The Light Shines but the darkness can't understand it.

     It is an amazing and mysterious reality that sometimes we just can't "see" what is right in front of us.  Human perception is often not as accurate as we might want to think.  I remember a number of years ago I had the amazing privilege of hunting Elk in the high country in the Colorado Rocky Mountains.  We packed in by horse back and spike camped at high altitude.  The scenery was breath taking.  The weather was perfect; cool with about six inches of light snow on the ground.  On one of those beautiful sunny afternoons, I decided to ride my horse and explore over a couple of mountain tops in search of fresh tracks in the newly fallen snow.   About 2:00pm in the afternoon, I came a upon the tracks of what looked like a small herd of elk, moving into the dark forest to bed down for the day.  I tied my horse, loosened his saddle and flagged my trail with surveyors tape as I began to slowly follow the fresh tracks. About about an hour of slow stalk, I was startled by a sound in front of me.  But to my surprise, I saw through the wooded underbrush what looked like a "dappled horse."  In that moment, I assumed that another guide must have tied his horse in the woods and was hunting nearby.  As I stared at the "horse"only some fifty yards in front of me, I slowly began to "see" huge antlers emerge out of the dense underbrush.  It was only then that I began to realize that the sunlight was filtering through the woods and had fallen in such a way that it made this animal appear like a "dappled horse."  As I stared at this magnificent animal I slowly began to realize he was in fact a very large 6x6 bull Elk and was staring at me trying to figure out what I was.  We both came to the realization at the same time!  He however, was faster!  Spinning in the opposite direction and disappearing through the dense under growth.  At his sudden movement additional five cow elk sprang from their naps and disappeared over the mountain with the Bull.
    I learned a number of important lessons from this experience.  First, we don't always immediately "see" what is right in front of us.  Second, perception cannot always be relied upon to give us accurate information about reality around us.  Now if that is true in the natural arena of life, how much more is it true in accessing "spiritual reality!"
 
     John 1:5-6, "In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.  And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it."  The word "comprehend" means to apprehend.  To make something your own. To take possession of something.  Like, "the officer apprehended the suspect, taking him into custody."  The word also means, to lay hold of something with the mind.  To accurately perceive so as to understand.  In other words, "to see."
   John is saying, that the light of Jesus has come by invading the darkness, but the darkness could not apprehend it.  The darkness could not lay hold of it.  The darkness could not understand the light so as to really "see" it.  The darkness just couldn't quite "get it!"

     To accurately perceive what is right in front of us in the natural, is sometimes a difficult task.  To accurately "see" spiritual things takes a supernatural ability given to us by God himself.

I Cor. 2:14, says the natural man cannot receive the things of God because they are spiritually discerned.  Meaning we need the Holy Spirit to be able to "see" the things of God.
John 3:3, Jesus said without a "spiritual birth" we cannot "see" the kingdom of God.  Meaning, we must receive a spiritual birth by the Spirit of God in order to see the things of the Kingdom of God.
Jer. 5:21, says there are people who have eyes but see not, and ears and but not.

Maybe, you are having difficulty "seeing" or accurately perceiving "spiritual things."  One of the best things you might want to do is to:
                                         ASK God for the ability to see and hear.

Matt. 7:11, "If you being evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him."

Christmas is a time for celebrating the coming of the Light of Jesus into the darkness of this world.  However, some are unable to accurately see, apprehend or understand this light.

It is God's delight to give us what we ask for.  Ask and you shall receive, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be open to you.  For everyone who ask receives and everyone who seeks finds and everyone who knocks, the door will be opened to him.  May God give you the desires of your heart!

Doing what Jesus did.

     Everyone who walks in the realm of the Kingdom of God, understands something about the Epic calling upon the Church of Jesus Christ in these days.  Yet, we are also painfully aware that the church is not yet walking in the full measure of their destiny and purpose.  It seems rather that the contemporary church is more interested in walking in human ingenuity and creativity, but not yet grasping their full potential as sons and daughters of the Most High.  No where is this more obvious than in the area of actually doing what Jesus did.  Many churches are far more focused on using the latest techniques to draw crowds.  Others are content to sit and listen to the stories in scripture.  Either way, we fall far short of our intended calling.  I'm not against lights and lasers to set atmosphere but I am far more interested in seeing the full release of God's power, in the lives of ordinary people.  After all, isn't that what the church really is?  Ordinary people who have been radically touched by grace and love and called out of darkness in order to walk in the light of God's provision and power.
   
What would the church look like if we took seriously our call to do what Jesus did; to really obey his directives in this contemporary culture?

 John 14:12-14 "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works that these he will do, because I go to My Father.  And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  If you ask anything in My name, I will do it."  


What if Jesus actually meant what He said in this text?  What if He actually meant for us to do what He did and even greater works?

I believe Jesus expects His church in this century to rise up and take up their high calling by doing everything that He did and even more.  I think the question that each of us must answer is whether Jesus did his miracles as God or as man.  If Jesus did his miracles as God then I am off the hook.  I am clearly not God.  If Jesus were acting as God, no wonder He could do what he did.  (Heal the sick, raise the dead, cast out demons etc.)  But, what if Jesus did what he did not as God but as a man?  That is a game changer for us.


Philippians 2 suggests that Jesus laid aside his divinity in order to walk as a perfectly committed man to the Father.  Vrs. 6-7 "Being made in the form of God, did not consider being equal to God something to be held on to.  But rather, made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bond-servant, and coming in the likeness of men.  He humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death on the cross."
Jesus said in John 5:19, "Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner."  Jesus did only what He saw the Father doing.  That too is our calling.
John 15:5, 7 "I am the vine, you are the branches.  He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for apart from Me, you can do nothing...But if you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you."
Matthew 10:1 "And when He (Jesus) had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease."


     Christ is in us.  He is our "hope of glory."
     Holy Spirit resides in us and gives us power and authority.
     By submitting fully and walking in intimacy with the Father we also can do what Jesus did.
     We do nothing, He does in us and through us his good pleasure.
     Begin to expect Jesus to show himself strong on behalf of those who love Him.
   
I believe 2012 will be the year of Holy Spirit releasing the fullness of His power and authority in his church - for all those who will listen and obey his voice.  Wouldn't it be awesome if we began to trust God and really began to do what Jesus did.  Imperfectly at first; but learning to walk in the full measure of Holy Spirit in these days in which we live - that the Father might be glorified.

Like antique brass lamps.

     I recently broke out an old antique kerosene lamp that we owned and decided to clean it up.  Since it was solid brass it required a lot of time to polish the lamp body itself.  I spent a couple hours rubbing, shining and polishing.  After a little labor I stepped back and admired the finished product; it did look pretty good.  Mildly restored to its original beauty.

     However, I discovered that the brass knob that was used to raise and lower the wick was loose and no longer functioned.  I got out my soldering torch, flux and solder and attempted to repair the knob.  I just could not get the solder to grip, so the repair was unsuccessful.  I guess I would have to use another tool for raising and lowering the wick.  I guess that is why they invented the pliers!  With a solid grip and a few turns the wick was easily raised and lowered.

     Then, I noticed that over time the wick itself became hardened and uneven and needed to be trimmed.  So I found a razor blade and made a cut entirely around the round wick until it looked new.  The glass globe just needed a slight cleaning from years of neglect.  But a few quick swipes with a glass cleaner and paper towels and the globe look like new.  And there you have it, a pretty cool antique brass lamp in pretty good condition, except for the "missing" brass knob (because it couldn't get it reattached.)

   
     But, Brass lamps were never meant to be put on a shelf and just looked at, rather, they were highly purposeful and specialized pieces of history; quite functional tools.  Before the discovery of electricity, these lamps were used to actually give light in the midst of the darkness.  So I got some kerosene and carefully filled the lamp body.  Immediately the dry wick slurped up the kerosene and sent it ascending toward the very top of the lamp.  I couldn't wait!  The matches!  Adjusting the wick so as not to send a cloud of black soot toward my white ceiling, I carefully touched the lighted match to the wick until the fire caught and replaced the glass globe.  The light was amazing.  The soft yellow glow was accented and amplified by the antique glass globe.  Stunning.  These ancient lamps actually worked pretty well and sent a soft glow throughout the room.

    

     Reflecting upon the antique lamp I began to draw some parallels to my own life.  Like the old lamp, I realized that we spend a lot of time just maintaining and cleaning up the exterior, making it look presentable.  For some of us that is a formidable process!  Lots of polish and lots of labor just so we might admire or be admired by others.

     Like the lamp some of us have parts or "knobs" that may not function just perfectly any more.  So we assume that we just cannot work like we used to and become relegated to the shelf by our own self-imposed limitations.  We take up a posture that is passive in life; just to be looked at, rather that fully functional.  God can't use me, after all "I have a broken....."  Our excuses are extraordinary. 

     Lamps were made for burning and to give light to their surroundings.  People were also made to fully function in being vessels of light.  Jesus put it this way:

     

Matt. 5:14-18  "You are the light of the world.  A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." 

Isaiah 60:1, "Arise, Shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you."

     Like the antique brass lamp, we were not meant to just sit on a shelf and be admired.  We were actually designed to fully function in being vessels of light to others.  Lamps were meant to burn brightly; to push back the darkness just by their presence.  But, I guess like the lamp we too need a few adjustments.  But most importantly, we need oil in our lamps and to be lit up by the Holy Spirit, the source of fire.  Lamp were designed to burn brightly.  We were designed to bring the light of Jesus to a dark and needy world.

     Maybe we could ask the Lord for a refilling of oil and a fresh touch of fire so that we might begin to burn again.  People are really looking for the light that only you can carry.  Speaking of the coming of Jesus and the subsequent sending forth of Holy Spirit, John said this:

"...but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry.  He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire."

• You were designed to burn brightly.
• In order to burn brightly we need the oil of the Holy Spirit.
• We need to be "lit up by Holy Spirit."  He is the source of our fire; our burning.
• Ask Him and he will give the Holy Spirit to those who are dry and sidelined.
• Light us up Lord!!!!