OK – so I heard a statement this week…. It really got me to thinking, honestly it made me think about how I think. The
statement was made in light of hearing a fellow pastor expound upon his study the following passage of Scripture:

So, Jesus said to them, “The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness
overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going.” (John 12:35)

The statement he made was this: “too often Christians curse the dark, rather than shine the light”…. He then quoted
the following saying: “It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness”. This quote has been attributed to
Eleanor Roosevelt, Confucious, John F. Kennedy, and several others.

Roman 13:11-12 says “And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now, is our
salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the
works of darkness and let us put on the armor of light.”

And Jesus said, as recorded in Matthew 5:14-16 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be
hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In
the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your
Father who is in heaven.”

Well, like I said, I got to thinking about my thinking regarding light and dark, each of their respective powers, and
whether or not Christian are more dark oriented than light illuminating. What do I mean?

 

I am glad you asked!!  By and large, we go around talking all about the darkness of the day, and rightfully so, but do we give as much attention to the light that expels that darkness? More than that, do we really live like the light of the world, like a bright city on a hill, or do we hide ourselves under a basket by living in or with the darkness that needs expelled?

 

What I am getting at is – do we talk too much and not walk enough? Do we curse about the darkness and do nothing
to bring the light into it? Do we shine a dark light or a bright light? It is so easy to point out the darkness in others,
and the darkness around us, that we forget our darkness emanates too. Before I go onto another point, I want to
make a challenging request…. For one week, rather than scourer the news and the happenings for the darkness that
is so readily noticeable – look for what God is doing in the midst of it…. And the second part of that challenge, take
the time to assess your own talk and walk, asking “what AM I showing the world around me…. the light or the dark?”
I am reminded of the dark Pharisee and the light sinner in Luke 18:10-14:

“Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by
himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like
this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’

But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God,
be merciful to me, a sinner!’

I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be
humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Even in prayer, the dark Pharisee noticed the sinner’s sins more than his own. In today’s language it would be “I know
I have my issues and my sins, BUT that isn’t the only side to this” or “I am the first to admit I got my sins, BUT….” or it
comes out as one has done nothing as bad as the others and I have done so much good compared to others…
However, on the right side of things, the truly repentant light sinner only recognized his own sins before God – no
excuses, no self-justifications, no shifting the blame, but just the shame and ownership of his own sin and a plea for
the mercy of God on his soul…. 

 

This is stepping into the light…. Ownership, despite anyone else’s involvement< no pity party, no self-preservation, or
making less of the sin, no trying to keep it quiet – just simple straight forward, I have sinned… God have mercy please….

Now, the second point, the Bible does tell us “Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things
the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not become partners with them; for at one time
you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that
is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” (Ephesians 5:6-14)

This means people use empty, false, masked words and build partnerships with the same ilk…. And God considers this
disobedience and it makes Him angry enough to bring down the wrath. If you’re a believer, you used to walk and talk in
darkness, but as a believer it is unbecoming and should no longer be part of your life, nor should we be taking part in
those dark things anymore. Rather we should not cover them up, but tell the truth and share the issue and problem, or
expose the fake and phony that wants it to remain hidden so they can stay indulging in it, while putting on the façade of
faith… In fact, it says people do disgusting things in secret – we should not have hidden secret sins, they are the shameful
proverbial skeletons in the closet that need removed. So, if your serious about following Christ, it is high time to wake
up! Quit sleeping in sinful spiritual slumber and let Christ’s light shine on you to reveal the darkness so it can be eradicated and expelled! Of course this is the amplified Barnett paraphrase commentary, but I think it sheds the light, yes pun intended, on the dark situation and hearts at hand.

What can you do next – if the LORD has been exposing you, be honest, humble yourself, don’t hide or pretend anymore,
mercy is found for the honest sinner not the self-righteous man.

There are extraordinary promises from the LORD for those with enough integrity really tell the truth and deal with the
darkness…. His Word is that “He will humble the prideful and exalt the humble”.

In this day of darkness, for the world, for our nation, for us individually, it is time to let the light expose the reality of our
walk and talk. If the light of the fire of revival is to ever burn bright, we must let the LORD consume us and ignite our
hearts. Let Jesus burn away the chaff and stubble of our lives and refine the gold and silver He has made us to be….

“This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If
we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice 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 cleanses us from all
sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and
just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a
liar, and his word is not in us.” (1 John 1:5-10)