Your Bulb Blown? Renew It!

I went into the kitchen to get something to drink and as I turned the light on, a bulb blew out.  I climbed on the counter, unscrewed the light from the fixture and looked closely at the bulb.  It was dark at the bottom and had a loose wire causing it to make a clanking noise when you shook it. 

As I was looking for another bulb to replace it with, it hit me.  This bulb is useless.  It’s served its purpose of providing light in the kitchen and as of right now this bulb has no purpose. 

As I held that cold bulb in my hand and looked more closely at the effects providing light had on it,  immediately my mind went to the scripture in Matthew 5:14 that reads “You are the light of the world.” If you stop and think about it, being a “light” can be a very tiring, demanding job; but rewarding at the same time. 

A bulb puts off heat and uses energy from another source for it to work.  Just like the bulb, we use energy to perform and in order for us to “work” properly we must get our power to operate from another Source.  Unlike the bulb, if we use the Source correctly, we can re-new our strength daily and by renewing our strength daily with God we’ll never burn out. 

My daily prayer and Bible reading are required if I’m going to be an effective light to the people I work with, the citizens of the city in which I live, and the daily random person that I meet while I’m out and about.  There has got to be something that says, “There’s something about that guy that glows” when I walk into a room.  I don’t want to be gloomy and drabby and have this scowl on my face that causes everyone around me to feel sad, gloomy and depressed; which is how a blown bulb causes the room to appear….dark and depressing. 

So, you ready to renew your strength and allow God to use you?  Psalms 51:10 says, “Create in me a clean heart, O God: and renew a right spirit within me”. Isaiah 40:21 says, “But they that wait(serve) upon the Lord shall renew their strength…”.  Let God renew you today and allow His Spirit to shine in you like a newly placed light bulb…one that burns BRIGHTER AND STRONGER.

You Ready??!!

Just my thoughts on a page…

Be Ready For Anything In 2013

It’s the beginning of a new year and we’ve all made new resolutions, new goals and set out to accomplish new task in 2013.  I’ve often said with the setting of new goals come new challenges and oppositions.  I forget who it was that told me, if you set goals or make plans to accomplish something, keep it to yourself.  They said, the enemy will throw everything he can at you to keep you from achieving those goals and accomplishing what it is you’re trying to achieve.  I believe that’s true, but even if you kept it to yourself the enemy will still throw opposition at you.  He’s not blind, deaf or stupid; however, he is defeated.  

How do you keep the enemy from opposing your every move?  If I knew the answer to that question I’d probably be a rich man.  It’s his job to keep you from accomplishing your dreams, achieving your goals and seeing things you set out to do come to pass.  He was removed from his position of authority and cast down to earth to roam as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may destroy.  He’ll never stop trying to kill your dreams and goals and nether should you. 

I have a Pastor friend of mine, Rev. Mark Foster,  who has started off this year with the theme of “Believe 2013”.  I think that’s one of the answers to achieving success…you’ve got to believe.

1)      Believe in Jesus Christ.  If you believe in Christ and trust His words, you’ll never go wrong.

2)      Believe in the Word of God (the Bible).  Remember how Jesus was tempted after He fasted 40 days and nights?  What did He use to overcome Satan…The Word!

3)      Believe in yourself.  Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me”. 

I know that the enemy is trying his best to keep each and every one of us from achieving what it is we want to accomplish.  But remember, he’s already defeated and if you’re a believer in Jesus Christ you’re already a winner.  Just keep pushing on.  You’re going to get there.  Don’t stop just because you’ve been hit with opposition. 

I don’t know why, but the story of Job and the temptation of Christ are two areas that stand out to me when I think of how the enemy tries to destroy what we’ve worked so hard to achieve.  Although both had two completely different issues and circumstances, they both come out on top…literally.  Job had more than he started with and Jesus was literally on top of a mountain, being entertained by angels when the enemy left. 

What was their secret to overcoming the opposition the enemy threw their way?  They didn’t believe what the enemy had to say or show them as fact.  They trusted in what they knew God had already accomplished in their life and what the Word of God promised. 

You’ve got goals, right? You’ve got plans to accomplish, right? Don’t think for a moment the enemy isn’t going to show up at some point and try to tempt you by showing you how great something can be.  He will, and you’ll be standing there, just like Jesus with a decision to make. 

I mentioned earlier that Pastor Mark started the year with the theme of Believe 2013…one of his quotes from Facebook is “Your decisions determine your destiny”.  We’ll have decisions to make in 2013 because we’ll all have opposition to face in 2013, but it’s what you do and the choices you make when faced with those oppositions that will determine your success.  Keep believing…In Christ, in His word and in yourself.  Remember, 1 John 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

Just my thoughts on a page…