05/06/11

Let His Light shine

John 1:7,8 - The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.


When John the Baptist was born his father prophesized by the power of the Holy Spirit that John would 'give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace'. Yet in John he is introduced as one who is a witness to the light but not the light.

How could one who gives light not be the light?

In today's message John the Apostle puts Jesus Christ as the true Light. We, including John the Baptist and even John the Apostle are not the Light or the source but we still give light unto others and are even call as the light lamps. We emit the Light of Christ through us unto those around us.

This clearly shows that it is not our good deeds that needs to shine but the good that God does through us that needs to shine.

In short a Christian is not a person who does good, but a person who allows God to do good through him or her. It is not our efforts that count but we allowing God to do His work through us that counts.

Today onwards let all at the end of the day not reflect on what good we have done but let us look at if we allowed God to work through us for His glory, did we become the light stand for Him to shine His Light through us?


[ Prayer Starter ]
Lord, You are or Father our Creator and You alone are our Provider. All things come from You alone. You created everything and said it is very good. It is our lacking that causes them to be misused and become bad. We by ourselves will never be able to overcome the lacking, but by You and with You we are make complete. Lord, use us in any and every way for your glory and purpose...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.


[ Reference Scripturesr ]
Luke 1:67-80
67 And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying,
68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people,
69 And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David;
70 As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began:
71 That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us;
72 To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant;
73 The oath which he sware to our father Abraham,
74 That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear,
75 In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.
76 And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;
77 To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins,
78 Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us,
79 To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.
80 And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel.

John 5:33-36
33 Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth.
34 But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved.
35 He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light.
36 But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.

John 8:12
12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

The Word of God was given free to us, therefore we should also share it freely with others. (All rights are with God)