Isaiah 60:1-5 (KJV) Arise, shine; for thy  light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. 2 For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. 3 And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. 4 Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side. 5 Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee.

I remember a story I read about Art Linkletter. Art was a professing Christian. One day he was confronted with a great crisis. Two young on fire Christians met with Art that day, and in a hotel lobby in San Francisco asked him to kneel with them in prayer. Art said:

“I really felt funny about getting down on my knees in a public place like that. But I had such a need of God. I realized, all this time I had not been a true Christian. I was a cardboard Christian. I threw all of that away, humbled myself before God, got on my knees, broke through to God, and met reality.”

I like that phrase “Cardboard Christian”.

I was at a local department store the other day when I saw someone staring at me. I tried ignoring it, but they just kept staring. Finally I decided to walk over and ask that person what they were staring at – in a nice way, of course. As I got closer I realized no one was staring at me – it was a cardboard cutout of a person. It looked so lifelike I thought it had life. But it didn’t. It was just a cardboard person. A fake. A pretend. There was no life in it. It was manufactured by the world, not by God. The Cardboard Christian is a man made relic, but the true believer is made of God, born again, forgiven, and adopted into the Family of God! Praise the Lord!

God Is Your Portion Dear Christian

Isaiah 60:1 (KJV) Arise, shine; for thy light is come,
and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.

God made us to walk with Him, to love Him, to be enchanted by His Presence.
We will only find our happiness in Him.
Not in our health, nor in our wealth, but in Him.

When Israel entered the Promised Land God gave each of eleven tribes lands to be their own. They could farm the land, sell the land, enjoy the land. But one tribe – the Tribe of Levi – received no lands. Why? Was it because God hated Levi or loved Levi less than the other tribes? No. It was because God loved them MORE. God separated Levi to be PRIESTS unto Him. The Bible says:

Deuteronomy 10:8-9 (KJV) At that time the LORD separated the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to minister unto him, and to bless in his name, unto this day. 9 Wherefore Levi hath no part nor inheritance with his brethren; the LORD is his inheritance, according as the LORD thy God promised him.

The LORD was Levi’s portion. The PRIEST has God as his or her possession. You say “But Preacher, what does that have to do with me? I am not a Priest”. You are wrong. God says of His Christians – those who have RECEIVED Christ as Lord and Savior
are indeed PRIESTS.

1 Peter 2:9-10 (KJV) But ye (that’s YOU) are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light: 10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

Every Christian is a PRIEST before God. There was a time when you had no status before God, but are now a PRIEST. God’s glory has shined upon you. You have one Pastor Teacher, but you all are PRIESTS. God is your portion. I often wondered why Jesus declared:

Matthew 11:5 (KJV) The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. (see also Luke 4:18; 7:22)

The POOR – those who are not rich in the things of this world – have the GOOD NEWS of the Gospel preached to them. Certainly Jesus meant the Gospel to be preached to all. If you don’t believe this, read His Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20). But often RICHES causes us to be blinded to the TRUE RICHES of this life. The greatest gift God can give you is HIMSELF. When you begin to understand that stuff will not bring happiness nor lasting joy, but to know the Lord Who loves you and created you is what does. To say with Jeremiah:

Lamentations 3:24 The LORD is my Portion, saith my soul,
therefore will I hope in Him.

and to say this with confidence is the greatest thing. To declare with the little Shepherd King David:

Psalm 16:5 The LORD is the Portion of mine Inheritance and of my Cup:
Thou maintainest my lot.

or to say with Nehemiah when Israel wept over their sins:

Nehemiah 8:10 (KJV) …. Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.

God gave us life. In fact, God has double blessed us who are Christians, for we have been given DOUBLE life. We were given life and light without charge, and eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ. We have been born TWICE – once of the flesh and once of the Spirit. We are his for all eternity, no matter what may come our way. Are we tried? The believer Eliphaz said:

Job 5:6-8 (KJV) Although affliction cometh not forth of the dust, neither doth trouble spring out of the ground; 7 Yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward. 8 I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause:

Yes, life at times is hard. But I will not be distressed nor discouraged, for God is my Portion and His Promises my Covenant. God loves me and has never left me yet. No matter how dark the cave of trouble has been God has been with me.

If God Is Your Portion Then RISE And SHINE

Isaiah 60:1 (KJV) Arise, shine; for thy light is come,
and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.

If you are not a Cardboard Christian or a Drive Through Christian (one who uses God as a drive through … you know what I mean) then your Light has come. You were once as the rest of the world. There was a time when you walked in darkness and wickedness. But then you saw God’s Light. Christ is God’s Light. Jesus said:

John 8:12 (KJV) …. I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

Jesus is the True Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He is the very Light of God. The devil and his religion(s) of atheism and false faith will tell you there is no hope. This is not the case of Christ. Jesus said:

John 9:5 (KJV) As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

Jesus is the Light of the world. We as His people are to not be discouraged, but to RISE and SHINE. God loved you so much that He gave His Only Begotten Son to die in your place. Jesus shed His Blood for you. God did not invest such a great thing into your life if He was going to abandon you. All things –

ALL THINGS work TOGETHER for GOOD to those
WHO LOVE thE LORD (Romans 8:28).

You say “But what of my suffering?” What of it? God appointed you to this day – RISE and SHINE for Him. Do not take trials as a defeat but as an opportunity to show how much you love your LORD. Do not be cardboard. Be real.

There was a time when you and God were not partnered together. I remember that time in my life. I was weak. I was helpless. I was discouraged. I was the devil’s plaything. The Bible declares:

Ephesians 2:11-15 (KJV) Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; 12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: 13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. 14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; 15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;

There was a time when you were strangers to God. To you, God was but a concept, a shadow figure that you might occasionally pray to. We were strangers to the Covenants of Promise, having no hope, and without Christ in the world.

BUT NOW you are in Christ Jesus.
BUT NOW you are brought near to God by Christ’s Blood.
BUT NOW you are at peace with the Creator.
BUT NOW God sees you as His Child, a Child of Purpose.

The scientist looks at the Moon and sees a useless hunk of rock. But the Moon has a purpose. Though it has no light of its own, it reflects the light of the Sun while the earth lies in darkness. The Moon also effects the tides, pulling on the earth. You Who are Christ’s are the Light reflectors. God made you to shine for Him. Your presence effects those around you as long as you know God is your Portion. Let God be your Portion.

Isaiah 60:2 (KJV) For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.

God knows that the earth is in darkness. It is in darkness because, as the Scripture says:

John 3:18-21 (KJV) He that believeth on {Christ} is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

Gross darkness covers our land. With what shall we combat it? Shall we vote? Yes, we should vote, but voting will not fix the problem. Shall we enact godly laws? Yes, we should. But you cannot legislate morality. What is the hope of the world? It is that …

The LORD shall rise upon thee
And His glory shall be seen upon Thee!

We are to focus on God being our portion.
We are to be God’s Moon.
We are to shine in deeds and in speech.
We are to brighten the darkness with His light!

Are you sick?
How is your sickness different than that of the lost?
If God does not rise upon thee while you are sick,
then why would any want to be saved?

Are you heartbroken?
How is your heart break different than that of the lost?
If God does not rise upon thee while you are heart broken,
then why would any want to be saved?

Are you poor?
How is your poverty different than that of the lost?
If God does not rise upon thee while you are poor,
then why would any want to be saved?

Are you sad?
How is your sadness different than that of the lost?
If God does not rise upon thee while you are sad,
then why would any want to be saved?

Jesus preached on the Mount: Matthew 5:3-12 (KJV) Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. 10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

We are to REJOICE even in suffering because our Light – Jesus Christ – has promised that OUR REWARD WILL BE GREAT IN HEAVEN. There is a better day a coming. Fanny J Crosby the blind Gospel Writer wrote:

When my life’s work is ended and I cross the swelling tide
When the bright and glorious morning I shall see
I shall know my Redeemer when I reach the other side
His smile will be the first to welcome me!

I shall know Him, I shall know Him
And redeemed by His side I shall stand
I shall know Him, I shall know Him
By the print of the nails in His hand

Oh, the soul thrilling rapture when I view His blessed face
And the luster of His kindly beaming eye
How my heart will praise Him for His mercy and His grace
That prepared for me a mansion in the sky!

We who are His are headed toward a brighter day. We are promised a mansion in glory by Jesus. We are told:

Isaiah 60:19-20 (KJV)19 The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the LORD shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. 20 Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the LORD shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended.

Brighter days are coming, dear believer. Let God be your portion. Shine as He shines on you.

In Our Shining Others Will Draw Near

Isaiah 60:3-4 (KJV) 3 And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. 4 Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side.

When His glory is seen upon thee the Lord promises that Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. They shall gather together and come to thee. The Christian shining will be persecuted, but the Christian shining will also draw others to themselves. The world needs light. The world needs Jesus. The world needs to see Jesus in you. The world today is as hungry person dreaming:

Isaiah 29:8 (KJV) It shall even be as when an hungry man dreameth, and, behold, he eateth; but he awaketh, and his soul is empty: or as when a thirsty man dreameth, and, behold, he drinketh; but he awaketh, and, behold, he is faint, and his soul hath appetite: ..

The world seeks solutions in things that cannot satisfy. They have gained the whole world, but lost their own soul (Matthew 16:26). They have everything but enjoy nothing. We were made to find our enjoyment in God. God says:

Isaiah 43:7 (KJV) Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.

We were made to glorify God.
God made us for HIS GLORY.
When we laugh, we GLORIFY Him.
When we mourn, we GLORIFY Him.
We were made to walk with God.
Rain or shine, happy or sad, we were made to love and adore Him.

 I remember a story that Holocaust survivor Corrie Ten Boom once told. Corrie helped hide many Jews during the Nazi terror and was imprisoned alongside of them when caught. Corrie and her sister Betsy were sent to Herzogenbusch concentration camp (also known as Kamp Vught), and finally to the Ravensbrück concentration camp, a women’s labor camp in Germany. One day Corrie was complaining about the horrible flea infestation that was in their barracks. Betsy told Corrie “There is no pit so deep that God is not deeper still”. Betsy told her sister to praise God for the fleas, and together they did so. It was later that both women found out that the only reason they were not raped as other women in the prison were is because their barracks were infested with fleas. The fleas kept the guards at bay, and allowed the women to pray and study their Bibles, giving glory to God even in the midst of this suffering. Betsy died in prison at the age of 59. Fifteen days after Betsy went to be with the Lord Corrie was released from Ravensbrück. Afterwards she was told that her release was due to a clerical error and that a week later, all the women in her age group were sent to the gas chambers.

God is my Portion.

Psalms 4:6-8 (KJV) There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? LORD, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. 7 Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased. 8 I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.

Isaiah 60:5 (KJV) Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee.

Oh, if we would let God get hold of us, how revival would come. Revival comes when Christ comes. The evidence of revival is:

“Thou shalt see” – the blind see the Lord
“And flow together” – There is unity in God’s Church
“Thine heart shall fear” – God is given preeminence
“And be enlarged” – hearts are softened and expanded to love others

Revival comes when God is our Portion. Salvation comes when God’s presence is that which is most desired. Oh that God would world among His Church, drawing us to Him, and drawing others to commit to walk with the Lord. If you do not know Christ as your Lord and Savior I beg you, come to Him this very day. And if you do know Him, realize that Christ is your portion.

May God be glorified in the preaching of His Word.