How bright is your candle
Key Passage: Luke 11:33
Date: June 7, 2024
Back before COVID-19, in Sunday school, I gave a testimony of my wife and our life, how we met. It went 40 years before we came back together. And Pastor Paul and Ms. Robin decided that Mike can’t say anything in a brief amount of time.
So I told him last night on the phone or asked him if it was all right if he just got three or four minutes today versus me. Anyway, I’m not much of a public speaker, so I’ll try to condense 60 years in three or four minutes.
When I was 17 years old, I gave my life to Jesus. Home, high school, college, started slipping. Got married, had a couple of boys, went back. On Sunday was Sunday school, church, lunch at Mama’s, a nap, and then back to church. Boys were young and on the way home one Sunday, wanted a movie. So we stopped at the movie store. And as they were looking, there was an elder from the church that came out of the adult room. I didn’t say anything. Went on, got our mood, went on home.
I started thinking as the boys grew, got older, on their own. I had the rude misconception that if I was out in my front yard planting flowers, on my motorcycle riding in the mountains in the fall, I could be just as close to God as anybody sitting in a church pew. Well, went on with life, started my own business, did well. And more and more I thought that.
Well, last year, my oldest son, Michael, said, “Dad, we’ve been going to Rutherford County Baptist Church, and you would love it.” I said, “Well, we’ll think about it.” So last summer, he comes to us and says, “Dad, there’s going to be a tent service.” That was the first service that we came to. Subject was the cross.
I had thought for almost 30 years that I, being out in nature, could be as close to God as anyone. Growing up, strict, strict Church of Christ, heard many, many preachers in my life. Can’t count them on my hands. That day, I heard the Lord come through a man.
Better, stronger, more caring, kinder, you name it, in Pastor Paul. I’ve told him that every week that we’ve been here—I think 50 out of 52 since that year, since last year. But I have never heard the Lord come through a man any better with a more powerful lesson than Pastor Paul Chisgar.
I visited a few churches in my life, more than I can count. I have never seen or been involved with a more loving, kind, caring, and God-fearing family as this church here. And this is where we are, and this is where we’ll be. Thank you.
If you’re thankful for that river, would you say amen? And praise the Lord for that shed blood of Jesus Christ. I appreciate John’s singing about it. And I’m thankful for it. Amen. I need it. I don’t know about you, but I sure need it for it. And praise the Lord for it. Turn your Bibles to Luke chapter number 11, if you would please. Luke chapter number 11.
And it is good to see some folks slipping in here, even a little later. What a blessing. Thank you for coming. Glad to have you. Luke, Chapter number 11 of God’s Word. And it’s not going to be, maybe—can I just say it this way? I think over the last couple of weeks, your preacher included, we’ve all messed up in this one right here, all right? So I just kind of want to admit that, because I want you to admit it, and let’s all work at it is what the best is going to be about, all right? Because if we’re going to be what this old world needs, we have to work at this thing.
I’m not here to beat you over the head about it. I got you all curious. You’re curious about what it is now, aren’t you? I’m trying to get Brother Fontaine from stopping doing that heroin and those drugs he’s doing is what it is. The bottle, too. No, I’m joking, folks. Don’t take me serious now, you know. But the thing God’s word is going to talk about, and I’m going to use it, is something we have to work at in our day and time in a great way. And it’s a little tough to do right now. But we’ve got to work at it if we’re going to be the light this world needs us to be.
All right. Y’all with me on board? Y’all on board this morning? Amen. Anybody asleep yet? Who said that, Brother Jimmy? Miss Cookie’s got him covered. She’s been filing that elbow for a while. Now, if Miss Cookie falls asleep, we’re in trouble, folks. I’d tell you what, now, you know. But amen. Amen.
Luke chapter number 11 of God’s word. Would you please, fans, we’ll read it together out of respect to God’s word. Luke 11, we’re going to start in verse number 33. The title would be, “How bright is your candle?” How bright is your candle is what we’re going to preach about. Luke 11 and verse number 33. If you’re there, would you say praise the Lord? Great, good, good, good. We’re getting you awake a little bit. Does it feel like, or sound like—I should say, sound like—I’m in a can a little bit? Does it, or does it sound good, y’all? Yeah. All right, all right, good. You ain’t got no excuse for sleeping in, all right, now, you know, we’re good.
Luke 11, verse number 33, the Bible there says, “No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light.” Now, I want you just kind of see the context here, all right?
Then verse number 34, “The light of the body is the…” What’s the next word? That’s a key phrase. Would you read that whole phrase with me? It’s a key phrase. Here it is. Here we go. “The light of the body is the eye.” One more time, please. Here we go. “The light of the body is the eye.” Therefore, if thine eye is single, focused, if you will, thy whole body also is full of light. But when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness. Take heed, therefore, that the light which is in thee be not darkness. If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light as when the bright shining of a candle doth give the light.
Let’s go to the Lord in word of prayer. Father, Lord, I believe you led me to preach along this line. And, Lord, I pray that you’d fill me with Your Spirit. Do so. Lord, let me not preach it like I’ve arrived and got it all together. You know I failed this thing so much, Lord. But, Father, would you take one sinner and would you encourage other sinners to learn and grow from your great truth this morning? Lord, help us to be the light that you want us to be in 2020, near in the midst of all the chaos. Lord, help us to shine brightly for you. Lord, use today to that end. And, Lord, we’ll thank you and praise and brag on you for what you do. And, Father, send Jesus, and we ask. Amen.
Thank you so much for standing. You may be seated.
I used to go stay at my Granny Lee’s house. It was just awesome to stay at Granny Lee’s house in Dover, Florida. And Granny always had a little bit of a farm going. She had to have a big garden going. You know, back in the day they used to have burn pits. Anybody ever dig a burn pit? Oh, yeah, man. You got to dig that thing. You feel like in the Marines. Dig that hole. A couple of years later, you’re covered up. Just doesn’t make sense, you know. But Brother Ben says that wasn’t nothing compared to the real Marines, you know.
But Granny said, and Granny typically she would have some chicken sometimes. She’d have a steer typically. And often, more often than not, she’d have some pigs. And the pigs were always back at the back of the field. And we would have a five-gallon bucket. If we had leftovers, they’d go in the pig slop in the bucket. And then you usually have to add some feed and some corn in there and whatnot. And you’d take that five-gallon bucket, you’d walk down there in the field, way back at the back to where the pigs were. And they’d go down there, and the trough was always flipped over, mud everywhere. And…
And so me being the good, kind-hearted guy I was—we won’t mention shooting, riding the pigs, and one of the cousins shooting the pigs into honey, and they’d take off running with you riding over—we won’t talk about that, you know. But they’re just trying to be good to those pigs. We go down there and we’ll flip the trough over, set it upright, take the water hose, wash all the mud out of it, take that five-gallon bucket, and pour that slop in that trough. The man knows pigs would be oiling. I mean, they’d be only. You don’t have to call, sue, see, you didn’t have to do it. They were there, man. The food’s there, they’re there, you know.
But every time of that fell, they would always—they would always take that old snout over there before they ate, and then knock that trough over. And that pig slop, chicken bones—somebody says amen right there—fried chicken bones. Come on now, that’s good preaching. You’re not going to get fried chicken in there somewhere, you know. And everything else, and that corn, and they would just get it in the mud, then they’d walk a little bit, and they’d get it all mixed in the mud, and then they would eat it.
Now, you think that’s gross, but you had bacon this morning. That pig did the same thing you ate this morning, friend. That’s because it’s their nature. That’s just the way a pig is. I don’t want to get too gross here, but if you don’t believe me, go to the slaughterhouse and find out what’s inside those pigs, Fred. Woo, got quiet on that one. I’m getting off the subject. We got to get back to the purpose of this story here now.
Now, can I be honest with you? Can I be real honest with it? I’m included in this thing. You know what our nature is? To get in the mud. And look at all the mud that’s going all around. Look at all the problems, all the bad, all the negative. Hey, the papers, they know, they know that’s true, the news. That’s why, man, they don’t print good news because they’re after money. They know it sells. We like the mud.
And here’s what I’m getting at, and I’m guilty myself. If I’m going to be the light that ought to be, it’s all about where those eyes right there go. Because it says right there the light of the body is the eye. See, can I say this? I can tell what type of things you’ve been looking at by how much light you have. I don’t care. You can be the best Christian, quote, unquote, in the world, but if you’ve been looking at all the mud, you’re not going to have much light. Come on, friend. Because the Bible says the light of the body is the eyes.
And here’s what I’m getting at. My natural tendency is to focus on all the bad. Help me out. Help me out. If I go to work tomorrow, I’m working. I work a lot of machine shops or factories. And I go to work tomorrow and I’m just depressed. Oh, it’s bad. Everything’s bad. It’s awful. It’s so bad. I can’t believe it. You think I’m going to lead somebody to work at work? No. If I go to work tomorrow and I’m just mad and frustrated out the wild—pretty easy to get like that right now. Come on now. I won’t say, stop, stop feeding them, make them work for the food, and they won’t be riding so much. Amen? I got to get a little of my friends. I told you I haven’t been obeying this thing all week.
But here’s, and I’m not saying don’t keep up on everything somewhat, but if my eye is focused on that, I’m not going to have any light left. I’m saying right now, it’s a time you and I, we’re going to have to work at this thing. It’s getting quiet all of a sudden. I felt like I’m stranded on an island all by myself up here.
I just want to encourage you, friend, by this Bible truth. Listen, if I’m going to go out in this sin-cursed world and be on top side and living with the joy and the peace of God and win somebody to the Lord, I’m going to have to watch what my eyes are looking at. I’m going to work at it.
Praise your Lord. Sunday school, we learned that three different people this week through people of our church have bowed their head and asked Jesus Christ to be their savior this week. Amen. Hey, friend, people are still getting saved in the midst of COVID, amen. Jesus is—listen—He’s still working in lives. But if I’m going to be the light that ought to be, I’ve got to focus a little bit and restrain a little bit and work at this a little bit because the light of the body is the eyes. So I can’t just let my human nature go. I can’t just let my pig nature turn it over and wallow in the mud. I’m not saying don’t keep up with everything so much. Friend, if I have a steady diet through these eyes here of that, I’ll be pretty dark. Are you all mad at me this morning? A couple people I think, maybe a little bit, right? Brother Jimmy, go back to sleep. You want to worry about it, maybe.
Hey, you can’t put your mind in neutral, let it go wherever it wants to go. This isn’t just true in our day and time. I guarantee it’s true in your marriage. If you let your mind go to neutral, you’re going to see every bad thing about your mate, and you’re going to be just negative in your mind towards them, and you’re going to say, “What happened to our sweet, loving marriage?” And I’ll tell you what happened to it. You let your eyes go to all the negative things, and then you’ve got no joy in your home.
Hey, young people, you got to watch it because if you’re not careful, you’re going to see all the bad in your mom and dad. You’re going to see every—and they can do a thousand good things. Look up back there. Hey, Dale and Brandon and Destiny, all you all—you’re going to look up back to. Hey, they can do a thousand good things, but there’s two things that they did bad. If you’re not careful, you’re going to look at that, you’re going to focus on that, and you’re not going to be happy.
That’s just life. By the way, you said, “Well, if I had that husband over there, Frank, can I tell you what? His feet stink in the morning time, too? And his breath, you don’t even want to go there.” I mean, I like it. I think it’s in Psalm 106. We’re not sure who God used to pen it, but he said, “To see the good of thy chosen.” You’re not going to see the good by accident. You got to work at it.
Look if you were talking about Psalms. Look over, if you will, Psalms chapter number 27. Psalms chapter number 27. This is David. God used David to pen this thing here. And I don’t know. I’ve read a couple different people’s opinion, and that’s all it is. And they actually differ on it. Some say this is David when he was running from Saul as a young man. Some say it was older, and he also got killed one time. One of his men kind of rescued him. We’re not sure exactly. David had been through so much. He had had some major issues in his life. I mean, he had trials and burdens and heartache. I mean, he’d been through it, friend, you don’t know what I’ll talk about David. And yet I want you to see what David says right here through the inspiration of God, the Holy Spirit. Psalm 27, would you look in verse number 13, please? If you’re there, would you say amen? Psalm 27, look at verse number 13. He said, “I had fainted unless I had believed to see the…” What’s the next word? Actually, at this point he couldn’t see it, but he said, “I believe to see it.” He’s looking for it. He had his eyes pretty focused.
“I had fainted unless I believed to see the goodness of the Lord,” not even in eternity, here, in the land of the living.
Can I put it in Tennessee vernacular? Old David said, “Listen, if I just let my mind go to all the bad that’s around me and the horrible things,” he said, “I would have fainted, but I kept just—I was striving. I couldn’t even see it at some point, but I said, ‘I’m going to believe one day I’m going to see the goodness of God.’” And he said, “That kept me going.” You got to work at it.
Hey, this old world, this old world, right now more than ever, it needs a Christian to go to work, and they’re on top side, and they’re going to be like, “How in the world can anybody be on top side right now?” And you’re not going to be on top side unless you work at those things right there. Because the light of the body is the eyes.
I’m not trying to be judgmental and all that. I’ve already admitted I’ve got problems with myself, especially right now. But listen, friend, for the most part, I can be around you for just a little short amount of time and figure out where your eyes have been looking. Come on now.
And friend, I just want to encourage you. Hey, we’re going to have to work at this thing, all of us. And there’s always—I guarantee you any time of your life, whether you’re 12 or 22 or 82, I guarantee you there’s a whole lot of good you can look at and there’s a whole lot of bad you can look at in your life. Just a matter what you’re going to look at.
I never forget. I don’t know. I’m bad about time. It may have been two or three years ago. But it was a great Sunday. Bruce and Tina Ippel. How many of you know Bruce and Tina Ippel? I used to like him until they betrayed us and they moved away. Those traitors, they’re probably watching online. Tees and I love them. But they moved away up to Illinois. Great people. But one Sunday morning, one Sunday morning, the Lord—I just—the Lord got a hold of their hearts. And they walked down over here and they both got saved. Man, that was a wonderful day. I’m talking about that’s what we pray for and work for. I mean, that’s what we’re after right there. And man, they both got baptized and God’s working in their life. It’s just awesome to see that.
But can I be honest with you? The same day, we had some problems in our church. And not pleasant things. We had some issues going on that day, and some turmoil. And I went home that afternoon. I tell you what, I had a choice to make. Either I could keep my eyes on that good thing, or I could get my eyes on the problems. And there were some major problems going on that day.
Now listen, friend, that’s wonderful. But I guarantee you I had to work at it. You have to work at it too because all of you are now trying to figure out what the bad was going on that day. Because that’s our nature. And that day I had to say, “Paul, what in the world are you doing focusing on the bad? There’s always going to be bad.” You get two people together, you got two people together, 20 million problems already. I mean, you get a bunch of people together, you got a whole lot of problems for him. Why in the world are you just spending your time focusing on that, when you got a man and lady just change their destiny from hell to heaven forever, some wonderful people, and they accepted Jesus as your savior? And I’m living over here in the murder grubs because I’m looking at the bad thing. Because that’s our nature. And if I put my mind and my eyes in neutral, it’s going to go to the bad. And my body’s going to be full of darkness. Because the light of the body is the… Help me out. You can do a little better if you would, please. The light of the body is the…
I’ve got to work at this thing. If we’re to have a body full of light, then listen to me, if we’re going to have a body full of light, it’s going to be because we determine to look at the right things. Now, I’m not saying you don’t know what’s going on in the world around you, but there’s a difference in knowing what’s going on in the world around you and having your eyes stuck on that all the time. And I’m going to have to work at it. And I’m going to have to determine. I guarantee you can have 100 good things and three negatives. If you let your mind go on neutral, it’s going to go to those three negative. So how do you know that? Because I is one. We’re all—there’s one. It’s their human nature. Someone said we write our benefits in the dust and our injuries in marble. Hey, a fault is the easiest thing in the world to find.
My wife and I are about to go on vacation at the end of the month here. And we’ll—hey, Wednesday and Sunday and Wednesday, we’ll be in church somewhere. I guarantee you. I don’t know who’s open, but we’ll find somebody open. If we have to open her own, but we’ll be in church somewhere. And my wife and I, we already know. We already have to work at it. I mean, I was in church nine months before I was born. You know what I’m saying? Been around it all my life, and I mean, I was raised it and been pastor for 20 years and preaching for over 30, and all I—you know, all that stuff. And so here’s the thing: we’ll go visit a church, and pretty quick into it—and I’m not trying to act like I’m an old—a lot you can probably do the same thing—but pretty quick into it, I can find out, I can find problems with that church, and I know they need a little this. And if that’s what I do, shame on me.
And my wife and I were already determined we’re going to go on vacation, we’re going to go to church somewhere, and we’re going to go to that church, and we’re not going to go in there looking for all the bad. We’re going to go in there looking for something good. We’re going to try to find the good of the chosen. We’re going to try to get some light out of that thing. We’re trying to listen to the Holy Spirit of God. But if knows that man stands and preaches the old King James Bible, I’m going to say, “Hey, praise the Lord, I like that preacher, man, preach on!” And we’re going to try to see the light. If I don’t work at it, friend, my own mind goes to, “Well, I’ll do this, I’ll do that, and I’ll do that.” And shame on me.
It’s amazing. It’s amazing in our church. We’ll leave. We’ll leave. And somebody said, “Oh, my goodness, man, God worked in my heart. That was a blessing.” Somebody else will leave it. And if you’ve got a problem, please come see me. I mean that. I mean that. I mean that. Sometimes you need to. But same service, boy, God spoke. And somebody else has come complaining. And I’m not trying to be mean, but it’s just a matter where our eyes go. And I have to work at this saying because, listen, if I’m going to have light, it’s all the matter where my eyes are at. The light of the body is the eyes.
Listen, I’m going to stay on the top side. It’s a matter of controlling where these eyes are focused on. It’s key. Can I say this? It’s not a matter of the circumstances. It’s not. I have visited—I think of visiting a man, Brother Duane Dauvin. I don’t even remember Brother Dwayne Dauvin. He was in Sarah Cannon Cancer Center, 40 years old, had a very major heart issue. He’d been to Mayo Clinic. He had cancer at the time. I mean, you talk about circumstances that would control that the guy would be on—be down. He ended up passing, I don’t know, after this, maybe six months after this. I mean, going home, he’s in heaven now.
But I went to visit Brother Dwayne down to in Sarah Cannon Cancer Center. Man, I was like—I was trying to encourage him. And I went in there and he encouraged me. Now, I went in there trying to be, you know, I mean, I was trying to stay up for him. And my honest truth is, I wasn’t staying up. And I went in there, and I still remember today. You know what he said? He said, “Hey, Brother Paul, Pastor Paul,” he said, “Hey, Romans 8:28 is still in the Bible.” That’s where it says, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them that are called according to his purpose.”
Here’s the thing. That guy had major heart issues. That guy had cancer. He ended up passing from all that, but in the middle of all that, he was still on top side because he had his eyes on one of the best things you can get your eyes on. Nothing better. Get your eyes on that right there. “The entrance of thy word gives light.” And if I’m going to have a light in this dark world, I’ve got to say, “Hey, I’m going to keep my eyes focused on that light right there,” because that light right there will shine in dark places. It’ll shine in the Sarah Cannon Cancer Center. Friend, it’s not a matter of your circumstances. It’s a matter where circumstances can make it harder for me to keep my eyes on the right thing. But the light of the body is not circumstances. The light of the body is the eyes. We’re going to have to work at it.
Now, here’s the thing. Here’s the thing. We read that verse number 33 because of this. Look back over there, if you will. Luke 11:33. One more time if you would. And we’re going to pray and be dismissed. Go eat some fried chicken somewhere. Amen. Got two people on board about the fried chicken. Okay, we’re going to read it, pray, and go eat some steak somewhere.
Verse number 33. Verse number 33. “No man when he hath lighted a candle, put it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick that they which come in may see the…” Dad, your kids need to see some light. If they got a dad that’s just always dark, friend, they need to see some light. Wives, that husband, he needs some light sometimes. I understand he’s responsible for himself. Be good to help him. Hey, those coworkers, one to be wonderful. They say, “You know, I don’t know what it is about that lady over there, but they got some light about him.” They just—they got light going on. That’s the context here.
Listen, friend, the world, they’re looking right now. Listen, wouldn’t it be great for young folks to say, “You know what? This old world seems like everybody’s down.” And I go home, my mom and dad, they’re on the top side. They could be. But it’s all the matter of this right here. The light of the body is the eyes. If we’re going to shine brightly, it’s going to be better eyes.
Jesus told us apostles at one point. He’d sent them out. And they had power, God—Jesus had given them power. They cast out the devils. And boy, they came back, and the seven disciples that were—hey, the demons are subject to us through your name, Jesus. You remember what Jesus told them? Jesus said, “Hey, be careful with all that. Circumstances change. In times the devil is going to have some power. He’s still a loser. He’ll have some power.” Jesus told those apostles over there, he said, “Notwithstanding in this, rejoice not that the spirits are subject unto you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”
In other words, there might be times you have to say, “You know what? I’m going to keep my eyes on the fact I’m going to heaven.” This world is not my home. I’m just a passing through. My treasure is laid up somewhere beyond the blue. The angels beckon me from heaven’s open door, and I can’t feel it home in this world anymore. You got to say, “You know what? I know the world’s falling apart. I don’t like it.” Yes. Stop giving them food and said, “Make them where they got to go work. If they don’t work, y’all not to eat,” and they start getting hungry. They’ll start working, and they won’t be fighting after a while. Amen? I’m for all that stuff and more, friend. But at the end of the day, hey, listen, this world ain’t my home anyway. I’m going home to heaven. Such affectional things above. And I’m going to keep my eyes sometime. Praise the Lord. Jesus is coming. I’m going to heaven. I’m going to leave this old world behind because I’m a sinner saved by the grace of God. I got heaven to look forward to. The road, I might have some bumps on the trip. That’s all right. I know what’s at the end of the road. Amen.
Hey, don’t work at keeping your eyes on those things. Your eyes got to be focused. How many vacations right around the corner for you? You can tell my vacation’s coming. Amen. But how many you got vacation a month away or whatever may be? And you go to work. Oh, my goodness. Two more weeks. Brother Matt says one more week, one more week. See there? He’s there. When I was in school, I said, “Oh, man, two more weeks we’re out of school.” Amen. Wow, you got that. Hey, it’s coming. Hey, friend, we got heaven. And sometimes you got to say, “Hey, my name is written in heaven.” Praise the Lord, I’m going home one day. It’s all the matter where our eyes are. Can I encourage you just keep your eyes on Jesus, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith. You’re going to have to work at that right now. I have to work at that. Can I just encourage you to walk with the Lord right now more than ever?
Friend, hey, man, money’s on the line, if you will. You know what I’m saying? I mean, all hands on board on deck. It’s the time. We’ve got to shine right now. By the way, don’t get too depressed. The Lord’s plowing the fields. I mean, the Lord’s given us a little glimpse of it. I already had three people saved last week. I mean, he just might be putting that plow deep into making some good furrows. I mean, you know, hey, listen, friend, it’s not time for us to dry up and shrivel up and get all depressed and mad at the world and angry. Hey, it’s time to say, “Man, I’m going to be walking with the Lord right now because I want to shine.” And one day we’re going to come out of this, start—start full-fledged witnessing. And praise the Lord, I don’t want to be ready to go for the Lord at that time. Can I just encourage you in the midst of all this, keep real close to the Lord. Walk with Him. Spend time with Him.
Several years ago, several years ago, man, it’s been a long time ago now. My younger brother was graduating college, I believe it was in Florida. And my sister-in-law worked for an airline that we could fly from St. Petersburg to Indianapolis for $25. Somebody say, amen, right there. That’s what I’m talking about. And we—we left Florida. And it’s St. Petersburg Airport. I don’t know about now, but back then was one of those airports. You didn’t have to go through the tunnel. You go outside and then you go up the steps to get on the plane. Kind of neat. It felt like the president. You know, look at me. I’ll tell you what, didn’t have any bodyguards. But anyway, I mean, it’s—it’s—but here’s the thing. We’re flying into Indianapolis. And Indianapolis—I mean, we went outside in St. Petersburg, short-sleeved shirt and everything. We flew in Indianapolis, and there was a snowstorm going on. I’m talking about, I mean, you know, there’s snow coming. In fact, we—I think it was a Saturday, if I remember. We were going to drive back Saturday night to get here for church back in the day, but we got stuck. We ended up staying the night in a motel because you couldn’t drive the roads in Indiana.
But here’s the thing: all the way, all the way from Florida to Indiana, that plane was—I don’t know, 30,000 feet, whatever it is, way up there. Sun was shining. It was bright. Look beautiful. Calm. And then the pilot said, “We’re going to start our descent.” And he said, “It’s snowing where we’re landing at.” And he started coming down through those clouds, turbulence in those clouds, and then you get down there, and there’s snow everywhere. And boy, I tell you about when you’re landing in a snowstorm, that increases your prayer life greatly. Amen. Pray without ceasing, amen.
Here’s my thing: there’s a snowstorm always going on down here, but you can walk with the Lord into heavenlies, as Ephesians calls it. You didn’t have the sun and it shining on you and through you if you’re staying close to Him. But it’s about our eyes. Help me out one more time, if you would please. The light of the body is the… That’s key.
Would you bow your heads and close your eyes please? Our heads bowed, our eyes are closed. You said, “Preacher, I need to get my eyes right. I got to have to work at this thing. I want to be a light in my home, my workplace, my neighborhood, my friends at school.” God spoke to my heart. I need to work at my eyes. God spoke to my heart about that right there. If that’s you this morning, would you say, “Preacher, would you just lift your hand?” I’ve got to work at this thing. Me too. Me too. My hands up. Got to work at this thing where my eyes are looking. God bless you. God bless you, many, many hands. Would there be anybody else? “Preacher, God spoke to my heart. I got to work at my eyes where my eyes are.” Anybody else? Just lift it up. Lift it up. God bless you. God bless you. God bless you.
I remember times when our children, we were seeing every negative thing in their lives. The neighbors would say, “Those are good kids.” And we said, “You’re talking about my kids?” And the Lord said, “Hey, you need to work on your eyes with your kids a little bit.” Anybody else? God spoke to my heart. I need to get my eyes—need to work my eyes where they’re looking at. Anybody else? Anybody just slip it up? “Preacher, you need to work in my eyes.” Anybody else? God bless you. God bless you. Thank you so very much. You put your hands down.
Maybe you say, “I sure would like to be that candle, that shining brightly for the Lord. I want the Lord to put it on the candlestick.” By the way, kind of reminds me of the church over there in relation. Now, I want God to use me. I want to shine brightly in a dark time. Everywhere I go, I want the light of Jesus to shine through me. I’d like to be a light for Him. And I’m asking God, would you let me shine brightly for you during 2020? God, would you use me to shine brightly for you right now? God worked in my heart. I’d like to be a light to many of people right now. If that’s you, just lift your hand up. Just lift your hand up. God bless you. God bless you. Oh, that’s needed right now. That’s needed. It may be at work, it may be in public, it may be at home. I’d like to be a light. God bless you. God bless you, many, many hands. God bless you. Thank you so very, very much for letting the Lord work in the hearts and put your hands down.
Thank you so very, very much. Maybe you’re here this morning. There’s never been a time when you went to Jesus Christ, the light of the world. You’ve never accepted Him as your way to heaven. You’ve never gone to Him and said, “Jesus, I’ll never shine without you. I’m just—I’m a sinner. I need you to save me. You need to shine your light in my heart. Pay my sin debt. Make me a child.” Maybe you’re here this morning, maybe you’re online, and you say, “I’m not going to heaven. I’ve never been saved, never been born again. I need to get saved.” God’s working in my heart about that right there. “Preacher, I’m not saved, not a child of God, not on the way to heaven.” If that’s you, “Preacher, I don’t—I’m not saved, not a child of God, not going to heaven.” That’s you, just lift your hand. “Preacher, I’m not sure. I’m not saved. Never accepted the light of Jesus as far as my salvation. Never been saved before.”
Jesus loves you. He shed His blood for you. He wants to save you. It’s a gift. Give it to you. He doesn’t renege on His gifts. It’s yours. I pray to you, I’d like to call on Jesus and receive that gift He’s purchased for me. Right there where you’re at, whether you be in the auditorium or online, right there where you are, would you tell Him in your heart, “Oh, dear Jesus, I’m a sinner. I can’t save myself. Jesus, would you come into my heart? Would you pay for every one of my sins? Would you save me? Give me your light eternally? Thank you, Jesus, for saving me.”
You just called on Jesus Christ to be your Savior. We’re so happy about that. We’ll rejoice. If you’re online, the bottom of the YouTube there, would you just click that? We’ll send you a free Bible and some literature. We’re so thrilled to have you saved, part of the family of God. If you’re in the auditorium here, and you said, “Preacher, just asked Jesus Christ to be my Savior. Just accepted Him as my way to heaven, my Savior.” If that’s you, just slip your hand up. “Preacher, just asked Jesus to be my Savior.” All across the auditorium, anybody, just raise your hand. “I just asked Jesus to be my Savior.”
Hey, we studied about in Sunday school: “Would it be children of light?” But my body will be full of darkness if I don’t have my eyes right. Hey, let’s just work at our eyes this week. Let’s get back in the old book. Let’s get back walking with Jesus. Let’s get back to living by faith. We don’t want it to be where He could dare do no mighty work because of unbelief. We want to see God work and save and change lives and do great things. Let’s get our eyes back to Jesus and His word. Let’s work at this thing.
Would you please stand? Would you please stand? We’ll have a word of prayer and our instruments from play. Would you come just spend some time? Let’s just draw all night to Him. I’m going to come to Him and say, “Hey, Lord, help me get my eyes on You more and better this week.” Would you do the same? Thank you, Father. We’re always there. Thank you. Your light’s so bright. Help me to get my eyes on You, Your Word, the good things, what You’re doing, Your marvelous works. Father, help us to shine brightly in our homes, in our world, and our workplaces for You in 2020. We’ll thank what You do, Lord Jesus, and we pray. Amen.
Would you come? Don’t wait for anybody else. Would you come? Let’s just get our eyes on Jesus. That’s right. Let’s all come. I got to work at it. Let’s all just work. Let’s get my eyes on You, Jesus. Would you let them know that? Would you let them know? That’s good. That’s good. Let’s just get your eyes on Jesus and His Word. I’ve got to work at this thing.
You know, it’s key what you watch or movies, because the light of their eyes—the light of the body is the eyes. It’s key. It’s key what videos you watch. Somebody’s just depressed about something. I said, “Why are you so?” And honestly, a lot of them went back to a video they watched. I’m just saying, the light of the body is the eyes.
Everywhere we go, everywhere we go, we got this little thing, and we can watch all kind of good things. I got the King James Bible app on my phone, amen. Or I can watch a whole lot of bad things on that little device. The light of the body is the friend. Nobody’s strong enough to go against God’s principle. And if I got my eyes on all the dark, I’m going to be dark. Let’s just work at it. Let’s just work. I don’t get my eyes on the right thing. It’s a good thing. Last night I had the privilege of meeting with one of me, and we had a little prayer time, and we just started talking for a little while—just not the whole time, but for a short while—about what God, good things God’s done, answers to prayer and miracles and whatnot. They’ve been in our church for years, and I tell you what, just that little time encouraged me because I’ve got my eyes on things God’s done. Just the light of the body is the eyes.
Let’s do it one more time, and then we’re going to pray, and then we’re going to go eat some mint chocolate chip ice cream. How about that? Here we go. The light of the body is the… All right, good deal. We’ve got to pray, and the hot fudge sundae coming up. Brother Frank, would you dismiss with a word of prayer, please, brother.
Original File: How bright is your Candle - Pastor Paul Chisgar Sunday AM 61420