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| Downtown Budapest |
John the Baptist was a burning and shining light. What qualified him? Perhaps 2 Cor 4:6 helps “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” The light of the knowledge of the glory of God? — Light of knowledge? — Of glory? — Of God? — God’s glory’s knowledge? — “Gnosis”, “doxa” in the face of Jesus? — John reflected Jesus’ face of knowledge of the glory of God.
How can a person be a shining light? If he or she leads many to righteousness, they will shine like the stars in the firmament says Daniel 10. Ecc 8:1 points out; “Who is as the wise man? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? a man’s wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the boldness of his face shall be changed.” Majesty of his face changed? Yes, shining displays itself in a secure, prevailing, stout, strong, majestic countenance.
Three areas of light change our face and first is the face of Jesus Christ alive. When we see Him as He is, meek and lowly of heart and then high and lifted up, we are changed into the selfsame image. Second is the path of the just, on which our once-and-for-all justification brightens, and that path shines more and more unto the perfect day. Third is the light of truth, in which we are enabled to see greater light of truth. So, we have a new friend, we are headed in a new direction with Him, and we are being filled with deeper insight through Him.
In these three arenas, we emerge as beacons of light, which we do not hide under a bushel. We let our light shine so that the world may see our good works. With our light we expose darkness, lies, and hell, resist the cosmic path, and have insight into the nature of all things.
Some prefer darkness, their deeds are evil is why. They wanna be bad and not feel bad about it. Some don’t know any better. They hold a wisdom from below which has light from below. They must master craftiness; after all, they are trying to transform what is real, true and obvious into a lie.
The light-resisters who mature into active liars capitalize on the calamity, pain, trauma and suffering of others. Aware of the vulnerable state of the hurting, they sell their darkness as light now, with a view to prop up their own lie-based universe. They use catch phrases such as, “I told you so” or “you can’t trust anybody” or “where was God?” Layers of pain and lie, lie-upon-lie, face upon face, adhere like stucco to the counter-converted soul now, progressively adding deceit to sin.
We find many people in this sad condition. Our light-shining commissions us to bring these out of their darkness. They walk into our counseling room. We need fortitude of face, genuineness in our features, a welcoming hue, and knowledge/love expressed in the nature of God’s awesomeness. We must reveal Christ.
Herein the back breaks. My confession is, in counseling people, I was often overwhelmed by the problems of folks. Indeed their complications loomed so large, to appear as impossibilities. God had to convince me that what I had gained in my Bible training was enough, — simply trust it and use it. I wasn’t sure. Nevertheless, counselees’ multi-layered junk continued unfigurable, and the more I openly condescended to un-sorting it, the more miffed I became.
Finally, light and darkness are both alike to God. Frankly, light and darkness are just varied displays of a creation spoken alive by True Light. When men love darkness, they love their own invention supported by other inventors. The goal for us is to walk in His Light, as He is in that Light. Here the blood of Christ cleanses away all Light-blocking elements, to insure a pure ray to flow. Precious Lights, keep reflecting His glory! Love ya
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