Where Do You Walk?

 Where Do You Walk? - Nathele Grahams - twotug@embarqmail.com Without light there is darkness. I know, that’s a no brainer. But I’m not sure we can understand just how dark the world was at first. On dark nights, we still have light. The moon reflects the sunlight and stars twinkle. There was no light until God created it. “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.” Genesis 1:1-3. By just speaking, God created light. We know from other verses that the one who created light was Jesus Christ. The Apostle John wrote about it in his Gospel. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.” John 1:1-5. The light of the sun is necessary for things to grow, and to illuminate our way and allow us to see clearly. The sun’s reflection also lights up the night because the moon reflects sunlight. This is a picture of the more important Light…the Light of the Son. The true Light of Jesus is in us, and if we allow it to shine, people around us will be illuminated by His light. Without Jesus we will stumble around in the darkness of sin. Satan is the cause of the darkness. As Christians allow ourselves to be silenced and water down Scripture, the world is becoming darker. Sin seems to be winning, but if you’ve studied Scripture, you know that Jesus wins in the end. You’ll also know that this darkness and dumbing-down of Scripture was predicted in Scriptures and is a sign that we’re approaching the end of time. In His second letter to the young pastor, Timothy, Paul was concerned about this. “I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” 2 Timothy 4:1-4. I see this strong with many pastors today. Pure Scripture is seldom taught, but the failure of pastors shouldn’t stop you from studying God’s word. We all have choices, and too many Christians choose to fill their time with secular movies, music, and reading, rather than studying Scripture. What you choose to do with your time will fill you with the Light of God, or with the darkness of Satan. This isn’t something I’ve made up, but Jesus said it. He’s the authority. “The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light: but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness. Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness. If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light.” Luke 11:34-36. Is the light in you darkness? Does anger rule your thoughts? Does lying come from your lips? That’s darkness, and isn’t of God. It’s important for Christians to turn from sin. Instead of watching movies that honor the darkness of sin, pick up your Bible and study. Let your eyes read God’s word and fill your mind with the things of God. There are many temptations in our world today…much darkness. That doesn’t mean we have to partake of that evil. The prophet Daniel was young when he was taken captive to Babylon. It doesn’t take much looking to find out how evil and sin-filled Babylon was. Daniel made a choice. He had his feet firmly planted in God’s law, and nothing would turn him away from serving God. Not even the threat of being thrown into a den of hungry lions. A decree had been issued stating “…that whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions.” Daniel 6:7b. The men who followed darkness kept an eye on Daniel, because they knew he wouldn’t bow before any false god nor any man. Daniel didn’t disappoint them. He continued his habit of openly praying to the one true God. Although Daniel lived hundreds of years before Jesus, he served the God of light, not of darkness. He is an example to us. He did get thrown into the den of hungry lions. Everyone knew that Daniel worshiped the God of Abraham, Jacob, and Isaac, and the decree was meant for evil against him. Even King Darius knew of Daniel’s faith. Just before casting Daniel into the den, he said “…Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee.” Daniel 6:16b. And God did deliver Daniel. Do you bow to evil decrees? Do the people around you know that you serve God Almighty? What light shines in you? If you serve Jesus, then let His light shine for all to see. Don’t let the light within you be darkness. As Christians, we have accepted Christ for salvation. Therefore, we need to follow Him. “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” John 8:12. If you choose to walk in darkness, then you probably need to question if you’ve truly given your life to Christ. You cannot belong to Christ but continue to walk with one foot in the world. It’s easy to go astray when you walk in darkness. “But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.” John 11:10. Jesus said that so we know it’s true. The things of darkness can easily become a habit. Jesus had many confrontations with the Pharisees. One such confrontation happened when the Pharisees had challenged Him about not following tradition. Jesus and His disciples didn’t wash their hands to the liking of the Pharisees tradition. Keep in mind that “church tradition” seldom has anything to do with God’s ways. The Pharisees chose to walk in darkness, and refused to come to Jesus and follow Him in light. After the confrontation, the disciples asked Jesus to explain. “And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye blasphemy, pride, foolishness: all these evil things come from within, and defile the man.” Mark 7:20-23. Those who do such things are walking in darkness, and haven’t come into the light of the Lord. Are you walking in the light of Christ, or are you stumbling in the darkness of sin? It's our faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ that brings salvation. That faith comes when we realize we are sinners and walking on the path that leads to Hell. Darkness covers that path and we stumble and get hurt when walking in that dark way of life. Too often when we get hurt on that path of destruction, we blame God. “If God is so good, why did He allow me to get AIDS?” or “Why did God allow my marriage to end just because I had an affair?” A better question is, why are you walking the path of darkness? Jesus died so our sins can be forgiven and we can live eternally with Him in Heaven. Instead of living a life that follows the path of the darkness of evil thoughts, adultery, fornication, murders, and the other evils Jesus mentioned, turn your life over to Him. If His light shines in you, those sinful ways will be outshone by the light of God. We all have a choice as to whether we stumble in darkness or walk in the light of Christ. Sometimes we might wander into darkness even if we’ve given our life to Christ. That failure can sometimes make us believe we’ve lost salvation or aren’t really saved. The thing to do is confess your sin and return to the light. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9. It’s easy to stumble back to the dark path of sin if we continue to be in fellowship with those who haven’t found the light. “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? Or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?” 2 Corinthians 6:14-15. The name “Belial” is another name for Satan and means “worthless or wicked”. We are in the world and have dealings with non-believers. The light of Christ within us should outshine the darkness in the world. Until a non-believer gives their life to Christ, we aren’t to be best friends with them. The darkness that shines in them, may overtake the light that shines in you, and before you know it, you’re walking in darkness. So, ask yourself “Where do I walk? Am I walking in the light of Christ, or am I walking in the darkness of the world?” No matter what your answer is to that question, study Scripture and apply it to your life. That will keep you walking in the light and away from darkness. God bless you all, Nathele Grahams twotug@embarqmail.com ron@straitandnarrowministry.com