Thursday, September 18, 2014

Jesus is Our Light

What do you do when you are in the dark?  You turn on the light.  If you are entering a dark room, a dark house, or a dark building; then, you turn on a light.

The same is true in our spiritual lives.  If you are in the dark about an issue or situation in your life, you turn on the light---the light of God's word. 

Jesus was in the temple courts teaching a group of people.  The Pharisees and the teachers of the law brought in a woman who had been caught in adultery and placed her before the group.  They told Jesus and asked Him, "...Now what do you say?"  (John 8:5b, NIV)  He calmly responded to their accusation.  "Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her."  (John 8:7b, NIV)  Each of the woman's accusers left one by one until only Jesus and the woman were left standing there.  Then, He turns to the woman and asks her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"  (John 8:10b, NIV)  "No one, sir," she said.  "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."  (John 8:11, NIV)

When Jesus spoke again to the people, He said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”  (John 8:12, NIV)

Another time, Jesus predicted His death before a crowd of people.  He was referring to Himself as the light.

 Then Jesus told them, “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going.  Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light.” When He had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid Himself from them.  (John 12:35-36, NIV)

John spoke about God being light. 

"This is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all.  If we claim to have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth.  But 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, purifies us from all sin.  (1 John 5-7, NIV)

In Matthew's account, he talked about the believers in Jesus being the light. 

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16, NIV)

When we spend time in God's word (in the presence of Jesus), we are able to shed more light on matters in our lives.  Jesus is our light.  When we spend time with Him, we have more light in ourselves as well as in our lives.  Then, we can truly be light in this dark world. 


Copyright 2014 by Dawn Freeman. All rights reserved.

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Meditating on God's Word

"Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful." (Joshua 1:8, NIV)

Meditating on God's word may not be something that you are familiar with in your spiritual walk.

The word 'meditate' is defined as to consider, think, ponder, contemplate, reflect.
Meditation on God's word is a spiritual discipline. It is a recommended part of every believer's spiritual development and growth.

Most importantly, it is commanded by God our Father in His word.
Our Father God not only told us in the book of Joshua to meditate on His word but to meditate on it all the time so we can obey everything in it.

How do we meditate on it all the time?
For one, we consider or think on a particular scripture verse. For example, "And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:19, NIV)

We keep thinking about the same scripture verse for a period of time. "And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:19, NIV)
We contemplate and reflect on it until it truly sinks into our heart---until we get a revelation about that specific verse. "And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:19, NIV)

Perhaps, we even begin confessing out loud. Make it personal. "And my God will meet all of my needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus." My God will meet all of my needs. All means all. He didn't say some. He said all. It's not according to my own riches. It's according to His riches in glory. I am in Christ. Therefore, I have His riches.
That's only one example from scripture in order to get you started with meditating on God's word. Please feel free to also use other scripture verses. Do it frequently throughout the day.  Every day.

In the next part of Joshua 1:8, God then tells us that we will be prosperous and successful.
It's very important to observe this command from God. We cannot be truly prosperous and successful in our lives.

The prosperity and success that is spoken of in the book of Joshua isn't necessarily the kind that you may think of at the moment. It certainly isn't the kind that the world talks about much of the time. However, it is the kind that God wants for us.
He wants us to be prosperous and successful because it honors and glorifies Him. Plus, He is a good God! A loving father who wants to bless His children. What good, loving father would ever want or do anything else? (Matthew 7:9-11) Do you want to be blessed? I know that I sure do.

 
Copyright 2014 by Dawn Freeman. All rights reserved.

Saturday, September 6, 2014

The Kingdom of Heaven

Jesus often spoke to people in parables. Once, the disciples asked Him the reason for it. He gave a lengthy answer to their question.

He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. This is why I speak to them in parables:

“Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: “‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’ But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it. (Matthew 13:11-17, NIV)

In Matthew's account, there are several of Jesus' parables regarding the kingdom of heaven.

A former minister at my local church described the kingdom of heaven as a different reality which is true. It definitely is a different reality. Once you see something new and different, you cannot unsee it. It's like trying to describe an old black and white television program in color to someone who has never seen the color version of that particular program. It cannot be done very well.

However, we can tell people what we see and know ourselves. We can share our own personal experiences, insights, and knowledge. We can also hope and pray that the Holy Spirit will open their spiritual eyes---give them eyes to see, ears to hear, and a mind and heart that's open and receptive to Him and His truth.

Here's a great example of His truth.

Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?”
“Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.” “Which ones?” he inquired.
Jesus replied, “‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’
“All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?”
Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?”
Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Peter answered him, “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?”
Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first. (Matthew 19:16-30, NIV)

To much of the world, the kingdom of heaven may sound like an upside down reality. However, in truth, it is a right side up reality.

"But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." (Matthew 6:33, NIV)

When we first seek God, His truth, His ways [of doing and being right]; everything else will also be given to us.

In essence, that is heaven on earth.  (Matthew 6:10)



Copyright 2014 by Dawn Freeman. All rights reserved.