Shine Bright even in the darkness

(00:00): Well happy new year. We are well into 2021, and we are so excited for a new year Theresa and I come to you from the Northeast part of the United States of America, where this time of year, it's pretty cold, pretty cloudy, and that sunshine, it doesn't come out too often, but we can be the light in a dark place, regardless of what the sun is doing. And today we're going to talk about the need and the way that we can all be a light in this world. So stay tuned because you're going to want to hear this going into 2021.

(00:44): Welcome to episode 33 of the well-versed woman podcast. I'm Renee teller and I'm Theresa Morgan, Renee, and I are perfectly imperfect women who have a heart to share our faith in our life's journeys and testimonies with you. What we've been sharing, what we've journeyed through. What we talk about since the year 2020 is the love of God and the peace that passes all understanding that comes from a relationship with an all amazing creator. But before we get started, we do the same thing. Every episode we need to plug into that creator so that we can hear from him today. And we need to open our eyes to see our ears, to hear and our hearts to understand the wisdom he's giving us. So we're going to take 20 seconds. I ask you to close your eyes, take some slow deep breaths, and just invite God to come and speak to your heart today. So 20 seconds start right now.

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(02:10): That's 20 seconds. And if you listened in 2020, every single day, I'm going to encourage you to grow that. Especially in this new year, make a commitment, start with something small, even if it's one full minute before your feet hit the ground out of that bad and ask God to direct every step for you today. But back to this light, this light we need to share. I can tell you personally, Theresa, that when that sunshine comes out, I always feel so much better. And it's difficult sometimes when it's dark and gloomy to find that light within me to have the same joy and happiness I do when that big sun shines. Isn't that so true, it really is Renee. You and we could

(03:00): Go through the, I think the biological and psychological studies of light and sun and what it does to the human body. But I think the interesting communication of this podcast is going to be that light. That is the light of the world who has come into the darkness and who walk this earth so many years ago that light of God, himself, Jesus Christ is still with us today. And we can have that abiding light, that abiding guidance with us minute by minute, day in, day out. You know, we're in am reminded of a scripture in the Bible, Matthew chapter five, verse 14 through 16 that says in here, Jesus is talking to his disciples. And he's saying you are the light of the world. A city that is set on a Hill cannot be hidden nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand.

(04:01): And it gives light to all who are in the house, let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your father in having, you know, we've talked a lot about the beautiful inviting presence of the Holy spirit who is light. The Bible has a lot to say in first and second, John, about God being like it in these days, in these days of confusion and these days of, of a pandemic in these days where there's so much stress and struggle. We as Christians who know the Lord and carry his light with us can have an amazing effect on people. We meet on people that may not know the Lord in our circle of family and our circle of friends to help encourage and help bring them to see that same amazing shining light that we know and that we carry what a difference the Christians are called to make in this world.

(05:05): It's so true. I think of the people that walk into the room and you just I've said this to some people before Theresa, you're just a Ray of sunshine here, just a Ray of sunshine. You just bring joy and, and happiness and calmness into every room you walk into. I think that my mom was a, was like that to a degree. You know, she was so lighthearted and so happy and such a Ray of sunshine. When she walked into the room, of course she loved a party. She loved to be around people. But if I can think about that, if I can think about how much I enjoy the sunshine and boy, if I thought I could be that when I walked into a room, that would be pretty fulfilling to me to think that I brought that kind of peace

(05:58): And calmness, especially today. Absolutely Renee. And you do, I have to thank you for your kind thoughts. You know, like anything in our lives. As a Christian, we walk by faith, not by sight and what we receive. We back, we received by grace through faith and there's the beautiful scripture found in first John two 27. It says you have an anointing. You have an anointing from the Holy one. And so what God is trying to communicate to us is that because we know Jesus and because the Holy Spirit's presence dwells in us, and we've talked about the scriptures and where that is taught in the Bible. We have an anointing from the Holy one. So when we walk into a room, we can believe that the Holy spirit is going to shine extra bright in that room to draw others to himself. You know who really, that is one of our highest callings as a Christian is to let the light of the Holy spirit shine through us, to let their love shine through us.

(07:11): Romans five chapter five says the love of God has been shed abroad in your hearts through Christ Jesus. So if we look at some of these other scriptures today, and I think what we're trying to communicate to everyone today is that we have a mission from God. Second Corinthians three verses two to three says you are a pistol written in our hearts known and read by all men. Clearly you are an epistle of Christ. Second Corinthians chapter five, verse 18 through 21. Now all things are of God who has reconciled us to himself through Christ Jesus and has given us the ministry of reconciliation. That is that God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, not imputing their trespasses to them and has committed to us as Christians. The word of reconciliation. Now, then we are ambassadors for Christ. So part of our role as a Christian is to love others and letting our light shine by being led by the Holy spirit, by being an, a pistol for Christ, meaning that we carry his anointing.

(08:25): We carry the word of God with us in that we are supposed to bring others into the kingdom of God, into the ministry of reconciliation, by sharing the gospel and by sharing our testimony, there's no greater joy Renee. Then for me to share my faith with others in, for others to receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and savior, also, the Bible said it it's God's will that none perish, but that all should come to the saving knowledge of Christ. Jesus, what a great calling, what a great honor to walk in concert with the Holy spirit, especially in these last days.

(09:08): Mm. I love so much of what you just said. One of my favorite words is that word ambassador, you know, it's defined as a diplomatic official of the highest rank appointed and accredited as representative in residents, by a government or sovereign to another it's. We are ambassadors for God. That's the way he set it up, isn't it. And he wants us to just be what he appointed us to be, to represent him well. And that comes with a lot of work. And at my word for the year, Theresa is practice. I need to practice these things so that I can be what God called me to be in the world. And when I say be, you know, to just be at right without words, I love what we set a few episodes back, share the gospel and your faith. And if necessary use words, that's exactly what being this role. And this ambassador is all about, right? Theresa.

(10:26): Yeah, it really is. You know, Jesus boiled down the commandments. If you were, if you will, the greatest commandments, he boiled them down to a few things. And I'm going to answer your question, Renee, but let's look at first, John chapter three, verse 23 in this is his commandment that we should believe on the name of his son, Jesus Christ, and love one another. As he gave us commandment, John chapter 13, verses 34 and 35, a new commandment I give to you that you love one another is I have loved you that you also love one another by this all will know that you are my disciples. If you have love for one another. So what St. Augustine was saying is our love should be demonstrated. It should be demonstrated in our actions. It should be demonstrated in what we say to one another, a simple smile, a simple word of encouragement.

(11:27): This there's a saying that says, people don't care about what you know, until they know that you care. And I think as a Christian in these days, no matter what comes, no matter what goes, we, as Christians are called to a higher place to walk in love. That is our highest calling. We've dedicated episodes to walking in love. And what does the Bible have to say in first Corinthians chapter 13 about love, but us as a Christian to beautiful, beautiful thing is that even though sometimes we don't feel like walking in love. We just can look to the Holy Spirit's presence inside of us and say help. And all of a sudden that great helper he's going to come through and he's going to anoint us, which means he's going to empower us to be able to love one another as Jesus did on the earth. When he walked, you know, what a great privilege, what a great high calling. We have his disciples of Christ in this era today in the year 2021, we are still spreading the life and the message of Jesus Christ so that others can come into the kingdom of God as well.

(12:45): I think one of the greatest difficulties is the people who look at followers of Christ using that word, Christian, see some acting in an ungodly manner and say, I don't want to be that. And so my prayer has always been, let them know what I am by my love, let them know by my actions. Just like we just talked about with St. Augustine, but it isn't easy. I know as long tree says, you and I have walked with the Lord. We still find it difficult in difficult times to stop and say, wait a minute, I don't understand this. I don't know what's going on, but I need to get on my knees and I need to pray the connection like we do before every episode about being still that's a prayer. That's the definition of praying being still and asking God, closing my mind to everything around me and just getting in that prayer state of mind with my creator to allow him to impart the wisdom that he has to my heart and my soul. Without that being still without that listening, we can't possibly, I can't possibly in my own human strength deliver the message of God. I can't be the ambassador Theresa without filling myself up every single morning, every single day, asking for that strength. And that's exactly why we try to train ourselves with practicing before we start every episode with that quietness in a hope that you begin to see what that quietness, what that stillness, what that looking inward can actually do to calm your heart, your soul, your mind. Absolutely I that you make that point.

(14:52): Renee, because the fact of the matter is that when we look to him, he's ready. He's ready with strength and joy and direction and love he is ready. What we're doing by taking time out is we're displaying our faith. We're putting our faith in action by saying, I know you're here, Lord, and I need your help today. I'm asking for your wisdom, which you promise to give liberally and without reproach, I thank you, father, as your word says in the book of Romans chapter eight, verse 14, that I am led by you. I'm also asking for your help to demonstrate your love. That's inside of me to other people. That's truly what it means to be a Christian is to follow Jesus's precepts. And the beautiful news about the Christian faith is that we don't do it alone. We do it with the in dwelling presence, in the strength, in the anointing of the Holy spirit.

(16:05): You know, in second Peter chapter one, the Bible talks about the God has given us great in mighty and precious promises in that, through the knowledge of these promises, we get to live out this I'm paraphrasing. We get to live out. This Christian life in a beautiful man are full of strength, full of patience and full of character in by this. All men will know that you are my disciples because it takes knowledge of the word and what's available to us. You know, Renee, if you and I never read the word, we wouldn't even know that there was a Holy spirit. We wouldn't know that when we invite him into our heart, he comes to live in our spirit. We wouldn't know to look to him to cry out. As Romans chapter eight says, cry out Abba father, I need your help today. And it's through that collaboration in that interaction with the Holy spirit, God himself, that we're able to be better and better representations ambassadors in a pistols for Christ. And I can tell you in my life, I'm not the same as I was a year ago. I'm not the same as I was, uh, five years ago, or even, you know, the 20, some odd years I've been walking with the Lord because he has matured me in my soul. The beautiful salvation that occurred in my spirit, the day I invited Jesus into my heart has been worked through my soul in now. It's an outward representation of who I am and who I see.

(17:56): So a great Tressa and the reminder that we cannot be a light, I can not be sunshine in the room if I'm not taking time every single day to get filled up and to get a download from my creator that I plug into every single day, every single morning, in order to get the strength, I would petition everyone to make this part of 2021 that we take the time, start small, say it's going to be five minutes, but from my business background and from everything I've ever done in life, I know that that consistency small as it is, whether you're exercising to start the year or whether you're connecting with God himself, that consistency and God seeing you every day, showing up yearning to hear from him will be rewarded by him in strength and peace and love that you can then go and share with the rest of the world. I love first Timothy two verse one through four Theresa, where it says, therefore I exhort. First of all, that supplications prayers, intercessions and giving of thanks. Be made for all men for Kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God, our savior, who desires all men be saved and come to the knowledge of truth. Isn't that what we're trying to do, Theresa?

(19:52): Absolutely. I love that scripture as well, because number one, it lays out prayer, right? We need God. Every human on this planet needs scotch. The planet needs a touch of Jesus, especially in these last days. And it's very clear that God's will is for all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. We know that the truth sets us free. The truth keeps us free. And that's why we're so anchored to our word, because if it's the word of God, these great impression promises to keep our faith engaged. It keeps our faith active and alive so that we can be that living a pistol so that we can press into the Holy spirit and say, I know you're here. Holy spirit help me. I still like acting unkind. I feel like ringing this person's nag because they're, they're being, um, you know, so unlovely today.

(20:56): But when you look to him and faith, his grace comes gushing like a waterfall. And before you know it you're behaving as a Christian and you're behaving like St. Augustine's sad and people are going to take notice. And they're going to say, what's different about you or, wow. I really liked the way you handled that difficult situation. You know, what, what was your strategy? And then you can say it was the Lord. I looked to him in prayer and his word says that when you look to him in prayer, he's going to lead you. He's going to empower you. He's going to anoint you. And he's going to strengthen you to do the things that he's called you to do. We're all in a different place in that process, in our walk with the Lord. But wow, you know, he's God, after all we have to understand, he is God.

(21:52): And he has the power. He has the ability. He has the know-how. He has the intellect to get us to a place where that joy that is inside of us will not only be the reservoir in bubble luck for our use, but it, that it will flow to others. I'm reminded Renee, as Jesus walked the earth, he said, rivers of living water will flow from your belly is how he put it. Meaning from your inner most heart, your spirit, those living waters are going to flow. And what does water do? It refreshes other people. So I know in my place of business, I love to bring my, my face to a practical position and understanding and platform in my business. I, you know, do a Bible study once a week and the life giving flow and water of the word. It comes from my belly, if you will. Oh, wow. It refreshes people. We just had a Bible study on Tuesday and wow, you could see people's countenance, uh, increase. You could see that the Holy spirit was working in them. And one woman that I never saw that and her countenance came alive and we prayed for healing. She had an earache. And so that's what God, I believe, uh, wants to happen in everyone's life. On a day-to-day basis. We see something in his word, these great impressions promises. And we say, Lord, we're holding you to your word. And then

(23:31): We watch him move

(23:33): Because Renee is you. And I know he watches over his word to perform it. It will not return to him void, but accomplish everything he sent it forth to accomplish. Yeah, that's great.

(23:46): Said this is not, this is not easy. Again, this takes practice. So I encourage you to get your 20, 21 plans ready and include in there that you're going to stop when there's an angst or anxiety or anxiousness in your spirit, practice, stopping and connecting and plugging into the creator. I have to do it every single day. I have to remind myself to develop the habit, to stop and connect with the creator and then act from that position. Great advice Theresa, and bringing it into our everyday life. I hope that in 2021, we can grow bigger and brighter and brighter and brighter and be that light that shines into dark places in the world. We're living in. Absolutely that that's our call. That's our high mission in life, really that I believe is God's desire. And well, as his, as we saw in first Timothy, that his will is for all to be saved, right? And all should come to the saving knowledge of Christ Jesus. And we get to be a part of that, which always excites me well. That's great. And if you're new to listening in 2021, we have a foundational scripture that we base. What is that? Scripture? Theresa? Absolutely. Renee Romans 10, 17. So then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Thank you all. Thank you for listening.

(25:25): We're so grateful that you're embarking on a new journey for 2021 and listening to this podcast. And if you subscribe, rate and review, we will send you a well-versed woman journal right in the mail. So go ahead and do that right now. We also have a community. We are not meant to do this alone. We are not meant to gather all this strength and all this sunshine alone. So ask to join the Facebook community well-versed woman. And lastly, there are show notes. The scriptures that we talk about in this specific episode, in this case to help your light shine. So go ahead and download those scriptures, put it up where you can see it every day. As a reminder, to help you practice sharing God's word and being an ambassador of the light. We'll see you next week.

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