"Do Not Dim Your Light"

 Reflections4LifeTM January 17, 2021

“Do Not Dim Your Light”

“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 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.” Matthew 5:14-15

Scripture Contemplation: Matthew 4; 5; 6; Luke 8; John 8; Romans 2; Ephesians 5…

How brightly does your light shine? Do you continue to walk in your faith and maintain your relationship with God no matter what you face? Or, have you let your light dim? Often we are overwhelmed by the many different circumstances we face in life. Beloveds do not dim, your light, for anything or anyone.

I pray today’s Reflections brings comfort and peace to your heart and mind. I decree it be a continued source of encouragement and inspiration. Let the light of God shine in you. Let your heart fill with God’s great joy. Spend some quality time in the presence of our Heavenly Father. Give fuel to light that He has placed in you. So that no matter what comes your way—your light will continue to shine brightly.

There is a light within you that you are responsible for keeping lit. A light that sets you apart—that can lead others to the saving grace and knowledge of the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. You are the light that God has designated to be in this world to lead others back to the way home. Yet, some of you have allowed your light to grow dim, while others have extinguished their light.

It is not hard to understand why so many have let their light dim. There is so much going on in the world. There is so much we are faced with that it can often overwhelm us. Yet, at the same time, we forget that because Christ overcame the world, so can we. We can get through all things. We can allow our light to shine brightly amid pain, heartache, loss, confusion, and hate. It all depends on our relationship with God and how much time we are spending in His presence. He is our source. He is our power. He is the only One who can keep us fueled and charged and ready to shine brightly for Him, keeping the light lit for those who are seeking their home.

Many of us have dimmed our light purposely so that we would not be ridiculed, rejected, set apart, or made to feel uncomfortable for who we are and what we believe. We reject God; reject our faith so that we can fit in. Sorry to break this to you, Beloved: You are not supposed to fit in but to stand out. To be set apart. To walk a righteous path that leads yourself and others to an eternity with our heavenly Father. How can you do that if you dim or extinguish your light just to fit in with the world? To be accepted for a moment in time, when your eternity is on the line?

Let your light shine brightly, Beloved. Do not dim your light. Do not let your light go out. You are a priceless and precious being that God has created in His image. He has nothing but the best for you. The Father has given us a charge—those in a relationship with Him—to let our light brightly shine so that those seeking their way out of darkness will know the way home by our light. How can we lead anyone or help anyone if we are too afraid to be set apart? Afraid to shine? Afraid to stand out? Do not allow your light to dim for a world with no power to give you the blessed eternity God has for you.

My Beloveds, may the spirit of peace and prosperity find permanent rest in your lives. I decree that every good thing that God has ordained for your life will become evident to you. Shine brightly for the Lord. Let your light be the beacon that guides others to the path that is home. You are blessed. Now go…and be a blessing.

©2021. Ruthe McDonald. All Rights Reserved.

"Step Aside"

 Reflections4LifeTM  January 1o, 2021

"Step Aside"

"For the Lord your God is going with you! He will fight for you against your enemies, and he will give you the victory!" Deuteronomy 20:4 (TLB)

Scripture Contemplation: Proverbs 21:31; 1 John 5:4; Deuteronomy 20:4-5; Romans 8:31-32

 There is so much that has transpired this past week, and it was only the first full week of the New Year! Lessons were given if anyone was paying attention. We can debate about it for days and still not come to an agreement about who is right and who is wrong. We have allowed our feelings to get in the way of what is godly right. We are fighting battles that God says are His. It is well past time we step aside and let God fight these battles.

I decree that this week's Reflections4life will be a continued source of encouragement and inspiration for your heart, mind, and soul. Get it in your heart and mind this week, Beloveds. You do not have to fight the battle. The battle is the Lord's. Get intimate with the Father. Spend time in His presence, allowing God to strengthen you and assure you of His plans to not only fight for you but win!

I do not know what it is about us. The human ego is huge. Our mind always complicating things that God says is simple. We often assume we are strong enough, competent enough to overcome the temptations of the world by our own strength. We seldomly stop to ask God, our Creator, to help us! All we have to do is ask God and have faith; believing that Jesus is the Son of God and that whatever we ask God for in Jesus's Name, God will say yes. Too simple? Probably, because the human mind is finite and cannot comprehend the full scope and depths of the love of God for His creation.

The word of God says that EVERY believer will conquer the ways of the world, not maybe conquer. It is truly a matter of our faith and how strong it is, that we can come to the understanding that the battle truly is the Lord's and what He requires of us, is faith and belief in His Son. 

Deuteronomy 20:4 (MSG) "...Don't waiver in resolve. Don't fear. Don't hesitate. Don't panic. God, your God, is right there with yoy, fighting with you against your enemies, fighting to win."

How many more testimonies would we hear, if we all believed that God was right there—in the trenches with us—fighting for us to win? God Himself, is fighting our enemies for us! We can have full confidence in the victory because God is fighting with and for us against our enemies. We have exhausted ourselves needlessly fighting battles that are not ours, but the Lord's. We have not fully believed or had the faith enough to ask God to fight these battles on our behalf. It is time for us, Beloveds, to step aside, stir up our faith, believe what God has spoken, and ask Him to fight these battles for us. I truly believe that this is what God is waiting on for many of us. Just for us to ask Him, so He can move on our behalf.

My Beloveds, may the spirit of peace and prosperity find permanent rest in your lives. I decree that every good thing that God has ordained for your life will become evident to you. God is on your side. Fighting every enemy to be certain that you win, God will destroy nations on your behalf. God sacrificed His only Son for our sins; what will He not do to ensure your safety and win against the enemy? There is nothing you cannot ask Him for. He has given us everything. Learn to seek Him, and step aside, and let Him fight your battles. You are blessed. Now go...and be a blessing!

©2021. Ruthe McDonald. All Rights Reserved.