47. When you look at this picture, what do your eyes immediately go to? If you’re like me, they go to the light coming up over the mountains. I snapped this pic on my way to drop Leah off this morning. I was instantly reminded that the Lord calls us to be that light.
Matthew 5:15-16 ESV
15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
The amount darkness in this picture might be 100x greater than the small amount of light, but the light is what stands out. The light is what is different. The light is what we focus on and that light will spread across the entire morning sky in a few short minutes turning night into day.
I feel led to add that we as Christians may feel that the darkness of this world is so great and so vastly spread that our light won’t make a difference. As if we feel that one little candle can’t light an entire city. The good news is that our light can spread to others. That’s the beauty of being part of the body of Christ, sharing our light and helping it spread to others in a way that allows them to share their light to others and it spreads. Kinda like the plague but in a “this little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine” way.
Isaiah 60:1 NIV
Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.
Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.
Psalm 37:5-6 NIV
Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun.
Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun.
We are not called to blend in, but to stand out. Sometimes I feel that being a Christian and sharing my experiences with the Holy Spirit does nothing more than put a bullseye on my back. It’s not easy when you no longer blend in with this world. I have a hard time with this because my nature has always been to be in the background. I always wanted to be like everyone else. I liked to blend in, I wanted left alone. I didn’t like talking to people. I still have a hard time with people I’ve known for a long time, even in my own church, but It’s funny how easy I find myself opening up to strangers, sharing my experiences, and being excited to hear their stories. One of my new favorite things is to attend these healing and deliverance meetings not only to learn this ministry and experience it for myself, but also to hear the testimonies of those being saved from darkness. I really enjoy seeing the way the Holy Spirit moves in different churches. It’s amazing the way that the Lord reaches out to us all individually. He knows what it takes to reach you and He will tailor your salvation like a finely tailored suit.
1 John 1:7 NIV
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
Psalm 27:1 NIV
The Lord is my light and my salvation—
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life—
of whom shall I be afraid?
The Lord is my light and my salvation—
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life—
of whom shall I be afraid?
Don’t be afraid to stand out. Sometimes when I feel the Holy Spirit rising up within me in my church I hold back. I still worry about what it’s going to look like, what people are going to think. It’s easier when other people in the church are moving the same way so my flesh can feel like it’s blending in. I don’t like to be the only one with my arms up, or the only one down on my knees. Other times I close my eyes and just say screw it, I don’t care what I look like anymore. This feeling inside me is to great to deny. If I feel led to bow down, I do. If I feel led to raise my arms I do. I may look like a crazy person, but the Holy Spirit within me is not something I’ll ever stuff down. I’m not putting the Lord in a box anymore saying it should be this way or that way. I’ve traveled to other churches and I’ve seen the way the Holy Spirit can move through those who do not limit Him. Worshiping with dancing, singing in tongues, words of wisdom, words of knowledge, faith, prophecy, visions, healing, deliverance, discernment, workings of miracles, speaking in tongues and interpretation of tongues, they’re all amazingly beautiful gifts from the Lord. Gifts we are ALL entitled to as children of the Lord. Gifts I pray to see more of in my own church body. I am hoping to be the candle sharing my light to light our city. See 1 Corinthians for scripture on the Gifts.
James 1:17
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
The only way that the light can be extinguished is if the source of that light is no longer there. This is how the sky darkens at night, the source of light is no longer visible. Luckily the source of our light, the Lord our God, is never out of sight, He is within us. Always. As long as we have the Lord we will overcome all darkness.
John 8:12 KJV
12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
I’ll post a link in the comments to a video teaching on the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, I welcome you to give it a listen. This video, in my kitchen, is what led me to this close relationship with the Lord through the Holy Spirit. This has to be close to my 50th post like this in the last 6 months. Could the old Ashley really do something like this on her own? Surely not. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit doesn’t have to be this crazy charismatic experience with a hundred people laying hands on you, it’s your own personal experience with Jesus, tailored individually to you. So you can share YOUR light.
Matthew 3:11 KJV
I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and [with] fire:
I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and [with] fire:
Acts 1:8
but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth."
but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth."
Ephesians 5:18
And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,
And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,
John 3:5
Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Acts 2:38
Peter said to them, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Peter said to them, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
John 12:44-46 Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me. I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.”
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