Daily Light - October 27, 2010

Daily Light from the Lighthouse

"But we see Jesus..."

Hebrews 2:9

When God created man in the Garden of Eden, he gave him dominion over all things on the earth. All of creation was subject to man and his authority. The author of Hebrews is recalling this fact. God did not put things under the authority of His angels. He gave man that authority. As a side thought, that makes you wonder if this is the reason that Satan, who was an angel created by God, hates man so much. We know that he was filled with pride, and it must have been devastating to him to not have the authority that was given to man.

It amazes me every time I read that God created man and crowned him with glory and honor. God loved His creation so much that He chose to allow him to have dominion over His good and perfect creation. Man enjoyed a God-given authority that we cannot even fathom today. However, as you know, everything fell apart when man fell in sin. What was once paradise for man became a curse to his flesh! Man chose to step outside of the perfect plan of God and do what he wanted. Since that moment this world has literally been headed toward complete chaos. How sad it is to realize all that man gave up for a moment of pleasure and self-gratification! If you were to dwell on this fact very long, it would leave you with a hopeless and empty feeling. That is why the author of Hebrews states the discouraging news, "But now we do not yet see all things put under him." What do we do as we look at this sad position of man in light of the fall? Do what the author suggests next.

"But we see Jesus." There is absolutely nothing that we can do about our fallen state through our human power. There is no amount of goodness in us to overcome the evil around us. As a matter of fact, the Bible teaches us that there is no goodness in us at all, and all the things that we declare to be righteous are as filthy rags compared to God's holiness. So look at Jesus. Keep your eyes on Him. Why? Because Jesus came to this earth as man, maintained His sinless and holy state, and tasted death for us and in our place. He in His love brings us into His family. He in His mercy declares those of us who are completely sinful to be wholly righteous before the Father. He through His suffering became the Captain of our salvation. It is through His work of sanctification in our lives that He makes us one with Himself and declares us to be His brethren.

When I see Jesus in this way, I am truly amazed that He would come and rescue a sinner like me. We must today stop dwelling on a fallen world or even our fallen selves, but we must look up and see Jesus once again.

May you see Jesus today!

Daily Light - October 26, 2010

Daily Light from the Lighthouse

"But Peter followed Him at a distance..."

Matthew 26:58

It seems that there is a progression that takes place in the lives of too many believers. For whatever reason, there are many that once followed Christ closely that now only follow Him at a distance. There are many reasons that this happens. Often our trials and circumstances cause us to get discouraged and disheartened, and we quit walking with Christ with the fervency that we once did. Many times we get so wrapped up and busy with all of the cares of this world that we just simply don't make time for God like we once did. I personally believe that the main reason we stop following Christ closely is because we get complacent and think that it doesn't really matter.

Most Christians will never admit out loud that they are not as close to God as they once were. Although it is glaringly obvious that things have changed in our walk with Christ, our pride will not allow us to admit that there is a problem. This is so incredibly dangerous, because without honest confession of our faults we will just continue down that road. Peter was the only one that did not flee when Jesus was betrayed, but we notice that he did not adamantly follow Jesus. Instead, he lurked back in the shadows. He was still following the Lord, but it was not like how he had always followed Jesus before. Of course he could justify his actions for several reasons: the circumstances of Jesus' arrest; at least he didn't abandon Jesus like the rest; surely he didn't need to put his life on the line too. I find it amazing how people justify their decision to not follow Jesus with all of their heart. We find every reason in the world to live the mediocre Christian life. God promised us an abundant and full life, but that only occurs when we follow Him with all of our heart.

Peter never dreamed what following Jesus from a distance would lead to. Eventually this disciple of Christ was denying the very one who walked with him on the water. He has said that he doesn't even know the One who he had declared to be the Messiah. Stepping away from Christ places us on a very slippery slope. No one ever plans to abandon God, but it happens so often.

Are you as close to God as you once were? If not, why not? Some have asked me how closely they need to follow Jesus. I believe that answer is very simple, but I must admit also very difficult. You must take up your cross and follow Him. You cannot take a step back from following after God. There are no retreats in this spiritual battle. Every day you must follow the Lord with all of your heart, soul, and mind. You must do what you know is right and walk in His steps.

May you stay close to the Lord today!

Daily Light - October 25, 2010

Daily Light from the Lighthouse

"And when he had said this, he fell asleep."

Acts 7:60

How would you define peace? Some would think of it as the quiet and tranquility of a fall morning with a little coolness in the air as the sun majestically rises. A mother might think of it as that moment at night when her little ones have fallen asleep, and she is able to sit down for just a few moments with a cup of tea as she heads off to bed. The business man might define it as the end of a busy week with all of the assignments done and the knowledge that next week is vacation. Peace is usually defined as what brings us relief from the anxieties of life.

When I read this verse, peace was the word that immediately entered into my mind. Stephen had been a faithful servant of God. We first read about him in Acts 6 when he was chosen to be one of the seven men that served the church. He was described as "a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit". What an awesome way to be identified! He was not described as a man with immense talents and abilities, incredible knowledge and intellect, or tremendous people skills and charisma. Unfortunately, these are the kind of characteristics that we usually look for in our leaders. We tend to notice all of the external abilities and talents before we recognize the spiritual. Stephen surely had tremendous abilities, but it was his spiritual qualities that set him apart from others.

Stephen was also a man of peace. He was falsely accused in a mock trial just like Jesus. People were brought forward to lie about what he was saying. Many of us would loudly and angrily defend ourselves. We feel that it is our job to make sure that this type of injustice does not stand. However, when Stephen stood before the high priest, it is said that the council saw his face as the face of an angel. It is obvious that Stephen did not have anger and vengeance on his mind as he began to speak. Instead, he had a peace that what he was about to declare would honor God. Many think of peace as passive, but a person with the peace of God can be as bold as a lion. That is why Stephen was able to look at this council and boldly declare, "You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you."

Of course you know what happened after that. The council and congregation went from being a civil audience to an angry mob. They drug him outside the city gates to stone him to death. In the midst of this horrific moment, Stephen still had peace. We are told that he saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God preparing to welcome him home. As the stones began to bruise and batter his body, Stephen spoke to Jesus and asked him to receive his spirit and not lay this sin to the charge of those ignorantly persecuting him. At this moment, the Bible gives us one of the most peaceful sentences, "And when he had said this, he fell asleep." He slept on a bed of bloody rocks and woke up in the presence of the Savior. What wondrous peace for this saint of the Most High!

May you know the peace of God today!

Daily Light - October 22, 2010

Daily Light from the Lighthouse

"At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me."

2 Timothy 4:16

When some one gives you the admonition to be like Christ, what thoughts pop into your head? There are a lot of expressions that we use in our Christian circles that I am not sure we really understand. It becomes easy to say certain platitudes without really knowing what they mean. We sing such hymns as "I Surrender All", but what does it really mean to surrender all and have we really done that?

Paul once stated that his heart's desire was to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His suffering. I must admit that I have repeated those words before in my time of prayer with God. However, there was a day that I sat down and really considered what those words meant. If you will stop and think about it for a second, it is humanly a very scary proposition to say such a thing. Sure, we like the "power of His resurrection" part, but how much do you really want to know and experience the "fellowship of His suffering"? As I read about the life of the Apostle Paul, I believe he meant what he said. I also believe that he came to realize his desire.

Paul became like Christ in the boldness of his power. When he stated that he was not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, he meant that, and he proved it by his continual and effectual witness. The will of God for Paul's life gave him the opportunity to speak in the highest courts to the highest officials of his day. He spoke boldly both to those who were of a high estate and those of lowly means. He became like Christ in his love for the poor and down trodden. He encouraged the churches to give from their hearts to their brothers and sisters in need. Paul truly became a man that lived his life for Christ and like Christ.

We also must consider our passage. He also became like Christ that in the greatest days of trial he stood completely alone. Not one person stood to vouch for him and give testimony of his innocence or character. He had helped a countless number of people, but during the days of his affliction they all left him. Being like Christ isn't as glamorous as it is often portrayed. Truly, it is at times very painful and difficult. But, can you honestly think of any one else that you could strive to be like that would be as eternally rewarding? I would be remiss to not include the last part of this verse. After Paul stated to Timothy that he had been completely abandoned in his time of need, he said, "May it not be charged against them." When I read those words, I see how much like Christ Paul had become. Can't you hear the words of Jesus: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do"?

May you strive to be like Christ in your life no matter what it costs!

Daily Light - October 21, 2010

Daily Light from the Lighthouse

"Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head."

Mark 14:3

Especially during His last days on earth, Jesus spoke much of His death, burial, and resurrection. It seemed that no one understood what He was talking about. The only ones that ever made any comment or showed any understanding of the matter were Lazarus' sisters, Mary and Martha. Martha conveyed some understanding of resurrection and the fact that Jesus was the Messiah in John 11. In this current passage, we see Mary coming to anoint Jesus in lieu of His burial.

When Mary came to anoint Jesus she brought a box or flask full of spikenard. This was an extremely costly substance. We are told by Bible scholars that the amount of ointment she brought would be worth about the yearly wage of the average worker. Many believe that it was probably something that was passed down from generation to generation. There is no doubt that it was valuable and very precious to the owner. Some of those nearby even scoffed at the seeming waste of the substance. They thought it could have been of better use somewhere else. Instead, it was poured all over Jesus feet and dripping to the ground.

As I studied this passage, an interesting thought came to my mind. While this substance did have great monetary value, it was really of very little good to any one until it was poured out. In order to be poured out though, the vessel that it was in had to be broken. I believe with all of my heart that when the Holy Spirit comes into our lives at salvation, we are of great value to the Lord Almighty. Within us lies the very God that spoke the whole world into being. The same God that stilled the storms over the Sea of Galilee dwells in our hearts. However, we are like that box full of spikenard. There may be great value in us, but we are of no use to God until we have been broken.

The one characteristic that is consistent with those who live lives completely for God's glory is that they can trace a time that they laid before God as a broken people and gave up all of their own rights, hopes, dreams, and plans to God. These people recognized who God is, and that in turn helped them to realize who they were. They were able to cry out to God in the desperation of their soul and plead for His help to accomplish even the smallest of tasks each day. They recognized that prayer was the privilege of unworthy man to enter into the throne of God's glory. They saw their own sin and failings as God saw them. They grieved over that sin and repented of it. They considered God each day before they attempted to accomplish any thing. They walked about with joy in their hearts but pain in their souls for a fallen world. They lived in a constant state of prayer.

Would you say that you are a person that has been broken before God? If not, there is so much that God wants to do with you through His power, but you must be a broken vessel. I would encourage you to pray and ask God to break you, but I must give you a warning. If you decide to pray this prayer for brokenness, understand that you might not enjoy the process. There will most definitely be pain and loss, but the reward of knowing God in a more intimate way far outweighs any thing that you may lose.

May you live a spiritually broken life!

Daily Light - October 20, 2010

Daily Light from the Lighthouse

"He must increase, but I must decrease."

John 3:30

Why do we pray the way that we do? Have you ever thought about the intentions and motives of your prayers? The Bible clearly teaches us that we are to do all things for the glory of God, but I am personally convinced that often I pray for what will make me happy not Him. Communion with God through prayer is an awesome privilege that allows us to have direct communication with the Father. A clear look at Scripture will teach us that God opens this pathway so that He might have fellowship with His creation. He receives glory by talking with us. We must be careful to not make prayer all about us.

Now, I am not saying that you should stop praying for the things that you currently have on your heart. I am simply suggesting that we need to consider our motives for doing so. Let me give you an illustration. I often pray for God's protection over my life and the lives of my family members. What I mean when I pray this is that I want God to keep any harm or any thing bad from happening to us. Obviously there is nothing wrong with wanting to protect my family, but what is my real motive? The truth is I just don't want to have to deal with pain and difficulty. Consider this question with me though. What if God wants to allow something in my life that is painful and trying? There are plenty of illustrations in the Scriptures where some of God's most faithful servants faced great trials. Did God not answer their prayers for protection?

Here is the change that must take place in our prayer lives. We must start praying for God's will to be done and not our own. However, when you do, be aware that God's will may be far different than your own. God's will may have difficulty and suffering in it. God's will is about bringing Him glory not you. John the Baptist experienced this as much as any one. He gave up every thing to be the forerunner for Jesus Christ. He surrendered his life to do the will of the Father. It eventually cost him his life. Do you think he complained when he met the Father? No, I believe he heard the words well done, because his life brought the Father glory.

John's prayer for his life was that Jesus might increase while he decreased. Many of us often pray that God would "lift us up". Could I encourage you to change this part of your prayer life today? Ask God today to bring you low! Ask Him to humble you so that all that you desire and want is the will of the Father. It is a difficult prayer, but it is desperately needed in our spiritual lives.

May you be brought low before a holy God today!

Daily Light - October 19, 2010

Daily Light from the Lighthouse

"Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision!

For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision."

Joel 3:14

Lately God has been speaking to my heart of two types of fire that are necessary in my life. First, there is the fire of judgment that burns away all that God has rejected in order to make us more pure before Him. The second fire is one of revival or renewal that burns like the flame of a holy sacrifice to God. As the Holy Spirit settles on our lives we burn for the sake of God's kingdom and for His glory.

These thoughts have driven me to study the minor prophets toward the end of the Old Testament. The section of the minor prophets starts at Hosea and ends with Malachi. I must warn you if you decide to start studying this section of Scripture that it can be very dark and troublesome. For years I avoided it, because I didn't really understand all that was going on, and every time you turn around someone is being consumed with fire. God is judging the nations right and left, and you get the idea that no one can survive before a holy God. Then, one day a light went on in my heart. I think that is exactly the point of these minor prophets. Who are we as mere mortal men to stand before God in our unrighteousness and expect Him keep extending His mercy? He is a holy God, and His purity will not be compromised. This is exactly the message that the church of Jesus Christ needs in this day.

Recently, as I read in the book of Joel, I came across the above verse. God has before Him all of those who are standing in judgment. Notice that it says there are multitudes, multitudes awaiting the verdict. I imagine in my mind's eye a multitude of people standing before God as far as the eye can see. They are awaiting the verdict upon their lives. The Bible says that the Lord will judge the dead and the living. There are many there in that day that will know that their doom is certain. There will also be many that stand before God knowing that they have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. However, I believe that most of the world will stand at this moment in the hope and belief that their righteousness outweighs their sin. Many of these people will have a claim that they have been a good, fair, and honest person. Many will even be able to accurately testify that they attended church on a regular basis. In their minds they have convinced themselves that they are good enough, but they will be shocked by the final decision.

The church, like the nation of Israel, needs to repent of placing so many things before God that He almost gets lost in the shuffle of our works and ministry. We need to confess a pride that has caused us to justify ourselves by our own righteousness. We live in a world that will be desperately hopeless on this day of judgment, but we have all but isolated ourselves from them. Too much of today's church has holed themselves up in their church buildings and forgotten a needy world. Let's wake up and realize that there is a valley of decision that stands before all of us. What have we done with what God has given us, and will the things that we have produced be able to endure the fire of God's judgment?

May you be ready to face the Lord on that day!