Is Your Light On??

Mat 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 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. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

The purpose of light

To shine so that others will see

Light attracts and shows the way; light house

The Source of our Light is Powerful

John 8:12

Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

John 9:5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

2 Corinthians 3:18 AMP. And we all with unveiled face, continually seeing as in a mirror the glory of the Lord are progressively being transformed into His image from [one degree of] glory to [even more] glory, which comes from the Lord, [who is] the Spirit.

Our Light has Great Abilities

·        It can keep you

2 Corinthians 4:1-2

Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not. 2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.

·        It saves lives

2 Corinthians 4:3-7

3 But if our gospel is hid, it is hidden to them that are lost:

4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them, which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.

6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels that the Excellencies of the power may be of God, and not of us.

·        It gives us hope

2 Corinthians 4:8-10

8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;

9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;

10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.

We are not only light bearers but also standard bearers

1John 1:7-9

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

Four Ways to Reflect your light

1.     Behave differently from the world

Phillippians 2:14-16

 Do all things without grumbling or disputing

15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,

16 holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.

John 1:9

that was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

2.     Be Culturally Relevant and Speak Truth

Romans 13:12-14

We live in a dark world, full of lies, hate, and confusion. But God’s Word tells us to “cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.”

14, but put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.

3.     Walk by Faith and put yourself out there.

Luke 8:16

A lamp is meant to be placed on a stand to give light to everything around it. Being timid is not an excuse.

Matthew 5:15

nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.

4.     Remember your source

Give God the glory and the praise

Matthew 5:16

In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Three things that can hinder your light from shining

1.     Selfishness - Having an excessive concerned or exclusively, for oneself or one's advantage, pleasure, or welfare, regardless of others

2.     Being Judgmental –

a.      Denotes an attitude in which judgments about other people's conduct is made

b.     A decision based upon a particular set of values or on a particular value system.

c.      Making an expedient evaluation based upon limited information at hand

Matthew 7:3

Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but does not notice the log that is in your own eye?

3.     Entangling in sin

Hebrew12: 1

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

1 Corinthians 10:23

The Apostle Paul put it this way: "All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not."