Need Light for Your Present Situation?

Early in the morning he posted a message on social media. “For light I go directly to the Source of light, not to any of the reflections.”

God speaks to my heart: I AM the Source of Light. You are in great need of the Light that only I have. So many times things are obscured by fog or the darkness of the situation. Those things don’t affect My light. But to receive light for any situation or circumstance you will have to come to Me. I shed light on every area of life. When you have a problem I will give you the truth about that situation. When you don’t know where to go I will light MY way for you. When you don’t understand what’s going on My Light will lift the fog from your eyes.

God speaks to my heart again: My Light is the light of healing. My Light is the light of reconciliation. My Light is also the light of impartation. I will send people to minister to you when it is needed. You will need discernment for not everyone who shines a light has My Light. The enemy of your soul disguises himself as an angel of light. Even believers can shine their own light. Look closely and watch carefully who you go to for light in any situation. I will lead you to the right people, the right place and the right outcomes. I may keep you secluded in Me until you can see My Light clearly. My desire is that even in your darkest hours you will see Me clearly and let Me lead you into all truth.

I must say that we all have multiple sources of light in our homes in our cars and at our jobs. Even church is fully lit. We are used to flipping a switch and having light for whatever we need, whenever we need it, wherever we are. But to live as beacons of God’s light, to be a reflection of His light, we must stay plugged into the Lord, who is the Source of light. We must keep our hearts pure towards Him, fully yielded to Him and walking in the Light of His presence.

Oh beloved, have things gone dim? Are you wandering around as though there is no light where you are? Have you been trying to find the light in friends, in entertainment, in hobbies or in habitual problems that keep cropping up in your life? Do you notice that none of those lights work for you anymore? Don’t be afraid. Don’t try to hide. It’s time to let God’s light shine on your heart, fill your mind and correct and order your steps. He has been trying to shed His light all around you but you’ve been busy trying to keep the darkness away. Step into His light and the darkness has to flee! You were not meant to wander but to abide. You weren’t meant to live in the dark but to thrive in the Light.  Let God do what only He can do. Other people might be stingy with their own light – through rejection, humiliation, and more. But God will give you liberally all the Light you will ever need. Sometimes the light of others is dimmed so that you will return to the Source of All Light with your whole heart. He will make your situation shine with His glory, He will make your heart sing with the Light of His praise.

He will give you the ministry of reconciliation to the Light and impartation of the Light. True believers always impart the Source of Light to others. Some may say they have the Light but they don’t share it. It’s okay, their rejection is not your reflection. Connect instead to the One Who brought you out of darkness into His marvelous Light. Live as a Light bearer, a reflector of all God has done for you, with you and to you. He has called you, saved you, given you a ministry, blessed you, protected you, watched over you, guided you and will keep growing you all the days of your life. He loves you and He’s for you and He shares His Light with you whenever you are humble enough to ask. Always, anytime, anywhere, for any reason. Rejoice in the Light and live brightly for Him.

I John 1:5 This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.

Daniel 2:22 It is He who reveals the profound and hidden things; He knows what is in the darkness, and the Light dwells with Him.

John 8:12 Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, "I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life."

Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men that they may see your moral excellence and your praiseworthy, noble, and good deeds and recognize and honor and praise and glorify your Father Who is in heaven. Amplified

1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous Light;

Psalm 89:15 How blessed are the people who know the joyful sound! O Lord, they walk in the Light of Your countenance.

Where Are You Trying to Find Rest?

Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Goldilocks.  She went for a long walk in the forest.  Pretty soon, she came upon a house.  She knocked and, when no one answered, she walked right in. After a while she went upstairs to find somewhere to rest. The Papa Bear’s bed was too hard. The Mama Bear’s bed was too soft. But Baby Bear’s bed was just right and she fell fast asleep. When the bears returned they found that someone had eaten their porridge, sat in their chairs and Baby Bear found Goldilocks sleeping in his bed. She was startled and ran out of the house, never to return again.

Such a nice little story of a little girl finding sustenance, comfort and rest in the woods when she really didn’t know what to do or where to go.  But even after she had found the three things that every human being needs and desires, she was still not at home.  She wasn’t one of the bears. She was different. Ultimate rest, eternal comfort and genuine sustenance couldn’t really come from the temporary place she had found.

Life is a lot like a trip into the forest. We don’t know for sure where we are going, what we will encounter or when we will get out. But all along the way we try to find tangible things to hang onto.  We are ever searching for the things that will make us comfortable – we want to feel cozy, relaxed and find relief.  We also want to know that all our needs will be met – provisions, nourishment and necessities of life are our desire. And along with the other needs we as humans have, we want to find rest – that place where we can let down our guard and take a breather from life’s surprises and disturbances.

Just as Goldilocks found that she wasn’t really at home in the Bears’ cabin, we too find that, even when we think we have found just what we wanted, it isn’t really home for us.  Unlike Goldilocks, who left the cabin and found her way home, we often run to the next stop and try again to find our source for all we need in people, places and things.  We too are strangers, aliens in a world that isn’t meant for us. We have a home and it’s beyond this world. As we learn more about our purpose in life, we find that we fit here less and less.  God wants to meet our needs and will, but fortunately for us His desire is that we find them all first and foremost in Christ. Everything we need is promised, along with somewhere to call our real home in heaven one day. We are most blessed, but at times it’s hard because the things of this world don’t really work for us.

Oh beloved, have you been upset because temporary things aren’t bringing permanent satisfaction? Don’t let it upset you – for God is your source for everything! God will give you people to love, plans to fulfill and life to live. He just doesn’t intend for you to find ultimate comfort, rest and nourishment in anyone or anything over Him.  He wants to have first place because it is there that you will learn to be like Him. He will hide your soul in the cleft of the Rock. He will give you a place of quiet rest in His heart. He will lead you beside still waters as only He can restore your soul.  When things are hard, He will cover you with His protective love.  When you don’t know which way to go, He will guide you. Don’t trust in your senses for they can lead you away from God’s purpose. Christ came to free you from the burden of sin it is true. But He released you also from having to make your own way. In Christ there is such freedom to live loved. In Christ the chains that bind you to continually wander have been removed. You can rest in God’s promises, live in Christ’s redemption and walk in Holy Spirit power always.

God loves you and He’s for you and that’s why you can trust Him to watch over you, guide you and direct you all the days of your life. And when this life is over you will have a place of ultimate rest as you dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Psalm 62:1  My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him. (New International Version)

Philippians 4:19 And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

I Corinthians 1:30 But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption.

Psalm 34:10 The young lions do lack and suffer hunger; But they who seek the Lord shall not be in want of any good thing.

Isaiah 58:11 And the Lord will continually guide you, And satisfy your desire in scorched places, And give strength to your bones; And you will be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water whose waters do not fail.

What Have you Been Hearing?

“So then Faith comes by hearing…and hearing by the Word of God” Romans 10:17

My husband gets tickled at me as he watches me grab bits and pieces of conversations all around the room. Problem is I just get bits and pieces. I may hear two or three words, but then if I don’t hear the whole thing I may perceive a whole different story than was actually spoken. Later I might ask him about the $90,000 house to find out that particular conversation revolved around 90 people not $90,000!

There is much to listen to in this world. Even the weather channel no longer deals strictly with weather. You can find politics and other stories if you watch for very long. And when it comes to reporters, even those who are considered conservative will wander over into views that aren’t really that conservative. So much information, only two ears and throw in muffled talk and muted voices and you could make up your own version of most any story.

When it comes to faith, though, we don’t have to take other peoples’ word for the truth. They may be speaking the truth, but for us faith comes by hearing and that hearing should be coming straight from the Word of God. Our best quality of information gathering comes when we go straight to the Word of God for our information.  There are many “channels” of faith talk, but we must always sort through the Word of God for ourselves – straight to the source – to make sure we’ve heard things right.

What have you heard?  Maybe you heard that you are useless, castoff, done for. You may have been given a piece of information that said you don’t fit in, you don’t have the right criteria, you are less than. You may have thought you were hearing correctly when the sentence of judgment came past your ears. Those things don’t feed your faith because they don’t line up with the Word of God. Unless you go straight to the source and find out the truth for yourself, you will be destined to live in the darkness of untruth and half-truth.  Partial information hinders your walk, maims your life and keeps you fettered on the sidelines, unable to break the chains and run free.  

Oh beloved, faith comes by hearing! Hearing the Word of God! Hearing the truth about you! You are not less than, you are more than. You are not beaten down, you are an overcomer.  You can dance free from any chains that seek to bind you by others’ words because you are free in Christ! It doesn’t matter what others say, because it’s not about them. Keep your ears attuned to God’s Word and watch as your faith grows and grows. And when your faith grows your fears subside.  It doesn’t matter what the enemy says, for you don’t have to listen to a word he speaks. He is a liar and the father of all lies. Get that  - the father of, the originator of – all lies. Anything that is spoken about you or over you that doesn’t line up with the Word of God is not a word of faith. You may need to repeat the Word out loud over the lies that come your way or the half-truths that threaten to derail your faith, but lies cannot stand in the presence of Truth.

Every Word of God holds true. The more you hear the truth, the stronger your faith will be. The stronger your faith is, the better your hearing becomes. Eventually you will begin to cast out the things you hear in the background as you discern the difference. God loves you and that’s the truth, backed by the Word of God, and He’s for you – which is another truth backed by the Word, so that you can live with clear hearing and strong faith and that’s what God has for you all the days of your life.

Luke 11:28 Jesus replied, “But even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice.

Matthew 4:4 But He replied, It has been written, Man shall not live and be upheld and sustained by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.

Psalm 119:89 Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven.

John 17:17 Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.

Psalm 119:38 Establish Your word to Your servant, As that which produces reverence for You.

Psalm 138:2 I will bow down toward Your holy temple And give thanks to Your name for Your lovingkindness and Your truth; For You have magnified Your word according to all Your name.

Ready to Plug into Your Real Source of Power?

Next week we’ll be attending The Changing of the Colors Rally near Mena. I can remember back not many years ago, before this family had cell phones.  There was really only one good place for friends to use them. Up near one of the signposts.  Everyone would go to that spot to get their message out.  I can even remember borrowing a friend’s phone to call our family at home.

Now my “smart” phone goes with me everywhere. One day last week the battery died while I was at work and I felt so disconnected. I couldn’t even call my daughter when I needed to because her number is on speed dial – I don’t even know it!  Most folks text, take photos, play games, talk, use their calendar, consult the weather and look at late breaking news via their phones.  You could say we’re “plugged in”.  What would it be like to go a few days without it?  

Are you plugged in this morning? Are you in right connection with your Power Source? Are you seeking God daily for your necessary nourishment? Are you spending time with the One Who set the stars in orbit and gave you life? Unlike the cell phone’s apps, this life is no game.  Without the Lord’s Words, spoken sweetly to us during quiet times, we are totally disconnected from our spiritual source. We cannot hope to know what’s going on in the spirit realm without taking time to connect. 

While there are sun spots and dead zones and tower failures which may render our phones useless for a time, there’s never a time you cannot connect with the Lord. He’s always  there, always full of power, always available and always able to give you enough time to make the call to Him.

Oh beloved, run to the Lord this morning and read from His Wonderful Blessings for you! Put down the phones, turn off the tv and sit quietly in His presence. You will never be disappointed and you’ll never have to worry that the message won’t come through clearly.  He’s speaking to you already this morning as He says, Come to me, I know you labor and are heavy laden. I’ll give you the rest and renewal you so desire. I AM your true source of power! I will bless you as I pour My heart into your heart. I will renew your strength and give you all that you need for this life, for this day – and more…Blessings and honor come from Me alone.

You are loved, you are important and God’s line is never busy – you won’t ever have to leave a message. What a Savior. What a Father. What a Redeemer He is!

Psalm 119:114  You are my refuge and my shield; Your word is my source of hope.

2 Corinthians 1:3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort.

Deuteronomy 8:18  Remember the LORD your God. He is the one who gives you power to be successful, in order to fulfill the covenant he confirmed to your ancestors with an oath.

Psalm 63:1 O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water.

Psalm 4:3 You can be sure of this: The Lord set apart the godly for Himself. The Lord will answer when I call to Him.