I remember watching the movie “Shallow Hal” and the lead character of the movie “Hal” was obsessed with the outward beauty of women. He then experiences the inner beauty of a woman and finally falls in love. How often have we to been obsessed with the outer beauty only to discover that beauty to be completely contrary to the character of the individual.

“²Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines forth.” – Psalm 50:2 (ESV)

God shines when we are looking for Him. I will admit that I am intrigued by the outward beauty of others. I remember having the posters on my wall as a teenager. What I also remember everyday is that all of that is fleeting and the beautiful wife I have, Lori, shines brighter than most of those that grabbed my youthful eyes back then.

I have known Lori since I was in the 9^th grade as she was the step sister of one of my best friends in school. She was beautiful then, but a bit off limits as the sister of a friend. As we grew older, we were did not associate much and when she called me to meet with some friends, I was astonished and quick to say yes. We both had grown and during that time, we had begun looking more for the inner beauty of others and so began out path of growing together.

God understood that I was not ready for the beauty that Lori possessed and therefor He kept us apart until we were ready. His “perfection of beauty” began to shine through. I am blessed to have Lori and all that she brings. I am glad that she can see the beauty in me, because I certainly have my scars and warts from all that I have experienced.

God’s beauty shines daily. He is overtly bright in all that He does. I have to be ready and looking for it each day.

When you are looking at beauty, where are your eyes? Where are you hoping to find beauty? Are you looking for God’s beauty that shines?

“¹⁴for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, ‘Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.’” – Ephesians 5:14 (ESV)

What a great verse to show the love of Christ. Through Paul, He calls on me to wake up, and when I do, He will shine His glory on me. I only need to listen to Him and open my eyes to Him.

The other side is for me to be sure that I am not falling for all of what is found in the darkness. I have to focus on God to be sure and stay away from the darkness.

“¹¹Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. ¹²For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. ¹³But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible,” – Ephesians 5:11-13 (ESV)

Paul writes to show that God calls on me to awake and focus on Him. He also knows that I will be tempted to fall back into the darkness and as such, and Paul explicitly warns against it. It is too easy to say the words and allow my actions to be contrary to those words. Paul knows this and reminds me that actions speak louder than words.

All of this begins with my waking up and letting God shine on me. I have to be diligent in my pursuit of Christ every day and in that pursuit allow His light to shine brightly on me.

When you speak the words of obedience to God, are they just words? What actions are you taking up to demonstrate those words as being true? Are you waking up and letting God shine on you?

I am a sinner and as such my heart is filled with darkness. I am undeserving of the love and glory heaped on me by God.

“⁶For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” – 2 Corinthians 4:6 (ESV)

It is a wonderful thing that even though I am filled with darkness, God chose to shine light in my heart to overcome that darkness. I have been given another chance at glory thanks to the love and glory heaped on my by God. He chose to shine His light on me, a sinner by birth. And with His light on me, I am reborn into His glory and covered with light inside and out.

Now my role is to not just absorb the light shone on me, but to reflect it outward to those around me. I have a duty to spread the gospel into the dark places and provide a glimpse of that light to those in need so as to open their hearts so that they can receive the light as provided by God. I am but a conduit that accepted the light so as to channel it forward to others.

There is no darkness to deep to accept the light that is God. Even the darkness that is in me.

When you look out, are you able to see the light that is provided by God? Are you open to the light? Will you allow the light to shine in you, into the darkness?

As I continue to study the word “shine” I am reminded that the Word of God is not something that is a one time thing and to be taken as stated in the one verse that was read 20 years ago. I have been studying now for a week on the same word and what I am finding is that it is in the consistency of God’s Word that we draw our strength from.

“⁴³Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.” – Matthew 13:43 (ESV)

I am to shine and be the bright example of Christ in this world. Again the same concepts that I have read and studied all week over 5 different passages throughout God’s Word. I am able to pick up the bible and now in no less than 5 places found this to be true, and I have more to study even still.

God provides what we need when it is important for us to have it. I really needed to see and hear God speaking to me to know that my holding on to Him is the right thing for me. I need to continue studying the Word of God to stay on the path He has for me.

The path begins with God and His impact on me. How is it that I display that impact, shine with His glory and be the example of Him everywhere I go. I impact more people, just by being an example for them to see. And I will be rewarded for that when I name is called.

I do not always know the lives that I impact, but it happens, and God lets me know. I had someone email me that I have to spoken to in a while. This person want to simply let me know that they were thankful that I provided coaching and care for them from my first interaction with them and maintained the same approach with all interactions. I was overcome with emotion at the words that were written, because all I remember doing was being who God wants me to be.

When you are out there, where is your focus? What is your guiding light? Are you proceeding with the glory of God on you and shining again and always and accepting the rewards when God has them for you?

Almost 3 years ago, I was studying the word “world” and was led to the passage below and I referred to what to avoid as was described in a commentary from one of my bibles.

“¹⁴You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. ¹⁶In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” – Matthew 5:14-16 (ESV)

This morning I was again brought to this passage as I study the word “shine”. I am reminded here that it is our duty to “shine before others”. I am in a position to help guide them to Christ.

I recall being in the natural caves and caverns here in Texas and each time there is a guide with a flashlight to lead the way. I am drawn to them and follow them with trust and comfort as they have done this before, and they have the light to get us there safely. I should be that same guide for those around me. I may not be holding a flashlight, but I do have the light of Christ in and upon me that should be shining to “give glory” to God. That glory will well be enough to give trust and comfort to others as they will know that I have been there before and will work to get them there safely.

When I am looking for help with something, I am not looking for someone to do it for me. I am seek guidance and knowledge so that I can take it on myself. I like to think that most others are similar in their approach. That said, I have a duty to “shine before others” and be that light and guide they are seeking to help them reach their destination. I do not have to be so bright that I overtake the situation, but just enough to make the journey safe.

When you are out there, are you looking for a guide to help get you there? What are your expectations of that guide? Will you shine as the light and guide by providing just enough light?

“¹Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you. ²For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the LORD will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you. ³And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.” – Isaiah 60:1-3 (ESV)

Isaiah is speaking to the nation of Israel here for them to be the light of God to the world. I love the words used, “to the brightness”. It is one thing to see the light, but something else entirely to be bright.

I am an early riser and that is for a number of reasons, but one is so that I can get some exercise. I go for a walk/run on the streets near my home. There are a number of street lights on my route. On any day there will be at least one light that is not working and it is in those areas that I have a fleeting thought of whether or not I am going the way I set out to go. It is a fleeting thought as I know that I have gone the right way, as I go that same route every day, but I am concerned with losing my beacons to tell me where I am, where I am headed, how much further, and the security of knowing I can see what might be coming.

I have to remember the words of Isaiah in verse 1 that my “light has come; and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you”. I am that beacon of light for others in the name of Christ. I have to be there and shine bright for them to have a marker to know where they are, where they are headed, how much further, and the security of knowing they will be able to see what might be coming.

God is light, and He shines that light on me. I am the conduit to bring that light to others around me and show them the way that is Christ-like and full of love for them and everyone.

When you are in the world, do you have moments where your light may not be as bright as it could/should be? Are you looking to be the light that shines for Christ? Will you shine bright so others will come?

“¹May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, ²that your way may be known on earth, you saving power among all nations. ³Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you!” – Psalm 67:1-3 (ESV)

When I think of something that shines, I think of something that stands out and cannot help but be noticed. The stadium lights on a fall Friday night in Texas, the dress shoes of a military officer, the engagement ring on your daughters hand. All of these are visible and there is little wonder about where they come from or what they are.

When God shines His face upon me, I have no doubt He is there. The blessings He brings, the glory He show, the love He demonstrates, all are overtly visible when He shines down upon me.

I am blessed to have God in my life to experience all that He has to offer. I am excited to see His smile each day and as such, I am compelled to praise Him. I will smile back at Him as He shines upon me.

As God shines on me, I accept all that He provides and it is my duty to shine as brightly to those around me. I am the conduit that brings that bright shine to others. I desire to provide little wonder about where my light comes from.

As you look at your days and weeks, are you able to notice God shining upon you? Are you appreciative of the blessings brought to you? Will you spread the shine God gives to those around you?

I have often wondered what it means to shine. And then I read God’s Word and what do you know, I am led to answers to my questions once again.

“²⁵the LORD make his face to shine upon you…” – Numbers 6:25 (ESV)

And there it is, “face to shine”. I get it now, to shine is to demonstrate joy. And how do I demonstrate joy on my face but to smile.

I have heard the saying that it takes fewer muscles to smile than to frown, and where that may not be scientifically true, smiling does evoke a more positive response from others so why not go with it. God demonstrates His love for us my smiling on us with favor and love and I must say, it feels very good to know that God finds favor in me. I know that when my mom smiles at me, I feel so accomplished and as God is my heavenly Father, He provides the same feeling when He smiles on me.

So, how is it that I can shine on others, oh yea, SMILE. I imagine that smiling on others will bring a smile to them. And when I am smiling, I seem to change the feeling inside to the better and when that feeling inside changes for the better, the feeling displayed for others is all the better as well.

The weekend, Lori and I went shopping, just the two of us, and a great time was had as we were acting silly and smiling the entire time. I am not sure what others were thinking about the silly things we were doing, however I can’t help but think that they were smiling watching us chase each other around the store, and have a parade complete with parade waves at the pharmacy, and drifting our cart around corners. I know that the effort expended was certainly worth the fun if for no one other than the two of us.

Shining/smiling on others is the way to go.

When you find yourself in the presence of others, are you conscious of your glow? Are you willing to shine/smile on others? Will you shine on them as an extension of the shining that God does on us?

I have been studying the word “darkness” for the past couple of weeks and have certainly been reminded of my God and the light He is. I should be looking to Him when I find myself in darkness as He will provide the lighted path out.

As I wrap up my study today, I am brought to Revelation.

“¹⁰The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in anguish ¹¹and cursed the God of heaven for their pain and sores. They did not repent of their deeds.” – Revelation 16:10-11 (ESV)

It seems to me that when one is experiencing something so harsh as being thrown into darkness, there would be a sense of doing what is needed to escape. As noted here in the verses above, there was more of a desire to scream about the wrong and complain about it than to that which had a chance to make things better, repenting.

I notice in the world, and in my own life that complaining is the natural approach when things are not going as desired. I tend to hold on to long to the idea of what is wrong as opposed to doing something about it. And what do I get in return, nothing but more anguish and disappointment and difficulty.

When I take the approach of not being the victim, I have a sense of control and feel as though I am really making a difference. I have the ability to make things better by simply accepting that I have the chance to just move on from the difficulty and look to something that I can control and make better.

When presented with adversity in my life, my mode should be that of looking to God for what it is he wants me to learn in that situation. What is it that I am to take on in the name of spreading the gospel. And when I am able to do that, He will reveal to me more of the plan and rescue me from the darkness that surrounds me. But it all starts with looking to God who is light.

When you find yourself in darkness, what is the attitude you take on? Will you repent of your deeds? Will you continue to hold on to that which got you into the darkness in the first place?

“⁵Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it, that Jesus, who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.” – Jude 1:5 (ESV)

Jude, speaking to Christians, warns them of falling away from God, by bringing in history where others followed and then fell away. The Israelite people that were delivered looked away from God and began to worship false gods and God punished them with death. I, being a Christian, have to remember and be careful not to fall away myself, as in the world today, I am tempted daily by what is around me.

It is easy to fall into the wrong crowd as there are plenty of them that live among me and will slowly drag me down into the darkness with them.

“⁴For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.” – Jude 1:4 (ESV)

They are all around me. It is so easy for me to miss them as they have “crept” into my world and have pretended to be from goodness when in fact they are in a full mode of deception to gain my attention. Once they have that attention they will slowly pervert the interaction in hopes that I will just let it go and begin to take part. Gradually I will be fully a part of their world and lose sight of God and all that He provides for me.

It is easy to fall into the darkness. I have to remember to wrap myself in the love of God and allow Him to guide me every step of the way. He is light and as such, the path He has for me will be bright and clear, when I am spending my time with Him in fellowship and worship. When I am with God, falling into the darkness is impossible.

Are you aware of those that have crept into your life? Have you been slowly falling away from God? Will you fellowship with God daily to avoid the darkness that surrounds you?