Honea Path Pentecostal Holiness Church

05/28/2026

05/27/2026

Wed Night Service 5-27-26

05/24/2026

5/24/26 - Sunday Morning Service

05/20/2026

5-20-26 Wed Night Service

05/20/2026

A Light That Cannot Be Hidden
by KENDALL MARIAH

My favorite memory of the song “This Little Light of Mine” comes from the darkroom at my dad’s photography studio. I loved “helping” him develop the film as a child, but the darkness made me uneasy. So we would sing together: “You Are My Sunshine,” “Itsy Bitsy Spider,” and of course “This Little Light of Mine.”

“Hide it under a bushel?”
“No! I’m gonna let it shine.”

Like most kids, my favorite part of the song was yelling, “No!” It was loud, defiant, and bold — which felt slightly rebellious for a church song but safe and empowering when I sang it beside my dad in the dark.

Years later, Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:14-16 feel like the grown-up version of that song:

“You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. People do not light a lamp and put it under the bushel basket; rather, they put it on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven” (NRSVUE).

Not “you might be a light.”
Not “you need to try to be a light.”
“You are the light of the world."

Jesus speaks of light not as something we manufacture through effort or perfection but as an identity placed within us by God Himself. The instruction is not for us to create light but to let it shine.

And yet … hiding often feels safer.

I don’t think most of us cover our light because we’re outright ashamed to follow Jesus. More often we do it quietly and unintentionally — when speaking up feels risky, when compassion feels costly, when standing apart feels lonely, when obedience feels inconvenient.

We dim to keep the peace or to keep from rocking the boat.
We shrink to avoid criticism.
We tuck our faith into private spaces where it won’t disrupt anything.

But Jesus’ imagery leaves little room for concealed discipleship: “A city built on a hill cannot be hid” (Matthew 5:14b, NRSVUE). That kind of shining is not always comfortable. It exposes injustice, disrupts apathy, invites attention, and requires courage.

It’s much easier for children to shout “no” than it is for adults to resist the urge to protect ourselves by dimming what God has placed inside us. I have felt that pull myself — the temptation to stay quiet, small, and safe.

But the command still stands: “Let your light shine …” (Matthew 5:16).

Not so people will admire you.
Not so you can prove something.
But so others can see your faith lived out and glorify your Father in heaven.

Lord, my light is not fragile or accidental. It’s a gift meant to bring hope into dark places. May I steward it faithfully. Give me the courage not to dim myself for my own comfort or others'. Help me to love boldly, speak truth compassionately, and live faithfully even when it’s costly. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

05/19/2026

What Are You Withholding From God?
by MEREDITH HOUSTON CARR

Anytime my children come into a cache of candy, an interesting phenomenon occurs: No matter how much they already have, they still ask one another for a sample.

Recently I watched my son ask his sister for a piece of her candy stash. She agreed — after stealthily sorting her bucket and removing her favorite candies first.

This interaction made me chuckle, yet the Lord impressed upon my heart how often we relate to Him like this. We love Jesus and dedicate our lives to Him, yet we hold back “favorite pieces,” fearful of what might happen if we entrust everything to Him. Perhaps we withhold our jobs, certain relationships, our children, or our deepest dreams.

Sometimes we live most of the Christian life … but inside we’re quietly wondering: Lord, can I truly trust You with every part of me?

The Old Testament patriarch Abraham demonstrated some of the most phenomenal trust in God recorded anywhere in Scripture. God promised Abraham a son, Isaac, whose descendants would bless the world. And God miraculously fulfilled that promise even though Abraham and his wife, Sarah, were well advanced in years.

But then, in an upside-down twist, God asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac.

If I were Abraham, I admit this command would have given me pause. But Abraham swiftly obeyed.

As Abraham placed Isaac on a wooden altar and raised a knife to take his life, God’s angel intervened:

“‘Don’t lay a hand on the boy!’ the angel said. ‘Do not hurt him in any way, for now I know that you truly fear God. You have not withheld from me even your son, your only son’” (Genesis 22:12).

Abraham willingly opened his hands and gave God everything, even his most precious son. Scripture tells us he was so certain of God’s goodness, so settled in God's ability to fulfill His promises, “Abraham reasoned that if Isaac died, God was able to bring him back to life again” (Hebrews 11:19a, NLT).

That’s the kind of faith I desire, and I imagine you do too. Because that’s the rock-solid faith that leads to the abundant and satisfying life Jesus promises (John 10:10)! We won’t experience all God has for us with a holding-back-our-favorites kind of faith.

Jesus asks for all of us. Abraham willingly laid his son upon that wood because he knew God — the One who, centuries later, would lay His own Son on a wooden cross — would carefully steward his most precious treasure.

The same is true for you and me, sweet sister. The God who withholds nothing from us can be trusted with every part of our lives.

God, I’m sorry for withholding parts of my life from You. Help me entrust everything to You, resting in Your goodness and provision. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

05/17/2026

5/17/26 - Sunday Morning Service

05/13/2026

5-13-26 Wed Night Service

05/10/2026

5/10/26 - Mother's Day Service

05/10/2026

We've got a lot going on! There are a lot of ways to get plugged in at HPPHC. See the announcement slides attached to find out what's happening.