The GREAT NEWS is: Jesus' love and light is in YOU to change your world -
The effects of this world - no matter how negative and difficult it may be be -no matter how dark it gets - it does NOT have to change your attitude or the effects of the Kingdom of God shining in, and around, and through your life, in fact...
It could make it to shine EVEN BRIGHTER and MORE miraculously!
Jesus said of Himself: "I am the light of the world..." (John 8:12) ..
But He didn't stop there... the scripture goes on ...
Once more Jesus addressed the crowd. He said, I am the Light of the world. He
who follows Me will not be walking in the dark, but will have the Light which is Life.
(John 8:12)
Jesus, in the Sermon on the mount takes it even further, when He declares:
You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.
Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a peck measure, but on a lampstand,
and it gives light to all in the house. Let your light so shine before men
that they may see your moral excellence and your praiseworthy, noble, and
good deeds and recognize and honor and praise and glorify
your Father Who is in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16)
What is this "light" that is in you look like? How does it work?
It is the same light that was in Jesus, as mentioned in the opening of the Gospel of John..
In Him was Life, and the Life was the Light of men.
And the Light shines on in the darkness, for the darkness has never
overpowered it [put it out or absorbed it or appropriated it, and
is unreceptive to it].
...There it was--the true Light [was then] coming into the world [the genuine, perfect,
steadfast Light] that illumines every person.
He came into the world, and though the world was made through Him,
the world did not recognize Him [did not know Him].
He came to that which belonged to Him [to His own—His domain,
creation, things, world], and they who were His own did not receive
Him and did not welcome Him.
But to as many as did receive and welcome Him, He gave
the authority (power, privilege, right) to become the children of God,
that is, to those who believe in (adhere to, trust in, and rely on) His name--
Who owe their birth neither to bloods nor to the will of the flesh
[that of physical impulse] nor to the will of man [that of a natural father],
but to God. [They are born of God!] (John 1:4-5; 9-13)
The same LIGHT and LIFE that was in Jesus ... once you give your life to Jesus and are born again... that same LIGHT and LIFE is INSIDE OF YOU.
It is the Holy Spirit... God's very presence and love... shining in, around and through your life to change the world around you.
The KEY IS: To not let the darkness of the world extinguish His love and life in you!
To live as the Scripture encourages us in the dark days...
Arise [from the depression and prostration in which
circumstances have kept you—rise to a new life]!
And Shine (be radiant with the glory of the Lord),
for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has
risen upon you! (Isaiah 60:1)
Shine on my friend ... my Brother and Sister... SHINE ON!!!