Closet Christian?

The Temple of God in the Old Testament became the place where God could meet personally with his people. Today, the 'temple' is not a building - it is his people. Instead of one locale for his presence to inhabit, there are millions and millions of temples - his people. His presence inhabits his people and in turn, his presence is free to explore the world through us! God's temple needs to be seen - to be an impact on the world. Light isn't meant to be hidden, my friends - it is meant to illuminate - to expose and show the beauty around it.

No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light. (Luke 11:33)

Prayer is one means of us bringing light to the world, but it isn't enough. God isn't asking for his church to be 'shy' about their faith - we are to be bold in our prayers. The presence of God inhabits his temples - when we become visible, his hope is presented to the world. Before long, people will begin to be impressed upon your heart - people you are supposed to be praying for. When those times come, begin to pray and believe for God's power to shine forth from his 'temple' in order for the needs of that individual to begin to be met.

One of the greatest things the 'temples' of God can do is to begin to love a very unlovely world. Sometimes we would rather just 'pull in' and not be 'in the world'. God never asks for us to be 'of the world', but he does encourage us to be 'in the world'. Why? We are the living, breathing temples of his presence - we bring his presence into those places where we have a sphere of influence. Believe it or not, we might just be bringing his light into places where we don't even know we have that sphere of influence. You never really know the power of living as a light in this world, but God knows!

A changed heart - a new life - is the result of people being able to experience the presence of God. Why did Jesus ask his disciples to take the gospel message to the furthermost parts of the earth - to all people everywhere? He knew the way people connect with him is by being able to experience his presence. We are inhabited by that very presence - we are the means by which the world begins to experience the truth and reality of God. To hide our light under a bowl is silly. To be 'closet Christians' is really selfish - because God has changed our lives so that we may begin to bring that light to others. Just sayin!