Darkness – Page 4 – Praying Pint

28.a. “Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you”

Ephesians 5:15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

1 Corinthians 14:20    Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature.

Hebrews 12:25   See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven.

Philippians 1:27   Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel,

Proverbs 14:8    The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way, but the folly of fools is deceiving.

John 12:35     So Jesus said to them, “The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going.

While walking in the dark we are always exposed to some danger we did not see. We learn this very early in life and will always choose to walk in lighted areas rather than darkened ones. We understand there is a risk associated with walking in the dark.

When we choose to walk in the dark (apart from Jesus Christ and the light of His Word) we foolishly tell ourselves there is no danger. We think we can see the dangers but we can’t and don’t. We blindly walk about without a care. We actually can be accustomed to the dark and shun the light. This shunning takes on many forms; neglect of God’s Word, little to no generosity, kindness, patience, hope…., little to no commitment to attending church yet alone becoming active in serving in some area, thinking, speaking, and doing fleshly/worldly things, having no outward testimony that you are even a follower of Jesus Christ, the busyness of life, worry, fear, confusion, unthankfulness, division, gossip, hopeless, faithless, anger, hate, lusts of the flesh, ………….. and the list continues to whatever it is in the dark that draws you and keeps you from desiring and seeking to walk in the light. Paul said to walk carefully, wisely, and make good use of your time. Any time we spend serving anything other than honoring and glorifying Jesus Christ is not a good use of our time. It is reckless and unwise. Desiring and seeking to honor and glorify Jesus Christ will always be a guiding light for your path in all you think, say, and do.

27.z. “Therefore do not become partners with them”

Ephesians 5:6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not become partners with them; for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.

Matthew 24:4   And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray.

Mark 13:22   For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect.

Colossians 2:4   I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments.

Colossians 2:8    See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.

2 Thessalonians 2:10-12   and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.  Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false,  in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

1 John 4:1   Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.

We live in a time that is not so different than any other time. In most of our lives, we have seemingly have experienced peace and unrest, joy and unhappiness, great hope and great despair, prosperity, and poverty, love and hate, understanding and confusion, calmness and fear, gain and loss, security and vulnerability, confidence and doubt, healing and sickness, accomplishment and failure, humbleness and pride, truth and lies ….. We have experienced and lived through times of unity and times of unrest. Such is life. God and His grace, mercy, and love are present through it all. Likewise, Satan and his lies, deceptions, and temptations are present in the world. Making sense of what we experience, see, and hear requires discernment. Discernment will dictate how we respond, react, and behave. With whatever we use to gain discernment we will set our feet down paths that will either humbly serve, follow, obey, trust, and honor and glorify Jesus Christ or yield to the deceptions, lies, and temptations of Satan.

Scripture is very clear that we are responsible for what we say, think, and do. More importantly is what we use or feed on to set in motion what we say, think, and do. We get the free choice. We choose rightly or wrongly in all situations of life. We choose what to believe. We choose what we allow to influence our lives and cause us to act, think, and speak. God is always present and will be the rock, refuge, fortress, helper, guider… Heavenly Father to those who choose to believe, rely on, trust in, and cling to Him. He will wrap them in His power, strength, and might. He will clothe them with truth, purity, joy, assurance, and love. He will guide, lead, and set their feet upon solid ground. Satan on the other hand will do just the opposite. He will defeat, tempt, lie, cheat, boast, cause worry, hate, fear, confusion, disunity, unhappiness, division, and set their feet on shaky ground, without foundation or stability.

We must be able to discern what is right and wrong, true and false, Godly and ungodly. This will only happen when we surrender all we are, all we have, all we do, and all of our plans to the will of God with the single purpose of honoring and glorifying Him alone. We will experience much in this life and it is a much more blessed life to experience in the ever-loving arms of God. Do not be deceived, God is not mocked. He will hold into account every single person for what they say, think, and do. Make sure you know what is influencing your heart, mind, and soul.

25.o. “You will not fear the pestilence that stalks”

Psalm 91:1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler. You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.

The opening lines of Psalm 91 seem to take that idea further. “Moses spoke of God as the dwelling-place, the habitation, the home of man. There are many followers of Jesus Christ who seem to know very little of the secret place of the Most High or what it is to abide under His shadow. Many seem to regard this as only a thing for mystics or the super-spiritual. For the man well acquainted with the realities of life and understanding the frailty of it, there is a place where it’s influence to fear, chaos, and uncertainty are defeated. It is true that the life of the spirit seems to come more easily for some than for others, but there is an aspect of the secret place of the Most High that is for everyone who puts his trust in Him.

“Every child of God looks towards the inner sanctuary and the mercy-seat, yet all do not dwell in the most holy place; they run to it at times, and enjoy occasional approaches, but they do not habitually reside in the mysterious presence.” (Spurgeon) Walking in or standing in or staying in the shadow of God would mean we are close to Him – In His presence. The one who is in His presence knows of and trusts in God’s almighty power and rests in that refuge and fortress.

“Men are apt enough to proclaim their doubts, and even to boast of them, indeed there is a party nowadays of the most audacious pretenders to culture and thought, who glory in casting suspicion upon everything; hence it becomes the duty of all true believers to speak out and testify with calm courage to their own well-grounded reliance upon their God.” (Spurgeon) Doubts will lead down paths straight into the pit of fear. This is no path for a christian to be on. We can not read or listen to most social media outlets without them casting out doubts and fears. We need to be mindful of the lies of Satan and his ways. God is bigger, more powerful, and more knowing than any of these. God also protects His people in times of plague and disease. The psalmist, inspired by the Holy Spirit, did not intend this as an absolute promise, that every believer would be delivered from every snare or every pestilence. Instead, the idea is that the psalmist could point to many times when God did just that for His trusting people. “This does not mean that those who trust God never die from infectious diseases or suffer from an enemy’s plot, of course. It means that those who trust God are habitually delivered from such dangers. What Christian cannot testify to many such deliverances?” “Lord Craven, a Christian, was a nobleman who was living in London when plague ravaged the city in the fifteenth century. In order to escape the spreading pestilence Craven determined to leave the city for his country home, as many of his social standing did. He ordered his coach and baggage made ready. But as he was walking down one of the halls of his home about to enter his carriage, he overheard one of his servants say to another, ‘I suppose by my lord’s quitting London to avoid the plague that his God lives in the country and not in town.’ It was a straightforward and apparently innocent remark. But it struck Lord Craven so deeply that he canceled his journey, saying, ‘My God lives everywhere and can preserve me in town as well as in the country. I will stay where I am.’ So he stayed in London. He helped the plague victims, and he did not catch the disease himself.” (Boice)

God, our God, lives in all places and is in all places. He is a refuge and fortress for those who put their trust in Him.

25.l. “Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”

2 Corinthians 6:14 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever?

Nehemiah 13:23-26   In those days also I saw the Jews who had married women of Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab.  And half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod, and they could not speak the language of Judah, but only the language of each people.  And I confronted them and cursed them and beat some of them and pulled out their hair. And I made them take an oath in the name of God, saying, “You shall not give your daughters to their sons, or take their daughters for your sons or for yourselves.  Did not Solomon king of Israel sin on account of such women? Among the many nations there was no king like him, and he was beloved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel. Nevertheless, foreign women made even him to sin.

Psalms 106:35     but they mixed with the nations and learned to do as they did.

Proverbs 22:24  Make no friendship with a man given to anger, nor go with a wrathful man,

1 Corinthians 15:33    Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.”

1 Corinthians 10:21    You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.

James 4:4     You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

Proverbs 29:27   An unjust man is an abomination to the righteous, but one whose way is straight is an abomination to the wicked.

Ephesians 5: 6  Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.  Therefore do not become partners with them;  for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light  (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true),  and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.  Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.

Paul is speaking to the overly broad affections of the Corinthian Christians. They had joined themselves to unbelievers.

Unequally yoked – How can we do this? Certainly by marrying an unbeliever, which is the most common way this principle is applied. “A very wise and very holy man was given his judgment on this point: ‘A man who is truly pious, marrying with an unconverted woman, will either draw back to perdition, or have a cross during life.’ The same may be said of a pious woman marrying an unconverted man. Such persons cannot say this petition of the Lord’s prayer, Lead us not into temptation. They plunge into it of their own accord.” (Clarke)

However, Paul means much more here than only marrying an unbeliever. It really applies to any environment where we let the world influence our thinking. When we are being conformed to this world and are not being transformed by the renewing of your mind (Romans 12:2), we join together with unbelievers in an ungodly way.

This speaks especially to the issue of influence. Paul is not suggesting that Christians never associate with unbelievers (he makes this clear in 1 Corinthians 5:9-13). The principle is that we are to be in the world, but not of the world, like a ship should be in the water, but water shouldn’t be in the ship. If the world is influencing us, it is clear we are unequally yoked together with unbelievers. And this unequal yoke, or ungodly influence, may come through a book, a movie, a television show, a magazine, or even through worldly Christian friends. Most Christians are far too indiscriminate about the things they allow to influence their minds and lives. We all like to believe that we can be around ungodly things as much as we want and that we are strong enough to ward off the influence. But we must take seriously the words of Scripture: Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits” (1 Corinthians 15:33). It needs to come back to the simple question from Romans 12:2: Are we being conformed to this world, or are we being transformed by the renewing of your mind?

22.h. “Who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from hidden faults”

Corinthians 4:4 For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart.

Psalms 7:3 O LORD my God, if I have done this, if there is wrong in my hands,

Job 9:2-3 “Truly I know that it is so: But how can a man be in the right before God?

Psalms 19:12 Who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from hidden faults.

Proverbs 21:2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the heart.

Psalms 130:3 If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?

Paul recognizes that he does not stand in a perfect state of justification or innocence just because his conscience was clear. Paul knew his righteousness came from Jesus, not from his own personal life – even though he had a godly walk. It is as if Paul were saying, “You Corinthians act like judges at athletic events, qualified to give some the trophy and to send others away as losers. But Jesus is the only judge, and you are judging before the events are over. When Jesus judges, it will be according to the motives of the heart, not only the outward action. This is another reason why human judgment is often wrong.

We often judge by the action or appearance of what a person does, not their intent. We often judge ourselves by our intent. Herein lies the problem of judging. Good action with bad intent is always wrong. A bad action with good intent can be right or wrong. Who truly knows the intent of the heart and mind of a person. We know even in the best clarity our true intents can be fogged over with wrong motives. When we use worldly (rights and wrongs) as a bar for judging our intents it will always lead us down paths that do not honor God. Too often our knowledge and understanding of God’s Word is lacking because of neglect and complacency. Our ability to discern right and wrong intents and motives become fueled by what the world has deemed right and wrong. Our guide will always be the Word of God. We need to be mindful of our human fleshly nature, lies from Satan, and culturally accepted norms. If our days are void of God’s Word, that void will be filled with things of the fleshly world. Paul knew very well it is good to have a clear conscience that is based on God’s Word and the in-filling Holy Spirit, but even that needs to be kept in check so as to not blind us from hidden intents and motives of the flesh. King David knew this too. “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!”

21.f. “Cast off and cast away your cloak of filthy rags”

Romans 13:12 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.

Ezekiel 18:31-32   Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel?  For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord GOD; so turn, and live.”

John 3:19-21   And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.

1 John 1:5-7   This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.  If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.

Galatians 5:16   But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

1 Thessalonians 2:12   we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.

We must cast off before we can put on. “The rags of sin must come off if we put on the robe of Christ. There must be a taking away of the love of sin, there must be a renouncing of the practices and habits of sin, or else a man cannot be a Christian. It will be an idle attempt to try and wear religion as a sort of celestial overall over the top of old sins.” (Spurgeon)

The flesh will be as active as we allow it to be. We have a work to do in walking properly, as in the day – it isn’t as if Jesus does it for us as we sit back; instead, He does it through us as we willingly and actively partner with Him. (Guzik)

Spurgeon makes the point of the idle attempt to think it is possible to wear the cloak of religion over the top of unrepentant, unchanged, self-reliant, self-worthy, and self-serving heart, and expect it to, by some means, make you right before God’s eyes. There are those who spit on the garment of salvation. They want no part of it. They see this garment as a filthy rag. They deny it has any beauty or purpose.

There are people that may recognize the need for Christ but they continue to wear the cloak of self-reliance to cover their sin rather than an intentional choice to cast off the cloak of all hope in anything they can do and put on the garment of salvation. They are quick-change artists. They are able to slap an off-market garment that gives the appearance of being a Christian but under that garment still remains the filthy rags of un-repented sin and self-reliance. They never want to take off their filthy rags only cover them up.

The Word of God exposes the stench and ugliness of these filthy rags we cling to so tightly. In His Word, we are able to see them for what they are. We smell the stench and see the ugliness. We become aware and are able to cast them off. It is in this “casting off” that we are able to put on the pure clean garment of salvation. Casting off requires us to recognize the stench and ugliness of what cloaks our hearts, minds, and souls. Without this recognition, the need for the garment of salvation will never be put on. Jesus Christ paid the price (bought our new garment) and when we recognize the filthy rags clothing us and humbly take them off and lay them at His feet, He places this new garment of salvation on us. The stench and ugliness garments are removed forever.

The stench and ugliness of our filthy rags is sin. The garment of salvation is believing in, clinging to, trusting in, and relying on and in Jesus Christ. Recognition, confession, repentance, turning away, from the cloak of sin to the garment of salvation is an intentional choice. We can never buy the garment of salvation, it can only be given to us by Jesus Christ as we cast off our cloak of filthy rags.

19.x. “Lest his works should be exposed.”

Joh 3:18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.

It is a fact that the gospel of Jesus Christ will increase some men’s damnation at the last great day. Again, I startle at myself when I have said it; for it seems too horrible a thought for us to venture to utter—that the gospel of Christ will make hell hotter to some men than it otherwise would have been. Men would all have sunk to hell had it not been for the gospel. The grace of God reclaims “a multitude that no man can number;” it secures a countless army who “shall be saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation;” but, at the same time, it does to those who reject it, make their damnation even more dreadful. And let me tell you why.

It will increase your condemnation, I tell you all unless you find Jesus Christ to be your Saviour; for to have had the light and not to walk by it, shall be the condemnation, the very essence of it, This shall be the virus of the guilt—that the “light came into the world, and the darkness comprehended it not;” for “men love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil.”

He who hears the truth, but he perverts it; he takes what is intended by God for his good, and what does he do, he commits suicide therewith. That knife which was given him to open the secrets of the gospel he drives into his own heart. That which is the purest of all truth and the highest of all morality, he turns into the gratification and indulgence of his sin and makes it a scaffold to aid in building up his eternal house in hell.

It must increase your condemnation if you oppose the gospel of Jesus Christ. If God’s offer of grace, mercy, and love has been rejected, how great must be his sin? Who shall tell the great guilt incurred by such people? Oh! who shall picture out, or even faintly sketch, the doom of those who have rejected Jesus Christ and in their heart have cried out, “I am sufficient in myself, I am good enough on my own, I am self-worthy.” Who shall tell what place in hell shall be hot enough for the man who denies and rejects God? (Spurgeon)

18.t. “The god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel”

John 16:2 They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me. But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you.

Matthew 10:28     And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

Romans 10:2-3    For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.  For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.

2 Corinthians 4:3-6   And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.  In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.  For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.  For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

2 Thessalonians 2:10-12     and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.  Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false,  in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Wicked deception, established their own, did not submit, blinded, refused truth, perishing, and strong delusion are all Words used to speak of those who have the desire and find purpose fulfilling their worldly and selfish desires. All of us displayed some of these characteristics to some extent in our lives. We were selfish, blind, deaf, and perishing in our sin, and yet, in God’s grace, mercy, and love He pulled us out of this pit of destruction. I have no earthly idea of how this is accomplished. In my own life, I was very selfish and worldly. I gave very little or absolutely no thought about God. I can’t even say for sure if I gave any thought about heaven or hell. I am pretty sure I was void, blind, and deaf to anything of God. Through an accident though God broke through. I was not seeking Him. I was not wanting to know Him. I was not wanting to honor Him. I was not wanting to obey Him. And yet, He broke through, showed, and allowed me to understand sin, my sin. He allowed me to understand the need for Jesus Christ as redeemer and savior for the forgiveness of my sin. He gave me an understanding of heaven and hell. He gave me an understanding of truly being forgiven.

While I was yet a sinner, blind, and deaf to things of God, Christ died for my sin. He rescued me from the depths of hell while I was not even looking to be rescued. I can’t imagine how anyone could have been given this understanding of Christ and the need for redemption and salvation, and reject it or turn their back to it. While I was yet a sinner, God opened my heart and mind to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He opened my understanding of the need for repentance, forgiveness, belief, faith, and trust. “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me.”

I do not understand how a person’s heart and mind can be opened by God to the need of Jesus Christ and reject it. Yet, it happens millions of times each day. Hebrews 3:15 “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts. I don’t see how it is possible, but people continue to harden their hearts and minds to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Eternity awaits us all. The path to eternal life is through Jesus Christ alone. The path to eternal torment is to reject and deny the need for Jesus Christ.

18.d. “The word that I have spoken will judge Him”

John 12:42 Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved human praise more than praise from God. Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me. I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness. “If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day. For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken. I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.”

“The word that I have spoken will judge Him” – there are inescapable consequences for rejecting Jesus. Think about the consequences for either relying on Him or rejecting Him.

Eternal life or Eternal damnation and torment

Living in light or living in darkness

Forgiven or condemned

Power in Him or weakness in self

Love or hate and anger

Joy or misery

Peace or conflict and anxiousness

Kind or mean

Gentle or brutal

Patience or impatience

Refuge or fear

Humility or pride

Giving or greedy

Victory or defeated

Hope or despair

God honoring or self-honoring

Holy Spirit living within or Satan always tempting

Heavenly desires or worldly lusts

Living for God or living for self

Surrender to the Holy Spirit leading or Satan, world/culture, and self-leading

Belief, trust, and reliance in Jesus Christ or rejection and denial

Jesus came to rescue and save us by paying the price of our sin. He came because God so loved the world that He gave His only Son so that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. Jesus gave His life so we might live. This life we live is to be lived in the LIGHT of this so that all that we do, all that we think, and all that we say is honoring and glorifying Jesus Christ. He did not come to this world to condemn man but to save man from their sins. Yet, in rejecting His redemption, sacrifice, and salvation all mankind is condemned. There is no other means of salvation, but by and through Jesus Christ. Belief in Him is more than words on our lips. It is heart, mind, and soul-deep. It is knowing and owning up to our sin and sinful nature and separation from God because of it, and reliance on, clinging to and trusting in Jesus for our redemption from this condemnation. When we surrender our self-reliance to Jesus only reliance there ought to be some change (new birth). Old things pass away and all things are new. We are promised the indwelling Holy Spirit when we believe and surrender and trust and rely (faith) upon/in Jesus Christ alone. The indwelling Holy Spirit will lead us on paths in our lives that honor and glorify Jesus Christ. Listen for the quiet whispers of the Holy Spirit speaking into your life through God’s Word. It is there if we but spend the time in His Word and turn our ear towards Him. This new life in Him is not our own to live as we please. Our lives have been redeemed and ought to reflect the light of the price He paid to save us from hell and the promise of eternal life.

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.