Tag Archives: light

THE HEALING POWER OF LIGHT – 1

Christian Life,

three words, the Apostle John made a profound statement…

1 John 1:5 NLT
[5] “This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: GOD IS LIGHT, and there is no darkness in him at all.”

GOD IS LIGHT.

These three words have great significance for our understanding of God.

After God had created the heavens and the earth, the earth was initially a shapeless ball – dark, mysterious, creepy, and sinister. The Hebrew words that describe the earth before God prepared it for human habitation, “tohu” meaning formless, desolate, a wasteland; “bohu”, meaning empty, an indistinguishable ruin; and the outcome, “chosek”, meaning darkness, misery, destruction, death… together give us a picture of desolation and ruin.

Is this what God created the earth to be? Rather, this is what the earth became after sinister forces had brought about the earth’s desolation and ruin. Is this perhaps the result of Satan’s fall and subsequent banishment to the earth? It could be.

God is light! To restore the earth, His first action was to bring light into the situation. What is light?

Meta AI has a fascinating explanation of some of the aspects of light. For example, Meta said…

“Light is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon that has been studied and debated by scientists and philosophers for centuries. Here’s a brief overview:

What is Light?
Light is a form of electromagnetic radiation, which is a type of energy that can travel through space. It is characterized by its wavelength, frequency, and intensity.

Properties of Light

  1. “Electromagnetic wave”: Light is a wave that consists of oscillating electric and magnetic fields.
  2. “Frequency and wavelength”: Light’s frequency and wavelength determine its color and energy.
  3. “Speed”: Light travels at approximately 299,792,458 meters per second (m/s) in a vacuum.
  4. “Intensity”: Light’s intensity determines its brightness.

Types of Light

  1. “Visible light”: The part of the electromagnetic spectrum that is visible to the human eye (approximately 380-740 nanometers).
  2. “Invisible light”: Forms of electromagnetic radiation that are not visible to the human eye, such as ultraviolet (UV), infrared (IR), and X-rays.
  3. “Polarized light”: Light that has its electric field oscillating in a specific plane.
  4. “Coherent light”: Light that has a fixed phase relationship between its waves, such as laser light….

Applications of Light

  1. “Vision”: Light enables us to see the world around us.
  2. “Communication”: Light is used in fiber optic communication, allowing for fast and reliable data transfer.
  3. “Energy”: Light is used in solar panels to generate electricity.
  4. “Medicine”: Light is used in medical treatments, such as photodynamic therapy and laser surgery.”

Wow! That’s amazing. Light is much more than something that enables us to see. Light is a power, an energy that does things.

Now let’s apply this brief description of light to God’s first words,

Genesis 1:3 NLT
[3] “Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.”

What happened? God didn’t just turned the lights on to light up a messed-up earth. He introduced a powerful energy and function that was of Himself…light, and that dispelled the darkness by acting on the earth.

Now, let’s look at what John recorded about Jesus.

John 1:4, 9 NLT
[4]”The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone…
[9] The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.”

Then… God Himself, in the person of His Son, entered the world. He brought life and healing with His light, the energy that exposed and dispelled the darkness by restoring the earth’s function and even the functions of human bodies

So, Jesus also came to implement the power of God’s light to bring healing and renewal to everyone who received Him, the Light. His light with its energy and power to restore, comes into the spirits of all who believe in Him, to renew what darkness, in the form of dark forces, has destroyed.

John 1:12 NIV
[12] “Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—… “

Jesus Himself claimed the role of light…

John 8:12 NLT
[12] “Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”

If “darkness” represents the ruin and desolation Satan visits on those who have not been exposed to the life-giving and healing power of God’s light, then “light” is the power that effects healing, restoration, and life to those who receive Him. God is both light and the source of light. His light shines through His Word, His Son, to expose our darkness and reveal the truth about Jesus that saves us from the effects of darkness.

Satan works hard to prevent God’s light from shining in hearts darkened by sin.

2 Corinthians 4:4 NLT
[4] “Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.”

However, those who believe the message open themselves to the saving and healing power of the light.

2 Corinthians 4:6 NLT
[6]”For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.”

Through God’s Word, all the facets and functions of light work in us to restore His image.

Psalms 119:130 NIV
[130]”The unfolding (entrance) of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.”

God’s method of shining His light in us is through His Word.

Psalms 119:105 NIV
[105] “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”

So, through God’s light, operating in our hearts, bringing faith in His Word, works healing, restoration and new life inside us. In a process called “sanctification”, we are being made holy, transformed into the image of Jesus, reversing the effects of Adam’s fall from obedience and trust in God which resulted in condemnation and death, to submission and obedience to His will and way.

The principle of the power of light to reverse the process of sin in our hearts has implications for us in our bodies as well as in our spirits which I will explain in the next post.

To be continued…

JESUS SAID – 6

Bible Study, ,

John 3:18-19 NLT
[18] “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. [19] And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but PEOPLE LOVED THE DARKNESS more than the light, for their actions were evil.”

Have you ever wondered why so many people hate God and run from Him? Some have even made themselves believe that there is no God! So, they hate and run from someone who doesn’t exist! Now that’s strange!

This shows me that even atheists know that God is real but won’t admit it because they want to sin! They conveniently believe, against what is indelibly written on their hearts from birth,

Ecclesiastes 3:11b NLT
[11] “He has planted eternity in the human heart…”

… that when they die, they cease to exist.

So, for them, sinning doesn’t matter because there is no God, no accountability, and no judgment.

Psalms 14:1 NIV
[1] “The fool says in his heart, “There is no God (for me – understood).” They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good.”

However, for these people, it’s okay to believe what is not true as long as they are willing to accept the consequences.

Now, let’s look at the real reason Jesus said people hate God or want to believe that there is no God.

“… People loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil.”

The bottom line is that people will always follow what they love. This is a truth that applies everywhere and on every level in life.

For example, what about our use or abuse of money? We master money or money masters us by who or what we love.

Luke 18:18, 20-25 NLT
[18] Once a religious leader asked Jesus this question: “Good Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?”
[20] But to answer your question, you know the commandments: ‘You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. Honor your father and mother.’” [21] The man replied, “I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was young.” [22] When Jesus heard his answer, he said, “There is still one thing you haven’t done. Sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” [23] But when the man heard this he became very sad, for he was very rich. [24] When Jesus saw this, he said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God! [25] In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!”

Matthew 6:24 NLT
[24] “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.”

In the end, we decide where we will spend all of eternity, not by what we say or what we do but by what we love! Isn’t that amazing? We demonstrate what we love by what we say and do. God’s judgment is so just that He allows us to be our own judge.

Proverbs 8:13 NIV
[13] “To fear the Lord is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.”

How can we become lovers of God more than the lovers of money or anything else?

There is only one way. The Holy Spirit in us draws us to the love of God when we spend time contemplating God’s love for us.

2 Thessalonians 3:5 NIV
[5] “May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.”

Our love for God is our response to His love for us.

1 John 4:10, 13, 19 NIV
[10] “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins…
[13] This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit…
[19] We love because he first loved us.”

Our love for God then, motivates us towards obedience and submission to Him. Jesus’ interaction with Peter after Peter’s denial reveals the core of our trust in and obedience to Him.

John 21:15 NIV
[15] When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”

The Apostle Paul testified…

2 Corinthians 5:14-15 NIV
[14] “For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. [15] And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.”

So, we must all answer this question, “Who or what do you love the most?” In this context, our words and deeds will provide the answer.

A LAMP FOR MY FEET AND A LIGHT FOR MY PATH

Christian Life,

Many of David’s psalms are autobiographical poems set to music. He had so much to record about his life as a child of God that what he experienced became the theme of his songs. Big things, little things, he wrote and sang, all so real in his life, laced with God’s presence and God’s love, so that we can also identify with what he has preserved for us.

One of his great songs, Psalm 119, is an epic poem about the perfection and purpose of God’s law. This Psalm represents, for us, the entirety of the Word of God as the constitution of His kingdom that He has given us to navigate our perilous journey through life.

David makes some simple yet profound statements that set a course and promise assistence on our way to the Father.

Take, for example, verse 105

Psalms 119:105 NLT
[105]”Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.”

I have a headlight that has two functions. It has a strip light that illuminates a broad area of the garden, lighting up what I need to see around me, and a spotlight that shines brightly on a specific area ahead of me.

What an apt illustration of God’s Word!

When we put on the “headlight” of Scripture, we engage God’s Word in our minds to set the direction of our lives. We wear the light that illuminates the area around us and shows us the path among many paths on which we should walk, “a light for my path”.

We are faced with many options and many choices in our daily walk. The path of truth is narrow. Sometimes the path leads us through tricky and dangerous terrain. Our choices range between one way of truth and many devious ways to escape trouble. God’s Word gives clear direction that will keep us on the path. Every other way will lead us into the wilderness.

The strip light reveals not only where the path is that we are following but also the dangerous terrain on either side of the path. We must know the alternatives and their consequences if we are not to walk blindly along an unknown way.

1 John 2:15-17 NLT
[15] “Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. [16] For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. [17] And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.”

The Word provides both the alternatives and the solution to keep us from wandering mindlessly along the path of life. We must know both our destination and the way to reach it. God’s Word is the road map and the light.

We need the spotlight of the Word to give us direction in the specific details of our daily walk, “a lamp for our feet.”

“Knowing the truth”, said Jesus, if we are His disciples who are determined to follow His teachings, “will set you free.” From what do we need to be free? We need to be free from the sin that trips us up, catches us unawares, and hides along the way to ambush us when we are unwary.

Hebrews 12:1 NLT
[1] “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.”

We have the light of the Word that shines the spotlight at our feet to keep us from stumbling over the obstacles that lie directly in our path. We have a flesh nature to which we habitually give way if we are caught off guard. Anger, revenge, retaliation, harsh words, judging…these slip out without thinking. We must practise the new nature until its way becomes our spontaneous response. The lamp shining at our feet will clearly show us the ways of the God’s nature at work within us.

Colossians 3:12-15 NLT
[12] “Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. [13] Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. [14] Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. [15] And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.”

The qualities of the Holy Spirit in us do not come automatically. To change the metaphor, Paul said that we must put off the old garments of sinful responses and dress up in the garments of righteousness, responding and doing what is right in each situation, even loving even those who don’t love us.

So, we walk along the path towards God, one step at a time. This is not a Formula 1 rally. This is a slow and steady, lifelong way, from birth to death, towards God. If we are to reach our destination, we must follow the map and let the light guide the path we choose and the lamp guide our footsteps until we reach our journey’s end.

A final word…if we don’t use God’s Word to light our path, nothing else will. Without God’s light to shine on our way, the world is in utter darkness. You see, God is the source of all light.

Psalms 36:9 NLT
[9] “For you are the fountain of life, the light by which we see.”

John 1:4-5, 9 NLT
[4] “The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. [5] The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.
[9] The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.”

John 3:18-20 NLT
[18] “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. [19] And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. [20] All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed.”

1 John 1:5-7 NLT
[5]” This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. [6] So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. [7] But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.”

Isaiah 50:10-11 NLT
[10] “Who among you fears the Lord and obeys his servant? If you are walking in darkness, without a ray of light, trust in the Lord and rely on your God. [11] But watch out, you who live in your own light and warm yourselves by your own fires. This is the reward you will receive from me: You will soon fall down in great torment.”

John 8:12 NLT
[12]”Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”

“And I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year:

‘Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.’

And he replied:

‘Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the Hand of God. That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way.’

So I went forth, and finding the Hand of God, trod gladly into the night. And He led me towards the hills and the breaking of day in the lone East.”

(The Gate of the Year – Minnie Louise Haskins (1875-1957))

LIGHT OR DARKNESS? – 15a

Bible Study, ,

Ephesians 5:8, 11, 14 NLT‬
[8] “For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light!..
[11] Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them….
[14] for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said, “Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”

Since the Hebrew people did not understand life in abstract concepts, (expressed in their language), we must understand the meaning of the symbols, ‘darkness’ and ‘light’, from their perspective.

Hebrew people would have asked, not, “What are the properties of light?” but, “What does light do?” Light reveals and exposes. Light shows us what is around us but it also exposes what darkness hides.

God is light, and the source of light. Whatever God is and whatever comes from Him, flows from His character. We know that God is good. Therefore, light must be connected to His goodness. Light for us, then, would refer to the qualities of goodness that, in His children, reflect who He is.

‭Genesis 1:3-5 NLT‬
[3] “Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. [4] And God saw that the light was good. Then he separated the light from the darkness. [5] God called the light “day” and the darkness “night.” And evening passed and morning came, marking the first day.”

‭John 1:4-5 NLT‬
[4]” The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. [5] The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.”

Natural light came from God in the beginning, separating day from night, but natural light also symbolises something more. Let’s look again at Genesis 1:4.

What is this ‘light’ to which Genesis and John refer? Since the sun, moon, and stars were only created on the 4th day, light in Genesis 1:4 must mean more than mere physical light.

In his prologue to his gospel, John picks up the theme, describing the Son, Jesus, as God’s instrument for bringing ‘light’ into the darkness in the world, adding the dimension of enlightenment.

So, how can we understand the meaning of this symbol of ‘light’ that Paul uses in Ephesians 5?

Many verses in the Old Testament give us clarity. Psalm 119, in particular, is full of references to God’s Word as the source of our ‘light’, our understanding.

‭Psalms 119:130 NIV‬
[130] “The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.”

‘Simple’ here can mean ‘open-minded’.

Psalms 119:105 NLT‬
[105] Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.

In God’s Word, we find our source of knowledge and understanding for living lives that reflect the nature and character of God. The Bibles tells us, who God is, who we are, and what we need to live clean lives by obeying His Word.

‭Psalms 119:1-3 NLT‬
[1] Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the Lord. [2] Joyful are those who obey his laws and search for him with all their hearts. [3] They do not compromise with evil, and they walk only in his paths.

‭Psalms 119:9 NLT‬
[9] How can a young person stay pure? By obeying your word.

‭Psalms 119:35 NLT‬
[35] Make me walk along the path of your commands, for that is where my happiness is found.

God’s Word is also truth.

‭John 17:17 NLT‬
[17] Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth.

‭1 John 1:7 NLT‬
[7] But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.

Since Jesus is God’s Word in person, He always, only, ever lived in obedience to God’s Word.

‭John 8:28-29 NIV‬
[28] “So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. [29] The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.”

His life on earth shows us how to live in the light, and His Spirit gives us the power to do so.

John 8:12 NLT‬
[12]”Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”

John 1:4-5 NLT‬
[4]”The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. [5] The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.”

In simple terms, then, with Jesus as our model, and the Holy Spirit as our source of power, we can live by the instructions in God’s Word rather that by our sinful desires.

Once we understand the meaning and source of the light by which we are to live, we can get to grips with the meaning of ‘darkness’.

Physical darkness is not the opposite of light as though darkness has a physical source as does light. Darkness is the absence of light. When we remove the source is light, we have darkness.

So also, when Jesus is absent from people and their behaviour, their lives display darkness, all the wickedness and evil that darkness hides.

Paul urged his readers, then, to live their lives in line with the teachings of God’s Word (with Jesus as their model and mentor). In this way, their lives would expose the wickedness of those who don’t live by the Word.

‭Ephesians 5:1, 2 NLT‬
[1] Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children.
[2] Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.”

‭Ephesians 5:7-11 NLT‬
[7]”Don’t participate in the things these people do. [8] For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! [9] For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true. [10] Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. [11] Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them.”

Once again, we must remember that Paul was writing to ex-pagans who once lived in the darkness of sin without Jesus. The message Paul brought them enlightened them to the cause and consequences of their wickedness, and gave them the only solution that would free them from sin and death. Their new lives of obedience to Jesus were the evidence that they were new people inside.

So, live in the light!

ARGUE OR ACKNOWLEDGE

Bible Study, ,

ARGUE OR ACKNOWLEDGE

“The crowd spoke up, ‘We have heard from the Law that the Messiah will remain forever, so how can you say, “The Son of Man must be lifted up”?  Who is this “Son of Man”?’ Then Jesus told them, ‘You are going to have the light a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. Whoever walks in the dark does not know where he is going.

“Believe in the light while you have the light, that you may become children of light.’ When He had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid Himself from them.” John 12:34-36 NIV.

As the time drew nearer for Jesus to be crucified, His pleas to His people became more urgent. To His disciples He would give the assurance that the Holy Spirit would replace Him when He left. They would still have someone exactly like Him who would continue to instruct and lead them from within. However, for those who were on the periphery, watching from afar and questioning everything He told them, there would no longer be His physical presence to show them the true nature of the Father.

Jesus did not answer their question. They had had more than enough evidence from His words and works to convince them that He was the Son of Man of whom He had spoken. Like their spiritual leaders, their sceptical attitude kept them from acknowledging Him as their Messiah.

However, it was much more than giving intellectual assent to the evidence. To believe meant to commit to Him and to reproduce in their own lives what He was teaching and modelling.

John had begun his gospel with a commentary on Genesis 1. When God introduced light to a dark and formless world, it was first the light of truth embodied in Jesus, the second person of the Trinity that entered the world before He created the heavenly lights. The Father assigned the earth to Jesus to provide enlightenment to the human beings He was about to create in His image to know and have fellowship with Him.

Satan had already been abolished to the earth along with his fallen angel companions because of his bid to take over the throne of God. To create and place humans in an environment where Satan had influence was to throw them to the wolves unless they had the presence of God with them in the person of Jesus to counter the devil’s work.

“God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all.” 1 John 1:5b. There is nothing selfish, devious or shady about Him. He is everything that is kind, merciful, loving and generous. He is holy, utterly separate from anything wicked or imperfect. His plans and intentions for all mankind are only for good. Everything He does is intended to draw us towards Him and the transform us to be like Him.

Satan is everything that is opposite to God. Like darkness which is the absence of light, he is empty of everything that God is. His attitude and actions are all wicked and selfish. He is heading towards destruction and everything he does is designed to draw us towards him so that we can share in his eternal judgment and doom.

Jesus’ heart cry was always, ‘Believe in me,’ because faith in Him would effect a transfer from the power and influence of the selfishness and greed with which the human race was born to the realm of God’s rule where life would be lived in the light of His presence and in the supernatural power of His Spirit.

There was little time left to hear from the lips of Jesus the words that would bring them the hope of eternal life. Instead of arguing and contradicting Him, He urged them to heed and believe Him so that they could escape from the treadmill of self-centred living which was eroding away their opportunity to enter into the real life He was offering them — life that was enriched and fulfilled by loving God and caring for those who could not care for themselves.

The clock was ticking; the countdown had begun. In a few days, death would remove Him from them. They would no longer see Him. Now was the time to respond or they might never have the opportunity again.

Acknowledgement

Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.