ESTHER’S WARRIORS MINISTRY
This week our Jewish brothers and sisters are celebrating Hanukkah, the festival of lights. When the Israelites recaptured their temple from the Syrian Greeks around 300 B.C. they recovered a single vial of oil. This could provide light for one day and night yet when lit it continued to shine for eight. A miracle to be sure.
Light or Dark?
As Christians we know Jesus is the light of the world. His light shines before all men all the time. He says, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have light of life.” (John 8:12) If we choose to follow Him we will not walk in darkness. What does that really mean?
Living in the world or by the standards of the world can lead us into an obscurity that we may not even recognize at first. Over time we lose peace in our daily life. We have little hope for our future. A gloominess or darkness permeates the atmosphere around us. With heaviness it seems to blanket our world. If this sounds familiar make the decision today to allow His light to saturate your heart (it is always a heart issue and it begins here).
First in Your Heart
How would you do this? Advent is the perfect season to purpose to prepare your heart. As we await His coming we have the opportunity to commit or recommit to put Him first. Put Him first in your heart and thoughts. You are always first in His heart. He wants to be first in yours. Put His Word first by spending time daily reading the Bible and thinking about what He would say to you personally. The Bible is His Word to you. Read it, learn it and think on it. As you read His Word actively live His Word. Put daily prayer on your first list. Put thanksgiving on your prayer list. By His Spirit release judgment and love others. Develop His heart for your fellow man.
Make the Shift Today!
As we shift our focus to one of gratitude what we see in the world around us begins to change. As we let Him take first place in our heart His light shines and the darkness dissipates. As His light shines for us as His followers it will shine through us. “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.” (Matthew 5:14) This is our call, this is our mission: to let His light be seen by all we encounter because His light shines first in us.
“As soon as we put aside the Word of God, we lay ourselves open to the solicitation of the many voices that speak within our hearts, and we have no test, no criterion of truth, no standard of appeal.” A.W. Tozer
A Prayer Request and Personal Blessing
Thank you for your continued faithfulness to pray. Please keep all who serve our country on foreign soil, our servicemen and women and their families in prayer for salvation and safety. They are our frontline on the battlefield, let us be their frontline in the spirit. Also, let us cover all who have come home wounded that they and their families will receive the kindness, help and support they need to go forward in their lives. God bless all our diplomatic and military personnel and their families.
This past week we commemorated the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. On that day our country came together to protect our freedom and we became a part of World War II. We lost many lives so we could live free. Never forget the price paid by those who have served or are serving. May God richly bless the United States of America and keep her safe.
May God richly bless you with His light so you can bring His light to others. Please pray for all in authority over us, for the full truth to come forth concerning Benghazi and for safety in Israel. May we may arise united in this auspicious season in our country’s history.