Jesus Must Shine

God lives and works today. Does your life bear witness to His reality so that others can find and experience Him through you? Does Jesus shine in your heart as the greatest happiness of your life? If your answers to these questions are no, and yet you long to be able to radiate the image and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, then today's message by Bessalaeus Schlink can help you. Jesus Must Shine is a testimony from the life of Bessalaeus Schlink and will be an encouragement for each one of us.

Have you ever walked through an art gallery and looked at the old masterpieces? Through the course of time, they've often become so dark and chipped that the picture can hardly be recognized anymore. And yet, surely once, they must have been very beautiful paintings. That was the way it was with the picture of Jesus in my heart.

When I was young and He first shone in my heart as my Redeemer, it was a beautiful picture. My heart was set on fire with a passionate love for Him. But as the years went by and I gave myself completely to my studies and the joys of student life, the picture in my heart grew dimmer and dimmer.

The first love to Jesus had disappeared. One day, however, I looked, full of grief, at the old chipped picture in my heart. Fervently, I longed that Jesus might shine there once again in His glory.

But how could this happen? Then I heard the call of Jesus, the call which goes out to all who have fallen from their first love. Repent. Turn back from the ways you have gone up until now.

Don't give the first place in your heart anymore to your friends and conversations with them. Give it to Jesus. Give Him your prime time, your best time, to be with Him in prayer.

Strive to gain His pleasure. I began to take the first steps in turning back to Jesus. As I did, the picture of people and activities, of human glory and of being loved, grew dimmer and the picture of Jesus began to shine more and more.

I found once again my greatest happiness, Jesus, as the Lord and Bridegroom of my soul. To Him belongs the first and only love of my heart. Yes, repent.

Jesus is also calling you. He must continually call us because we're continually in danger. Every time we let pictures of other things impress us and occupy our hearts, Jesus' picture will grow dim.

And only He who carries Jesus' picture untarnished in His heart here will one day be able to see Him face to face. Therefore, take care. Let the picture of Jesus shine in your heart every day and never let it become darkened.

For this I thirst. Jesus, my dearest treasure. My joy and bliss beyond measure.

You have been listening to a program written by Basilea Schlink of the Little Land of Canaan. To learn more about how God lives and works today, visit us at our website, www.canaan.org. That's K-A-N-A-A-N dot org. If you contact us, we would be happy to send you a free inspirational booklet.

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