Clint - Shine

SHINE:
I was looking for to hide
Somewhere safe to reside
A peaceful place to stride;
A silent laid back pride.

So I chose to be a church mouse
To busy myself behind the scenes
Becoming a shadow in God’s house;
But I couldn’t escape my sins.

The mask I wore was airtight
But it didn’t help my sight
I still saw what God saw;
A man looking for a bend in law.

The whole world knew I was good
Nobody really understood
I was a white washed tomb;
A devil in an angel’s womb.

But now I accept to shine
To claim what God calls mine
To make the word my spine;
To stand up for what I believe in.


Dear reader, I urge you from the depths of my soul to rise up and shine Jesus, the light of the world (text emphasis Ephesians 6:10 - 20).

Ephesians 6:12 “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” … 13, “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to with stand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand”

Knowing this, why do we live our Christian lives as if our greatest peril is being rejected or accused by people? Don’t you consider that even your own flesh is used against you? Our vision is so narrow, it’s sad. How can you sit admiring you sword all day, while the enemy is busy planning attack strategies?

Train! Learn to swing your sword, learn its capabilities, which fighting style you like best. How to fight what? God doesn’t grant you victory if you are not prepared to win.
You can’t step on the battle field with a rusty sword and expect Goliath to drop dead! You can’t win a war by staying on the defensive. It’s great strikers that win games; great defenders can, at best, hold the other team to a draw. And my God doesn’t share trophies. A draw is a fence sitter, a lukewarm meal that is not acceptable to God. The best defense is a good offense, get up and step on the enemy.

Have you considered the dragon that so eagerly searches to destroy you before you share your testimony as he couldn’t get Jesus? Revelations 12:17. From the moment you decide to keep the commandments of Jesus, you are at war, pick up a weapon.

It ails me deeply to know we are hanging around waiting to resist the enemy’s advances and it turns my stomach to see we are not even ready to withstand a punch.

Jesus is our refuge but the church is no hiding place.