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Go To Meeting
Albert Jones—November 12, 2021
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[Transcript begins at 56 seconds]
We're looking for and preparing for the spring Holy Days, as we think about the power of Jesus Christ and His life, and our lives. What He has done for us and doing for us. As we think about His significance in our life across this time.
When we arrive at Passover we are hoping that as we go into that solemn assembly that we're having more profound and deeper appreciation for the solemn aspect of it, but also for what He means to us, and what we should be doing in honor of Him.
He is truly the Light in our lives. He is the Light that guides our steps in every way. I have to admit and went online and was looking at some messages that Fred had given, and he gave Light Overcomes Darkness (Oct. 10, 2021). I gave a message that was similar about a year or two ago regarding the Light of Christ.
As our Light we are truly inspired and guided by Him, or should be. This amazing understanding that we have been given regarding the power of Jesus Christ in opening our mind to understand things that are hidden from so many. We stand in the Light with Him! He is the Light of our lives and has pulled us out of darkness and given us something unique.
Isaiah 2:1: "The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. And it shall come to pass, in the last days the mountain of the LORD'S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow into it. And many people shall go and say, 'Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. And He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths.' For out of Zion shall go forth the Law, and the Word of the LORD from Jerusalem. And He shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore" (vs 1-4).
Verse 5: "O house of Jacob, come and let us walk in the Light of the LORD, for You have forsaken Your people, the house of Jacob, because they have become full of divinations from the east, and are fortunetellers like the Philistines. And they shake their hands with the children of strangers" (vs 5-7).
Things are being describe here by Isaiah as being turned upside down in this relationship. Here is a people who have God in their midst.
In verses 2-5 he emphasizes that the day is coming when all nations will have access to this wonderful gift! He is both encouraging and mourning.
1-Peter 1:1: "Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the elect strangers scattered in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia; who have been chosen according to the predetermined knowledge of God the Father, by sanctification through the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace and peace be multiplied to you. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who, according to His abundant mercy, has begotten us again unto a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead" (vs 1-3).
This is the centerpiece of our faith; that there is a resurrection and Jesus Christ was raised from the dead after living a perfect life, and that He is alive at the right hand of the Father. We hope and have this hope within us.
Verse 4: "Unto an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and unfading, reserved in heaven for us, who are being safeguarded by the power of God through faith for salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time" (vs 4-5).
Emphasizing the impact that Jesus Christ's life has had and will have on us. What makes it all possible is His existence, the work that He is doing in our lives. He separates us from the darkness and brings us into His Light. We'll explore how that is accomplished through the work He is doing. This is our calling out of darkness and into the Light!
1-Peter 2:1: "Therefore, having put away all wickedness, and all deceit, and hypocrisies and jealousies, and all slanders… [darkness] …as newborn babes, yearn after the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow" (vs 1-2).
This is a yearning, not just to stay on milk but as a baby—the comparison—yearns after the first suckling or the milk of his mother.
Verse 3: "If you yourselves have indeed tasted that the Lord is gracious. To Whom coming, as to a living Stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God, and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house—a Holy priesthood—to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ" (vs 3-5). We are starting to see what we mean to God, and what He has prepared for us!
- why He created us
- why He called us
- why He works with us the way that He does
- why we, of all people, have seen this Light and have been able to:
- embrace it
- flow toward it
- go to it
Eagerly wanting have more of it shine in our lives. We're not backing away from the Light as though it is blinding us because we want to stay in the darkness. NO! We are coming to the Light eagerly seeking after it's power in our life!
Verse 6: "For this reason it says in the Scripture, 'Behold, I place in Zion the Cornerstone, chosen and precious; and the one who believes in Him shall never be put to shame.' The preciousness is to you, therefore, who believe…" (vs 6-7).
That entails all of us here, because if we didn't believe we wouldn't be here. Some of us have taken the full step; some of us are being called and our attention has been begotten by God pointing us to that Light so that as we make that commitment—not if—God is there to receive us.
"…but to those who disobey… [draw back] …the Stone that the builders rejected has become the Head of the corner, and a Stone of stumbling and a Rock of offense; especially to those who stumble at the Word, being disobedient, unto which unbelief they also were appointed. But you…" (vs 7-9).
We: those of us who have taken a step and embraced the Light, made the full commitment in faith to Christ, have been baptized and received God's Holy Spirit. Now in this covenantal relationship with God, He says that we/you:
"…are a chosen stock, a royal priesthood, a Holy nation, a people for a possession of God, that you might proclaim His excellent virtues, Who called you out of darkness into His marvelous Light; who once were not a people… [talking to the Church] …but now are the people of God…" (vs 9-10).
What makes us the people of God is that grace that we stand in, that commitment that we've made to be joined to Christ and His death, resurrection and more importantly, His life!
Spiritually right now, symbolically through the watery baptism that we encountered, but hope one day we're going to be fully incorporated into the God Family as resurrected spirit beings in God's Family.
"…but now are the people of God who had not received mercy, but now have received mercy. Beloved, I exhort you, as strangers and sojourners, to restrain yourselves from fleshly lusts which war against the soul; having your way of life honest among the Gentiles… [those in darkness and cutoff from God] …so that although they speak against you as evildoers, through having witnessed your good works… [your way of life] …they may glorify God in the day of visitation" (vs 10-12).
- this is what God has called us to
- this is what God has revealed to us
The Prophet Isaiah prophesying this through the book of Isaiah that Jesus Christ is that Light of Life and that eventually His Light would be seen and accessible by all people, all nations. They shall flow unto it for life, seeking after it in faith, the chosen and precious one as we should be doing today, as well. We are, as God's Church, doing that today.
We are called to be the glory of God in our actions, conduct and way of life, that we, too, should have Light in us that others can see.
It's very clear that the Scripture is telling us that our lives today, as His Church—members of His Family—is that we represent Him in the way that we live our lives and we conduct our lives every day. As His Church, as kings and priests in the world tomorrow in His Kingdom!
As newborn babes, truly we desire for that Light and for the spiritual milk of God. We are seeking, as God's people, the Truth, the life-giving hope that pulls us toward God. This hope draws us to Him.
John 1:1: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with the God, and the Word was God…. [it's established Who was in the beginning there with God, in the God Family] …He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and not even one thing that was created came into being without Him…. [we exist because of Him because He's the Creator of all things] …In Him was life…[in Him today is life] …and the Life… [of Christ Jesus] …was the Light of men" (vs 1-4).
So, the hope—and what was described in Isa. 2—is that Light that will shine unto all nations at some point, and they will be responding to it. But here we are today, as was Israel in that day, having God working in the midst of them. At the same time, they were rejecting that.
God is warning that we should not reject Christ. We should come to the Light and seek after it and embrace it.
Verse 5: "And the Light shines in the darkness, but the darkness does not comprehend it."
This is an amazing thing, and that we recognize that the relationship is part of our calling as well, that God calls us to Him. This life, this hope that draws us to Him John the Baptist spoke about. He herald the arrival of Christ as the Light that was promised to come into the world.
Verse 6: "There was a man sent by God, whose name was John. He came for a witness, that he might testify concerning the Light, so that through him all might believe. He was not the Light, but came that he might testify concerning the Light" (vs 6-8).
John the Baptist proclaimed the Light; he herald in the arrival of the Savior, announced it much like the angles did on the night of His birth. That's quite inspiring as well to read the words that they said about the baby that was born King, but His ministry didn't start until He was an adult. As a baby He was a baby, born to be a King!
Verse 9: "The True Light was that which enlightens everyone who comes into the world. He was in the world, and the world came into being through Him, but the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him; but as many as received Him, to them He gave authority to become the children of God, even to those who believe in His name; who were not begotten by bloodlines, nor by the will of the flesh, nor by the will of man, but by the will of God" (vs 9-13).
So, God's plan is put in motion. The full application of His plan under the New Covenant is put in motion.
Verse 14: "And the Word became flesh and tabernacled among us (and we ourselves beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten with the Father), full of grace and truth. John testified concerning Him, and proclaimed, saying, 'This was He of Whom I said, "He Who comes after me has precedence over me because He was before me."' And of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace" (vs 14-16).
Yes, He has precedence over all of us, and all of creation. It took Him, and Him only, to fulfill that task of redemption for all mankind and all creation itself. The One Who came into the world as that Light, bringing life with Him. This Light is what draws us to Him is what John the Baptist was talking about. This is what Isaiah was prophesying about when we got back there.
Isaiah 2:5: "O house of Jacob, come and let us walk in the Light of the LORD, for You have forsaken Your people, the house of Jacob, because they have become full of divinations from the east, and are fortunetellers like the Philistines. And they shake their hands with the children of strangers" (vs 5-6)—much like Balaam did, agreeing with, conspiring with to deceive God's people!
That happens quite often even within the Church of God. We have to be careful and watch and be aware of those who are contrary to the Word of God. Who gets so close to darkness, kind of straddles the line. We have to be praying that that doesn't happen to us. We have to be mindful and watchful of those things around us.
Verse 7: "And their land is full of silver and gold. There is no end of their treasures and their land is full of horses; neither is there any end of their chariots." Sounds like a pretty good economy to me!
Verse 8: "And their land is full of idols… [today the world is full of idols] …they worship the work of their own hands…"
Whether it be outright idols, or their own kingdoms that they have built to themselves; that sense that 'I can do anything! All I have to do is think positively enough.' That's not the way that Christ has described it for us!
"…that which their own fingers have made. And men will be brought low, and humbled—forgive them not. Enter into the rock and hide in the dust for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of His majesty. The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the pride of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day, For the Day of the LORD of hosts shall be upon every proud and haughty one, and upon every exalted one; and they shall be brought low, and it shall be upon all the high and lifted up cedars of Lebanon, and upon all the oaks of Bashan, and upon all the high mountains, and upon all the hills that are lifted up, and upon every high tower, and upon every fortified wall; and upon all the ships of Tarshish, and upon all pleasurable craft. And the pride of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low; and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day" (vs 8-17).
God is very clear that no matter what we think, or how magnificent we might see ourselves, in the end mankind will come to see that God is God, and no one else! The world will recognize the need for Him and will recognize that He, and only He, is the answer for eternal life or for life itself. Isaiah says it very eloquently there!
For them, at that time, it was the ways of the nations around them. They didn't know the true God, didn't know His ways. They leaned to their own understanding and worshipped things that couldn't save the vanities of their mind and heart.
God has called us out of the ways of the nations. But for us today, it's the ways of this world. Most of the world has benefited from the great commission of Christ to take the Gospel and preach it to all the world as a witness to all nations. That has been occurring, according to God's instruction, mainly by His Churches throughout millennia. That is there, but many of them reject it. They reject that the Gospel as it is being preached.
They didn't know the Lord of Israel, in much the same way as the people in the world have rejected the God of Israel today. Christ came and revealed Himself, and the knowledge of Him, preserving the Gospel, the Testament of Him so that there would be no excuses. But there still, even today, a veil of darkness that Satan holds over them. Men do love darkness.
That relationship between having the Truth preached and proclaimed we recognize as a calling. But there is a witness there to all the world.
John 3:9: "Nicodemus answered and said to Him, 'How can these things be?' Jesus answered and said to him, 'You are a teacher of Israel, and you do not know these things? Truly, truly I say to you, We speak that which We know, and We testify of that which We have seen; but you do not receive Our testimony. If I have told you earthly things, and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? (And no one has ascended into heaven, except He Who came down from heaven, even the Son of man, Who is in heaven.)" (vs 9-13).
We see and understand that Jesus Christ came and fulfilled His purpose on earth, the victory was one and He ascended back into heaven at the right hand of the Father where He is at this moment.
Verse 14: "And even as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, in the same way it is ordained that the Son of man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in Him may not perish…" (vs 14-15).
He became sin for us, as symbolized by the serpent in the wilderness, representing the sin of the people so that they would recognize that they had sinned. Christ was lifted up as sin for us! At that moment He became sin for us, and by that act we may have eternal life.
"…but may have everlasting life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only Begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may not perish, but may have everlasting life" (vs 15-16).
- there is that hope
- there is that way that was forged by Christ
Verse 17: "For God sent not His Son into the world that He might judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him."
- as a hope
- as an encouragement
For us! But we have to receive and have faith and walk before Him and live that life that is before us.
Verse 19: "And this is the judgment: that the Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness rather than the Light because their works were evil. For everyone who practices evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light, so that his works may not be exposed; but the one who practices the Truth comes to the Light, so that his works may be manifested, that they have been accomplished by the power of God" (vs 19-21).
- If you are in darkness, how do you know? You're just groping around in the dark; you don't have a clue as the whether your actions are of God or not!
- What defines sin? God's Law!
- How do you know if you're sinning or not if you don't have the laws and commandments of God in your life?
- If you're not able to see and comprehend that way of life that God wants you to live? It's revealed by Jesus Christ through the power of His Holy Spirit!
Yes, His words are there preserved for us to read. He brought everything that we need to make it. We have to avail ourselves to it, recognize it.
- if you're not studying
- if you're not totally connected, engaged and fully immersed in that Light
You're missing out!
That's the message that I want to also encourage everyone to embrace the Light of Christ. To pursue it every day. We do that through:
- study
- prayer
- fasting
- fellowship
The fellowship that we have with one another is an incredible training ground or developmental environment in which we can exercise the fruits of the Holy Spirit that is in us. This is all made possible by Christ!
2-Corinthians 3:1: "Do we again begin to commend ourselves? Or do we, as some, need epistles of commendation to you, or epistles of commendation from you? You are our epistle…" (vs 1-2).
As we grow in knowledge and grace, taking advantage of the resources that God has made available through His Church, taking advantage of this forum by which we spiritually fed, we are putting in practice the things that we are learning. Paul is clear:
"…You… [we] …are our epistle and are inscribed in our hearts, being known and read by all men" (v 2).
Yes, the Church of God is a light in this world. Your example makes a difference. People see you and you represent Christ, represent God's Kingdom right now. Of course, in the grandest way in the Kingdom of God, you will also represent Him.
Verse 3: "For it is manifest that you are Christ's epistle, ministered by us; you were not inscribed with pen and ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not on tablets of stone, but on fleshly tablets of the heart."
- this is the New Covenant
- this is the grace of God
- this is the power of the Holy Spirit working in our lives
- it transforms us from that of flesh into a mind inclined to spiritual things
- it takes us out of darkness and puts us in the Light so that we can walk in it
Verse 4: "Now we have this confidence through Christ toward God; not that we are competent of ourselves, or credit anything to our own abilities…" (vs 4-5).
We are ministers, simply stewards of God doing His work, helping His people to find a way to Him to be changed and transformed by the power of God.
"…rather, our competency is from God" (v 5). When we were ordained, it was prayed that we would receive the power to do God's will and His work to help and serve His people!
Verse 6: "Who also made us competent as ministers of the New Covenant… [that's what we preach] …not of the letter, but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life."
Remember that Christ is that Life; in Him was that Light, and that Life was the Light of men. The direct relationship between Christ and the Light that we are able to have and see and understand the things of God. Having those things revealed to us:
- through grace
- through the love of God
- through our commitment
Stand immersed in that Light!
Verse 7: "Now if the ministry of death, which wasengraved in stones, came into being with glory, so that the children of Israel were not able to gaze upon Moses' face because of the glory of his face… [remember that Moses face shined with glory] …which glory is being set aside." That was the tablets of stone, that was glory inscribed. That glory is fading away.
Verse 8: "Shall not the ministry of the Spirit be far more glorious? For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, to a much greater degree the ministry of righteousness overflows with glory" (vs 8-9).
This is the righteousness of faith. There is a righteousness of the Law. This by no means takes away the power of obedience to God and what it brings into our lives, and keeps us connected with God.
Verse 10: "And even the ministry of condemnation, which had glory, was not glorious in this respect, because of the surpassing glory of the ministry of life."
Obedience is still a part of God's formula: one is commanded, the other is inspired through the power of the Holy Spirit working in our lives, changing our mind and heart so that no one has to make us obey, tell us to obey.
- we are inspired to obey
- we desire to obey
- we yearn after that
Through the power of God's Spirit, because it's transforming our very thinking!
Verse 11: "For if that which is being set aside came into being through glory, to a much greater degree that which remains is glorious. Now then, because we have such hope…" (vs 11-12).
- as God's Church
- as God's people
- as God's called
- as God's elect
- as those who have responded to that Light
"…we use great plainness of speech; for we are not like Moses, who put a veil over his face, so that the children of Israel could not gaze to the end upon the glory that is now being set aside. But their minds were blinded; for to the present hour the same veil has not been removed, but remains at the reading of the Old Covenant; which veil is removed in Christ" (vs 12-14).
The Old Covenant is surpassed in greatness. The laws and commandments of God are magnified unto the New Covenant.
Verse 15: "For to this day, when Moses is read, the veil lies upon their hearts…. [that is changed in our heart] …But when their hearts turn to the Lord, the veil is taken away" (vs 15-16).
- we have responded
- Christ has received us
- the Father drew us
- we responded
- Christ received us
- He gave us the Holy Spirit
Now the transformation is occurring!
Verse 17: "Now, the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. But we all, with uncovered faces beholding the glory of the Lord as in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord" (vs 17-18),
This is the power of God's Light in our lives. In terms of describing His Light, it entails every aspect of God's work in our lives. The Holy Spirit is a major part of that work that He's doing in our lives.
2-Corinthians 11:12: "But what I am doing, I will do, so that I may cut off any occasion from those who are desiring an occasion; so that in the things they boast of, they also may be found even as we are."
There is no boasting in God's Church. Every single one of us stand here by the grace of God. Everything that is being accomplished in this Body, in a successful way, has been accomplished by the power of God the Father and Jesus Christ working in this Church.
Verse 13: "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers who are transforming themselves into apostles of Christ…. [here's where we have to be very careful in life]: …And it is no marvel, for Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore, it is no great thing if his servants also transform themselves as ministers of righteousness—whose end shall be according to their works" (vs 13-15).
We have things that can be done, and we have many, many examples in the world, where ministers are drawing thousands of people to their Sunday services and feeding them lies. One individual draws 30,000 people each Sunday doing three sermons, 10,000 on average at a mega church in Houston.
But no Truth is spoken there! No Truth! The Word of God is blasphemed there, has been "…transformed as an angel of light." Many are drawn to it!
But God has called us out of that darkness into that Truth. We have the Truth that has been proclaimed and is being preached faithfully by God's ministers.
For us in the Body of Christ, the time is now! The time to stay deeply embedded within the Truth of God, immersed in the Light of God is today.
John 8:12: "Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, 'I am the Light of the world; the one who follows Me shall never walk in darkness, but shall have the Light of Life.'" We hope and trust in that promise!
John 12:35: "Then Jesus said to them, 'Yet, a little while the Light is with you…. [here's the important instruction]: …Walk while you have the Light, so that the darkness will not overtake you. For the one who walks in darkness does not know where he is going. While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become the children of Light.' Jesus spoke these things and then departed from them and was in hiding" (vs 35-36).
We have this instruction from Christ as He announces Himself as the Light in our lives. That we are to immerse ourselves in Him in that relationship.
Yes, we are Lights in the world as inspired and instructed by Christ to serve as a part of our purpose in God's Church.
Matthew 4:16—quoting Isaiah: "'The people who were sitting in darkness have seen a great light; and to those who were sitting in the realm and shadow of death, light has sprung up' From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, 'Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand'" (vs 16-17).
As God's children, the called out ones in God's Church, we are to represent this hope that we have within us.
Matt. 5 & 6 gives a great description of our responsibility within God's family, and to be representative of it. Matt. 5:1-13 gives an exhaustive description of what we're supposed to be doing. I look at them as job descriptions.
Matthew 5:1: "But seeing the multitudes, He went up into the mountain; and when He sat down, His disciples came to Him. And He opened His mouth and taught them, saying… [let's be taught by God in the same way they were] …'Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall find mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God'" (vs 1-8).
Having our heart right with God, a pure conscious by obedience and love toward God. Humble submission before Him
Verse 9: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God. Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are you when they shall reproach you, and shall persecute you, and shall falsely say every wicked thing against you, for My sake" (vs 9-11).
Verse 12: "Rejoice and be filled with joy, for great is your reward in heaven; for in this same manner they persecuted the prophets who were before you."
Jesus goes on to tell us what our role should be, and what we truly are in His hands:
Verse 13: "You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt has become tasteless, with what shall it be salted? For it no longer has any strength, but is to be thrown out and to be trampled upon by men."
He's says to us that we, too, are to represent Him as Lights:
Verse 14: "You are the light of the world…. [brethren, let your light shine] …A city that is set on a mountain cannot be hid. Neither do they light a lamp and put it under a bushel basket…: (vs 14-15).
You don't cover it up and hide it from the world. The world, the world needs to see the light. The world is full of darkness; we need to bring light, and be a light in the world!
"…but on the lampstand; and it shines for all who are in the house. In the same way also, you are to let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works… [that's a study in itself to find what those good works are] …and may glorify your Father Who is in heaven" (vs 15-16).
See the relationship between our calling and our development? As the character is developed and the light is put on that we represent it in our lives. We don't hide it away. We conduct ourselves in such a way that we conduct ourselves in such a way that we can truly be the ambassadors of the Kingdom of God.
We really get into that understand at the Feast of Tabernacles and are roles and responsibilities in the Millennium. But even today, God has called us to be representatives of His Kingdom.
Verse 17: "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill."
We, too, must not just keep them, but fulfill them and live them from the heart! This is what God has called us to. We are to represent this hope, and remember that we are also to be beacons of light to the people! Like John the Baptist, Christ described him in such a way.
Let's see what Christ said of John the Baptist, and we want Him to say this of us. There's none greater than Baptist, Christ said so. But He also said that 'the least in the Kingdom of God would be greater than John the Baptist.' Let's get our priorities right. Let's be in God's Kingdom.
John 5:35—Jesus says: "He… [John the Baptist] …was a burning and shining light, and you were willing for a time to rejoice in his light. But I have a greater witness than John's; for the works that the Father gave Me to complete…" (vs 35-36).
We were called by the Father and given to Christ to perfect us and be presented back to the Father.
"…the very works that I am doing…" (v 36). Preaching the Gospel, being the light to the nations, to the Gentiles, to those who have never known this Truth!
"…themselves bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me. And the Father Himself, Who sent Me, has borne witness of Me. You have neither heard His voice nor seen His form at any time. And you do not have His Word dwelling in you, for you do not believe Him Whom He has sent" (vs 36-38). Brethren, we believe! We believe wholeheartedly!
Verse 39: "You search the Scriptures, for in them you think that you have eternal life; and they are theones that testify of Me." The Word of God testifies of the Son—Jesus Christ—what His role is.
Verse 40: "But you are unwilling to come to Me, that you may have life."
Let us not be, at any time, that stubborn or stiff-necked! There is a very important Scripture in the Proverbs pertaining to this.
Proverbs 4:10: "Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of your life shall be many. I have taught you in the way of wisdom; I have led you in the right paths. When you go, your steps shall not be hampered, and when you run, you shall not stumble. Keep hold of instruction; do not let go; keep her, for she is your life. Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not into the way of evil men" (vs 10-14). Stay away from the darkness of this world!
Verse 15: "Avoid it; do not go in it; turn from it, and pass on!"
A message that so many young people in America—and around the world—needs to hear. Stay away from the simple things of this world, embrace the Word of God and find true joy in this way of life that God is calling you to, or has called you to.
Verse 16: "For they do not sleep except when they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away unless they cause some to fall, for they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence. But the path of the just… [those whom God has justified through His Son] …is as the shining light, that shines more and more to the perfect day" (vs 16-18). God has called us to that way of life!
Verse 19: "The way of the wicked is as darkness; they know not at what they stumble. My son, attend to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Let them not depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart, for they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh" (vs 19-22).
God has given us the instructions that will give us the right path to life. We are not to keep our eyes on the ways of this world! God has called us out of that!
We understand that what we see with our eyes and comprehend has an impact on us. Luke spoke about this. We need to keep our eyes on God and this is why:
Luke 11:33: "Now, no one who lights a lamp sets it in a secret place or under a bushel basket, but on a lampstand, so that those who are entering may see the light. The light of the body is the eye. Therefore, when your eye is without guile, your whole body is light; but when your eye is evil, your body also is dark. Therefore, beware that the light that is in you is not darkness. Now then, if your whole body is light, not having any part dark, it shall be full of light, as when a lamp shining brightly gives you light" (vs 33-36)
Matthew 6:22: "The light of the body is the eye. Therefore, if your eye be sound, your whole body shall be full of light. But if your eye be evil, your whole body shall be full of darkness. Therefore, if the light that is in you be darkness, how great is that darkness!" (vs 22-23).
Deuteronomy 6:I—Moses speaking: "Now, these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the LORD our God commanded to teach you so that you might do them in the land where you go to possess it, that you might fear the LORD your God, to keep all His statutes and His commandments which I command you, you, and your son, and your son's son…" (vs 1-2).
I want to emphasize the generational responsibilities that we have to instruct and teach our little ones, the next generation. Give them this life! Pass that torch on, so that they don't find themselves entrapped in darkness.
"…all the days of your life, and so that your days may be prolonged. Hear therefore, O Israel…" (vs 2-3).
- hear O Spiritual Israel
- hear O Church of God
- hear O people of God, those who have come to the Light and want to embrace it
God is talking to us!
"…and be diligent to observe it, so that it may be well with you, and that you may greatly multiply, as the LORD God of our fathers has promised you, in the land that flows with milk and honey" (v 3).
That was a physical blessing promised to them. But the way that God has called us to the inheritance that we will receive is greater than anything that is physical, that in the physical realm!
Verse 4: "Hear, O Israel. Our one God is the LORD, the LORD. And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words, which I command you this day, shall be in your heart. And you shall diligently teach them to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up" (vs 4-7).
This way of life that God has called us to is about a relationship with God the Father and Jesus Christ. They are creating in us perfection. That perfection, as described in Matt. 5:48 is the perfection of the Father
Matthew 5:48: "Therefore, you shall be perfect, even as your Father Who is in heaven is perfect."
Deuteronomy 6:8: "And you shall bind them for a sign upon your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes"—so that you don't get distracted in any way!
This is what God has called us to. The true Light that guides us has been written in our heart and mind by Jesus Christ.
2-Corinthians 4:3: "But if our Gospel is hidden, it is hidden to those who are perishing; in whom the god of this age has blinded the minds of those who do not believe, lest the Light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ, Who is the image of God, should shine unto them. For we do not preach our own selves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake, because it is God Who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, Who shined into our hearts the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" (vs 3-6).
God will do the same in our lives as He has promised from the very beginning, working with the children of Israel physically. He will do this also with us, and will magnify within our lives spiritually.
1-Thessalonians 5:1 "Now then, concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, there is no need that I write to you; for you yourselves understand perfectly that the Day of the Lord will come exactly as a thief comes by night. For when they say, 'Peace and security,' then sudden destruction will come upon them, as travail comes upon a woman who is with child; and they shall by no means escape" (vs 1-3).
Now, this is a warning and admonition to us, and the encouragement to us:
Verse 4: "But you, brethren, are not in darkness that the day of the Lord should overtake you as a thief. For you are all children of the Light and children of the day; we are not of the night, nor of the darkness. So then, we should not sleep, as others do; but we should watch…" (vs 4-6).
We should not be nonchalant or unaware. We should be in God's Word, connected to God, connected to the Father and Jesus Christ through study, prayer, fasting, fellowship! Doing those things that God has called us to do. Making sure that the Gospel is preached as God has instructed us to do. Doing those things that God has instructed us to do! Being about the business of the Father!
Verse 8: "But we who are of the day should be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation, because God has not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, so that whether we remain alive until He comes or we fall asleep before that day, together we may live forever with Him. Therefore, encourage one another, and edify one another, even as you are already doing" (vs 8-11).
Yes, brethren, we stand in the Light of God! The True Light has come into the world for us! It shines in our lives today, just as when the Creator God stood upon the face of the deep in the midst of the darkness and the chaos that was at that time. He has come forth in our lives, and He has said that in our lives 'Let there be Light!'
Rom. 13:11-14 kind of echoes that! Now we walk as children of Light, in the true light of Jesus Christ as begotten sons and daughters of God in love, fellowship and peace.
Rejoice and give thanks to God for that Light that He shines in our life and let us continue to be true and steadfast in the Word that God has called us to and the love we have for one another.
Scriptural References:
- Isaiah 2:1-7
- 1 Peter 1:1-5
- 1 Peter 2:1-12
- John 1:1-16
- Isaiah 2:5-17
- John 3:9-17, 19-21
- 2 Corinthians 3:1-18
- 2 Corinthians 11:12-15
- John 8:12
- John 12:35-36
- Matthew 4:16-17
- Matthew 5:1-17
- John 5:35-40
- Proverbs 4:10-22
- Luke 11:33-36
- Matthew 6:22-23
- Deuteronomy 6:1-7
- Matthew 5:48
- Deuteronomy 6:8
- 2 Corinthians 4:3-6
- 1 Thessalonians 5: 1-6, 8-11
Scripture referenced, not quoted: Romans 15:11-14
Also referenced: Message {truthofGod.org}:
Light Overcomes Darkness by Fred R. Coulter
AJ:bo
Transcribed: 1/9/22
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