This morning’s news was bleak. The thoughts of war loom over the Ukraine, aborted babies being used as fuel in a British hospital, the Quebec government challenging the rights of faith based educational institutions etc. etc… This world we live in is changing and for the most part not for good. If we didn’t have a hold on the “good news” it would be a very dismal future. However, we do! We have been redeemed, we have been filled with the Spirit of God, we have an advocate (Jesus) who is interceding on our behalf before the Father!  It is so important that on the days when we  are tempted to succumb to the “bad news” that we renew our minds with the “good news”!  Today I want to share a chapter from the Bible that does just that.

2 Corinthians 4 NIV  4 Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. ² Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. ³ And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. ⁴ The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. ⁵ For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. ⁶ For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.

⁷ But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. ⁸ We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; ⁹ persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. ¹⁰ We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. ¹¹ For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. ¹² So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

¹³ It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” Since we have that same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak, ¹⁴ because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself. ¹⁵ All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.

¹⁶ Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. ¹⁸ So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Wow!   Those are powerful words of encouragement! We are to fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen because what is unseen is eternal! We, who have read the Bible, know the ending and Jesus wins! It may not seem like it when we look around with our carnal eyes but we know it with our spiritual eyes. This is all temporary and as we wait on the return of our beautiful King we have the awesome opportunity to let His light shine in our hearts in a world that desperately needs to see it! Though we are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;  persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.  We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.

We have been redeemed in order that we may reveal the life of Jesus in our body! Every day we have new opportunities to do just as we lean into Him and live out His love for this dark and broken world, knowing in the end we will see Him face to face!  🙂 Now that is good news!

So if you find yourself getting discouraged by the things you see with your eyes, fix your eyes on the truth of the gospel. Remember it is the “good news” that never changes! It is not dependent on our current leader, the economy or any other outward influence. It is true, it is 100 percent dependable and it will come to pass just as He says it will!

Have a great day letting your light shine!

“Renewing the mind is a little like refinishing furniture. It is a two-stage process. It involves taking off the old and replacing it with the new. The old is the lies you have learned to tell or were taught by those around you; it is the attitudes and ideas that have become a part of your thinking but do not reflect reality. The new is the truth. To renew your mind is to involve yourself in the process of allowing God to bring to the surface the lies you have mistakenly accepted and replace them with truth. To the degree that you do this, your behaviour will be transformed.” ~ Charles Stanley