Day 4
The light that shines the farthest will
shine the brightest at home. G. Campbell
Morgan said that the church did the most for
the world when the church was the least like the
world. Today, many churches have the idea
they must imitate the world in order to reach the
world. A nation will not decay and collapse
because of the people who peddle pornography
or illicit drugs, but because of Christians who
are no longer as salt and light. Sinners will act
like sinners. When saints begin acting like
sinners, their compromise hurts not only
themselves and their families and churches, but
also contributes to the decay of the entire
nation. This does not necessarily mean that we
should run cross grain with the world all the
time. However, it does mean that we are to
love!!!
What is the result of revealing the
presence of Christ in your life to others,
according to this verse? It brings glory to God.
Take time today to read Ephesians 4:17-32, and
see what elements are to be put away and what
elements are to be emphasized, if you are to
show Christ to the world in your relationships.
Okay, if you are the light because of the
gospel of Jesus, then what are some ways that
we keep our light hidden from those who don’t
know Jesus? How can we let Jesus’ light shine
tomorrow at school?
Day 5 Volume 2 Number 20
The real mark of a Believer is that he makes it
easier for others to believe. ‘Good Works’ refers
ENGAGED
May 15–21
to the things we do for Christ’s sake. While we
make God first in our lives, we help others
understand the nature of the Believer. We also
must understand that the goal of ‘doing good
works’ is not to be seen, build your reputation,
make a name for yourself or the church, but that
God might receive glory. Do your ‘good works’
reflect your goodness or God’s goodness?
There is a nuance in this verse that often
gets overlooked. It is the nuance of, not just
letting your light shine, but of letting it shine in a
certain way. Different versions state it in
different ways. “Let your light SO shine”, “Let
you your light shine IN SUCH A WAY”, etc. The
point is that we are to be intentional in Matthew 5:16
developing a certain quality in our interactions
" Let your light so shine before men,
with others. We are to emphasize words,
phrases, kindnesses, openness, empathy, on that they may see your good works, and
MISSION FOCUS:
glorify your Father who is in Heaven.”
and on, in the way that best reflects the heart The Japan Team from the youth group will be
and glory of God. It is one thing simply to relate ramping up their preparations this week. Pray
to someone, it is another thing entirely to for Shannon Little, missionary, who was here
connect with them at the heart level; the level on Sunday, and for the Japanese churches
that brings glory to God. What is the “quality” of that our team will be ministering with in
Sapporo.
your relations to others? Do you take pains to
reflect the face of God? That is our goal as
Believers and followers of Jesus.
When people see you do well on a paper
at school, or behave in the class, do you feel
proud? What if you were told that doing well
actually is to please the Father, not you? Does
that change anything?
Day 1
Your light - If you are a Believer,
you are a supernatural "light". And you are
responsible for letting your light shine forth.
Each believer has the ability to shine as only
they can. We are brighter when we
cooperate and shine together. However, we
are also called to shine though no one join
us. Stop complaining about how others are
not letting their light shine! Focus on your
light. You are unique and reborn by the Spirit
with the express calling to glorify God.
Lamps don’t have to talk. They don’t have to
because they shine. It is a great deal better
to live a holy life than to talk about it. We are
told to let our light shine, and if it does, we
won't need to tell anybody it does. The light
will be its own witness. Lighthouses don't
ring bells and fire cannons to call attention to
their shining--they just shine. How bright are
you? Are you helping others shine brighter?
In this week’s verse, notice that the
context of the verse is RELATIONSHIP. The
words “your” and “before men” establishes
the place where you are to let your light
shine. This verse is not talking about a
secret prayer or devotional life; it is not
talking about your personal practice of
holiness. It is talking about the place in your
life and the world where you rub shoulders
with others of the human race. So the place
for the impact of your testimony is in
relationships. What is the impact of your
testimony? Is it positive or negative?
What if during a thunderstorm one
night your lights go out and you go to get the
flashlight and it didn’t work, but you kept
holding it anyway? Who in your family would
make fun of you?
Day 2
When we are actively allowing our light
to shine, we are not doing God a favor. It is
because He has done us a favor that we allow
our lights to do their work. Letting our light shine
is actually aligning our life with His… When you
align a mirror with the sun, it reflects light. This
is the way our lives work. Much like the moon
puts off no native light, when it is properly
aligned with the sun, it reflects the sun’s light.
We are to be reflecting His Light to the whole
world. How can you properly reflect light when
you are not in alignment?
The reason you have friends is not only to
enjoy friendship. The reason you have co-
workers is not only to make the workload easier.
The reason you have neighbors is not only
because you live in a crowded society. All these
and other relationships are also given to you to
“shine” into their lives. Today, begin to consider
every interaction as an opportunity to shine the
light of Christ into someone’s life.
Same situation as yesterday, but today
you find some candles, light them, but put them
under bowls to protect the light from getting out.
Smart idea?
Day 3
Because of the New Birth you
experienced in Christ through the Spirit, you
are emanating light. But do not
misunderstand; it is not your light. He is still
the power source. Jesus gives His followers
a command to do this right now and do it
effectively. The concept ‘so shine’ is written,
in the original language, in a way which
conveys the idea of urgency. In other words,
you need to be in a hurry to shine. Lives are
at stake. This is also a permissive
imperative, which means to permit your light
to shine. God has put His light within you; it
is your responsibility to let it out. Don’t do
anything that will cover it, hide it or snuff it
out. To shine is not optional! If we fail to
obey our Lord's command we will fail to fulfill
His purpose for us in His glorious plan.
What does the light of your life
reveal? By that, I mean, when you relate to
others, do they see contentment or
bitterness? Do they see selfishness or
sacrifice? Do they see honesty or
posturing? Just as light reveals things
otherwise hidden, your life also reveals
things to others. The light of your life should
be exposing the presence of Christ in you.
Is it doing that?
Jesus thought that saying that you
have light, but not showing it, was just a little
crazy. It doesn’t make any sense. What
kind of light do you think Jesus is talking
about?