Darkness and Light/Lies and Truth

[His son]

2 Tim 3:16-17

16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

2 Pet 1:20

20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

2 Sam 14:14

14 For we must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again; neither doth God respect any person: yet doth he devise means, that his banished be not expelled from him.

Job 37:24

24 Men do therefore fear him: he respecteth not any that are wise of heart.

Reply

To all who are having problems with mans doctrines as opposed to Biblical doctrines the darkness expressed in The Scriptures, is a darkness satan casts over ones spiritual understanding and diverting it to their own understanding. I love every one of you even if it doesn't seem like it in some of my posts. I have never been used in the office of diplomacy in communications, so forgive me my short comings and know that my whole desire is that you know Biblical Truth.

[tsth]

It's funny how God will reinforce something, by "reinforcing it"! As I said at the beginning of this thread, the Lord has really been impressing upon me to understand that amidst the darkness, He will STILL be there to help us through. And I am REALLY HEARING that we need to be prepared, so that we do not get discouraged, when things get even darker. As usual, He brought something else my way that is speaking of this darkness and light. It's through a book a friend of mine lent me a week ago. She knew the changes that my husband and I are experiencing of late due to the step of faith that we have taken, and she brought me a book to read. It is Stormy Omartian's "Just Enough LIGHT for the Step I'm On". I finally picked it up last night. Here's the continuing teaching on darkness that I received.

John 8:12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."

John 12:36 While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light." These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them.

You know, I keep getting the distinct impression that God is trying to tell me to be prepared! Things ARE getting darker, we all know it. It is about what we do, when we cannot see Jesus for a time. Will we scatter? Will we deny Him? What will we do? God wants us to not be taken by surprise, and no matter what, to keep our eyes on Him/His Word.

We see darkness all around us, and sometimes, even in our own lives. Things due to choices being made in this day and time:

Psalm 107:10 Those who sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, Bound in affliction and irons-- 11 Because they rebelled against the words of God, And despised the counsel of the Most High,

What are we to do? Whether we ourselves are in darkness, or are just watching it all around us in society?

13 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, And He saved them out of their distresses. 14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, And broke their chains in pieces. 15 Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men! 16 For He has broken the gates of bronze, And cut the bars of iron in two.

I am becoming increasingly aware of the fact that one of the ways that God makes us certain of His Light, is by allowing us to test it in the darkness. But this darkness is not to be dreaded. It is the darkness God has created for His purposes. "I form the light and create darkness...." God sometimes allows things to get very dark in our lives/maybe even society, in order to grow us up and teach us about Himself. And some things that we accomplish in darkness cannot happen in any other setting.

We find treasure in that darkness.......that treasure is Him!

I will give you the treasures of darkness And hidden riches of secret places, That you may know that I, the Lord, Who call you by your name, Am the God of Israel.

Isaiah 45:3

Do not grow discouraged. That is what He keeps telling me. It will get darker, but you keep your eyes upon Jesus, His Word. Trust in Him.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,

Look full in His wonderful face,

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,

In the light of His glory and grace.

Through death into life everlasting

He passed, and we follow Him there;

Over us sin no more hath dominion

[tsth]

Anybody else happen to notice RT's latest post on the April 8th thread?

Take a good look at the Title of it first, then read it. Are we prepared for the darkness?

In His Love,

Suzanne

[senerhu]

I wrote this poem years ago, perhaps it will clear things up....

One looks to the earth within and discovers the foundation of the

stars throughout. Looking in, deeper and deeper, for the fingerprints

of the Creator from which all is made.

And another is standing on this wonder also, with eyes heavenward,

marveling at the balance of that which can't be grasped. Looking out,

farther and farther, for the light of the Creator from which all is

made.

Looking in, looking out, which is up and which is down? The light

illuminates the fingerprints and the fingerprints identify the light!

[tsth]

The Devotion for today:

In the Garden That Night

GOING FARTHER WITH GOD

3/24/2004

He went a little farther, and fell on the ground, and prayed.

-- MARK 14:35

Some Christians are satisfied to have only a surface relationship with Christ. Others desire to share the holiest moments with Him. On the night Jesus spent in sacred prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, the people responded to Him in various ways. There were those who were so indifferent to Jesus that they were unaware He was even in the garden. Then there was Judas, who knew where Jesus was but was too busy with his own schemes to join Him. The rest of the disciples joined Jesus in the garden, but they were distracted by sleep. Jesus told them the urgency of the hour, but they did not comprehend it. There was the inner circle of disciples, Peter, James, and John. They initially prayed with Jesus, yet even they could not grasp the significance of the moment. Ultimately, Jesus prayed alone. He went farther than His disciples and prayed longer. At the greatest moment of intercession in human history, there was no one willing to go with Jesus and watch with Him. Throughout history God has looked for those willing to yield everything to Him and His desire to redeem a world. At times God has marveled that no one was willing to go with Him (Isa. 63:5; 59:16). The prophets seemed to grasp more than the common people, for while society carried on as though nothing were wrong the prophets agonized and wept over what they knew God was preparing to do. God is calling you to go deeper in your prayer life with Him. If you are willing to be the person Jesus can take with Him into the most sacred moments, you will experience things only the angels shared with Jesus in the garden that night.

[tsth]

"Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."

-- MARK 14:38

At times your spirit must demand supremacy over your flesh. Your spirit will know what your Lord wants you to do, but your flesh will cry out for its own fulfillment. There are times when sleep must be denied, even when you are exhausted, because it would be disastrous for you to rest at such a time. When the Lord commands you to "watch and pray," it is crucial that you obey. As Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, He knew that the pinnacle of His ministry was quickly approaching. He was aware that the legions of hell were marshaling their forces to defeat Him. If there were ever a critical time for His closest friends to be undergirding Him in prayer, this was it. Jesus told them that He was deeply distressed, even to the point of death. Surely they could have sensed the intensity in His voice and the urgency of His demeanor, and surely they could have found the strength to obey His request. Yet He found them asleep. No excuses. They had fallen asleep at the most pivotal moment in human history, not once but three times! Jesus asks you to join Him in what He is doing. He may ask you to watch and pray for an hour. You may have to deny your physical needs and desires in order to pray with Him. You may have to leave the comfort of your bed or your home. You may even have to sacrifice your safety in order to be where Jesus is. Seek to bring every physical desire under the control of the Holy Spirit so that nothing will impede your accomplishing what Jesus asks of you.

Today's devotion.

In His Love,

Suzanne

[tsth]

A note I received from American Decency Association

To: Friends

From: Bill Johnson

Re: ADA: What is our calling?

Date: March 26, 2004

ADA: WHAT IS OUR CALLING?

Because we are human, we are also marked by sin and in need of a Savior and His Lordship in our lives. We are a Christ-centered ministry. We believe our only hope is in the Lord Jesus Christ through His saving grace. Any righteousness we may have only comes in and through Christ - His shed blood on the cross in atonement for our sins. But, in our salvation, Christ calls us to be holy for He is holy. We are made holy in salvation but we are then to be holy - "to pursue holiness ...without which no man shall see the Lord." [Hebrews 12:14].

As we have lived out our lives in the twentieth century and now more recently in the twenty-first century, we question:

Why do so many people who call themselves Christians live as if they are oblivious to God's call for them to "be holy for He is holy"; and to "... place no wicked thing before mine eyes" [i Peter 1:15,16; Psalm 101:3a]? Is it because we in our churches, our homes, our schools are largely silent regarding the holiness of God? We believe the answer is an unequivocal "Yes!" And, as Satan attacks us, our youth, and our families via desensitizing, degrading "entertainment", we Christian leaders live as if there is no battle. So many who should know better have viewed filthy things and have lost their sense of righteousness.

Confusion marks many. What is right? What is wrong? Multitudes have no inkling that placing wicked things before their eyes desensitizes and degrades. And there is no outrage. No outrage for the assault upon our precious children and families. And the glory of God is degraded as we His people walk in darkness.

Holiness Demands of God's People to be a Light in a Darkened World We believe that God's desire for His people is that they be not conformed to this world, rather, transformed by the renewing of their minds unto Christ. Seeking the will of God, we desire to find those avenues of doing . ministry that will most effectively accomplish His purposes. "And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them." [Ephesians 5:11]

We are engaged in exposing the unfruitful works of darkness as we also strive to exhort and encourage people to love Christ, reminding them of His call to pursue holiness and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness.

We appreciate your prayers. Join with us in pursuing holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. [Hebrews 12:14]

AmericanDecency.org

In His Love,

Suzanne

[tsth]

Jeremiah 13:16 Give glory to the Lord your God Before He causes darkness, And before your feet stumble On the dark mountains, And while you are looking for light, He turns it into the shadow of death And makes it dense darkness.

Amos 5:20 Is not the day of the Lord darkness, and not light? Is it not very dark, with no brightness in it?

God is Sovereign and in control, even amidst the darkness! Do not forget He is in control when it becomes dark, trust in Him and remain faithful and obedient. Pray that you may be able to stand in the Day of the Lord (Mal. 3:2, Luke 21:36, Rev. 6:17)

In His Love,

Suzanne

[wordsower]

Suzanne,

It's so BIG, I mean, I feel so helpless. The light IS going out and my little lamp seems to be so insignificant.

It sickens me how our children are exposed to sex everywhere they turn. Secular music has become pornographic, TV has become almost un-watchable, I can barely find modest clothes in the stores for my 2 daughters--everything is low cut, low-rider, hipster........Sometimes I tell my kids we're going to sell the house, buy a trailer in the woods andlive with no TV, homeschool and grow our own food. They laugh but it's sounding more and more like a great idea!

Lord, have mercy, for we have placed all our hope in You.

[tsth]

Oh, Wordsower,

I know exactlly what you mean............I keep expecting to see a parade of animals heading to our Arks........ My husband and friends and I have the exact same conversations. I know what you mean about the clothes, I have a 12 yr. old daughter and we are experiencing the clothes thing as well, not to mention what we experience within our own church youth groups.

Are there even any parents around anymore?

In His Love,

Suzanne