Take the flame to Dark Places

Step 5 can be the toughest of steps. This is to say that I need Jesus in order to overcome the idols or sin in my life. I am forever dependent upon Jesus to overcome these things.

You are a slave to the person you hate.

You see the person you hate you will either fight or flight and both control you and you become a slave to them.

The person you hate comes walking your way you pray Lord empower me right now will love. Lord I am dependent on you to love them as they walk toward me. Lord my flesh is week may your spirit be alive in me during this time.

This is hard for us as men to admit that we can’t do it without Jesus.

I have come to realize that I am a very prideful person at times. This came about when I cut my knee open installing some HVAC at my house. I had to have stitches and I could not walk on it.

My father in law lives right behind me. He said I will mow your yard for you. I remember when he came to mow I was so prideful that I went out there on crutches and started to weed eat because I was to prideful to receive his help.

It can be very hard for me to admit that I need Jesus to empower me. It is very freeing when I do.

John 8:12 HCSB

12 Then Jesus spoke to them again: “I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows Me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life.”

John 8:

What did Jesus say?

Anyone who follows me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life.

If you are following Jesus you have the light of life. Jesus can empower you for victory.

1 Peter 1:3–7 HCSB

3 Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. According to His great mercy, He has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead 4 and into an inheritance that is imperishable, uncorrupted, and unfading, kept in heaven for you. 5 You are being protected by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 You rejoice in this, though now for a short time you have had to struggle in various trials 7 so that the genuineness of your faith —more valuable than gold, which perishes though refined by fire —may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Here are some things I have learned about light and darkness.

Darkness cannot over come the light

John 1:5 HCSB

5 That light shines in the darkness, yet the darkness did not overcome it.

As long as there is light, the darkness can’t overcome it. The darkest place I have been is in a cave and then shut off the lights. You can’t see your face but as soon as you strike a match the darkness can’t increase and over take the darkness.

Turn down the lights. Ok keep turning down the lights ok keep trying. No matter how hard we try we can’t use darkness to overtake the light.

Psalm 119:105 HCSB

105 Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path.

You take the word of the Lord to the dark places of our lives and you illuminate the darkness by bringing light. You bring light and the darkness can’t exist.

Not only do we take the light to the dark places of our lives but we are called to take the light to dark places of the World.

These trials that you have struggled through are so that your faith that is more precious than gold

might be refined by fire.

Stress deepens and strengthens a Christian’s faith provided we handle it in the right manner.

Genuine faith results in praise, glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 1:13–21 HCSB

13 Therefore, with your minds ready for action, be serious and set your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the desires of your former ignorance. 15 But as the One who called you is holy, you also are to be holy in all your conduct; 16 for it is written, Be holy, because I am holy. 17 And if you address as Father the One who judges impartially based on each one’s work, you are to conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your temporary residence. 18 For you know that you were redeemed from your empty way of life inherited from the fathers, not with perishable things like silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish. 20 He was chosen before the foundation of the world but was revealed at the end of the times for you 21 who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

1 Peter 1:22–25 HCSB

22 By obedience to the truth, having purified yourselves for sincere love of the brothers, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, 23 since you have been born again —not of perishable seed but of imperishable—through the living and enduring word of God. 24 For All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like a flower of the grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, 25 but the word of the Lord endures forever. And this is the word that was preached as the gospel to you.

1 Peter 2:1–5 HCSB

1 So rid yourselves of all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all slander. 2 Like newborn infants, desire the pure spiritual milk, so that you may grow by it for your salvation, 3 since you have tasted that the Lord is good. 4 Coming to Him, a living stone—rejected by men but chosen and valuable to God— 5 you yourselves, as living stones, are being built into a spiritual house for a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 2:

1 Peter 2:9–17 HCSB

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the One who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 11 Dear friends, I urge you as strangers and temporary residents to abstain from fleshly desires that war against you. 12 Conduct yourselves honorably among the Gentiles, so that in a case where they speak against you as those who do what is evil, they will, by observing your good works, glorify God on the day of visitation. 13 Submit to every human authority because of the Lord, whether to the Emperor as the supreme authority 14 or to governors as those sent out by him to punish those who do what is evil and to praise those who do what is good. 15 For it is God’s will that you silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing good. 16 As God’s slaves, live as free people, but don’t use your freedom as a way to conceal evil. 17 Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the Emperor.

1 Peter 2:9-10

1 Peter 2:18-

Matthew 5:14–16 HCSB

14 “You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

Some more things I have learned about light and darkness.

Small lights are not that bright when they are all in the light.

Lights are all on now and you can see my flame does not look that bright.

Watch those as we start to turn out some of the lights.

Even the smallest of lights looks bright in dark places.

Even in dark places true light does not look like darkness nor can it look like darkness.

Dark places lead us to people who need the good news.

Luke 7:36–50 HCSB

36 Then one of the Pharisees invited Him to eat with him. He entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37 And a woman in the town who was a sinner found out that Jesus was reclining at the table in the Pharisee’s house. She brought an alabaster jar of fragrant oil 38 and stood behind Him at His feet, weeping, and began to wash His feet with her tears. She wiped His feet with the hair of her head, kissing them and anointing them with the fragrant oil. 39 When the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, “This man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what kind of woman this is who is touching Him—she’s a sinner!” 40 Jesus replied to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” “Teacher,” he said, “say it.” 41 “A creditor had two debtors. One owed 500 denarii, and the other 50. 42 Since they could not pay it back, he graciously forgave them both. So, which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon answered, “I suppose the one he forgave more.” “You have judged correctly,” He told him. 44 Turning to the woman, He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she, with her tears, has washed My feet and wiped them with her hair. 45 You gave Me no kiss, but she hasn’t stopped kissing My feet since I came in. 46 You didn’t anoint My head with olive oil, but she has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. 47 Therefore I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven; that’s why she loved much. But the one who is forgiven little, loves little.” 48 Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49 Those who were at the table with Him began to say among themselves, “Who is this man who even forgives sins?” 50 And He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”

Wally

City council meetings

As long as there is light, the darkness can’t overcome it. The darkest place I have been is in a cave and the shut off the lights. You can’t see your face but as soon as you strike a match the darkness can’t increase and over take the darkness.

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Take the flame to Dark Places

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