How bright is your light?

Matthew 5:13 says that we are the light of the world. It compares us to a city on a hill and says that a city that is locted on a hill is not hidden.

But how much our we shining? We are in a dark world, but can people see the light in us. Can people see Jesus in us? This is so convicting to me because I'm realizing that I'm in the midst of a darkened world. People need the light, they need Jesus Christ. But what am I doing to show them the way? We are the light. Jesus tells us this in Matthew 5:13. This is an amazing thought. But when I look at myself, do I see light or do I see sin? Well, the sin is so easy to see, but I have to dig around to look for light. But if we are on a hill...everyone should be able to see our light. They shouldn't have to dig around for the light. We must be like Jesus. We must be bright, shining lights.

How can we be like Christ? We must live lives that honor Christ. We can't just sit around doing little. If we stay in our houses all the time, how can people see the light? If we only go around Christians all the time, how can people see the light? If we ignore a lost world of billions of people, then how will they see the light?

God help us to be the light, pointing people to Him. Afterall, that's one of the reasons we are here, to go and tell the good news that Jesus Saves. He is the answer. We are not. Life is not about us -(Although, this is so hard to really put into practice.). So let us ask God to help us be a bright, shining light for Him.

Being in the Middle

Many today are in the middle. We are lukewarm. We are trying to please ourselves with things and we are living for ourselves. But what we need to be is sold out. We are not here to live and die and be done. We are here for so much more. God has put us here on His earth to glorify Him, to serve Him. We can't do that if we are always looking out for our interests. Now, I'm talking to myself here. Because I know that I am selfish. I know that I struggle so much with being sold out. I mean there's so many distractions. But it doesn't matter we are here for the sake of Christ. It is by His mercy and grace that we even know Him.

Paul says in Galatians 6:17 that he bears on his body the marks of Jesus. What an amazing thing to bear the marks of Jesus. But are people really seeing Jesus in us. I look around today and it's hard to see Jesus in people. Much of the time I see what people are interested in...and that involves pleasures of the world most of the time. And again I include myself in this group of people. I see people who are extremely busy and maybe their (we) are doing good things but I still fail to really see Jesus. I see glimpses of it at times but it doesn't seem to be the overriding theme of most Christians' lives. This is indeed sad. We are a called out people. We are called to live for Christ and yet we don't do it enough. We'd rather enjoy the pleasures of this world. But there are billions ...yes billions of people without Christ. People are dying everyday. The middle ground is no place to be. As a matter of fact it's quite distracting and very confusing for others. When people look at those on middle ground (lukewarm Christians) they see people who are living in the pleasures of this world yet claim Christ as their Savior. So confusing and very misleading.

We must be sold-out believers. We can't give up the fight. We must get back to what were here for...to glorify God...to make Him known to the nations. Difficult...yes. But with Christ it can be done...and only with Him. May we have the marks of Jesus on us. May people look at us and see Jesus Christ. May we live lives that honor and glorify God, that draw people to Christ. Wow! May we get off the fence and out of the lukewarm water and may our hearts be warmed by the Spirit of God to live for Him.