pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Tag Archives: light


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The Word Became Flesh

“In the beginning” is how John begins his gospel. He draws us back to the beginning because Christ was there too.  In this connection back to Genesis we also get the start of Christ’s story.  Until God spoke, our ‘world’ was only chaos and darkness.  Until God spoke.  He spoke the world into being.

Last night we celebrated another creation that God spoke into being.  He said to Mary, “you shall bear a son” and it was.  The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.  Through His life Jesus brought us life and light, grace and mercy.  For a second time God spoke and the darkness fled.

When we see Christ as both ancient and also as new, we catch a peak into the holy mystery.  It is that beautiful place where heaven and earth meet.  In this place the light again conquered the darkness.  The darkness shall never overcome the Light.  Here Christ’s glory is revealed.  As the Word becomes flesh and dwells within us, heaven and earth again meet.  From within this imperfect vessel that is each of us, may Christ’s light shine forth this day and every day.  Merry Christmas!!

Scripture reference: John 1: 1-14


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True Light, Eternal Freedom

In Isaiah 9 we find a passage that bridges the time in which he was writing with the time when Jesus lived with our time today.It speaks of what was, what is, and what will be.  By virtue of its timelessness, it is perfect for today.

Throughout time people have craved for light to shine in the darkness, for evil to be overcome.  Isaiah’s words, “the people walking in darkness have seen a great light”, bring hope.  He writes about breaking the yoke of oppression, of ending the foreign dominance.  In Jesus’ day it was the Romans on one level and the religious leaders on another level.  Today the things that oppress us vary greatly – from the self-imposed to things out of our control.  Forever and always we will long for freedom.

Into the midst of the oppression and the longing for freedom from all that burdens us steps the Christ child.  Tonight we celebrate Jesus’ birth – the entrance of the True Light, the arrival of eternal freedom.  Embrace these truths as we gather tonight to welcome Him into the world and into our lives.

Isaiah 9: 2-7


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God’s Voice

In the beginning God spoke and created the world.  As the world functioned according to God’s excellent plan, He dwelt among man.  God walked and talked with Adam and Eve in the garden.  Over time God continued to speak to prophets and to have His voice heard.  God dwelt among the Israelites in the tabernacle and led them by day and night during the exodus.  But as the world continued to grow and develop, God seemed to become quiet.

Then one day God spoke into Mary’s life through the angel Gabriel and a new life was formed in her womb.  Her little baby, Jesus, would forever change the world.  Once again God was speaking to man.  God sent John the Baptist ahead so that people were aware of and would be ready for Jesus to minister to them and to the world.

The prophet in the wilderness baptized with water so that people would repent of their sins and be ready for Christ.  Through Jesus and the disciples that followed after Him, God spoke again into the world.  God still wants to speak into the world today.  God wants to speak through all who believe so that the gospel spreads to the ends of the earth.  We each are called to be God’s voice, calling out to all the lost, so that they too may come to know this Jesus, the savior of the world.

Scripture reference: John 1: 6-8


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God Calls Out Too

As Christians, at times we act counter to the larger culture’s norms.  Christmas is all that most people are aware of as we walk through the season of Advent.  Instant gratification and being super busy seem to be a natural part of the secular side of Christmas.  At times we can get caught up in that too.  It is hard to live in the world and to not get caught up in it once in a while.

Oddly enough, Advent is a season where we are called to slow down, to be patient, to be in touch with the things of God.  As we decorate the tree, we should enjoy each other’s company and share stories.  As we shop, it is not volume we seek but to find just that right  gift for the ones we love.  As we wait in line or walk through a crowded store, we should be peace and love to those around us.

And God calls out too.  He seeks for us to be in connection with Him and with each other.  We are called to spend a little extra tie thinking about His promises – promises that are both in the future and now.  We are called to reflect on the gift of His Son.  We are called to offer the gift of His light to those walking in the dark.  We are called to be thankful for the many gifts He blesses us with.  And we are called to share those blessings with others in need.

Scripture reference: Psalm 85: 1-2


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Words of Life

In Psalm 19 we find some great insights into the Word of God and its role in our lives.  This Psalm shows the value of the word and its effect on our lives.  It is not a burden but a delight to live as a child of the word of God.  It guides us as we seek to walk in His ways.

In the word we find God’s perfect law, which revives our soul.  The word is trustworthy and brings us wisdom.  His word is right and clear, bringing joy to our hearts and light to our eyes.  God’s ways revealed through the word are true and yield righteousness in us.

God’s words guides and leads us along the path that He intends us to walk.  It is vibrant and living and remains relevant to the choices and decisions we make n our lives.  May we learn to love to spend time in the Bible, growing in our depth of faith, drawing ever nearer to God.  His word is a lamp to our eyes and a guide to our feet.  May we grow dependent on the Bible and its words of life.

Scripture reference: Psalm 19: 7-12


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Shining the Light

Paul calls us to wake up and realize that our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.  He reminds us that the day is almost here and calls us to put on the armor of light.  He challenges us to healthy living and an avoidance of our sinful desires.

How we live matters because we do cast a light into the world.  Is our light a ray of hope?  Is our light a reflection of the love of Christ?  On a daily basis people see us and watch us.  It is a challenge to live fully in the light.  We face our own earthly desires and must filter through the temptations and allures of the world.  On a personal level, we must strive to live as children of the light.

Our churches also cast a light into the world.  Is our church shining a light out into the neighborhood and into the greater community?  Do others know the love of Christ through our communal outreach?  Too often the light is dim.  Too often we stay within our own walls.  As a church, may we also strive to clothe the body with Christ, so that His light and love shine forth into the lives of those in need.

Scripture reference: Romans 13: 11-14


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Living in the Grey

In the beginning God created both the light and the dark.  He separated them into two distinct things.  Yet in between we find a grey area.

As I sit and look out the window at a beautiful sunrise, I can sense God in it.  In our way of categorizing things, we often attribute light to goodness.  For example, “Jesus is the light of the world.”  Conversely, when there is no light, we see darkness as evil or bad.

Before I go to sleep, I can step out onto the deck and see all of the stars.  Yet in the dark of night, I too can see God’s presence.  The vastness of creation reveals a bit about God.

And where do we fit the ‘grey’ areas – the early morning just before sunrise – it is light or dark?  At the end of the day as the shadows grow long – is it yet day or has it become night?

I often live life in this grey.  Not humbled or broken enough to be in the dark, knowing my full reliance on God.  Yet sometimes so in the presence during prayer or worship that I barely know I exist.  Mostly though, I live between these two extremes of light and dark, struggling to yield control of my life, not quite trusting all the way, being lukewarm.  Lord, draw me to you, that I may be fully yours all of the time.  Amen.


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To Know Him

Some people get used to living in a dry and barren place.  Life has beaten them down.  Over the years they come to expect little.  And because of this they feel they have little to give.  Maybe they don’t even notice the little flower poking up next to their front door.

For some an illness or a loss can lead them into a valley of dry bones.  Sickness settles in and becomes the way of life.  A loss of a loved one casts a pall that seems to always be there.  For some they are forever walking with their head down and their heart heavy.  They don’t see the flower either.

God’s desire is for all people to know Him, to find love and joy in Him, to be happy and content in this life.  God wants to use us to draw people to Him.  He wants us to love others so that through that love they can come to know God.  Our Lord wants our shining light to be that thing that draws their eyes up and lightens the burden others carry on their heart.  May we be the love and light of Christ to all we meet so that they see that beautiful little flower, smile to themselves, and begin to walk with God.


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God’s Flashlight

Prior to the story of healing the blind man that we find in John 9, Jesus had been in the temple.  There He claimed the connection to God and stated his purpose on earth was to bring glory to the Father.  This claim angered those in the temple.  But Jesus stuck to his guns and stated gain that he was here to bring glory to God and to do His work.  Just as they were picking up stones to stone Jesus, he slipped away from them.

In today’s story Jesus returns sight to a blind man.  But the man did not ask to be healed.  Jesus and the disciples were walking along the road and they saw the blind man.  Being raised Jewish, the disciples asked a question based on their upbringing.  They wanted to know if the man was blind because of his own sins or because of the sins of his parents.  This was the common view of why someone would be born blind.  But Jesus never answers their question.

Instead Jesus returns to what he was talking about earlier.  The healing of the blind man will occur not to bring Jesus glory but to bring glory to the work of the Father.  Healing will come to display the work of God in this man’s life.  While on earth Jesus was the light of the world.  He was here to shine light on God.  His purpose was always to glorify God.  We are called to continue to be that light.  We are called to be the word, hands, feet, eyes, … of Jesus  not to bring glory to ourselves but to shine it upon God.

In Hebrews 13: 5-6 we hear these words: “God has said, ‘Never will I leve you; never will I forsake you.’  So we say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.”  This day and each forward, may we remember these words and go forth to boldly shine the light of God on all we meet.


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Light of the World

“Light of the world, you stepped down into darkness.  Opened my eyes, let me see.  Beauty that made this heart adore you, hope of a life spent with you.”  These are the opening lines to the song, ‘Here I Am to Worship’.  We were once called from the darkness into the light.  As we come to know Christ, we come to live in His light.

Once we have accepted Christ we are ‘walking in th light.’  We come to realize that we cannot keep anything hidden from God.  We were once under the illusion that we could.  But once we believe in Christ, we realize that God always knew what we were doing in our sin.  We just come to know that He knows.  Once we are walking in the light, we make decisions from the WWJD perspective (what would Jesus do?)  As we walk in the light, we cast light along other’s paths as well.  This can expose darkness in their lives – and what a great opportunity this can be to minister to them!  At times this too can remind us of darkness we yet have in our lives and it allows us opportunity to grow in our walk with Christ.

Yet alas!!  We are human and at times we step out of the light and into darkness.  Satan is ever knocking at our door, ever bringing temptations before us.  Like Christ, he also never gives up.  At times we may stumble, but the great love and light of Christ always is there to call us back.  Praise be to God for His unending love of you and me!!

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