Power Of A Shining Example

Key Scripture:  "Rise to a new life!  SHINE-be radiant with the glory of The Lord; for your light is come and the glory of The Lord is risen upon you." Isaiah 60:1,2

"Get out of bed, (insert your name here!) Wake up! Put your face in the sunlight.  God’s bright glory has risen for you." The Message

Power Point:

     Were you aware that part of the joyous privilege we have of being children of God is that He shines HIS glory on our path?  Think about that!  In Psalms 37:6 He promises that if we commit our way to Him, if we roll our cares onto His shoulders, and if we trust Him to do the right thing, He will make our righteousness shine like a bright light in this world.

     In case you missed that verse, He says it again in Proverbs 4:18,  "The path of the children of God is like the light of dawn that shines more and more, brighter and clearer-until it reaches its full strength and glory..."

     The word "shine" means to cause something to shine, to illuminate it. Isn't it wonderful to know that God wants to light up your life?  He wants to make your face shine as you walk with Him. He wants the things that you do to reflect His light in your life.  One of my favorite Christmas celebrations is the Christmas Eve service when all the lights in the sanctuary are turned off. Everyone has a small candle in their hands. The pastor lights one candle and then he turns and lights another candle. That person turns to his neighbor and lights one more candle and so on, until every person in the room is a shining light.

     I think that's a perfect illustration of what Jesus meant when He said, "You are the light of the world."  The Light of the World is telling us to shine. He has designated His followers to be the lights in this world.  

      Actually, these words are a part of the Sermon on the Mount.  Jesus is identifying the characteristics that He considers to be  "shining examples"of God's people.  

Shining people are:

Humble people who consider others first. 
Grace givers. 
People who live satisfied lives because they are always hungry and thirst for more of Him and He fills them with even more. 
Those who are full of mercy.
Those who are full of peace with Him and then offer that same peace to others. They fight for peace.
Those who suffer for believing Him. 

     Jesus says that those people are the salt of the earth and the light

of the world. He says that what we do every day we are to do with excellence.  When people look at us they are to see things that cause to say, "WOW!! God must be really good!"  We are to be extra-ordinary in how we treat others and how we represent the Loving heart of our Father.

We are to shine with love.  We are to shine with mercy and grace.  We are to shine with hope and trust.  We are to light other people's worlds with the goodness of God.

     My friend, it's your time to rise and shine! Go shed a little light in dark places.  Shine with the presence of God. Shine with kindness.  Shine with compassion and hope and let your life be living proof of a God Who is all of those things. Jesus sent us His Holy Spirit so that we too are anointed to be a shining example of God's nature.

So, SHINE! Go brighten someone's life today.

Power Thought:

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."

Martin Luther King, Jr.