Solitude with the Father

Christmas is my favorite holiday. I look forward to the lights especially at night. I was sitting in the living room the other day before the family got up. I was having my time in the Word, and the topic for the day was Christ being the light of the World. As I looked around the room the trees and the candles in the window provided enough light that I could read and journal.

My mind went to the Christmas Eve candlelight service and I was taken aback at the visual our Pastor gives us. I’d like to share it you in a little different way.

Not only is Christ the Light of the World but we as His family are also light bearers. The way we live our life, how we speak, how we work all reflects the light of Christ, and who we are in Him. As I observed our main tree the thought occurred to me. One light on the two-hundred light tree gives off light but not that much. However, when you light up all 200 and the smaller trees and the six candles in the window it lights up the room where everything can be seen and you don’t need a lamp to read.

What about us. What if each of us took seriously our role as a light in this dark world. And it is dark and getting darker by the day. What if we showed the love of Christ to the unlovable, did our jobs without complaining, did our jobs to the fullest, and not try to get away with the minimum? Or love on the ones who are not His children instead of fighting them every step of the way? What would the world around us see? They would see the light of Christ shine through us. They would see a difference they couldn’t deny and maybe desire themselves.

Now to be clear there will be those who will reject the light we have because men love the darkness so their weaknesses and sin are hidden. But what kind of impact can we make?

You may ask what can one light do? Plenty but when added to hundreds of others more than one can imagine.

I challenge you when you look at your Christmas tree, or the lights on the houses you drive by, ask yourself what kind of influence am I? Am I trying to hide my light or will I be like a city on a hill that can’t be hidden. Will I add my light to others to reach the world for Him?

Matthew 5:14 “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.”

Wishing you and your family a wonderful Christmas and Happy New Year.

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It’s that time of the month when we start focusing on being thankful. This year has left us with little to be thankful for or has it?

The world is sliding downward it seems quicker and quicker these days. We have had natural disasters, a pandemic, not to mention political wars and everyday stresses. Anxiety is the call of the day. There doesn’t seem to be focused on that is demanding of our thanksgiving.

Even I feel a little guilty over having one item in my thankfulness journal last night. I been so filled with fatigue, anger, frustration, that I could only find one thing to be thankful for and that was just to put something down. I couldn’t focus on anything that was positive. The negative got in the way of thinking on things that were honorable, pure, right, lovely, of good report, excellent and praise worthy.

I could have put things on my list like:

A great day at work

Seeing my youngest dressed up for a homecoming gathering at church

Work getting my schedule right.

My oldest willing to go get her sister so I didn’t have to go out at 11 pm.

These are just a few. A friend of mine challenged me to be accountable a few months back to keep a thankfulness journal. The goal was to write three items at the end day we were thankful for. They could be simple or grandiose. It could be more or less but the goal was three a day. And we would text that list to each other every night.

Because I suffer with anxiety and depression, this was a great exercise for me. Not that it took these away but I found my attitude adjusting. I could find things to praise and thank God for even in the midst of feeling down. It caused my thinking to be more upbeat even though my body and emotions were the complete opposite. There was peace.

God is good even in the midst of trials. I challenge you to start a thankfulness journal of your own. Be accountable with a friend. Start with two or three and see how many things God allows you to see. I think you may see a difference in you life.

“May the peace of God guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus”, as you see the big and small things to be thankful for each day, not just at Thanksgiving.

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Bravery means being alert in all circumstances. The enemy the Devil prowls around like a hangry lion. Yes, a hangry lion. He is stealthy. His mouth drips salavia hoping to find me and use the weakness I have to bring me down by the neck.

One of the Holy Spirit’s jobs is to alert me to situations, people within the enemy’s pride to influence me in the ways of the world. Or emotions which the enemy can smell in a weakened moment.

Since the Holy Spirit can and will alert me if I am willing, I have the ability to stand my ground and the enemy will fail. Unfortunately, a injured animal can be more dangerous. The second round may cause me to be so full of fear it paralyzes me to do anything or to give up because it’s hard and lay down in surrender.

The enemy is not just the spiritual one, but we can do enough damage to ourselves, through choices, negative self talk, etc. It’s why it’s important that we are in the word everyday and being in touch with our Heavenly Father through prayer.

Through the word we learn what He is capable of. What we are capable of in Christ. We are capable of standing firm and having love in all that we do whether it be a hard situation within the home, work, school or in the community. We have a Heavenly father who cares for us. That He gave us the Holy Spirit to guide, comfort and alert to the tactics of the world both earthly and spiritually.

Today I chose to stand firm and be alert. Will you join me?

“Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men be strong. Le all that you do be done in love.”

1 Corinthians 16:13-14 (NASB)

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