Daily Beat from your Pastor’s Heart:

Do you remember singing when you were younger, This little light of mine, I’m gonna let shine.

Hide it under a bushel, NO!
I’m gonna let it shine.

Don’t let Satan blow it out,
I’m gonna let it shine!

I once preached a sermon entitled, Punching Holes In The Darkness!

I turned the lights off and used a flashlight to illustrate!

We know that Jesus came to give us light in our spirit, soul, and understanding.

Please consider with me, though, the truth that He also came to give us light in our body.

Here’s where Jesus talked about it: Luke 11:33-36, “No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light. The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness. Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness. If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light.”

It’s fascinating that Jesus spoke of our bodies as though they can be filled with either light or darkness.

The implications of this truth are vitally important to our victory and joy in Christ, and intensely relevant to our secret place.

There is a place in God where our bodies are full of light, where all darkness has been eradicated from our bodies.

This is a place of incredible freedom from temptation.

Temptation often finds its power in the fact that it is able to appeal to dark areas within our body.

When the body is full of light, bodily sins lose their power over us, and we walk in a fantastic dimension of victory.

When I speak of bodily sins I am referring to sins that we commit with our bodies, such as drunkenness, gluttony, fornication, viewing pornography, illegal drug usage, murder, stealing, lying, slander, coarse language, etc.

How do we get greater light into our body?

Jesus clearly taught that light comes to the body through the eye.

A good eye will bring light into the body; a bad eye will keep light out.

The whole thing has to do with the eyes.

If we come to the secret place with a clear and healthy eye, the light of God’s word will penetrate every facet of our lives, our bodies included, and we will become filled with light in every part of our being.

It is vitally important what we look at!

If we peer into the law of liberty (God’s word), we will be filled with illumination and clarity; if we look at things that defile, we not only fill our minds with garbage, but we also allow darkness to get established in portions of our body.

Guard your eyes!

Give your eyes to reading His word and beholding His face.

Then, when temptation comes, your body will not be fighting against your spirit.

Your body will be in alignment with the light, and the tentacles of lust and greed and anger will not be able to wrap around and enslave you.

Check your eyes!

What are you looking at?

Are you spending time gazing into the word of God that you might fill your body with light?

When our eye is bad, we can come to God’s word and still not see anything.

We must do more than stop looking at the wrong things—we must put salve on our eyes so that we might see the right things.

“Anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see” (Rev. 3:18).

What is this eye salve?

I believe the salve Jesus referred to is the application of the spiritual disciplines in our lives— prayer, study of Scripture, giving, forgiveness, etc.

“The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes” (Psa. 19:8).

As we apply ourselves to God’s word in a disciplined, focused way, our eye will slowly begin to heal and clear up and will begin to allow the light of Christ into our bodies.

But victory over sin is not the greatest reward of a body filled with light.

Of far greater significance is the intimacy we find with Christ!

When our body is filled with light, our body has come into full alignment with God’s kingdom and purposes.

There is nothing within our bodies that is resisting His will.

This dimension of cooperation with God’s purposes greatly strengthens our sense of “sweet sincerity” before the Lord, and the soul gains great confidence in the Lord’s embrace.

Without hindrance, you are now a clear channel of grace.

When you come to worship the Lord with a body full of light, you don’t need a “warm up” period before you finally engage with God.

No, you are on “constant hot”; you are continually “fervent in spirit” (Romans 12:11); you are ready at a moment’s notice to soar in the Spirit with your Beloved.

The Lord began the teaching on bodily light by stating how He handles those whose bodies are filled with light.

He said, ‘No one, when he has lit a lamp, puts it in a secret place or under a basket, but on a lampstand, that those who come in may see the light”

Jesus was saying when our eye is good and our whole body is full of light, we begin to shine with a radiance beyond what we may even realize.

We’re ablaze with truth, like a shining lamp!

The Lord says when He has set you on fire with that kind of light, He will not bury your life in a place of obscurity and hiddenness.

No, He will place that kind of light on a lampstand, “‘that those who come in may see the light.’”

When your body is filled with light, you will know greater victory over bodily sins, you will touch deeper dimensions of intimacy with Jesus, and you will be granted a place of greater influence in the body of Christ.

Oh, this is a powerful secret!

Put a guard on your eyes!

Reserve them for beholding the glory of God and looking into His wonderful word.

Then your entire being will radiate the light and glory of God!

Until Tomorrow,
With A Shepherd’s Love
Pastor

TODAY’S ? LIST:

Amy Garner’s Mother – better – ?
Andria Carter -Ashley’s Sister – ?
Barbara Shed’s Family – ?
Bill Lawhead – ?
Bill Moody -?
Brandy Dean – Ashley’s Sister – ?
Charlie Sessom -Waiting – ?
Cheri/Barry Hill -?
Colby/Connor – Allison’s G’sons-?
Debra Roberts – Please Please ?
Denise Stubbs – Kim Allison’s Mom ?
Don Slate – Angela Bryan’s Dad – hospice?
Doug Fritzel – ?
Hanna Hall ?
James Parsons – Mae’s Brother ?
Joyceann – James Garner’s Daughter ?
Kimberly- Dustin’s Sister- ?
Larry Barker ?
Lavona Davis -?
Linda Breedlove’s Sister – Sarah ?
Lisa Land’s Family – ?
Lynn -Nancy Brown’s Daughter – ?
Mary Sims – ?
Michael Stanley – ?
Nancy Brown’s G’Daughter – ?
Nora Allison – Dustin’s Mom
Pastor Stucke- Nikki’s Dad?
Paula Ferus’ Missionary friend ?
Ricky Stubbs – ?
Roseleigh Osborn – ?
Sarah Parker – ?
Sharon Blalock- ?
Shaelyn – Jill’s friend?
Shannon Golden – ?
Sheila Simmons Cousin – ?
Susan Bryan – Mike’s Mom – ?
Susie Grant & Family – ?
Su Rocker – Shingles – ?
Terrell Loyd – ?
Tim McCollum – ?
Todd Bailey – ?
Todd Roberts -?
Tom Witcher -?
Tommy/Gayle Harris- ?
Tracie Ballard -?
Wanda Galanti – ?
Brandon