June 8 – Glowing with Light from Within
Matthew 5:14-16 14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.
Sometimes, false accusations can break us so badly that we can even lose the will to go on and stop walking in truth, honestly and light. However, if we hold on in God and walk in the light, soon the light of the spirit in us glows and becomes a light to many others.
. This is a testimony of a man who was accused for murder, in USA. Keith A. Longtinwas a young man, happily married to his wife, and in June 1999, he had a call from God to preach. Then on October 4, 1999, his wife was taken from him through a brutal rape and murder for which he was later accused of committing. He was subsequently jailed and informed that the State of Maryland was seeking the death penalty against him for tampering with evidence circumstances in their case.When that happened, he was nowhere near the rape and murder scene.On October 5th, he was picked up by the Prince George’s County Police and questioned for 33 hours straight about the murder and in the end the police charged him with the murder. It was a false charge. During the time of interrogation, he never admitted the murder and continued to stand firm that he had nothing to do with anything surrounding their case. He loved his wife and would never dream of doing such a thing.
Sadly, the County Police twisted his words and added some of their own where they saw fit and declared that he had given them a full confession that he had in-fact given them what they needed to prosecute him to the fullest extent of the law – they gave him the death penalty!
He spent eight months in the Prince George’s County Detention Center on the charge of murder in the first degree for a crime he did not commit and had nothing to do with. During his stay in detention, he lost everything he owned because the police would not even let his Pastor see him. He felt severely mistreated. The Prince George’s County Police showed absolutely no respect for even the dead – his dead wife! He thought what kind of demons are these people who set their minds on one thing and did not even look for the real culprit?
During this hard time, he continually prayed that Jesus would lead the police to the real criminal of this heinous crime and that He grant him the strength to endure his loss, pain, ill feelings. It was a real test of faith and hanging on. The spirit in him grew stronger as he connected with God and started to glow around him in the prison. The authorities perception of him started to change. Then one day, they opened the door and announced that he was free! They let him out of jail, but the guards never told him why he was released. He was freed on June 12th, 2000. On November 17th, 2000, he was informed that the State of Maryland had dropped all charges against him as they had conclusive DNA evidence against another person and had made another arrest in the case!
God had given him the promise from the Bible that He would deliver him from the mouth of the lion and He did just that. During this trial and after,Keith’s faith grew stronger! Keith walked in the truth and light and the light within him glowed, he became a light to others wherever he went.
Sometimes in life, we go through dark times. We are accused falsely, set up, implicated, people may even plant false evidence against us, but remember, God is above our situations and circumstances. He will vindicate us if we are innocent. Walk in the Light, be faithful, keep communing with God and He will never allow any weapon against you to prosper if you are glowing from within!
Rita
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