Australia’s Largest Christian News Site

Intention
We must fan the flames and burn brightly

Scripture

You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16 NIV

Reflection
Saul from Tarsus was an extraordinary man in so many ways. They say he was short. I can imagine him suffering ‘short-man syndrome’! He would have been one of the noisy, maybe obnoxious, egotistical ones. He passionately pursued the cult “The Way” and was disciplined in his searching out and persecution of them.

Then he encountered Jesus by way of a blinding light. Saul died that day. “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me” Gal 2:20. The newly transformed Paul spent the rest of his life sharing the Gospel. And what a mark he made.

But that was Paul.

Most of us feel unextraordinary, and because we do not have Paul’s talent, we are inclined to leave the sharing of the Gospel to those more ‘gifted’ than we are. But that is not what God tells us in His Word. Sure, not everyone gets to work with ten talents. I think most of us feel we have only one of them… a little one. BUT the challenge to us with that talent, is to NOT bury it: We hide our light under a bowl, tending to it from time to time praying it won’t go out.

When we hide a light under a bowl, the bowl becomes the focus. Jesus has called us instead to focus on the light. It is the light that now burns within us that shines out to push back the darkness. For Paul it was the “Christ now lives in me” that empowered him to be the witness he was. Each one of us who believe, have this same Christ living in us. He is the one we are to put on a stand within that unique place God has placed each of us. Then we will shine and be effective witnesses.

Prayer
Father, we repent where we have failed to unashamedly display your glorious, loving, redeeming light. We repent from not actively sharing your Gospel with those you have brought to us. We repent from succumbing to being afraid of speaking out those words Holy Spirit prompted.

We thank you, Lord that you have NOT given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and a sound mind.

Give us hearts that reflect how YOU feel about those who have not heard your Gospel. Give us your passion for the unsaved. Give us, your body, the unity Jesus prayed for as recorded in John 17.

We thank you, Father that you have poured your Holy Spirit out within us, that you are now empowering us to fulfil your great commission before Jesus’ Return. Amen.

Prayer Points for May 2021
1. Pray for Revival and Transformation for Australia
2. Pray for 1 Billion people worldwide to hear the Gospel
3. Share the Good News of Jesus with 5 people

Vincent Bowyer is complementary health practitioner since 2002. He and his wife Chris live in Lismore have been helping many hundreds of people find relief from pain and leading many to a more vibrant health.

We invite you to join the daily 1-hour Zoom video National Prayer Call every night:
DATES: 1st–31st May 2021
TIME: 8pm-9pm AEST
ZOOM URL LINK: https://zoom.us/j/776881184
ZOOM MEETING ID: 776881184
See Zoom tutorial here.

Daily devotions brought to you by the Canberra Declaration.