You've got to light it up!

He said to them,

"Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed?

Instead, don't you put it on its stand?"

Mark 4:21

When a candle is brought into a dark room, especially when people are gathered together; is it proper to cover it up? How about when you bring a candle into your bedroom, does it make sense to put it under your bed? It is certainly more appropriate and useful if a candle is set in a candle holder or glass container where it can be of use to everyone in the room. The "light" that the above verse is referencing is the Word of God - the Bible. Jesus was saying to his disciples, "I give you this 'light' [these teachings, these words, this scripture] not to have you conceal them or keep them to yourselves, but to impart them to others. To bring light and life and hope into other people's situations". We are all called as disciples for this purpose.

During these difficult times, families are under stress, marriages are being attacked, and finances are being stretched dangerously thin. One way that we can bring encouragement to others is by bringing the light of God's Word into their situation. We can pray for them...or better yet, pray with them. We can dash to our computers or our bibles and look up scripture that pertains to their situation and share it with them. We can decree or prophesy life into their situation by praying the God's promises over their circumstances {for instance John 10:10 "Jesus has come that you may have life and have it abundantly" or 2 Thes 3:3 "The Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you"}. There are many ways in which we can prepare the way for the Lord to enter into their situation and change it. Just speaking life giving words or *light* into people's lives ushers in the power of God and allows Him to opportunity to shine!

So go light your candle! Memorize a line of scripture today and use it to give life to someone's situation.

It is the same with my word.

I send it out, and it always produces fruit.

It will accomplish all I want it to,

and it will prosper everywhere I send it.

Isaiah 55:11

Power Verses

Zechariah 4:6 'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty.

1 Samuel 10:6 "At that time the Spirit of the Lord will come upon you with power, and you will prophesy with them. You will be changed into a different person"

Luke 6:38 "Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you"

Exodus 9:16 But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.

Psalm 20:6 Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed; he answers him from his holy heaven with the saving power of his right hand.

Psalm 68:35 You are awesome, O God, in your sanctuary; the God of Israel gives power and strength to his people. Praise be to God!

Psalm 77:14 You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples.

Psalm 89:13 Your arm is endued with power; your hand is strong, your right hand exalted.

Isaiah 11:12 The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD

Isaiah 40:29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.

Matt 3:11 I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

Luke 10:19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.

Luke 24:49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.

Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth

Acts 4:33 With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all.

Acts 6:8 Now Stephen, a man full of God's grace and power, did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people.

Acts 9:22 Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ.

Acts 19:20 In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.

Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

1 Cor 1:18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

Too Little Faith?

The boys father replied:

"Have mercy on us and help us, if you can.”
“What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked.

“Anything is possible if a person believes.”
The father instantly cried out,

“I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!”

Mark 9:22-24

Occasionally in my walk I am confronted with a situation that although I believe it is within God's power TO do something, I don't necessarily trust that He WILL do something. There are several things that might influence our minds that can impact our faith. One of these is an athiestic influence. This is a big problem in the church. Athiests in the church? How so, you ask? It is a sort of practical atheism in that on a daily basis believers often face situations that they do not necessarily bring God into. Sometimes we might think there is no purpose for or even ability for divine intervention in our daily practical living. This athiestic thinking is cynical in that we think, "God helps those who help themselves". We think we can work through situations by ourselves instead of turning FIRST to God for counsel through His word or FIRST inviting Him to intervene. It's a lack of faith that gives us the mindset that God can't...or God won't. It is this same lack of faith and unbelief that traps us as a hostage to worry, anxiety, and fear.

Another mindset that is destructive to our ability to see miracles happen in our lives is a "religious mindset". You're thinking, "Jodi...you yap on and on about God all the time, but then turn around and say that religion is destructive to our relationship with God? Huh?" Yes...I am saying that religion can be destructive to entering into a personal intimate relationship with your Savior, Father, and Counselor. A concept of God that focuses on FORM but is without POWER is what I call religious thinking. We may have a belief in God...but lack experiences or encounters with God. We pray but we don't *really* have any hope that God will actually answer our prayers. We may know of Jesus in form...in doctrine...in religion, but not in relationship or demonstration. Many people in churches, similar to the one that I grew up in, are perfectly content in belonging to a certain "brand" of church, but they are entirely disconnected from an active, present, real, relationship with the Living God. This more than a bummer. It is a travesty. The biggest tragedy of all. And unfortunately many people have trouble seeing through the darkened glass to the truth and they don't even realize that what they are missing out on is life. Abundant life in Christ. The life that was promised to them. Free of guilt, free of shame, free of unforgiveness of self and others, free of bondage to sin, free of fear, worry, and anxiety.

The Kingdom mindset is what our brains were originally "wired for". It is mindset that focuses on faith and a relationship with God, and sees things from a supernatural perspective. Now sure, we can all be Kingdom minded when things are going well...when our kids are getting A's in school, everyone is healthy, the car starts, our husbands have jobs, etc... It's easy to praise God then and believe that He is good, and perfect, and loving. But when the skunk hits the fan where does our mind turn? I would like to be able to say that my immediate response to a crisis is always to have faith and belief for a work of God, but it isn't always so. Sometimes it can take a bit of time to get my mind fixed on the Kingdom instead of the situation at hand and to remember that my God is bigger than my circumstance. To remember that my God is good. All of the time. Even if I don't always understand what He is doing at the moment. "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD." Isaiah 55:8. Kingdom thinking is when our minds are lined up with God's will. When our minds are tuned into the very heart of God, when we are aware of His presence, His sovreignty, His working in our lives. A result of this mindset is that our faith is increased and we believe for God's supernatural intervention into our situation. Not just that He can, but that He will. Our faith, our belief, our surrender and our trust in Him releases His power. Jesus says in the above passage "What do you mean, 'If I can', Anything is possible if a person believes". He can. He will. We have to believe.

Father I do believe, now please help me overcome my unbelief.