Light or Dark?

I recently had an eye opening experience with an optometrist. When asked if my vision had changed since my exam two years ago, I excitedly reported that I could see very well. Humbly, the optometrist said, let’s confirm that.

To my dismay, the optometrist informed me that the exam proved my vision had actually gotten worse. Stunned, I began to think about my time at work. I recalled that I no longer recognize faces from far away as I walk our massive hallways. In fact, I stopped trying to make out faces and adjusted to the blur of darkness when people approached me from a distant.

This revelation caused me to think about my spiritual life. Were there other ways in which I had adjusted to darkness?

The word “tolerance” came to mind. It’s a buzz word these days. But what am I, what are we as Christians tolerating in our aim to appear normal. Are we adjusting to darkness?

We must be vigilant in our efforts to not only walk in the light, but to be “light”. “For you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. (Ephesians 5:8-10 NASB)

So how can we be Light? Just what does that look like? I’m glad you asked. It’s just like Jesus to not only tell us what we should be, but to also tell us “how”.

Are you ready?

“Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.” (Ephesians 5:1-4 NIV)

Let’s not adjust to darkness in efforts to be “tolerant” in a society that calls darkness light and light darkness. “Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them, for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said,

“Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”

Ephesians 5:11-14 NLT

Happy You Year by Christina Calvache

A few days before the New Year, I saw a bill board that exclaimed, “Happy YOU Year!” It felt good to say to myself “Happy You Year”. So this year, 2019, I’m saying, “HAPPY YOU YEAR” to you.

Happy You Year!

You are marvelous (Psalm 139:14 nkjv) You are God’s special possession (1 Peter2:9), You are anointed (1 John 2:27), You are free (John 8:36), You are blameless (Col 1:22) You are Chosen (John 15:16)…

Happy -You!

Singer Kim Walker challenged her audience to ask God, “What were you thinking when you made me?”. If you knew His answer, you would see yourself so differently. Seeing yourself through the eyes of God would make a Happy-You! I don’t know what God was thinking when he made you, but I do know that He rejoices over You and sings loudly over You (Zephaniah 3:17). He thinks about you more than the number of grains of sand (Psalm 139). Visualize grabbing a handful of sand and letting it sift through your fingers, imagine each one representing a time God thought of you. How Happy-You would be knowing what God was thinking when he created you.

You-Year!

This year, make it a You-Year. Discover more of who God made You to Be. Ephesians 2:10 says, “We are His (God’s) workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, and that we should walk in them”. Before He “fearfully and wonderfully” made you, He wrote in His book, the plans he had for you every day of your life (Psalm 13914-16). Take the time this year to discover His daily plan for you.

You-Year!

One Word by Louisa Guzman

Have you heard of the One Word project? Basically, instead of making a list of New Year's resolutions that you probably won't keep past January, you pick one word for the entire year. This will be a word that you can apply to all areas of your life. This word will guide you all year long in making changes and reaching goals. Your word choice is not to be taken lightly.

In 2016 my word was FORGIVE. What a difficult year that was! All year long I struggled with forgiving people whose words still stung, even after many years. All year long I sought to forgive people whose actions changed my life in very unpleasant ways (and that's putting it mildly) that subsequently caused a chain of further difficult events. All year long I looked to God for help with forgiveness because as Matthew 6:15 says, "if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive yours". 

In 2017 I chose the word CHANGE, or maybe it chose me. That year "change" just kept knocking at my door. I changed the way I ate, slept, spent. I made changes in the way I prayed and studied the Word. Change completely marked my life that year. 

This year my word was WISDOM. All year long I trusted the Lord with all my heart and did not lean on my own understanding (Proverbs 3:5).

I attempted to apply wisdom to everything I did: I chose my words wisely, used wisdom in making decisions, and gained wisdom through immersing myself in God and his Word. Because I lacked wisdom, I asked God, and He gave it generously without finding fault (James 1:5). In my search for wisdom, 2018 became a treasure hunt, "for wisdom is more precious than rubies" (Proverbs 8:11). 

So as the new year approaches, I have applied the wisdom gained this year to select a word for 2019...and the word is (drum roll, please!)...CONNECT. 

My mission this year will be to connect with God deeply in every way. Connecting with God on a deeper level will lead me to forge and seek Godly connections with others. I will search for ways to connect more with the community and with those in need of connecting. 

This coming year I plan on researching connections that will bring in money (money to pay off debt, money to help others with).

1 Corinthians 6:19 says that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, therefore, I vow to connect more with my body to achieve better health and have strength and energy to serve well.

In 2019 I will dis-connect (as much as possible) from social media so that I can connect with Jesus and set my mind on things above (Colossians 3:2).

Find your word in the Word and have a blessed and happy new year!