Blog
I AM ... the Light
Monday, January 23, 2023“Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life’” John 8:12. Ego Eimi—I AM—the very name that the Almighty God, YHWH, gave to Moses at the burning bush so he could tell the Israelites who had sent him (Exodus 3:14). It is how Jesus revealed Himself to the sinful woman at the Samaritan well. It’s the name He used for Himself with “the Jews who had believed him” in this same chapter (v58). It’s the two words uttered about Himself in the garden that made the mob who had come to arrest Him fall to the ground (John 18:6). It’s one of Jesus’ seven declarations about Himself made in John, the others being “Ego Eimi … the bread of life (6:35), the door (10:7), the good shepherd (v11-14), the resurrection and the life, the way, the truth (11:25), and the life (14:6), and the true vine (15:1). So … Jesus is not saying He has the light like an Old Testament prophet or like we who are simply jars of clay who hold the treasure of the gospel (2 Corinthians 4:7); no, He is declaring that He IS the light for the world. Understanding this, each must ask: are we following the light or walking in the dark?
Will You Contend for Baal?
Monday, January 16, 2023“But Joash said to all who stood against him, ‘Will you contend for Baal? Or will you save him? Whoever contends for him shall be put to death by morning. If he is a god, let him contend for himself, because his altar has been broken down” Judges 6:31. Afraid of his family and the men of the town, Gideon obeyed God by tearing down Baal’s altar and Asherah’s pole. Predictably, people were upset and wanted justice done against him. Gideon’s father had to step in with this challenge of faith—God is showing Himself to be God and that all false gods are nothing. How similar this is to Christians today. We attend worship services and classes—even obey the gospel—but, out of fear of what our family and friends might think of us, we keep our Christiani-ty to ourselves. As Gideon was an ambassador for God’s resurgence among His people and needed to grow in his boldness, we too must realize that we, who know the salvation that God has won for us through His Son on the cross and resurrection from the tomb, are His ambassadors today for His gospel. We must obey God to tell the lost of His salvation with boldness and in the open, not in secret at night. Do you live by fear or by faith?
Chariots & Horses?
Monday, January 09, 2023“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God” Psalm 20:7. It’s like the old dilemma: you can’t work on your roof while it’s raining, and when it’s not, you don’t need to. Many seek God only when things go wrong. When life is going well, they reason, there’s no reason to need Him. But, a relationship is so much more. No one likes the friend who only calls you when he needs something. In the same way, a relationship with God needs to be constantly reciprocated. Now, for God’s part, He’s always faithful, always loving, always treating us better than our sins deserve. It’s those who are made in His image who struggle to return these things for our part. So, rather than put in the hard work of maintaining a relationship with God, we tend to put our trust in other, more temporary, things, deceiving ourselves that they are more solid to hold onto when the storms of life come. Chariots and horses, after all, at least in the mind of the world sounds strong and requires a lot less work, but they “collapse and fall.” However, those who trust in the LORD—though we cannot see Him—"rise and stand upright.” How are you maintaining a relationship with God?
Teaching the People
Monday, January 09, 2023“And someone came and told them, ‘Look! The men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people’” Acts 5:25. It was during the dark of the night that the angel opened the door of the prison cell and let the apostles, who had been arrested for preaching the gospel, out. You’d think that would have given them time to escape. Perhaps that’s what Christians today might have done, would perhaps have even justified escaping to a safer place where the gospel would be better received. No, verse 21 says that at daybreak they went into the temple, the most public place, and “began to teach.” This created a scene when the council convened in the morning, most likely with plans to punish them as this had always worked with other threats to their power. The officers could not find them in the locked cell with guards posted, howev-er … but then someone looked out the window and saw them doing what they had been arrested for doing! Afraid of the people’s reaction, the officers had to bring them in in a way that didn’t require force. God was showing that He was in control … and that our job was to proclaim the gospel. Are you doing your job?
Reviving the Soul
Monday, January 02, 2023“The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple” Psalm 19:7. We sing the song, “Restore my spirit, Lord, I need restored …” or “Revive the fire …” or “Renew my courage ….” It ends with “Renew my love, rebuild my faith, O restore my soul.” Great song—if you’re a willing partner with the Lord. He can certainly give you all these things, but does He just hand these things out while we lay on our spiritual couches waiting for the next spiritual deposit on our spiritual EBT cards? No, revival for your soul comes through study of God’s Word. If prayer is us communicating with God, then His living and active Word is God communicating His deep truth into our hearts that we can’t get anywhere else. I’ve seen dead flies on the windowsill just inches from an open door. It’s time to stop expending the effort to re-vive your soul through the imperfect things of this world that are temporary and cannot satisfy. At the start of this new year, plan regular time for you to be in the pages of His holy book. Set up a daily two-way conversa-tion with the Creator that will prepare you for eternity and revive your soul. Are you daily in God’s perfect law?