I never noticed before that the passage which says to "put on Christ" is the same passage that says to "put on the armor of light." I think that's awesome! In order to wear this armor, we have to put off the works of darkness. These works are related to being asleep, as the world is. When we're awake, we're walking in love, and this isn't compatible with the works of the flesh, which is the self-centeredness of the fallen nature. Once we've awakened to the reality of our salvation, and we get dressed with the brilliant glory of Christ, what darkness can overcome us?
Again, I'm struck with the prophetic vision of David. He had a relationship with Christ even then, and understood the armor of light. He had no need to fear when he found himself in a dark valley shadowed with evil, enemies, and death. "Dwelling in the house of the Lord forever" takes on a deeper meaning when we understand that it's not necessary to get rid of our natural bodies in order to live in a divine tent of perpetual light that goes wherever we go.
"You are with me" becomes a little more intimate when we're thinking of wearing Christ! It also becomes more public. There's no hiding our salvation or our relationship with the Savior when we're wearing the armor of light! The days of "my faith is personal" (meaning "I don't share it with anyone") are over! When you're dressed in light, can you help but be noticed by people who are in the dark? They might be afraid and run away, but many will be drawn to the light that covers you.
Jesus lives in us by His Word and Spirit when we're born again. But salvation has to be more than just an inner belief, as we have discussed earlier. Having light than shines out from the inside and covers us from the outside is the only effective way to be a witness for Christ. If you're dark, you stay hidden in darkness and nobody notices you. Not to mention how Jesus feels about that! The times we walk around incognito are basically times we're denying that we know Him. I'm not saying we have to be religious about our witnessing! I've known people who talked a lot about the Lord, but were essentially walking in darkness. I've been there myself-- and as "easy" as it is to be asleep, being in the dark is torment when you're a child a God.
The devil feeds on "dust" (Genesis 3:14) which is our self-nature; when we don't put off the works of darkness, he can get us even more entangled in webs of deception, addiction and bitterness than we were before we got "saved." When he's prowling around looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8), he's looking for someone who's not defended, not wearing their armor of light. When we're walking in love, and therefore in the light, we're well defended and have nothing to fear.
Putting our armor on is much more than a morning ritual! Just declaring that we have put on our helmet of salvation, etc., isn't what gets us clothed in light! It's waking up to what salvation really is, and making a command decision to leave the darkness behind. It's called repentance.
We are the children of light! The true light lives in us. Christ's love is shiny and wonderfully resistant to attack. Let's start a fashion trend and wear the light! Shine, shine, shine!
Showing posts with label Light. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Light. Show all posts
Friday, July 30, 2010
Saturday, July 3, 2010
July 3, 2010 Turn At the Light
God's word testifies today of the power that His light and truth have to turn a person, or even a nation to Himself. God had mercy on Josiah because he turned to the Lord, but the nation still had major consequences to deal with because of their great idolatry. Paul the Apostle had a magnificent conversion when he encountered the glorious Christ on the road to Damascus. He had a lot of suffering to deal with in his life, but the Lord used him to reach many souls for Him-- his letters minister to us so much even today.
I remember many years ago-- as a backslidden young woman lost in darkness-- coming to myself just like the progidal son did. The description in today's 2 Kings reading reminds me so much of how I felt back then. Suddenly, my eyes were opened, and I was overwhelmed when the Lord showed me how every area of my life was sin! But because I turned to Him when He revealed himself to me, He cleansed me and healed me, and is in the process of restoring all that was lost through my rebelliousness and idolatry. God is so good! He will do the same for anyone that turns to Jesus as their Lord and Savior in true repentance, and He will lead them in the Way, the Truth and the Life.
I pray, on the anniversary of our "independence," that our nation will likewise have a great conversion. We may still have to accept hard consequences for our mistakes, rebellions and idolatries. But God will have mercy on any one who comes to Him humbly. If enough of us turn to Him with our whole heart, perhaps this country may again shine His light as we are called to do. As a nation, as well as individually, we must not trust in our wealth or our power to save us; we must humble ourselves before God and rely on Him alone.
"The rich man’s wealth is his strong city,
And like a high wall in his own esteem.
Before destruction the heart of a man is haughty,
And before honor is humility." Proverbs 18:11-12 NKJV
I remember many years ago-- as a backslidden young woman lost in darkness-- coming to myself just like the progidal son did. The description in today's 2 Kings reading reminds me so much of how I felt back then. Suddenly, my eyes were opened, and I was overwhelmed when the Lord showed me how every area of my life was sin! But because I turned to Him when He revealed himself to me, He cleansed me and healed me, and is in the process of restoring all that was lost through my rebelliousness and idolatry. God is so good! He will do the same for anyone that turns to Jesus as their Lord and Savior in true repentance, and He will lead them in the Way, the Truth and the Life.
I pray, on the anniversary of our "independence," that our nation will likewise have a great conversion. We may still have to accept hard consequences for our mistakes, rebellions and idolatries. But God will have mercy on any one who comes to Him humbly. If enough of us turn to Him with our whole heart, perhaps this country may again shine His light as we are called to do. As a nation, as well as individually, we must not trust in our wealth or our power to save us; we must humble ourselves before God and rely on Him alone.
"The rich man’s wealth is his strong city,
And like a high wall in his own esteem.
Before destruction the heart of a man is haughty,
And before honor is humility." Proverbs 18:11-12 NKJV
Saturday, May 29, 2010
May 29, 2010 The Method of Merciful Exposure
Reading the Bible, especially the Old Testament, can sometimes feel like wending our way through the darkest recesses of the human psyche, groping for answers. While in the obscurity of waywardness and hidden motives, I am glad to be reminded that, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." Psalm 119: 105. This is all here for my instruction: teach me, Holy Spirit!
The human tendency is to gloat over other people's wrongdoings, which must explain the preponderance of evil in human storytelling: well, at least I'm not as bad as all that, we think-- and are therefore justified in our own minds. Holy Spirit's reasons for taking us through the darkness of history includes freeing us from our own darkness. We must admit it when He shows it to us. Yes, it's there, and I am not free from it yet. It's so hard for us to admit that the same depravity that caused Absalom to do the things he did, that caused Judas to betray Jesus, and Peter to deny Him, still lives in our own heart to some degree. Until we are completely changed into the likeness of Christ, we still have darkness within.
One of the hardest things for me to understand has been how the Lord seems to allow sin to run its full course. We ache for others when they are on a path of darkness, yearning to "fix" it and get them on the right track before it's too late. Often, we can only pray. In my own personal experience, I know the Lord begins to whisper to each one of us of our heart condition before it has ever caused us to stray. Holy Spirit desires to enlighten our darkness with His holy light and to lead us onto the right path.
I find this is one of the most important functions of Scripture-- to give us wisdom without us having to go through our own experience of failure. He will point to someone else's mess and say, look, there's the seed of that in your own heart. If we are humble and willing to agree with Him, He grants us repentance and cleansing. He shows us the Light we need in order to overcome that darkness and avoid the twisted path of wickedness. But if we are proud and stubborn, this hidden depravity of soul will reveal itself through more and more obvious behavior, until everyone around us knows about it, often leaving us blind to it ourself. How many of us have to totally "hit bottom" before we will turn our sin over to God? It is God's patient mercy that allows our sin to run full course.
Eventually, I got tired of rejecting Holy Spirit's private whispering that would preserve me from public humiliation. I listen to Him now. I learned the hard way, though, I have to admit. I am so grateful for His love that covers a multitude of sins. Sins I never have to commit!
The human tendency is to gloat over other people's wrongdoings, which must explain the preponderance of evil in human storytelling: well, at least I'm not as bad as all that, we think-- and are therefore justified in our own minds. Holy Spirit's reasons for taking us through the darkness of history includes freeing us from our own darkness. We must admit it when He shows it to us. Yes, it's there, and I am not free from it yet. It's so hard for us to admit that the same depravity that caused Absalom to do the things he did, that caused Judas to betray Jesus, and Peter to deny Him, still lives in our own heart to some degree. Until we are completely changed into the likeness of Christ, we still have darkness within.
One of the hardest things for me to understand has been how the Lord seems to allow sin to run its full course. We ache for others when they are on a path of darkness, yearning to "fix" it and get them on the right track before it's too late. Often, we can only pray. In my own personal experience, I know the Lord begins to whisper to each one of us of our heart condition before it has ever caused us to stray. Holy Spirit desires to enlighten our darkness with His holy light and to lead us onto the right path.
I find this is one of the most important functions of Scripture-- to give us wisdom without us having to go through our own experience of failure. He will point to someone else's mess and say, look, there's the seed of that in your own heart. If we are humble and willing to agree with Him, He grants us repentance and cleansing. He shows us the Light we need in order to overcome that darkness and avoid the twisted path of wickedness. But if we are proud and stubborn, this hidden depravity of soul will reveal itself through more and more obvious behavior, until everyone around us knows about it, often leaving us blind to it ourself. How many of us have to totally "hit bottom" before we will turn our sin over to God? It is God's patient mercy that allows our sin to run full course.
Eventually, I got tired of rejecting Holy Spirit's private whispering that would preserve me from public humiliation. I listen to Him now. I learned the hard way, though, I have to admit. I am so grateful for His love that covers a multitude of sins. Sins I never have to commit!
Monday, May 17, 2010
May 17, 2010 Seeing the King
I've long known that David was a fore-shadowing of the Kingship of Christ. Today, the Lord pointed out a parallel in the Scriptures that I have never noticed before. The Old and New Testaments both concur that there are two reactions to the revelation of the true King. It seems when you are confronted with the King, you either love him or hate him.
From all that I have read about them, I have come to the conclusion that David and Jesus were both totally lovable. Not in a "popularity contest" sort of way, but winsome because they were righteous, powerful, wise and serving. Really, it was only the proud and envious leaders that hated them and stirred people up against them. David was celebrated in Israel from the start, but Saul was fearful of him taking the throne from himself and his son Jonathan. He "saw" the true king, but refused to see what he saw. He tried to kill him instead. It's easy to see the parallels in Jesus' life.
The Pharisees "saw" Jesus and His Kingship but willfully refused to see what they saw. After Jesus gave the blind beggar his sight, He said:
“Do you believe in the Son of God?” He answered and said, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?” And Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you.” Then he said, “Lord, I believe!” And he worshiped Him. And Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.” Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, “Are we blind also?” Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains." John 9: 35-41 NKJV
The beggar couldn't see at first, physically or spiritually, but when confronted with the King, he saw, believed what he saw, and worshipped Him. I believe the Pharisees, like Saul, could see Who Jesus was, but refused to believe what they saw, out of fear, pride and envy. They refused to acknowledge God. The Pharisees' and Saul's iniquity caused them to see their savior as an evil usurper rather than the rightful King. Once confronted with the Light, rebellious, selfish darkness will try to extinguish it.
Jonathan "saw" the kingship in David, and covenanted with him in loyal friendship. He did not try to fight for his own "rights". It says Jonathan loved him as his own soul. This is the kind of love Christians should have for one another, because we see the King. We don't worship each other, but we worship the King in one another, and we give one another the loyalty, love and honor that are due the children and vessels of the King.
How we respond to one another really reveals our heart toward God. If we allow ourselves to be blinded by heart-sin (iniquity), we will throw spears at our brothers and sisters (probably not actually, but verbally). We are actually throwing them at the Lord. If, and when, we find ourselves on the receiving end of this kind of blindness, the Holy Spirit will come along side us and defend us, as Jonathan defended David. If we love the King, we will honor His brothers and sisters, even to the point of risking our own lives.
David escaped from the presence of the earthly king, but returned in power. The beggar was sent out, first by Jesus to wash his eyes (he probably had to get out of the presence of the rabid unbelief in order to be able to receive his sight), and then he was expelled from the congregation by the leaders. Perhaps he was a great witness for the Lord "outside the camp." David's followers were "outlaws" for many years. We too, have to follow the Lord and bear His reproach "outside the camp." (Hebrews 13:13)
If we get rejected by people-- whether our natural family, self-righteous leaders, or a particular group-- be assured that righteousness will eventually be vindicated. Jesus was sent out of this world (by His own choice of course: He laid down His life), rejected by His own. But He will be returning in power to claim His throne in the glory of the Father. I wouldn't want to be one of His enemies!! (read Revelation 19). But His reward will be with Him for His loyal, faithful servants!
From all that I have read about them, I have come to the conclusion that David and Jesus were both totally lovable. Not in a "popularity contest" sort of way, but winsome because they were righteous, powerful, wise and serving. Really, it was only the proud and envious leaders that hated them and stirred people up against them. David was celebrated in Israel from the start, but Saul was fearful of him taking the throne from himself and his son Jonathan. He "saw" the true king, but refused to see what he saw. He tried to kill him instead. It's easy to see the parallels in Jesus' life.
The Pharisees "saw" Jesus and His Kingship but willfully refused to see what they saw. After Jesus gave the blind beggar his sight, He said:
“Do you believe in the Son of God?” He answered and said, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?” And Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you.” Then he said, “Lord, I believe!” And he worshiped Him. And Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.” Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, “Are we blind also?” Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains." John 9: 35-41 NKJV
The beggar couldn't see at first, physically or spiritually, but when confronted with the King, he saw, believed what he saw, and worshipped Him. I believe the Pharisees, like Saul, could see Who Jesus was, but refused to believe what they saw, out of fear, pride and envy. They refused to acknowledge God. The Pharisees' and Saul's iniquity caused them to see their savior as an evil usurper rather than the rightful King. Once confronted with the Light, rebellious, selfish darkness will try to extinguish it.
Jonathan "saw" the kingship in David, and covenanted with him in loyal friendship. He did not try to fight for his own "rights". It says Jonathan loved him as his own soul. This is the kind of love Christians should have for one another, because we see the King. We don't worship each other, but we worship the King in one another, and we give one another the loyalty, love and honor that are due the children and vessels of the King.
How we respond to one another really reveals our heart toward God. If we allow ourselves to be blinded by heart-sin (iniquity), we will throw spears at our brothers and sisters (probably not actually, but verbally). We are actually throwing them at the Lord. If, and when, we find ourselves on the receiving end of this kind of blindness, the Holy Spirit will come along side us and defend us, as Jonathan defended David. If we love the King, we will honor His brothers and sisters, even to the point of risking our own lives.
David escaped from the presence of the earthly king, but returned in power. The beggar was sent out, first by Jesus to wash his eyes (he probably had to get out of the presence of the rabid unbelief in order to be able to receive his sight), and then he was expelled from the congregation by the leaders. Perhaps he was a great witness for the Lord "outside the camp." David's followers were "outlaws" for many years. We too, have to follow the Lord and bear His reproach "outside the camp." (Hebrews 13:13)
If we get rejected by people-- whether our natural family, self-righteous leaders, or a particular group-- be assured that righteousness will eventually be vindicated. Jesus was sent out of this world (by His own choice of course: He laid down His life), rejected by His own. But He will be returning in power to claim His throne in the glory of the Father. I wouldn't want to be one of His enemies!! (read Revelation 19). But His reward will be with Him for His loyal, faithful servants!
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
May 5, 2010 A True Witness
"A true witness delivers souls, but a deceitful witness speaks lies." Proverbs 14:25 There is more to being a true witness than telling true facts. Jesus demonstrated this in His witness to the Samaritan woman. His true witness won her to Truth. He also taught her how to be a true witness. Then her true witness won others to Truth. We cannot of our own ability win souls, but we can be in a place where the Spirit of Truth can work to draw people to Christ. Let's see what Jesus had to show and tell about being a true witness.
First of all, Jesus did not hide Who He was or what He had to offer. He didn't try to cover anything up-- He was a true witness in that He did not use any kind of deception. Darkness and deception had no place in Christ, and that is His work in us, to reveal these things by His light of truth. He was spiritually transparent, and the light and love of God shone through. He told pure truth. He had no "fear of man," and He had no need to use tricks to try and win people.
Jesus did not ignore the darkness in the woman to whom He was witnessing. He let the light shine right on it. If we were to do this in a sense of judgment, as probably the woman had often experienced before, the opportunity to share the truth would be over. Even though Jesus' light was shining with nothing but the Father's love and compassion, the woman's habit was to deflect the conversation away from her darkness-- she changed the subject, even though previously, she had been very interested in the offer of living water.
Since the woman began the topic of worship, Jesus took up that topic. [The whole time He was talking to her, He was always steering her away from looking at everything in the natural and helping her to focus upon the spiritual instead. This was really a key in getting her free from her sinful lifestyle.] "You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 4: 22-24 He showed her how needful it was that she allow the light in and not hide from it, even to cover up her shameful darkness. He was telling her that God already knew about it, and yet was still willing to reveal Himself to her. She was ready for the revelation, and believed that Jesus was the Messiah, Who was to be her covering.
When the Samaritan woman went to be a witness to the people of her town, she no longer was trying to cover up and hide. She had received His word about being a true witness, and her statement was: “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” Then they went out of the city and came to Him. John 4: 29-30 Something about this was enough to make the whole town want to come and meet Jesus. Once they had heard Him themselves, they too believed.
Whenever Jesus speaks to us, He shows us that He is the provision for whatever it is that we're needing. He also lovingly shows us what it is that is keeping us from receiving whatever it is that He has for us. He does this because He loves us. Every place that is dark in us is a place that can be inhabited by Jesus' light. The light will always overcome the darkness, so all we have to do is let the light in.
One of the best ways to become more filled with Him, which is how we become a true witness for Him, is to worship Him. True worship is not happening when our bodies are doing one thing and our hearts are somewhere else. It also doesn't happen when we're not being honest with the Lord. So true, unveiled worship in God's presence is one of our most important preparations for work in the harvest. This is where we become transparent enough for His light to shine forth into the world. Worship in spirit and in truth needs to become our lifestyle.
The "fear of man" will compel us to cover up (or deflect people's attention away from) things we think will not be acceptable to others. It is always based on our own perceptions, or that which others have taught us. It is not related to how God really sees us, but sometimes to how we think He sees us. The more we encounter the love of God through Christ, the more we realize how very much He loves us. Even if He reveals darkness in us, He shines in His light and dispels it, filling us with His love. We can run and hide from it if we choose, but it is wise to choose truth.
Personally, I have to keep on opening up to the presence of God to overcome the fear of rejection that keeps me struggling with the desire to hide. He keeps on reassuring me of His love, filling me up with His light, and helping me to lay down anything that I might use to hide from Himself and others. This motivates me to continually seek His help: if I am hiding behind something, for example, a mask of cheerfulness when I am depressed, then I have become a deceitful witness telling lies instead of the truth I want to tell. This may sound very harsh, but it is probably one of the greatest reasons in the Church for not seeing a much greater harvest of souls into the Kingdom.
The process of becoming a true witness is often painful, but always rewarding. The joy comes when we get to enjoy the fruit of the harvest with the Father and the Son. "And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together." John 4:36
First of all, Jesus did not hide Who He was or what He had to offer. He didn't try to cover anything up-- He was a true witness in that He did not use any kind of deception. Darkness and deception had no place in Christ, and that is His work in us, to reveal these things by His light of truth. He was spiritually transparent, and the light and love of God shone through. He told pure truth. He had no "fear of man," and He had no need to use tricks to try and win people.
Jesus did not ignore the darkness in the woman to whom He was witnessing. He let the light shine right on it. If we were to do this in a sense of judgment, as probably the woman had often experienced before, the opportunity to share the truth would be over. Even though Jesus' light was shining with nothing but the Father's love and compassion, the woman's habit was to deflect the conversation away from her darkness-- she changed the subject, even though previously, she had been very interested in the offer of living water.
Since the woman began the topic of worship, Jesus took up that topic. [The whole time He was talking to her, He was always steering her away from looking at everything in the natural and helping her to focus upon the spiritual instead. This was really a key in getting her free from her sinful lifestyle.] "You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 4: 22-24 He showed her how needful it was that she allow the light in and not hide from it, even to cover up her shameful darkness. He was telling her that God already knew about it, and yet was still willing to reveal Himself to her. She was ready for the revelation, and believed that Jesus was the Messiah, Who was to be her covering.
When the Samaritan woman went to be a witness to the people of her town, she no longer was trying to cover up and hide. She had received His word about being a true witness, and her statement was: “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” Then they went out of the city and came to Him. John 4: 29-30 Something about this was enough to make the whole town want to come and meet Jesus. Once they had heard Him themselves, they too believed.
Whenever Jesus speaks to us, He shows us that He is the provision for whatever it is that we're needing. He also lovingly shows us what it is that is keeping us from receiving whatever it is that He has for us. He does this because He loves us. Every place that is dark in us is a place that can be inhabited by Jesus' light. The light will always overcome the darkness, so all we have to do is let the light in.
One of the best ways to become more filled with Him, which is how we become a true witness for Him, is to worship Him. True worship is not happening when our bodies are doing one thing and our hearts are somewhere else. It also doesn't happen when we're not being honest with the Lord. So true, unveiled worship in God's presence is one of our most important preparations for work in the harvest. This is where we become transparent enough for His light to shine forth into the world. Worship in spirit and in truth needs to become our lifestyle.
The "fear of man" will compel us to cover up (or deflect people's attention away from) things we think will not be acceptable to others. It is always based on our own perceptions, or that which others have taught us. It is not related to how God really sees us, but sometimes to how we think He sees us. The more we encounter the love of God through Christ, the more we realize how very much He loves us. Even if He reveals darkness in us, He shines in His light and dispels it, filling us with His love. We can run and hide from it if we choose, but it is wise to choose truth.
Personally, I have to keep on opening up to the presence of God to overcome the fear of rejection that keeps me struggling with the desire to hide. He keeps on reassuring me of His love, filling me up with His light, and helping me to lay down anything that I might use to hide from Himself and others. This motivates me to continually seek His help: if I am hiding behind something, for example, a mask of cheerfulness when I am depressed, then I have become a deceitful witness telling lies instead of the truth I want to tell. This may sound very harsh, but it is probably one of the greatest reasons in the Church for not seeing a much greater harvest of souls into the Kingdom.
The process of becoming a true witness is often painful, but always rewarding. The joy comes when we get to enjoy the fruit of the harvest with the Father and the Son. "And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together." John 4:36
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