Connecting to shine– together we light each other up as we worship, teach, pray, fellowship, shine.Remember that a coal will grow cold unless it is up against another, hotter coal, that is up against another coal, that is up against a fire. We were made to do life together. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 paints a beautiful image of the power of the other. The writer states that two can work together better than one alone. If one falls down, the other can pick him up. Two people can keep each other warm as they share body heat, but one person will just stay cold. Two people can stand up against a thug, but a person alone will be mugged. Then he ends with this statement- ‘ three are even better, as a triple braided cord is hard to break.’ Who is the third person introduced at the end? I believe it is the God factor he was describing. Weaving God into our relationship will bring strength greater than the two of us could ever generate. Who are your others? How do they bring life to you? Who do you need to rub up against to get fired up again? Who do you need to come near to and ignite?
Read to shine– Ps 119:105 sings “Your word is a light unto my path, and a light unto my feet”. God’s word, read every day, will be a light for your life path.Like an athlete who has memorized the playbook, you can know what to do in every situation as you are guided by the playbook. The same is offered for us when we take God’s word to our heart as the only relevant truth for us to live.
Eliminate one thing that comes between you and the daily reading of Gods word. This is a sacrifice the God of the universe will see, and blessed is the person who does it! I have chosen to cut my media consumption by 50% over the next month. I have to do it slowly, as cold turkey usually doesn’t work for me. This now adds an extra 2-3 hours a day for me to spend reading, writing, journaling, learning, serving. I am soaking in the light of knowledge, and spilling it out the next day in the way I serve, love, drive, speak, lead, think, and live. The strength to do this comes from a deep spiritual nourishment, not my own human goodness. I’ve tried the path of doing good on my own strength, character, and emotional desire. It is ok for a while, but I soon run out of patience, perspective, power, and persistence. when I engage my spirit with my body and my will, I am supercharged by God to do the things I would normally fail miserable at. God pours in the light, and I turn the spotlight to the darkness!
You receive more as you obey more.This principle is powerful as it promises to move you closer to God, and closer to His daily plan for your life. When we start, as with most endeavors, we start with milk, then graduate to meat. As a youngster, we could not handle the deep things of God until we understood and obeyed the simple, daily things of God. Obedience to the word of God leads to more understanding of His word, because God knows you are willing to obey what He shows you next. He doesn’t give you more than you can handle, or obey. Some people know the bible back and forth, but can still only handle cereal level truth from God. Make a commitment to learn and obey what you read, and God will graduate you to a deeper understanding of His word and His will.
Be careful here, God interacts with this level of follower in more powerful and demanding ways than the young, fragile believer. Following God will open your eyes as they have never been before, but you may not like what you see. You may see the light of holiness expose things in your life that need to go, literally. You may be challenged to correct your course, as the light shows coming rocks you never know were there before. Don’t come into the light lightly ( like that play on words? sorry!). God will use you in new ways that you couldn’t plan, but you need to keep learning and be committed to obedience at every turn of the page. Keep your eyes on the prize, which is the upward calling of Jesus to see life through His eyes, and be the light that shines the way for others to come to Him!
Here is a final challenge with a promise from the light of the world-
Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with total commitment and awe. For God is working in you right now, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him. Do everything with out complaining or arguing so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a dark world of corrupted and perverse people. Philippians 2:12-15.
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