You will never hear me say, “Please, let me run”. But that’s what I read in the story of Absalom’s coup in Scripture. And I’ve heard my daughter-in-law, Jenny, say it in response to my wanting to give her a break away from the children. I suggested shopping. She suggested running. Maybe, I noticed the two […]
It’s an uncomfortable question, because it’s a primary role of every believer. Jesus reminds us that no one hides the light, instead they put it on a stand where it can be seen. And because it matters so much, it is a question we need to ask ourselves, “Can people see the light of Jesus […]
There’s a fancy word for almost everything. Anger has the fancy word apoplectic. Unregenerate has obdurate. Unfinished has inchoate. A fancy word wraps a plain word and makes its meaning clearer and more powerful. I love words, but I don’t use too many fancy words. I’m working on becoming a better wordsmith, but don’t expect to see me use the word apoplectic or obdurate in my next blog. I don’t think you’ll ever read a word in my blog that will compel you to visit a dictionary. I’m just not that skillful with words. I love the masters like Charles Swindoll and Jack Hayford that skillfully sculpt a sentence into a masterpiece. I find myself reading slowly, licking my lips and savoring each luscious word. (Luscious is just about as big as it gets with me and I had to do a spell check to spell it right.) Words paint a picture and convey an emotion. Words instruct and guide.
But sometimes fancy words intimidates us.They stop us or discourage us. Did I loose you? Let me explain with where I was headed in the first place. Let’s take witnessing for example. Calm down, I feel you shaking all the way to my house. I’m not asking you to run out and witness on the street corner. The word witnessing is intimidating! Unless you are like my good friend Pete Combs. He’s the superman of witnessing! I am constantly amazed at that man!
But if you’re like me the thought of going witnessing is scary stuff! But if you asked me to share my favorite recipe with you, that wouldn’t scare me. Unless of course you read my recent blog post, No More Burned Popcorn, then we both know you’re not going to be asking me for a recipe for anything. OK, so let’s talk about something more realistic. Let’s say I found a fabulous bargain on costume jewelry and I knew you enjoyed bling as much as I do. Sorry men, keep reading, you’ll get the point too. I wouldn’t be scared or intimidated to call you with the good news. Even if I knew you hated the store where I found the great bargain, I would have to tell you about my great news.
I would share the good news with you for two reasons:
1. It’s good news.
2. I know you would benefit from the good news.
And that is exactly why we need to wit…no, I’m not going to use that scary word. That’s why we need to share, that’s the word I’m looking for, share, just like I would share the good news that I’m gonna have a new grand-baby or that I found a million dollars or you get the picture. We must share the good news of Jesus with our friends. His saving power is good news. His love is good news. His healing is good news. His grace is good news. Jesus is just plain good news, too good not to share.
On Wednesday night, my pastor shared an interesting story about Oliver Cromwell. He was born April 25, 1599 and died September 3, 1658. He was an English military and political leader and later Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England. Silver for coinage was in limited supply. After a month long search for silver was completed, Mr. Cromwell was given the report, “We have searched the Empire in vain seeking to find silver. To our dismay, we found none anywhere except in the cathedrals where the statues of the saints are made of choice silver.” Cromwell ordered, “Let’s melt down the saints and put them into circulation.”
Good advice for then and now! Lord, melt us, your saints called to good works, melt us with the fire of precious Holy Spirit. Melt us in the furnace of your love. Conform us into your image and put us into circulation in a world that is dying without Christ.
Here’s a link that I found that does an amazing, absolutely powerful job on …Sharing What You Know. https://enslowparkpresbyterianchurch.org/files/4955/_documents/119201141041PM-sermon011611.pdf
I hope it will bless you like it did me.
Think MISSIONAL. If you know someone that would enjoy this blog, please pass it on!
You know about darkness, if you’ve ever been on a camping trip in the middle of a thick patch of trees on a moonless night.
You know about darkness, if you’ve ever been deep in a cave and the guide turned off the lights.
You know about darkness, if you’ve ever been through a hurricane that left your part of town without power.
You know about darkness, if you’ve ever been in the middle of a large group of people at a ball game, a parade or the county fair–spiritual darkness. You see it on their faces. You recognize it in their celebrations. You hear it in their conversations.
If you’ve ever, even once seen the news, you’ve seen the results of individuals and families crushed and robbed by the effects of darkness. You’ve seen lives destroyed because people tried to cruise through life without a light. The darkness may be normal for some folks, but the resulting carnage and devastation is heart-breaking. Isaiah 60:2 “For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people…” That darkness, that gross darkness is stripping our children of their innocence and families of their fathers. It leaves people twisting and perverting love and sex and destroying our morals and culture in the process.
But I stopped too soon when I copied that verse, there’s more. The remainder of that verse says, “but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.” God has a cure. He sent the light-Jesus into the world and He sent you to be a jar of clay or a lamp for that light to shine through.
Verse 1 says “Arise , shine ;
I am a simple person and I always try to be very simple in my approach, but I can’t tell you what it means for you to shine. I can only send you to Jesus. Will you go running to Him…yes, running. Don’t you think it’s dark enough to get passionate about illuminating the darkness? Ask Him to show you how to be a light. Commit to pursue Him with all your heart until you become a bright and shining light that reflects His glory!
In my pursuit of Him, this is how I pray:
Illuminate my darkness.
Let your light rest on me- my conversations, my actions, my home.
Help me to see and seize opportunity.
Give me the boldness to do what you tell me to do and say what you tell me to say.
Think MISSIONAL. If you know someone that would enjoy this blog, please pass it on!