Dampening darkness or Christ confidence?

Have you ever had to walk in the pitch black? Yesterday I was reminded what this is like. While trying to shut my stubborn "automatic" garage door, I had to walk over as it was closing to manually help it along. Only problem was, I didn't leave the house door open! Lights out! It was dark!

Haha, funny thing is, I know my garage. I know the layout and short distance to the steps to the house entrance. Yet, I nearly froze, walking at snail speed, a sudden uncertainty came over me. "Odd", I thought as I made my way through. "Why do I feel this way KNOWING where I'm going?"

OK so some may say, "What a sissy" or "scary scaredy cat"! The Lord used this to speak GREATLY to my heart. He said, "Those who are lost and blinded lack confidence without the light. I am with you and so you trust I am near. Those without this peace hesitate with each step, are easily misguided and are overtaken by fear, fret, frustration and distraught even with the simplest of things."

Wow, this 30 second adventure will stick with me forever! How true and right the Lord is!!! It's so important we share His Light so others may see and feel His comfort and peace! Truth is, in an uncertain ever darkening world, it's no wonder we see such heaviness around us.

There are actually several lessons within this, both for the lost and the believer! May God use this to speak to your heart too!

Let us be mindful:
"Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness." 1 Thessalonians 5:5

"For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:" Ephesians 5:8

Can others around us see Christ's confidence in us?

Walk not as they walk

Do you understand the magnitude and sharp direction here?

"This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth WALK NOT AS OTHER Gentiles WALK, in the VANITY of their MIND, Having the UNDERSTANDING DARKENED, being ALIENATED from the LIFE of GOD through the IGNORANCE that IS IN THEM, because of the BLINDNESS of their HEART: Who being past feeling have GIVEN THEMSELVES OVER unto LASCIVIOUSNESS, to WORK ALL UNCLEANNESS with GREEDINESS." Ephesians 4:17-19

Do you know why this is so IMPORTANT to/for the BELIEVER?

Here's a few word meanings...
*Walk not-  do not live like them, do not follow them or be occupied by them!
*Vanity of their mind - moral depravity in intellect; thoughts, feelings and the will.
*Understanding- exercise deep thought or imagination
*Darkened - obscured; difficult or impossible to understand or comprehend completely with certainty
*Alienated - estranged; to arouse especially mutual enmity or indifference in where there had formerly been love, affection, or friendliness
*Ignorance - a lack of knowledge, understanding, or education : the state of being ignorant
*blindness- the hardness
*Lasciviousness- negatively lewd and lustful

OK, with this deeper look, reread this passage again with these insights into mind. Can you see the heartfelt serious message the Lord has here?

The complacent charger

Last night I set my phone on the stand up charger. This morning I realize it didn't charge. My son kindly plugged it in and it slowly began refilling. After some time I saw it wasn't charging too quick so I checked the plug. It wasn't fully pushed in!

Ok, ok, some say "So what! Who cares?". Here's the deeper meaning to it all.

On the spiritual side of things, we can get caught up with "going through the motions", as if our time with the Lord is some kind of 'To do' checklist. The problem with this is no different than my phone set ON the charger but NOT CONNECTED. Even taking that next step and ensuring it was "plugged in". I went through all the "proper steps", right?

We must make sure we are connected to Him. He's our life! Remember Jesus said, "I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing." John 15:5

How can we be about His work if we aren't refilled and connected fully. He knows our hearts and doesn't want just the act of doing right. He requires our hearts continuously plugged into His. Is He your lifeline? Are you fully plugged in to Him?

Diminish not a word

"Thus saith the LORD; Stand in the court of the LORD'S house, and speak unto all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the LORD'S house, all the words that I command thee to speak unto them; diminish not a word:" Jeremiah 26:2

A few notable points here:

1- specific instruction from the Lord
2- the Lord is speaking to His people through His prophet
3- the Lord is careful about His message

Diminish means to lessen or to take away from. All He gave Jeremiah to speak to His people was to be verbatim, nothing lost, nothing taken away nor made into a lite matter. "Diminish not a word"!

It's a serious thing when the Lord speaks both for the messenger as well as the receiver. The main message Jeremiah was to speak was the same message we are to carry today. REPENT and turn to the Lord!

As Jeremiah was facing possible death for heeding the Lord, I love his response to the rulers. "... do with me as seemeth good and meet to you. But know ye for certain if ye put me to death, ye shall surely bring innocent blood upon yourselves, upon this city and upon the inhabitants thereof: FOR OF A TRUTH THE LORD HATH SENT ME unto you TO SPEAK ALL THESE WORDS in your ears." (vs 14-15)

Do we have the same obedient  boldness to speak as He leads? On the flip side, are our hearts humble enough to hear and receive His message?

The contentious Christian

"Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will: The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds: But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel." Philippians 1:15-17

I've experienced both types of preachers mentioned here. Actually just yesterday I encountered one of strife and contention. It's safe to say these are ones who need our most diligent prayer.

I love this specific instruction in dealing with these:
"If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself." 1 Timothy 6:3-5

"Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves." Philippians 2:3

We know pride is opposite of humility. In which pride will not allow others to be lifted above self and even cutting truth down to fit it's own beliefs, in essence trading truth for a lie.

If we truly bear about the marks of Christ, His love will be seen. After all its by His love He is seen and by this He draws men unto Himself.

"Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;" Romans 12:9-11

Contentious or humble which characteristics are we displaying to others around us?

Ah to be "a peculiar people"!

Wow! Don't ya just love those "light bulb" moments!?! Haha, you know, the ones God grants during time spent with Him in His Word? That awesome clarity received only by listening to His Holy Spirit.

Ok, this is so amazing to me! Before I share my newfound insights, carefully read this passage. For many believers it is common. However, don't read it like, "I already know it".

"But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy." 1 Peter 2:9-10

2 words within I want to focus on.

First, being 'peculiar'. Sadly my understanding was limited by modern interpretation of being "set apart"; which is partially true. A deeper look reveals it meaning a "purchased possession"! Yes, we are set apart BUT by being blood bought by the sacrificial blood of the Lamb. Cool huh?!

Second word focus is 'praises'. This is so much more than a song of adoration upon our lips! Though that could and should be a by-product. It actually means virtues. By this it is morally good behavior or character. This IS the GOOD FRUITS (a lifestyle that reflects Christ!) that stem from our obtaining the Lord's mercies and being called OUT of darkness into His glorious LIGHT!!!

I hope this insight has blessed and encouraged you as it has me. I love and enjoy the simple truths He gives and even more so how He builds and adds "line upon line, line upon line. Precept upon precept."

Key question is: Are you willing to walk in His ways and personally apply these truths to your daily walk?

The barrenness of busyness

The barrenness of busyness should be banned from the believer's life. I admit, I too have been guilty!

Busyness? Yes! It's simply the crime of being too busy. Even in doing the Lord's work. Lately my heart has been heavy and my spirit grieved over these things which are sweeping throughout daily routines and saturating church walls too.

Busyness has no limit. While it is a gift to have a servant's heart and a pure desire to please the Lord, it's spiritual rot to forsake time with Him, even for His work.

Let's face it though, it's more than His work. What about Christian entertainment!? If we are honest with ourselves, we can see not all who claim Christ are His, right. Therefore it's good to recognize not all things carrying a Christian label bring Him glory.

There are countless ways to serve and praise the Lord. Yet, as I explained to a friend the other day and visual portrait like this:

     Let's say you have a cup freshly filled and there's plenty to share so the cup is passed around and as it returns, it comes back empty. Many of us have done just this! The cup represents us being daily filled with the Living waters found in the Word. When we are refreshed each day, we are filled with enough to share BUT when we jump into the days demands without this renewing, what have we to share but an empty cup?!?

So, whether the Lord's work or appeasing our times of fleshly rest, aka "Christian entertainment" we keep going, and doing, filling our "TO DO LIST", but sadly lack our first love, Christ, in the process. There are many biblical accounts that come to mind. The most prominent being Mary verses Martha mentality.

Truth is if we are so busy and neglect our times of refreshing, how quick will we dry up, loose our zeal and passion for the One who gave us a servant's heart to begin with. Our lives and walk become fruitless!

Even scarier than being fruitless is becoming stagnant which leads to complacency and finally results in being lukewarm! One compromise here and there and within time the barren believer looks no different than the worldly one without Christ.

Look at the 7 churches mentioned in Revelation 1 and 2... especially if you're in a leadership position (parents, we too are in leadership whether we realize it or not!), do you honestly know which letter you would receive?

Are we willing to examine ourselves in the light of Scripture? Will we return to our 1st Love?