Have you ever seen a big church and illumination from just the windows on a sunday night, how the light comes through the stain glass windows shining into the darken world. Yet the church lights with in has only the power of the electricity that turns them on, it is the lights in the pew that must go outside the church and illuminate the brightness of Christ. The church that is growing is lighted by Jesus and not only the power of electricity but the power of the Holy Spirit. People like small churches, but do they shine as well, they do. Not every area is receptive of the word of God. Not every area does the church grow rapidly, and it not always the labors in the field, it sometimes it is that people not interested in the light of Christ.

Why are people not desiring the light of Christ, it maybe our own actions need checking, maybe the actions of the church in general, and maybe it is the church in need of structuring to education of sharing the light of Christ. Building upon the Christ and work of evangelism that Christ did. Are we curb appeal. If you walk in the harsh part of many cities there are hookers on the street that sell themselves with no trouble. They have no trouble being picked up for a job. Yet when it comes to Christ people, are they appearing as children of the King. Are they showing their faith, are they wearing their faith. Are we always the christian couple others want to speak with, are we the individual others want to speak with. Are we the one to lend a helping hand not always in money but in other ways. Maybe go and help in some small way or big way if it is our talent to do so. Are we leaving those behind that we talk to with the hope of Christ that satisfying hope of faith, to carry them through until they can study scripture on their own. I once told a minister it sad when the healing comes within a gym and not a church. Meaning the grace within the walls of community of no judgment was less judmental then the church.

To allow Christ light to shine two things must happen the love for others must not be based on cliques, or status of a person, but based on the fact we all need God's grace in our life, and acceptance. That the work of the body of Christ is to build each other in Christ, to let that light in us shine outwardly in our actions and words. There are groups in our world that are so large but their need for control is so great that they use mind games to control the congregation, and because it seems real or the person is going through it alone, the mind game controls is greater then the knowledge of the person. We live in a time where it is very easy to feel controlled by a disease. Yet even our president does not seem to be able to obey the confine by quarters. He to prefers a degree of freedom and so goes to his oval office to work instead of remaining confine to his own living space. I sure two weeks with his wife with just him and her has been a long time in coming but no one wants to be sick together. I thinking on the confine and control of quarantine in some states to even being arrest in some areas or a guard outside ones house is going to far And yet again in truth it is not when we realize how fast this disease spreads.

Christ light is not a mind control game. Christ light is real. He perform miracles did good works and taught the people how to live. He had the power to control and only controlled one situation, while he walked the earth, and that was when he went to the cross to die for our sins. He showed the soldiers in John that it was his power when they fell backward, when they went to arrested him, not theirs. Christ has the power to force us to receive his truth but in truth he does not force it, instead he calls us by name, it our choice to follow. Many people do good works with or without faith in Christ. What different about christians is the hope they offer through Christ. It is knowing when they pray for someone that God will take care of the situation according to his will in that person's life. That we know that when we ask, to ask expecting not unexpecting. To know God is able to do more then we ask, because he sees the full picture we do not. To know that sometimes the real issue is not the problem presented. Knowing the comfort of God in our life will bring that same comfort to others.

Yet we must go even a step further and realize if the hope God offers us is in our hearts then that what needs to shine forth to others. The hope of eternal life. Now if you are in a gutter, the idea of eternal life, might not sound inviting, but help a person out of the gutter, and their life becoming brighter, might see that hope of eternity a little differently. Yet when you present the idea of turning one's life around, from first turning from any sin in one's life, turning their situation to let's try and improve it, something happens. People do not want to remain in the gutter, but all do not want Christ help. Christ help begins to provide as we receive him as Lord and Savior. He begins to watchout for our needs, aid us in the storm, aid us with our joy, and aid us in everyday life, with not only his love but his hope.

Are we still running when disaster befall us, hope the answer is yes, because that when others see light of Christ that in us. That when they can see our hope and our joy. If we hid our faith it can not shine before others. If we go out the door angry by every situation in our life, the light of Christ can not shine for others see Him. Yet we not to fake our humanity, or our faith either. Sometimes saying I know God has the answer, I just don't have the answer God has for me yet, beyond his hope, is it enough. In our weakness He is strong. In our inability he see the full picture of the equation. God knows why I am stuck in the mud. God knows why the situation or solution to the situation is unclear to myself or even others. If we can see God in our brokenness as being the answer and the world around us can see it in our life, then the light of Christ still is shining even in our own brokenness. We are light to the world because Christ is using us as his lighthouse.

Can you imagine when Christ sent the seventy disciples out that they told their story how they meet Jesus, how they prayed for others. Can you imagine how some returned with these seventy disciples to see this great light in their land. Their story of what Jesus did for them. Did Jesus save your soul, did Jesus change your life, did Jesus do a work in your life that you know was Him. Let our light so shine, so others can see your good works and glorify God the Father. Who will people thank not you but God the Father, when they see and understand that work is of God.

Dear Heavenly Father, help us to let your shine in us, so others see your work and praise you. That they maybe drawn to you by the work you do in the life of each believer. In Jesus precious name, Amen.

Continual Scripture Study: Luke 11:33-36 KJV
33 No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light.
34 The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness.
35 Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness.
36 If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light.