Tag: Darkness

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Sophisticated Idols.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

The idols of the nations are merely things of silver and gold, shaped by human hands. They have mouths but cannot speak, and eyes but cannot see. They have ears but cannot hear, and mouths but cannot breathe. And those who make idols are just like them, as are all who trust in them. ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭135‬:‭15‬-‭18‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Many of today’s idols are still fashioned and formed by human hands. I see them in person or in pictures of places around the world. They stand or sit as statues. They hang from car mirrors or are positioned on stands or small niches on the houses in my neighborhood. I see them prominently and boldly greeting me at some restaurants and stores. I see their brightly colored adornments and painted eyes looking at me with a steely stare.

These are the common, well known idols that have existed for thousands of years. And, just as the Psalmist declared back then, they STILL have mouths, eyes and ears! They are just as silent today as they were in antiquity. People pray to them, talk to them, and many still leave gifts of food or money, tokens of gratitude or bribes to winsomely stay in good standing. You don’t want these statues to decide to curse you rather than bless you. This kind of idolatry is alive and well even today. And, someone is making a fortune selling them!

But oh, these hand-fashioned, or machine-made creations are not the idols of the “enlightened.” No, no, no… the “new” ones are not physical at all – they are spiritual beings, which of course means that they may not have mouths, eyes and ears, but they most certainly speak, watch and listen. Yes, these sophisticated idols are of the dark realms, ordered about and orchestrated by the evil one, the liar, thief and enemy of humankind – Satan. These neo-idols do not require tangible gifts or sacrifices left at their ethereal feet, they desire something much more valuable to us. They require your allegiance and your soul!

They whisper lies and manipulate human desires to not only dissuade people from believing in God but to convince humans to believe in themselves as their own god! These idols aren’t hiding behind plaster or plastic statues, they are openly and defiantly leading folks to follow their own truth, whatever their heart wants. With promises of riches, power, position or fame, they offer more than just protection. They gleefully offer an alternative to the mean, vindictive, judgmental, unfair, unjust, singular path God! It’s insidiously popular to simply convince humans that there are in fact “other” gods. There’s a choice, an option – no need to believe in a one true God. Their smooth, subtle whispers to just try it out, just sample their agenda, their options, their ways. Go ahead, these idols say, take a peek, open that door. Eat the forbidden fruit; they promise you’ll love it. And they can get you more of it, anytime you want.

Solomon, the ancient wealthy and wisest human ever, wrote this in Proverbs 14:12, “There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.” Beware the sophisticated idols, they are even more dangerous than statues.

Prayer

Dad,
It is so clear that there is a battle for the human soul. Even though we were created in perfection, with the capacity and capability of choosing to disobey and do what we want, you still love us. You still fight for us, for what is best for us. I am so thankful you continue to pursue the human heart – even at its most rebellious stage, you died for us! May your light and love continue to penetrate the darkness and disordered desires of our soul. Amen.

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When heaven is silent.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

You don’t let me sleep. I am too distressed even to pray! I think of the good old days, long since ended, when my nights were filled with joyful songs. I search my soul and ponder the difference now. Has the Lord rejected me forever? Will he never again be kind to me? Is his unfailing love gone forever? Have his promises permanently failed? Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he slammed the door on his compassion? Psalms‬ ‭77‬:‭4‬-‭9‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The psalmist, Asaph, records this Psalm while Daniel was in the midst of Babylonian captivity. As you can see, the author was under great distress over the state of the nation of Israel and left with a ton of unresolved questions. These types of psalms are raw, unfiltered, yet for the reader’s sake, find a commonality in suffering.

Praying to God, begging God for sleep, kindness, love and to follow through with His promises. We have the advantage of history and the whole story, but for folks that lived through the 70 year experience- it must have been a nightmare to find God when heaven was silent.

The psalmist asks questions that many people ask when going through difficult times. Has God rejected me? Will I ever see good times again? Is God’s love, His presence, mercy, grace and compassion GONE? When one is in the dark, it is so thorough, so permeating that it feels like it will never end. This is the shadowed world of darkness, the desert fathers and mothers post New Testament termed it, “the dark night of the soul.” And many of them concluded that God invites some into this season. Jesus faced similar, the Apostle Paul was blinded for three days and spent a month out in the desert sorting out his soul. It looks frightening and most I know would think it crazy to be in a situation like this let alone take up God’s beckoning to go willingly. Yet, we all know folks who are suffering. Those who have been given a death diagnosis, those who have lost everything, those who feel lost and abandoned.

I was just reading Job yesterday, not an easy book nor life lesson to comprehend. Job suffered immensely and survived heaven’s silence. Did God reject the psalmist? Was God’s love lost forever? Did God’s promises fail or did He forget to be gracious? No, No, No and No. But it was so real and lasted long enough for the psalmist to lose sleep and run out of words to express the deep trauma he felt.

We are promised in so many places in God’s Word that we are never far from His presence, and there is no place on earth where one could hide from Him. David declared that even in the valley trail that leads between the mountains of Israel, a canyon so deep and long that some places never see the sun. When one walks through this valley of shadows taking on the appearance of death, that one should fear no evil, because God’s shepherd’s rod and staff are still very much with us. Thou art with me! It’s the most important lesson to learn! In Psalm 139:11-12, “I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night— but even in darkness I cannot hide from you. To you the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are the same to you.” The truth to hold onto is that Heaven may be silent for the night, but God’s presence is very much near and very much real. The sun will rise again. And the Son did rise from death’s darkness! May joy come to you in the morning! Ps. 30:5.

Prayer

Dad,
I have been in some very dark moments, terrifying, soul shattering situations. Yet, even though I sat in the long lingering of night and darkness that felt like it would not end, I never felt alone. Quite the opposite! I physically felt your comfort. Your peace was palpable even when I could not sleep and words did fail. The sheer panic of feeling trapped and left with no options, was unnerving. I held on to you and you held me tight. You were with me in the darkness. Thank you for your everlasting presence. Thank you for your mercy to carry me when I felt like I was drowning in darkness. You are so good to me. Amen.

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Whom shall I fear?

Reading Time: 2 minutes

”The Lord is my light and my salvation— so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble? When evil people come to devour me, when my enemies and foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. Though a mighty army surrounds me, my heart will not be afraid. Even if I am attacked, I will remain confident.“
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭27‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

My favorite Psalm to sing when I am truly afraid. Of course I memorized this Psalm in KJV (King James Version), and learned the song when I was new in my faith, but boy oh boy, I sang it A LOT when going through dark and scary nights. There were moments I could feel darkness closing in and crushing my thoughts. This Psalm was sung at the most fearful times. The Psalm was written while Israelites were in Babylonian captivity likely by Ezra. However, it is completely possible that Daniel wrote it. Daniel – the young man that shot to the top of Darius’ advisory team (Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom – Dan 6:3). Daniel who would refuse to eat foods sacrificed to idols. Daniel who was thrown to lions for disobeying a law that was written exclusively to catch him obeying God verses the durability of an irreversible Persian law.

In my mind, I can see Daniel praying or singing this powerful psalm. In the darkness of the lion’s den. Amidst the certainty of being mauled to death. Daniel proved this song to be true! God is light and in Him there is no darkness (1 John 1:5). God’s presence in that cave had to have been blindingly bright! And when the creator of all creatures shows up before the king of all beasts, I am positive they bowed before Him in humble submission. With God there, no enemy could win, no danger could overcome! I know there is war language in this Psalm – armies that devour, surround and attack, but I also know that when fear creeps in and shadows come to swallow your soul, you can call on God to deliver you. And, to borrow a line from the other three teens who faced fire instead of lions, “But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods.” or Job who wrote, “though he slay me, yet will I hope in him.” Even as Jesus said in Matthew’s gospel, “Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul!” Whom shall I fear? Why should I tremble? There is no need for either when God has got your back! Remain confident in God!

Prayer

DAD,
“Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me!” Your presence brings light, peace and courage. When I feel afraid. When I feel overwhelmed. When I cannot think straight and cannot stop my emotions from ruminating and cycling through my brain – You are WITH me! I will not fear, I will believe Your word over all others! Thank you for your presence that brings peace. Thank you for light that illuminates my path. Thank you for undeserved grace in the midst of darkness.

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The Testimony.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. Has the Lord redeemed you? Then speak out! Tell others he has redeemed you from your enemies. For he has gathered the exiles from many lands, from east and west, from north and south.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭107‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Returning home. After 70 years of being hauled off to Babylon, and living an entire generation under Persia’s thumb, Israel returns home. This Psalm, written by Ezra, captures the mood, the attitude, while making that journey up the hill back to Jerusalem. It was gratitude! It was thankfulness.

History and misery were behind them, but hope and home were before them. There was a lot of work to be done, rebuilding their temple and their famous 52 day fortified wall, but they were gratefully giddy.

Ezra asked a great question after a moment of explosive praise to God. Has the Lord redeemed you? Wow. That makes us think? What have been the times and seasons we felt alone and darkness seemed to surround us? When were the times of deep despair and little emotional reserves to fight? Then, the miracle, or miracles happened and things began to turnaround again? The agonizing cloud of pain and suffering begin to evaporate. The rays of sunshine and possibility begin to shine on our soul. What then?

Ezra gives his people a great response to all that has happened, to all that could have happened, but didn’t. Tell others! There is something deeply profound – physically and spiritually lifting, when we tell our story of redemption. Telling others helps reframe our own past experiences into a new reality. From our despondency to a dream to a declaration – God is good! Whenever our heart begins to reflect on the past darkness it’s as if the redemptive story sweeps in and reminds us of our rescue. Telling the story doesn’t remove the memory, instead it lifts the moment to new heights of meaning, purpose and victory. I did not die! I did not just survive! I made it through, and I am thriving because of God’s goodness to me.

Telling the God story also has a wonderful effect on those who are living in captivity, going through suffering, struggling to find hope and answers to their own pain. Speaking out, giving the testimony of God’s greatness injects a glimpse, a glimmer of hope in those who are still surrounded by dark clouds. This is our testimony! Give thanks. God is good. Speak it out, tell others, share the wonderful stories of hope every time you can.

Prayer

Dad,
Ezra’s psalm reminds me of the many dark times in my own life. And sure enough, right alongside those memories are the highlights of when you rescued me, you redeemed my situation. With even a twinge of pain comes a flood of grace, not to mask the pain in some sort of denial, instead the sweetness of You meeting me there overwhelms my soul with gratitude. It’s shocking to hear myself and others say, “I wouldn’t want to experience that time again, but I’m glad I went through it.” You’ve removed the sting and left a beautiful reminder of your grace. The scar is now a wonder to behold. I give thanks, for You are good. And, I will tell the story of how you rescued me.

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Dabblers in darkness

Reading Time: 3 minutes

“At the foot of the mountain, a large crowd was waiting for them. A man came and knelt before Jesus and said, “Lord, have mercy on my son. He has seizures and suffers terribly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. So I brought him to your disciples, but they couldn’t heal him.” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭17‬:‭14‬-‭16‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Oh, you can bet the enemy, the liar, seducer, the diabolos, is coming for our children! Mark’s gospel does a better job giving the context of this explosive story. There’s a high moment on the mountain and there’s the devil waiting when you come down the hill! It happens almost every time God is working in us at high moments, when we are winning.

A crowd had already gathered and there was a lot of commotion because a father had brought his child to the disciples for help and the demon inside this boy was manifesting – that’s what they call it today. The demon was acting out what its intentions are for every human who would fall prey to its seduction – pain, suffering and a complete lack of control over our minds and bodies. But how did it get into an innocent child, this young boy? I believe that someone allowed it or even invited in!

The father seems most likely because, in Mark, he’s willing to admit his boy was his responsibility and he didn’t protect him. In fact, it maybe possible that the community let this young man down by intentionally inviting evil to be a part of their town. Jesus, perceiving there was much more going on said, “How long has this been happening?” Jesus asked the boy’s father. He replied, “Since he was a little boy.” (Mark‬ ‭9‬:‭21‬). I believe there were adults that failed to protect the child and likely explored dark and evil practices that opened a door to a very nasty spiritual realm. No matter how it happened or who was responsible, there was a young boy now suffering.

Jesus was irritated by evil perpetrating the innocent and the lack of adult faith to deal with it. Jesus was looking for the tiniest bit of faith, and couldn’t find it. Had evil consumed all hope? Had fear vanquished all belief? The town was stunned and the disciples were stumped. Jesus’ righteous indignation rose in anger as his time on earth was coming to an end, He said, “You faithless and corrupt people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? The word Matthew uses for corrupt is interesting. The word is diastrephó: thoroughly turned. Jesus called out their distorted, twisted, perverted practices. There was definitely something else going on behind this seemingly “random” act of possession! The town may have been filled with dabblers in darkness.

Also, when Jesus says he “puts up with,” the word is anechó: to hold up, bear with. Jesus tells them I won’t be here long to “suffer with you” in these kind of attacks on humanity. The community was in pain, the boy’s dad was in pain and the child was definitely in pain – but Jesus was also in pain! If you’ve ever had a friend continue to invite evil into their life, if you’ve ever seen parents invite or allow evil into their home, you begin to understand how Jesus felt. It is crushingly painful. You feel helpless to fix or change the situation.

I believe the father had a change of heart when he asked Jesus to help him in his own unbelief. It wasn’t just a lack of faith to exorcise a demon, he needed a new faith to reconstruct his entire life! Jesus, please help those in unbelief! Help us to quit inviting evil into our homes, our schools and our cities.

Prayer

Dad,
Help us Oh Lord in our unbelief, our impatience, our impertinence, our corrupt, perverted attempts of reaching for evil to solve our sinfulness. We cry mercy! We repent and ask for forgiveness. For the sake of our children and the young among us – save us, rescue us from ourselves. Amen.

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Newsflash Reminder.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

“Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.” ‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Once you were dead! I don’t know about you, but I remember my disobedience and MANY sins. I wasn’t born a believer. I did not surrender my life to Jesus as a child. I had a fairly high sin-rate in Junior and Senior High School. I agree with the Apostle Paul, I used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world – obeying the devil and the disordered desires of my heart. In fact, I’m not exactly sure I had a decent conscience. I had a twisted view of guilt. Not only did I rarely feel guilty for my decisions and behaviors, I was really good at masking those feelings behind massive blame of others and the crummy chaotic, dysfunctional life I was handed from my parents.

It was those decisions to ignore my conscience where I can clearly see myself being subject to God’s anger – just like everyone else. Being a sinner didn’t make me special or unique at all. In fact it was slowly stripping away the real me that I was trying to push away.

When I look around at the multiple sin-fests on constant display in entertainment, socials and curated news cycles, I must remember Paul’s words. There is a real devil and he’s commanding the powers of unseen world! My heart breaks as I see my friends, family and neighbors swallow the reverse sour-patch candy. First the lies are sweet, by a well crafted design to follow our passionate desires and inclinations, but turn bitter as they produce rotten results.

I pray that God reveals Himself and rescues them, just as He did for me. These verses lead Paul, via the Holy Spirit, to release one of the most powerful truths found in the New Testament. “For it is by grace you are saved, through faith. It is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.” My path, my decisions, my sin was disrupted and redeemed by that powerful, undeserved grace of God. I will never forget who I was. Yet, I will remember what God can do that for others even today.

Prayer

Dad,
Do it again in those I love! Arrest them by your grace. Hunt them down by your love and mercy, relentlessly pursuing them as you did for me. Lift the blinders from their eyes. Penetrate their hearts with light that shatters the lies that lead them to darkness. Expose the wicked plans against them to reveal your love and true freedom. I ask in Jesus name, Amen.

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Blinded by lies, not light.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

“If the Good News we preach is hidden behind a veil, it is hidden only from people who are perishing. Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.” ‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭4‬:‭3‬-‭4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Good news, God has a rescue plan for all. Bad news, Satan has a terrorist’s intent to thwart it. God has plans, Satan has lies. Satan doesn’t need a plan to damn humanity, just lies to keep us believing one of two things: we don’t need to be rescued or we can rescue ourselves!

The blinders that keep people from seeing this glorious light is simply self sufficiency; thinking there’s nothing wrong with me and I can create my own truth, my own destiny. These blinders are only effective because we crave this autonomy of choice to run our own life, host our own awards shows, and pursue anything and everything that our minds can imagine.

What’s wrong with that? Our dark hearts are bent and determined to choose only selfish, self-satisfying desires. And, very much like those who are blind, it leads away from God and towards evil and death. And in our “enlightened” state of darkness, we harm and destroy those around us eventually finding ourselves alone. Satan’s job is to steal, kill and destroy, but does so non-confrontationally through lies. We let Satan in by believing them and lock God out by our own choices. The message of Christ is truth. He is all good and has no lies, no tricks to con us. Christ is life itself. Believe Christ and live, or believe the lies and die.This is the hidden message.

Prayer

Dad,
I would not have found my own way. But you found me. You illuminated that foyer at Oak Knoll Lodge in Big Bear, California and showed me right from wrong, death and life. You offered me a deal that I could not pass up. And as that small space under a table lit up with truth I saw everything clearly for the first time. It was my time, my chance to choose and I will forever be grateful for that moment. Help me continue to live in that light, that truth and to continue to walk away from lies and darkness. Thank You!

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Cave Prayers.

Reading Time: 2 minutes 
“I cry out to the Lord; I plead for the Lord’s mercy. I pour out my complaints before him and tell him all my troubles. When I am overwhelmed, you alone know the way I should turn. Wherever I go, my enemies have set traps for me. I look for someone to come and help me, but no one gives me a passing thought! No one will help me; no one cares a bit what happens to me.” Psalms‬ ‭142:1-4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

This is David’s prayer as he’s running for his life, being hunted down and most of all hiding in caves. This guy eventually goes from caves to being King! These cave prayers capture his helplessness and hopelessness. He sees no path that reflects the fact that Samuel (Samuel 16:1) has anointed him as future king of Israel. The first part of these anguished prayers are filled with cathartic venting. The endings come around to recognize that God is still there and very much desired, “Then I pray to you, O Lord. I say, “You are my place of refuge. You are all I really want in life.”

How many times have told God, “you are really all I want, all I need in this life?” Oh I have. I certainly have prayed this way under duress and dark times. And, it’s true, God is all I need. In good times, times of blessing and favor, this prayer comes out as gratefulness. I experience these moments of remembering where I came from – in chaos and obscurity to where God has brought me – family and a good name.

Doesn’t everyone NEED some cave time, along with cave prayers? We would never invite it, but shouldn’t we welcome it when it comes along? Cave prayers reveal our dependency, our humanity and humility. Cave prayers position us in suffering and force us to recognize God in a way that courts, kingship and abundance cannot. Cave prayers reveal our hearts and intentions, showing us our surroundings and admitting our need for God’s presence. It takes a cave to flip our view of our future. Instead of seeing those who pursue us, we see God who surrounds us with His peace. Instead of seeing our own dreams and aspirations, we can only see God as He comforts us.

I am not currently in a cave, but I remember when I was. A few times in my life when I felt completely alone and crushed by the darkness of those cave moments. I felt like the life I had known was gone and I could not see anything ahead in my future. Yet, God was there with me, right-there-with-me.

Prayer

​Dad,
There is no way I can say that I liked my own cave time. I did not enjoy the loss of senses, direction or future. However, I did like the very cozy comfort of your presence, knowing that I was completely in your care, dependent on you in every way. And, like David, I realized that you were truly all I need.

I am enjoying gratitude much more than looking back than the dark desperation trying to look forward. I need a daily reminder of your presence, your will, and your ways. When I can get my heart and mind into that place of peace and assurance that you have all things under control and surrender to you, I can feel responsibilities, ToDo lists, even minutiae lift off my shoulders.

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Spiritual Affective Disorder

Reading Time: 3 minutes 
“No one lights a lamp and then hides it or puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where its light can be seen by all who enter the house. “Your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light. But when it is unhealthy, your body is filled with darkness. Make sure that the light you think you have is not actually darkness. If you are filled with light, with no dark corners, then your whole life will be radiant, as though a floodlight were filling you with light.” Luke‬ ‭11:33-36‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jesus launches into a famous discussion about light and darkness. And, it’s an object lesson for all time, all people. It’s pretty hard NOT to know or see the difference between light and dark. We spend our whole life learning it from the natural patterns of the sun. Personally, I love June because it’s the most sunlit month of the year. Contrarily, December is the darkest (more time for Christmas lights).

When you walk into your home after dark, you tend to want to turn on the lights. Of course, ancients lit lamps. Forgetting the idea of modern dimmers for a moment, we don’t normally make light just to dim it. In other words, we let it do it’s work illuminating.

Jesus then uses this everyday experience to jump into a spiritual lesson. He says, your eye is like a lamp. Hmmm, how so Jesus? Our eyes are gateways, inputs, data receptors to our soul. Yes, of course it goes directly to our brain, which flips images, makes sense of what we are seeing, then processes an intense interpretation of what our eyes see. But, Jesus makes it sound like our eyes (inputs) provide light for our body. Does our body need light? Physically, yes, it does. Not getting enough of it in our Northern States can mean mental trouble. It’s called seasonal affective disorder (SAD). It also provides a healthy dose of Vitamin D (we’ve heard a lot about that with Covid).

But Jesus wasn’t necessarily talking about the body’s physical health, he was talking about our soul, the actual health of our soul. Can a soul be sick, anemic? Yep, it can. When Jesus tells us to check the clarity (NLT, “healthy”) of our eye, he uses the word, haplous, which means single (undivided) focus, i.e. without a (secret) “double agenda.” He also compares the eye when it is clouded, blurred (NLT, “unhealthy) and oddly uses the word ponéros, which means evil, bad, wicked, malicious, or slothful.

Here’s the kicker, people normally want a healthy body and soul but don’t usually associate those ideals with what comes through our eyes, or the things we focus on. Jesus says there is a direct connection to what we focus on, what we take in and a healthy soul. Then Jesus Bible drops this truth, be careful you’re not actually allowing in or looking for darkness pretending or thinking that it’s light! Whoa. If our eyes are windows to our soul (I think they are), then what comes in those windows has direct access to our bodies and our souls.

Good old OT Job in 31:1, made himself a contract with his eyes, to NOT look at some things. Folks can get a whole different kind of S.A.D. by not tending to what they are letting into their lives. They can find themselves with a spiritual affective disorder.

Prayer

Dad,
Well, even if I’m not in tip-top physical shape, I sure don’t want to be spiritually anemic, especially knowing it’s because of what I’m taking into my view, my focus, my attention. Help me keep my eyes clear, free from evil, free from darkness. Your Word helps tremendously! Your word is a light tending to my feet and to my path forward. Ps 119:105. I will continue to hide it in my heart so I will not sin against you.

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Dumb Human Tricks of pretending Darkness is Light!

Reading Time: 3 minutes 
“Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey him. Don’t participate in the things these people do. For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true. Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them, for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said, “Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light.” Ephesians‬ ‭5:6-14‬ ‭NLT‬‬


New Living Translation’s attempt to communicate Paul’s intent uses the word, “fooled,” but really it’s don’t be apatáō – deceived, using tactics like seduction, giving dis­torted impressions and luring into deception. And we do so with kenos: empty, worthless, of no value, words. It’s a if Paul knows how humans justify our behaviors by just word-vomiting all over each other. Ah, yes, we spin and wordsmith just the right phrases and repeat them so often that we begin to believe our own lies.

It all begins by lying to ourselves, doesn’t it? We’ve got to. We know it’s wrong. Or, at least I believe that we have a God-given conscience that tells us we’re wrong, but we want to do it anyways. What else are we going to do? Should we go around admitting we’re wrong and acting foolishly? No! We want to DO WRONG but BE RIGHT about it!

We say to ourselves and others, with as much hubris vibrato we can muster, “I am not sinning, you just misunderstand truth.”

Distraction is the core of magic, right? “Look over here, I’ll prove to you that my behaviors are not bad, they are actually good and helpful to my soul and society.” Then the inevitable, “wouldn’t you love to join me in my own version of truth?” There’s no way I’m going to change my behavior, so I will distort the truth!

Paul kinda says that’s ridiculously silly. He says that’s like calling the darkness, light (probably vice versa as well). Yep, dark is dark and light is light. So to switch them means that you’ve gone mental, or traded a truth for a lie.

So that’s why it’s so important to drag behaviors or deeds of darkness out of the shadows, out of the night and into the daylight! To prop up a good lie, a dark behavior, to force EVERYONE to unilaterally admit it’s true and good – it has to be paraded and propagated in the actual light of day.

The best way to seduce the world into accepting a wrong behavior is to drag that thing into the daytime and get a whole bunch of people to agree that it’s good and not bad, it’s truth and not a lie!

Paul says that God’s light, which is not the daylight produced by the sun, but eternal light that emanates from the Son of God himself will EXPOSE darkness and make everything and everyone see truth. Paul says to BE a believer means there is no deceptively seducing yourself or others with ridiculous, empty spinning of truth.

You stand, full on in the light of Jesus Christ and see yourself as a sinner, exposed but also saved by His grace. And as this light of Christ penetrates our soul, there is no need to lie or deny but allow Him and him alone to SEE us and forgive us.

Prayer

Dad,
Wow, we are so creative to avoid truth! Why are we so good at being bad and constantly convincing ourselves that it’s okay? Are we so determined to get away from you and be “independent” of your goodness that we will spend our lives calling lies, truth and darkness, light? I am really that sinful, aren’t I? Forgive me. Forgive us. It’s so embarrassing to know that these thoughts and behaviors exist in our “freedom” and free-will. Come quickly Lord Jesus, for our sin is great and our deception has gone viral.