For All the World to See

“No one after lighting a lamp covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light. For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light. Take care then how you hear, for to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away.” (Luke 8:16-18 ESV)

When we believe in Jesus Christ to be Lord and Savior of our lives, in truth and in righteousness, the LIGHT comes to dwell within us in the person of the Holy Spirit who is the third person of our triune God – Father, Son (Jesus Christ) and Holy Spirit. Now God lives within us by his Spirit. Christ is living within us by his Spirit. The Word (Christ) is now living within us and giving light (truth, righteousness, holiness, and the gospel) to us. And as Christ’s followers we are to be shining that light for all the world to see.

But the shining of our light has to be first and foremost by how we live, not just by our words. For if it is words only, and not in action, it doesn’t really have the same impact. And I am not saying that if we speak the truth of the gospel, even if we are not living it, that God can’t use it. For if it is the truth that is spoken, his word will never return empty. But the point here is that we are not to shine the light of the gospel in words only but first of all in action, by us putting into practice in our own lives the truth of the gospel.

What is the gospel that we are to let shine through our lives and through our words on a daily basis? Jesus said that if anyone would come after him, he must deny self, take up his cross daily (die daily to sin) and follow (obey) him. For if we hold on to our old lives of living in sin and for self, we will lose them for eternity. But if for the sake of Jesus we deny self, die daily to sin, and follow him in obedience, we have eternal life in him. But if we deny him by how we live, he will deny us when he returns (see Luke 9:23-26). Also:

[Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 9:23-26; Romans 2:6-8; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Corinthians 5:15; Galatians 5:16-21; Galatians 6:7-8; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Hebrews 10:23-31; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6; 1 Jn 3:4-10]   

And another thing about this is that we need to be honest people, people of integrity who are who we say we are. This doesn’t mean that we are absolutely perfect in every respect, but that we are to be those who are denying self, in practice, who are daily dying to sin, and who are following our Lord in obedience, as a matter of lifestyle. So we are not to put on a performance for others, pretending we are something we are not, faking our walks of faith while continuing to live in deliberate and habitual sin.

For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light. So if you are living in secret sin while you are pretending you are not, one day this is all going to come out into the light. And if you are living in secret sin while you are faking your Christianity, please know that the Scriptures do not promise you salvation from sin and eternal life with God. For Jesus said that not everyone who calls him “Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one DOING God’s will.

“Then his mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not reach him because of the crowd. And he was told, ‘Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see you.’ But he answered them, ‘My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.’” (Luke 8:19-21 ESV)

We all have a birth family, at least someone gave birth to us, and so even if we never knew our parents, we had parents somewhere. I grew up with my parents and with two older brothers and two younger sisters, and I had many aunts and uncles and I have many cousins and nieces and nephews, as well as I am married and I have four children of my own (plus their three spouses) and I have fourteen grandchildren, two of whom are married now, so I have a fairly large family, which I am thankful for, whom I love.

But when we believe in Jesus Christ to be Lord and Savior of our lives he becomes our spiritual husband and all of his followers then become our family, too. So my family is HUGE! But these are not people who merely profess faith in Jesus Christ with their lips who then are living worldly and sinful lives. These are people of God who hear (listen to with their hearts and not just with their ears) the word of God and who do it (in practice, as a matter of life course). They are our family!!

But what else did Jesus say on this subject of family? He said that whoever loves father or mother or son or daughter, etc., more than him is not worthy (suitable, befitting, deserving) of him. But he also said that whoever does not take up his cross daily (die daily to sin) and follow him in obedience is also not worthy of him. And he said that if we are his followers that we should anticipate that our own family members will be our enemies and will turn against us and will reject and even persecute us (Matthew 10:34-39).

So, two main things here: 1. When we believe in Jesus and when we follow him earnestly with our lives, some of our natural family members may reject us and even turn against us and may want nothing to do with us. We should be prepared for this. 2. We must always put Jesus first before our family, or we are not worthy of him. We are not to conform to the ways of our natural family members to make them happy if it goes against what our Lord requires of us in the way of obedient walks of faith in him. Jesus first!

Hear my Voice 

An Original Work / July 9, 2012

Based off Psalm 27

The Lord is my great salvation.

He’s the stronghold of my life.

When my enemies attack me,

My heart will not fear at all.

Though a war break out against me,

Confident in Christ I’ll be.

Of the Lord, I ask that I may

Live with Him eternally. 

Hear my voice, Lord, when I call you.

Merciful to me You’ll be.

Though my relatives forsake me,

My Lord God will receive me.

Teach me Your way, O my Jesus.

Lead me in Your righteousness.

I will sacrifice to my Lord.

I will sing with joyfulness.

I am confident that I will

See the goodness of the Lord.

All the richness of His blessings,

My Lord has for me in store.

He asks me to be of courage;

To be strong and to take heart,

Patiently as I wait for Him,

And from Him to ne’er depart.

https://vimeo.com/119813963