In Christ - I am the salt of the earth and the light of the world

I am the salt of the earth and the light of the world...

Matthew 5:13-16 You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.  You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.  

January 5, 2013
Daily Devotional – Charles Spurgeon/Alistair Begg 

Reflecting on Light
 “And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness.”  Genesis 1:4

“Light might well be good since it sprang from that fiat of goodness, ‘Let there be light.’ We who enjoy it should be more grateful for it than we are, and see more of God in it and by it. Physical light is said by Solomon to be sweet, but gospel light is infinitely more precious, for it reveals eternal things and ministers to our immortal natures. When the Holy Spirit gives us spiritual light and opens our eyes to behold the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, we behold sin in its true colors, and ourselves in our real position; we see the Most Holy God as He reveals Himself, the plan of mercy as He propounds it, and the world to come as the Word describes it. Spiritual light has many beams and prismatic colors, but whether they be knowledge, joy, holiness, or life, all are divinely good. If the light received be thus good, what must the essential light be, and how glorious must be the place where He reveals Himself. O Lord, since light is so good, give us more of it, and more of Yourself, the true light.

“No sooner is there a good thing in the world than a division is necessary. Light and darkness have no communion; God has divided them--let us not confound them. Sons of light must not have fellowship with deeds, doctrines, or deceits of darkness. The children of the day must be sober, honest, and bold in their Lord's work, leaving the works of darkness to those who will dwell in it forever.

“Our churches should by discipline divide the light from the darkness, and we should by our distinct separation from the world do the same. In judgment, in action, in hearing, in teaching, in association, we must discern between the precious and the vile, and maintain the great distinction that the Lord made upon the world's first day.

“O Lord Jesus, be our light throughout the whole of this day, for Your light is the light of men.”

Do you remember the song “This little light of mine – I’m gonna’ let it shine?”  It was a favorite song in Sunday School and VBS – and it’s probably still being sung by children all around the world!  The simple truth of that song is this – God has given us spiritual light, and by that light we have been guided out of the darkness of this world.  AND by that light we’re to help guide others out of that same darkness.  We can only do that when we are “turned on” – much like a flashlight is useless when it’s turned off, we offer no light to those around us if we’re not daily “plugged in” to our power source and making every effort to caste a bright light into our environment.  How bright is your light today?  Have you been plugging in – daily – to the source of power?  Are you consistently and faithfully avoiding the darkness in your own life?  God hasn’t asked us to leave this world (yet!) – but He REQUIRES that we do not walk as those who are without the light.  We can shine our lights INTO the darkness – but we cannot be effective if we are choosing to walk/play/persist in the darkness of this world.   Be the light of the world God has called you to be today!  Sharon

In Christ - I am loved by God

I am loved by God...

Jeremiah 31:3  The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness." 

Romans 8:38,39 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

Ephesians 3:17-19 And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. 

I John 4:16-19 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like Him. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.  We love because He first loved us.

Joni and Friends Daily Devotional   February 13, 2013

Love Displayed

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?... No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."       Romans 8:35-39

"’This is a verse I'm supposed to believe,’ we sigh, full of doubts. It sounds more like theological doctrine than practical reality, especially when we are the ones facing trouble, hardship, danger or the sword. But the apostle - who, incidentally, suffered a lot more than persecution or famine - wrote this sweeping statement specifically for those who would doubt the love of God in the midst of hardships.

“Look at the last ten words, ‘The love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.’ If ever we are tempted to doubt God's good intentions, if ever He seems to be an uncaring deity sequestered in an ivory tower untouched by pain, we must remember the love of God that is in Christ. Christ who bore the weight of sin, the sting of spit, the bite of the whip, the accusations of ignorance, and the sufferings of the world. This is love poured out like wine as strong as fire. This is love never to be doubted or betrayed.

“Thomas Merton said, ‘In order to suffer without dwelling on our own affliction, we must think about a greater affliction and turn to the cross.’ If you are questioning the love of God because of a disappointment or trial, turn your eyes upon Jesus. He is the love of the Father in the flesh displayed. When Jesus hung on the cross, God was saying, ‘I love you;’ and nothing can separate you from that.     

“If I'm tempted to doubt your love today, Lord, place before me the cross.”

Thomas Merton, No Man Is an Island (New York: Harcourt, Brace and Co., 1955), 94.

How awesome it is that this day’s devotional is about the love of God – when “love” is in the air and all around us!  I know that Valentine’s Day can be a really hard day for single women – a REALLY hard day.  It’s like the enemy works overtime rubbing our faces in our singleness.  I learned LONG ago that I could either let it get me down – or I could embrace my singleness as the gift that it is, and glory in the amazing love of my Jesus! There is no lover that can compare with Him!  He never gets “fed up” – He never tires of showing me how much He loves me – He never throws my past failures in my face – He has promised to NEVER leave me or forsake me!  No one else will ever love me – or you – like that!  It’s doubtful – HIGHLY doubtful – that anyone else would be willing to take the brutal punishment my sin deserves to prove how much he loves me!  How can I resist a love like that?  How can you?  How can I betray a love like that?  How can you?  If you’re single I hope you will spend some time thinking about how VERY much you are loved!  If you’re married – or in a relationship – enjoy that love – but never let it be a substitute for your First Love!  Sharon