, but a calling with a purpose and with responsibilities. It is true that there is a great inheritance reserved for us, however there is a great work we must do until such time as that inheritance is received. This work is not done in order to receive, but because it has already been set aside against the day of God's timing.
Beloved, we are God's advertising campaign. Though the majesty of His creation shouts His existence and love, we are the ones who are charged to tell the story, make the introductions and invite the world into a relationship with its creator. All that we say or do should be seasoned with that purpose in mind. We are advocates, representatives, ambassadors, samples and examples. It is only through His blessed family that others can and will come to Him. Let us engage in activities and behaviors that would draw all not to ourselves but to Him who made us all. Let us allow our light to shine brightly thus illuminating the very love of God.
Rejoicing in the Lord,
Lee
It is important for Christians to know that being a child of God is not simply a status, but a calling with a purpose and with responsibilities. It is true that there is a great inheritance reserved for us, however there is a great work we must do until such time as that inheritance is received. This work is not done in order to receive, but because it has already been set aside against the day of God's timing.
Beloved, we are God's advertising campaign. Though the majesty of His creation shouts His existence and love, we are the ones who are charged to tell the story, make the introductions and invite the world into a relationship with its creator. All that we say or do should be seasoned with that purpose in mind. We are advocates, representatives, ambassadors, samples and examples. It is only through His blessed family that others can and will come to Him. Let us engage in activities and behaviors that would draw all not to ourselves but to Him who made us all. Let us allow our light to shine brightly thus illuminating the very love of God.
Rejoicing in the Lord,
Lee
Monday, April 9, 2012
Follow the Light-4/9/2012
"From Your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." Psa 119:104-105
There are so many today who are lost within their own lives. A variety of decisions, circumstances and situations have put us all where we are but what next? We sometimes stumble around in darkness thinking we know the well worn path only to bump into an obstacle for which we did not account.
Beloved there is a light that shines brightly. That light provides guidance in the middle of the night, illumination in the middle of confusion and direction in the middle of uncertainty. It identifies obstacles and makes the way forward obvious. It is the word of God that shows us the way that we should go. Just as we would grab a flashlight in the nighttime wilderness or turn on a light in our home in the middle of the night, let us always avail ourselves of the brightness of His word to guide our every step.
Rejoicing in the Lord,
Lee
There are so many today who are lost within their own lives. A variety of decisions, circumstances and situations have put us all where we are but what next? We sometimes stumble around in darkness thinking we know the well worn path only to bump into an obstacle for which we did not account.
Beloved there is a light that shines brightly. That light provides guidance in the middle of the night, illumination in the middle of confusion and direction in the middle of uncertainty. It identifies obstacles and makes the way forward obvious. It is the word of God that shows us the way that we should go. Just as we would grab a flashlight in the nighttime wilderness or turn on a light in our home in the middle of the night, let us always avail ourselves of the brightness of His word to guide our every step.
Rejoicing in the Lord,
Lee
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Can You See Him Now?-11/15/2011
"Then again He laid His hands on his eyes; and he looked intently and was restored, and began to see everything clearly." Mark 8:25
This passage is merely the midpoint of a fascinating trilogy of stories concerning faith, understanding and the identity of God's son. There was a man born blind found in the city of Bethsaida whom the residents brought to Jesus to be healed. Jesus responded favorably to the request due to his compassion for the man suffering. He would not, however, perform the miracle within the bounds of Bethsaida because they had not repented despite his many miracles previously performed there. Jesus proceeded to apply healing to him, but when first asked if he could see, his reply was in the affirmative but only partially so. Jesus applied additional healing and he was then able to see clearly. Do not doubt that Jesus could not have healed him on the first try if that was his aim. He is in fact making a point.
The first episode of this trilogy occurred among Jesus' apostles. Having just come from feeding the 4000, they entered a boat to journey to the other side of the lake. One of them discovered that they had very little food and began to worry. Jesus instructed them to "beware of the leaven (yeast) of the Pharisees and of King Herod." They mistook his words to be chastisement for not bringing more bread. When Jesus detected these thoughts, he reminded them of all that was left over from the feeding of the 5000 and the 4000 when they had begun with so little. His reprooving question to them was, "Do you not see clearly? Have you no understanding?"
Part 3 of the narrative involved Jesus' famous question of the apostles regarding who the general population thought he was compared to who they thought he was. Peter supplied the answer, "You are the Christ (Messiah), the Son of the living God." This confession was evidence that the apostles could now see clearly who is.
Beloved, before we meet the Lord, we are blind, struggling in spiritual darkness, unable to find our way and without hope. Yes we live our lives and raise our families, but without Christ, we have not received illumination beyond this secular world. When we do meet him, we do not experience immediate clarity because a relationship is a process. The apostles had been with him for some time and witnessed things never seen before on earth, yet they, those closest to him, still didn't quite understand. They only saw partially. In the end, however, the experienced perfect understanding of who he is to the universe and more importantly, who he was to them.
Let us, in all that we do, pursue clarity of who Jesus is that we may understand all he has, does and will mean to our lives and eternal souls.
Loving Like Jesus,
Lee
This passage is merely the midpoint of a fascinating trilogy of stories concerning faith, understanding and the identity of God's son. There was a man born blind found in the city of Bethsaida whom the residents brought to Jesus to be healed. Jesus responded favorably to the request due to his compassion for the man suffering. He would not, however, perform the miracle within the bounds of Bethsaida because they had not repented despite his many miracles previously performed there. Jesus proceeded to apply healing to him, but when first asked if he could see, his reply was in the affirmative but only partially so. Jesus applied additional healing and he was then able to see clearly. Do not doubt that Jesus could not have healed him on the first try if that was his aim. He is in fact making a point.
The first episode of this trilogy occurred among Jesus' apostles. Having just come from feeding the 4000, they entered a boat to journey to the other side of the lake. One of them discovered that they had very little food and began to worry. Jesus instructed them to "beware of the leaven (yeast) of the Pharisees and of King Herod." They mistook his words to be chastisement for not bringing more bread. When Jesus detected these thoughts, he reminded them of all that was left over from the feeding of the 5000 and the 4000 when they had begun with so little. His reprooving question to them was, "Do you not see clearly? Have you no understanding?"
Part 3 of the narrative involved Jesus' famous question of the apostles regarding who the general population thought he was compared to who they thought he was. Peter supplied the answer, "You are the Christ (Messiah), the Son of the living God." This confession was evidence that the apostles could now see clearly who is.
Beloved, before we meet the Lord, we are blind, struggling in spiritual darkness, unable to find our way and without hope. Yes we live our lives and raise our families, but without Christ, we have not received illumination beyond this secular world. When we do meet him, we do not experience immediate clarity because a relationship is a process. The apostles had been with him for some time and witnessed things never seen before on earth, yet they, those closest to him, still didn't quite understand. They only saw partially. In the end, however, the experienced perfect understanding of who he is to the universe and more importantly, who he was to them.
Let us, in all that we do, pursue clarity of who Jesus is that we may understand all he has, does and will mean to our lives and eternal souls.
Loving Like Jesus,
Lee
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
It is Time to Get Up and Go to Work-10/25/2011
"And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed." Rom 13:11
Every morning we are blessed to see a new day. As some of us bound out of bed toward an invigorating cup of coffee and all the exciting tasks the day brings (or as some of us hang on to our pillows and the last shreds of unconsciousness as if it were the cure to all of life's ills), let us be reminded of what it means to wake up and get up. We do so because there is a time for sleeping and a time for waking. There is a time for resting and a time for working. There is a time for being still and a time for being active. Sleep, rest and stillness merely serve to recharge us for the things that must be done.
Beloved, far too often we clutch the pillow of neglect in our spiritual lives. Times when we are called to go to the harvest, visit the fatherless and the widows in their affliction, work while it is day and to rejoice and be glad in that day, we instead pull the covers over our heads while slapping the alarm clock to silence. In so doing, we are clinging to the darkness in our lives and it is a darkness from which we have been saved. In so doing, we are neglecting that salvation. The Hebrew writer asked rhetorically, "How shall we escape [just punishment]if we neglect so great a salvation?" Heb 2:3.
We must wake up and, as Jesus said, "Work the works of Him that sent me, while it is day: the night comes when no man can work." John 9:4. Just as in the fable of the Grasshopper and the Ant, there will come a time when a season (or a lifetime) of idleness and improvidence will show up demanding payment, at which time it will be too late to attempt to get things done. Do you remember the people of Noah's time?
There are no easy chairs in the house of the Lord. Let us focus on accomplishing what we were saved to do. Let us rise with glad hearts, thankful for the blessing of waking and the ability to accomplish. And let us cheerfully seek and accomplish the work of the Lord. "For they that sleep sleep in the night: and they that are drunken are drunken in the night. But let us, since we are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love' and for a helmet, the hope of salvation." 1 Thes 5:7.
Loving Like Jesus,
Lee
Every morning we are blessed to see a new day. As some of us bound out of bed toward an invigorating cup of coffee and all the exciting tasks the day brings (or as some of us hang on to our pillows and the last shreds of unconsciousness as if it were the cure to all of life's ills), let us be reminded of what it means to wake up and get up. We do so because there is a time for sleeping and a time for waking. There is a time for resting and a time for working. There is a time for being still and a time for being active. Sleep, rest and stillness merely serve to recharge us for the things that must be done.
Beloved, far too often we clutch the pillow of neglect in our spiritual lives. Times when we are called to go to the harvest, visit the fatherless and the widows in their affliction, work while it is day and to rejoice and be glad in that day, we instead pull the covers over our heads while slapping the alarm clock to silence. In so doing, we are clinging to the darkness in our lives and it is a darkness from which we have been saved. In so doing, we are neglecting that salvation. The Hebrew writer asked rhetorically, "How shall we escape [just punishment]if we neglect so great a salvation?" Heb 2:3.
We must wake up and, as Jesus said, "Work the works of Him that sent me, while it is day: the night comes when no man can work." John 9:4. Just as in the fable of the Grasshopper and the Ant, there will come a time when a season (or a lifetime) of idleness and improvidence will show up demanding payment, at which time it will be too late to attempt to get things done. Do you remember the people of Noah's time?
There are no easy chairs in the house of the Lord. Let us focus on accomplishing what we were saved to do. Let us rise with glad hearts, thankful for the blessing of waking and the ability to accomplish. And let us cheerfully seek and accomplish the work of the Lord. "For they that sleep sleep in the night: and they that are drunken are drunken in the night. But let us, since we are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love' and for a helmet, the hope of salvation." 1 Thes 5:7.
Loving Like Jesus,
Lee
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Be Careful-8/3/2011
“The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!" Matt 6:22-23
What indeed is clarity of the eye? It is submitted to you that it is at least a twofold consideration. First, it is pure way of looking at things. It is approaching what is observed without preconceived notions or questionable motives. For instance, some will look at a beggar at an intersection and think that he or she is a huckster trying to take advantage of the general public, while others will just see the need. Secondly, clarity (and purity) involve avoiding that which is detrimental to the relationship with God. An example of this is the all to ready access to pornographic and other immoral material via satellite, cable and the Internet. One need not even seek it in that it often shows up as spam in our email.
Beloved, we must, to the best of our ability, control what we take in through our eyes and other senses. Unrighteousness is as insidious as sugar ants that seem to somehow get in to your home and start showing up everywhere from the kitchen to the bedroom. It takes diligence and discipline to avoid that which is popularly accepted by the masses. Failure to do so desensitizes us and will ultimately lead to rationalizing behaviors that we previously would have considered just plain wrong.
Once our eyes become compromised, so does everything within us. We were once in darkness but shown the light. Should we return to that darkness, the shades are infinitely deeper and the effect of the light is significantly diminished, tragically at times, so much so that we do not allow our darkness to be overcome. Perhaps it is best said in the truncated lyrics of a famous children's song:
"Be careful little eyes what you see
Be careful little ears what you hear
There's a Father up above
And He's looking down in love
So, be careful..."
Loving Like Jesus,
Lee
What indeed is clarity of the eye? It is submitted to you that it is at least a twofold consideration. First, it is pure way of looking at things. It is approaching what is observed without preconceived notions or questionable motives. For instance, some will look at a beggar at an intersection and think that he or she is a huckster trying to take advantage of the general public, while others will just see the need. Secondly, clarity (and purity) involve avoiding that which is detrimental to the relationship with God. An example of this is the all to ready access to pornographic and other immoral material via satellite, cable and the Internet. One need not even seek it in that it often shows up as spam in our email.
Beloved, we must, to the best of our ability, control what we take in through our eyes and other senses. Unrighteousness is as insidious as sugar ants that seem to somehow get in to your home and start showing up everywhere from the kitchen to the bedroom. It takes diligence and discipline to avoid that which is popularly accepted by the masses. Failure to do so desensitizes us and will ultimately lead to rationalizing behaviors that we previously would have considered just plain wrong.
Once our eyes become compromised, so does everything within us. We were once in darkness but shown the light. Should we return to that darkness, the shades are infinitely deeper and the effect of the light is significantly diminished, tragically at times, so much so that we do not allow our darkness to be overcome. Perhaps it is best said in the truncated lyrics of a famous children's song:
"Be careful little eyes what you see
Be careful little ears what you hear
There's a Father up above
And He's looking down in love
So, be careful..."
Loving Like Jesus,
Lee
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Living in the Light-DD 3/31/2011
"And those who were with me saw the light, to be sure, but did not understand the voice of the One who was speaking to me." Acts 22:9
Contextually, the apostle Paul was in the middle of what has become known as the Damascus Road experience. It was here that he met the Christ that he had been prosecuting as a dyed in the wool Jew. In fact, he was on his way to kill and persecute Christians when this event occured.
Paul was initially confused, but heard the voice of the Lord loud and clear. Ultimately he was obedient to that voice for the rest of his life. His companions, however, knew that something was going on but did not know what, nor did they themselves hear the voice.
Beloved, we who call upon the name of the Lord have all had our Damascus Road experiences. There was a point in our lives that we stepped out of the darkness and, at the Lord's invitation, stepped into the light. We were told what it was we must do and we spend the rest of our lives trying to do it.
We must also realize that there will be others around us that have no idea what is going on. They will see the light of love and the light of Christ taking over our lives, but will not themselves hear the voice. Our great challenge is to lead them to their own Damascus Road experience. Let us all live in the light as He is in the light.
Loving Like Jesus,
Lee
Contextually, the apostle Paul was in the middle of what has become known as the Damascus Road experience. It was here that he met the Christ that he had been prosecuting as a dyed in the wool Jew. In fact, he was on his way to kill and persecute Christians when this event occured.
Paul was initially confused, but heard the voice of the Lord loud and clear. Ultimately he was obedient to that voice for the rest of his life. His companions, however, knew that something was going on but did not know what, nor did they themselves hear the voice.
Beloved, we who call upon the name of the Lord have all had our Damascus Road experiences. There was a point in our lives that we stepped out of the darkness and, at the Lord's invitation, stepped into the light. We were told what it was we must do and we spend the rest of our lives trying to do it.
We must also realize that there will be others around us that have no idea what is going on. They will see the light of love and the light of Christ taking over our lives, but will not themselves hear the voice. Our great challenge is to lead them to their own Damascus Road experience. Let us all live in the light as He is in the light.
Loving Like Jesus,
Lee
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