Open Heavens Devotional For Sunday, June 22, 2014:

TOPIC:SUNDRY TRUTHS ABOUT LIGHT

Memorise: In him was life; and the life was the light of men. John 1:4

Read: Matthew 5:14-16
14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
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. 

 Message
In Isaiah 60:1, we are enjoined to rise and shine. To shine means to reflect light. It could also mean to fulfil your purpose. John the Baptist knew the purpose of his existence. He faced this purpose squarely and refused to be distracted. John 5:35 says this concerning him:

“He was a burning and a shinning light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light.”

Light burns. Light cannot be separated from heat. Science confirms that light is produced by hot objects. A good example of this is the sun. The sun burns itself to give light. As children of God, we are commanded to shine, and in order to shine, we must burn. The source of our light is God (John 1:4). That Source shines in darkness and darkness cannot overcome it. In other words, it resists darkness. There are lots of lessons to learn from this truth. First, we must shine and resist darkness. It is wrong for a child of God to stay idle and allow the works of darkness to thrive. As a child of God, you should be hot for the Lord. Evil and works of darkness should not feel comfortable wherever you are. However, no one can do this by his or her strength alone. You definitely need God for success and sustenance. He is the only reliable source. It is therefore important that you remain connected to your Source so that you don’t burn out (Proverbs 3:5-6).

The word of God teaches that light cannot be hidden (Matthew 5:14-15). No one lights a candle and puts it under a bushel. No! The beauty of light is seen when it is exposed, not hidden. If you are working in an organisation and your co-workers cannot identify the light of Christ in you, then something is seriously amiss. Why? Because light cannot be hidden. In the same vein, we must know that we cannot hide our true character from people. It is both dangerous and unprofitable to be pretentious. We should therefore let people know our true colour. How? Be the best you can be for God. When you make up your mind to reflect the light of God in the midst of unrighteousness, the presence of God will always be seen in your life. 

A perfect illustration of this truth can be found in Joseph. He got to Egypt as a slave in Potiphar’s house, and God was with him there. He was tempted to hide the light and compromise his stand but he refused to yield to temptation. His action landed him in a dungeon, yet God was with him there. Finally he became the Prime Minister and God continued to be with him. Is your situation similar to that of Joseph? Please reflect the light. Are you facing a serious temptation to compromise your stand? Please reflect the light. God will always be with His children, and if God be with you, who can be against you?

Key Point: If you remain connected to the source of light (God), you will not burn out.

Bible In A year : Leviticus 26: 14-27:34; Psalm 136

 Source: OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL, VOLUME 14, 2014 by Pastor E.A Adeboye of RCCG.