The One Year Shine Your Light Devotional
(formerly The One Year Salt and Light Devotional)

Scripture calls us to be the salt of the earth and lights in the world—preserving, flavoring, brightening, and warming the lives of those around us. But too often, it seems the world is getting more closed off to the hope and promise of faith. How do we bring the light of Christ to the world around us, showing his love to the people who need it the most?

The One Year Salt and Light Devotional provides inspiration and practical insight on how we can offer glimpses of God everywhere we go as we live our faith in a way that begins deep inside and works its way out. Through each day’s reading, God will encourage you, move you, and use you in surprising ways to bless this world with his wisdom, power, and love.

read excerpt

Tyndale 2019, paperback

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    EXCERPT

The Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world. (1 John 4:4)

Changing the Atmosphere

You are called to change the environment wherever you go. The Spirit within you does not conform to negative attitudes, restless crowds, toxic cultures, or any other contrary situations you might find yourself in as you carry out your daily activities. His desire is to work in and through you to change the atmosphere around you—to bring a glimpse of his Kingdom, a taste of shalom, to those you encounter. Your attitudes, words, and actions are powerful transformers of the world.

You cannot affect the environment of the world, however, unless you have been immersed in the environment of heaven. First and foremost, that means being in deep and intimate fellowship with God. As you begin to understand and experience the culture of the Trinity—the selflessness, mutual admiration and love, full openness and vulnerability, and complete absence of evil among the Father, Son, and Spirit—you begin to take on his nature. As you take on his nature, you begin to impart it to those in relationship with you. They may not be able to articulate why they feel different around you, but they will simply because they are getting a glimpse of heaven. Your immersion in God’s Kingdom empowers you to carry it everywhere you go.

That means that the greatest gift you can give to the world begins in a very personal place—your fellowship with the Father, Son, and Spirit and the holy environment of their love. You will not become perfect in the divine attributes and culture of heaven, but you must continue to grow in them. Why? Because you can’t impart what you don’t have. The stronger you grow in the Spirit, the more powerfully he influences your world through you. If you allow him to dramatically change the atmosphere within you, he will then dramatically change the atmosphere around you. And your influence as salt and light in this world will open hearts to the Spirit who fills you.

Prayer: Spirit of God, saturate me in the character of the Kingdom, the culture of heaven, the fullness of your love and power. Make me an outpost of the heavenly environment. As I carry your presence into this world, give others a taste of who you really are. Amen.

© 2019 by Chris Tiegreen