HOW DO WE PREPARE OURSELVES TO SHINE THIS YEAR

We have said that 2015 is going to be a year to shine the Lord’s light so that when people see us, they notice the glory of God.

All of us know how gold looks good when worn. However, gold is not found in the mud shining. There is a process that it has to go through so that it can be purified from dirt and impurities.

1 Thessalonians 5:15-18: "Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else. Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus."

When we live joyfully, praying at all times (not to ask God for things but to commune with him) and always giving thanks, we manifest the glory of God to others (we shine).

On the other hand, there are other factors that can hinder a person from shining.

The first is having a sinful nature. The Glory of God cannot be reflected by everyone. Romans 3:23 says "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God"

It is only those who have received the gift of salvation, who are born again that can shine the light of the Lord.

The second factor that can hinder one not to shine, is walking in sin. This concern born again believers who have not stripped themselves of sin and put on Christ as we are told in Romans 13:11

" And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already comefor you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. 14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh."

Just as the gold is removed from the mud, in order for it to shine, so must you also be willing to be clean so that you can shine His light.

Lastly, another factor that can stop one from shining is found in Revelations 2: 2-5. This concerns believers whose whose zeal and love for the Lord and His kingdom has gone. They feel that they are mature and know it all. They are also very judgmental. These believers cannot shine the glory of God as well.

Therefore, if you have not received the Lord Jesus in your life, purpose to do it today so that you can shine His light this year. 

If you are in the second category, you have received the Lord Jesus in your life but you are living in sin, repent and turn from those ways.

Let 2015 be a year to shine and don’t let anything hinder your light from being seen.

Extract of the sermon preached by Nahimana Dieudonne

Sunday 18^th, January, 2015

2015, YOUR TIME TO SHINE!

We wish all you friends and members of Oasis Christian Center a Happy New Year. Last year, our theme was found in the book of Isaiah 54.  We said that last year was a year of enlarging tents and for all those who believed it, you saw it happen in your life.

At the beginning of this New Year, God gave us a new theme to build our lives and activities upon as a church.  The theme is that, 2015 is going to be:

The Year of Shining

This is found in the book of Isaiah 60:1 -5

It says:

“Arise, shine, for your light has come,
 and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.
² See, darkness covers the earth
    and thick darkness is over the peoples,
but the Lord rises upon you
    and his glory appears over you.
³ Nations will come to your light,
    and kings to the brightness of your dawn.

⁴ “Lift up your eyes and look about you:
    All assemble and come to you;
your sons come from afar,
    and your daughters are carried on the hip.
⁵ Then you will look and be radiant,
    your heart will throb and swell with joy;
the wealth on the seas will be brought to you,
    to you the riches of the nations will come.”

If you go back and look at Isaiah 59, God describes the sins of the people and how they separated him from them. He says “Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear.
² But your iniquities have separated you from your God”

When people walk far way from God, they cannot see His glory (Romans 3:23) and this also stops them from discovering their purpose.

The word “arise” is for those who are sitting, not for those who are standing up. This is not the year for you to sit down and complain but the year for you to arise- to stand. I don’t know the things telling you that it is not possible, it may be news on radio, circumstances in your life, but know that if you disobey and remain in that position, these things will harm you.

However, if you obey and arise, your family, your neighbors, the people around you will be amazed as they see shining not with your own glory. The Glory of God shall come upon you and you shall be a mirror reflecting it.

Your shining will cause nations (those who are from far or don’t know the Lord) to desire to know you because they have seen the glory of the Most High God upon your life.

There are things that are kept on the inside of you. Treasures that people around you do not know of. In you there is life as Jesus said in John 7:38: “Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them."

This is the life that must be manifested this year. How can that happen?

 Matthew 5: 13-16 explains:

  “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill 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 others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

In order to let your light shine, you have to hear the word of God, meditate on it and do what it says. 

Another secret that will cause you to shine this year is to tarry (dwell) in the presence of God. This is where revelations will come from. 

Looking at 2 cor3:7-18, we see that as we contemplate the glory of God, we are transformed as well.

Glory is not beauty. The Glory of God means the presence of God. We are saying that this year, people will know that God exists by referring to you and seeing your God.

However, if we look back at Isaiah 60, you will notice that it says “See, darkness covers the earth
and thick darkness is over the people”. You may think that because of this word, everything is going to be easy, but no, this is not what we are saying. Times are going to get harder. Fear will surround the world, and people will find it hard to cope with life. This is why it is during these dark times that indeed your light shall be needed.

Let your light shine!

This is your year of Shining! 

Sermon preached on  Sunday, 4 january 2015

By Pastor Nahimana Dieudonne