This word is submitted by Teresa Seputis (ts@godpeak.org)

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                       Shine For Me

Child of Mine, do not hide the light that I have put within you.  I have
called you to shine brightly in dark places. But how can you shine 
brightly if you stay only in very light places?  The brightness of the
sunlight dims the brightness of a lamp.  Likewise, the brightness of
My presence dims the light that I have put within you. I have not called
you to socialize and fellowship only with believers. When you do that, 
you hide the light that I have placed within you. I have called you to
be My light in the world, and to do that, you must get in the world.
You cannot shine for Me in darkness if you only fellowship with other
believers and only participate in church activities.  Where is the 
witness in that?  

Child, you may not have noticed this, but the unsaved do not flock to
church services that they might hear the truth and enter into My life.
No, their minds are not spiritual and they have not been renewed.  So
they flock to things that their natural minds feel are of interest and
value to them.  Some of the places they flock to are inappropriate for 
My people, such as bars and nightclubs.  I send specially prepared and 
equipped witnesses into those places who have been taught to reach those 
currently in darkness and depravity.   I do not call you to those places
unless I specially gift you for them.

But child, most of the world does not spend most of their time in 
depravity.  Most of the unsaved would consider themselves good and moral 
people who love and raise their children, do their jobs with integrity, 
and participate in generally wholesome activities.  You will find the 
unsaved at the parks, in the skating rinks, in art classes, in dog 
training classes, at school events, at music halls, at the gyms and in 
various types of recreational sports and activities for themselves or 
for for their chldren.  

Child, I have placed some of those same interests in you, that you might 
be where the lost are in order that you mith be My light to them.  And yet 
My children tend to segregate themselves.  Instead of mixing with the 
lost, that they might be lights, they form their own Christian special 
interest groups.  In doing that, My children tend to hide their light 
under a bushel.  They tend to ignore My commission to be My witness, and 
this is not pleasing to Me.

Child, I am not sending you into the world that you might be transformed 
by the world and molded into its image. Rather I am sending you into 
the world so that you might transform the world into the image of My 
Son.  I am empowering you to be an agent of change and an agent of life 
by being My light in dark places.  I am asking you to begin penetrating 
areas that the church has abanadoned, areas that I want back under My 
lordship and filled with My glory.  Bring My light into your leisure 
activities, bring My light into your hobbies, bring My light into your 
sports and athletics, bring My light into your music and entertainment. 

Do not run from the world.  Do not run to it in order to embrace its 
ways; but rather run to it to be My witness and My light and My life in 
these places.  Make friends with unbelievers and show them My love.  
Remain strong in Me and the lost will not transform you into their 
worldly ways.  Instead you will become that agent of change that will 
cause them to believe, that will bring them to life through My Son.  And
in doing that, you will be a light that shines brightly in the darkness 
and you will be an effective witness for Me.  

I have called you to be the light of the world, so shine brightly for 
Me.  Shine in the darkness and let the lost know about the good things 
that I desire to give them:  life and liberty and freedom from oppression 
and victory and healing and joy and peace.   Do not segregate yourselves
only with other believers.  Get out among the lost and build relationships
with them, that they might come to know My light.