Back to the light, shine for Jesus

March 28, 2020April 16, 2020 nofearlindaLeave a comment

Do you ever wake up some days and feel like you missed a day? Somehow I wrote on Ephesians 5:15-20 before writing on Ephesians 5:9-14. So today I’m going back to our discussion of light and dark and Paul’s admonition to us to be ‘Children of the Light’. In verses 9-14 Paul gives us more information about what living in the Light of Christ means and what we can expect in our lives because of the light He gives us.

“For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.

¹⁰Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. ¹¹Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. ¹²It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. ¹³But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them, ¹⁴for 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.”

Paul instructs us that right living pleases God and that we should expose, avoid and to try not to take part in anything ungodly. The light of truth in Christ will expose the things of darkness and make everything visible. He concludes with a common hymn of the day to illustrate his point. The Ephesians (us too) were dead without Christ but coming to faith in Jesus brought them (us) into His light. Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, His light can be seen in me.

Strive to do what is good, right and true in the name of Jesus knowing that those behaviors, deeds and actions are pleasing to God and will shine His light into the world around you. Be that light today!

Linda

It is your Choice, light or dark?

March 26, 2020April 16, 2020 nofearlindaLeave a comment

Paul gives us a list of what characterizes a non-believer in contrast to true believers. The Ephesians were new converts, still learning and growing in faith. They had recently come out of idolatry and had many old habits to rid themselves of as they endeavored to grow more and more like their Savior, Jesus. Paul was very forthright with them letting them know what behaviors were OUT and would not be tolerated or found in God’s Kingdom.

³Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people. ⁴Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God. ⁵You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. ⁶Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey him. ⁷Don’t participate in the things these people do.

⁸For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light!

In the midst of this list of things to avoid you find verse 4b, let there be thankfulness and 8 be people of the light! Paul wants them, and us, to know that belonging to Christ, being a believer involves a life filled with thankfulness and light! Praise God! God does not want us to cling to old sinful behaviors and attitudes but to shed them and walk in His light. Jesus said in John 8:12, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” He is the light that dispels all darkness and evil. I love 1 John 1:5 and 7 “⁵This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. ⁷But 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 cleanses us from all sin.” There is hope, forgiveness and life in the light of Jesus. Choose to walk in it and be ready to be clean, whole and made right with God.

Paul wanted them and us to see the contrast between their former lives and their new life in Jesus. Light and dark, hope and despair, freedom and condemnation, forgiveness and being held by sin, Christ makes all the difference in the focus and direction of our lives. Listed side by side light overwhelms darkness. Light is open, pure, holy and welcoming and the darkness of sin brings shame, hiding and imprisonment. Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can choose light and life with Him. Choose the light of Jesus today.

Linda

All-Knowing God provides Victory!

November 18, 2019 nofearlindaLeave a comment

Daniel 2:20-23 gives Daniel’s praise to God after having received the interpretation of King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. Daniel and all the wise men of the kingdom were going to be killed if the meaning of the King’s dream was not revealed. Upon receiving the King’s death threat, Daniel went to his believing friends in the palace and asked them to pray concerning this mystery asking God to reveal the meaning of the King’s dream so they might be saved. Here is Daniel’s response after God revealed the dream’s meaning to him in a vision. Daniel answered and said:

“Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,
    to whom belong wisdom and might.
²¹He changes times and seasons;
    he removes kings and sets up kings;
he gives wisdom to the wise
    and knowledge to those who have understanding;
²²he reveals deep and hidden things;
    he knows what is in the darkness,
    and the light dwells with him.
²³To you, O God of my fathers,
    I give thanks and praise,
for you have given me wisdom and might,
    and have now made known to me what we asked of you,
    for you have made known to us the king’s matter.”

Daniel begins by praising God for who He is- the Sovereign Eternal God of the universe with all things, people and circumstances within His control. He praised God’s knowledge and wisdom and His ability to reveal things to those who love Him. He praised God’s purity, and that in Him there is no darkness. Daniel thanks God for revealing His wisdom to Him and for letting him know what the King’s dream was about, thereby saving him.

Do you know who God is? Do you praise Him for His glorious character and for how He has kept all His promises? Try incorporating praise for who God is into your prayers today. List His attributes so you can think about Him as you pray. The more we love and know God the greater our trust in Him will be.

Linda

I AM… the light of the world

September 6, 2019 nofearlindaLeave a comment

Jesus made this claim and it is recorded twice in John. Once when challenged by the Pharisees in John 8:12 and again in John 9:5 when questioned about the sin of man that was born blind.

In John 8:12-15 the Pharisees were seeking to discredit Jesus’ claims saying He could not be His own witness to who He really was. Jesus’ answers are straight forward and He turns the statements back to them so that they will examine themselves. ¹²Again 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.” ¹³So the Pharisees said to him, “You are bearing witness about yourself; your testimony is not true.” ¹⁴Jesus answered, “Even if I do bear witness about myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. ¹⁵You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one.” Jesus’ statement is bold and shows purpose and direction. He knew where He was going, what He was doing and why. He assures us that if we follow His light, His truth, and His ways we will not walk in the darkness of sin but have a life filled with His light and truth! What a wonderful assurance.

In John 9 Jesus encountered a man born blind and His disciples asked, who sinned and made this man blind- his parents or him? “³Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. ⁴We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. ⁵As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” Jesus assured them that the blindness did not come from sin but was to be an opportunity to show the works and power of God. Jesus performed many miracles of this kind during His ministry. Giving sight was a living example of what Jesus can do for us as He can give us sight. His light brings salvation, hope, understanding of God’s Word, a pathway to stronger character based on Him, guidance and direction. He shows us the way to God. John calls Jesus the Word in John 1:1-4 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ²He was in the beginning with God. ³All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. ⁴In him was life, and the life was the light of men.” Jesus is the fulfillment of Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Jesus is God’s Word brought into our lives to bring us to Him and to be the light by which we can come to God. Praise God for His mercy and grace towards us by sending Jesus to be our light in this dark world.

Ask yourself, Am I walking fully in God’s light, letting Him guide and direct my way? Or am I walking part in light and part in darkness trying to live in the world, keeping worldly thoughts and actions a part of my life? How can I walk more in God’s light and less in the shadow of the world’s darkness each day? David gave us a glimpse of an answer in Psalm 119:9-11:   ⁹How can a young man keep his way pure?
    By guarding it according to your word. Stay in the Word (Jesus)
¹⁰With my whole heart I seek you;
    let me not wander from your commandments! Follow the Word (Jesus)
¹¹I have stored up your word in my heart,
    that I might not sin against you. Keep the Word in your heart. (Jesus)

Does this describe how your heart looks?

Have a blessed day walking in the LIGHT of Jesus.

Linda

Does God provide the light in your life?

July 9, 2019 nofearlindaLeave a comment

Light When we say the word light, many things come to mind- glowing illumination, brightness, no more darkness, hope, direction, guidance….. In Psalm 27 David speaks about the ultimate light of the world, God.

The Lord is my light and my salvation—   With God as his light- whom shall I fear? he knew salvation & no fear
The Lord is the stronghold of my life—   With God as his light-
    of whom shall I be afraid? he knew strength & no fear

²When the wicked advance against me   With God as his light- he knew his enemies
    to devour me, would crumble.
it is my enemies and my foes
    who will stumble and fall.
³Though an army besiege me,    With God as his light- he knew he would not
    my heart will not fear; break under pressure but live with confidence though war break out against me,
    even then I will be confident.

⁴One thing I ask from the Lord, With God as his light- God would always be this only do I seek: with him, making life beautiful
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
to gaze on the beauty of the Lord
and to seek him in his temple.

How about you? Is God your light? Jesus tells us in John 8:12 ““I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” Having Jesus in your life dispels the darkness of sin, keeps you from living in fear, gives you salvation and strength and makes all things around you to be illuminated by God’s light. Just like David, we can see God’s light and we can know Him personally through His Son.

David ends this Psalm with a reminder to wait patiently for the Lord. Psalm 27:14 “Wait for the Lord;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the Lord.”

Knowing God is light and will provide direction so we can see how to proceed, David admonishes us to wait for the Lord. I know, easier said than done, but it is a good reminder that our timetable for things is not the Lord’s. In His light we can walk with confidence and trust His leading as we wait for His perfect timing.

Will you walk seeking God’s light in your life today? Will you grow in trust for Him as you wait His perfect timing? If you are struggling with God’s timing, pray and ask for patience and guidance as you wait upon Him.

Linda

4th Sunday of Lent, A Time of Prayer and Praise

March 31, 2019 nofearlindaLeave a comment

40 days is a long time and it is enough time to establish a habit, overcome an adversary or endure a trial. Do you feel like you are enduring a trying time in your life this Lent? Then, look to Daniel today and see God from His perspective. Daniel was a Jew who was taken from Jerusalem and deported to Babylon. He and his friends were smart and resourceful and were a part of the king’s wise men. The king had a dream and no one seemed to be able to tell him the meaning of it. He got frustrated and ordered all the ‘wise’ men killed. Daniel heard about this and ran to tell his friends, Hananiah, Mishael, Azariah. He asked them to pray and ask God for mercy concerning this mystery. During the night God revealed to Daniel the meaning of King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. Here is Daniel’s praise to God from Daniel 2:20-23.

“Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever;
    wisdom and power are his.
²¹He changes times and seasons;
    he deposes kings and raises up others.
He gives wisdom to the wise
    and knowledge to the discerning.
²²He reveals deep and hidden things;
    he knows what lies in darkness,
    and light dwells with him.
²³I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors:
    You have given me wisdom and power,
you have made known to me what we asked of you,
    you have made known to us the dream of the king.”

Do you share Daniel’s high view of God? Daniel knew from first hand experience that God was sovereign, all powerful, eternal, wise, light, and worthy of praise. Where do you need strength or knowledge today? Ask Him like Daniel did then praise Him even before He answers.

Linda

Suggestion: As you journey through this day, keep Daniel’s prayer of praise in your mind. When you encounter difficulties, pray immediately and leave it to God. Then wait expectantly for His answers.

Blessed Assurance- Salvation is #1

January 22, 2019 nofearlindaLeave a comment

When we think about blessings and what it means to be blessed, one of the first things that comes into the mind of the believer is salvation. Truly being spared the wrath of God in judgement and being able to live with Him forever in heaven is a BIG blessing. ps32 Scripture tell us exactly that in Psalm 32:1-2.

Blessed is the one
    whose transgressions are forgiven,
    whose sins are covered.
²Blessed is the one
    whose sin the Lord does not count against them
    and in whose spirit is no deceit.

We are spared from the wrath of God (God’s anger over sin) because Jesus came, died on the cross and rose again so that we could be reconciled to God. (Romans 5:10-12) His blood provides the atonement for our sins as He covers us so that when God looks at the believer He sees Jesus’ atoning blood not our sin. ^“God gave Christ as a sacrifice to pay for sins through the spilling of his blood. So God forgives the sins of those who have faith. God did all this to prove that he does what is right. He is a God of mercy.” Romans 3:25 We are forgiven and God promises to not hold our sins against us. I love these verses in Micah about God, His forgiveness and the fact that He casts my sins into the depths of the sea. Praise God once confessed, our sins are gone forever! Micah 7:8-10

Lord, who is a God like you?
    You forgive sin.
You forgive your people
    when they do what is wrong.
You don’t stay angry forever.
    Instead, you take delight in showing
    your faithful love to them.
¹⁹Once again you will show loving concern for us.
    You will completely wipe out
    the evil things we’ve done.
You will throw all our sins
    into the bottom of the sea.

How blessed am I? Because of Jesus and His sacrifice, God forgives my sin and casts it into the depths of the sea. Because of Jesus, I can continue to walk with Him each day and have His light to shine for others. 1 John 1:6-7 puts it this way. “Suppose we say that we share life with God but still walk in the darkness. Then we are lying. We are not living out the truth. ⁷But suppose we walk in the light, just as he is in the light. Then we share life with one another. And the blood of Jesus, his Son, makes us pure from all sin.”

May your day be filled with joy as you reflect on your treasured state of being- forgiven, all your sins are gone out of God’s sight forever, you are able to walk with Jesus in His light each day and saved for eternity. Now there are eternal blessings we can count upon!

Linda

Angels appear- Oh my! What now?

December 8, 2018December 8, 2018 nofearlindaLeave a comment

shepherds fields I love the story of the shepherds and the angels. God’s heavenly beings announcing the biggest event in history to lowly shepherds, the guys out tending the sheep in the lonely hills. “In the same region there were shepherds staying out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord flashed and shone around them, and they were terribly frightened. Luke 2:8-9

If you had been on guard duty that night, it would have been totally dark in the hills around Bethlehem. The only light would have been the moon and stars until out of nowhere you are suddenly surrounded by glorious flashing lights. I think terror would have been the emotion of the evening. Before we hear from the angels in tomorrow’s passage, let’s stop and consider why would God send holy messengers to announce His Son’s birth to shepherds? Why not to the powerful kings of the day, or nobles? Perhaps Jesus said it best, in Luke 19:10 “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” Jesus came as our Savior to touch the lives of those that will seek Him. He came to save the world from the penalty of sin which is death. Timothy wrote in 1 Timothy 1:15 “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.”

As you listen and think about the flashing lights on that lonely night in Bethlehem, praise God that Jesus came. He alone can save. John 14:6 ” “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Have a blessed day,

Linda

His LIGHT removes darkness

December 6, 2018 nofearlindaLeave a comment

Isaiah wrote of the darkness in which man existed, the pervasiveness of sin and its oppression. Jesus came in light and glory to dispel that darkness of sin, show it for what it was and still is, and to point all peoples to God. In Matthew 24:14 Jesus spoke of this darkness and the coming of all people to the light. “And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” The time of proclamation will not last forever but has an end when Christ returns. The time is now to step into His light and follow Him.

Isaiah 60:2-3 “For behold, darkness shall cover the earth,
    and thick darkness the peoples;
but the Lord will arise upon you,
    and his glory will be seen upon you.
³And nations shall come to your light,
    and kings to the brightness of your rising.”

Jesus quoted these next words from Isaiah 9:2 in Matthew 4:16. Then Jesus began to preach “Repent for the kingdom of heaven has come near,” Matthew 4:17.

Isaiah 9:2 “The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,
on them has light shone.”

Jesus was and is the light that shines in the darkness bringing light, hope, and redemption to all who believe. Jesus confirmed this in John 8:12 “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.” Jesus is the one who reveals our sins, that darkness around and in us, and brings us into His light for healing and cleansing.

Be encouraged and convicted as you consider the light Jesus brought to the world.

Linda

I am a child of the light.

March 10, 2018March 9, 2018 nofearlinda1 Comment

Because I believe that Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead, I am a child of the light. Paul made this bold statement to the Thessalonian Christians while he was telling them to be awake, aware and encouraged as they waited for the Lord Jesus to 1 thes 5 5 return. 1 Thessalonians 5:5-8 “For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.” Throughout scripture light has been associated with God- He created light (Genesis 1:3), He is our light and our salvation (Psalm 27:1), He will be our everlasting light (Isaiah 60:19) and Jesus proclaimed himself to be the light of the world on multiple occasions. John 8:12 Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Being a child of light is a privileged place. It is a state of being that is wholesome, pure and does not have a shadow of darkness anywhere. The opposite of a child of light would be a child of darkness. Satan and sin are associated with darkness, and it is a state that leads to death. Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Without Jesus we are walking in darkness and are not guided by the ‘light of life’.

I love that Paul tells us in verse 8 above “But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.” We have salvation and the hope of eternity protecting our thinking, thoughts and future. We are to take this place of light seriously and be on guard, awake and aware of the enemy who would love to lure us back into the darkness. 1 Peter 5:8 “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” We don’t need to be afraid but on guard, always standing firm with the Lord.