Living Lamp

On October 18, 2021   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Proverb 20: 27         TPT

The spirit God breathed into man is like a living lamp, a shining light, searching into the inner most chamber of our being.

There is so much in this little verse I hardly know where to begin, but let us begin with breath.

The beginning of this verse is the Genesis story of the creation of humans. God breathed life into us. He breathed a bit of Himself into us and we came into being as spirit beings. There is much to be appreciated in a discussion about God and breath as well. You can search the Word of the Day online at Ivey Ministries for some insightful ideas. Here is one titled Creative Breath which will get you started.

The spiritual breath is only the beginning to understanding this verse. It is the foundation, but I want to move on to the idea of the lamp. When we understand that the spirit of a person began with the Spirit of God layers of revelation unfold before us. Of course, the spirit is like a lamp or a shining light. I cannot separate in my own mind the spirit of the person from the Spirit of God. Going forward from that premise, I am reminded that Jesus is the light (John 8: 12). The light shines bringing everything into the light, even the darkest recesses of our being.

I am amused at myself often. One of the humorous bits is that in my past I thought I could hide something from God. He inhabits my innermost being and illuminates every space. Darkness cannot survive where there is God. We try to keep God out of some of the sensitive spots, rooms where we tend to leave the light off. These are usually rooms where we house our hurt and/or our insecurities. The really funny thing is that when we expose them to God, He isn’t surprised. This great revelation is anything but for Him. Second, it is in the invitation for God to enter these forsaken chambers that healing occurs. In truth, it is from ourselves we attempt to hide the truth. We cannot hide from Yahweh because He is that shining lamp within us. When we finally stop running, we can, ourselves, take a deep breath of healing.

Some people may find the thought that God illuminates every chamber of our being uncomfortable. I find it comforting, but I didn’t always. Now knowing that He is occupying even the spaces I may not be ready to confront reassures me that I am fully in His hands. His intimate knowledge of all of me allows Him to lead me in ways that I may not understand but which are for my ultimate good. There is nothing I can hide from the Father and that is okay because He even takes my ugliness and turns it to good. So, let the light shine!

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Seas Roar; Rivers Clap

On April 27, 2020   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Psalm 98: 7 – 9

Let the sea, everything in it, the world, and those who live in it roar like thunder. Let the rivers clap their hands and the mountains sing joyfully in the Lord’s presence.

Do you ever wonder what happened the day the Lord died? I mean, if he is the life (John 14: 6) what happened to the world when the life died? And then, did the earth rejoice when he came back to life? Did the animals feel something happening in the earth? Did they hide in their burrows when Jesus died? What about the grass? Did it begin to wither and die?

I have a creation theory which may be a bit different from others you’ve heard. This began forming in mind in the sixth grade, so I’ve had a bit of time to think about it. Scientists have been on the hunt for the smallest particle in the natural universe. Everything they find is made of something else, but what? Electrons? Protons? Quarks? What is a quark composed of?

Well, ultimately, I believe that answer is, “God.” This actually goes along with the big bang theory and you will see why. Genesis 1: 3 is where we find the well-known language, “Let there be light.” It’s not until verse 16 that God made the sun, moon and stars, so what was the light that He released? John 8: 12 records Jesus saying, “I am the light of the world.” So that makes me think that he was the light in verse three. We know that Jesus was with God at the foundation of the world, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men,” (John 1: 1- 4.) And there is the reference, again, to him being both the life and the light.

So here is my theory, I believe when God made the earth, he did so by releasing a part of Himself. We see that Jesus was an integral part of the creation process. Perhaps when God said, “Let there be light” He was releasing that part of Himself which is Jesus into the universe and earth. There wasn’t a sun and moon, so it wasn’t that kind of light that he released. What if it was energy, the force of life, that God released. Now, if this is, in fact, a part of Him, one can easily imagine a BIG bang. There is room to think about what that might have looked like and a great opportunity for God to reveal the truth of it to someone. Imagine God releasing a part of Himself.

Now if we are on the trail of creation revelation here, that would mean that everything you see, touch, feel or perceive is made from the most basic, but most essential element of all, God’s living energy. God made everything from the only thing that existed at the time, Himself. Isn’t that amazing? That would mean that even the grass and trees get their life from Him. Well, that really isn’t that large a leap. Intuitively it seems to make sense. And when He formed the animals, did they have a sense of Him? Animals have an inner knowing of things. You can see it when storms approach. Did they recognize that something was amiss the day Jesus died? And did they leap for joy when he arose?

It would be something to see the sea teaming with life and praising God with such exhalation that the sea roars. One gets the sense that the mountains would bow down before our Lord. The Lord’s presence is reason for celebration, not for what He will do but just His presence. In His presence is fullness of joy; joy so profound and prolific that even seas will leap, and rivers clap their hands.

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Shine the Light

On March 4, 2019   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Psalm 43: 3        TPT

Pour into me the brightness of your daybreak!
Pour into me your rays of revelation-truth!
Let them comfort and gently lead me onto the shining path,
showing the way into your burning presence,
into your many sanctuaries of holiness.

Isn’t this beautiful? Can you see Father pouring His light into you, filling you with the light of revelation truth? Wow! That is an image to ponder. That shining light leads us from the inside out. I find that fascinating but also rational. Yahweh’s light within us leads us into all truth. It leads us onto the shining path. Lovely!

It is no big surprise that the shining path leads into the very presence of God. Jesus said he was the light (John 8: 12). He also said he is the way (John 14: 6). The way to what or whom? As “Christians” we sometimes focus so much on the Christ that we forget that he is the way to the Father. He is the light which always leads us to the Father. However, God’s light and revelation truth do more for us. They comfort us.

Did you know your Dad is in the comfort and encouragement business? A friend of mine was recently teaching about angels from her book, Everyday Angels (Kayembe, glorywaves.org). What I found so interesting is how she explained why angels in the Bible so often began their encounter with people with the words, “Do not be afraid.” She explained it was because these people were in troubling, even frightening, situations so the first thing the angels did was to comfort them. Can’t you picture God on His throne, dispatching an angel saying, “Go encourage them, tell them all is okay.”  That’s because He comforts and encourages us.

The light also protects you for where there is the light, there can be no darkness. We must endeavor to let God fill us to overflowing with His light. In His light is warmth, security and revelation. His burning presence must be like sitting by a warm fire on a cold day while reading a good book. It nurtures us, inside and out.

Bask in Dad’s glorious sanctuary today. Sit with Him by the fireplace and fill up on His voice and His presence. Let His light saturate your cells and even your DNA. Be restored in His presence by the light of His glory and revelation. And have a truly Great Day!

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Sunshine

On August 22, 2017   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

John 8: 12

Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”

I hope you were able to see the solar eclipse yesterday. It was a remarkable event; many observations to be made but there is one thing that really stood out to me. At the totality, the sky became like nighttime. What amazed me was how little sunlight it took to light up the earth again. As soon as the sun began to peek out, the earth began to look like mid-afternoon again.

It reminded me of Jesus. Without Jesus, there is only darkness. It takes only a bit of Son-shine to make the darkness flee. With even a little Son, hope arises. Someone said, “Wow, the sun is really powerful.” How much truer is that of the Son? He turns darkness into light and life. Where he is, there is no darkness. We need not stumble in the darkness because he lights our path.

Some people think those are just cute sayings but for those who walk in the light, you know they are true in a very real sense. Jesus spoke literally about himself in this verse. Without him there would be no light and no life. Without the sun, the earth would die. We need sunshine for plants to grow. Without the Son, I believe even the sun would die because everything was made through him and nothing that was made exists apart from him.

Over the next weeks you may continue to see news stories and pictures from the solar eclipse. I hope it will make you think about the glory of Jesus and his resurrection story. From the darkness of his death, light arose and through that resurrection breathed life back into each of us. Let all the earth praise the Son. Let all the universe, sing his praises. Thank you Father for sunshine; thank you more for Sonshine.

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Help has a Name

On March 17, 2017   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Psalm 124: 8

Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

So, here we are at the base of things. The Lord, our God, created this earth we live on. As the creator and all powerful one He has the ability to help us when we need help. He created the earth and He created us and He is invested in helping us to live a good and happy life. The story of humanity, though is often the story of rebellion and independence. We don’t seem to want to rely on God to help us but, in truth, our help is in the name of the Lord. He is the only real help we have. That is such a simple proposition, let the Lord help you. Truth be told, the revelation is bigger than that. The name alone has the power to help, the power to save.

In the Old Testament the words “The Lord” referred to Yahweh whom we often call “God.” In the New Testament we call Jesus “The Lord.” God gave Jesus “a name which is above every other name” (Philippians 2: 9). He gave Jesus His own name and exalted him and that name above all things. In that name, which is also the name of God, there is exalted power and authority. The name of God has life in it and light. We know, too, that Jesus is the light and the life (John 1: 4, John 8: 12). God is in Jesus and Jesus in God. I don’t think, therefore, that you have to get bogged down in which of them is going to bring about your rescue. They are in this together with the Holy Spirit. They are three in one like we are. We are body, soul and spirit. So are they. They are together working to help you in all situations. Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father interceding for you at all times. He sent the Holy Spirit here to be with us so that we are never alone. He, the Holy Spirit, is our go along. He walks beside us all day listening to what the Father and Jesus are speaking.

Our Father is God Almighty. That’s big. He sent us His son and now He has sent us His Spirit. We abide with them and they abide in us. That is front page news folks. The Father is telling us that He, who made heaven and earth, is here for us, individually. We have the power of the entire trinity working for our benefit. We have only to call out. And while I do believe in calling God by His proper name rather than this title “God” what is most important in the time of need is that you know where your help lies. It is in the creator, your Father. Call on His name and whether you call Him God, Yahweh, Jehovah, Father, Dad, Abba or something else, know that His ear is already tuned listening for you. He is your help in the time of need. Your help is in the name of the Lord God Jehovah. Just call.

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Sun, Moon, Jesus

On January 30, 2017   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Isaiah 60: 19

No longer will you have the sun for light by day, nor for brightness will the moon give you light; but you will have the Lord for an everlasting light, and your God for your glory.

Your sun will set no more, neither will your moon wane; for you will have the Lord for an everlasting light, and the days of your mourning will be finished.

I love the book of Isaiah. I am definitely going to look up Isaiah when I get to heaven and tell him how much I enjoyed his book and how much he helped my life. Isaiah saw Jesus. He had a revelation of his coming unlike anyone else in the Old Testament. Jesus said, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life” (John 8: 12). That is what Isaiah told people. One is coming, he share, who is brighter than the sun, whose light will never fade.

When God speaks, it is sometimes difficult for us to take in the fullness of his communication. Is this passage by Isaiah and statement of Jesus purely metaphorical? If it is, it is good enough. Jesus is the light which lights your life. I don’t doubt if you met Jesus in person, though, that he would be a bright radiant light. In heaven there is no darkness ever because the sun is the light.

I think these two passages of scripture are as big as you believe them to be. I believe Jesus’ light is also life and it glows within you bringing you health and well-being. Could he really light a dark alley for you. If you need it, then yes. Isaiah saw Jesus and saw his radiance. He saw that the sun and moon were no longer the light sources upon which we would depend. Jesus is the light which fuels the sun; he is the everlasting. I guess that means that the son fuels the sun.

Am I suggesting that you no longer need light bulbs in your house? Well . . . I am not there yet, but were you to believe big enough, maybe so. What I really want to share with you today is Isaiah. I don’t know what he saw but he saw something magnificent. We too can live in the kind of revelation he did. Also, through his words, we may see Jesus more clearly. We may even see ourselves more clearly. What mysteries are revealed to us through Isaiah and the other writers of the Bible when we pause and let the light shine on us? I am ready for us all to see “all truth” and be inspired by the glory of the Lord.

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Light

On November 27, 2015   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Ephesians 5: 9      God’s word translation

Light produces everything that is good, that has God’s approval, and that is true.

Here is another verse on God’s goodness, His inherent goodness. We cannot look too often at verses which show God’s essential nature. So often people confuse God’s acts with the corruption of this world. It really bothers me because I know His heart, I sometimes feel His heart and He really is kindness, goodness and love. Everything He does, everything He feels is based in His enormous love for us.

There is an expression related to insurance that is so inappropriate but shows clearly how we think of the situations of the world. People talk about an “act of God.” They might be referring to a tree falling on your house because of a “natural” cause. First of all, we need to understand that the idea of “natural law” is a fairly new concept, especially in view of God’s life time. What is natural isn’t necessarily Godly. There is no direct relationship between “natural” and Godly. Remember that we are not of this world (John 15: 19). Jesus’ kingdom is not of this world (John 18: 36). Jesus’ said that his kingdom was not in this realm so we should not judge God or Jesus by this realm. This world has pain in it and has been corrupted by the malevolence which is in the earth.

Everything good is of God. Everything of God is good. If a thing is not good, then it is not of God. Jesus is the light (John 8: 12) and light produces that which is good. Light produces that which is approved by God and that which is true. Everything in Christ Jesus is good, approved of God and true. Conversely, everything bad is apart from God and His son Jesus. This is the message for your own heart as well as the evangelical truth. We minister according to goodness and love. If we minister from any other motivation then we do not minister according to God. This is the truth of the gospel, that God so loved that He sent goodness into the earth; into an earth that was broken and corrupted by evil God sent light and love. Whenever there is hurt and darkness in your own life, understand that God is not the source of that but that He will, if invited, rush in to bring life, light, love and healing. When others are hurting, this is the truth they need. God is good, His every expression is of goodness.

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