First…

First…

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and He separated the light from the darkness. God called the light “day,” and the darkness He called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day. (Genesis 1:1-5)

First there was darkness…. Then God said, “Let there be light!” Thus, the first day of creation was completed, and the order of His work was established. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1:5) God has ordained a divine order in which all things must take place. If want to the power of light to fill us, we must first let it subdue the lifelessness of the darkness within us.

There is an order of God we need to understand. Consider how Isaiah prophesied the Messiah must suffer first before His ultimate triumph:

Isaiah 53:10-11 (NIV)

Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush Him and cause Him to suffer; and though the Lord makes His life an offering for sin, He will see His offspring and prolong His days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in His hand. After He has suffered, He will see the light of life and be satisfied; by His knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and He will bear their iniquities.

My friends, there is a pattern we need to see! We, too, must first deny ourselves, pick up our crosses daily, and follow Jesus. (Luke 9:23) Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12) Indeed, the suffering of the cross must come before the crown can be worn! And we must persevere in faith to receive it! As James affirmed: “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love Him.” (James 1:12)

Paul testified as well: “The Messiah would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would bring the message of light to His own people and to the Gentiles.” (Acts 26:23) Likewise, he taught: “If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. It is written: “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. The first man was of the dust of the earth; the second man is of heaven. And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly man.” (1 Corinthians 15:45-47, 49)

Have a Blessed Day!

Darkness…

Darkness…

The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day. But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble. (Proverbs 4:18-19)

Darkness has been defined as the partial or total absence of light; and it depicts both human and supernatural behaviors associated with wickedness, sinfulness, evil, and iniquity. Darkness has been associated with this particular date through the centuries. It is a time of heightened demonic activity. So, Halloween is neither a holiday nor a holy day at all; rather, it serves to desensitize us and to normalize the spiritual forces of darkness at work in the heavenly realms and in this world.

Paul urged spiritual awareness in believers when he admonished:

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. (Ephesians 6:10-17)

This is not a date for us to put on costumes and celebrate with powers of darkness; rather, it is time for us to put on the armor of God and to pray in the Spirit! We are in the latter days and have entered the time that Jesus warned: “Many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold.” (Matthew 24:10-12) Let us not join with those who perpetuate darkness or be deceived with so-called “innocent fun”. Satan, the god of this world has blinded the minds of unbelievers so that they cannot see the light of the Gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. (2 Corinthians 4:4)

When Jesus spoke again to the people, He said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12) My prayer is that all people will decide to follow Jesus … and therefore, not walk in darkness.

Have a Blessed Day!

I Stand at the Door…

Revelation 3:20 (NIV)

Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.

Our Verse of the Day encourages us as the Church … the Body of Christ … to take an action that would seem so obvious for believers; and yet, Jesus had to confront the Church at Laodicea to self-examine what they had become as a local body. I believe the modern church needs to do the same in these latter days….

Revelation 3:14-22 (NIV)

To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, “I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.” But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on His throne. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

In review of this passage, we find in the list of “attributes” that afford a clear description of the Lord Jesus Christ as the author of the words being communicated through the Apostle John to the Seven Churches – and specifically to the church at Laodicea. He is the Truth … He is the Faithful Witness … and He has power and authority over all creation! We discern the omniscience of Christ … “I know your deeds.” And Jesus describes their state of ministry as neither cold nor hot … but lukewarm. It is clear that Jesus is referring to their works … their ministry; and His displeasure with them is quite evident from the tone. The language used is that Jesus would “vomit” them out of His mouth. The metaphor indicates that lukewarm, apathetic, indifferent followers make Jesus sick to His stomach. If you and I are not “on fire” for Christ and being witnesses of the Gospel in both word and deed, this warning of “rejection” should catch our attention for sure….

Still, Jesus declares His affection for the Church. He has rebuked them in righteousness and judgment. He has spiritually disciplined them. So, Jesus is expectant of prompt repentance from the people! The members of His Body there need to receive what Jesus revealed about them and give full consideration to what Jesus has exposed regarding the condition of their hearts. While this message was for the Church in Laodicea, I think it could be directed at the modern church of our generation … especially the Western Church … the American Church … which has said, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But we do not fully realize how this spiritual attitude has rendered us wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked…. Indeed, in this present hour, we are being called to humble ourselves and to repent … to turn from our wicked ways and to seek His face … and then Jesus would restore and heal us.

Then Jesus said to the Church: “Here I am!” I am available to you … even standing at the door of your sanctuary … at the doors of your hearts and knocking. I sense there is a plea in His voice … “Let me in!” The implication is potential but not certain action. The person or the church must respond! So, we need to hear His voice … as the voice of a Shepherd. We need to open our hearts to His rebuke and receive His correction. Jesus does so because He loves us and wants us to stay the course of faith and to do the good works which God prepared for us in advance to do. (Cf. Ephesians 2:10) If we open our hearts to Him, He will enter and initiate fellowship with us. Eating a meal together has long been a sign of covenant, friendship, and fellowship. Yes, we will experience the intimate relationship with Jesus that He desires for us to have with Him but we must respond to His invitation….

My friends, I believe in some ways the lukewarm church in Laodicea reflects the modern church of our generation. We need to heed the rebukes Jesus spoke to this church and to repent if we individually and corporately want to be effective witnesses in these latter days. I hope this review will prompt us to dive deeper into the Word of God and allow it to penetrate and to judge the thoughts and attitudes of our hearts. (Cf. Hebrews 4:12) We should not be deceived, but be reminded that God will not be mocked. A person will reap what they sow. (Cf. Galatians 6:7) Because as we have seen, there is nothing in all creation hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. (Cf. Hebrews 4:13) And as Paul wrote: “Therefore, judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God. (Cf. 1 Corinthians 4:5)

It is my prayer that each of us be earnest and repent! Let us get on fire and make a difference in these days that God has granted us to live! Let us each complete the works God prepared in advance for us to do! Let us be faithful and true witnesses ourselves! Let us open the doors of our hearts and invite Him into the intimate place of our souls. Let us persevere and be victorious in our confession and practice of faith! Indeed, let us hear what the Spirit says to the churches!

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of Him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What He opens no one can shut, and what He shuts no one can open. I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. ~ Revelation 3:7-8

Let Your Light Shine…

Matthew 5:14 (NIV)

You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.

Our Verse of the Day is tucked within a substantial portion of scripture commonly known as the “Sermon on the Mount” that is recorded for us in Matthew 5-7. I have reprinted the smaller passage for us below:

Matthew 5:14-16 (NIV)

You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 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. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

In John 8:12 we read: “When Jesus spoke again to the people, He said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’” And we know that His light is true, as the testimony regarding Jesus is true. “While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” (Cf. John 9:5) And, again, “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.” (Cf. John 3:19)

The subject here is LIGHT … enlightenment … understanding … wisdom and knowledge for living. And this light is found throughout the Word of God. As the Psalmist reflected, “Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Cf. Psalm 119:105) And Jesus (the Living Word) was sent by the Father to be light for us. But Jesus takes this message further, and He brings the meaning and purpose of “light” full circle. He asserts in this verse that you and I are the light of the world. How can that be? Well, the implication is that we walk in the light as He is in the light. (Cf. 1 John 1:7) Knowing Jesus means that we should know light from darkness. Knowing Jesus means we have the light of life within us. (Cf. Job 33:30; Psalm 36:9; Proverbs 6:23; John 1:4)

2 Timothy 1:8-10 (NIV)

Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel.

Ephesians 5:8-13 (NIV)

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light.

Paul affirms what Jesus said to His disciples as well as to us. Believers are to be the light of the world! We are to share the knowledge of the truth that is in Christ. We are to live our lives (walk) in the light of truth. We are to be examples to those around us. We are to be very careful, then, how we live – not as unwise but as wise; making the most of every opportunity because the days are evil. Therefore, we should not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. (Cf. Ephesians 5:15-17)

My friends, it is my prayer that we will not let our light … our knowledge of the Word of Truth be hidden to ourselves; rather, we will live it and share it as long as we have life. Yes, I pray we will let our light shine before others, that they may see our good deeds and glorify our Father in heaven! This is our commission … our purpose as believers … to live out and share the Gospel. And so, I pray these words of Jesus will encourage and challenge us to do so even more as His return approaches. Amen.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the Gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ. ~ 2 Corinthians 4:4-6

God Is Light…

1 John 1:7 (NIV)

But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin.

Our Verse of the Day challenges us to live in the light of God … according to His Word and through the life of His Son!

In his first epistle, the Apostle John gives us some foundational theology to govern our walk with the Lord Jesus. John begins with his eyewitness testimony regarding Jesus, and shares his desire to declare the truth of his personal encounter with the Son of God. He asserts that Jesus is the living Word of God; the light and revelation of God the Father; and the atoning sacrifice that reconciles believers with Him. I have reprinted Chapter 1 for your reference:

1 John 1:1-10 (NIV)

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of Life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you that which we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make your joy complete. This is the message we have heard from Him (Jesus) and declare to you: God is Light; in Him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all (every) sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar and His word is not in us.

From this chapter, we learn that God is Light. There is no darkness in Him at all. We also know that God is Spirit and that God is Love. And Jesus, His Son, is the living holiness and light of God. He is the very nature of God (light and love) sent in human form (Cf. Philippians 2:5-11) through whom we receive atonement, salvation, and fellowship with the Father and one another. John said this is what we declare. Indeed, this is WHO we proclaim. Jesus is the Light of the Gospel message. Jesus is the Light that we have been called to walk in from the beginning. He is the Good News we are to share with others!

I want to note that John admonishes us to be mindful about what we claim regarding ourselves. “If we claim to have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth.” And, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar and His Word is not in us.” These declarations affirm that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Cf. Romans 3:23) There is no room for “fake” fellowship. There is no allowance for hypocrisy. Our sinful human nature points to our need for atonement and salvation in order to be reconciled to fellowship with our Holy Father. It requires the humble and unequivocal submission of our own will to the will of the Father. To receive Jesus … to believe in Him … means He becomes Lord and Master of our lives. It means the utter denial of ourselves if we want to have abiding fellowship with Him.

John 1:1-9 (NIV)

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.

John 3:16-21 (NIV)

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.

My friends, Jesus was sent by the Father to reveal His Light … to reveal the way and the truth and the life. If you reject Jesus, the Light of God sent into the world, you reject the truth of God and His sovereign authority. As John affirmed: “Light has come into the world, but people love darkness instead of light because their deeds are evil.” And it is clear that people do not want to see the truth because they love their sin and darkness. As Paul explained, “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the Gospel that displays the glory of Christ – who is the image of God.” (Cf. 2 Corinthians 4:4) Unless a person comes to the Light of God found in Jesus alone, they continue to walk in darkness … they continue in the condemnation of sin … they continue to be separated from the life of God. Indeed, there are eternal consequences to living and remaining in darkness! All the more reason for the light of the Gospel to be shared. All the more reason to pray for the lost to come to the light of Jesus. All the more reason to know the truth and to walk in it. As Apostle John exclaimed: “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” (Cf. 3 John 1:4)

It is my hope and prayer that we who now walk in the light will testify to others that Jesus is the light of the world. He has fulfilled our need for reconciliation with the Father. Indeed, He is the only answer to our human dilemma of separation from God. Jesus commands His disciples to go into all the world and declare the Gospel to all creation. (Cf. Mark 16:15) So, let us continue the Great Commission in our generation as we approach the end of the age.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness. ~ Isaiah 42:6-7

The Riches of God’s Grace

Ephesians 1:7 (NIV)

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace … that He lavished on us.

Our Verse of the Day is central to the Gospel message we have been called to declare: In Jesus we have redemption – through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace! And I believe we should look deeper at this verse … its declaration of redemption in Christ within the full context of the prologue of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians:

Ephesians 1:1-10 (NIV)

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to God’s holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For He (God) chose us in Him (Christ) before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will— to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the One He loves. In Him (Christ) we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that He lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, He (God) made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.

By the grace of God the Father, we have been saved! This is not of ourselves … but through the lavish gift of grace given to us. And this grace is received through the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives. Yes, our redemption and salvation is the will of God; and we can know it without fear or doubt! Everything else given to us by God can be understood once this foundation of truth has been laid within our souls. As Paul instructed, “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. (Cf. 1 Corinthians 2:12) But before the Spirit of God can give us this discernment, the testimony of God in Jesus Christ must be believed! As Paul addressed the believers in Corinth:

1 Corinthians 2:1-5 (NRSV)

When I came to you, brothers and sisters, I did not come proclaiming the mystery (testimony) of God to you with superior speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. And I came to you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling. My speech and my proclamation were made not with persuasive words of wisdom but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God.

Why is this so important? Because there is a spirit of deception permeating, enveloping, and encircling the world right now. There is a veil of darkness that is blinding people to the truth concerning Christ Jesus. (Cf. 2 Corinthians 4:4) People are searching for answers and seeking truth; but there are world powers, spiritual forces of darkness, and false prophets who cloak the truth with a lie. The seeds of doubt are being sown and watered under the disruptions of wars and rumors of war; world economic instability and collapse; pestilence and famine; and the birth pangs of coming tribulation. (Cf. Matthew 24; Mark 13; Luke 21) Indeed, the spirit of deception and doctrines of demons is spreading rapidly in these last days. Even now, as Jesus declared to the lukewarm Church at Laodicea: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.” (Cf. Revelation 3:20)

My friends, we are in spiritual warfare for the Truth to be unfettered and released! For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Cf. Ephesians 6:12) And within this spiritual war going on … and we need to hold fast to this Truth: In Christ Jesus we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that He lavished on us. We need to remain steadfast and confident … to trust God at His Word. Yes, even now I am reminded of this scripture Jude 3-4:^“Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people. For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.”

It is my prayer that the message of the cross will be declared in this season. I pray for those who have wandered from the faith to repent and return to Jesus who willingly and joyfully shed His own blood for the forgiveness and atonement of our sins. And I pray in hope for those who have rejected the offer of salvation through Jesus Christ that God would grant them repentance … so that we, the Body of Christ, can lead them to a knowledge of the Truth. Yes, I pray they will come to their senses and escape the deceptive schemes of the devil (Satan), who has taken them captive to do his will. (Cf. 2 Timothy 2:25-26) Amen.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good. ~ Titus 2:11-14

Are You Fooled?

Psalm 14:1 (NIV)

The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good.

Our Verse of the Day offers an important lesson on this April Fool’s Day. I think it sheds light on the real issue that we face in sharing the Gospel – UNBELIEF! The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” Unbelief stems from the spiritual forces of darkness … and results in the greatest transgression of all – to deny God exists! Scripture has a great deal to say about foolish people; and the consensus of truth presented is that those who are fools, those who act foolishly, separate themselves from God and from His blessings. There are several passages in Scripture that corroborate this message: that reverence for God is the beginning of knowledge, but foolish people despise wisdom and instruction. (Cf. Proverbs 1:7)

Psalm 14 – NIV (See also Psalm 53)

The fool (a morally deficient person) says in his/her heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good. The Lord looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. All have turned away, all have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one. Do all these evildoers know nothing? They devour my people as though eating bread; they never call on the Lord. But there they are, overwhelmed with dread, for God is present in the company of the righteous. You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor, but the Lord is their refuge. Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When the Lord restores His people, let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!

Proverbs 1:20-33 (NIV)

Out in the open wisdom calls aloud, she raises her voice in the public square; on top of the wall she cries out, at the city gate she makes her speech: “How long will you who are simple love your simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge? Repent at my rebuke! Then I will pour out my thoughts to you, I will make known to you my teachings. But since you refuse to listen when I call and no one pays attention when I stretch out my hand, since you disregard all my advice and do not accept my rebuke, I in turn will laugh when disaster strikes you; I will mock when calamity overtakes you— when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and trouble overwhelm you. “Then they will call to me but I will not answer; they will look for me but will not find me, since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the Lord. Since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke, they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes. For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm.”

Here in Old Testament wisdom literature, we see an emphasis on the knowledge of God – the awareness and understanding that He is real and expresses Himself to us and reveals Himself to us. God has made Himself known through His Creation, through His Word, through His Spirit, and through His Son. But the fool outright rejects the existence of God. The fool walks in unbelief and denial of the truth. Indeed, Solomon observed that the fool hates knowledge and does not CHOOSE to fear the Lord.

The Apostle Paul warned of the darkness and deception of foolishness as well:

Romans 1:18-25 (NIV)

The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles. Therefore, God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.

Any lapse in faithfulness can lead to foolishness. But unbelief in God, His Majesty and Holiness, or the truth of His Word defines the fool! The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” And unbelief separates the fool from God. Fools neither glorify nor worship God nor do fools give thanks to Him. Their hearts are darkened … rebellious … and filled with iniquity. Paul will go on to further explain in Romans 1:28-31 that God gives fools “over to depraved minds so that they do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed, and depravity.” So, although there is a difference between acting foolish and being a fool; both lead to separation from the love and presence of God in our lives!

But I believe there is hope for both the fool and the foolish! God is still calling out to them through His Spirit and through His Church! The Lord Jesus is reaching out to the prodigals … to those who have become foolish … to those who have turned their hearts away from God. He is crying out to them, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (Cf. Matthew 11:28-29) Yes, every person has the opportunity to turn from the darkness that has taken hold and deceived them because the Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (Cf. John 1:5)

Indeed, Light has come! And we, the Body of Christ, have been chosen to be witnesses of the light and love of Jesus who brought us out of the darkness! (Cf. 1 Peter 2:9-10) We are to lead out those who have eyes but are blind and those who have ears but are deaf. We have been anointed to preach the good news; sent to heal the brokenhearted; to proclaim liberty to those who are captive; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. (Cf. Isaiah 61:1-2) But we must do so with love and gentleness:

2 Timothy 2:24-26 (NIV)

And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.

So how do we avoid foolish and stupid arguments and the quarrels they produce? How can we be gentle to those whom we pray God will grant the gift of repentance? Well, what led you and I to repentance? Was it not the kindness of God? (Cf. Romans 2:4) Indeed, let the redeemed of the Lord tell their stories! (Cf. Psalm 107:1-3) Share how you cried to the Lord in your trouble and how He saved you and filled you with His peace. No doctrinal arguments are needed for your testimony. It cannot be argued or explained; it can only be experienced and shared. Yes, share your own authentic encounter with Jesus Christ, and let the Holy Spirit take it from there….

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

Some became fools through their rebellious ways and suffered affliction because of their iniquities. They loathed all food and drew near the gates of death. Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and He saved them from their distress. He sent out His Word and healed them; He rescued them from the grave. Let them give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for mankind. Let them sacrifice thank offerings and tell of His works with songs of joy. ~ Psalm 107:17-22

Know The Truth…

John 8:31-32 (NIV)

To the Jews who had believed Him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

In our culture, it seems that many people have become uncertain of what is true. Indeed, it can be difficult to know what is truth and what is not when there is so much deception being promulgated around the world. It comes in so many forms: misrepresentations; information filtered with slanted biases; half-truths; withheld information; and just down right lies. It could, in some cases, be unintentional, but I think in the majority of the time, people intend to deceive and manipulate others for their own purposes, personal gain, pride, or their own narcissism.

One thing that I believe we can all agree on is that there is a great confrontation going on in our nation and in the world between the truth and falsehood … between light and darkness. We see it being played out every day in the media; on social platforms; and in our conversations with others. And the intensity seems to have escalated during the past 2-3 years. What can we make of all this conflict? What can we be certain of in these unsettled and uncertain times in which we live? Well, Jesus affords us some insight with our Verse of the Day:

John 8:25-36 (NIV)

²⁵“Who are you?” they asked. “Just what I have been telling you from the beginning,” Jesus replied. ²⁶“I have much to say in judgment of you. But He who sent me is trustworthy, and what I have heard from Him I tell the world.” ²⁷They did not understand that He was telling them about His Father. ²⁸So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. ²⁹The one who sent me is with me; He has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases Him.” ³⁰Even as He spoke, many believed in Him. ³¹To the Jews who had believed Him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. ³²Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” ³³They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?” ³⁴Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. ³⁵Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. ³⁶So, if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

I believe we can conclude that the teaching of Jesus is truth. In fact, the whole Word of God is affirmed by Jesus to be truth! What Jesus said and shared with the world is what the Father instructed Him to do. The Apostle John declared, “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (Cf. John 1:14; 1:17) When we believe in Jesus … when we trust Him at His Word … we will know the truth! And it is the truth that will set us free from lives of sin and rebellion. Indeed, when Jesus prayed for His disciples and for those who would believe in Him because of their testimony, He asked the Father to sanctify them to live in accordance with the truth; and then declared: Father, Your Word is Truth! (Cf. John 17:17) So, if we need a standard by which to know and judge what is truth, Jesus has confirmed the truth for us.

So, the best counsel I have for anyone who wants to discern what is truth in these turbulent times is to look into the Word of God, to look at Jesus, and come to the Light of the World. Jesus said, “I have come into the world as a light so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.” (Cf. John 12:46) And when asked by Pontius Pilate during his trial, Jesus responded: “The reason that I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” (Cf. John 18:37) And we need to understand that Jesus promised to fill us with His Holy Spirit … the Spirit of Truth – who will guide us into all the truth. The Advocate will not speak on His own; rather, He will speak only what He hears – and He will tell us what is yet to come.” (Cf. John 16:13) Perhaps this is what prompted the Apostle John to write:

1 John 4:1-6 (NIV)

Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. ²This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, ³but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. ⁴You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. ⁵They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. ⁶We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.

Could this instruction for our spiritual discernment be made any clearer? To me, John is quite eloquent as he provides us the guidance to discern between truth and falsehood. And I am convinced this “test” of the spirits can afford us all the clarity we need to evaluate what false information is being propagated throughout the world now. My friends, it is imperative for us as believers to have a foundation of truth … the Word of God … both in our minds and in our hearts. It will equip us and empower us to navigate through the deception and darkness that permeates the culture of this world. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in the sight of God. (Cf. 1 Corinthians 3:19)

Jesus said His followers would be in the world but not of this world. He taught, “If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.” (Cf. John 15:19) And Paul advised: “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Cf. Romans 12:2) And James affirmed: “God chose to give us birth through the Word of Truth, that we might be a kind of first-fruits of all He created. (Cf. James 1:18) And so, I just felt impressed to remind us of all these things….

Ephesians 6:10-17 (NIV)

¹⁰Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. ¹¹Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. ¹²For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. ¹³Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. ¹⁴Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, ¹⁵and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. ¹⁶In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have tribulation. But be courageous! I have overcome the world.” ~ John 16:33

I AM The Light of the World…

John 8:12 (NIV)

When Jesus spoke again to the people, He said, “I AM the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Our Verse of the Day continues with another “I AM” claim of Jesus as recorded in the Gospel of John. Last time we looked at “I AM the bread of life.” Today, Jesus declares: “I AM the light of the world.” The Apostle John had already testified regarding Jesus: “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John (the Baptist). This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through Him might believe.He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light – the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.” (Cf. John 1:4-9)

Jesus taught that if we would follow Him … if we would abide in Him … we would receive from Him the true Light which imparts the true Life that we were created to experience. For Jesus is the wisdom of God and the power of God for us. (Cf. 1 Corinthians 1:24) As Paul declared: “We are the handiwork of God, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Cf. Ephesians 2:10) Jesus was sent by the Father not to be just a part of our life … He came to be our entire life! And the Apostle John reminds us: “This is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with Jesus and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin. (Cf. 1 John 1:5-7)

Indeed, Light has come! His name is Jesus! As the Prophet Isaiah foretold the people of God: “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.” (Cf. Isaiah 60:1) But we also see that people must response to the Gospel and receive the Light of life:

John 3:16-21 (NIV)

¹⁶For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. ¹⁸Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. ¹⁹This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. ²⁰Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. ²¹But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.

John 12:35-46 (NIV)

³⁵Then Jesus told them, “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going. ³⁶Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light.” When He had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid Himself from them. ³⁷Even after Jesus had performed so many signs in their presence, they still would not believe in Him. ³⁸This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet: “Lord, who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” (Citing Isaiah 53:1) ³⁹For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere: ⁴⁰“He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, so they can neither see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts, nor turn—and I would heal them.” (Citing Isaiah 6:10) ⁴¹Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about Him. ⁴²Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in Him. But because of the Pharisees they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; ⁴³for they loved human praise more than praise from God. ⁴⁴Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the One who sent me. ⁴⁵The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me. ⁴⁶I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.

As we remember the birth and coming of our Lord Jesus during this Advent Season, I believe we will see how the “I AM” claims of Jesus recorded in the Gospel of John afford us insight regarding the reasons why Jesus was sent to the world by the Father. He was sent to be the bread of life to sustain us! He was sent to be the light of life and to rescue us from the darkness. Indeed, Jesus proclaimed that no one who believes in Him should remain in darkness; rather, whoever follows Him will never walk in darkness, but have the light of life! Yes, Light has come! He has arrived! He is ever presence even now! His name is Jesus! So, my prayer is we all will be the children of Light we were called to become. Amen.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

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

Is God Testing You?

Deuteronomy 13:4 (NIV)

It is the Lord your God you must follow, and Him you must revere. Keep His commands and obey Him; serve Him and hold fast to Him.

I want to spend some time on our Verse of the Day because it resonated so deeply with me. I believe the most important thought or concept that God wants us to embrace is His Being. He IS! God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’” (Cf. Exodus 3:14) He is the self-existent One … and that is difficult to wrap our finite minds around. Yet the God who created all things … who created us in His image … did so with intent. His purpose was to have fellowship with His creation…. And I believe that He has communicated His will for that fellowship to be expressed in relational terms – according to the word He spoke to Moses. So, let’s put our verse into context so that we can understand God’s passion for us to truly know Him:

Deuteronomy 13:1-5 (NIV)

¹If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a sign or wonder, ²and if the sign or wonder spoken of takes place, and the prophet says, “Let us follow other gods” (gods you have not known) “and let us worship them,” ³you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The Lord your God is testing you to find out whether you love Him with all your heart and with all your soul. ⁴It is the Lord your God you must follow, and Him you must revere. Keep His commands and obey Him; serve Him and hold fast to Him. ⁵That prophet or dreamer must be put to death for inciting rebellion against the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt and redeemed you from the land of slavery. That prophet or dreamer tried to turn you from the way the Lord your God commanded you to follow. You must purge the evil from among you.

If you read the rest of Deuteronomy 13, you will continue to sense the great concern God has for us to know Him … the only true God. We are to worship Him and Him alone … not follow after anyone or anything besides Him. This exhortation from Moses is prominent throughout His inscription of God’s word to us:

Deuteronomy 4:32-40 (NIV)

³²Ask now about the former days, long before your time, from the day God created human beings on the earth; ask from one end of the heavens to the other. Has anything so great as this ever happened, or has anything like it ever been heard of? ³³Has any other people heard the voice of God speaking out of fire, as you have, and lived? ³⁴Has any god ever tried to take for himself one nation out of another nation, by trials, by signs and wonders, by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, or by great and awesome deeds, like all the things the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your very eyes? ³⁵You were shown these things so that you might know that the Lord is God; besides Him there is no other. ³⁶From heaven He made you hear His voice to discipline you. On earth He showed you His great fire, and you heard His words from out of the fire. ³⁷Because He loved your ancestors and chose their descendants after them, He brought you out of Egypt by His Presence and His great strength, ³⁸to drive out before you nations greater and stronger than you and to bring you into their land to give it to you for your inheritance, as it is today. ³⁹Acknowledge and take to heart this day that the Lord is God in heaven above and on the earth below. There is no other.⁴⁰Keep His decrees and commands, which I am giving you today, so that it may go well with you and your children after you and that you may live long in the land the Lord your God gives you for all time.

King Solomon, when he had finished building the temple and prepared the people for its dedication, testified to the faithfulness of the one true God toward His people and how devoted worship of Him is the proper relational response:

1 Kings 8:54-61 (NIV)

⁵⁴When Solomon had finished all these prayers and supplications to the Lord, he rose from before the altar of the Lord, where he had been kneeling with his hands spread out toward heaven. ⁵⁵He stood and blessed the whole assembly of Israel in a loud voice, saying: ⁵⁶“Praise be to the Lord, who has given rest to His people Israel just as He promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promises He gave through His servant Moses. ⁵⁷May the Lord our God be with us as He was with our ancestors; may He never leave us nor forsake us. ⁵⁸May He turn our hearts to Him, to walk in obedience to Him and keep the commands, decrees and laws He gave our ancestors. ⁵⁹And may these words of mine, which I have prayed before the Lord, be near to the Lord our God day and night, that He may uphold the cause of His servant and the cause of His people Israel according to each day’s need, ⁶⁰so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the Lord is God and that there is no other. ⁶¹And may your hearts be fully committed to the Lord our God, to live by His decrees and obey His commands, as at this time.”

The Prophet Isaiah captured this same theme in his prophetic writings as well. Isaiah Chapter 45 hones in on the uniqueness of God as creator … who declares: “I am the Lord, and there is no other.” This same God reaches out to us … reveals Himself to us … calls us to believe in Him:

Isaiah 45:18-19; 22-23 (NIV)

¹⁸For this is what the Lord says—He who created the heavens, He is God; He who fashioned and made the earth, He founded it; He did not create it to be empty, but formed it to be inhabited—
He says: “I am the Lord, and there is no other. ¹⁹I have not spoken in secret, from somewhere in a land of darkness; I have not said to Jacob’s descendants, ‘Seek me in vain.’ I, the Lord, speak the truth; I declare what is right. ²²“Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other. ²³By myself I have sworn, my mouth has uttered in all integrity a word that will not be revoked: “Before me every knee will bow; by me every tongue will swear.”

So why is knowing the “true God” important for us? Well, a deep concern of Paul and the Apostles, is that people will fall into apostasy … abandon faith in the one true God … and forsake His covenant of love. The loss of fellowship with the Father was the very reason Jesus Christ was sent into the world. “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.” (Cf. John 3:17) Yet, this good news, and its power to redeem people, has been subverted. And it continues even today in both subtle and overt ways:

1 Timothy 4:1-2 (NIV)

¹ The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. ²Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.

2 Peter 2:1-2 (NIV)

¹ But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. ²Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute.

1 John 4:2-3 (NIV)

²This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, ³but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.

Jude 1:3-4 (NIV)

³Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people. ⁴For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.

So why has God allowed deception to continue since Adam and Eve? Why are we warned to recognize it and to resist it? I think the answer is found in the context of our verse: “The Lord your God is testing you to find out whether you love Him with all your heart and with all your soul.” The issue is whether we truly desire to follow God … whether we want to believe the Truth in our own hearts. The Apostle John offered this sobering insight into the human heart: “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.” (Cf. John 3:19-20)

So, I want to encourage us to be aware of false teachers, deceiving spirits, and to acknowledge the test we have been presented. Jesus Christ has revealed the Father to us. He is the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Him. (Cf. John 14:6) Because of His great mercy, we have been shown these things so that we might know that the Lord is God; besides Him there is no other. And as Moses reminds us: “It is the Lord your God you must follow, and Him you must revere. Keep His commands and obey Him; serve Him and hold fast to Him … so that it may go well with you and your children after you and that you may live long in the land the Lord your God gives you for all time.” This is my prayer for us all … to pass the test! Amen.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!