How to Let My Light Shine

My Devotions May 31, 2019

I wanted the specifics of how to let my light shine. The Lord had me in His classroom with these verses and how to apply them to my daily life.

1 Peter 2:18 have your conversation honest

            --replace gossip with real concern about a person's situation

            --admit when you did something wrong, since everything will be made manifest anyway

            --remember that your conversation may save your spouse (1 Peter 3:1)

Matthew 5:19 do not teach to break least commandment

            --do not break speed limit

            --parents’ example is important, ex. attitude toward cleaning house

            --do teach commandments—Golden Rule, parents, catechism

Philippians 2:14 do what needs to be done without complaining

            --cleaning up after flood

            --cleaning a baby’s smelly diaper

            --cleaning up puke or kitty litter

1 Peter 4:9 have attitude of hospitality, not grudgingly

--smile at people

--invite to your house

Philippians 2:3 no strife or vainglory

            --do not argue about who is right

            --watch out for words & actions that feed pride

                        (Will it give you reason to brag?)

2 Corinthians 3:4 give God credit

            --when you have a good day

            --nothing is by luck, God plans it

            --Replace “*!Q% it” with “What lesson am I supposed to learn here?”

            --say “Praise the Lord” when something good happens, not “It’s about time.”

Sin of Prayerlessness

(Psalm like poem)

I love You, God because You first loved me.

I like being around You.

I value the things You do

Like forgiveness, mercy, and faithfulness.

Thank You for the gift of prayer,

A time together to discuss things.

Why do hearts lack a desire to pray?

Why does the carnal life prevent

Talking about the immeasurable evil of sin?

Why do Christians not have greater influence

In their service?

No time.

Postpone.

Restriction.

Wandering thoughts.

Unbelief and hopelessness.

The flesh can always find excuses not to pray.

Thank You, Lord, that walking after the Spirit

Does not require doing works.

Thank You, Father, for sending Jesus

Who knows us because He went through it

Who won the battle with temptation and sin

Who intercedes for our prayers.

Thank You most of all

For the peace that passes all understanding.

It is so windy today, I thought I would publish this poem.

The Wind

Branches sway and wiggle like a restless child.

Dry leaves dance a jig across the road.

Dust fans squirm to the road’s other side.

What the adult takes for granted,

The child in him wonders

That nothing can move something.

The mother doesn’t yell at a child

The father decides to go to the program after all.

The child enjoys soap suds of dishwashing.

What a Christian takes for granted,

The child in him wonders

That God’s Spirit moves man.

Weave, Woven, Weave

She wove my threads onto her own,

In my likes and out her own,

In my dreams and out her own,

Out my faults and in her time,

Out my hates and in her love.

Time has woven all her threads.

Roll-up the cloth, unwind the warp,

No time to stop the pattern.

Only time that now remains

Is to weave on threads of my own.

This is a Mother's Day poem. I've been told the poem is too abstract, so I'll explain.

The strings on the loom, before doing any weaving, is called the warp. I see that as being God's commands and presence. He calls the design of the weaving, but the weaver (the mother)  does the work. "In" refers to entering the shuttle on the warp. "Out" refers to the shuttle coming out the other side. The weaver is the mother. When she dies, the "weaving" becomes "woven". God rolls up the woven part to expose more warp. The daughter then begins her own weaving.

God, Faith and Promises

These quotes are from With Christ in the School of Prayer  by Andrew Murray.

The power to believe a promise depends entirely on faith in the promiser. p. 75

Faith in the promise depends on my knowledge of the promiser. p. 76

Faith is simply surrender; I yield myself to the impression that the words I hear make on me. p.77

Faith looks to God more than thing promised. p.78

In faith, you make God your own; the promise will be yours too. p. 79

Faith is fellowship.

God's promise will be to us what God Himself is. p. 79

I highly recommend the book, but it is not an easy read. There are a lot of long sentences and I read the book 2 or 3 times to get the full impact. It was written in the 1800s and Google had it for free.

If Questions Lead to Interpretation, Why Ask Any?

            “. . . no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.” 2 Peter 1:20. “One Lord, one faith, one baptism one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” Ephesians 4:5-6. These verses sum up the oneness available through Jesus. The true understanding of any passage will be in harmony with other growing Christians.

            If it is dangerous to ask questions because it leads to wrong understanding, then is it also dangerous to not know how to deal with questions when they arise? Not dealing with questions is like shoving dirt under the rug. They do not go away; they just get bigger until you stumble over them.

            Ephesians 6:10-18 makes the battle and equipment clear, but omits comments on practice or learning to use the equipment. That practice is why group Bible studies have so much potential. If the teacher asks the right questions, those questions can be used by the student to sniff our areas need settled in his mind.

            Bible study which regularly uses questions have the following advantages:

1.       Learn to know Bible better by researching basis of position

2.      Other Christians’ help

a.       Cite missed passages or other respected authors.

b.      Point out definition or implications from semantics

c.       Better understanding of each person

d.      Will not be pulled farther off track in non-Christian setting

3.      If questions are clearly settled, it will not keep re-surfacing.

4.      Questions imply importance of individual’s opinion, which may remain hidden and unsettled.

5.      Questions reinforce points by actually going through thought processes rather than just storing in memory.

Questions are hard to completely answer at the one person level. To answer correctly, you need a) to personally search scripture, b) pray for Spirit’s guidance, c) hear fellow Christians’ understanding. If any of those elements are missing, so will some of your confidence in the final answer.

This is not exactly a poem. It is based on what Psalms are like.

The Other Half

Why are there churches so large, their membership can barely be counted?

Why do television preachers own private jets and million dollar mansions?

What am I doing wrong?

The unrighteous say you can get everything you want from God.

Just plant your seed by giving us your money, then reap your reward.

Look at Abraham and Jacob, how rich they became.

You just have to say it and claim it.

My God says

“Have you looked in a mirror?

Like cleaning only half your face, you are ignoring the other half of My truth.

You say look at Abraham and Jacob. I say look again.

Abraham was willing to sacrifice his son.

When was the last time, you were willing to sacrifice a meal for the poor?

Look at Jacob. Jacob tricked his father into giving him the blessing.

Then Jacob’s father-in-law tricked Jacob into marrying the sister of his bride to be.

Repent and let Me teach you how to walk by faith and not by sight.”

God owns the cows on a thousand hills.

But I do not want to always be asking for things.

It is when I confess and repent of my sins that I have peace in my heart.

I believe more in Your Word to mankind than my feelings.

Your mercy extends to me.

It extends to all people. Your truth extends to all generations.

May I always look in the mirror of Your Word and keep my whole face clean.