John 16:1-4 “These things I have spoken to you so that you may be kept from stumbling. 2 They will make you outcasts from the synagogue, but an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering service to God. 3 These things they will do because they have not known the Father or Me. 4 But these things I have spoken to you, so that when their hour comes, you ]may remember that I told you of them. These things I did not say to you at the beginning, because I was with you."
I love these commercials for these super bright led tactical lights that have 10,000 candle watt power and can shine up to a football field in length with superior brightness. The cool thing is with all that power you can still buy them for $11.95. It seems that the technology cost for this type of equipment has been covered when they can be sold for such a cheap price. So you get a real good flashlight that sends a strong, clear beam through the darkness for under $12.00 when the cost to get to that point may have been thousands of dollars in research expense in order to make the light work.
So it is with the light of Jesus. His death, burial, and resurrection cost Him everything (His life). With that sacrifice to defeat death, hell, and the grave came a great opportunity for us in the area of shining the light. He offers the light to us as a free gift. We can't do anything to deserve getting the light and we can't do anything to earn the light. All He asks is for us to believe and turn to Him by faith. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast." That is the switch that turns our light on and boy is it bright!! We need that brightness in the dark. Jesus, in speaking to His disciples said in verse 1 of the above scripture "These things I have spoken to you so that you may be kept from stumbling." What causes us to stumble? Darkness!! The darkness they were going to have to experience was from doubters who were going to try to intimidate them from following Jesus by threatening them, even their lives. They really needed some good light, as we do.
We live in perilous times right now, as we know there are church people, who seem to be attending for looks more than commitment who are leaving the church in droves. The truth of God's Word is no longer applicable for their lives and the intimidation of an ever increasing dark world has them stumbling when they need to stay on the path and follow the light of Jesus. The warning in the above scripture from Jesus is just as true today. We need the light of Jesus!!
Some may think that it is a very arduous faith walk to get access to that light, but in reality it is not. It is surprisingly easy to access. It doesn't mean it is cheap though in the forming stages of that light. Just as in the research and development for the led flashlight was in the thousands to make it bright and clear, the sacrifice of Jesus to overcome the darkness for each of us came with a heavy price. The price for us is relatively cheap though. Just give your life to Jesus for Him to lead and guide. That saving faith gives us access to the light that exposes the dark things and lights our path so we don't stumble. In Luke 9:23 Jesus said, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow me." Our cross is super light in comparison to His cross. And our path is to be lit with the Light that only Jesus can give. In John 8:12 Jesus said, "I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
NO MORE STUMBLING!!
In these perilous times the people who will show they are the remnant of true believers will shine the light and they will not stumble. They will stand! The question is "are you stumbling right now?" Take the offer He gives with his light and let Him show you the way. Further down in John 16 Jesus says a comforter, the Holy Spirit, is coming and He will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness, and concerning judgment. The Holy Spirit is here to enable us to do great and mighty things in the name of Jesus, and one of those things is to shine the light to keep from stumbling. Ask the Holy Spirit to fill you afresh and anew and get your batteries charged for your life flashlight and turn it on!!! The world could use some people who really have the light and I hope you are one of those people.
The Pilgrimage continues..
David Warren
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