Keep Your Light Shining

Our family loves to camp. When we are unable to make it to nearby state park, we will often camp in our backyard.

One of our most important pieces of camping equipment is our lantern. Without it, our campsite would become very dark as soon as the sun sets. When we light it, however, we can enjoy a bright and cheery evening talking together and roasting marshmallows.

Time of darkness

In the northern hemisphere we are now entering the darkest and coldest part of the year—not just physically, but also spiritually. During the six months after the Feast of Tabernacles the world around us will keep all of its biggest holidays—Halloween, Christmas, New Year's, Valentine's Day, Mardi Gras, St. Patrick's Day and Easter. It will be about six months before we keep another one of God's Holy Days. Yet it is during this darkest period of the year that we are the most visible as "the light of the world" (Matthew 5:14Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
See All...).

Darkness is equated to wickedness in Proverbs 4:19The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.
See All.... It is used to picture sin and depravity. Yet in contrast, "God is light and in Him is no darkness at all" (1 John 1:5This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
See All...). As His begotten children, we have been called to "walk in the light" just like Jesus Christ (1 John 1:7But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
See All...; 2:6). So how can we keep our spiritual light shining?

Three ways to keep your light shining

First, we should not put our light under a basket (Matthew 5:14-16 [14] Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
[15] Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
[16] Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

See All...). We should live God's truth with confidence and not be embarrassed by what people might think of us for living it. This does not mean that we are glaring with our light by being preachy, cocky or arrogant. Rather we should simply "live for righteousness" with "confidence through faith" in Jesus Christ (1 Peter 2:24Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
See All...; Ephesians 3:12In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.
See All...). God will help us to be bold in our words and actions when necessary, much like He did for Moses, Daniel and the apostles.

Second, we should manage our fuel properly. We must be fueling our life by God's Word (John 6:26-27 [26] Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.
[27] Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.

See All...). This means working to truly digest and apply it. How? By reading and studying God's Word and meditating on it. We need to see how to apply it effectively in our relationships and daily actions. This is filling our mind with proper fuel—God's truth—just like the fuel tank in a lantern. By doing these things we will stir God's Spirit within us, which will strengthen us (2 Timothy 1:6Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.
See All...). Only then can we reflect God's character through our words and conduct.

Finally, we must stay out of the wind. It can be very hard to light a match in the wind. The flame will keep going out unless it is shielded. We must be careful to stay out of the wind of confusion found in this world so that our flame will not go out. God is not the author of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.
See All...). However, Satan is. We must not get caught up in the engulfing wind of confusion he creates as the current ruler of our world (2 Corinthians 4:4In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
See All...).

Our challenge is to live in the world but not be of the world (John 17:11-14 [11] And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.
[12] While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.
[13] And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.
[14] I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

See All...). If we are not careful, the many forms of media in our world, which are all influenced by Satan, can cause us to drift away from following God. God helps guard our minds, but we need to be very careful how much we allow this world into our lives (2 Thessalonians 3:3But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.
See All...; 1 John 2:15-17 [15] Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
[16] For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
[17] And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

See All...). We are to "leave the corruption and compromise...for good" and not "link up with those who will pollute you" as the Message Translation says in 2 Corinthians 6:14-17 [14] Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
[15] And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
[16] And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
[17] Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the LORD, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

See All.... Our goal is to do our best to live righteously according to God's ways.

Walk as children of light

The next few months will bring more darkness as the days shorten. Our world, too, will continue to have more darkness as it ignores God. But with God's help we can keep our light shining and continue to "walk as children of light" (Ephesians 5:8For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
See All...). UN