Every October I am encouraged to let the Light of Christ shine - and I encourage all followers of Christ to do like wise. The month of October can be a very worldly month with the celebration of halloween on the 31st. On top of that this year finds us in the middle of a huge financial problem, and on the verge of a presidential election.
Queen Esther was challenged by her uncle Mordecai to stand up and make a difference, to use the influence and position God had given her to help save her people.
Esther 4:13-14
13 And Mordecai told them to answer Esther: “Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews. 14 For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”
Each and every one who is called by the name of Christ, who is a believer, has been given authority and influence. Every follower of Christ can make a difference in the world - a positive difference.
We are called to be lights that shine in the darkness, we are called to call attention to Jesus Christ - Phil 2:15
All around us the things of the world are flourishing and sin abounds, evil plots and ungodliness run ramped - it is time to turn on the light, because when the light shines, darkness flees. Yes, it is that simple. It is not about fighting the darkness, it is about lifting up the light.
It is time for us to be the influencers, not the ones being influenced. God is calling forth leaders, those who will make a difference, those who will not shrink back, those who will recognize that the Lord has brought them forth for such a time as this!
It's time to lift up Jesus and let His life and love shine forth brightly.
Blessings to all
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Jesus is greater than the circumstances
I thank God that He is greater than the financial mess the US in in. I am thankful that He is greater than all the financial and political advisers, that He is greater than the new media and all the commentators. I am thankful that the Lord Jesus Christ is greater than all, even greater than McCain and Obama.
As followers of Christ, as believers, as Christians - we put our hope in the living God. We put our hope in Jesus Christ, the one who is able to calm the storm, the one who brings peace.
There are more and more Christians turning to prayer and calling on the Lord to move in this nation. Yes, it is time to pray, it is time to cry out to God for a change in this nation.
Remember that He is able, that Jesus is all powerful, and the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead dwells in His followers (Romans 8:11). He is our hope, He is our all in all.
We do not follow stories or fables, for we are eyewitnesses to His glory and power. For these are the days that Christ will arise in His people as a light and His brightness will be seen. (See 2 Pet 1:16-19)
It is not about which candidate's plan is better, or which financial analysist's projection is best - it's about the hope that is in Christ.
More than ever an answer is needed, more than ever people are groping in the darkness for any answer that they can find. So it is time for the people of God, the followers of Christ to stop dwelling in fear and uncertainty and rise up and be leaders. When the first church started, after the resurrection of Christ, the believers turned the world upside down with the simple, but powerful message of the power and reality of the resurrection. They preached Christ without apology or shame, and they had a burden to reach every person with the life changing message of the Gospel.
We know that the answer is Jesus, we know that our help does not come from this human arena - our help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth.
Yes, it is time to pray for our nation and for our world - but is is also time to let God answer those prayers in and through our lives. It is time for all of us to let those words of challenge that were spoken to Esther - Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this? (Est 4:14)
It time for all of us who are followers of Christ to take a hold of the Lord as never before, to cry out to Him to deliver us from our own fears. It's time to repent of our focus on the things of this world, and from trying to bring our own solutions to our lives. It's time to lay down our idols and to stop living in spiritual adultery and to let Jesus Christ take His place as Lord of our lives. (Ps 139:23-24)
Ps 51:10-13
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me away from Your presence,
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation,
And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.
13 Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,
And sinners shall be converted to You.
We must realize that as Christians we are the light of Christ in the world today. We are His chosen agency. Yes, God can and does move supernaturally on His own, but His preference is to move through His body. It is time for us to shake off complacency, fear, hopeless, and even unbelief - and it is time for us to pick up the cause of Christ as never before.
How can they hear and how will they see unless the followers of Christ arise and proclaim and demonstrate the reality of the Kingdom of God on earth today!!!
As followers of Christ, as believers, as Christians - we put our hope in the living God. We put our hope in Jesus Christ, the one who is able to calm the storm, the one who brings peace.
There are more and more Christians turning to prayer and calling on the Lord to move in this nation. Yes, it is time to pray, it is time to cry out to God for a change in this nation.
Remember that He is able, that Jesus is all powerful, and the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead dwells in His followers (Romans 8:11). He is our hope, He is our all in all.
We do not follow stories or fables, for we are eyewitnesses to His glory and power. For these are the days that Christ will arise in His people as a light and His brightness will be seen. (See 2 Pet 1:16-19)
It is not about which candidate's plan is better, or which financial analysist's projection is best - it's about the hope that is in Christ.
More than ever an answer is needed, more than ever people are groping in the darkness for any answer that they can find. So it is time for the people of God, the followers of Christ to stop dwelling in fear and uncertainty and rise up and be leaders. When the first church started, after the resurrection of Christ, the believers turned the world upside down with the simple, but powerful message of the power and reality of the resurrection. They preached Christ without apology or shame, and they had a burden to reach every person with the life changing message of the Gospel.
We know that the answer is Jesus, we know that our help does not come from this human arena - our help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth.
Yes, it is time to pray for our nation and for our world - but is is also time to let God answer those prayers in and through our lives. It is time for all of us to let those words of challenge that were spoken to Esther - Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this? (Est 4:14)
It time for all of us who are followers of Christ to take a hold of the Lord as never before, to cry out to Him to deliver us from our own fears. It's time to repent of our focus on the things of this world, and from trying to bring our own solutions to our lives. It's time to lay down our idols and to stop living in spiritual adultery and to let Jesus Christ take His place as Lord of our lives. (Ps 139:23-24)
Ps 51:10-13
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me away from Your presence,
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation,
And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.
13 Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,
And sinners shall be converted to You.
We must realize that as Christians we are the light of Christ in the world today. We are His chosen agency. Yes, God can and does move supernaturally on His own, but His preference is to move through His body. It is time for us to shake off complacency, fear, hopeless, and even unbelief - and it is time for us to pick up the cause of Christ as never before.
How can they hear and how will they see unless the followers of Christ arise and proclaim and demonstrate the reality of the Kingdom of God on earth today!!!
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