Tag Archives: Teachings of John

Night is approaching; Christ’s light shines brighter

Posted on December 21, 2015 by | Comments Off on Night is approaching; Christ’s light shines brighter

Night is approachingNight is approaching but many Christians remain confused about what the night actually is. Some will try to equate darkness and night with the trials, tribulations, and temptations we endure as Christians. While it can certainly be said that these are real spiritual storms, in no means are they the same as when Jesus told the disciples, I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work (John 9:4). Later, He would expand on this earlier teaching and as recorded in scripture, Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them (John 12:35-36).

A storm may bring darkened skies but storms never last

Night is approaching but it is important to understand it is not the same as a spiritual storm. Spiritual storms are nothing more than a crisis of our faith where we are faced with a temptation, a trial, or maybe even the Lord’s chastisement. I think of the verse in Genesis where God, after delivering Noah and his family through a mighty storm, made this promise: And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud (Genesis 9:14). God had made a few promises to Noah that included the storm would pass, He would be there to help them through, and when it was over, He would be there at the end of the flood to welcome them with the promise of the rainbow. As Christians, we are given the same offer when the storms of life come. He offers to see us through the storm, He offers to be there with us in the midst of the storm, and He promises that we have a home in Heaven with Him when our life’s journey is done. Storms always end and the results are we can be closer to the Lord, our faith can be strengthened, and we can rejoice knowing He has given us the victory!

Night is approaching: Encroaching spiritual wickedness

The apostle Paul understood the approaching darkness and wickedness even during his lifetime as he warned the early Christians in Ephesus: For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places (Ephesians 6:12). The phrase, rulers of darkness, really stands out and defines exactly what the darkness is. Within the Old Testament, there are several verses that explain what the darkness is: A land of darkness, as darkness itself; and of the shadow of death, without any order, and where the light is as darkness (Job 10:22), Let that day be darkness; let not God regard it from above, neither let the light shine upon it (Job 3:4), He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail (1 Samuel 2:9), and They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course (Psalms 82:5). 

Even Jesus spoke of the darkness: When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness (Luke 22:53). Within the gospel of John, the first paragraph explains the reason that Jesus came to dwell among men. The fifth verse is still applicable today:  And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not (John 1:5). John, as led by the Holy Spirit, would later write, This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5). The darkness is not the storms we know as trials, temptations, and other testings of our faith, but of the world lost in its sins and rejection of God. It was the wickedness of mankind that gave room to Satan which influenced the religious leaders of the day to desire to put Jesus to death. It was the darkness of the times and the wickedness in high places that led to the beheading of John the Baptist. The darkness and wickedness continued after the death of Jesus to assure the apostles died remarkably horrible deaths in trying to extinguish the presence of Jesus from the memory of man.  Where a storm is there to increase our faith; darkness creeps in to extinguish all influence of the Lord.

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A lesson in receiving forgiveness from others

Posted on June 12, 2013 by | Comments Off on A lesson in receiving forgiveness from others

reelfoot lakeIts easy to fall into one of the oldest traps used by Satan against the children of God – the trap of guilt.  We all have experienced it whether it be because of something wrong we have said or done to another, problems dealing with our besetting sins, or breaking a promise to others or God.  Guilt can be a good thing if it brings us to a point of true repentance, as written and described by the apostle Paul: For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death (II Corinthians 7:10).

Godly sorrow, or guilt, will not let us rest until we have not only asked forgiveness of the person we have wronged, but when we seek the forgiveness of God also.  There’s a familiar verse that I have heard ever since I first began going to church: Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him (Luke 17:3).  Instead of focusing on the person that was wronged, I want to look at the person that is considered as the “offender.” As Christians, when someone has told us that we have done something that has caused them to become offended, we have an obligation to seek genuine forgiveness.  As Christians, we represent the Lord Jesus Christ in all that we do; it should cause us to experience guilt – or godly sorrow – to know that something we have done has caused someone else become genuinely offended.

Within the same passage, the next verse simply states: And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him (Luke 17:4), we can learn several things from this one scripture – we have an obligation to seek forgiveness each time we do something we know offends another.  I once heard a preacher at a camp meeting in southeastern Texas say that too many Christians sin “retail” but want to seek forgiveness “wholesale” and unfortunately, often when we seek forgiveness of others, we have the same mentality.  This passage in Luke makes it clear – if I have offended someone three times, then I should seek their forgiveness three times; I cannot get by and have “godly sorrow” and forgiveness if I take short cuts. I must seek forgiveness for each time I have offended God or anyone else.  By seeking forgiveness for each time, it makes us more aware of our actions, of our responsibilities, and our need to rely on Christ Jesus for his guidance.

The apostle Paul wrote, To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ (II Corinthians 2:10) and again, if we focus on the person being forgiven, once we have sought forgiveness with the person we have offended, and they have accepted our heartfelt apology, then we are indeed forgiven by them and should no longer feel guilt about what we did.  A couple of weeks ago, I was asked by a person about what I thought they should do because they were not sure if the person that “forgave” them did so because they truly accepted the apology or because they were just “going through the motions.”  This is something we all have experienced at some point in our lives – and if you haven’t, don’t worry, you eventually will.

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An introduction into the psychology of the cross

Posted on March 19, 2013 by | Comments Off on An introduction into the psychology of the cross

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Its obvious to the world that Christians are getting ready to celebrate Easter – the time where Christians celebrate and remember the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.  On television, we see the annual parade of Christian and Easter centered shows, the never-ending rows of Easter baskets and candy at the local Wal-mart, and the never-ending barrage of the critics of Easter who correctly point out that Easter was celebrated long before the death of Christ.  It is important to realize that in their attempt to shatter what they consider the myth of Jesus, they actually miss the simple message of the Cross; this should come as no surprise as the apostle Paul wrote, But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness (I Corinthians 1:23).

For many, celebrating Easter means that family gathers around the dinner table, egg hunts, and a sunrise Easter service.  Lip service is made to what Easter is with little evidence of the actual meaning of the cross evident in their lives.  During a world civilization class one afternoon about six years ago, I was asked a question by a student that really got me thinking.  She asked “why are some people so devoted to a religion that offers them no hope, no security, and yet will devote their entire life and being to it?”  I do not remember the answer I gave her, but I do remember considering the opposite question: “why are some people unwilling to be totally devoted to the worship of the Lord Jesus Christ who offers a hope, unconditional forgiveness, and an eternal security?”  Its because we fail to understand the very nature of the cross.

Christianity is not merely a belief in God – as too often many of us believe it to be.  We have been raised and educated in a society where we have been told to leave our faith at home or in the walls of our church.  We have been told that we do have the “right” to worship, but the privilege of worshiping and honoring God has been removed through the guise of political correctness.  If we are to really see the spiritual growth and fulfillment that we long to see in our lives, we must allow ourselves to become consumed in the meaning of the cross.  After we have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior we are renewed, or as the apostle Paul wrote, Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new (II Corinthians 5:17).

In my own life, although I had fully accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as my Savior, I tried to retain all that I had been taught from the world before.  I believed the lies of this world that I had to keep my faith hidden except when around other Christians and only in the confines of church or church related activities.  I was afraid to take opportunities to tell others about the love of Jesus Christ because of not wanting to be offensive.  What I did not and would not understand for nearly two decades is that I was doing the very thing that Christ had warned us against: No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon (Matthew 6:24).

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