Don’t be afraid to “SHINE”
The meaning of Shining is – Is to glow or be bright with reflected light:
There are a few scriptures that talks about Shining. I.E, 2 Corinthians 4:6, Matthew 5:16, and many others. I normally preach from 3 things. What I’m going through, what I’ve been through, or what I might go through. Today’s lesson comes from what I’ve already been through. Growing up I was always afraid to SHINE because I did not want others to notice my peculiar anointing. It only takes a few times of being ridiculed for you to want to hide your talents under a bush. After being talk about in my face as a young child and behind my back I became afraid to SHINE. I didn’t want to shine in school, in sports, in my family, and God knows I didn’t want to shine in Church. I was afraid of being called names and rejected. Well after while and by and by I could not hide no anymore. The light that was in me had to Shine. Even when I didn’t want to shine God reflected through me. Even in the most dirties places of my life, the light of Christ was still shining. I had to come to grips with reality that I couldn’t run from being peculiar anymore. I started to have encounters like Jonah. So I had to sit down and understand that Jeremiah 1:5 – says - "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations." This was nothing I could run from. God made me peculiar. This light that shines in me and through me is from God. It would be a slap in God’s face if I didn’t Shine. Isaiah 60:1, 3 says, 1. “Rise up and shine, for your light has come. The shining-greatness of the Lord has risen upon you.” 3. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. So just because someone else don’t celebrate your SHINE this day, be sure that someone else will appreciate it soon. Don’t allow fear & negativity to allow you to hide your Shine.
In my closing Matthew 5:14-16 - "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill that cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
Please put me in A flat right now so we can be can that great song that “This little Light of Mine, I’m gonna let it Shine, Let it shine, let it shine, let it Shine. I don’t care what walk of life you are from, don’t be afraid to shine. I don’t care how many pig pens you’ve been in, if God cleaned you up, don’t be afraid to shine. I don’t care how many people you’ve slept with, If God is working on you then Shine. I don’t care how many blunts you’ve smoke or drugs you took. If God cleaned up your habit then SHINE. Please remember this week to SHINE SHINE SHINE!
From the Desk of Pastor Mark