One of the board members (Joe Oldaker) was filling in while we were waiting for a replacement pastor. During one of his sermons, he told about an experience he had. He used to work in a coal mine, and had to wear a headlamp. They carried an extra bulb in case the one burned out. They also carried a little flame on their belt to test for gasses. One day, he was a mile or more in a mine, nobody knew were he was at, and his headlamp burned out. He had already used his spare bulb a few days before, and hadn’t replaced it. So, he sat down in pitch black somewhere in a mine shaft and tried to figure out what he was going to do. When he sat down, he saw a faint glow - the glow from the light that they used to test for gasses - the light they hardly ever noticed. After I heard the story, I started thinking, and wrote the following.
Seems rather hopeless, doesn’t it? Being stuck in a mine shaft with no
light, and no one knows where you are at.
Isn’t it amazing how sometimes it takes a seemingly hopeless situation -
when everyone has deserted us or when we can do nothing else to save
ourselves - before we look down and see the little light by our side.
---
1 Chronicles - Chapter 28
And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do
[it]: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the LORD God, [even] my God, [will be]
with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished
all the work for the service of the house of the LORD.
---
Now think of the people who don’t have the little light. Those who have no
little light in the darkness but us.
---
2 Corinthians - Chapter 4
3. But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
4. In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which
believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the
image of God, should shine unto them
5. For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves
your servants for Jesus’ sake.
---
The alcoholic who tries to fill the emptiness inside with drink. In the New
Testament, it says to have a little wine for your stomach, but it says in
another verse not to give in to drunkenness. The person with bulimia who
turns to food to fill the void, then feels guilty and tries to purge one way
or another. The one with anorexia who feels like there is a voice inside
their head saying they will never be good enough or thin enough. The Bible
says that your body is the temple of the Lord so you should take care of it,
but you shouldn’t neglect God to exercise because the Bible also says "Thou
shalt not have no other gods before Me." The drug addict on the street who
turns to drugs to get high - temporarily - then comes crashing down into a
darker void. Those who think money can buy happiness, and find out too
late, that it can’t. These people need to be reached.
---
Matthew - Chapter 5
13. Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour,
wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be
cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
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.
---
Matthew - Chapter 28
16. Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus
had told them to go.
17. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.
18. Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth
has been given to me.
19. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the
name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20. and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I
am with you always, to the very end of the age."
---
There’s little time
Though my intentions are good
If I’m misunderstood
The price could be high
I can’t fix whatever’s wrong
But if I fail to pass along, someone cares
The price could be greater
This can’t wait till later
exerpt from "My Heart Goes Out" by Warren Barfield
