5 Biblical Truths that Help Us Share the Light of Christ

In 2 Corinthians 4:1-6, Paul explains what inspired his ministry. See the full passage below the devotion.

💙1. God’s mercy kept him from losing heart (v.1).

What Christ did for us inspires us to make sacrifices for His purposes (Romans 12:1). 

💙2. He kept a clean conscience by presenting God’s Word accurately (v.2).

Careful study of God's Word helps us share it correctly (2 Timothy 2:15). 

💙3. He knew those who reject God's truth are blinded by Satan (vv. 3-4). 

We must be aware and guard against Satan's influence in our world (1 John 5:19). 

💙4. He preached for Christ’s glory, not his own (v. 5).

“Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16

💙5. He understood that God’s message offers light to a dark world (v.6).

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.” John 1:5

God has prepared ministry for each of us (Ephesians 2:10), so let’s share His light faithfully, accurately, humbly, and powerfully, bringing glory to His name.

 

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See Shining in the Darkness and Rise and Shine: 6 Ways to Start Your Day with Jesus for more encouragement to shine for Jesus.

“Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. 2 Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. 3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5 For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.” 2 Corinthians 4:1-6  

 

 

Would You Warn a Child Who Loved Running in Dangerous Traffic?

In Romans 1:16-32, Paul gives us our priorities. He starts by saying, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes.” Then he strongly condemns specific sins that lead people to Hell. 

Sometimes we think the gospel should be shared without offending people involved in sinful lifestyles. For example, many pastors refuse to preach boldly about homosexuality and the killing of the unborn for fear they'll offend people who'll quit attending church. 

Of course, the only sins treated this way are those approved by culture. No one is afraid of offending gossips, liars, murderers, or thieves.  

But Paul understood the power of the gospel, so he preached quite boldly about the very sins some modern pastors avoid. He understood that there is no salvation without repentance (2 Corinthians 7:10; Matthew 4:17). See Why Salvation Requires Repentance.

Think of it this way: suppose a small child enjoyed running on a busy highway. But we knew that if we warned him, he'd get angry. Would we keep quiet so he'd be happy continuing in his harmful behavior? 

No. We'd be ashamed if we failed to warn the child running in traffic. And we should be ashamed if we fail to warn people headed down the highway to Hell, whether their sins are culturally acceptable or not.

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Please see How, Who, and What to Judge According to Scripture to confirm that God commands us to warn people about sin. And I also encourage you to read We Must Stop the "Judge Not" Shame Game. 

The Bible Love Notes book, Lies in Disguise, offers scriptural principles to combat popular half-truths so we can warn people with wisdom and grace.   

  

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Journal Is a Verb

When did the word “journal” become a verb? 

It used to be considered a noun: “A personal record of occurrences, experiences, and reflections kept on a regular basis.” (source) 

But journaling, like googling, is now a verb. And journaling is a great tool for spiritual growth. 

We can journal our:

1.  Prayers—to remember requests and record answers. Philippians 4:6-7 

See The Beauty of Answered Prayer.

2.  Bible study—writing out verses, insights, and applications. 2 Timothy 2:15 

This can even be done in creative ways: Creative Bible Study. You might also want to check out the women's Facebook group Jesus Journaling.

3.  Personal psalms—pouring our hearts out to God in sorrow or joy. Psalm 62:8

4.  Love letters—praising God’s character and thanking Him for our salvation. Psalm 103:1; 77:12  

See Praise and Nothing Else.

5. Blessings—regularly recording our many blessings. This is especially important when going through difficulty or discouragement. Psalm 103:2  

See Happiness Diary.

Even if you aren't someone who typically enjoys writing, I encourage you to give it a try. It really does improve our quiet time focus and gives us a record of things God has done in our lives. 

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If you'd like some ideas for making ordinary composition books into attractive journals, see 3 Inexpensive Journals.

I encourage you to check out the Wisdom for Life Devotional. It offers a blank space (usually a half page) after each devotion where you can journal your thoughts. And the 100 one-minute devotions are designed to challenge, encourage, instruct, and inspire your love for God's Word. 

 

And please spread the news about Bible Love Notes Free Subscriptions.

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When Babies Praise God

Today I'm sharing one of the 100 devotions from my book, Wisdom for Life, called:

When Babies Praise God

I feel privileged to have become a believer when I was pregnant with my daughter. God used many aspects of my pregnancy to teach me spiritual truths. When our daughter was born, I was keenly aware of God’s miracle of new life, both physically and spiritually. 

He taught me another truth through my baby daughter’s habit of sweetly cooing while she slept. When she accompanied me to my weekly Bible study shortly after her birth, her coos were sweet background music to our prayers. 

Psalm 8 begins with praise and says the most remarkable thing: “Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory in the heavens. Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger” (vv. 1–2). 

I am convinced that baby coos are a form of praise to our God. 

After Christ cleansed the temple, the Pharisees were indignant because children were crying out to Him in praise. Jesus referred His critics to Psalm 8: “Have you never read: You have prepared praise from the mouths of infants and nursing babies?” (Matt. 21:16). Psalm 8 also says the praise of infants silences God’s enemies. If the praises of babies can shut the mouth of Satan, let’s do our part to do the same.
 

For Further Thought

Consider using your daily activities as praise prompts. For example, when you wash the dishes, praise God for His purity. When you drink a glass of water, thank Him for being living water to your thirsty soul. Think of activities that remind you of God’s character so you will remember to praise Him throughout your day.

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See 6 Ways to Be Infused with Joy and Practical Prayer Prompts.

If there are mothers in your life who love God's Word, Wisdom for Life would make a great Mother's Day gift, and it's on sale on Amazon and Lifeway.

 

To read about the interesting background of Wisdom for Life, plus additional places to order it, see Wisdom for Life.

 

 
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I'm a Recovering Pharisee

Years ago, my good Christian friend Jan told me she was a “recovering Pharisee.” I could identify. I’ve also gone through legalistic, self-righteous stages in my Christianity that I regret.

Don't get me wrong. Scripture clearly instructs us to judge, correct, and rebuke error, but we must do it with an accurate view of biblical truth. 

Self-righteous legalism breeds: 

1. Superiority—thinking we're better than other Christians because of non-essential practices or doctrines.(1)

2. Lack of compassion—blaming people for their difficulties in life.(2)

3. Unhealthy fear—worrying that the slightest insignificant detail might lead to God's wrath.(3)

Paul was a recovering Pharisee too.

He didn't keep quiet about sin. In fact, he used God's Word to teach, rebuke, correct, and train in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16).

But he recognized and admitted his own sins and had compassion on others.(4)

Love for Christ always leads to righteousness, but righteousness does not necessarily lead to love for Christ (John 14:21).

We shouldn't have a permissive attitude toward God's commands, but neither should we have a self-righteous attitude.(5) 

Recovering Pharisees want to speak the truth in love, and they pray for that perfect balance of grace and truth that fills the pages of God's Word (Ephesians 4:15; John 1:17). 

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(1) See Handling Non-Essential Differences Humbly and Biblically - Romans 14
(2) See Job's Judgmental Friends
(3) See To Fear or Not to Fear - That Is the Question
(4) Paul confesses his sins (1 Timothy 1:15-16), stresses compassion (Ephesians 4:32), and explains the true source of righteousness (Romans 3:22).
(5) To look at the other extreme, the "Judge-Not" Christians, see "Judge Not" Scripture out of Context. 

 

Lies in Disguise offers clear guidelines for appropriate and inappropriate types of judgment. 

It will give you wisdom for dealing with situations we face repeatedly. 

💙 Currently available from the publisher with a discount: Lies in Disguise. Also available on Amazon and CBD. And in the UK: CLC-UK or Eden UK.

 

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