Is Your Light Hidden?

 "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden;  nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.

Matthew 5:14-15 (NASB) 

Is your light hidden?  Light is not intended to be hidden.  Light is never hidden by accident.  If your light is hidden it is done intentionally.  So let me ask again, is your light hidden?

If you are not shining your light or sharing Jesus with others, there is something wrong.  Don't hide your light!  Let it shine!  As a Christ follower that is our primary reason for being where you are.  At home, in your office, in the community and at your church make sure that your light is shining bright.  If its not it is not accidental.  There is only one thing we can call that and be consistent with the
Scripture.  It is sin!

Persistent Evangelism

When He had come back to Capernaum several days afterward, it was heard that He was at home.  And many were gathered together, so that there was no longer room, not even near the door; and He was speaking the word to them.  And they *came, bringing to Him a paralytic, carried by four men. Being unable to get to Him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above Him; and when they had dug an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralytic was lying.  And Jesus seeing their faith *said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven."

Mark 2:1-5 (NASB) 

How persistent are you in sharing your faith?  What lengths will you go to, to share with someone what Jesus has done for them.  I want you to notice what this passage says, Jesus saw the faith of the four men and because of that He forgave the sins of the paralytic.

We encounter people who are spiritually lost every day but some of them do not realize that they need Jesus.  Others may know they need something but they don't know it is Jesus.  We must remain persistent in our praying for them and sharing with them the goodness of Jesus and His gift of forgiveness.  Be persistent till the Holy Spirit convicts them of their need and you may lead them into a saving relationship with Jesus.

Watching or Alert?

32 “Now concerning that day or hour no one knows—neither the angels in heaven nor the Son—except the Father. 33 Watch! Be alert! For you don’t know when the time is [coming] . 34 It is like a man on a journey, who left his house, gave authority to his  slaves, gave each one his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to be alert. 35 Therefore be alert, since you don’t know when the master of the house is coming—whether in the evening or at midnight or at the crowing of the rooster or early in the morning. 36 Otherwise, he might come suddenly and find you sleeping. 37 And what I say to you, I say to everyone: Be alert!”

Mark 13:32-37 (HCSB)

Are you watching or Alert?  You may be asking isn't it the same thing?  No in this case it really isn't.  There are many Christians who are watching for Jesus to return.  They are sitting back, and waiting.  They want to get all the information (prophecy) to know when that final hour will be like, what will happen before that day, they are anxiously waiting Jesus return.

But the Christ follow is to be Alert.  Very different!  Being alert is not passively sitting by watching the skies.  Alertness is to be busy, it is activity it is working, it is fulfilling His purpose for us because we know our King is coming.  The Christ follower is busy doing the assigned task until He returns.  What is the assigned task.  It is bringing as many into the Kingdom as we can.  Sharing the message of our King and His Kingdom until He breaks open the eastern sky.

Are you watching or Alert?

Great Lengths

When He entered Capernaum again after some days, it was reported that He was at home. 2 So many people gathered together that there was no more room, not even in the doorway, and He was speaking the message to them. 3 Then they came to Him bringing a paralytic, carried by four men. 4 Since they were not able to bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above where He was. And when they had broken through, they lowered the stretcher on which the paralytic was lying.

Mark 2:1-4 (HCSB)

A simple thought today.  What are you willing to do to get someone to Jesus?  Are you willing to work harder?  Are you willing to embarrass yourself?  Are you willing to  inconvenience yourself?  The men in this passage knew this man needed Jesus and they would not be deterred from getting him there.  What will you do today to get someone to Jesus?

What do they think?

Have you ever wondered what the world around us thinks about Christ followers? Consider the thoughts of this self professed atheist and his take on silent Christ Followers:



This should bring us to our knees with conviction. Think how we must be seen by a lost world when we say we believe but don't tell others.

The call of a Christ Follower

As He was going along by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew, the brother of Simon, casting a net in the sea; for they were fishermen. 17 And Jesus said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men."

Mark 1:16-17 (NASB95)

Every now and then we all need a simple reminder of what we are called to do and be. If we are going to be a Christ Follower we must remember what we were called too. Simply, it is to follow Him and fish for men.

Simple statement but not always simple to do. We follow Him. We walk were Jesus walks. We live like Jesus lives. We act like Jesus acts. we love like Jesus loves.

Second, and not any easier we fish for men. If we are not attempting on a daily basis to share the truth of the gospel with someone else we are not fulfilling our call as a Christ follower.

I hope this reminder challenges you. I know it does me. I want to be found faithful we Jesus returns for us or calls us to Him. How about you?

Our Part in the Harvest

“The kingdom of God is like this,” He said. “A man scatters seed on the ground; 27 he sleeps and rises—night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows—he doesn’t know how. 28 The soil produces a crop by itself—first the blade, then the head, and then the ripe grain on the head. 29 But as soon as the crop is ready, he sends for the sickle, because harvest has come.”

Mark 4:26-29 (HCSB)

What is your part in the harvest? God wants to harvest the hearts and lives of lost individuals in His world. But what is our part in the harvest? Jesus said that a man may scatter his seed but then he doesn't know what will happen next. The seeds sprout and grow on their own.

The spiritual harvest is something that God does. Our part is just to spread the seed. God will control the sprouting and growth. We allow ourselves to be discouraged because we are not seeing growth as we wish. But remember that God is in control of the harvest we merely spread the seeds in the field.

Don't become discouraged about the harvest just keep spreading the seed.

No Fear!

For God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but one of power, love, and sound judgment.

2 Tim 1:7 (HCSB)

You've probably seen the bumper stickers that read, "Fear no Art." I have seen a variety of stickers playing off of that original. Perhaps the Apostle Paul would have made a bumper sticker that would say, "Fear no opportunity to share the gospel." I know its probably too long for a bumper sticker, unless it is a really big bumper. I have heard it said that Christians and non-Christians alike fear evangelism. While humorous it may be truer than it ought to be. We are afraid sometimes to share our faith.

Paul says, "don't be fearful!" In fact he says a lot more than just don't fear. He reminds us that we are empowered to share. We have the Holy Spirit residing within us to guide and work in us and through us. We also have a stronger motivation than fear itself and that is love. When we truly understand that those around us who do not have a personal relationship with Jesus are destined to an eternity separated from God in a place we know of as hell, we should be motivated by our love for them to do something about it. And then Paul also reminds us of our sound judgement as the HCSB translates it. In other translations it uses the word discipline. We must have sound discipline to prepare and do what we need to do to help others find the wonderful relationship with a loving God that we have.

So don't be afraid but let God work through you in power, because you love those in our World around us and discipline yourself to do something about their eternal destiny. They may just thank you someday for it!