Well well, nearly 2 years since I last wrote something on here, and I would like to thank St Barnabas Church, (my new church of about 8 months) for reviving my blog. Well, at least they have encouraged me to start writing again.
Yesterday evening, I was sharing my testimony at my church's candlelight service, and in the lead up I was faced with the challenge of looking at my own life and seeing my current spiritual status. I knew I had to stand on a stage and talk about the day I met the Lord Jesus, and my work had completely taken over my life and I didn't feel like I had time to do this regarding preparation. I instantly saw this as Jesus trying to renew His hold on my life. Jesus never let us forget Him. And this is true testimony to that. It also shone a light or some sin which I hadn't realised had snuck its way in to my daily routine.
Thinking of this now, a verse that comes to mind is Ephesians 5:13,
But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.
I got scared, the light would be shining on me when I stood on the stage, and if I hadn't reviewed where I was spiritually, who know what would have been revealed. Now I am sounding like I had a lot of sin weighing me down, which is wasn’t, but to Jesus, the smallest bit of sin is enough to have to ask for forgiveness. Jesus is without sin, and when we have even the slightest bit of sin, then we are far from Jesus and need the grace of His righteousness to bring us back to where Jesus is. The slightest slither of sin is just as bad as the worst sin ever (short of denying Jesus). Even just writing this now makes we realise just how amazing Jesus really is, and how God's grace is the perfect gift for us.
So this moment of sharing my testimony and being on a stage with lights pointing at me, the lights have literally shed light on sin in my life, and it has shown me how we are so far from God we can get, but also it is so easy to be right next to God again. Just as it was through the simple prayer that started my journey with Jesus, a simple prayer can cleanse us with the blood of Jesus. I think that it is spiritually healthy to review or 'spiritual status' (as I am currently calling it) every day. This way, when the light is cast upon us unexpectedly there is no sin to be shown. It is just the pureness of Jesus Christ. This way it will also help us to build each other up.
John 3:19-21 says
19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his deeds have been carried out in God.
This has always challenged me. Before I was a Christian, there were things I was ashamed of, and things that I didn’t want anyone to know, and if anyone did know it would destroy my social life. This was me loving the darkness. Now I am in Jesus, I want to live in the light, I want people to see what God is doing through me. And I tell you this, only Jesus can bring you into the light, He is good and will make you new again.
Anyway, I thank you for reading this and I just ask you for prayer that I can continue to find time to write. Please leave comments also, as any other Christian is, I am still learning, and if there is anything that you would like to disagree or debate then I would love to know your views.
