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LIGHTBEARER:  LIGHTBEARER:  🛑Not Pushbacks But Opportunities🛑

“They [the priests and captain of the temple] seized Peter and John and, because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. But many who heard the message believed, so the number of men who believed grew to about five thousand” (Acts 4:3 NIV).

Busted! Thrown in a stony-cold prison. No legal recourse. Helpless in the face of authoritarian power. Hard to find a positive note in those circumstances.

"His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness" (Lamentations 3:22-23).

NOT despair BUT hope (Isaiah 40;31)

NOT problems BUT solutions (Proverbs 4:2)

❓LIGHTBEARER: DECISIONS❓

“Whatever is true, …noble,…right, …pure,…lovely,…,excellent,…admirable,…praiseworthy, think about such things” (Philippians 4:8 NIV edited).

A watchword that keeps coming to me in sermons, devotions, blogs, and other guidelines for living our best Christian life is “Do the next right thing.”

💐MAY PSALM💐

Here’s a Bible trivia question for you on the First of May:  What Psalm is the “May Psalm”?

I’ll give you a few hints and you can see how quickly you can answer.

* May the LORD answer you when you are in distress.

* May the name of the God of Jacob protect you.

* May he send you help from the sanctuary and grant you support from Zion.

LIGHTBEARER TODAY

“Jesus said, ‘I am the Road, also the Truth, also the Life. No one gets to the Father apart from me” (John 14:6 MSG).

The gathering of mourners filled the church and overflowed to the lobby like a melting mountain stream in springtime. It was truly a celebration of life for a beloved friend, family member, and co-worker--for his huge heart to help others in distress, his generosity, and his faith. The loss made a hole seemingly too deep to fill. Of course, we expected to hear that in the pastor’s eulogy. A sudden death always makes us look backward at what we could have done and forward to what we can do.

“Having [spiritual] gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them…if service, in our serving”(Romans 12:7 RSV).

“What can I do to help?” We often say that to a friend who is in need or suffering from grief or illness. But sometimes it is a lame response. We may see that there are needs in general but don’t know how to put real service into action.

My friend (we’ll call her Len) showed me recently how to put power behind those words, Leafblower Power.

 “Then he said to them, ‘So thick-headed! So slow-hearted! Why can’t you simply believe all that the prophets said?’”(Luke 24:24 MSG).

Would we recognize Jesus if He suddenly appeared walking right beside us in bodily form?

I’d like to think I’d know Him instantly, unlike several followers who, encountering the risen Christ in that 50-day period before He ascended into heaven, didn’t know Him at first. What would it take for me to recognize Him?

 “So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image” (2 Corinthians 3:18 NLT).

Small, indistinct gray clouds loll around the horizon, crowning the terraced castle-like Grand Hotel. Suddenly they light up with orange-gold smiles as the sun kisses them “Good morning.”

I automatically burst into a grin at this glorious God-wink to start my day. Even though I had to get up before the alarm jangled to get to see this, it was a treasure not to be missed.

Luke 10: 1-11, 16-20

“…the Lord appointed seventy others and sent them out on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go” (Luke:10:1 NIV).

When Jesus planned a hillside chat for 5,000, he didn’t just show up to teach and miracles happened. He sent out his own Advance Team of LightBearers in two by two before him to survey the area. His large gatherings were intentional, not random.