Daily Encounter: A Week-day Devotional by a staff of ACTS International.

Thursday, August 24, 2017

Jesus said, "Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."¹

"During my idealistic youth," Michael Josephson of Character Counts wrote, "I attended an event in a large stadium. Everyone was given an unlit candle. A speaker talked about the power of one person with an enlightened message. He lit his candle, walked over to two people in the stands and lit theirs with his candle. He asked them to light two others. Within a few minutes, everyone's candle was lit and the entire stadium glowed.

"It's the most powerful visual metaphor I've ever experienced. A single tiny flame had lit thousands of candles. What's more, as it was passed on and on, each glimmer continued to burn with undiminished light. The speed with which the sparkle and warmth of that single flame spread across the stadium was awe-inspiring."²

Today's ever darkening world with never-ending acts of terror, the growing threat of Iran with developing nuclear weapons, the rapid growth of Islam with endless numbers of radical Muslims who hate Jews, the West, and Christiansâ€"and are determined to overrun and kill usâ€"all of this needs to be a wakeup call for every Christian.

Add to this the accelerating moral decline, plus the numerous secular-progressive radicals, judges, politicians, and leaders, etc., etc., with their increasing anti-God, anti-Christian, pro-gay marriage, pro-abortion philosophy and actions.

Thus, there is an urgent need for every Christian to let our light shine for Jesus and reach out to people everywhere with the saving gospel of Jesus Christâ€"the Light of the World and the only hope of our sin-sick world.

Let us together renew our resolve to be a candlelight for Jesus. Let our good deeds and kind words be a living testimony to the saving power of Jesus. And may we always stand up for what is right, and by our example show others the way. And, above all, resolve to keep on sharing the gospel with all we can while we canâ€"and encourage other Christians we know to do likewise.

Remember the chorus we sang as kids in Sunday School: "See this little light of mine / I'm going to let it shine . . . Don't let Satan poof it out / I'm going to let it shine . . . Let is shine 'till Jesus comes / I'm going to let it shine / let it shine / let it shine.

For helps to "let your light shine" and reach others for Christ see: "Tips on how to be an effective People Power for Jesus Partner to help change the worldâ€"one person at a time" at www.actsweb.org/people_power/tips.php.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, I resolve to do everything I can to let my light shine for Jesus. Please use me to be a lesser light to point others to Jesus, the Light of the World, and in so doing may many accept him as their personal Lord and Savior. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

1. Matthew 5:15-16 (NKJV).
2. Michael Josephson, Character Counts, http://charactercounts.org.

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