We are the candle, Christ is our flame "The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp." -Revelation 21:23 We are the candle, Christ is our flame "The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp." - Revelation 21:23 There was a story told about a group of skiers who were stranded in a terrible snow storm and all they had for their survival were three matchsticks. The wind blew violently against them as they huddled around the matches, lighting first one and then the next, only to have the flame of each immediately snuffed out. They were cold and hungry, and as darkness settled upon them all hope seemed lost. As they clutched the final matchstick, dearly in their hands, they considered the stark reality that they would not see morning if they failed in this final attempt. Their lives rested in that single tiny fragment of wood and the light that it would produce. So they gathered together very closely, cupping the precious matchstick in their hands, desperately trying to protect their only source of life and survival from the wind and storm, and they began to pray... From the dawn of civilization fire has been necessary for survival. Fire gives light, provides warmth, protects from harm, purifies water, and cooks our food. The very first words of our Creator's work were, "Let there be light" and there was light. Just as external light is necessary to man's survival in the old creation, even more so the internal (and eternal) light is necessary for man's survival (and thriving) in the new creation. While light is necessary for survival, by nature man is without light. Of John the Baptist it was said that, "He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world" (John 1:8-9). That true and necessary light for mankind is Jesus Christ. "Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it" (vv.3-5). This new and greater light with its illuminating influence to reach into the recesses of the darkened areas of the souls of men is needful for all humanity. "This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil" (John 3:19). It is the Holy Spirit that pours the light of Christ into the soul of man and flips the switch on the eye of faith to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ, so at the very sight of the Savior the heart, once darkened with sin, is set aflame with holy love and desire. Like a candle that has been kindled and whose wick is slowly consumed by the flame until it begins to burn from within and glows more brilliantly and releases its fragrance, so too is the believer who has accepted the light of Christ and embraced the fire of holy love in his inmost being. We are the candle and Christ is our flame. Once ignited with His love our entire life is to be given over for one purpose - shining forth the light of Christ! Just as a candle is eventually burned away by the flame, the life inflamed with the love of God is to be utterly consumed for His purpose alone. "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:14-16). As His children, we have been given the light of Christ for the purpose of shining forth His glorious light. Once we have been set aflame, the Lord places us on a stand so that His light can shine through the whole house, the whole workplace, the whole city, and the whole nation. Wherever He chooses to place us that is where we are to shine. Sometimes we will be put in the darkest places, because He knows that His light will shine more brilliantly there. It is there that His light is needed the most. We are simply to be the candle and let Christ be the flame, so He can draw those lost in the darkness into His wonderful light. God has purposed that we are to shine His light and not to hide it. His light once given is meant to be seen. Our good works and kind words cast a holy influence over all those God has placed in our path to show forth the splendor and majesty of the light and love of God. Once our hearts have been inflamed with holy love the most natural thing we can do is shine. In order to shine more brilliantly, consistently, and continually we need to have our wicks trimmed of everything that distorts the pure light of Christ shining forth, and our lamps need to be filled with a continual supply of the oil of divine grace that comes from a prayerful, watchful life and diligent study of the Word of God. We have been given a solemn and sacred trust, as recipients of the glorious light of Jesus Christ, to steward His light with the utmost attention and earnest care. May we not neglect this treasure that has been placed in our hands. May we hold on to it as tenderly and cautiously, and with great fear and trembling, as those skiers held that little matchstick. The lives of the whole world depend on what we do with the light we have been given! God has placed His church as the candle in this dark world and we are to shine forth the light of Christ so that all men will see and glorify our Father in heaven. All that we are and all that we do is for the glory of God - that is our chief end and aim as His children. While the attention of the whole world is turned towards the White House in this election season, the eyes of the Lord are upon His house and upon His elect. The One who walks among the seven candlesticks is making His rounds among the churches of this nation and looking for even the smallest sign of a burning ember on the prayer altar where He can breathe the fresh wind of His Holy Spirit and fan into full flame the light of pure faith and holy desire. "You, O LORD, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light" (Psalm 18:28). May the church respond in this season, in which many are crying out to God in prayer and with fasting, by humbly acknowledging that we are not where we should be and we have not been doing the things we should be doing, with a sincere recognition of our weakness, throwing ourselves on the altar in repentance, and into the arms of infinite mercy with an earnest desire to turn from our wicked ways, and to return to the Lord with our hearts, that He may bring healing and restoration to our land. May our response not be merely lip service because we want our circumstances to change, but rather a deep longing for closer communion with God that He may be all in all! "Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place" (Revelation 2:4-5) The world is growing darker, the love of most is growing cold, there is ever-increasing wickedness and lawlessness, and the storm-clouds of war are gathering. In a time of darkness and division, may we, as the children of light, gather closer together in a united concert of prayer and draw nearer to the light of Jesus Christ so that we can be strengthened, have our hearts warmed by holy love, and radiate His light to the world. May the face of our Lord shine upon us and His righteous arm stoke the flame of holy love in our hearts, that His name and the place of His feet may be made glorious and the whole earth filled with the knowledge of the glory of God (Habakkuk 2:14)! May our Bridegroom return to see His virgin Bride in her glorious garments watchful and waiting with her lamp, full of oil, set high on a stand to welcome with joy her long-awaited Spouse! Join us these next 40 days as we return to the Lord with all our hearts, with fasting and weeping and mourning, gathering between the temple porch and altar, and rending our hearts and not our garments to reconnect to the Head and to lift up the majesty and beauty of the glorious crown of the Church - Jesus Christ! The Journey Begins October 2nd! Click on the YouTube link for an audio prayer for the journey Invite your friends, family, pastor, church, and prayer group to join us in this important season of prayer by registering to receive the daily devotional emails at www.trumpetandtorch.org May every church respond to the call to become a house of prayer for all nations by opening the doors of the sanctuary and keeping the flame on the prayer altar aglow these next 40 days. May God answer our prayers by setting His church high upon a stand so we can continue to radiate His light into every sphere of influence in this nation for the glory of God! A Special Invitation to join us in prayer at Calvary Chapel Chino Hills: If you live in the area or are planning to visit California during this 40 day season of prayer from October 2nd through November 10th please join us in the sanctuary from 9AM to 7PM daily with directed prayer at 9AM, Noon, and 6PM CALVARY CHAPEL CHINO HILLS 4201 Eucalyptus Avenue Chino Hills, CA 91710 www.calvarycch.org If you live outside the area please stand with us in prayer as we crown the Head of the church with majesty that the whole Body of Christ would get the honor and the whole earth be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord. If you are receiving this email from a friend and would like to receive the daily prayer & devotional emails for these 40 days please sign up on the Trumpet and Torch mailing list HERE "There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever." - Revelation 22:5 We are the candle, Christ is our flame