Who Turned Out The Lights? – The Saturday Morning Post
Today’s Passage – Isaiah 58 – 62 (Click on the references to listen to the audio) click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website
(Second Milers also read – John 17 – 18; Psalms 56 – 60; Proverbs 12)
Read the “0812 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
“Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.” (Isaiah 60:1-3)
Good morning. Arise and shine. You are representing the Lord today. You will reflect His light and those around you should see this light. What’s that? You say you haven’t had your coffee yet, and your light’s a little dim? Folgers, Dunkin’, Starbucks, and yes, even Wawa coffee will not fill you with the Light. What? You didn’t even have breakfast yet? Dr. Bob Bowen, one of my teachers at Texas Baptist College, would say, “You’re sitting at your desk, your Bible is open, you have a hot cup of coffee, and a glass full of ice and apple juice. Later, the coffee is cold. The ice is melted. You’re there with the Word of God: it was a good breakfast.”
“Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 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. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” (Mark 5:14-16)
What can you do to change things. How do you brighten a dimmed light? You can fall in love with Jesus again. After all, He did for us. He has given us eternal life, supplied all our needs, and gave us His Holy Spirit. We should love Him because He first loved us.
“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)
“And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love him, because he first loved us. If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.” (1John 4:16-21)
“If ye love me, keep my commandments.” (John 14:15)
And what had the Lord commanded? He commanded you to be a soul winner.
“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15)
“And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things.” (Luke 24:46-48)
“Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.” (John 20:21-23)
The Father sent His only begotten Son, Jesus, to seek and to save that which was lost. That’s what He commands us to do. Remember what Jesus said?
“If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.” (1John 4:20-21)
If you love your brother, you don’t want him to die and go to Hell. And we are brothers to the lost also: all our ancestors could be traced back to Noah. And the only way to find out if a person is saved is to ask them. You need to start sharing the Gospel. Our job is to give out the Gospel. God’s job is to convict their hearts so they will receive Jesus as their Saviour…
“For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal? Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building. According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.” (1Corinthians 3:4-15)
Another gem I learned from Dr. Bowen is that it takes 23 days to create a habit. If for the next 23 days, you tell someone about Jesus, or hand them a tract, it will become a habit. I’m not sure if Dr. Bowen said this one also, but if you aim at nothing, you’ll hit it every time. I would like to have a crown to cast at the Saviour’s feet. Do you? Find the light switch and turn it on.
Peace.
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