Saturday, July 21, 2012

You Can't Be A Beacon . . .


You Can’t Be A Beacon
(Chorus)
You can’t be a beacon if your light don’t shine
You can’t be a beacon if your light don’t shine
There’s a little light in all of us by God’s design
But you can’t be a beacon if your light don’t shine
How can you ask for the truth
When you do not truthful live
How can you ask forgiveness
When you don’t forgive
I don’t mean to bring you down or speak to you unkind
But you can’t be a beacon if your light don’t shine
(Repeat chorus)
How can you ask a child to be honest and true?
When he can only judge what’s right by what he sees in you
How can you offer vision, yet walk around blind
No you can’t be a beacon if your light don’t shine.

*********
 In the video, at the end she sing "You can be a beacon, if you let your light shine. I like this version because when our son was a baby, we went to my grandmother's in Georgia and went to the Atlanta Speedway for a concert. She was one of the singers there.

Friday, July 20, 2012

Does My Light Shine? RJD # 17



            I often wonder if my actions and my habits allow others to see God, to seek the Lord, and to worship Him. If someone were to ask me, I’d have to say that I fall short in this. The following lists my thoughts on how a Christian should conduct himself or herself. I DO want my light to reflect Him.

4/24/2010


"Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise you Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16 (NIV)

           *God wants us to be transparent. He desires us to model His attributes in our daily lives.

            *When we encounter another person who is experiencing difficulties, our Father expects us to treat that individual as He would- with patience, kindness, and agape love but without judgment.

            *In business, we are to think of the other party in the arrangement. Partnerships have been dissolved over prideful thoughts and actions.

            *In personal relationships, we need to remember to honor confidences and respect boundaries. We should learn to not entertain thoughts or listen to stories that could cause potential hurt to a friend.

            *We should refrain from stating our opinion when it can cause another to fall.


            At times, I find myself falling short of these guidelines. I’m like the Apostle Paul. I am not able to do what I want but do what I don’t want. In reality, I believe all believers struggle with this issue of living out their beliefs all the time.

“Let your light shine.”


Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Grow in Grace






“. . . grow in the grace and knowledge of our

Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory

both now and forever. Amen.” 2 Peter 3:18 (NIV)



Children of God should grow each day. Our new growth strengthens our beliefs. Even when we have times of questioning we come out stronger.

In 1996, my husband, our son and I helped move my dad and stepmother into a nice brick home from a mobile home. They had lived in the country for about 25 years. Both of them had developed major health issues and Dad wanted them to be located where help could get to them quickly if needed.


Two months later, my stepmother and her sister stopped by our home. They had just come from the doctor’s office at the hospital down the street. My stepmother, Ginny, had been told she had Breast Cancer again. In 1989, she had a mastectomy. With this reoccurrence, she knew she couldn’t have surgery. They asked me to take her to her appointments-doctor and treatment. Dad could not drive at that time.

I agreed to help them. Margaret, her sister would be in town over each weekend and on Mondays and would take her to those appointments. I was to take her Tuesday through Friday.

 I was angry with God. Every question I had for Him started with the word, “WHY?” She had been seven months from the seven year mark-the time when a Cancer patient was deemed “cured.”

They had just moved into a beautiful house. My dad was right at one year post-op from heart bypass surgery. WHY? WHY HER? WHY AGAIN? WHY NOW?

 One day, I sat on our bed and looked out the open window onto our backyard. The grass was green. Our Locust tree nearest our house was all leafed out and shaded half the yard. A gentle breeze came in the window. I found myself asking those same questions yet again.

 I sat there for quite a while. I rose and went back to what I had been doing. I didn’t receive any answers to those questions. Because of having that talk with God, I managed to be there for Ginny.

Each day I drove to their home I passed the Christian Family bookstore. On their electronic sign was this scripture: “For I know the plans I have for you. . . plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

 If I hadn’t been going to Dad and Ginny’s, I might not have seen that message. As I made each trip, I found myself looking forward to seeing those words. They gave me courage to do what I had to do for my family.

God doesn’t always answer our questions. Instead, He chooses to walk beside us, to strengthen us, to teach us as we travel through this life. He makes our lives richer when we honestly seek Him. He does this as we grow in His  great love.

Monday, July 16, 2012

Approach with Confidence







“Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence,

so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

Hebrews 4:16 (NIV)



“. . . approach the throne of grace . . .”

God is not someone we have to worship from afar. We don’t have to cower behind someone else. He tells us to come to Him and lay our burdens at His feet.

“. . . with confidence . . .” We don’t have to bite our nails or stammer about why we have come to Him. He expects us. He knows our need but He wants us to express it so that we realize our lack.

“. . . so that we may receive mercy . . .” We desire mercy. We approach Him humbly. We seek His forgiveness, His healing, or His comfort. We receive what we what we don’t ask for.

“. . . find grace to help us. . .” God grants us grace by not giving us what we deserve. He does this because of His great love for us. Where would any of us be without God’s grace?


“. . . in our time of need.” We all go through times of stress, hardship, and struggle

Moses told the Israelites, “For the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. (Deut.31:6, NIV)

As I understand it, when a foreign dignitary goes to Britain, the highest honor that person can receive is an audience with the Queen. When we go before the throne of God, he grants us a chance to be heard, a time to present our case. Not to offend the British people or anyone who has been presented to the Queen of England, we present ourselves to the Lord of All. He takes time for us. He listens to our pleas. He responds with mercy and grace.

God Alone

  Jesus and the children at our church's prayer walk.          I will both lie down in peace and sleep;  For You alone, O LORD make ...