“This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil.”
(John 3:19)
(John 3:19)
It has been reported that Thomas Alvin Edison failed over 6,000 times before perfecting the way to make me cringe & scream in the morning. Nothing is more fingernails on the chalkboard irritating, than when you are dead asleep with your head on a drool drenched pillow & someone flips on one of Tom's little inventions.
My dad was the worlds worst about this. He would also throw in the “RISE & SHINE” as he maliciously brought me from the land of slumber to the mind numbing highly illuminated morning…but I do now find that to be fun as I do the same to my sons.
In John, whom I like to call the brightest of the four gospels…seeing how he utilizes the word “light” more than the others, he says that Jesus was the light that came into the world, but instead of men embracing the light, they embraced the darkness. Why? It says because their deeds were evil. They were up to no good. People love light, a sunny day, a well lit room, ect… but when we want to do something that we don’t want anyone to see, we often slither back into the dark. Darkness hides our evil ways to the public, but it doesn’t to God.
I got to thinking, the only time I’ve ever really hated the light was when I was doing wrong or…when I was asleep. I truly believe that the majority of the church is asleep. I believe that we need a “RISE & SHINE” great awakening. We need to quit cringing because of the light & embrace it. Let Him light our path & illuminate our hearts. What will help with this is if the pastors shine the light of the word of God evry time they preach. A pastor should always shine the light of God’s word onto the congregation when he stands in the pulpit. But what if people get mad? What if people don’t like what is said? If it’s from the word of God & God has told him to say it, then it should be said…no matter who doesn’t like it.
J. Vernon McGee tells the story of when he was young & would have to go out at night to the old barn to feed their horse or the cow, he would take along a lantern. When he opened up the barn door & walked in with that lantern the rats on the floor would run for cover as the lantern illuminated the barn, but the birds that roosted on the rafters would start singing. When your pastor speaks the word of God from your pulpit Sunday morning, will you be a rat that loves the darkness…or a bird that can’t help but sing when they see the glorious light of their Father? Think about it.
In John, whom I like to call the brightest of the four gospels…seeing how he utilizes the word “light” more than the others, he says that Jesus was the light that came into the world, but instead of men embracing the light, they embraced the darkness. Why? It says because their deeds were evil. They were up to no good. People love light, a sunny day, a well lit room, ect… but when we want to do something that we don’t want anyone to see, we often slither back into the dark. Darkness hides our evil ways to the public, but it doesn’t to God.
I got to thinking, the only time I’ve ever really hated the light was when I was doing wrong or…when I was asleep. I truly believe that the majority of the church is asleep. I believe that we need a “RISE & SHINE” great awakening. We need to quit cringing because of the light & embrace it. Let Him light our path & illuminate our hearts. What will help with this is if the pastors shine the light of the word of God evry time they preach. A pastor should always shine the light of God’s word onto the congregation when he stands in the pulpit. But what if people get mad? What if people don’t like what is said? If it’s from the word of God & God has told him to say it, then it should be said…no matter who doesn’t like it.
J. Vernon McGee tells the story of when he was young & would have to go out at night to the old barn to feed their horse or the cow, he would take along a lantern. When he opened up the barn door & walked in with that lantern the rats on the floor would run for cover as the lantern illuminated the barn, but the birds that roosted on the rafters would start singing. When your pastor speaks the word of God from your pulpit Sunday morning, will you be a rat that loves the darkness…or a bird that can’t help but sing when they see the glorious light of their Father? Think about it.
Vern
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