The Darkness Of Hate

As John continues to write about light and darkness, he says that if we hate each other in the church, we are still in the darkness. He says:

Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness. 10 Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble. 11 But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them. – 1 John 2:9-11 (NIV)

This is so timely for American Christians. We hear so much about hate on the news and social media. This group hates that group and vice versa. Hate is darkness. What if the church could set the standard for love? What if we could lead by example when it comes to people from all kinds of different backgrounds who truly loved one another as brothers and sisters in Christ? Let us commit ourselves to doing just that and let’s show the world what it means to do away with the darkness of hate.

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Positioning Ourselves In The Light

The darkness is a scary place. It is a place with no light. Little children are afraid of the dark. Frankly, adults should be, too. This is what the Apostle John said about the darkness and the light:

If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. – 1 John 1:6-7 (NIV)

As a follower of Jesus, I need to position myself in the light because that’s where God is – in the light. If I want to be with God, I need to be in the light. Lies, lust, hatred, rage, greed, drunkenness and envy all belong to the darkness. If I want to be with God, I have to reject these deeds of darkness – and others – and walk in His light. We have to be filled with the Spirit of God and let Him take over and continually lead us to His light. Then we will be filled with the light of love, joy, peace and hope.

God Is Light

On August 21, 2017, there will be a total solar eclipse and people are excited about it. They’re buying glasses and organizing parties. People are excited about the sun being blocked out completely and the skies going dark in the middle of the day. It’s a rather rare occurrence and darkness during the light of day won’t happen again for seven years.

The Apostle John talked about God, light and darkness in his first letter. He wrote:

This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. – 1 John 1:5 (NIV)

God is the very definition of light and there is no darkness in Him at all. The light of God can never be eclipsed by the darkness of sin. The light of God can never be eclipsed by the darkness of evil or hate. God is pure light. He is holy and He is perfect. If you want light and truth, you have to seek after God. He is light and He will never lead you to the darkness.

We Love The Darkness

John 3:19-21 (NIV)

This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.

 

Let’s face it, human beings love spiritual darkness. It’s much easier to hide our lies and our sins in the dark. We hide them from one another and we try to hide them from God. Why? Sometimes we try to hide because we’re ashamed. Sometimes we try to hide because we want to keep doing what we’re doing. If we bring our sins out into the light of truth, we’re forced to admit that what we’re doing is sinful. If we venture out into the light of truth, we know we have to repent. The darkness of sin is easy. The light of truth is hard. 

The reality of the situation is that we’re not hiding anything and we’re not fooling anyone. God sees it all and knows what we’ve been up to. He’s not shocked by our sins. He’s well aware. That’s why we need to step out of the darkness of sin and into the light of Jesus’ love and grace. We may be afraid of condemnation and punishment, but that’s not what we find in the light. We find Jesus in the light and He will not condemn us to Hell because of our sins. He wants to forgive our sins and rescue us from Hell. That’s why He came. Don’t be afraid of the light. You don’t have to hide in the dark anymore. 

 

PRAYER: Father God, help me to step into the light of truth and grace. I don’t want to hide in the darkness anymore. Thank You for your mercy and grace. Thank You for your love and forgiveness. Thank You for Jesus. I love You, God. Amen.

The Night Is Almost Over

The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.  The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.  Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.  Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature. — Romans 13:11b-14 (NIV)

I have a friend who says something to the effect that “nothing good happens after midnight”.  And when you think about it, he’s just about right.  When there is light shining, people behave more appropriately.  When there is darkness, there are all kinds of evil.  As Christians, we are to “walk in the light, as He is in the light” (1 John 1:7, NIV).  Jesus is “the light of the world” (John 8:12, NIV).  If we are going to clothe ourselves with Him (Galatians 3:27), we must step out of the darkness and into the light of His glorious presence.  We must reject the darkness of evil and sin and instead, we have to allow Christ to shine His light into the dark places of our souls.  His light will expose everything that is evil and then it can be done away with.  May His light shine in the darkness in and through us today.

PRAYER: Father, shine the light of Jesus into the darkest places of my heart and soul. Forgive me for walking in darkness and help me to walk in the light of Your presence and grace. I love You, Lord and I thank You for Jesus. Amen.

Creator Of Light

And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. — Genesis 1:3 (NIV)

Could you imagine a world without light?  The fact that there is light is taken for granted.  Whether natural or artificial, we have had light since the very beginning of Creation.  It was the very first thing that God created.  Genesis says that there was darkness everywhere and then God spoke light into being.  Light was separated from darkness and the first day came to an end.

I think about those words “he separated the light from the darkness” (Genesis 1:4, NIV) and my own life.  I have been given a different kind of light.  I have been given what the Gospel writer John calls the life that is “the light of men” (John 1:4, NIV).  Jesus Christ is that light and through God’s grace, I have that light living in me.  Have I separated myself from the darkness?  God has filled my heart with light and yet I still have dark places within me.  I must do better at allowing the light of Christ to do away with the darkness.

Think about the dark places in your soul for a moment.  Where are those dark places?  What is keeping you from allowing Christ’s light to shine in those places?  Ask the Creator and Giver of light to shine the light of Jesus in your life today.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, please shine Your light in me and through me today. I want to shine the light of Jesus into the darkest places of our world. I need You to shine the light of Jesus into the darkest places of my life that I may repent and become more like Him. Thank You for calling me into the light of Your grace, amen.

Light/Darkness

Luke 11:33-36 (NIV)

The Lamp of the Body

33 “No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light. 34 Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are healthy, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are unhealthy, your body also is full of darkness. 35 See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness. 36 Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be just as full of light as when a lamp shines its light on you.

What we fill our hearts and minds with is what fills our lives.  Jesus was teaching about the light that shines into our lives.  We can fill our lives with light or darkness.  What we put in is what is going to come out of us.  If you want to be filled with light, you’ve got to fill your life with God.  Take a look at 1 John 1:5-7 (NIV):

5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness,we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

We cannot hope to be filled with God’s light by walking in the darkness.  We must avoid the darkness completely.  This may mean avoiding those places where you feel tempted.  It may mean avoiding those people who bring darkness into your life.  It may mean avoiding those tv shows and movies that bring darkness instead of light.  When we don’t avoid these situations, people and entertainment options, we are inviting darkness into our lives.  We must choose the light!  That’s where Jesus is.  That’s where God is.  That’s who God is.  That’s what we must choose to be as well.

PRAYER: Father in Heaven, help me to walk with You today. Help me to be in the light as You are in the light. I want to be like Jesus today and to be filled with His light.  In His name, amen.