THE TRUTH IS THE LIGHT

The Truth of God is His Light sent forth to dispel the darkness of satan’s lies.

Psalm 119:105,130

Your Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.

The entrance of Your Word gives light; it gives understanding, discernment and comprehension to the simple.

Here we see that God’s Word is light.  It gives understanding to all.

Yesterday we learned that Jesus is the Word and that He is the Truth.  Today we see His Word gives light.

He also said that He is the Light of the world and that he who follows Jesus shall not walk in darkness but have the light of life (John 8:12).  In John 1:9 John refers to Jesus as the true Light which lights every man that comes into the world.  Isaiah prophesied in 42:5-7 of Jesus coming as the Light for not only the Jews but also the Gentiles.  He said that He would come as a Light to open the eyes of the blind, to bring the prisoners from the prison, and bring those who sit in darkness out of their prison.

In Isaiah 9:2 and Matthew 4:16 we read that the people who walked in darkness have seen a great Light; those who dwell in the land of darkness and the shadow of death, upon them has the Light shined.  Luke tells us in 1:78,79 that because of God’s great mercy and loving-kindness a Light from on high will dawn upon us and visit us to shine upon and give light to those who sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death, to direct and guide our feet in a straight line into the way of peace.

1 John 1:5:  …God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.

Follow me carefully; we are going somewhere with this.  So, we have definitely established from God’s Word that God is Light and in Him is no darkness at all.  Yesterday we established that God’s Word is Truth, that Jesus is called the Word, and that Jesus is the Truth.

Now, let’s take it a step further.  Are you ready for this? Jesus said in Matthew 5:14-16 that you are the light of the world and that you are to let that light shine for all to see your good works and glorify your Father Who is in Heaven.  In 1 Thessalonians 5:5 we read that we are the children of light, and the children of the day; we are not of the night, nor of darkness.  In Ephesians 5:8 we are instructed to walk as children of light.  Once we were darkness but now we are light in the Lord.

How do we let the Light of God shine?  What does that mean?  I submit to you that it is a simple instruction and way of life.  As we give voice to God’s Word, His Word which is Truth, goes forth as a Light from the children of Light (God Himself, Jesus the Word, the Truth and the Way) to dispel the darkness of anything contrary to THE TRUTH.  Where there is light, there cannot be darkness.  It is not possible.  Light a candle and the room is no longer dark.  Send forth the Word of God Who is Light and Truth and the place where it is sent is no longer dark.  This is fact.  Wow!

Send the Light of God’s Word of Truth into the darkness of sickness and disease, poverty, lack, want, discouragement, disappointment, doubt, unbelief, failure, defeat, etc. and let God’s Word of Light do His work of bringing the light of health, prosperity, well-being, wholeness, faith, success, encouragement, etc. into your life and the lives of other people.

WHAT IS TRUTH?

When Jesus was brought before Pilate, Pilate asked him a number of questions.  An interesting interchange occurred between Pilate and Jesus.  Pilate asked him if he was a king.  Jesus answered, You say that I am a king.  I was born a king, but My Kingdom is not of this world.  I was born into this world to bear witness of the Truth.  Everyone who is of the Truth hears my voice.  Pilate’s response to this discourse was:  What is truth?  (John 18:33-40).

I saw two things in this passage of scripture that I had never seen before.

Those who are of the Truth (Jesus is the Word.  His Word is Truth.) hear His voice, the voice of the Word.

Pilate actually did not ask Jesus the question, “What is Truth?” because he wanted to know the truth.  No, he stated it as a vocalized afterthought in response to Jesus saying that He came into the world to bear witness of the truth.  Then Pilate must have shrugged his shoulders and said:  Ah, what is truth?  In other words, he was saying that no one really knows what truth is. He responded this way because he had no understanding of Who Jesus was.  He only saw Jesus as a man, one in whom he could find no fault.  He dismissed the conversation in his mind and went back out to Jesus’ accusers and told them that he found no fault in Jesus and basically asked if they wanted him to release Jesus.  Of course, we all know their response—-release Barabbas.

In John 1:14, John 14:6, and John 17:17 we read these words:

And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father) full of grace and truth.

Jesus said unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life:  no man comes to the Father, but by me.

Sanctify them through your truth:  your word is truth.

What is Truth?

We have our answer from the scriptures.  Jesus is the Truth.  The Word is the Truth.  He is the Word.  He is the Word and the Truth.  All Truth comes from God.  He is the Source of all that is true.  He has given us His Word, which is His Truth unveiled from Genesis to Revelation.  As we are lovers of Jesus and His Word, we know (have an intimate relationship with, have revelation of) the Truth.  And that intimate relationship with the Word of Truth shall make us free (John 8:32).

CHRIST-CENTERED

I have a question to ask you today, something to ponder.

Is your life Christ-centered or is it self-centered?

Before you quickly answer that question, think a while.

Do you think about your problems and challenges?  Do you wake up in the morning thinking about that sickness that is lingering in your body?  Do you think about what you are going to do that day?  Do you fret about what is happening in your life?  Do you worry about what you are going to do in your old age?  Do you have concerns about what you are going to use for money to buy what you need?  Do you anxiously wonder how much longer you will have your job?  If your answers to these questions are yes, then you are self-centered rather than Christ-centered.

Now don’t throw a shoe at your computer and say that I don’t know what it is like to be in your shoes.  No, I don’t know what it is like to walk in your shoes.  But Jesus does.  When we are focused on Him and what He is doing for us, we tend to lose sight of our life’s challenges.  Some of the most grateful people I know are those who have the most challenges.  They are so joyful and full of hope.  Then, on the other hand, some of the most cantankerous people I know are ones who have a few challenges and drive everybody “up the wall” telling you about their many hardships.

Do people walk away from you wishing they had not asked you how you are?  Do people leave your presence remembering Who Jesus is and what He has done for them or do they leave your presence overwhelmed with you and your opinions?

This question is something to ponder, isn’t it!  Believe me, I have been taking inventory and asking the Holy Spirit to show me where I have allowed self to take over in the place of Christ.  He has definitely shown me some things.  My prayer is that I decrease and that Jesus Christ increase in me.

Why do you think the Lord is asking us that question about being Christ-centered?  I believe it is because of the times in which we are living.  We must be so focused on Jesus that nothing else matters, whether it is good, bad, or otherwise.  When we keep our minds stayed on Him, He is able to sustain us and keep us from giving up and giving in to our circumstances.  When times get tough and things are rough, there is only one source of peace; that is Jesus!  He will carry us through, even when we don’t understand why things are happening to us the way they are.  He will carry us when nothing makes sense about our lives.  He will carry us when we want to scream and give up and say that nobody cares.  He cares and He will carry us.  Remember that when nothing makes any sense, Jesus Christ is your Rock of Salvation.  Keep steady in Him.

It is so strong in my spirit that we must learn right now how to trust the Lord, regardless of how we feel or what we are seeing.  Trust is the biggest factor for every Christian right now.  Trust Him, lean on Him, rely on Him.  He is the One and only unchangeable factor in your life.  Everything else changes, but He and His Word never change.  He is the same yesterday, today and forever.  You can depend on Him.

I am talking to somebody today.  Stop blaming God for your challenges.  Stop accusing Him of not coming through for you.  Just stop!  Turn around!  Praise Him and honor Him and respect Him and trust Him!  You may not understand anything, but I can tell you that He is for you and not against you.  Trust Him with your life!  There is no one else better than He is.  Make that decision right now that you CHOOSE to trust Him, whether you feel like it or not.