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CONNIE: Jesus said the gospel would go to all the world before the end comes—how’s that going to happen? Do you have a part to play? Do I? Join us today for our program, “Let It Shine!” Giving God’s trumpet a Certain Sound for more than 70 years, this is the Voice of Prophecy.

CONNIE: Hello, I’m Connie Jeffery,

LONNIE: And I’m Lonnie Melashenko. Welcome to our broadcast today, which is coming to you from two locations. Most of the broadcast is being produced in our regular studios in California, but in just a few moments, you’ll be hearing our voices coming to you from Columbia, South Carolina, where our broadcast team is participating in a huge evangelistic outreach right now.

CONNIE: That’s right—as you probably realize, we have to tape our broadcasts several weeks in advance of the air date in order to allow the programs to be distributed to the radio stations all around the world that play them. But for this program, we’re going to include a segment that’s closer to “real time” than we can usually do.

LONNIE: In fact, we’ve asked our producer, Ken Wade, to put in a call from here at the studio, to contact Connie and me on the scene of our “Voice of Prophecy Speaks” evangelistic outreach in South Carolina.

CONNIE: This feels kind of strange, Lonnie, I have to admit. And just a bit confusing. But I guess now is the time when I should announce that Ken’s going to interview the two of us . . . via telephone from “The Voice of Prophecy Speaks” outreach in South Carolina. Let’s listen in, and see what we have to say!

KEN: Well, this is Ken Wade saying a big hello to Lonnie and Connie. Where are you guys today?

CONNIE: Hi Ken!

LONNIE: We are in South Carolina, in Columbia for our Voice of Prophecy meetings.

KEN: Well it’s good to talk to you. I’m in our regular studios here in California and I got to watch via satellite last night as the Voice of Prophecy Speaks evangelistic outreach began, and Lonnie, I just wanted to talk to you a little bit about it in conjunction with our program “Let it Shine” today, about letting the light of God shine. You know, you have been largely involved in radio evangelism, some television evangelism, but in just the last year or two you have gotten very involved in public evangelism, and now you are doing it in a very big way. Talk to me a little bit about that, how your ministry is reaching out to the world.

LONNIE: The Voice of Prophecy through its 74 year tradition has been very heavily involved not only in radio broadcasting, but public evangelism. And now that we have kind of built our crew in the new 21st century with our team aboard, Connie and all of the others, we’re trying to get out there adroitly, not only into local evangelism, but this is our very first flight so to speak, with live by satellite feeds, not only to America but to the Pacific rim, South America, it’s being translated into French and Spanish and even Pigeon English, we hope that it will go to the South Pacific. So this is really an exciting adventure for us, and when that camera goes on what you see is what you get.

CONNIE: And Ken, it’s been an absolute thrill, and last night was the opening nights where everything that could go wrong went wrong. And here our program is let your light shine and the lights literally went out last night.

LONNIE: The lights went out, we had an electrical failure just as we were supposed to go on air, and we were late six minutes but the Lord…

CONNIE: The Lord blessed us, and I’ll tell you Lonnie’s message was Armageddon the Cosmic Battle of the Ages, and that was last nights message, and Lonnie preached his heart out. The Holy Spirit blessed, and people were moved and it was just a beautiful experience, and to know that we are talking not only to these 8 or 9 hundred people here in Columbia, but Lonnie is speaking to thousands all over the world and he is letting his light shine. We are trying to tell the good news to everyone, aren’t we?

LONNIE: I know that you got to see it Ken there in Simi Valley, and I called my folks where they saw it in Paradise, CA, and Jeanne’s mother saw it in her little home, even one of our production engineers said you know, my relative has been sort of a Christian that’s been away from camp for twenty years, but she’s been so terrified about end time events. The Lord must have truly led last night as we wanted to lift up Jesus and make this message about Armageddon which is so frightening to so many people, make it positive, make it encouraging, and she was in touch with him last night. After the meeting she said, “I was so thrilled, I was so excited, I see things totally different now.” And that’s what we are hoping to do with the series.

KEN: Praise the Lord! You know, this is a very big undertaking and I was fascinated to hear you say, you know we’re talking about letting the light the shine, and for the lights to go out that must have been a terrifying experience, and yet it’s amazing to see how the Lord can work even through circumstances like that.

LONNIE: You can’t imagine how many glitches happened at the last second. It just seems like Walter Arties, our cherub musician, he said, you know, the fact that the devil’s throwing all kinds of curves at us indicates that there must be something important to go out. Even the cuff of my pants unraveled and fell out as I was walking on stage and somebody grabbed a safety pin and put it together, but it was things like that, the computers went down, the Teleprompters didn’t work. We had everything happen that told us, ok, there are powers at work that don’t want this to happen.

CONNIE: Another thing Ken, You know Steve Darmody, one of the musicians here this week, he said I wish the cameras could have been in the control room, he said he’d never seen anything like it. When the power went out, and all the cameras went dead, and we were 30 seconds from air time, and there was only 70 minutes, and that time is not expandable, so when the power went out he turned his head to the wall and began to pray and all of us were praying. He said when he turned around and came back into the room he heard the most beautiful spirit among the technicians, everybody spoke with a calm voice and at the end of his prayer the lights came back on, the cameras came back on, and we walked out and began the program. Lonnie’s spirit was very calm and unshaken, and he delivered the message in a powerful, beautiful way, and people were just moved, and I think that is going to happen every night of the series, and when people are hearing this broadcast right now, we’re still here.

LONNIE: And you know Ken, to sort of sum it up here. Jesus said in John 6, ye are the light of the world. And He promised, when this gospel has been preached unto the entire world, the end will come, but He said this, Lo I am with you always, and we sensed that last night and right now. He is there, and He wants this message proclaimed, and we are to light up the world with the good news about a wonderful Savior.

KEN: Well we have just about 30 seconds left here, and it is great to see what’s happening, and as you mentioned these meeting’s will be wrapping up the very weekend that this program airs, but there will be opportunities later by 3ABN and other media to be able to view this series, and so if you happen not to have been a part of Voice of Prophecy Speaks. Do go to our website and find out where the program will be broadcast again, and our prayers are with you out there, keep up the good work and keep the spirit moving.

CONNIE: “Send the Light—the blessed gospel light” that music was brought to us from a classic Voice of Prophecy recording of the King’s Heralds, from about 40 years ago. It’s included in the new 12-CD collection of their favorites that has just been completed thanks to the hard work of Wayne Hooper.

LONNIE: Wayne was the arranger for many of the songs the group performed, and you heard him singing baritone in that song. We really appreciate all the hard work he has done to see to it that the songs recorded over a 30-year period have now all been preserved in digital format on CDs.

CONNIE: If you’d like to know more about the classic “King’s Heralds Collection,” or any of the music you hear on our broadcast, we invite you to visit our web page next time you’re on the Internet. You’ll find us at VOP.COM. The web page is loaded with information about past broadcasts, upcoming events, and also links to information about our current evangelistic outreach.

LONNIE: So, whenever you have a chance, please pay us a visit at www.vop.com.The major concern of our ministry, whether on the Internet, on the radio, or television, or in live evangelistic projects, is sending the light of the gospel out to the whole world. And one of the most important parts of this ministry is called “Discover.”

CONNIE: That’s right. The Discover Bible Correspondence School is an extremely important part of Voice of Prophecy’s ministry to people who are seeking to make the light of the gospel central in their lives. These beautifully-designed lessons focus on 26 of the most important topics in the Bible and show how the “Good Book” can make an important difference in people’s lives.

LONNIE: If you haven’t studied the Discover Bible Lessons yet, why not give us a call today at 1-800-872-0055 and ask to be enrolled.

CONNIE: Or you can also enroll and take the lessons via the Internet, simply by clicking on “Free Bible Guides” at VOP.COM.

LONNIE: How ever you go about enrolling, we’d love to have you be a part of the Discover Bible School. So check it out today, either on the Internet, or by calling 1-800-872-0055 and asking to be enrolled in the Discover Bible Lessons.

CONNIE: You might want to write down that number, 1-800-872-0055, and call a bit later though, because right now it’s time to listen to Lonnie’s message for today, “Let It Shine!”

Let It Shine!

Have you looked under your bed lately, to see what’s there?

It’s not a place you normally spend much time looking, is it? Unless, of course you’ve lost something and think it might have rolled under the bed.

The space down there tends to get ignored in most people’s houses. Unless you’re an exceptionally fastidious house cleaner, I daresay you might find some interesting things hidden down there, amongst the dust bunnies! In fact—maybe that’s where that sock that’s missing from a pair is hiding.

Or could it be that that book you remember starting to read a few weeks ago is hiding down there—yes, you were reading it in bed, weren’t you?

That’s the kind of thing that tends to end up in the dark recesses underneath a bed isn’t it—books that you’ve started to read, but got side-tracked from; socks or shoes that you don’t often wear. Things that are pretty low on the ladder of priorities in your life.

Could it be that that’s why Jesus said what He did in Mark 4:21? Here’s the verse: “He said to them, ‘Is a lamp brought in to be put under the bushel basket, or under the bed, and not on the lampstand?’ ” (NRSV).

It’s a strange, ironic question—intended to make a point.

I mean—can you really picture putting a lamp under a basket, or under a bed? Remember, Jesus was speaking almost 2000 years before Thomas Edison created the first successful electric light bulb. So, the kind of lamp Jesus was talking about was a little clay container that held olive oil and had a wick and an open flame for light. I certainly wouldn’t want one of those under my bed!

Jesus was using irony here, to make an important point. Of course no one would bring a lamp into the house and then hide it under the bed! There would be no point in that.

Things that are under the bed are usually the unimportant, forgotten things of life. Things like books that once seemed important enough to get our attention—but now we’ve gotten sidetracked from. They’ve lost their importance to us, or they wouldn’t be lost under the bed.

In this parable, Jesus is speaking of the light of the gospel when it comes into our lives. It’s not something that ought to be hidden away. Not something that ought to be forgotten. Not something we ought to get sidetracked from.

You know how it is—when new light comes into your life, at first you’re really enthusiastic about it—it’s the most important thing. But then as time goes on, it can lose its luster—and slip down beside the bed. And then maybe even get kicked under the bed—figuratively speaking—down there with the old magazines, lost socks, and half-read books.

Evangelist and college professor Tony Campolo tells of a time when he was trying to help a new Christian grow and flourish in the Christian life. “I advised him to go to a particular church that was well known for its biblically based preaching,” Campolo says.

He didn’t see the young man for several weeks after that, but when they met again, Tony asked his friend’s opinion of what he’d seen there at the church. Here’s what the young man said:

“ ‘You know, if you put together a committee and asked them to take the Beatitudes and create a religion that contradicted every one of them, you would come pretty close to what I’m hearing down there at that church. Whereas Jesus said “Blessed are the poor,” down there they make it clear that it is the rich who are blessed.

“ ‘Jesus said, “Blessed are they that mourn,” but the people at that church have a religion that promises happiness with no crucifixions.

“ ‘Whereas Jesus talked about the meek being blessed, they talk as if they took assertiveness-training courses. Jesus may have talked about the merciful and peacemakers, but those people are the most enthusiastic supporters of American militarism and capital punishment I have ever met.

“ ‘Jesus may have lifted up those who endured persecution because they dared to embrace a radical gospel, but that church declares a gospel that espouses middle-class success and affirms a lifestyle marked by social prestige.’ ”

In looking at this church—which was highly respected in the Christian community—this new, young Christian could see what his spiritual mentor could not: The light of the gospel had grown dim in that congregation—perhaps it had fallen under the bed! It was no longer burning brightly and shining out from the people’s lives.

What had gone wrong? And why did it take a brand new Christian to notice that something was not right about the church? Or was this young man just being to critical—too judgmental? Were his expectations of Christians just set too high?

In this passage in Mark 4, the light Jesus spoke of was the light of the gospel—when it’s brought into a person’s life. Let’s look at Mark 4:21 again, and this time read the next verses as well:

“He said to them, ‘Is a lamp brought in to be put under the bushel basket, or under the bed, and not on the lampstand? For there is nothing hidden, except to be disclosed; nor is anything secret, except to come to light. Let anyone with ears to hear listen’ ” (Mark 4:21-23, NRSV).

Jesus makes it plain that when the light of the gospel comes into our lives, it should be placed on a lampstand—in the middle of the room—so that its light can reach into every corner of our being. It’s not to shed a tiny little circle of light in some isolated corner, letting shadows and darkness fill the rest of our life.

It’s to be in the center—and its light is to reach every part of us, and shine out from us to bring light to others.

That’s what we’re trying to do here at Voice of Prophecy. Through our radio broadcasts, through our evangelistic outreaches, through our correspondence Bible school, through our Internet website, and our Family Reunion concerts—everything about this ministry is focused on revealing Jesus and the gospel to the world.

But do you know what?

You might think it strange to hear me say this . . . but I really believe it.

What we’re doing here is not enough.

No matter how much effort we put into proclaiming the gospel in public ways, it will never be enough. Because in the end, what really counts—what really makes a difference—is what happens in individual lives as they come in contact with the gospel.

We can shout it from the housetops—via radio antennas. We can proclaim it far and wide via the Internet. But what the world needs most is not more Christian preachers, but more Christian livers.

More people who have brought the light of the gospel into their lives and put it in the center, so that it affects and influences everything they do.

Jesus contrasts that kind of Christian with those who hide their lamp under a basket or bed. And there’s some interesting symbolism in the hiding places he suggests for our light.

The basket he speaks of was a common measuring implement—about the size of a bucket you probably have around the house for cleaning chores. As an implement of commerce, trade, or labor, a basket like that represents one of the things in our lives that may dim the gospel’s lamp. Simply the busyness we find ourselves involved in. The day to day responsibilities of earning a living, taking care of the kids, keeping up the yard, etc. These things, superimposed on our Christian life, can take away its luster and keep us from shining as brightly as we should. But actually, it’s in these activities that we ought to be letting our light shine most brightly!

Hiding our light under a bed, on the other hand, might refer to something else. Might it imply that sometimes its our own laziness (or maybe it’s just that we’re too tired at the end of the day) that keeps our light hidden?

Whatever it is that interferes with the light shining out from our lives, Jesus says—that’s not what is supposed to happen with the light of the gospel. It’s supposed to be put in the center of the room, up on a lampstand, so that its light reaches out and touches everything around it.

Light can be a good thing—but it can also be a bit frightening. Have you ever been in a scary place where you were just as glad there wasn’t much light, because you didn’t really want to know what was out there in the darkness?

Or have you had experiences in your life that you’d just a soon remained hidden—have you done things that you really didn’t want the light of the gospel shining on and revealing?

Jesus says that the light must be allowed to penetrate to every corner of our lives. Nothing is to be hidden—all must be disclosed. All is to be available as evidence of our relationship to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

That’s a challenge. Ellen White—a prolific Christian writer from the last century—penned this simple line that challenges my life every day: “Everything that Christians do should be as transparent as the sunlight.”

Imagine that if you can—she didn’t say as transparent as glass, or as transparent as air, or as transparent as water—for we know that all of these things bend or distort the light ever so slightly as it passes through. No, the word is, everything should be as transparent as the sunlight itself!

The lamp of the gospel, when it’s brought into your life, must shine clearly, unimpaired, into every part of your life; into every part of your relations with others; into the business deals you participate in. Everything.

And when that happens, it makes changes. It brings to light some of those things you might rather keep hidden under the bed!

My friend, the gospel is a wonderful thing. It presents the forgiveness of God—for whatever it might be in your life that seems like it needs hiding. But in order to receive God’s forgiveness, you need to let that thing come to light, and let Him deal with it and remove it from your life.

I don’t know what church Tony Campolo’s young friend attended. But it seems that this new Christian could see through the bright masks that people put on when they came to church. He could see that the light wasn’t really radiating from a deep, Christian experience. And he could see that the light of the gospel hadn’t really penetrated and enlightened and changed and cleaned up every corner of the people’s lives.

What about your church? How is it there?

What about your own life? Is the gospel lamp shining brightly in the middle of your room? Is it shining out to others?

If not, maybe it’s time to take the bedcovers—or the bushel basket—off your lamp, and do like that old Kindergarten song says—let that little light shine!

This Little Light of Mine”, King’s Heralds, from The King’s Heralds