FUNCTIONING AS LIGHT: OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL, 6TH JULY 2018

MEMORISE:
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Matthew 5:16

READ: Matthew 5:14-16

14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

MESSAGE

Light is the manifestation of God's creative word. Having been spoken into existence on the first day of creation, light came into being even before the sun and the moon, which were created on the fourth day. Light was separated from darkness and declared by God to be good (Genesis 1:4 & 18). 

Light and darkness are contrasted in several verses of the Bible, and in all cases, light is affirmed as superseding darkness. Ecclesiastes 2:13 equates wisdom with light and foolishness with darkness. Light is declared to be the path of righteousness, while darkness is the path of those who rebel against God (Proverbs 4:18, Job 18:5). I pray that the light of God will disperse every form of darkness in your life today in the mighty Name of Jesus.

At the beginning of creation, the world was filled with gross darkness. This prompted to create light as a solution to the problem of darkness, which is why He is referred to as the Father of lights (James 1:17). Jesus also declared Himself as the light of the world (John 8:12). As light, Christ's role throughout His earthly ministry was to destroy the darkness of this world and enable humanity become children of light through faith (John 12:46, John 12:36). He succeeded in His assignment and raised for Himself a people who are the light of the world (Matthew 5:14). 

As His chosen people, our light must shine before all men to provide guidance and leadership in a world full of sin, confusion, hatred, danger and all kinds of wickedness. Jesus lived an exemplary life as the light of the world, and we also must follow in His footsteps. 

Jesus illuminated the world by preaching the good news of the gospel with love and compassion. Through His own life, He showed us how to live in holiness and righteousness in a world full of sin. He brought joy to the hearts of men by healing the sick, delivering the oppressed and raising the dead. He was a father to the fatherless, husband to the widow and hope to the hopeless. 

Functioning as light therefore signifies replicating everything that He did while He was here on earth (1 John 2:6). We are to preach the good news of the gospel to all nations and ensure that lost souls are saved and properly made disciples of Christ. Holiness and righteousness should be our watchword, and truth should be found in us always. 

We must be agents of peace and progress in our communities as we show good neighbourliness. Through us, the sick should receive healing and the captives should be set free. We must provide succour to the fatherless, widows and the helpless in our society. We must speak out against sin, violence and wickedness in order to turn sinners to saints. The world must become a better place because of our presence and activities as light.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please help me to function as light in a world full of darkness in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
2 Chronicles 5-6, Acts 22:30-23:11

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 16: STAND UP! STAND UP FOR JESUS

1. Stand up, stand up for Jesus!
Ye soldiers of the Cross;
Lift high His royal banner,
It must not suffer loss.
From vict'ry unto vict'ry
His army shall He lead,
Till every foe is vanquished
And Christ is Lord indeed.

2. Stand up, stand up for Jesus!
The trumpet call obey;
Forth to the mighty conflict
In this His glorious day!
Ye that are men, now serve Him
Against unnumbered foes;
Let courage rise with danger,
And strength to strength oppose.

3. Stand up, stand up for Jesus!
Stand in His strength alone:
The arm of flesh will fail you;
Ye dare not trust your own.
Put on the Gospel armour,
And watching unto prayer,
Where duty calls, or danger,
Be never wanting there.

4. Stand up, stand up for Jesus!
The strife will not be long;
This day the noise of battle,
The next the victor's song
To him that overcometh
A crown of life shall be;
He, with the King of Glory
Shall reign eternally.