Flame On!

You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.
(Mathew 5:14 – ESV)

The Roman Emperor Nero (54-68 AD) was a madman and murderer, who arbitrarily and mercilessly crucified believers. During events at the Coliseum, he would feed Christians to lions, and he often lit his parties with the burning carcasses of Christians used as human torches. Certainly he was demonically inspired, and probably possessed, and is regarded by some as the Antichrist himself. He eventually committed suicide, and he is known more for his atrocities than his achievements. His influence didn’t last beyond his life, but those Christians whom he killed have lived on in the spirit of believers ever since.

Those martyrs may have seemed little more than fuel for the crazed monarch, but they did not die in vain. Indeed, they shined the light of Christ and stoked the fires of a movement that had just started, but that will have no end. No matter how many bodies Nero put to death, the spiritual life of Christians could not be put out. Their bodies may have burned away but their flame has never died out and it has been giving Christians fuel for faith down through the centuries. Nero and countless others have tried to snuff it out but the fire keeps on burning.

I remember watching the movie "The Perfect Storm" and I noticed how, when the waves were crashing and the wind was blowing and all the terror happening, the captain went out to fix the radio antennae using a blowtorch. My wife remarked, "How come that thing doesn't go out with all that wind and water hitting it?" It was because a blowtorch is made to withstand the elements; there is simply too much power in that firelight for it to go out. The torch has its own oxygen and fuel supply. It has enough heat and gas pressure to be immune to problems that could put it out.

I pray that God might make us like blowtorches in the midst of the dark storms ahead. The enemy and his minions cannot hide true lights from shining, so they try and silence them, but even in death, sometimes especially in death, the light burns brighter than ever.

“Living For Today With An Eye For Tomorrow”©

Gospel or Gossip?

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.
(Matthew 5:15 – ESV)

It is easy to see in a well-lit place, and when there are many lights on individual lights aren’t the focus. But when there is only one light in a dark place it becomes more the focus, as it is not like the rest of the place. When something or someone is the only source of light in a dark place, it illuminates more clearly the fact that it is different. It draws more attention to itself naturally.

In a church service or conference or event, it is to be expected that everyone will act in a Christ like manner, speak of Christ, and be open to listen about Christ. All the lights are shining into a well-lit place. However, outside of the church, the conference, or the event, outside the magnified light of Christ, out in the dark world of deceit, it is a different matter. The shining light is actually more needed out there. The question becomes, does your light shine as bright when you are the only light present, when all else is darkness? Or do you turn the dimmer switch on when it is convenient for you?

You could be going to all sorts of events, concerts, conferences, and meetings with other professed believers, but if that doesn’t translate into action, not just within your own life, but spread out to other lives, it is not the true gospel you are into. It doesn’t make good biblical sense to attend meetings where you just bash the contemporary scene of worldliness, and then go out and not try and be a light in the midst of it. How is that helping? Isn’t that hypocritical?

If all you do is go to meetings and talk about how so and so is wicked or such and such thing is evil or howl and moan about the state of the church, and yet when you go back out into the everyday world you don’t live to try and bring the truth in love and light to the dark person or situation, what you are doing is not gospel but gossip. You are only proclaiming other peoples’ sin but not the good news of Jesus Christ. All you are doing is spreading the bad news to those inside the camp but not spreading the good news to those outside it.

The truth is that it is wicked out there in the world, and that is why we cannot just bemoan it but do nothing about it. We need to share the good news of Jesus Christ and His marvelous light, not only in word, but also in deed and in truth. Don’t be a dim bulb. Speaking of the problems without speaking of the Solution is gossip, not gospel. If you don’t share you don’t care.

“Living For Today With An Eye For Tomorrow”©

60 Seconds (3)

CHARACTER

During his days as a lawyer, Abraham Lincoln was approached by a stranger to secure his services. After reading a history of the man’s case, Lincoln astonished him by saying, “I cannot serve you, for you are wrong, and the other party is right.” The man replied, “That is none of your business, if I hire and pay you for taking my case.” “Not my business!” exclaimed Lincoln. “My business is never to defend wrong. I never take a case that is manifestly wrong.” “Not for any amount of pay?” said the stranger. “Not for all you are worth,” replied Lincoln.

Years ago, William Hersey Davis wrote a comparison between reputation and character:

“The circumstances amid which you live determine your reputation; the truth you believe determines your character.
Reputation is what you are supposed to be; character is what you are.
Reputation is the photograph; character is the face.
Reputation comes over one from without; character grows from within.
Reputation is what you have when you come to a new community; character is what you have when you go away.
Your reputation is learned in an hour; your character does not come to light for a year.
Reputation is made in a moment; character is built in a lifetime.
Reputation grows like a mushroom; character grows like an oak.
A single newspaper report gives you your reputation; a life of toil gives you your character.
Reputation makes you rich or makes you poor; character makes you happy or makes you miserable.
Reputation is what men say about you on your tombstone; character is what the angels say about you before the throne of God.”

We should all remember that we inherit personality, but we build character.

Dave Arnold, Pastor, Gulf Coast Worship Center, New Port Richey, Fl

“Living For Today With An Eye For Tomorrow”©