From Darkness to Light

I’m walking down a corridor; at least I think it’s a corridor.

To say it is black does not quite capture the feeling.

It is empty, void of color, the substance of darkness.

I can’t be sure where I’m heading, I can’t even be sure it’s forward – just moving in some unknown meaningless direction.

At an unknown moment in time ahead, far ahead I see a single sliver of light – like a door being only slightly open.

I cannot walk towards it. Part of me fears it yet I find myself being drawn towards the warmth of the light.

It is still too far ahead and I can only see it through a dark haze that seems to be surrounding not only my physical body but my mental awareness.

I am still drawn forward by a force outside of myself – a being that is both terrifying and yet calmly reassuring.

As I am pulled closer a few things become evident.

I am walking in a dungeon. Darkness engulfs it and dangers lie all around.

As the haze lifts I have a feeling as if I’m being wakened from a dark dream.

As my eyes are opened I see more clearly the door – for it is indeed a door – and I am fascinated by the light that pours from the other side.

The being drawing me towards the door is also the source of the light.

After being carried through the door – apart from my own strength or will – I see the light.

This light is the Gospel. The giver and source is Jesus Christ.

For a while I am content to look at the light – to gaze and wonder at it’s glory.

After a time I become curious about my surroundings. I begin to explore this room I am in.

This room is filled with truth in doctrine. I find a yearning to explore it.

Slowly though I’ve found my face turning more and more away from the source of light.

Suddenly I can no longer peer ahead into this corner of the room – this tidbit of doctrine is hidden from me. I am again peering into darkness. The illumination is gone.

Confused I wonder to myself why there is darkness ahead. Why isn’t the light revealing this truth to me?

Again I become keenly aware of the light. It is fully behind me.

In shame I realize the darkness ahead is caused by my own shadow blocking the Gospel from revealing truth to me.

I am taught then that in pursuit of truth in Christ, the Gospel must always be in front of me. Never is it acceptable or profitable to take it out of focus.

It must stay in front of me. It must be used to shine on my search. It is the light to my path.

Shadow and haze comes when we value the pursuit of truth above our pursuit of the truth giver. Without Him our search will be plagued with shadow – a place where clear sight cannot be. As Christians may we never forget the Gospel. It is the power of God unto salvation. May it be the lens through which we seek truth. 

Glorious Contrasts

Beauty in this brokenness

Wholeness from these shards of clay

Strength, in weakness made perfect

Blackness of night to light of day

Death into life everlasting

A cup once empty now filled

An eternal chasm now bridged

By holy blood now spilled

Glory walking the face of this darkness

A high king born in a filthy stall

A child who taught the teachers

Who in a raging storm brought calm

The giver of peace rejected

A lamb without blemish on trial

A guiltless man convicted

Condemned by sinners vile

The king of glory beaten

The name above all names denied

The Lord of lords sacrificed

Hosanna in highest crucified

Death came to the giver of life

Separation from His father on high

The burden of sin upon Him

A wretched cry of “Eloi Eloi lama sabachthani”

But, Him death could not defeat

Him the grave could not contain

The Savior rose victorious over death

And shook His lions mane

The victor of the grave now is the way

No other can set you free

Our sins He has defeated

And brought us victory

Beauty in this brokenness

Wholeness from these shards of clay

Strength, in weakness made perfect

Blackness of night to light of day

Thirst

I have come to a point in my day, my week, my life where I am yearning deeply in an almost agonizing way to be filled. I see more and more that my pursuits, my goals and my ambitions are absolutely empty and void of fulfillment and I desperately need more. This realization of spiritual longing has pulled me back to my Savior. It is not like I ever felt I was straying. I never 'left' Him. I simply ceased enjoying Him and being filled by Him. He slowly and subtly faded from being the life of my life - my all in all. I filled my days with many noble and good things - except I stopped feeding and drinking of His word. I stopped sitting at His feat and feasting on His words. He said "one thing is needful." Lately I have been filling myself with things other than that one needful thing. There is not a more claustrophobic feeling than being without Him. Now I have what feels like an urgent need for the Spirit who is referenced as the river of life flowing in us, to come and fill me. I am thirsty and I need the river of life.
 

All who are thirsty
All who are weak
Come to the fountain
Dip your heart in the stream of life
Let the pain and the sorrow
Be washed away
In the waves of his mercy
As deep cries out to deep

Come Lord Jesus come
Holy Spirit come

 

“Come, all you who are thirsty,
    come to the waters;
and you who have no money,
    come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
    without money and without cost. 

Why spend money on what is not bread,
    and your labor on what does not satisfy?
Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,
    and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.

Give ear and come to me;
    hear me, that your soul may live.
I will make an everlasting covenant with you,
    my faithful love promised to David.

See, I have made him a witness to the peoples,
    a leader and commander of the peoples.
 

Surely you will summon nations you know not,
    and nations that do not know you will hasten to you,
because of the Lord your God,
    the Holy One of Israel,
    for he has endowed you with splendor.”

Seek the Lord while he may be found;
    call on him while he is near.
 

Let the wicked forsake his way
    and the evil man his thoughts.
Let him turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on him,
    and to our God, for he will freely pardon.

 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
    neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.
 

“As the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so are my ways higher than your ways
    and my thoughts than your thoughts.
 

As the rain and the snow
    come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
    without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
    so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
 

so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
    It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
    and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

You will go out in joy
    and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills
    will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field
    will clap their hands.
 

Instead of the thornbush will grow the pine tree,
    and instead of briers the myrtle will grow.
This will be for the Lord’s renown,
    for an everlasting sign,
    which will not be destroyed.”

Isaiah 55 

And Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart;
For I am called by Your name,
O Lord God of hosts.

Jeremiah 15:16

Pray in My Name

Wow this movie concisely addresses some of the underlying wonderings behind many of my recent posts. Although it does not fully satisfy my questions it certainly addresses the attitude with which I should seek answers. It speaks to the posts I've had on prayer (always something I hope to be growing in). It sets the ground work for the mindset, attitude, and identity by which we approach God.  It addresses my wonderings on the appropriateness of expectations in our Divine Creator. It sheds light on the will of God. Although many of my thoughts on prayer recently have centered on the beginning of the Lord's prayer, this speaks to the customary "in Jesus name, amen" and talks about what it means to really prayer in name of Jesus. Revolutionizing!





I'd like to really highlight the third point he makes. Approaching God by the work that Jesus did on the cross and in full realization of what that means.

This is truth to fashion your life around!

For those of you who read my blog you’ll know that I have a strong propensity to write my own thoughts along with passages from scripture. I will save you from that this time... This is mostly because there is no exposition that I could give, no internalization of blessing, no comparison, no additional enlightenment –  nothing at all that I could say that would capture in any way the majesty and power portrayed here. My flawed words would only detract and diminish this glory! These, these are words to live by! This is truth fashion your life around!

The law of the Lord is perfect,
     reviving the soul;
the testimony of the Lord is sure,
     making wise the simple;

The precepts of the Lord are right,
    rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is pure,
     enlightening the eyes;

The fear of the Lord is clean,
    enduring forever;
the rules of the Lord are true,
    and righteous altogether.

More to be desired are they than gold,
    even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey
    and drippings of the honeycomb.

Moreover, by them is your servant warned;
     in keeping them there is great reward!

Psalm 19:7-11 (ESV)

Following my last post . . . Make WAR!

If You're Struggling . . . (A Soldiers Guide)

Man, sometimes in our struggle with sin we sometimes assign a type of sovereignty to sin. As we fall and fail over and over again we begin to see spiritual conflict as God trying to combat this all-powerful sin that ruined His original plans and holds control over us. I cannot encourage you to drop this mentality fast enough! We are given a promise of absolute victory! Christ is not conquering. He is not defeating. He CONQUERED! He DEFEATED!

In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

Romans 8:37

Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling,
And to present you faultless
Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,

To God our Savior,
Who alone is wise,
Be glory and majesty,
Dominion and power,
Both now and forever.
Amen.

Jude 24-25

This passage from Jude really captivated me when I read it. As I fall to sin, I have become increasingly discouraged. After you fight and fight and yet still fall we tend to want to give up. Spiritually these defeats are hard to deal with. Don't give into this way of thinking! Christ IS ABLE to keep us from stumbling! His grace is sufficient. His forgiveness big enough. His strength enough. His victory total! However, ONLY Christ can do this. We cannot even begin to get up off our rear-end in battle except for the strength and protection He provides. He is the one and the way by which we can stand faultless in the presence of eternal glory and absolute holiness. Therefore, if you, like me, are struggling against the lure of the flesh, the world, and/or the devil cling to the One who is able to keep you from falling. Draw on His strength. Use His armor. 

Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.

 Romans 13:14

Submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. . . Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.

James 4:7-10 

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.

Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

 James 1:2,12

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 

Ephesians 6:10-13

Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. 

1 Corinthians 10:12-13 

Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace. 

Romans 6:12-14