Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Daily Light - November 2, 2011

Daily Light from the Lighthouse

"And his sister stood afar off, to know what would be done to him."
Exodus 2:4

This passage of course is in reference to Miriam the sister to baby Moses as he was hidden by his parents in the river in order to protect his life. Moses' parents had already demonstrated great bravery and courage as they defied the clear order of Pharaoh to kill their son. They believed not simply in life but that each life was a gift from God that had an eternal purpose.
There is also a power shown in the fact that Miriam is standing watch over the basket that contains her little brother. It would seem that she has been given a responsibility to see what would take place. Surely Moses' parents did not go through all of the risk of saving his life to place him in a basket in the river to let the elements have their way with him. Miriam is there for a purpose. Recently while reading a new book this line stood out to me: Miriam was in a position to watch the Lord show up. Take a deep breath and let that sink in for a second.
There are great considerations that come with that statement. First, do I allow myself to settle into positions of uncertainty where all I can do is wait for the Lord to show up? So often we try to figure out every thing about life even before we have all of the information. To sit still for many of us is wasted time, and we can't allow that. Aren't we instructed however to be still and know that He is God? How are we going to get to know what God wants if we already have all of the answers?
Second, are we like Moses' parents placing our children in a position to see God? So many Christian parents try to hide the difficulties of life, the reality of sin, and the gravity of trials from their children. They never discuss difficulties and tough issues with their children out of the fear that children will not understand. Our children need to see pain and struggles, so that they can also see a God who heals pain and gives strength to endure the struggles. Children of all ages need to see God at work!
Miriam saw God mightily work that day by the river. She also saw God use that little baby to become the man of God that would lead his people out of bondage.
May you be in a position to watch the Lord show up today!

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Daily Light - November 1, 2011

Daily Light from the Lighthouse

"[I pray] that the sharing of your faith may become effective
by the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus."
Philemon 6

One of the greatest frustrations that many believers have is being able to effectively share their faith with others. While faith in Christ Jesus is the most life changing aspect of our lives, it can be terribly difficult to share with others. There are many factors as to why that is.
Most people battle with some things internally. We all face fears that seem to surface when we are about to speak up for the name of Jesus. There is also a pride factor that is most definitely present as well. Others complain that they fear being rejected by people, especially those that they love. Human factors enter into this conversation also. "What if I don't say things just right?" "I know what I believe but it is so hard to get all of the right words into the right order. "There are other people that are so much better at sharing their faith than I am. Where are they when we need them?" "If I could just get them to church, then they could hear the pastor and understand."
If you will notice, there is one theme in all of these reasons and excuses. Somewhere along the way, we have been convinced that being a witness for Christ is all about us. We fear our failure. We recognize our deficiencies. We don't feel like we have the right words to say. We are not sure that we are able to do this. Paul understood this and expressed to Philemon and his household that being an effective witness for Christ would only happen if we acknowledged the One that mattered in our life, Christ Jesus.
For years we have used the term "soul-winner" to refer to those that witness for Christ. While that term may be well meaning, it often seems to put too much emphasis on the one doing the witnessing instead of the One that does the saving. There should be no emphasis on who "won" a soul to Christ or how many were "won". The emphasis should be placed on sharing our faith effectively and letting the Holy Spirit do the work in the individuals heart through Jesus Christ.
Who is a successful witness for Christ? Three individuals commit to sharing their faith with one person a week over the next year. At the end of that year the first person has seen 10 people come to know Christ as Savior. The second person saw 5 people come to a relationship with God through His Son. The third person was never able to see an individual converted during that year. Which of these three was successful? If you answered all three, you are right. It is our job to share our faith and leave the results to God.
May you share the greatest story ever told today!