by David Brenneman
To all who are indeed calling themselves Christians...you are indeed the called of Jesus Christ if indeed your faith and trust is in Him alone for salvation.
It is you who are supposed to be lights in this dark world. It is you who are to live your life in such a way that others glorify God in Heaven because of what they see in you and see what you are doing.
You are to be the symbol of hope in a world that's desperate to find it. You are to shine your light and point people towards salvation in Christ Jesus.
The question is: Are you?
We are to be symbols of hope. We aren't to show the world our sin nature that they already have. Why would they be drawn towards that?
Only the Spirit of God saves people. We are lights that point people towards Jesus Christ. We show the world what's possible for lives lived in obedience to the One who saved us.
It's an interesting thing being a light in this world. Not too dissimilar to the characteristics of a candle. A candle burns best when it's held steady and at rest. It shines its best light that way. A candle that's allowed to be disturbed by circumstances illuminates but not at its potential. Winds or even a shaking of its holder disrupt its capacity. Jesus said in Isaiah 26:3 NASB "The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace,
Because he trusts in You."Worry is everywhere these days. People haven't been taught to survive for decades and now we see the hollow fruit.
People have gone decades without knowing how to grow their own food or how to live off the land. They have gotten too used to surplus of everything. For decades now man made things have built-in lifespans to guarantee a replacement timetable. What used to last 40 years or more probably has a greater chance of still working than what you buy new today lasting 5 years. Literally because there's no money in it.
People are growing in desperation for some leader to stand up and be that person who brings back the prosperity so that their worry goes away.
This too is Biblical prophecy. People will not only seek such a person, in a short time, will willingly worship such a person.
Hope is found, true hope, in Christ Jesus alone. He said He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. The. The. The. Not one of many. Not one of several. Not one of a few.
He said that the peace He brings the world does not know nor can it know. His peace is His hope. One goes with the other.
John 14:27 NASB "Peace I leave you, My peace I give you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, nor fearful."
We shine our best in this world when it's His light that people see. When He is keeping us peaceful and steady in the winds of life.
When we are more focused on this world that what He's doing and doing through us, we begin to worry rather than to pray. In this we sin.
We often allow so much junk in our lives that we disrupt that light ourselves. Too much busyness. Too much and we inadvertently push people away from the light, away from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Pray anywhere. Pray often. Jesus did.
Jesus didn't have a special prayer room nor a special prayer place. The Father met Jesus wherever He was. Jesus didn't bring His agenda up to the Father to fulfill, but rather was working on the Father’s business.
Get it yet? Those who are in Christ have something to be doing in Christ Jesus. If we believe the Scriptures we were placed just as the Spirit saw fit in the body to shine appropriately in this world. 1 Corinthians 12:18 NASB "But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired.".
If so much is going on in your life that relationships aren't happening then you know where to start.
If you are at a Church that isn't interested in relationship building then it's time to question that.
If relationships aren't important to you then for sure start praying about that.
Matthew 5:16 KJV "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."
So much hope is possible if only the true Church would let the light of Jesus Christ shine.
It's going to mean giving up much in the lives of people claiming to be Christians. If you don't have time for whatever is important to Jesus then...well...you have a significant problem.
If you don't have time to shine then you don't have time for Jesus and again you have a significant problem.
Jesus isn't willing that any should perish but that all would come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9 NASB "The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not willing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance.".
People the world over are waking up in Hell this very hour. Minute by minute people never thought about the seriousness of where they would spend eternity suddenly finding themselves in eternity paying for their own sins. They truly have no hope anymore. Their future is sealed, unchangeable. Permanent.
You my Dear Reader have a chance and a choice to come to Christ for salvation, to find indeed a future and a hope. You indeed might still not wake up tomorrow but your future will be set in stone to be with Jesus forever. Never to be waking up in Hell. Your sins gone and forgiven.
Jesus makes a way where no way is seen to exist. Jesus is the Creator God who makes a way where there is no way. He's not your Butler nor your Genie. He's your Lord, your Savior, your best friend. He's your Advocate, always at your defense. He's your provider. He's more than you can entirely wrap your mind around but you are capable of beginning with those things.
My hope is built on nothing less
than Jesus' blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
but wholly lean on Jesus' name.
Refrain:
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand:
all other ground is sinking sand;
all other ground is sinking sand.
When darkness veils his lovely face,
I rest on his unchanging grace;
in every high and stormy gale,
my anchor holds within the veil.
[Refrain]
His oath, his covenant, his blood,
support me in the whelming flood;
when all around my soul gives way,
he then is all my hope and stay.
[Refrain]
When he shall come with trumpet sound,
O may I then in him be found:
dressed in his righteousness alone,
faultless to stand before the throne.
The Solid Rock Edward Mote 1834
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