Matthew 5:14-16, KJV Ye are the LIGHT of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth LIGHT unto all that are in the house. Let your LIGHT so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

The Christ within is a River and a Rock. He is also the Light that shines forth, influencing every one and every thing in our lives. Synonyms for "INFLUENCE” are: authority, pressure, sway, weight, effect, inspiration, impact, and encouragement.

2 Corinthians 4:3-4, NIV And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the LIGHT of the gospel of the glory of CHRIST, who is the image of God.

Jesus Himself is the Light of the world (Jn. 8:12). Jesus is God (Jn. 1:1), and God is light; in Him is no darkness at all (1 Jn. 1:5).

We are His followers and disciples. We, too, are light in the Lord, and are to walk or live as sons of light, sons of the day (Eph. 5:8; 1 Thess. 5:5)). So James calls our heavenly Father "the Father of lights” (Jas. 1:17).

The Apostle Paul sat in a darkened Roman prison, but his natural bonds were no limitation to his worldwide spiritual influence. He boldly admonished us all to be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom (we) SHINE AS LIGHTS in the world. The dark cave of Adullam did not hinder the power of the Song of the Lord within David. Running for his life from angry King Saul, his influence never waned as he continued to sing:

Psalms 27:1, KJV The LORD is my LIGHT and my salvation; whom shall I fear?....

The City that John saw in Revelation 21 was the Lamb's wife. The end-time Church has global influence, for the nations shall walk in the "light” of it (Rev. 21:24)!

Isaiah 9:2, KJV The people that walked in darkness have seen a great LIGHT: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the LIGHT shined.

Do you know God? Has He lit your candle (Prov. 20:27; Jn. 1:9)? Has He brought you out of darkness and death into His marvelous light (1 Pet. 2:9)? Whose lives—in your family, your neighborhood, or your church—have you impacted for Christ? What dark corner have you enlightened? What is the measure of your influence?

FURTHER RESOURCE: The Golden Candlestick in my book, The Tabernacle is Jesus, Volume Two, available at http://www.kvmonlinestore.org/.