The Light of The World - Standing Strong Through the Storm - March 17

Timeless lessons for overcoming the storms of life through real life examples of persecuted Christians.

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THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD "You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house."  - Matthew 5:14-15                                              Jesus is also the great light of the world (John 8:12). Those who believe in Him are brought out of darkness into His light (Colossians1:12-13) and in turn become lights also. In essence, they live the beatitudes. What does light do? A.      It exposes dirt - If Christians live holy and righteous lives, it will show up the unrighteous deeds of others (Ephesians 5:8-14). An example is that people who take bribes feel very vulnerable if there are others that don't. Christians who work in government offices can, by their uprightness and integrity, diminish the amount of corruption just by their very presence and principles. B.      It lights up the way so that we do not stumble - If Christians walk by the principles of the Word of God, their lives take on a higher purpose and direction than that of self.  This will not fail to attract the attention of a watching world. The world then is faced with a choice—to accept or reject such a model. To those who reject, that light becomes darkness. But for those who accept, that light illumines their lives and they will not make wrong choices. C.      It discourages works of darkness - More crimes are committed at night than in the daytime. D.      It dispels fear - When light shines, the phantoms of the night just fade away. People who are afraid of the dark prefer to sleep with the light on. Light even enables discernment to be made—between friend and foe and between truth and counterfeit. It enables work to be done. Light enables plants to grow. Used in modern technology, it aids in telecommunications (fiber optics), helps to heal (lasers), and aids in publishing books.  The light of the Gospel also blesses in so many ways. And Christians who walk in it can in turn help others by sharing the knowledge they have concerning life, death, sin, salvation, God, the devil, heaven and hell. For these are the issues that plague man on a wide scale and for which they are striving to find adequate answers. The light will be recognized, not just in words, but in "good deeds" which lead others to praise our Father in heaven. In Kumasi, Ghana, African Enterprise has been organizing city-cleaning teams. Before an evangelistic campaign, Christians often ask government leaders if they can clean it up. Then they send out teams of people with makeshift straw brooms and pails of soapy water to scrub the city. Christian workers have cleaned hospitals, city parks, and government grounds before major outreaches. RESPONSE: Today I am determined to shine for Jesus—the true light of the world! PRAYER: Lord, I want my life to count for You and Your kingdom. Help me be a lighthouse for You. STANDING STRONG THROUGH THE STORM (SSTS) -A daily devotional message by Paul Estabrooks © 2011 Open Doors International. Used by permission "When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone, but the righteous stand firm forever." Proverbs 10:25 Right now millions of Christians face persecution because of their faith in Christ. Register to receive the Open Doors USA Weekly Prayer Alert email. Join alongside thousands of others praying for our brothers and sisters worldwide to stand strong in the midst of their struggles. Also learn more about countries where the persecution of Christians is most severe by visiting the Open Doors website today.

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