BE A CANDLE FOR THE LORD… BURNING FOR THE LIGHT!
By Wade Martin Hughes Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (Watch YouTube: Wade Hughes)
WHEN I WAS ON MY FIRST MISSIONARY TRIP TO HAITI…
The first night of the “GREAT CONVENTION” each preacher was introduced with a window of 5 minutes to speak. When it was my turn they gave me the microphone and the little interpreter stood by my side. I said: I AM A CANDLE FOR THE LORD AND I GIVE MYSELF FOR THE LIGHT. The interpreter looked up to me and said: WHAT? I said again: I AM A CANDLE FOR THE LORD AND I GIVE MYSELF FOR THE LIGHT. He looked me in the eyes and said: WHAT? I said it the third time. I AM A CANDLE FOR THE LORD AND I GIVE MY SELF FOR THE LIGHT. I held up my left index finger and with my right hand I made a flame-like over the finger and flickered it around. He then understood what I was saying. With excitement he loudly proclaimed this preacher is a CANDLE OF THE LORD AND HE GIVES HIMSELF FOR THE LORD. Later that night and the rest of the trip I would hear the people whisper something. I asked the interpreter what are they saying? He boldly said: THEY ARE SAYING HERE COMES THE CANDLE. On the next trips I made to Haiti I learned to understand what they were saying. THEY SAID: HERE COMES THE CANDLE THAT GIVES HIMSELF FOR THE LIGHT.
GOD MADE THE LIGHT: NOT EVERYONE SEES THE LIGHT? WHY?
Genesis 1:3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
God had to get MOSES OUT IN THE DESERT away from the bright lights of Egypt before he would recognize the LIGHT OF GOD. God’s light never consumed the bush? That is very odd?
Exodus 3:1 Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb. 2 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. 3 And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.
Elizabeth Barrett Browning wrote: EVERY COMMON BUSH IS AFLAME WITH THE GLORY OF GOD, BUT ONLY HE WHO SEES WILL TAKE HIS SHOES OFF.
SAUL WAS IN DARKNESS. SAUL WHICH WILL LATER BE KNOWN AS PAUL, A GREAT MAN OF GOD WAS FOREVER CHANGED WHEN HE SAW THE LIGHT. HE WAS BLIND FOR 3 DAYS.
Acts 9:3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: 4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
PAUL KNEW HE WAS NOT THE LIGHT, HE WAS CALLED TO REFLECT THE LIGHT OF THE GOSPEL --- AS THE MOON REFLECTS THE LIGHT OF SUN, SO PAUL REFLECTS THE LIGHT OF THE SON.
Acts 13:47 For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.
THE BURNING CANDLE CAN NOT EXIST IN DARKNESS. WHAT IS YOUR POTENTIAL OF A CANDLE IN THE DARK NIGHT OF THE WORLD? THE BURNING CANDLE WILL GIVE ITSELF FOR THE POWER OF THE LIGHT. ALSO KNOW THE POWER OF THE LIGHT --- IT DOES NOT HURT ANY CANDLE TO LIGHT ANOTHER CANDLE.
Mark 4:21 And he said unto them, Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and not to be set on a candlestick?
THE WORLD LOVES DARKNESS BECAUSE THE LIGHT EXPOSES SIN.
A man was spending several days crossing the hot desert. His wife had packed him a large bag of dates. They did not have to worry about them spoiling in the heat. As he traveled, he would set up his tent each evening, then he would take care of his camel. The sun went down and the temperature cooled down. He lit a candle, laid back and opened his bag of dates. He was so hungry. He began to eat. He took a bite out of a date and he saw a worm in it. He pitched the date out of the tent. He grabbed another date and started to eat it. He found a worm in it. So he pitched the bad date out the tent. He pulled another date out of the bag. The third date had a large worm in it. He pitched the date out of the tent. He blew out the candle, laid back in his bed and ate all the dates in the bag.
MENORAH, THE STCIK THAT HELD THE CANDLES IN THE TEMPLE. THE CANDLE’S ROLE IS TO GIVE ITSELF FOR THE LIGHT. THE CANDLE IS NOT WHAT IS IMPORTANT --- THE LIGHT IS IMPORTANT. The menorah yields to lamps with olive oil.
A candle is a box of wax with a wick that when it is lit it burns and produces light. A CANDLE GIVES ITSELF FOR THE LIGHT. A candle can serve as more than light. Candles are symbols of love, warmth, illumination, guidance, hope, faith, life and a beacon in seasons of despair. A candle is a symbol of mortality.
In the Bible: THE CANDLES ARE TO BURN AND GIVE LIGHT. The menorah held the candle sticks.
Exodus 25:31And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made: his shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, shall be of the same.
32 And six branches shall come out of the sides of it; three branches of the candlestick out of the one side, and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side:
Exodus 27:20 And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn always.
Light is a special vehicle in the Bible. We carry faith like a candle or lamp. The candle is a symbol of hope, faith and guidance. The candle reveals spiritual hope and truth.
THE LIGHT HOUSE GUIDES SHIPS THROUGH UNCHARTED WATERS IN STORMS OF DARK NIGHTS.
PERPETUAL LIGHT! TO RELEASE PEACE AND HOPE WE MUST KEEP THE FIRES BURNING EVEN IN DARK SEASONS.
Exodus 30:7 And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning: when he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it. 8 And when Aaron lighteth the lamps at even, he shall burn incense upon it, a perpetual incense before the LORD throughout your generations.
Luke 11:33 No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light. 34 The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness. 35 Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness.
**HIS LAMP I AM (Unknown)
HIS LAMP I AM TO SHINE WHERE HE SHALL SAY;
AND LAMPS ARE NOT FOR SUNNY ROOMS NOR FOR THE LIGHT OF DAY;
BUT FOR DARK PLACES OF THE EARTH, WHERE SHAME AND WRONG AND CRIME GIVE BIRTH,
OR FOR THE MULKY TWILIGHT GRAY, WHERE WANDERING SHEEP HAVE GONE ASTRAY.
OR WHERE THE LAMP OF FAITH GROWS DIM AND SOULS ARE GROPING AFTER HIM.
AND AS SOME TIMES A FLAME WE FIND, CLEAR AND SHINING THROUGH THE LIGHT
SO DARK WE CANNOT SEE THE LAMP, BUT ONLY SEE THE LIGHT.
SO MAY I SHINE, HIS LOVE AND FLAME THAT MEN MAY GLORIFY HIS NAME.
***OH NO!!! NOT THERE! (Unknown)
Master, where shall I work today? As my love flowed warm and free.
And he pointed out a tiny plot and He said: TEND THAT PLOT FOR ME!
BUT I QUICKLY ANSWERED, OH NO! NOT THERE: NOT ANYONE CAN SEE.
NO MATTER HOW WELL MY TASK IS DONE, NOT THAT! NOT THAT LITTLE PLACE FOR ME!
AND HIS VOICE WHEN HE SPOKE WAS NOT STERN, BUT KIND AND HE ANSWERED ME TENDERLY.
“FRIEND SEARCH THAT HEART OF THINE! ARE YOU WORKING FOR YOU, THEM OR ME?”
NAZARETH WAS JUST A LITTLE PLACE AND SO WAS CALVARY.
CONCLUSION: Matthew 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (Watch: You Tube: Wade Hughes)
