A Reality Check for Faith

A Reality Check for Faith

It does not matter how dark it gets outside. It does not matter how dark the world is. What matters is that you have Light inside of you.

Jesus once again addressed them: “I am the world’s Light. No one who follows me stumbles around in the darkness. I provide plenty of light to live in.”  (John 8:12, MSG)

Claim the joy of Christ to be yours today and every single day of your life. Keep your light lit no matter what the others are doing. Keep you light lit no matter how you are feeling. Keep on shining.

“God’s kingdom is like ten young virgins who took oil lamps and went out to greet the bridegroom. Five were silly and five were smart. The silly virgins took lamps, but no extra oil. The smart virgins took jars of oil to feed their lamps. The bridegroom didn’t show up when they expected him, and they all fell asleep. “In the middle of the night someone yelled out, ‘He’s here! The bridegroom’s here! Go out and greet him!’
“The ten virgins got up and got their lamps ready. The silly virgins said to the smart ones, ‘Our lamps are going out; lend us some of your oil.’
“They answered, ‘There might not be enough to go around; go buy your own.’
“They did, but while they were out buying oil, the bridegroom arrived. When everyone who was there to greet him had gone into the wedding feast, the door was locked.
“Much later, the other virgins, the silly ones, showed up and knocked on the door, saying, ‘Master, we’re here. Let us in.’
He answered, ‘Do I know you? I don’t think I know you.’
“So stay alert. You have no idea when he might arrive. (Matthew 25:1-13, MSG)

So we need to stay alert. What does it mean?

We need to check whether we have the partial-application faith that so many of us have or have we fully given our hearts, minds, and souls  to God. Because, like Catherine Marshall has said, “one can believe in the divinity of Jesus Christ and feel no personal loyalty to Him at all – indeed, pay no attention whatever to His commandments and His will for one’s life. One can believe intellectually in the efficacy of prayer and never do any praying.”

We need
to flock to God.
to bring our troubled hearts to God & not to stay away from God until we’ve straighten our lives.
to ask for God to change our lives.
to see if there’s enough oil to keep our lamps burning.
to check whether God really is the King of our hearts.
to let God to enter every corner of our hearts.
to fully surrender to God.
to guard our hearts from the wordly influences.
to get fuel for our faith

And God will
give us as much oil as we need to burn brightly in this crazy dark world.
give us as much grace & peace we need to rest in him.
take care of us so wonderfully that no matter what goes on in our lives we will have true joy in Him.
love us so deeply that we can’t help but shine his light to darkness around us.
make sure that we will have enough oil until the end.

If we just ask.
Will you join me?

Gracious God,
Thanks for inviting us to live in your light.
We bring you our broken hearts, our broken lives.
Forgive us, heal us, renew us.
Give us wisdom to guard our hearts from all evil.
Refuel us to shine brightly for you.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen

Q4U: How do you keep your lamp lit?

Be blessed, my fellow pilgrim, as you travel in the darkness. Keep your lamps lit and shine bright!

Photo courtesy of Richie Allen 

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