Arise, Shine . .

Isaiah 60:1 
"Arise, shine; for your light has come, And the glory of the LORD has risen upon you."

The prophet Isaiah's words remind me very much of something that Jesus said. "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden;" (Mat. 5:14).

I had often heard Jesus' words being misquoted as follows: "A city on a hill 'which' cannot be hid." However, that subtle addition of the word 'which' completely alters what the Word admonishes. In this difficult world, we aren't 'encouraged' to try arise, we are commanded to "arise and shine". The Lord does not intend that these words of divine purpose be simply considered a 'word of encouragement' sung in a rousing chorus or passively listened to during an inspirational sermon. Jesus did not say that we "should" be like a city, brightly lit on a hilltop; He said, that WE ARE an unhidden city on a hilltop.

I'm reminded that these words were taught by Jesus while he was overlooking Jerusalem; from the vantage point of being on top of the Mount of Olives. The mount of Olives was adjacent to the city, and Jerusalem was in plain view from where He was teaching. Are we, the citizens of the Kingdom of God, in plain view, or are we somewhat obscured from onlookers?

Have you ever really asked yourself what it means to 'Arise'? I think of those whom Jesus healed, when He said to them "Take up your bed and walk." Do you find yourself laying low in despair or sickness? Take heart, arise, He is calling you (Mark 10:49). The blind man was amidst the throng of people. He was dirty and covered in the dust of so many walking and shuffling around him. He was a dregs of society. As he shouted out to Jesus, "Jesus, Son of David, Have mercy on me", he was rebuked by the onlookers. They told him to shutup and mind himself. He was classed as a 'nobody'. The famous preacher was coming up the road, so he was told to shutup and not cause a scene.

He cried out louder and more fervently. Do you ever find yourself feeling like that? Wanting to cry out to God, needing the healing touch of the savior, but concerned about what your coworker, or your neighbor, or the person sitting beside you in church will think? Cast off the cloak of your despair and arise. Lay aside the sins and weights which so easily beset you (Heb. 12:1).

Jesus never turns anyone away who comes to him in sincerity and repentance. When Jesus heard the blind man calling out for him, he told the ones close by him, "Call him here." Church, let's draw closer to Jesus, so that we will be the ones who hear Jesus' voice. Let's be the ones closest to Him who will take His message to the lost and dying - "Take heart. Arise, He calls for you."

Have we ever truly meditated and pondered, in our hearts, what Jesus meant by telling we believers that we are a city that is readily seen atop a hill? Let me present a simple scenario to you. Imagine being out on the highway for many, late, long hours. You need to reach your destination, but you're growing weary, and the few rest-stops that you've passed were closed and shrouded in darkness. There may have been a dim light over the entrance of the rest-stop, but otherwise, you could tell at a glance that it was no longer open for business.

Your heart felt a tinge of disappointment knowing that you would have to continue on without refreshment or a comforting snack. You wouldn't be splashing some cool water on your weary face - not just yet. You continue on in hope. You continue on because you're alone on the highway and you 'have' to continue on. But oh the gladness, when you finally see the lights of home. When you finally come to a 24 hour rest-stop! You and I, my friends, are to be a city of refuge; high on a hilltop and easily seen from miles away. Brightly lit, and welcoming to the wearied soul.

The light is come - His Name is Jesus! He taught us about the Kingdom of God, which is within us. He taught us that we who believe will lay hands of the sick and THEY WILL recover. He taught us that in His name we will deliver people from demonic activity and mental distress. He taught us that no deadly thing (sickness, poisons, disease or plague) shall harm us. He told us that we, yes we, would cleanse the lepers. (Perhaps we can consider the dying aids patient a modern day leper?) We are to shine, in this world. We are to shine the Light, given to us by the Father of Lights.

Jesus commanded us to make disciples of the nations; preaching the good news to ALL persons, everywhere. He instructed us to "Go tell what great things that the Lord has done for us". This translates to us in modern english as the instruction to actively share our individual testimony with boldness, gladness, wisdom and grace. We, the body of Christ, were commissioned by the King to operate in faith and expect to see results from prayers of faith, in Jesus' name.

We are the ones commissioned to bring healing and deliverance to anyone whom is oppressed by the devil. We are His own workmanship, created for good works in Christ (Ephesians 2:10). We must ARISE and let His light shine through our conversation, our countenance, our behavior, our work-ethics, our faithfulness, our healthy lifestyles, our prosperity, our determination, our resilience to adversity, our deeds of faith in HIS name, etcetera.

Too often, we the church, are feeling overshadowed by the oppressive difficulties of the world system that we live amidst. We live in this world, but we are NOT to conform to it (Romans 12:2, 1st John 2:15-17). We have been delivered and transferred from the worldly kingdom of darkness, into the Kingdom of God (Colossians 1:13). The gloom of economic crisis, health and wellness challenges, relational turmoils, so-called natural disasters, rebellious children, and all kinds of adversity, are very often devilish tactics to oppress and curtail the advancement of the Kingdom of God.

We ought not to succumb to these trials and travesties. "Greater is He who lives within us, than he lives in the world." In all these things, we are overcomers and He causes us to Triumph, in Christ (2nd Corinthians 2:14). It's time for the church of Jesus Christ to arise in the power of His might. It's time for us to arise in faith, building ourselves up in most Holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost (Jude 1:20). Jesus told us not to fear; He has overcome the world. 1st John 5:4 tells us: "For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world-- our faith."

Jesus told us that the Kingdom of God is WITHIN us (Luke 17:21). Some born-again people don't honestly realize that it is God's will for them to be in divine health, overflowing with ALL sufficiency, in ALL things, at ALL times, so that we can GIVE to others, and promote the good news to all men everywhere (2 Corinthians 9:8). Praise God, church! We've been entrusted with GLAD tidings of GREAT joy; for all peoples everywhere.

Our heavenly Father is the Father of lights (James 1:17). His Light is within us. God the Holy Spirit, was sent to us, He abides in us, and He (the Holy Spirit) empowers us to carry out Jesus' commandments. In what kind of conditions does light become the most effective and appreciated? When it's dark, of course. This world that we live amidst, is dark - very, very dark.

Again, I encourage you to ARISE & SHINE.