Marching Orders #427... "This Little Light of Mine!"

LET THE

SONSHINE

..."Your eyes light up your inward being.

A pure eye lets sunshine into your soul."

Luke 11:34a

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Whitehouse, TX 75791

"This Little Light of Mine"...I'm gonna let it shine!!!

I have a dear online friend that is always eager to do the will of our Father, and she sent out a suggestion of how we might show that we care and are concerned about the tragedy of the shooting in Littleton, Colorado. What I am about to say, in no way is meant to diminish, criticize or demean her efforts. I will, in all probability, do what she is suggesting, however... this has stirred the Spirit of God in me to yell from the roof tops...

"WE MUST DO MORE!"

Here's her suggestion...

"I thought to myself, what can I do to show others that I too am deeply affected by this tragedy. Turn on a light. Turn on my headlights. Turn on my porch light. But how do I get this message to others? Use the Internet. I'm sending this message to everyone on my email list and am asking that you do the same. I am going to turn on my headlights on Friday morning on my way to work, on Saturday as I run my errands and especially on Sunday as I go to my place of worship. I'm also going to turn on my porch lights on Friday, Saturday and Sunday night.

I'm going to turn on my lights for the families in Littleton to show them that I care about them, that I feel the pain and hurt and heartache. I'm going to turn on my lights for what is right about this country. I'm going to turn on my lights against the darkness, the anger and the prejudice. I hope you will join me. One light is not much but put them together and we can light up the world.

Turn on your lights - show that you stand for what is right about America. And as you turn on your headlights and porch lights this weekend; turn on the light in your heart and soul. Show the world that this is not what America is all about. With your light shining bright, along with others, we can come together (if only for a brief moment) and combat the evil that confronts us all."

I have no problem in wearing a yellow ribbon as we did in our church service to show our concern, or with turning our lights on...I do that in respect to Jesus' birth every Christmas...and it costs me very little for the effort. But, as at Christmas time, I think if we truly want to show how DEEPLY AFFECTED we are by this tragedy, we need to let it cost us something personally.

God was deeply affected by the tragic sin of the world and He DID SOMETHING COSTLY about it: He sent His only Son to suffer and die and pay the price of a sinful people. He did what it took to redeem us from the sins Satan had us bound in. At Christmas time, at our house, we try to tell as many as we can what it is TRULY ALL ABOUT, and our gift giving includes those who are without. We do more than turn our lights on in reverence.

If we want to do something besides make light waves across the land, why don't we each find a troubled youth and mentor him/her...visit and share the love of Christ in a tangible way with them, and let the light of God be shed abroad in their hearts??? Who knows, we just might stop another potential disaster brooding within some of them. Why don't we stop and TALK to our teens that we are raising in our own households? Really listen to their hearts and problems? Spend REAL time with them, and stop provoking them to wrath? I'm not saying that everyone is guilty, and as much as we try to do for ours, however, I know I can do more. I can watch TV with her and see exactly where her interests are. I can take her to lunch by herself and really talk about herself and school, and her friends ... there is a lot we can do, but it will cost us time and effort, possibly what those misguided young men were lacking since they had so much time to themselves. We can read the Bible to them, have devotionals...pray for, and with, them. How about living a truly Christian life before them so they will want to choose to follow Christ?

I would love to see the body of Christ, especially the fathers, really get involved and start being DOERS OF THE WORD. In Malachi, Chapter 4... the last verses, 5 & 6, (right before the New Testament) it says....

"Behold, I will send you Elijah (meaning the spirit of Elijah...my comment) the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord:

And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse."

The Lord has given us a banner to rally to; and all who love truth will rally to it, as it says in Psalms 60:4. Verses 2 & 3 say..."Thou hast made the earth to tremble; thou hast broken it: heal the breaches thereof; for it shaketh. Thou hast shewed thy people hard things: thou hast made us to drink the wine of astonishment."

Psalms 60:11 tells us to call upon God to give us help from trouble...for it is only in and through Him, as we rally together in prayer for guidance, that we will overcome our enemy.

Friends, if you really believe that we are living in the last days, as so many of you have indicated to me that you believe we are, then it's time to allow that spirit of Elijah to come upon you. Ask God to use you to make a permanent difference in the lives of some of these misguided youth. The Devil isn't sitting idly by; he's out there full force doing what it takes to mess up their minds, hearts and lives. To sit and wait for someone else to do it is contributing to bringing a curse upon the earth. Ask yourself, "What am I personally doing to win the lost to Christ?" I suggest we pray for that Holy boldness to come into us that we might BE A LIGHT to this younger generation, in addition to just reaching for our light switches for a few days.

Loving you in the love of the Lord,

Marlene

MARCHING ORDERS #427

Marching orders are compiled from paraphrased verses out of the Living Bible.

No commentary is added...they are the pure Word of God.

"As Christ's soldier do not let yourself become tied up in

worldly affairs, for then you cannot satisfy the one who

enlisted you in his army." II Timothy 2:4 L/B

The important thing to remember is that our remaining time is very short, (and so are our opportunities for doing the Lord’s work).

How frail is man, how few his days, how full of trouble! He blossoms for a moment like a flower: and withers; as the shadow of a passing cloud, he quickly disappears. - This world is fading away, and these evil, forbidden things will go with it, but whoever keeps doing the will of God will live forever. - Everyone dies because all of us are related to Adam, being members of his sinful race, and wherever there is sin, death results. But all who are related to Christ will rise again. Death is swallowed up in victory. - Living or dying we follow the Lord. Either way we are his.

Living means opportunities for Christ, and dying, well, that’s better yet!

Do not let this happy trust in the Lord die away, no matter what happens. Remember your reward! You need to keep on patiently doing God’s will if you want him to do for you all that he has promised. His coming will not be delayed much longer. - The night is far gone, the day of his return will soon be here. So quit the evil deeds of darkness and put on the armor of right living. - The end of the world is coming soon. Therefore be earnest, thoughtful men of prayer.

(Living Bible:)

I Corinthians 7:29.

Job 14:1-2. - I Jn. 2:17. - I Cor. 15:22, 54.

- Rom. 14:8.

Philippians 1:21.

Heb. 10:35-37. - Rom. 13:12. - I Pet. 4:7.

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