Bella Brightens My World

Show Me Your Glory, Lord

Jesus, Light of The World

12 lAgain Jesus spoke to them, saying, m“I am the light of the world. Whoever nfollows me will not owalk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”  John 8:12


9 As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 And his disciples asked him, c“Rabbi, dwho sinned, ethis man or fhis parents, that he was born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but gthat the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 We must hwork the works of him who sent me iwhile it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, jI am the light of the world.”  John 9:1-5

Come to the Light

19 pAnd this is the judgment: qthe light has come into the world, and rpeople loved the darkness rather than the light because stheir works were evil. 20 tFor everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, ulest his works should be exposed. 21 But whoever vdoes what is true wcomes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”  John 3:19-21

The Path of the Righteous

But dthe path of the righteous is like ethe light of dawn,

which shines fbrighter and brighter until gfull day.

19  hThe way of the wicked is like deep idarkness;

they do not know over what they jstumble.  Proverbs 4:18

Remember: It is Finished

Now and Then

God Pursues

http://www.incourage.me/2014/03/7-things-you-need-when-youre-overwhelmed-cant-keep-up.html

Excerpt from Ann VosKamp's post (link above):

"God is so bent on blessing, He chases.
God’s not out to get you — He’s out to give to you.

And God’s blessings don’t pursue temporarily — but relentlessly. It’s right there in His Word: His goodness and mercy pursue me not just some days — but all the days of my life. When I’m in a wilderness, His mercy and goodness run after me. When I’m hurting, His grace hunts for me. When I’m plagued by problems, His goodness pursues me."

Be Glad In The Lord

Jax's Grumpy Face!!

In everything you do, stay away from complaining and arguing, so that no one can speak a word of blame against you.  You are to live clean, innocent lives as children of God in a dark world full of people who are crooked and stubborn.  Shine out among them like beacon lights, holding out to them the Word of Life...Whatever happens, dear friends, be glad in the Lord.  I never get tired of telling you this and it is good for you to hear it again and again (Philippians 2:14-16; 3:1)

It is our lack of complaining as well as our happiness in Christ that enables us to shine like beacons, holding out the Word of Life in a dark world.  It was true in Philippi, and it is true today.

Let's quit our grumblings and praise the Lord for every dark and crooked thing we see around us.  Do it, and watch God's light penetrate that darkness.

Inspiring Life of Kara Tippetts

http://mundanefaithfulness.com

God in Thick Darkness

18 Now when all the people saw wthe thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid4 and trembled, and they stood far off 19 and said to Moses, x“You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die.” 20 yMoses said to the people, “Do not fear, for God has come to ztest you, that the fear of him may be before you, that you may not sin.” 21 The people stood far off, while Moses drew near to the athick darkness where God was.  Exodus 20:18-21

29 When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, with uthe two tablets of the testimony in his hand as he came down from the mountain, Moses did not know that the skin of his face vshone because he had been talking with God.  Exodus 34:29

I love that Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was... and when he was later seen by the people the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God.

100 Best Websites for Writers

http://thewritelife.com/100-best-websites-for-writers-2014/?

Shirakawa, Japan

A Shaft of Light Sliced Through The Darkness

http://www.thehighcalling.org/reflection/melding-joy-and-grief#.UxshJM5urSw

Quote from this article

"My husband’s father was dying of lung cancer, yet in the midst of fear and grief, Brad managed to embrace joy. I didn’t understand how such joy was possible. I couldn’t escape the darkness of grief that enveloped me.
Weeks later, long after the memorial service had passed, I asked my husband how he’d been able to summon such joy during that depressing time. His answer surprised me. Sometimes he’d faked it, he admitted, going through the motions for the kids’ sake. But other times the tickling and giggling had somehow birthed a genuine joy—a respite from the pervasive grief. Playing with the kids had wedged open a crack. And, just for a moment, a shaft of light had sliced through the darkness."

Light and Momentary Affliction

16 So we do not lose heart. fThough our outer self4 is wasting away, gour inner self his being renewed day by day. 17 For ithis light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 jas we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Let Light Shine Out of Darkness

5 For what kwe proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with lourselves as your servants3 for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, m“Let light shine out of darkness,” nhas shone in our hearts to give othe light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.  2 Corinthians 4:5-6

God of All Comfort

3 fBlessed be the gGod and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and hGod of all comfort, 4 iwho comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For as we share abundantly in jChrist’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.1 6 kIf we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. 7 Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you lshare in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort.

8 For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers,2 of mthe affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us nrely not on ourselves obut on God pwho raises the dead. 10 qHe delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. rOn him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. 2 Corinthians 1:3-10