Tag: Light

Ponderings

On By KateIn PonderingsLeave a comment

What do you think about when you do your devotions? Do you simply read and walk away? Or do you sit there and think about what you’ve just read? We should be walking away with something that will carry us through the day, don’t you think? I wrote this 26-day devotional series beginning in 2013 and finished it in 2014. It covers various blessings from God’s word. As you look at this picture, think on a Bible verse and really ponder over it. That is how we glean from God’s Word. I pray it is a blessing to you!

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Hymns

On By KateIn HymnsLeave a comment

The hymns of yesteryear were actual gospel messages. The writers were God-fearing Christians who knew the cost to living for Christ. This is a 30-day devotional, originally written in 2007, which covers hymns (prior to copyright laws), their authors and how they tie in with the Word of God. This series will be a blessing to my soul and I pray to yours! In a world of contemporary music and PowerPoint presentations used in church services, the old hymns and favorites are slowly fading away. My prayer is that we will be exhorted to go back to the old paths of our fathers and renew these hymns in our own daily lives. These are hymns written prior to this backslidden, emerging church called the Laodicean church. These are words written by those who have met with their Saviour in their prayer closets and have been moved by the Holy Spirit to pen the words which in turn have moved the hearts of men.

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Names of Jesus – Day 14 – Light of the World

On By KateIn DevotionalsLeave a comment

What a beautiful choice of words were used to describe Jesus Christ. I especially love this one because I remember how the Lord shed His light upon my heart the day I was born again! I can honestly say that I once was blind but now I see!

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

Christ came not only unto His own, the Jews, but it was prophesied that He would be a light to the Gentiles as well! Praise the Lord that the Old Testament was not only written for the Jews but the Gentile can find blessed assurance in its pages as well.

~Isaiah 42:6-7 I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; (6) To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house. (7)

In the pages of the New Testament, we find how prophecy of the Jews’ Messiah was fulfilled in Christ Jesus. We find the wonderful light given to the Jews is also given to us! Praise the Lord that we can be included in such salvation as this!

As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. ~John 9:5

Surely Jesus’ precious light continued after He arose! John 9:5 says that the light would be with us as long as He was in the world. But what happened to the light after Jesus arose into Heaven? Surely the light did not cease to exist!

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. ~Psalm 119:105

The Word is clear as to what light would dwell amongst us. It is the blessed Word of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ that shines into our hearts and illuminates us. It awakens us and quickens us – shining a blessed light that takes us from darkness to light.

For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life: ~Proverbs 6:23

The light of the righteous rejoiceth: but the lamp of the wicked shall be put out. ~Proverbs 13:9

O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the LORD. ~Isaiah 2:5

Where can one find the Gospel? One finds all one needs to know about God in His Holy Word, the Bible. Why then does man not read the Bible as he should?

In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. ~2 Corinthians 4:4

The devil would love nothing more than to cause mankind to doubt that we even have God’s Holy Word in our possession. Can the Creator of the Universe also keep His Word from being corrupted through the ages? Of course He can! However, the devil thinks he has won this battle. He has managed to convince the various religions of this world that they have the Bible. He has managed to convince the world that there are many versions. However, God is not the author of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33) and is quite able to leave us with His Word in print which has not been corrupted by man.

So why would Satan work so hard to convince the world that there are many versions of the Bible?

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. ~Romans 1:16

And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. ~2 Timothy 3:15

Satan works hard at this very thing because he knows that the Word of God has the power of salvation! Ole slew foot does not want people getting saved – period!

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. ~Romans 10:17

It is the Word of God that will build your faith. The more we are in the Bible, the more we are molded into the image of Christ. If Satan can succeed in keeping you away from the Bible, then he has won the battle. You will lead a defeated life. If you are a born again Christian reading this today and you are not reading your Bible, then you are a weak Christian. If you are a catholic who believes that the magisterium and church tradition are equal to the Word of God, then the devil has already won in your life. He has managed to cause you to doubt the authority of the Scriptures. You will not be able to see the Light of the blessed Gospel because you are already blinded by the religious system you serve.

There is nothing above the Word of God to guide us. The Word does not say that a priest, a rabbi or religious leader will be the lamp unto your feet or the light unto your path. The Word says that only God’s Word fulfills this.

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. ~Psalm 119:105

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Word of God – Day 4 – The Light

On By KateIn Various2 Comments

(Luk 18:16-17) But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. (16) Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein. (17) As I meditated on these verses this morning, I wondered why the Lord would compare heaven to a kingdom filled with those who received salvation like a child. What is it about a child that would lead our Saviour to encourage us to be like them when it comes to salvation? A child does not complicate an issue – he sees things simple. When my son was little, I asked him how the stars stay up in the heavens; he answered that “God holds them up there” and he believed that without any hesitation. If I were to ask an adult, on the other hand, I would be given scientific reasons.

You can be laid off from work and in the middle of a financial crisis in your home. But if your child asked you if everything was O.K., you would respond with reassurance that all was well and your child would believe you and would not question it. Correct? I believe that when Jesus used this analogy, He wanted to communicate to us that salvation is not a complicated issue. Nicodemus complicated it in John 3 – this Pharisee could not accept Christ’s words by exercising his faith. He had to put an intellectual twist to it. A child can see simplicity because he is simple. Life has not had a chance to take its toll in that young heart. A child clearly sees the light of the Gospel when an adult cannot.

Jesus Himself, The Word, compares Himself to the light of the world. His Word is what will light salvation’s message. Every believer can clearly look back on his salvation testimony and see God’s hand along the way. God lit up a path and that path led to Him. Even after salvation, God’s Word continues to be a light that directs us. (Psa 119:105) NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Jesus is the Light of the world. His salvation is evident throughout the precious pages of the Bible. (Joh 9:5) As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. The Word was in the beginning and with that Word He brings light. The light has many uses:

1. The believer does not remain in darkness:

(Joh 12:46) I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.

The believer no longer has to live in the darkness of sin and be blinded. He has the Truth of the Word in his Bible and is able to see the light of Truth.

(Joh 1:9) That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

2. The Light directs the believer:

(Psa 119:105) NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

Our path is no longer in darkness. We are able to search the Scriptures and determine God’s will for us. Knowing God’s will lights our way and we don’t have to wonder. As long as we are in the Word, the enemy cannot fool us because the Word is a light and we will be able to see the enemy’s tactics and recognize what he is trying to do to us.

(Joh 8:12) 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.

3. The Light alerts us to false doctrine:

(Isa 8:20) To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

If someone comes to us preaching another gospel, we are able to discern their lies because the Word reveals the Truth to us. We must be diligently reading the Word to be able to discern deception. We cannot trust man or the doctrines of man.

(2 Pe 1:19) We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:

(2 Co 4:4) In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

Does a child understand thoroughly the concept of a flashlight? I challenge you to ask a six year old to explain to you how a flashlight works. You will be amused by the different answers you get. He does not need to know the complexities of batteries or the switch. Although a child cannot explain the concept, he has absolute trust that the light will shine when the flashlight is switched on. It is this same simple faith of a child that Christ encouraged in a person who is seeking salvation. The religions of the world would have you to keep the sacraments or join their church. But Christ did not have such stipulations. He made salvation so simple that even a child could obtain it. The child does not need to know the entire law to recognize his own sins. He knows he sinned and he is quick to accept the free gift through Christ.

That is why it is easier to win a child to Christ than an adult. The older a person gets, the less and less chance he will accept the free gift of salvation. He no longer sees the light of the Word because the father of lies has darkened his heart. (Joh 8:44) Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. The devil wants you to believe that salvation is complicated and involves more than Christ’s complete sacrifice on the cross. He wants you to believe that you must contribute something toward your salvation, like works or being good. That is not what the Gospel is. (Eph 2:8 ) For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

You can minimize the importance of God’s Word all you want, my friend. But there is a reason why Christ is called so many names. We will cover a few of those names in this series as they compare to the Word. This particular one, the Light of the world, is especially meaningful because without light, we stumble in darkness. Would you want your child to live in a dark room? You would do all you could to provide a lighted room for your child, wouldn’t you? God is no different. He has given us His very Word to light our way. He did so in the time of Moses and He continues to do so today. (Exo 13:21) And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night: Of Christ, Zacharias prophesied: (Luk 1:77-79) To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, (77) Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, (78 ) To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. (79)

Let the Light shine in you so others may recognize that you are different that those religious people who visit their doorstep. To the one who does not believe that God’s Word is final and that church tradition is equal to the Bible, I challenge you to read God’s Word only for a while. Its truths will open up to you and the glorious light will be revealed to you!

Father in Heaven…
Shed Your blessed Light before me
So I clearly see my way
Keep me from the traps of sin
As I read Your Word each day.

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Hymns – Day 2 – Open My Eyes

On By KateIn Various2 Comments

Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law. (Psa 119:18 ) The Psalmist surely knew what he needed to be able to connect with his God! His eyes needed to be opened. His heart needed to be right before God so that he was willing to accept what was written. We can read all we want but unless our hearts are soft and willing to receive God’s Word, we will not understand. We are as blind people without the Word of God, my friend. We are as ships in the night who can only use the stars to guide them. Unless there is a lighthouse out there to warn the ship’s captain of upcoming danger, the ship will surely crash. The Word is our lighthouse and it shines ever bright to reveal to us our sin! Our path in life is guided by the pure light of the Word. NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. (Psa 119:105)

The blessed light of Jesus Christ and His Gospel illuminate our hearts. Our sin is before us and conviction sets in and repentance comes forth. Salvation brings with it a blessed cleansing from our filthy rags and we now have the precious blood of Jesus Christ covering us! But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 Jo 1:7) Praise the Lord that the blessed Gospel light shone on me some 27 years ago! I truly understood what John Newton wrote when he penned Amazing Grace and said “was blind but now I see”! We truly are blind before salvation. We cannot see what God’s Word has hidden there for us. Those who profess to be saved or “spiritual” cannot truly understand what God’s Word has to say. Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. (Mat 13:13) The greatest of Pharisees could not understand what Jesus was speaking about so how can the unsaved understand? They can’t! They are spiritually blind. But the born-again believer has the Holy Spirit who interprets His Word to them as they read.

Today’s hymn was written by Clara Scott Born. She was born on December 3, 1841 and died on June 21, 1897. She was not much older than I when she was thrown from her buggy by a runaway horse and she went to be with the Lord. I researched her song, Open My Eyes to see what prompted her to write these beautiful words. I could not find what her motivation was for this song. However, it is evident that she was motivated by her God. If you would like to listen to the melody, it can be found at Cyber Hymnal

Open My Eyes
Clara H. Scott

Open my eyes, that I may see
Glimpses of truth Thou hast for me;
Place in my hands the wonderful key
That shall unclasp and set me free.

Refrain

Silently now I wait for Thee,
Ready my God, Thy will to see,
Open my eyes, illumine me,
Spirit divine!

Open my ears, that I may hear
Voices of truth Thou sendest clear;
And while the wave notes fall on my ear,
Everything false will disappear.

Refrain

Open my mouth, and let me bear,
Gladly the warm truth everywhere;
Open my heart and let me prepare
Love with Thy children thus to share.

Refrain

This dear lady knew where she could find her direction in life. She knew where she could find encouragement to press on. It is evident that she loved God’s Word, her time in prayer, a closer walk with the Lord, she had a love for lost souls and a love for the brethren. We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. (1 Jo 3:14a) What beautiful words she wrote, amen?

The Word of God is the wonderful key that opens our eyes and illumines our hearts! Without being in the Word every day, we cannot get the nourishment we need to be a healthy Christian. Would you miss a meal? If you’re not in the Word on a regular basis, you will be an anorexic Christian. You will be spiritually malnourished. Your spiritual life will be weak and when you need guidance and encouragement from God’s Word, you will have nothing to pull it from. You get as much out of the Word as you put into it, my friend. Micah wasn’t afraid because he knew that no matter how dark the situation was around him, he had the light of God on his side. Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me. (Mic 7:8 ) Can you say the same?

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Day 14 – The Light

On By KateIn VariousLeave a comment

The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Psalm 27:1

Why does the Word compare Jesus to being a light to the world? The world is in spiritual darkness. Islam has its followers deeply entrenched in a belief system that leads to death. Catholicism has its followers just as deeply, if not more, entrenched. Judaism has its followers just as deeply entrenched – despite the fact that they are God’s chosen. My friend, all religions which lead their followers down a path of salvation through someone other than Jesus Christ is a religion of darkness.

The veil in the temple leading to the Holy of Holies was torn when Christ’s shed blood on the cross paid the penalty for our sins [And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; (Mat 27:51)]. We no longer need a high priest because Jesus is our high priest and He offered a perfect sinless sacrifice in His own body for us [For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. (Heb 4:15)].

Which leads me back to my initial question – why does the Word compare Jesus to a light? I’ll let the verses themselves answer this question:

For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness. (Psa 18:28 )

[A Psalm of David.] The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? (Psa 27:1)

For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light. (Psa 36:9)

O send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles. (Psa 43:3)

Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance. (Psa 89:15)

Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance. (Psa 90:8 )

Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart. (Psa 97:11)

Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: he is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous. (Psa 112:4)

God is the LORD, which hath shewed us light: bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar. (Psa 118:27)

NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. (Psa 119:105)

For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life: (Pro 6:23)

O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the LORD. (Isa 2:5)

To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. (Isa 8:20)

The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. (Isa 9:2)

I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; (Isa 42:6)

And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them. (Isa 42:16)

The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the LORD shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. (Isa 60:19)

He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him. (Dan 2:22)

The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up. (Mat 4:16)

Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. (Mat 5:14)

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. (Mat 5:16)

To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. (Luk 1:79)

A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. (Luk 2:32)

In him was life; and the life was the light of men. (Joh 1:4)

And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. (Joh 1:5)

That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. (Joh 1:9)

And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. (Joh 3:19)

For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. (Joh 3:20)

But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. (Joh 3:21)

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. (Joh 8:12)

I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. (Joh 12:46)

To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. (Act 26:18 )

That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles. (Act 26:23)

In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. (2Co 4:4)

For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (2Co 4:6)

For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (Eph 5:8 )

Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. (Eph 5:14)

Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: (Col 1:12)

Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. (1Th 5:5)

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: (1Pe 2:9)

We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: (2Pe 1:19)

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. (1Jo 1:5)

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1Jo 1:7)

And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. (Rev 21:23)

And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever. (Rev 22:5)

After all of these verses, it is evident that the light can be found in the Word of God. The Word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. Jesus is the Word: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (Joh 1:1) The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple. (Psa 119:130) The simple can come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and be born again. This verse does not say the proud will be receive understanding. Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (Joh 14:6)

Islam will not get you to heaven, my friend. Buddhism will not get you to heaven. Catholicism will not get you to heaven. Judaism will not get you to heaven. Only ONE can get you to heaven and that is Jesus Christ. He is the light which the Word of God speaks of. He is the light waiting to shine in your heart to show you the way to salvation. The blessed Light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is what will shine in our hearts and take us out of darkness.

There is NO other way. God will not compromise. There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. (Pro 14:12)

Amazing Grace
John Newton

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.

’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed!

Through many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
’Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promised good to me,
His Word my hope secures;
He will my Shield and Portion be,
As long as life endures.

Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, Who called me here below,
Will be forever mine.

When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we’d first begun.

Day 5 – The Light of the Word

On By KateIn Various1 Comment

Prov. 6:23 “For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life”

Some of us who are older can recollect being spanked by our parents. (It’s a sad state of affairs today where children threaten their parents with reporting them to Social Services if they spank them!) With each spanking I received as a child, I learned that what I did was wrong – sometimes I learned quickly and other times not so quickly. But the key here is that I learned from each spanking.

So it is with our Christian walk. Instead of parents, however, we have the Word and our Heavenly Father. God has given us the Word to intruct us. I love the way Proverbs 6:23 says that the Word is a lamp and a light for us. It is not a deep dark secret with hidden messages only to be interpreted by a priest or rabbi. It is a light to the one who is seeking God’s will. We all can know what the Bible has to say without depending on another for intepretation. I find it interesting that the Holy Spirit impressed upon Peter to pen the following verses:

2 Peter 1:20-21, “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. (20) For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. (21)

It is not man’s interpretations that we should be seeking. We should be seeking the Holy Spirit’s interpretation because He wrote the Bible using men who submitted themselves to be used by Him. This is not the way I was raised as a catholic. In fact, not once was I encouraged to read the Bible from the time I could reason to the age of 25. Not once… instead I was told to listen and obey my parish priest blindly. I was told that this was true faith. Now that I am born again and can read and understand God’s Word on my own, I say that this was not true faith but sheer stupidity on my part. Only I will be accountable before God for my actions – not anyone else but me! So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. (Rom 14:12) No one can stand before me in a court of law today and give an account and take my punishment for breaking a law in the United States. No one! Why should it be different before God – the Lover of righteousness? I cannot blame my actions on anyone else.

The second thing I noticed in this Proverb was that reproofs of instruction were a way of life for the believer. Daniel Webster defines reproof as:

1. Blame expressed to the face; censure for a fault; reprehension.Those best can bear reproof, who merit praise.

He that hateth reproof is brutish. Prov 12.

2. Blame cast; censure directed to a person.

Why would God include this immediately after stating that the Word was a lamp and light to us? Clearly the Word has been given to us to teach us the right way to go. When we get off the right path and disobey that instruction, God then corrects us and sometimes must chastise us. For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth. (Pro 3:12) For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. (Heb 12:6)

Don’t follow man’s teaching blindly – no matter who that man is. It is good to listen to good preaching but it does not remove your responsibility as a born again child of God to make sure that what you are hearing is in line with God’s Word.

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: (2Ti 3:16) When a man (or “church”) teaches something contrary to God’s Word, you must search it out for yourself. We will each be accountable to God for what we did in life. We won’t be able to blame another when we stand before God and give an account for believing what “the church” or “the preacher” taught us. The Word was given to each of us as a lamp and a light – it is clear that this is not a case of the blind leading the blind – the blind see no light. The born again believer is no longer blind!

Therefore, God makes it quite clear that His Word shines brightly with His teachings and doctrine. For the believer, this is very encouraging because we are not left alone to our own devices. Rom 1:21-22, “But to the unsaved, you are without excuse. Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. (21) Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, (22) Dont’ be a fool today. Let the light of the Word shine in your heart and draw you to the cross where your burdens may be lifted!

Dear God…
Your Word lightens my way
No more in darkness I hide
Desperately seeking I find
Your Precious bleeding side

Pause from Discouragement Series

On By KateIn VariousLeave a comment

I decided to take a short break on the series on discouragement. The Lord has kept the theme of being a light to the unsaved world on my heart for the past few days. So I thought I would record it.

Matt. 5:14-16, “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. (14) Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. (15) Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. (16)

My husband loves gadgets – the bigger the better! Recently, he purchased a million candle power flashlight. Good night! This flashlight could probably escort a plane to a safe landing if needed! :-) Seriously though, I wondered if my life had that million candle power capability to the unsaved world? There are two things which cause a flashlight to shine at its brightest: a clean lens and charged batteries.

A flashlight with a dirty lens prevents the light from shining at its full potential. As I meditated on that for a while, it dawned on me that our Christian walk is the same. The Word says that Jesus is our light. 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. (Joh 8:12) Am I allowing Jesus’ light to shine in me? Or, have I allowed the world to enter in and dirty my “lens”? The dirtier the lens, the less light shines through – the cleaner the lens, the more light is able to shine. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, (2Co 6:17) It is the same with our walk. The world’s influences in our lives cause our light to dim. The unsaved see less of Christ and more of us – OUCH!

And what about the batteries? Are your spiritual batteries charged, weak or need to be replaced? A fully charged battery allows a flashlight to shine at its fullest. Is my spiritual battery fully charged? How do I keep it fully charged? NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. (Psa 119:105) It stands to reason that if my spiritual battery is weak or dead, I have not been in the Word. How can my light shine for Christ if my battery is weak or dead?

Our Lord sure did love analogies. He used the candle in such a way as to speak to our hearts as Christians and how our light should be to the unsaved world. Is your battery fully charged, Christian? Is your lens dirty? Both will hinder your testimony. Both will cause the unsaved to look at your walk instead of looking to Christ. Keep your spiritual flashlight clean and charged at all times so you can be that bright shining light leading the lost to our Wonderful Saviour, Jesus Christ!