light up the world

You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

– Matthew 5:14-16

How do you view your identity as a follower of Christ?

Is it as a good church goer?

Or reading your bible every day?

Jesus goes past all of that and calls us the light of the world.

Do we see ourselves as a force that illuminates all that is around us?

Song reference!

We are the light of the world

We are the city on a hill

We are the light of the world

We gotta, we gotta, we gotta let the light shine

We are called to spread the news

Tell the world the simple truth

Jesus came to save, there’s freedom in His name

So let his love break through

Every day people see you. 

What do they see?

Do they see the person you are, the person that God wants you to be, or the person that your boss/spouse/society wants you to be? 

I don’t like trying to keep those three separate personas, I want to be the person that God wants me to be. 

I saw a quote once that said “When you are not the person God has called you to be, you keep others from being the person God has called them to be.”

I want to be the person that God wants me to be. 

If that means letting my light shine, well then, I hope I am blinding!!

Have a blessed day!

admit it

For your ways are in full view of the Lord, and He examines all your paths.

– Proverbs 5:21

My kids used to get so mad when they got into trouble for doing something wrong, but sometimes it seemed that they had little or no remorse.

I have been known to ask them if they were upset because they know what they did was wrong, or if they were angry because they got caught.

A dear friend of mine recently shared with me that his son once asked him “How do you know what the right thing is?”

“Simple”, my wise friend answered. “Ask yourself this question: If your father finds out, will I be ok with the consequence?”

Just to clarify – are you willing to take the punishment that equals the sin?

Because there is no such thing as hidden sin.

God not only sees what we do, but He sees why we do it!

When we realize that nothing escapes God’s view and the need to cry out for mercy becomes real, that is when we need a Savior.

Without that realization, we are still held captive to our sin, for we are not aware of our true need.

Jesus Christ came to set captives free, but the chains that come off are the ones that we are willing to admit that we have.

Have a blessed day!

do the right thing

My son, if sinful men entice you, do not give in to them. If they say, “Come along with us; let’s lie in wait for innocent blood, let’s ambush some harmless soul; my son, do not go along with them, do not set foot on their paths;  for their feet rush into evil, they are swift to shed blood.

– Proverbs 1:10-11,15-16

My kids went to Westside Elementary in Rogers, AR, where one of the things they were taught from the first day is “Do the right thing, even when no one is looking.”

Temptation is all around us.

There are multiple times in a day when we are faced with decisions that will affect other people in a detrimental way.

While we may not be enticed today in the same manner as in Biblical times, the opportunity can occur at lunch,  during a break, out shopping with friends, or even at a church event.

Don’t give into this conniving, for in the end the people doing these things only set a trap for themselves by their actions.

The wisdom of this proverb is as relevant for us today as when it was first written.

Do the right thing, even when no one is looking.

Have a blessed day!

wisdom and patience

A person’s wisdom yields patience; it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.

– Proverbs 19:11

When I choose verses to post and talk about, I often feel that some of God’s words are jumping out and grabbing my by the throat. 

This is one of those verses.

How often we repeat to ourselves to be patient, that “good things come to those who wait”, yet we watch as people around us tend to receive many of the things we want, and sometimes we watch those same people get those things by say unconventional means.

Or say we circle a parking lot looking for the best spot, then we see someone backing out and we hurry to that spot, only to have a car come from the opposite direction and snag that spot.

Then it just makes us mad.

It is one thing to be patient when things are going our way; it is another thing to be patient when we feel wronged.

As C.S. Lewis stated, “Everyone feels benevolent if nothing happens to be annoying us at the moment.”

We show our true wisdom when we are faced with offense.

Can we overlook the faults (or indiscretions) of others – even when it hurts?

Have a blessed day!

do as i say, not as i do

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

—James 1:22

Have you ever told someone “do what I say, not what I do”?

Can you really and truly expect someone to respect you if you tell them to do one thing, and then turn around and do the exact polar opposite of what you said?

I’m telling you, it doesn’t work that way.

There is an old saying "The proof of the pudding is in the tasting."

Well, the proof of biblical wisdom and understanding is in the living.

To simply know the truth doesn't mean a whole lot; to live the truth is everything.

We should really examine ourselves and be sure that we are living the truth.

His truth.

Have a blessed day!

Paybacks

Do not say, "I'll pay you back for this wrong!" Wait for the LORD, and He will deliver you.

—Proverbs 20:22

There are probably a handful of people in the world that I feel strongly about, people that I feel like deserve my revenge.

But vengeance is an awful and painful way to respond to those whom we feel have wronged us.

The LORD is our assurance of just rewards.

Leave it to him.

Escalating vindictiveness only leads to broken people and to broken lives.

Worse yet, it leads to broken character.

Have a blessed day!

Chosen

In Him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will,

– Ephesians 1:11

God chose me.

How profound and wonderful is that statement?

This great love is what every person faces when they come into the kingdom of heaven.

It’s not just when we die that we can experience God’s love and salvation, but we have it throughout our lives – God is working things out in ways that we don’t see.

Take heart; God is actively involved in your life, both in ways that you can see and ways that are invisible to your view.

Rejoice in that truth.

Trust in His unending love.

Have a blessed day!