Staying in the Light

Did you know that a goldfish will lose its color if it doesn’t stay near light? If it stays in darkness for too long or if the light isn’t bright enough, the color of the goldfish begins to fade. Staying in the light is a lesson for us as well.

When Moses was on Mt. Sinai in the Lord’s presence, his face radiated with the glory of the God even after he came down from the mountain (Ex. 33:18-23, 34:29-35). Moses didn’t try to manufacture the brightness with his own ability. The light radiating from his face was a result of being in God’s presence. 

God “has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9). Unfortunately many believers want to spend time with both light and darkness. Jesus said, “I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me will not walk in darkness but will have the Light of life” (John 8:12) So how do we walk in the light? The only way we can reflect the glory of God is to spend time in His presence.

James 4:8 says, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” We draw near to Him in our hearts by talking with Him in prayer throughout the day. We regularly read His Word and let Him speak to our hearts. We love Him and worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:24) If we don’t actively seek the Lord (in the light), we’ll drift away from Him (into darkness). “We must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it” (Heb. 2:1). Drifting away doesn’t mean losing your salvation, but slipping back into our old ways. Then we lose our “color”—our joy, enthusiasm, and strength.

I pray you’ll decide today to stay in the light of God’s presence. He loves you, wants to speak to you, and will guide through this life.  www.kentcrockett.blogspot.com www.makinglifecount.net ****************************************************************************************************

BIBLE STUDY: “What does ‘the Lord make His face shine on you’ mean?”

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Making Life Count Ministries

P.O. Box 680174

Prattville, Alabama 36068-0174

www.makinglifecount.net  Twitter: @KentCrockett

When a Person's Conscience Stops Working

Have you noticed that many people’s consciences aren’t working? Nearly every week a psychopath shoots up a school, concert, or mall. Violent people are bullying and attacking others on social media using the most hateful and filthy words. Sexual immorality is rampant, even with those who claim to be Christians. Don’t people have consciences anymore? Perhaps the following story explains what has happened.

Years ago I rented an apartment located next to some railroad tracks. I was soundly asleep on the first night when a train came roaring past my room, blaring its horn. Immediately I jumped out of bed with my heart pounding, as I covered my ears to block the noise. After the train passed, it took me a while to get back to sleep.

The next evening, the same thing happened. I covered my head with a pillow and went back to sleep. Each night after that, I briefly woke up and then quickly went to sleep. As I kept ignoring the train horn, I eventually learned to sleep through the night without waking up.

This explains what has happened to many people’s consciences. God has put a conscience inside everyone where people instinctively know the difference between right and wrong. “Their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them” (Rom. 2:15).

When their conscience convicts them they’re doing something wrong, they keep ignoring the warning (like me ignoring the blaring train horn) and they eventually learn to not hear it anymore. Their consciences stop working. The Bible calls this a “seared conscience” (1 Tim. 4:2, Eph. 4:18-19), meaning their conscience loses sensitivity and fails to respond.

We’re seeing an increasing number of people in the world with seared consciences. That’s why they commit mass murders in schools and restaurants. This is why so many people “call evil good, and good evil; who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter” (Isa. 5:20). The only remedy is that they will turn to God and come to repentance. www.kentcrockett.blogspot.com www.makinglifecount.net ****************************************************************************************************

BIBLE STUDY: “Why did Jesus talk about Himself in third person?”

Receive these devotionals (free) by email: You can subscribe in the box on the right at www.kentcrockett.blogspot.com (Your email will not be given out. You’ll receive an email when the new devotional is posted)

Making Life Count Ministries

P.O. Box 680174

Prattville, Alabama 36068-0174

www.makinglifecount.net  Twitter: @KentCrockett