“Let Your Light for CHRISTmas Shine” 12/20/2013

“Our Daily Bread”     http://odb.org/

The Daily Devotions of Greg Laurie                                  

http://www.harvest.org/devotional/daily-devotions/home.ht

“Homily Grits Devotional”  http://www.homilygrits.com/

Matthew 5:16… Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your goodworks and glorify your Father in heaven.   (NKJV)

Well the rush is on with less than a week until Christmas day…  It seems every year, that the stores put out their Christmas displays earlier and earlier…  I think I remember seeing the first Christmas advertisement this year at the end of October !!  With so much hustle and bustle buying gifts…putting up Christmas lights and trees…and getting ready for Christmas…how many Christians can truly be seen by those around them as disciples of Christ, who are filled with the light and the love of Christ ?? 

The apostle Paul pens this about “childrenoflight”, in…Ephesians 5:8-10… For you were oncedarkness, but now you arelightin the Lord. Walk as childrenoflight ⁹ (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), ¹⁰ findingout what is acceptable to the Lord.  (NKJV)

This past Monday (12/16/2013), I wrote about “The Living Word”…explaining that the Word was Jesus Christ, who has existed from the beginning of Creation, along with God the Father, and the Holy Spirit…John 1:1-3…  In our men’s Bible Study this past Wednesday, we read this, in…1 John 5:7…  For there are three that bearwitness in heaven: the Father, theWord, and the HolySpirit; and these three are one.  (NKJV)

I emphasized that the Word was living and powerful (Hebrews 4:12-13), and that without the Living Word of God, no one would learn about God’s grace, through saving faith alone in the Lord Jesus Christ…Ephesians 2:8-9…

God’s living, breathing, infallible, inerrant Word, the Bible…is where God gives us instructions and guidance about “what is acceptable to the Lord”…  As Christians, we should strive to be walking in the Spirit, as Disciples of Christ who are filled with the Holy Spirit…Ephesians 5:18-20…

The apostle Paul pens this, in…Galatians 5:14-16… For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” ¹⁵ But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!  ¹⁶ Isay then: Walkin the Spirit, and youshallnotfulfill the lust of the flesh.  (NKJV)

Friends, we cannot be pleasing God, when we have one foot living in the world, and the other foot trying to follow the Lord Jesus Christ, as one of His disciples…  I posted a day’s writing titled…“What is A Disciple of Jesus Christ ??”, back on 11/18/2013…  This can be found @ www.Godsmanforever.com by typing the date as shown into the search window…  Unconfessed sins must be confessed before God…turned from…and repented of (1 John 1:9), in order to be deemed righteous and pleasing in God’s sight…

We hear a lot about peace, and joy, and goodwill towards all men, at Christmas time…  But God will only give His redeemed children this supernatural peace “which surpassesallunderstanding”( Philippians 4:6-7), when they humbly submit their lives to His will and His ways…

It is the full power of the Holy Spirit, when He is left in total control of the Christian’s life…that will fill the heart, mind, and soul of the Spirit filled Christian with the love of Christ which passes knowledge (Ephesians 3:19), and which will light up the Christian to shine brighter than any man-made Christmas display…

The apostle Paul pens this, in…Romans 15:13…  Now may the God of hopefillyouwithalljoy and peace in believing, thatyou may abound in hope by thepowerof the HolySpirit.  (NKJV)

Do you have unwanted stress, or anxiety, or anger, or fear, or hate, or bitterness, or any of the other sinful emotions that Satan uses to keep Christians from walking in sweet fellowship with the Lord ??  Lay them at the feet of Jesus Christ, as you pick up your cross daily and follow Him…Luke 9:23…  Then Hesaid to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, lethimdenyhimself, and take up hiscrossdaily, and followMe.”  (NKJV)

Here is a link with 25 Bible verses about peace…  http://lynndove.com/2013/03/16/25-encouraging-bible-verses-to-give-you-peace/   There can be peace on earth, but as the following Christmas hymn reminds us…it begins with-in each one of us…  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggmtULEV4mc

Heavenly Father, help each and every one of us understand that Your peace can only be achieved by the fullness of Your Son Jesus Christ, residing with-in the hearts of Your children…Ephesians 3:16-19…  Help each of Your children to become the beacons of light You have called us to become, in order to share Your love to those around us with darken hearts that are in need of the eternal hope You can provide…  I pray for this fullness of Christ in all of our lives, in Jesus’ most precious name and for His sake…Amen…

Blessings in Christ,  bruce r mills