DAILY DEVOTIONALS: 6.18.22

The Power of the Spirit 2 Timothy 1:7 says, �For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline." For the Spirit God Gave Us Those of us who have accepted Jesus as Savior have the wonderful gift of having the Holy Spirit reside in us. Jesus says in John 15:26, �I will send you the Helper from the Father. The Helper is the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father. When he comes, he will tell about me.� Right before Jesus ascended into heaven, He promised to send the Holy Spirit in Acts 1:8. The fact that God gave us His Spirit should blow us away. We should be in awe that the Lord has sealed us and provided His presence with us always. Before the Holy Spirit was sent, the Lord would select certain people for the Spirit to rest uponthem for a temporary amount of time. Now, we live in the days when His Spirit is in us always and forever. He has permanent residency in our hearts. He Does Not Make Us Timid The Spirit of God does not make us timid. This means that feelings of fear, inadequacy, and insecurity do not come from God. In life, we are all faced with different lies in our heads. We can either take those thoughts captive to Christ, or we can believe themand live out timid lives. Although we have the Holy Spirit, there is a difference in being saved and living a Spirit-filled life. Choosing to daily surrender to the work God wants to do in our hearts and through our days means that we are filled with the HolySpirit to live. We seek the ways of the Spirit, not the flesh. We acknowledge that the enemy and our flesh are against us and want us to be timid, but that is not who we truly are in Christ. Power, Love, and Self-Discipline These three beautiful characteristics come from the Holy Spirit. When we think about power, we remember that Romans 8:11 says, �The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.� It is so easy to forget this fact on adaily basis. The same power that resurrected Jesus from the dead now lives within us. This is no small truth, this is life-changing. We can remember that if Jesus could defeat sin and death, we too can defeat our battles. When we ponder the love that the Holy Spirit gives us, it is indescribable. 1 John 4:18 says, �Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.� There is no fear in receiving the love that comes from theHoly Spirit because He is perfect love. He never lets us down, never has a hidden or selfish agenda, He is faithful. Lastly, the Holy Spirit gives us self-discipline. When we think on our journeys of sin struggles, the gift of the Spirit reveals sin in our lives and sanctifies us to look more like Christ. This means that we are constantly growing and being convicted indifferent areas. I once heard it said, �The Holy Spirit convicts but never condemns.� There is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus, however, we are fully aware that the Holy Spirit shows the unholy parts within our hearts and lives and helps us to berefined into the men and women that He has called us to be. We are able to have self-discipline not because of our own strength, but because of His Spirit within us. Intersecting Faith and Life: Have you accepted Jesus as your Savior? If so, are you living a Spirit-filled life? Take some time to thank God for His presence and ask him to help you in any areas in which you are timid. Ask Him to remind you of the power, love, and self-discipline thatyou have access to through Him. Further Reading: •Acts 2:4 •Romans 8:26 •Galatians 5:22 •---------------------------------------------- 5 Reasons to Read Revelation 5 Reasons to Read Revelation By Lynette Kittle “Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.”--Revelation1:3 My childhood included vivid, reoccurring dreams of hearing a trumpet blast and seeing Jesus and His angels descending in the sky. The return of Christ to earth was so real to me during the dreams that I would wake up trembling. Even so, I love to read the book of Revelation. “’Look, He is coming with the clouds,’ and ‘every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him’; and all peoples on earth ‘will mourn because of Him.’ So shall it be! Amen” (Revelation1:7). Still, when others voice their avoidance of reading Revelation because of its end-of-the-world themes, judgment, and more, I get it. But rather than bypassing what many consider another doomsday read, there is much for us to glean from reading and takingto heart, this descriptive final book of the Bible. Below are five reasons to read Revelation. 1. Reading Revelation Comes with a Promise If for no other reason, reading Revelation brings blessings into our lives. God knew we might be fearful of reading it and find reasons to skip over it. Yet, in His graciousness and kindness, He offers us His blessings as an incentive to read and take it toheart (Revelation 1:3). 2. Revelation Reveals Jesus Christ Throughout Revelation’s verses, Jesus Christ is revealed and glorified, being described as the Faithful Witness, Firstborn from the Dead, Ruler of Kings, and tender Savior washing away our sin with His own blood (Revelation1:5), confirming and reminding us of God’s beautiful, sacrificial gift of Salvation. In its words, verses, and chapters, Jesus is made known in His splendor. Verses describe His majesty and authority, where heaven opens up to reveal Him sitting on a white horse, our Faithful and True Prince, with eyes like a flame of fire, wearing a robedipped in blood and many crowns, and written on His robe and on His thigh: KING OF KINGS and LORD OF LORDS (Revelation19:11-16). 3. Revelation Tells of Our Triumph over the Enemy Revelation 12 explains how our spiritual authority defeats the accuser of the brethren, explaining how we will be victorious over hisschemes. “Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurleddown. They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.” (Revelation12:10-11). 4. Revelation Offers Timely Peace With daily headlines reporting world tensions and disasters on the rise, Revelation gives a framework for understanding these troubling times, along with offering us God’s assurance of His coming victory. Its words offer us assurance and peace that God is in control of global affairs and paints us a picture of how He is going to triumph over wickedness. “Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud pealsof thunder, shouting: “Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns” (Revelation 19:6). For our Lord God Almighty reigns” (Revelation 19:6). 5. Revelation Describes Our Future Inheritance Revelation 21:7 promises, “Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.” Throughout Revelation 21 and 22, God reveals the happily-ever-after awaiting believers, including making all things new, along with wiping away every tear and ending crying, sorrow, and death forever from our lives. As well, He promises this newness will include no more pain, curse, and night, and darkness will cease to exist because Jesus will shine as our light. Intersecting Faith & Life: Ask God to help you read through Revelation, to give you His wisdom and understanding while reading it, knowing your willingness to do so pleases Him and releases His blessings into your life. ----------------------- Delightin the Will of God “I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.” (Psalm40:8) This remarkable testimony of David is actually also a Messianic prophecy, fulfilled completely only in Christ. Only as Messiah could He truly say, “My meat is to do the will of him that sent me” and “I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but thewill of him that sent me”; “The works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me” (John4:34; 6:38; 10:25). “Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith...Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God” (Hebrews10:5, 7). His heart was attuned perfectly to the will of God because God’s law was written thereon, “not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart” (2Corinthians 3:3). Even in the most trying circumstances to which any man could ever be subjected, He could pray, “Not my will, but thine, be done” (Luke22:42). By the indwelling Spirit of God, we also must seek to make the will of God our greatest delight. We are saved solely by grace, but this is not to deliver us from the burdensome constraints of God’s holy law; as in the case of Christ Himself, He places His lawin our hearts in order to enable us to love His law. “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them” (Hebrews10:16). Then we learn, like the psalmist, not to resist His will but to love His will and to delight in His law. “O how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day....Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart....Ihave longed for thy salvation, O LORD; and thy law is my delight” (Psalm119:97, 111, 174). HMM ------------------ Standing Before God’s Open Door 1 Corinthians 16:8-9 The apostle Paul had passion and vision to reach the world with the good news about salvation. As he followed the Spirit’s leading, his determination proved effective. There’s no telling how many lives the Lord transformed through this man. And his influence is still impacting people today. Paul knew that Jesus had instructed His followers to “make disciples of all the nations,” teaching them to observe everything He had commanded (Matt.28:19). God led and enabled the apostle to do his part in carrying out this divine mission. But think about life back then—that was a big task for a time when there was no mass communication. Paul could only teach, write, or train others to share the truth. In spite of limited means, however, he obeyed fervently and effectively. God’s command is still relevant for us today. He has given us the work of telling all nations about redemption through Christ’s blood and resurrection. Compared to Paul, we have an abundance of communication capabilities—including radio, television, Internet, and cell phones—which provide easy access into countries all over the world. We could make moredisciples by better utilizing these technologies. But how tragic if we get busy and fail to obey God’s command. We stand at a critical moment in history for the church. The door of opportunity is wide open for us to share. ------------------- True Love “Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substanceof his house for love, it would utterly be contemned.” (Song of Solomon 8:7) The Song of Solomon, as part of God’s inspired Word, is much more than an ancient erotic poem, as some have interpreted it. Solomon was given great wisdom by God, so that he “spake three thousand proverbs; and his songs were a thousand and five” (1Kings 4:32). Of these latter, he apparently considered this to be his masterpiece, his “song of songs” (Song 1:1). It can best be understood as a purelove song describing the courtship and marriage of Solomon and his first bride, long before he later married “many strange [that is, ‘foreign’] women” who “turned away his heart after other gods” (1Kings 11:1, 4). Another interpretation, favored by many Bible scholars over the centuries, is that the story is an allegory whose theme is the love of Christ and His heavenly bride, the true church. That is, it really does seem to describe the love of young Solomon and his first bride. Such love had and still has God’s blessing, for the union of man and woman in permanent, loving marriage has always been God’s plan, ever since Adam and Eve (note Christ’sconfirmation of this in Matthew 19:3-9). It is “the works of the flesh,” including adultery and fornication, that God condemns. But the song can also bring great blessing to the reader as he sees therein the eternal love of the Lord Jesus and His heavenly bride. Our text verse, read in this light, is a glorious truth. Not even the waters of a great flood could quench such love, norall the possessions of a wealthy king ever purchase it. It is true eternal love, bought by the blood of the Bridegroom and received with undying faith by His beloved bride. HMM ------------------------ Living a Spirit-Controlled Life - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org And do not bring sorrow to God�s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. �Ephesians 4:30 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/living-a-spirit-controlled-life/- Listen There�s a difference between just being in a home and being at home. Have you ever noticed that different homes have their own smells? I used to visit a home that always smelledlike mothballs, and after I spent time in that home, I smelled like mothballs too. But then I�ve been to homes where there was some great home cooking taking place. I like being in a room where I can smell the incredible aroma of Italian food, Mexican food,or barbecue. I feel at home in a place like that. When we become Christians, the Holy Spirit seals us and indwells us. The Bible says, �But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit ifyou have the Spirit of God living in you� (Romans 8:9 NLT). Now, does the Holy Spirit live in the heart of every Christian? Yes. But the word for �living� in this verse means �to be at home.� The Holy Spirit has a personality. Yes,He is God and can be sinned against specifically. But we also can insult Him, resist Him, and even make Him sad. Have you ever done or said something that reduced someone to tears? It�s hard to look at a person who�s crying because of our words or actions. In the same way, the Bibletells us, �And do not bring sorrow to God�s Holy Spirit by the way you live� (Ephesians 4:30 NLT). Imagine if we decided not to use social media to tear people down. What a different place it would be. Today it seems that we�ve forgotten our manners, and we�re filled withpent-up rage. But that is not living a Spirit-controlled life. Rage, anger, harsh words, and slander make the Holy Spirit sad. Do you want the Holy Spirit to be at home in your heart? He�s at home in the hearts of Spirit-led believers. ---------------- Peace beyond Our Understanding By Emma Danzey Philippians4:6-7 says, �Donot be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.� Do Not Be Anxious about Anything The Bible says, �Fear not� 365 times. This is significant when thinking about the normal year having 365 days in it. People take this as an encouragement to trust in God each day because He has told us not to be afraid. Reading or hearing, �Do not be anxious about anything� sounds like an extreme command. What about the difficult news we just got from the doctor? Or what about my child who is in college away from home? Or how about our financial struggle to pay rent nextmonth? This is the great gift that we have been given as believers in Christ. We have eternal hope and confidence. We do not have to be worried about anything because the enemy has been defeated and we have eternal life through Jesus. This does not mean thatour tough days and bad news moments will not be challenging.John 16:33 says, �I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.� We will have troubles and trials in this sinful and broken world. We will feel real pain and experience death and suffering. However, we are to take heart because Jesus has overcome.When He tells us not to be anxious about anything. He means it. He is telling us that He is over everything and we can find rest in Him. Prayer and Petition, with Thanksgiving Philippians tells us how we can fight the temptation to worry. We can present our requests to God through prayer and petition with thanksgiving. This means that we pour out our hearts to God and tell Him our requests and our desires. We do this with thanksgiving.Gratitude unlocks joy. When we are tempted to sit in our anxious thoughts, we can combat this with thankfulness. We can find the amazing blessings around us and praise the Lord. This resets our hearts in times of trouble and helps us to think on the many spiritualgifts rather than on the �what ifs.� The Peace of God When we have the Holy Spirit, one of the fruits that He gives us is peace. Do you ever wonder how people can have peace in a tragedy or how they can have peace in continual challenges? In these moments, the peace that could only come from God shines through.The peace that comes from God is spiritual. It is not about a temporary fix of a massage or a bubble bath. This is the kind of peace that does not have to leave us. It guards our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus. There are good methods to have a peaceful moment, but only Jesus can bring true and lasting peace. We can have peace from God because we now have peace with God through Christ. We have the ability to tap into and receive His peace. When we know that we arenot able to do something on our own, we can humbly ask the Lord to bring us His peace. I find it no coincidence that when sharing about the armor of God, Paul shares in Ephesians 6:15 that we are to put on the shoes of peace. The peace of God helps us to take steps forward when we would otherwise be paralyzed by fear. He gives us the strength to walk. Intersecting Faith and Life: Are you anxious about anything right now? God tells us not to be anxious, go to Him with your prayer and requests with thanksgiving believing that His peace that is beyond your understanding with guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus. Through Hisgift of the Holy Spirit, you can walk in the shoes of peace today, knowing that God cares for you. ------------------- Protecting Command Central - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace �Romans 8:6 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/protecting-command-central/- Listen Holy Spirit-led people are spiritually minded people, and our minds are command central. That�s why we need to protect our minds. Someone has wisely said, sow a thought, reap an action; sow an action, reap a habit; sow a habit, reap a character; sow a character,reap a destiny. The apostle Paul wrote, �Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that pleasethe Spirit. So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace� (Romans 8:5�6 nlt). Notice that Paul said, �Think about things that please the Spirit.� Contrast this with people who only think about satisfying their impulses and the appetites of their fleshwith things like illicit drugs, sex outside of marriage or before marriage, alcohol, partying, and things of that nature. It also could be empty things like fame and fortune. Or, it could be simply thinking about only physical things and never spiritual things. Jesus talked about people like this, saying, �Don�t worry about these things, saying, �What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?� These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs� (Matthew 6:31�32 NLT). Jesus wasn�t saying we should never think about these things. We do need to think about a roof over our heads, what we�re going to eat, and what we�re going to wear. But Jesuswas saying that we shouldn�t be obsessed with it. He went on to say, �Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need� (verse 33 NLT). Don�t make the entire focus of your life pursuing physical things at the exclusion of pursuing God. ------------------------ Time for a Reboot - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org My heart is breaking as I remember how it used to be: I walked among the crowds of worshipers, leading a great procession to the house of God, singing for joy and giving thanksamid the sound of a great celebration! �Psalm 42:4 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/time-for-a-reboot/- Listen Have you ever been working on your computer when things suddenly froze up? That meant you needed to refresh your screen. And there are times when you even need to reboot toget everything working again. Sometimes we need a reboot in our lives as Christians too. We need a refresh because we�re feeling down and depressed. That is not a twenty-first century phenomena, by theway. The psalmist wrote, �My heart is breaking as I remember how it used to be: I walked among the crowds of worshipers, leading a great procession to the house of God, singing for joy and giving thanks amid the sound of a great celebration!� (Psalm 42:4 NLT). Then he wrote, �Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again�my Savior and my God!� (verses 5�6 NLT). I love how the psalmist shifted gears. He went from asking an honest question to effectively preaching to himself. I have found myself doing that at times. When I�ve feltdown, I�ve quoted Scripture to myself, sometimes even out loud. A few verses earlier, the psalmist said, �As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God. I thirst for God, the living God� (Psalm 42:1�2 NLT). In otherwords, he needed some spiritual refreshment. Do you need spiritual refreshment today? Ephesians 5:18�19 says, �Be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts.� In theoriginal language, that�s a command, not a suggestion. Also, the implication is that it�s continuous. Therefore, God is commanding us to be filled with the Holy Spirit every day, and that brings refreshment into our lives. As Acts 3:20 reminds us, �Times of refreshment willcome from the presence of the Lord� (NLT). ----------------------------- The Power of God's Grace Romans 5:1-5 Grace is one of God's most amazing gifts. It provides us with everything we need to live in perfect freedom: pardon for our sins, healing for our hearts, the companionship of God's indwelling Holy Spirit, and access to freely cultivate our relationship with Him. We work, worship, and enjoy life surrounded by His unconditional love. His grace upholds us, fills us, and sustains us. Since we are forgiven people, the Lord responds to us not as enemies but as His dearly loved children (Rom. 8:15; Eph.5:1). He hears our prayers, speaks to us, and acts on our behalf. The knowledge that we live under the covering of God's grace gives us... •Security about our position. No one can snatch us out of His hand (John 10:28). •Boldness to live for Christ. Nothing anyone does or says can shake our confidence in who the Lord is or who we are in Him. •Peace for today because we can fully trust in His sovereignty. The Lord is carrying out His perfect will--and we can be sure that nothing is able to thwart His plans when we cooperate with Him. •Hope for the future. This life is just the beginning. One day we'll see Jesus face to face, be perfected as the individuals He created us to be, and live with Him in our true home forever. The Lord is committed to transforming each of us according to His special plan for our lives. Even His correction is an expression of His loving favor (Heb.12:10). When we falter or fail, we can rest assured that His amazing grace hems us in and always offers us redemption. ---------------- BeYe Separate �Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing;and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.� (2Corinthians 6:17-18) The doctrine of separation from �the unclean thing� is neglected today by professing Christians, but it is still here in God�s Word. The context indicates that Paul is warning against Christians being �unequally yoked together with unbelievers� and urging usto �cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God� (2Corinthians 6:14; 7:1). Such separation does not mean having no contact at all with unbelievers, �for then must ye needs go out of the world� (1Corinthians 5:10), whereas Jesus commanded, �Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature� (Mark16:15). He also prayed to the Father, �not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil� (John17:15). He does demand, however, that we are not to compromise with unbelief or with the unclean thing. We are �born again� into the family of God through simple faith in the person and saving work of Christ; but the full manifestation and fellowship of our relationwith the heavenly Father as His spiritual sons and daughters is evidently, in this passage, conditioned on the vital principle of separation from all unbelief and filthiness of the flesh, with Jesus as our example (Hebrews7:26). We are specially warned to �turn away� from those who, �having a form of godliness,� attempt to accommodate the naturalistic viewpoint of modern scientism within the Scriptures, thus �denying the power thereof� (2Timothy 3:5). �Be ye separate, saith the Lord.� HMM ---------------- Rivers in the Wasteland - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland. �Isaiah 43:19 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/rivers-in-the-wasteland/- Listen We want to live on emotional mountaintops, but the reality is that spiritual fruit does not grow on mountaintops; it grows in the valleys. It grows in times of difficulty. In Isaiah 43, God said, �For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create riversin the dry wasteland� (verse 19 NLT). It�s in the wasteland, in the hardships, in the difficulties that I often experience God in a way that I don�t experience Him anywhere else. James wrote, �Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, yourendurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing� (James 1:2�4 NLT). Maybe you�re facing a time of hardship right now. Maybe you�ve had the bottom drop out in life, and you�re asking, �Why is this happening to me? I�m a Christian. I�m walkingwith Jesus, yet this hardship has befallen me. What have I done to deserve this?� Every Christian will face trials in life�for their own good. Jesus said, �Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome theworld� (John 16:33 NLT). He didn�t say you might have trials and sorrows; He said you will have them. And 1 Peter 4:12�13 tells us, �Dear friends, don�t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. Instead, be veryglad�for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering� (NLT). Spiritual refreshment comes from times of spiritual testing. ------------------- The Call to Serve Galatians 5:13 Jesus commanded that we serve one another, but obeying this mandate in humility is not natural for us. Sure, there are times we like to help others. But service that involves self-sacrifice--especially for someone we deem undeserving--much more difficultto do. What does it mean to serve? Consider Christ's example. He gave up everything in heaven to live among us, subjecting Himself to dishonor and human frailty. And He loved even those who rejected Him. Think about how He humbled Himself and washed the disciples'feet at Passover. This was a disgusting, lowly task that a slave might be assigned--far from anything a king should do. He even knew these men were about to abandon Him but served them anyway. Ultimately, Christ gave His life for us. And He did so while we were still sinners (Rom. 5:8). Serving others was His lifestyle--part ofwho He was and what He did. As His followers, we should strive to be like Him. Therefore, service involves first dying to our selfish attitudes and motives. Only then can we live to glorify Christ. Jesus said that the greatest commandments are to love God wholeheartedly and to love others (Matt.22:37-39). Ironically, it is only when we humbly serve others that we experience God's fullness in our own lives. Many try to achieve happiness by striving after their own desires. The result? Tired, unsatisfied people. True contentment happens only when we walk closely with Jesus. He shows where we can humble ourselves and take care of others. These actions, done throughHis strength, will be blessed. ------------------- TheNecessary Light �To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, thatthey may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.� (Acts26:18) All human experience understands the relationship between darkness and light. Those who love wickedness crave the darkness to hide their deeds (John3:19). Jesus insisted that He is the �light of the world� (John8:12). Now in His glorified state, the Lord Jesus�our King of kings and Lord of lords�is described as �dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto� (1Timothy 6:16). This is not a mere metaphor. �God is light, and in him is no darkness at all� (1John 1:5). It is certainly clear in the Scriptures that those who have not yet been twice born must come �to the light� before they can ever receive the gift of eternal life (John3:20). Indeed, the very process of �coming� is empowered by the drawing power of the Godhead Himself (John6:44). No one who is �dead in trespasses and sin� (Ephesians2:1) is able to come out of darkness on their own into the light without the supernatural power of the �light� Himself. Once we are rescued from the darkness by the atoning sacrifice of the Lord Jesus and �birthed� from above by the power demonstrated in the resurrection of our Lord, we who are so redeemed become �children of light� (1Thessalonians 5:5). Thus empowered, we are to �walk in the light� (1John 1:7) and have no �fellowship...with darkness� (2Corinthians 6:14). With the �armour of light� complete (Romans13:12), we can openly let our �light so shine� that we become a �light of the world� (Matthew5:16, 14). HMM III -------------------