Good morning, everyone! I hope you all had a peaceful rest. One of my favorite verses to quote or reference in my sermons is this reminder from Matthew 5:16: '…let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.'  

I came across some thoughts on this verse and would like to share them with you as you prepare for the day!

“Most of us follow routines each morning to make ourselves presentable. Many of us would never allow certain friends or relatives to see us right after we crawl out of bed. We would rather hide than expose the “real us' before we've showered, shaved, done our makeup, and brushed our teeth.  

Although there is nothing wrong with wanting to present ourselves at our best, there also needs to be something on the inside that radiates who Christ is in us.  

When a piece of coal is placed on a sizzling hotbed of ashes, it soon catches fire and begins to burn in brilliant colors, radiating heat for long periods. However, if we remove that same piece of coal from the flame, it quickly loses its glow and burns out. The brilliance fades, and the heat dissipates rapidly, leaving only a big, black, useless lump behind.  

We become ineffective without a fresh daily infusion of His power and grace. Starting the day in the presence of the Lord ensures that His light will shine through us before others with brilliance. Sitting at His feet and allowing Him to be our teacher beforehand gives us the spark needed to reveal areas in our lives where the Lord needs to perform His cleansing or healing work.”

Go shine the light,

Gene