Let Your Light Shine

Let Your Light Shine
By Don Vess

Matt 5:14 NLT – “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. 15 No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house.”

The message today isn’t one that has been carefully “thought out,” but one that has been “lived out” by so many in the body of Christ.

This past Monday, as I spoke the phone with Pastor Keith Jamison of Living Waters Tabernacle in Old Fort, NC; he relayed to me how much people are in need after last weeks devastating damage from
Hurricane Helene and suddenly the thought hit me: DO SOMETHING!

I was near a Family Dollar store at this time where I occasionally go to pick up items needed for cleaning the floors of this building. While I was in the store, I began receiving phone calls from family members I had been attempting to reach and talk with since the storm, up until then with no success. Strangely enough, my sister, Keith’s mom, called me, and then as soon as she hung up, Keith called. Not a coincidence. I believe the Holy Spirit prodded me to ask Keith a question, which up until then I had not thought about.

Keith is my nephew and pastor of Living Waters Tabernacle, Old Fort, NC. I asked him if he would be willing to allow his church to be a receiving and distribution center for things needed to provide hurricane relief, not just for Old Fort, but for surrounding towns and communities.

He immediately responded with a resounding “YES!” I asked him what was needed, and he responded, “EVERYTHING!” No sooner had I gotten off the phone with Keith than I was prompted to call Johnny Boggs, pastor of Mt. Hope Church. I asked if he was doing anything to offer help to the hurricane victims, and he responded by saying, “We have a couple of truckloads of generators and other items that we need to send somewhere, but we don’t have any contacts up there to send them to.” I got him in touch with Keith, and they are going up Thursday with two tractor-trailer loads of goods.

I called Keith back, and he was so excited! I told him that he had said a very powerful word to me and to God. He said, “What was that?” I said, “YES!”

Keith has been very discouraged over the past several months. Things had happened at his church that hurt his heart very much. Some of his most long-time and loyal supporters in the church had left him, and other things had happened, and he was feeling like giving up. I had prayed with him and tried to encourage him to hang in there and do the Galatians 6:9-10 NLT thing: “So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time, we will reap a harvest of blessing IF WE DON’T GIVE UP! 10 Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.”

I believe the Holy Spirit spoke to Keith using my voice, “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. 15 No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your Heavenly Father.” (Matt 5:14-16 NLT)

I said to Keith, “What you are doing is going to put your church on the map. You are doing the Matthew 5:14-16 thing.”

Keith’s “YES!” to God has made a difference. We posted on Facebook about what was taking place, and since then, churches from several states have gotten involved, and much-needed goods and supplies have come pouring in. Keith’s church family has rallied behind him to minister to whoever comes to the church, and goods and supplies are being trucked into neighboring communities in great need.

You, the wonderful, beautiful, fantastic, loving saints of God that I adore, have been SO GOOD! Our community has responded and continues to respond, being the heart, hands, and feet of our loving God!

The “Light of God” is far-reaching. We were contacted by a TV station, WRAL out of Raleigh, which had read my post about losing my family members. They were heart-struck that I would continue to try to reach out and minister to others who are hurting in the midst of my own pain. They asked for an interview, which was granted, and I believe it is set to air today. THE LIGHT IS SHINING! Others are seeing YOUR GOOD WORKS, and our Father in Heaven is being glorified.

When there is darkness and chaos all around us, it provides us with the greatest opportunity to BE THE LIGHT!

The church is shining brightly in the midst of the tragedies we are facing at this moment. As things grow darker in preparation for the coming of our Lord, we will be presented with even more opportunities to BE THE LIGHT. That is why we must keep our “lamps” filled with the oil of the Spirit as we await the coming of the Bridegroom. We are not just “Bridesmaids,” we are the Bride of Christ. We are to keep our bridal garments clean and spotless as He is coming back for a Bride that is without “spot or wrinkle.” (Eph. 5:25-27 NLT) Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up His life for her 26 to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word. 27 He did this to present her to Himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault.”

We are not “saved BY our works,” but our works are a testament that we are saved.
Eph. 2:8-10 NLT – God saved you by His grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 SALVATION IS NOT A REWARD FOR THE GOOD THINGS WE HAVE DONE, so none of us can boast about it. 10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, SO WE CAN DO THE GOOD THINGS HE PLANNED FOR US LONG AGO.

God is good! Continue to BE THE LIGHT AND LOVE of our Heavenly Father. That’s what we are made to do!