Monday, August 2, 2021

Orange Moon August 2, 2021 "Prayer For Lightbearers"

The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…


"Prayer For Lightbearers"


    Like all born again believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, but with a particular application regarding the task, God commissions some believers to bear His light as called communicators, and then reflect it upon others.

   "And how shall they preach, except they be sent?  As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!" (Romans 10:15).

    Another was once called to do the same.  

   "Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness.  How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer (lit., Lightbearer), son of the morning!" (Ezekiel 28:17; Isaiah 14:12).

    The one who became the father of lies once served as the reflective receptacle and dispenser of God and His truth.  Ezekiel reveals that Lucifer fell from his office through pride.  Somehow, "the anointed cherub that covereth" looked within himself and determined that the Light shining in him originated of him.  It did not, and a once faithful angel became the fallen devil.

   This is written as a suggestion for how to pray for pastors, evangelists, writers, and all called to communicate the Gospel.  Like Lucifer, the lightbearer of old who became the very heart of darkness, the greatest temptation communicators of God's Word face is pride and self-importance.  Indeed, the preciousness of the Gift (and gifts) they offer as the Lord's ambassadors means they will often receive gratitude, affirmation, and even accolades from those who benefit from their calling.  Certainly, a place exists for encouraging communicators of God's Word.  We do well, however, to be prayerful and careful regarding such affirmation.  Satan and his minions ever lurk in the shadows, loading their spiritual weapons with temptations of various kinds for bearers of God's light.  None will do more damage than pride, mainly because the proud do not know they are deceived.  Nor will their hearers and readers often recognize their communicator bears false light, even if his message seems faithful to God's Word.  Thus, we do well to pray accordingly , that our Heavenly Father will administer an ongoing work of humility in the hearts and minds of those He calls to serve in the capacities we consider.

   Upon his retirement, a beloved Bible college professor was asked how he would like to be remembered.  He responded in a manner that indicated much about why he was so respected:  "As a man who had and has a gracious, merciful, patient, and longsuffering Lord!"   Ponder this response for a moment, and what it implies.  You'll never hear a better answer to the question, and may our Lord raise up a company of communicators who faithfully bear His light because they realize that the Light that shines in them is not of them.  Even more, because they realize that regardless of how clearly they may have lived and communicated God's truth, their walk and ministry could and should have been so much greater.  No less than the Apostle Paul felt this way, and we close with his testimony of humble acknowledgement and lesson to all called to communicate...

"Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."
(Philippians 3:12-14)
"If a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself."
(Galatians 6:3)

Weekly Memory Verse
    Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto Thy name give glory, for Thy mercy, and for Thy truth's sake.
(Psalm 115:1)



    
   
  
   











































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