17.v. “Now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.”

Johne 12:35   Then Jesus told them, “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going. Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light.” When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them.

 Isaiah 2:5    O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the LORD.

 Isaiah 42:6-7   “I am the LORD; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations,  to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.

 Romans 13:12-14     The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.  Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy.  But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

Galatians 5:16  So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

2 Corintians 6:2  I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.

We must believe on Jesus while the light is there, because it won’t last forever. God’s Spirit will not always strive with man and we must answer His call while it rings to us.  If we believe it is because God has revealed Himself and His truth to us through His Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, and His Word. John emphasized that unbelief was because God acted in judgment upon those who refused to see His truth and turn to Him. God would strengthen them in their decision, either for Jesus or against Him. “The blinding takes place without the will or against the will of these people. So with the hardening of their heart. These men chose evil. It was their own deliberate choice, their own fault”.

“To walk in the Spirit (LIGHT) first means that the Holy Spirit lives in you. Second, it means to be open and sensitive to the influence of the Holy Spirit. Third, it means to pattern your life after the influence of the Holy Spirit. When someone walks in the Spirit, they listen to what the Holy Spirit says as He guides us in the path and nature of Jesus. The Holy Spirit doesn’t move in us to gratify our fallen desires and passions, but to teach us about Jesus and to guide us in the path of Jesus. This is the key to righteous living – walking in the Spirit, not living under the domination of the flesh. (Guzik) “When the flesh begins to temp and influence the only remedy is to take the sword of the Spirit, the word of salvation, and fight against the flesh. If you set the Word out of sight, you are helpless against the flesh. I know this to be a fact. I have been assailed by many violent passions, but as soon as I took hold of some Scripture passage, my temptations left me. Without the Word I could not have helped myself against the flesh.” (Luther)

Do not become complacent or neglect  the Word of God each day in your heart, mind, and life.

Light of the world

“The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.”

“ As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

“I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.”

“for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light”

Psalms 107:10  Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, prisoners in affliction and in irons,  for they had rebelled against the words of God, and spurned the counsel of the Most High.  So he bowed their hearts down with hard labor; they fell down, with none to help.  Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.  He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and burst their bonds apart.  Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man!   For he shatters the doors of bronze and cuts in two the bars of iron.

 Luke 1:79     to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

 Isaiah 42:7     to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.

 Isaiah 60:1-3    Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you.  For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the LORD will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you.  And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.

Exodus 2:23-24     During those many days the king of Egypt died, and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God.  And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.

 Job 36:8-9     And if they are bound in chains and caught in the cords of affliction,  then he declares to them their work and their transgressions, that they are behaving arrogantly.

 Romans 6:20-21     For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.  But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.

 Acts 26:18  to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

 1 Thessalonians 5:4-5     But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief.  For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness.

I wonder if we get confused with what is light and what is darkness.  For sure we know the physical difference between night and day, light and dark. However when it comes to sin darkness, do we see it? do we own it? do we understand it? do we know the author of darkness?  When it comes to sin darkness, sometimes, it binds us in chains, blinds our eyes, and makes our senses unable to see or feel the love and light of Christ.  We grope around trying to find a path forward.  Sometimes we end up in darkness be cause we neglect the light.  Other times we just plan fail to run to the light, choosing rather to remain in the darkness.  What are we to do when we see someone in darkness?  Show them the light.  Encourage them with the light.  Proclaim the light.  And at other times allow the light of Christ flow through you.  We all have found ourselves in darkness.  Allow God to use you as a light to others and always pointing to Him alone.