The light is getting brighter!

Kathy and I were sitting on our deck last evening after the kids were asleep. It was a beautiful night and the sky was a perfect indigo blue.

Around our deck we have four tiki torches that add light and the calming effect of fire.

We had been sitting there for about 15 minutes or so when I asked, "does it look like the torches are getting brighter?" She thought for a moment then responded, "Yes, it does".

What was happening is that as the night sky grew darker, the light from the fires grew brighter.

Isn't that a perfect picture of how our lives should be in Christ? As the world around us grows more dim, more dismal, more dark, our light should shine brighter than ever before.

Proverbs 4:18 says, "The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn,
shining ever brighter till the full light of day. "

In today's reality, our lives should be ever increasing in light. Whether we are blessed against the grain in a weak economy, or we are protected from sickness and disease in the midst of an epidemic, when darkness sets in, our light grows brighter.

Maybe that has not been your reality though. Maybe you have experienced the light growing darker rather than lighter in your life. Take courage in the words of Jesus:

John 8:12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

In our church, we have been receiving reports from people several times a week about how God is increasing them in every way. We asked everyone to share their stories of increase even if they simply received a coupon for a free ice-cream cone.

Hey, when you are at zero, 1 is increase!

And who better to give glory for the increase than God? When we magnify what God is doing in our lives, we increase the light. And, in the end, light ALWAYS overcomes darkness!!

So take heart, there is hope because the light is getting brighter!

To read stories of how God is increasing His people, go to www.yourfamilylife.org and click on the tiki torch!

If you have a story to tell, you can also click our "Tell Your Story" link and send us an email with your story. Or call the church office at 740-387-7778 and leave us your story on voice-mail.

Your words of encouragement are going to help brighten everyone's path!


Shining Brightly,

Pastor Tom