Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ... Please take the time to take in a YouTube video of song and lyrics from Jason Gray singing … Glow in the Dark … powerfully singing how we need to become Christ’s light of hope and grace shining into this ever-darkening world.
Glowing with His light in the darkness of this world
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Highlight Verse[s]: Matthew 5:14 [NLT] ... 14 “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.
… Jesus desires that we, who are His disciples, become His shining lights in this world.
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Highlight Passage [context]: Matthew 5:14-16 [NLT] ... USE THIS LINK ...
… Jesus declares that those who believe and follow Him will be bright lights in an ever-darkening world.
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Reference Passage : … John 8:12 [NLT] … 12 Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”
… Jesus declares that His born-again disciples will shine His light in our lives to lead others to Him.
Reference Passage : … John 9:5 [NLT] … 5 But while I am here in the world, I am the light of the world.”
… Jesus that His life, while on earth, was to shine the light of God into the world. Now that’s our job.
Reference Passage : … John 12:46 [NLT] … 46 I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark.
… On His entry into Jerusalem just before His sacrifice on the cross, Jesus declares His mission to be the Light which draws His followers out of the darkness of sin into the light of salvation.
My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Dave Branon, uses the story of a young man who was determined EVERY DAY to do what Jason Gray sings in the linked song. … The ODB author wrote: Stephen told his parents that he needed to get to school early every day, but for some reason he never explained why it was so important. Yet they made sure he arrived at Northview High School by 7:15 each morning.
On a wintry day during his junior year, Stephen was in a car accident that sadly took his life. Later, his mom and dad found out why he’d been going to school so early. Each morning he and some friends had gathered at the school entrance to greet other students with a smile, a wave, and a kind word. It made all students—even those who weren’t popular—feel welcomed and accepted.
A believer in Jesus, Stephen wanted to share His joy with those who desperately needed it. His example lives on as a reminder that one of the best ways to shine the light of Christ’s love is by gestures of kindness and through a welcoming spirit.
Really today, if you’ve taken in ODB story, the photo, the linked song, and meditated on the scriptures above, which are red-letter declarations from Christ Himself in God’s word, I think any/all reading with me here are as convicted as I am, as we move into the New Year, to do more to shine the light of Christ thru the way we live, just as Stephen, the boy in the ODB story, did.
So, what can we do, even today, to “glow in the dark” as Jason Gray sings? Perhaps just a smile would light up someone’s darkness. Or a kind word; … or maybe even doing all we can to help someone out who needs to come out of their own darkness and share the light of Christ’s love today.
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My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh Abba Father, ... thank You, Lord, … for Your light which lights up my life.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... I pray, Lord, that all reading here will join me today, to share some of Christ’s love light with others. … Amen
Blogger Note: Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled “Our Daily Bread,” distributed online via email by RBC Ministries. If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.</ span>
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