Thursday, September 22, 2011

Stepping Stones: The Light Is In You, Just Flip The Switch

Transformational Thought

When I was a child, my friends and I would play this game. We would go into the basement at night and turn off all the lights … and then try and find each other. The mixed feelings were similar to watching a scary movie when you are afraid, but at the same time, excited with an interesting blend of anticipation and reluctance for the unexpected. One of my friends was almost paralyzed with the fear that one of us might grab and scare him in the total darkness. At times I would crawl along the floor for safety or to execute a surprise attack. Weird how we didn’t really like the game, but we would frequently play it. Don’t know why … peer pressure I guess. Still to this day, when it is pitch black, I remember some of those experiences.

Looking at our struggles as adults, we can find ourselves still wandering in the darkness of immaturity and insecurity. To avoid or limit danger, we start crawling on the basement floors of our lives. We get so used to that strategy that when the lights are finally turned on, we keep crawling with a blindfold in place, unable to let the light show us where danger lies and where the path to freedom and fulfillment really is.

I see so many people crawling through their lives on the basement floor, cursing the darkness … while all the time God is shining brightly. Not only is He shining brightly around you, if you are a Christian, the Holy Spirit is shining in you.

You can allow that light to shine through you and out of you to illuminate your path by making Godly decisions. Decisions in line with God’s will keep the Holy Spirit on the throne of your heart and keep that light brightly shining. Making wrong decisions puts the flesh on the throne of your heart and puts a bushel over that light. God wants each of us to be light-bearers … to be lighthouses. The Holy Spirit, who lives in you, will shine God’s light from your face into your surroundings and to those around you. But the key is the quality of the decisions you make. This is why The Holy Bible (and we at Lighthouse) stress Godly decision-making skills. It truly is the key to your life, because you will make 5,000 – 10,000 decisions … just today!

Today, when you see “darkness” around you, stop, pray, and think about the Holy Spirit shining through you. Get out of His way by confessing your wrong decisions. Then start making the decisions you know you should. Be bold, and He will shine through you. You know what He wants you to do, even though it might go against your agenda, so just do it and see the magic that happens. Blessings or curses, it all comes down to the decisions you make and whether you have a “Thy will be done” or ”My will be done” mindset and motivation. Your decision, choose well.

Prayer
Dear Father, I do not like the darkness. I want to live in Your radiant light. When I do find myself in spiritual darkness I reach for Your guiding hand. I reach for Your hand in joyful trust, knowing You will never leave my side. I pray, Father, that I may brighten the world by reflecting who You are. Help me, Lord, to spread Your light into the darkness of someone’s life. I pray this in the name of Jesus who is the light of the world; and all God’s children said – AMEN!

The Truth
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
John 8:12

You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.
Matthew 5:14

Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you. For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the LORD will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you. And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.
Isaiah 60:1-3

You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life. And if you love and obey the Lord, you will live long in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Deuteronomy 30:20