Tag: darkness

The Light of Christ Reveals to Us the Darkness that Surrounds Us

John 12:35
So Jesus said to them, “The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going.

In the darkness, no work can be done and unseen pitfalls are perilously close by. Left in the darkness, we will find ourselves wandering aimlessly on with no measure of progress. Jesus warned that such a place was eminent for those who did not take advantage of the light that He provided.

Jesus is the light, the truth and the way. When we let Him into our lives, His light reveals all the darkness in our flesh that stands ready to trap us. His light illumines our way so that we can turn from the things in our lives that displease Our Heavenly Father. His light frees us from the darkness where we are sure to find affliction, calamity and distress. His light allows us to act as wise men and not as fools.

Jesus came and died on the Cross so that many may live in His light. Those that choose to live in His light, He allows to be beacons to call others to His light and to be vessels for sharing the peace and protection that His light provides.

Let us choose the paths for our lives that are illuminated by the presence of Our Savior. Let us all be lamps that carry His glory.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for the Light of the World, Jesus Christ. We bless the name of Jesus who frees us from living in the blindness and darkness created and cultivated by our sin natures. We thank You, Lord, that Your Holy Spirit illumines our paths each day. We pray that the Holy Spirit will guide and strengthen us as we choose to live in the Light. We ask all these things in the name of the way, the truth and the life, Jesus Christ.

Learning to Submit to the Cleansing Process of the Holy Spirit

Genesis 1:3
And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

As light was the first work in the creation of the earth, so has light been the first work in the creation of new men or women in Christ. In both cases the light was brought forth to overcome the pre-existing chaotic darkness that existed.

Jesus is the light, the truth and the way. No darkness can exist in His presence. When we accept Him as Our Savior, He comes to dwell within us and the process of removing all the darkness from our lives begins. All of our sins are brought into the light by the Holy Spirit. Repentance is required. To do otherwise is to suggest that we are sufficient in our own ways. It is not enough to be sorry for our sins. We must recognize our unworthiness. We must recognize our need to be cleansed by the Blood of the Lamb. We must fully submit to Jesus so that we will have the strength to turn away from the darkness, so that we may live in the light. This process will continue as long as we are in our corrupted bodies. It will not be completed until we stand before Our Father in heaven at His Throne.

From the beginning of time, darkness has been allowed to exist with light. When the new earth is perfected for all eternity and comes into place with the new heaven, the darkness will be put aside forever. When we take our place in God’s kingdom, the darkness in our lives will also be set aside forever.

Let us beseech the Holy Spirit to inspect us. Let us implore Him to reveal every bit of darkness in our lives. Let us repent of the darkness that is uncovered. Let us ask for the grace and strength that we need to learn to live in the fullness of the Light of Jesus Christ.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for exposing all the darkness in our lives. We pray that we will fully submit to the cleansing process. May Your Light extend to the outer margins of our lives. May no element of our lives be untouched. We pray that the complete work of the Blood of the Lamb will prepare us to take our place in heaven for all eternity. We ask all these things in the name of the Great Eternal Light, Jesus Christ.

Imagining and Awaiting Our Eternal Home

Revelation 21:23
And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb.

There is something different about the light at sunrise and the light at sunset. The light at sunrise seems to welcome us to our day and inspire us to greater things. The light at sunset seems so calming and comforting, preparing us for our evening of rest. Yet there is nothing that carries us along and sustains us better throughout the day than a bright, sun-filled sky. There is no question that light plays a significant role in our physical and emotional well being.

What if you woke up one morning and noticed a light filling your home that was more radiant and comforting than the most beautiful day that you had ever experienced? What if when you got out of bed there were none of those usual aches and pains? What if when you looked in the mirror you liked what you saw? What if your work for the day was perfectly satisfying, leaving you feeling wonderful? What if throughout the day you felt an overwhelming since of being loved and a desire to share that love with others? What if you could not resist delighting in the Lord non-stop all day long? What if when the day ended there was no darkness, only that radiant and comforting light that you had first experienced in the morning? What if this day never ended? Welcome to heaven!!

Let us eagerly await our new home for all eternity. Let us rejoice in knowing that day after day without end we will be in the presence of the Author and the Essence of everything that is good. Let us delight in knowing that we will never encounter anything evil again. Let us praise the Lord!!

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for preparing a place for us that is beyond our imagination. We thank You, Jesus, for making us worthy to receive our new homes for all eternity. We pray, Father, that You will draw us into intimate relationships with You here on earth, so that we can begin experiencing the fullness of who You are before we ever leave our earthly bodies. May we become vessels of Your perfect love so that others can know You and be drawn to accept Your Son as their Savior. May many experience Your eternal home as a result of them being drawn to Your Son by seeing the radiant and comforting light coming from Your obedient children. We ask all these things in the name of the Light of the World, Jesus Christ.

The Word of God Magnifies the Differences Between the Ways of the Lord and the Ways of the World

Revelation 3:17
For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.

In Jesus’ message to the church of Laodicea, He warns of the danger of becoming lukewarm in our relationships with Him and lukewarm in our application of His teachings in our lives. His message is so relevant today as we allow the work of the Holy Spirit and the power of the Holy Word to be largely diminished as we find ourselves trying to fit into the norms of our deviant society.

The teachings of Jesus can seem out of all proportion with our natural way of considering things. In fact, reading His teachings can lead to astonishing discomfort. Without the Holy Spirit’s guidance, it may be challenging for us to rationalize the inerrant teaching in the Word.

The corruption of the world has become so commonplace that it is often overlooked and at times completely approved of as acceptable behavior. The Word of God magnifies the differences between the ways of Our Risen Lord and the ways of the world. When the Holy Spirit leads us to see the power and joy in the lifestyle of Jesus Christ, we begin the process of gaining victory over the wretched, pitiable, poor, blind and naked men and women we once were.

Let us take hold of the inerrant Word of God. Let us believe in the truths that He has given us. Let us believe in who He says He is. Let us rebuke the lies of the world. Let us live abundant lives in Christ.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for sending Your Son to show us the way, the truth and the life that is available to us through our salvation and the daily working of the Holy Spirit in our lives. We pray that You will shine Your light on the world so that all the darkness is exposed for what it is. We ask You to alert us when we are moving toward the darkness and away from Your perfect light. We pray that the Holy Spirit will instruct us and strengthen us as we fully surrender to living in the fullness of Jesus Christ, never settling for the lesser things that the world might offer. May we be set on fire as disciples of Jesus. May we boldly proclaim the truth in Your Holy Word. May we be light to the darkness in the world around us. We ask all these things in the name of the Lord of all the earth, Jesus Christ.

Our Omnipresent Lord Sculpts Us During Our Times of Trial

Romans 8:28
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

It is very easy to become frustrated, concerned, depressed, or even angry, when things seem to be piling up against us. We must recognize and celebrate that God works in all things. He is not absent during the bad times. He is taking every element of our circumstances and using them to sculpt who we are. As we mature in our relationship with God, we learn to understand that the work that He does in us during the times of trial defines who we are in Jesus Christ. Even more so as we grow in Christ, we learn to find comfort, even joy, in every step that we take under the divine care of Almighty God.

This supernatural joyful comfort that we come to experience in the face of the pressures of the world defies the emotion that our flesh demands. Through our trials, our faith carries us and builds us up where carnal men lose hope and are broken down. We come to learn that God has allowed us to be where we are and even though we cannot see it at times, He is controlling all things in our lives. Ultimately, regardless of what external ministry to which He may call any of us, He calls each of us by His special grace from darkness to light and from bondage to liberty according to the eternal purpose that He has set aside for us.

Let us find peace in the Lord when the world offers none. Let us rejoice in the victory that is ours even though we don’t see it yet. Let us hold firm to our faith which carries us through all trials and ultimately builds us up.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your sovereign rule over our lives. We rejoice in knowing that we can find peace in You no matter what is going on around us. We pray that Your Holy Spirit will will strengthen us when the world tries to weaken us. We pray that the Holy Spirit will turn us back to the light of victory when the world is trying to turn us to the darkness of defeat. We pray that through it all our trust in You will be complete as we are delivered into Your will and plan for our lives. We ask all these things in the name of the Lord Mighty in Battle, Jesus Christ.

The Pathway to Hope

Isaiah 35:8
And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness; it will be for those who walk on that Way. The unclean will not journey on it; wicked fools will not go about on it.

Each day’s news and headlines confirm that from a spiritual perspective the earth is a den of iniquity, a vast barren desert. It is a rare case indeed when holiness can be found in the news. Looking forward, the content of the news is not likely to improve but to get worse and more hopeless. The social and political systems of mankind are offering nothing that will change things. As time moves forward, the barren desert is converting to a total wasteland through the ongoing deterioration of the morals of mankind.

There is a way of escape, however. There is a pathway that offers hope for anyone and everyone who takes it. The way out of the barren desert is through Jesus Christ, Our Redeemer. He is the way, the truth and the life. Because Jesus took His place on the Cross as part of the Father’s will for His life, we as the redeemed children of God can stand up and find victory in the most difficult of circumstances.

Although our flesh will fight us, by the Word and Spirit of Christ, we that are spiritually blinded by the world can be enlightened. We that are spiritually deaf to the calls of God can be made to hear them readily. We that are struggling in service can be made active and joyfully productive. We that find it difficult to speak of God or to God can have our lips opened to bring forth His praise. We that find it hard to love one another can have our hearts filled with the perfect, loving forgiveness of Our Father in heaven. Most importantly, we that stand alone against the world can find victory in all things of this earth, no matter how trying, if we all stand together in Jesus Christ.

Let us seek the way of holiness that is found in Jesus Christ. Let us learn to live in the light of Christ even though the world around us lives in darkness. Let us become beacons of His light.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for providing the way, the truth and the life that is in Jesus Christ. We thank You for loving us first, so that we may love You and abide in Your will for our lives. We pray that You enlighten us and strengthen us so that we may see and follow the way that You have set aside for us as individuals and as a worldwide community. May Your grace be upon us so that we may be living founts of Your love and holiness to be shared with the world around us. May the world be changed as we all stand together united with Our Savior. We ask all these things in the name of Our Refuge from the Storm, Jesus Christ.

Being Properly Prepared to Serve God

Isaiah 6:5
And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!”

When we go into the presence of God, anything that is not pleasing to Him will come to mind. We cannot get by with a general sense of sinfulness. The Holy Spirit will not rest until we have been convicted of all of our sin, down to smallest transgression.

When Isaiah came upon the vision of the Lord and saw His holiness, Isaiah immediately proclaimed that he was a man of unclean lips. Isaiah knew that he would not be able to serve the Lord without cleansing himself from the sin that he had been shown.

God will work the same way with each of us. Through His Holy Spirit, He will convict us of every single point of iniquity in our lives. Then He will lead us to deeper revelation of the things in our lives that are simply displeasing to Him. The process will continue until we are properly prepared to serve Him.

Let us make time to sit in the presence of Almighty God. Let us surrender to His light so that our darkness will be revealed. Let us repent of the darkness in our lives and choose to walk in the light.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for the restlessness that the Holy Spirit brings upon us when we are walking in darkness. We thank You for the absolute focus that You put on our sins, making it impossible for us to take on a vague sense of the sinfulness in our lives. We pray the Holy Spirit will bring our every iniquity into the light so that we may repent and move forward in obedience to Your calling on our lives. We ask all these things in the name of the Perfecter of Our Faith, Jesus Christ.

Darkness Will Never Again Touch Us

Colossians 1:13
He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son

Sin is our nature. It never leaves our flesh. It keeps us in darkness from which there is no escape. Without Jesus Christ in our lives, we are easy prey for Satan who stands ready to exploit the power of sin in our lives at a moment’s notice.

But our merciful Heavenly Father made it part of His plan to give us the light and the power that we need to escape the darkness. He provided a way for us to be bond servants to His Son and not to be slaves to Satan. Through our relationship with His Crucified Son, we are rescued from the dominion of darkness and brought into the kingdom of God. We receive true spiritual light as Christ is revealed to us, causing the prince of darkness to flee from us and the scales of darkness and blindness to fall from our eyes.

Our only refuge from sin is Jesus Christ. By faith in Our Savior we are redeemed at the expense of His shed blood. We are forgiven of our sins so that we may become objects of the Father’s love and delight, just as His Son is.

Let us rejoice in knowing that we have been transferred into the kingdom of the Light of the World, Jesus Christ. Let us seek to become beacons of His light for the world around us. Let us humbly accept our roles as vessels of His light so that He may draw others from the darkness into His eternal light.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for providing a way for us to be freed from our sinful natures. We thank You, Jesus, for giving us victory over sin through Your shed blood and death on the Cross. We thank You, Holy Spirit, for standing with us and strengthening us to overcome the sin in our lives. We pray that we will come to the humble place where we recognize that we are incapable of victory over sin without the presence of Jesus Christ in our lives. We rejoice in knowing that one day we will stand in the light for all eternity and darkness will never again touch us. We pray that we may become beacons of light for the world around us. We ask all these things in the name of the Great Light, Jesus Christ.

Blessing the People in Our Lives

1 Peter 2:9
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

Once we received our salvation, we were called out of the darkness offered by the world. We were placed into the living light of Jesus Christ. We were called to become priests to spread His light to the world around us. We were called to intercede on the behalf of others so that they may be taken out of the darkness into the light.

In Numbers, we read that the Lord instructed Moses to have the priests, Aaron and his sons, to bless the people in the following way: “May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile upon you. May the Lord show you His favor and give you His peace.”

These are the blessings that we should desire for those around us when we have accepted our calling into the royal priesthood. As we abide in Jesus, these are the blessings that we should take before the Lord without stopping in intercession for those around us that are in need. We should prayerfully seek nothing but the best of what God has to offer for all of the people in our lives.

Let us pick up our priestly mantle. Let us stand before the throne of God proclaiming the excellencies of Our Savior. Let us call on His Holy Spirit to intercede for all of those who God has placed in our lives. Let us become light to a world that is living in darkness.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for taking us out of the darkness of the world and making us part of Your royal priesthood. We praise the name of Jesus who guides us in our priestly duties. May we learn to bless the people in our lives through our prayers and through our living testimony. We ask all these things in the name of the Light of the World, Jesus Christ.

Sharing in the Supernatural Relationship Between the Father and the Son

John 14:20
In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.

Let us give full consideration to this passage which teaches us about our rightful place in the supernatural union with the Father and the Son. We share in this miraculous union through our saving relationship with Jesus Christ. Through this union, we partake in the same nature, the same perfections and the same glory as the Father and the Son.

Let us also give full consideration to how this supernatural miracle should affect our lives. As new men and women in Christ, the world should be able to see us in union with our Savior. We should become identified by our obedience to God’s commandments and the fruit that we bear from His callings. Our lives should become expressions of the gifts of the Holy Spirit that have been given to us through our union with Christ – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. In everything we do, we should share the perfect love and forgiveness that we received from the Father through the Son.

At the same time, let us give full consideration to the supernatural reality that all that we see that is good that is being manifested in our lives is being worked out through the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. Let us humbly recognize with absolute certainty that there is no possibility that our lives are the result of our own inherent holiness.

Let us celebrate the union that we enjoy with the Father and the Son through the redemptive work of Our Savior. Let us embrace the work of the Holy Spirit as He directs us on our path of sanctification. Let us share the joy of our spirit filled lives with the world around us.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for sending Your Son Jesus to be Our Savior. We rejoice in our new lives that we take on when we receive and accept the redemptive work of the Cross. We pray, Father, that we may be emancipated completely from the darkness in our old lives. May we walk in the fullness of the union of the Father and the Son as we surrender to the work of the Holy Spirit. We ask all these things in the name of the One who sits at the right hand of the Father, Jesus Christ.