Fruitful Thought

Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shinning like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. Philippians 2:14-15 NLT Complaining can come easy and sometimes, it may be warranted. But God’s word says “Do everything without complaining or arguing. I believe what we allow in our eye and ear gates are a major contributor to that. What we watch and listen to can open the door to a complaining spirit. Also, the company we keep. Do you know someone that complains about everything? That person or those people can invoke that complaining spirit in us. The Bible states “bad company corrupts good character,” 1 Corinthians 5:33 NLT. God has shone me my complaining through others, and it was not pretty. What I realized was complaining dimmed God’s light that should be shining through me. When that happens, God cannot effectively use me. I am falling in line with the world’s way of react...

For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So, live as people of light!   For this light within you produces only what is good, right, and true. Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. Ephesians 5:8-10 NLT Have you ever wondered what living life radiantly looks like? What is the first thing you think about when you see the word light? The bible reference light over a dozen times in each translation and it is most opposite of dark oppose to heavy.  The scripture reminds me of when I was living in darkness, doing what I wanted to do and not caring what other people thought. I was living life recklessly not realizing that I was not created to live that way. As I look back on how life was, I realize we had guard rails protecting us from so many sins and temptations. We live in a world that has done away with the guard rails and we are bombarded with temptations and compromise at every turn   Last week we discovered in Matthew 5:14-16 ...

  You are the light of the world, like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. Matthew 5:14-16 NLT Our responsibility as followers of Christ, is to touch the lives of everyone around us. Wherever we are, we have an opportunity to influence that environment. The first verse says, “You are the light of the world, like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden,” that tells me we should stand out. Our character, which should be the image of God’s character, should give light to everyone around us. The passage states, “a lamp is placed on stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house.” You notice it does not say on the floor or in a closet, but in area where it can be effective and will impact everyone around it. God places...

  “Arise [from spiritual depression to a new life], shine [be radiant with the glory and brilliance of the Lord]; for your light has come, And the glory and brilliance of the Lord has risen upon you. Isaiah 60:1 The scripture above is one of my favorites and a reminder of how we are to show up in the earth. It gives us permission to be radiant despite spiritual depression. The dictionary defines Radiant as “sending out light; shining or glowing brightly.” The bible dictionary defines Radiant as (Nahar, "to sparkle" i.e. (figurative) be cheerful; hence (from the sheen of a running stream), to flow, i.e. (figurative) assemble; flow (together), be lightened).   Have you ever met people who illuminate light to others? Do others consider you that person. They might not be the most successful people — in fact, they are often very humble. It is something that comes natural for them because they are a genuine person. They are not afraid to be themselves, truly as they are ins...