Tuesday October 16, 2012

What one thing can you do today to shine the light of Christ’s love to someone? Go do it!

 

Read Matthew 5:13-16;  James 1:22-27

 

"The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips and walk out the door and deny Him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.”

Brennan Manning

 

For more than 2,000 years lighthouses have functioned to warn sailors of danger, guide ships safely to the shore and save lives. But imagine if, rather than shining a light, the light was turned off. The lighthouse could no longer play its vital role in the protection of others.

 

In the same way, we as Christian’s are to shine in a fallen world by our good deeds. We have been given a mission by God to light the way for people to come out of the darkness and safely into relationship with Him. We have been given the mission by God to attract people to Him and His glory as we shine like lights before them.
How are your good deeds shining the light of Christ into a dark world? Are you living your faith in a way which draws people into relationship with Jesus, or is your light hidden under a basket?

 

James shows us what this light-shining life should look like. We are called to live lives of pure speech and controlled tongues, of practical mercy and compassion shown to the poor and the oppressed and to live lives of personal holiness.

 

What good deeds can you do today to draw people to relationship with Christ and to demonstrate His work in your life? Write down one thing that you can do today to show Christ’s love to someone around you. Now go do it!

 

Prayer:

Use today’s reading and notes to write down ideas for your prayers.

 

Adoration:

 

Confession:

 

Thanks:

 

Supplication:

¥ Continue to pray for church in the park this Sonday. Pray that others in the church would be challenged to live lives of good deeds this week so that God may be glorified and people drawn to relationship with Him. Pray that people here in Toowoomba would see these deeds and be drawn to Christ.

¥ Pray for Shiloh Church Ministries in India as they seek to shine God’s light into a dark country with many competing gods. Pray that God would strengthen them and that people would see their deeds and be drawn to Christ.