The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
John 1:5
I’ll never forget the day, many years ago, when I was going to pick up my youngest son from school. As I was driving, I realized something was wrong as the smell of smoke filled the air. Apparently, fires had broken out in the neighborhood and several houses had burned to the ground.
As I drove through the neighborhood, I saw people standing on their houses with water hoses, soaking their roofs down in order to keep the fire away. Looking back, that’s such a clear picture of what many are trying to do today. In a world where violence, immorality and darkness are spreading like fire, people are on the defensive, desperately trying to protect their homes from the danger outside.
But the truth is that, in Christ, we don’t have to play on the defensive. In fact, instead of having a puny little garden hose, God gives us His Spirit, which is like a whole fire brigade at our disposal to go with us as we move boldly forward with the lifesaving news of Jesus Christ.
Reflecting on this weekend’s latest terroristic attack, we cannot let the bad news of the world and the darkness around us keep us on the defensive. Instead with love and conviction we must shine the light of the Gospel in our dark world by going out and moving forward with bold confidence that God is with us every step of the way!
Shine God’s light in our dark world by moving the Gospel forward.
by Dr. Paul Chappell
“But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee. For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”
Luke 14:10–11
Before the 2001 football season, Notre Dame announced the hiring of George O’Leary, who had been the head coach at Georgia Tech, to lead their program. A few days after he was hired, a reporter discovered that his biography claimed O’Leary was a three year letterman on the football team in college, but that he actually had not played in even one game. Then it was discovered that the master’s degree O’Leary claimed on his resume was from a school that didn’t even exist. O’Leary was fired by the school. In an apology statement he wrote, “In seeking employment I prepared a resume that contained inaccuracies regarding my completion of course work for a master’s degree and also my level of participation in football at my alma mater.” He went on to describe it as “a selfish and thoughtless act.”
Many people are tempted to take shortcuts and try to promote themselves on the way up the ladder. But the only way to truly get ahead is to have God’s help and blessing. “For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another” (Psalm 75:6–7). To receive His grace, we must be humble because God resists the proud. If our goal is the praise of men and their approval, we should not expect God’s help along the way. If our goal is to glorify Him, He will place us in the position to best accomplish that noble purpose.
Today’s Growth Principle:
If we humble ourselves, God will not have to bring us low, but can rather raise us up.
|
|
|
|
No comments:
Post a Comment