Tag: not darkness
The times and seasons.
Scripture reading for September 18th: Ecclesiastes 2-4, 1st Thessalonians 5
Key Scriptures: 1st Thessalonians 5:1-4 “Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief.”
Paul encouraged the believers concerning the times and seasons. They were in a period of grace that could end at any time with the coming of the Lord Jesus. This coming would be like a “thief in the night” to the world but not to the church family of Jesus! We are children of light and are eagerly awaiting Christ’s return.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; . .”
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for making me aware of the times and seasons that are here and coming soon. Help me to make the most of my time here for You and Your coming kingdom. Amen.
The light inside!
Scripture reading for March 18th: Luke 11
“No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead he puts it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light. Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are good, your whole bod also is full of light. But when they are bad, your body also is full of darkness. See to it then, that the light within you is not darkness.” (Luke 11:33-35) Jesus had declared that He was the ‘Light of the World’ and that those who listened to Him would not walk in darkness but have the light of life. (John 8:12)
In order to have light in our bodies, we must have eyes that can see. Jesus declared that the eye was the lamp of the body. A lamp brings light when it is allowed to illuminate an area. Taking a lamp and hiding it under a bowl would do no good! The lamp must be placed in a prominent place where it’s light would drive out darkness. Likewise, bad eyes fill the body with darkness.
Jesus used this simple teaching to illustrate our need to place Jesus in a prominent place in our vision. Jesus alone can bring light to our lives and illuminate our eyes and our whole body. Jesus warned those who heard him about the possibility that the ‘light within’ could really be darkness. This speaks of our understanding of who Jesus is. If we relegate Jesus to being just a good man or a teacher or even a prophet, the light in us is still darkness. He alone is the Son of God and Light of the world!