OUR DAILY BREAD : CHRISTMAS LIGHTS

[cimi]

December 7
Saturday


CHRISTMAS
LIGHTS

READ:
Matthew 5:13-16
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In December each year, a neighbor-hood of 13 families near where we live sets up a dazzling display of 300,000 christmas lights. People drive for miles and wait in line for hours to see the flashing, colorful lights and hear the music that is programmed to go with it. The sound-and-light display is so elaborate tht it requires a network of 64 computers to keep everything synchronized.

When i think about these holiday lights, I am reminded of the Light that makes Christmas a holiday for many-a single Light so bright that it illuminates the whole world with truth, justice, and love. This Light__Jesus__is everything that the world is longing and looking for (Isa. 9:2,6-7(. And He has told His followers to display His light so that others will see and glorify God (Matt. 5:16).

Imagine if Christians worked as hard at shining and synchronizing the light of God's love as the families of that neighborhood work when they illuminate their street with Christmas lights. Perhaps then the people still living in darkness would make an effort to see this great Light. When Christians work together to display God's love, the gospel will shine more brightly and attract more people to Jesus__the Light of the world. __Julie Ackerman Link


`````````````````````O to be filled with His life divine;``````````````````````
`````````````````O to be clothed with His power and might:``````````````````
````````````````````O to reflect my dear Savior sublime__```````````````````
````````````````Always to shine as the saints in the light! __anon.`````````````
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Our witness for Christ is a light in a dar world.

*********************Today's Bible Reading __ Matthew 5:13-16************************

11 You are the salt of the
earth; but if the salt loses its
flavor, how shall it be
seasoned? It is then good
for nothing but to be thrown
out and trampled underfoot
by men.

14 You are the light of the
world. A city that is set on
a hill cannot be hidden.

15 Nor do they light a lamp
and put it under a basket,
but on a lampstand, and it
gives light to all who are in
the house. 16 Let your light
so shine before men, that
they may see your good
works and glorify your
Father in heaven.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>

Today's verses come from a portion of Scripture commonly called
the Sermon on the Mount. In Matthew 5:13-16, Jesus talks about
His followers' responsibility to be His representatives to those
around them. Using the imagery of salt and light, two analogies
that would have had great significance for His listeners because
of their everyday usefulness, Jesus described how we are to make
a difference in this world by good works. What good works? The
actions and attitudes described in chapters 5-7 of Matthew's gospel.
We are called to do theses good things so that others may see and
know God.