Matthew 5:15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
Today is the third of Chanukah. As we light the candles, we remember that God has called us to be lights.
D. L. Moody told the story of a man who was crossing the Atlantic by ship. He was terribly sick and confined to his cabin. One night he heard the cry “Man overboard!” He felt that there was nothing he could do to help, but at second thought, he said to himself, “I guess I can at least put my lantern in the porthole.” He struggled to his feet and hung the light so it shined out into the darkness.
The next day he learned that the person who was rescued said, “I was going down in the dark night for the last time, when someone put a light in a porthole. As it shone on my hand, a sailor in a lifeboat grabbed it and pulled me in.”
All of us have weaknesses — and times of weakness. The fact of the matter is, though, that weak or not, we need to muster up the strength to put our lights in our portholes for the sake of the dying and the lost among us. It’s so tempting to sulk in our weaknesses, and stay in our beds — but God expects more of us. He has given us the strength to do all things — even move mountains! There are so many people around us sinking in despair. But God has chosen us to reach out and light up their lives!
Let’s do something extraordinary for the Lord today. Be bold, speak up! Let’s get beyond our weaknesses and light up the darkness around us!
2 Corinthians 1:20 For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.
2 Peter 1:3-4 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
Living in Israel can be interesting. The people here are brutally honest. They’ll tell you what’s on their mind, no holding back. If you’ve gained a few pounds, you’re surely gonna to hear about it. If you’re standing in line at the store or wherever, you can pretty much expect someone to cut right to the front of the line with a sad excuse if any at all.
While I understand that there is a “survival mentality” at work here (every man for himself), I’ll have to admit, I’m still adjusting to this aspect of the culture.
My wife calls this aggressive behavior she sometimes too displays (especially when she’s the one patiently standing in line when someone else butts forward), “just being Israeli”. But I say, God expects more of us as believers, no? And somewhere deep down, I know she agrees — lol.
There’s a story told of a man who was meditating by a brook in the countryside when suddenly he noticed a scorpion caught in the swirling current struggling desperately trying to climb onto a rock. The old man felt for the creature and earnestly tried to help it, but every time he reached down, the scorpion would strike. Meanwhile, a passerby happened upon this struggle. “Sir”, he said, “don’t you realize that it is the nature of a scorpion to attack and sting?” “Of course” replied the man, “but it is my nature to save and rescue. Why should I change my nature just because the scorpion doesn’t change his?”
This man didn’t let the attacking, stinging scorpion change his kind and gentle nature. So should we never allow our environment to influence our behavior, no matter where we are.
God has not called us to follow the ways of this world. He’s called us to lead with His gentleness and love! If we are going to world changers, we have to step up and be the example, be the light God has called us to be. Let’s strive for excellence! There’s so much work to be done!
Isaiah 62:6,7 I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the LORD, keep not silence, And give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth.
Today, May 16th, 2007, is Yom Yerushalayim or Jerusalem Day. It marks the 40th year of the restoration of Jerusalem back into Israeli hands. Hundreds of thousands of tourists have come to participate in the various celebrations going on in this beautiful city today.
Why do you think Jerusalem is so significant? Let’s look at a little of her legend and history.
According to Jewish legend, the earth was created from Jerusalem’s center, from the foundational stone on the Temple Mount called the Eben Shetiyah. And thus, on the first day, legend says, God created light, and that light came forth from the Temple Mount and illuminated the entire world. Hmmm. Very interesting. Especially being that Jesus was crucified, buried in and resurrected from Jerusalem, and He is the Light of the World. He not only departed Jerusalem, but the Bible says that His return will also be to this Holy City. It’s no wonder that Jerusalem is constantly the focus of the news — it’s the center of prophecy!
While we can see with our physical eyes, the restoration of the Land to her Rightful Owner, we also recognize there’s much work to do in Israel spiritually. There are only about 10,000 Jewish believers out of 5.5 million Jews. We’ve barely touched the tip of the iceberg!
The Lord is strategically placing watchman throughout the world who will attentively watch and pray over Jerusalem and those of us in the Land preparing the way of the Lord. Please continue to pray — we need it! There’s so much work to be done!
Psalms 139:23-24 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
The other day, I had the great pleasure of getting our vehicle inspected in Israel. According to Israeli law, you need to get your car fully, and I mean fully inspected each year in order to complete your registration process — and they don’t let anything by either. Last year after inspection, they informed us that we only need to replace our rear brakes before they’d register the car. This year, thankfully, we were home free!!
Interestingly, our inspection was due roughly the same time as Pesach (Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread). This time of year is a time of inspection for many Jewish people. They move all their appliances and furniture, searching, inspecting and cleaning out every nook and cranny as to rid their homes of any and all leaven, This season, they’ll eat only eat matza (unleavened bread) and other food items which contain no yeast.
We pray that their eyes, along with all the world’s, will be opened to the true inspection we all need. God’s inspection is is not outward but inward. He inspects our hearts, minds and motives. It’s much harder to pass that kind of inspection, wouldn’t you say? Thankfully, we have a merciful God!
I think we’re all due for inspection today. Let’s open our hearts to God and allow him to shed some light on what needs fixing. There’s so much work to be done!
Hebrews 12:1-2 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
In the Greek olympic games of old, a unique race was run. The winner was not the runner who finished first — it was the runner who finished with his torch still lit!
There are times in our lives when we feel like we just can’t continue in the race. These are precisely the times when the enemy loves to assault us to the point of breaking and torment us saying “You’ll never make it to the finish line, you may as well just quit now”. This is the time we need to cling on to God’s promises! The Lord will soon reward our diligence for all our toiling here in this world. Paul said, “Let us not grow weary in well doing for in due season we shall reap if we do not faint”.
Let’s allow God’s wonderful promises to strengthen and comfort us in each circumstance so that we can run the race — not to finish first, but to run together, side by side — the flame of our torch reaching the finish line blazing brightly with fire for Him!
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