"I AM THE PATH"

Jesus said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life." (John 14:6a)

Bible teacher E. Stanley Jones told the story of a missionary who got lost in an African jungle. There was nothing around him but thick bush and a few cleared spaces. He came upon a local village and asked one of the men if he could lead him out of the jungle. When the native agreed, the missionary said, "Well, show me the way." The African man responded, "Walk." So they walked and hacked their way through unmarked jungle for more than an hour. The missionary began to get worried. "Are you sure this is the right way?  Where is the path?" The man said, "Friend, in this place there is no path. I am the path."

It is a jungle out there -- from anything-goes culture to polar-opposite politics, the path of life is overgrown with too many opinions and too little time. It's hard to see the forest for the trees. We need clear direction. Jesus said, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life" (John 8:12). Jesus walked in His Father's footsteps, illuminating a path for others who desire to find their way. 

-- Adapted from “Pathway to God's Treasure: Ephesians” by Lenya Heitzig and Penny Pierce Rose

#6493

OUR GUIDING LIGHT

“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”  (Psalm 119:105 NIV)

Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12 NIV)

Jesus is the beacon of my journey through life. When fears and doubts, misunderstandings and rejection tend to darken my path, I can always depend on Him to be my guiding light. At times He guides me gently like reflectors on the road. At other times a low beam headlight will amply illuminate the way. Sometimes I will need the high beam for cosmic vision. Whichever way it is, no followers of Jesus will every walk in the darkness. Like David prayed, “make Your way plain for me to follow" (Psalm 5:8). He will surely show you His way if you ask Him to. 

-- Joseph Matthews 

#6462

FOLLOW HIS DIRECTIONS

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” (Psalm 119:105)

God never intended you to be broken and lost. He has specific directions for your life, and if you live according to those directions, life works and you experience life the way it was meant to be lived.

If we ignore or reject His directions, we do so to our own detriment, and we experience much less than He intended. As the psalmist wrote, “Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, who seek Him with the whole heart.” (Psalm 119:2 NKJV)

God’s Word is like the markings on a highway. If we and other drivers drove within the proper lines and lanes, we are more likely to travel safely to our destination. If we go outside the lines, we do so at our own peril.

God did not just create you and me and plop us down here and say, “Happy birthday. Now guess your way through life.” He has given us roadway markings, directions that help to keep us safe on our journey through life.

Open your Bible and follow His directions!   

-- Anne Graham Lotz in “Fixing My Eyes on Jesus”

#6437

THE MYSTERY OF LIFE

"At present we are… looking at puzzling reflections in a mirror. The time will come when we shall see reality whole and face to face! At present all I know is a little fraction of the truth, but the time will come when I shall know it as fully as God now knows me!"  (1 Corinthians 13:12 Phillips Translation)

The Christian refuses to give their heart to the values or distractions of a world that is passing away. They freely enjoy what is good, beautiful, and true -- not only because God richly provides all things for our joy, but because every temporary pleasure hints at a deeper, lasting reality that will one day surpass anything imaginable.

Yet even with this hope, the Christian admits they do not fully understand the mystery of life. They walk with enough light for the next step, while much remains hidden -- and wisely so. When they say, “One day we will understand,” it is not a cliché but a steady conviction. Our present vision is limited, but when freed from the constraints of this life, we will know as surely as we are now known. 

-- Adapted and updated from J. B. Phillips in “New Testament Christianity”

#6435

LIGHT JUXTAPOSED WITH DARKNESS

"The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."  (John 1:5)

Katherine E. Willis Perchey, in her book “A Feast Juxtaposed,” writes, “We know full well that the work begun in the manger is not yet complete. Christmas is, for the time being, a feast of light juxtaposed with darkness. We brighten our sanctuary with candles, but the night persists beyond these walls. Though we wipe our tears away to join in the yuletide celebration, we are still a people who mourn.”

Christmas is often painted as a season of pure joy -- bright lights, cheerful songs, and warm gatherings. Yet Katherine Willis Perchey reminds us that the manger was not the end of the story, but the beginning. The Christ-child entered a world still marked by sorrow, injustice, and longing. The candles we light in our sanctuaries are symbols of hope, but they do not erase the night outside our doors.

This tension -- light juxtaposed with darkness -- is the very heart of Advent and Christmas. We celebrate the incarnation, God’s presence among us, while acknowledging that creation still groans. We rejoice, but we also mourn. We sing “Joy to the World,” even as tears linger on our cheeks.

The beauty of the gospel is that God does not demand we hide our grief to enter His joy. Instead, He meets us in the mourning. The manger is a promise that the darkness will not have the final word. The work begun in Bethlehem continues in us, through Christ’s Spirit, until the day when every tear is wiped away and night is no more.

When you light a candle this season, let it remind you that Christ’s light shines not in the absence of darkness, but in the midst of it. Allow space for both joy and sorrow in your celebrations. To mourn while rejoicing is not a contradiction -- it is faithful living in the “already but not yet” of God’s kingdom. Pray for those who feel the weight of grief during Christmas. Your presence and compassion can be a reflection of Christ’s light. 

-- SOUND BITES Ministry™

#6268

YOUR LONG, DARK TUNNEL

“Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”  (Psalm 23:4 NIV)

Jesus will walk with you down your long, dark tunnel. At first even His presence may seem far away. But if you look, and feel, He is there. Right by your side you can feel Him standing there. Suppose you had to walk this path alone? But you don't -- He is actually there. You can talk with Him. Share your bitterness, your anger, your guilt. Tell Him how depressed you are. Tell Him how afraid of the darkness you are. Tell Him how lonely you are.

He provides courage in that dark tunnel life has forced you to walk...

While you may see no light at the end of your tunnel, you never know when the tunnel will curve. And right around that curve may burst the light of a great new day. You cannot see it from where you are right now, but it is there.

Then, too, every tunnel ends someplace. Otherwise it would just be a cave. And life is definitely not a cave for the Christian. Jesus verified that by His resurrection. Listen closely and you may hear His voice bidding you to quicken your pace.

I remember a time of tunnel walking years ago. The darkness was suffocating -- so dense I could feel it. No light at the end of my tunnel could be seen. I prayed -- or tried to -- but I couldn't seem to get through the ceiling. Sleep was impossible, so I went outside and walked around in the night. When I looked up, the stars were all there. Not one was missing. I thought surely there would not be one left, but I was wrong. And the God who put them there was also right where He had always been. The next morning the sun rose just as it had always done. The birds were singing, too. Not even they failed me. The day came when the tunnel took a sudden and unexpected turn. There was light -- lots of light. There were answers to prayers, too. It didn't happen overnight, but it did happen.

Your tunnel will have light at its end, faithful Christian. Just keep walking with Jesus.

-- Robert E. Maner, as quoted by Barbara Johnson in “So, Stick a Geranium in Your Hat and Be Happy!”

#6181

MINGLED WITH OTHERS

Jesus said to His disciples, “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”  (Matthew 5:13-16 NIV)

It is the nature of the divine savour [salt] which is in you, to spread to whatsoever you touch; to diffuse itself, on every side, to all those among whom you are.  This is the great reason why the providence of God has so mingled you together with [others], that whatever grace you have received of God may through you be communicated to others.  

-- John Wesley, quoted by Robert Schnase in “Five Practices of Fruitful Living”

#6180

THE TWILIGHT ZONE

“When Jesus spoke again to the people, He said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’”  (John 8:12 NIV)

It’s amazing how easily we adjust to darkness. When you go into a dark theater, you grope around until your eyes adjust. And then the darkness becomes quite comfortable. But go back outside, and your eyes water and you’re reaching for your sunglasses. The light actually hurts your eyes.

Our world lives in spiritual darkness, separated from God. Jesus said He is the Light of the world. But too often, people become comfortable in their own personal twilight zone, where the goal becomes reducing the Light, or even extinguishing it altogether so they can stay comfortable. We see this happening in our schools, our governments, and our social gatherings.

But the Light of Christ is stronger than any darkness. In a world of comfortable darkness, stay out of the twilight. Walk in the Light. Then be a light to guide others out of the darkness. 

-- Anne Graham Lotz in “Fixing My Eyes on Jesus”

#6172

THE QUESTION OF SUFFERING – Part 2 of 3

We may not be able to make out all the peripheral details of why, but there are some biblical truths that can illuminate some helpful points of light for us. Let me mention five that I've found helpful:

• First Point of Light: God is not the creator of evil and suffering.

Genesis 1:31 says everything God made “was very good.” But if God is not the author of evil, then where did it come from? God created us with free will so we could love Him -- because real love always entails the ability to love or not to love. Unfortunately, we abused our freedom by rejecting God’s love and walking away from Him. And that resulted in the introduction of evil into our lives and into the world.

• Second Point of Light: Though suffering is not good, God can use it to accomplish good.

Romans 8:28 promises: “In all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” Notice it doesn't say that God causes the evil and suffering, just that He will cause some kind of good to emerge. And it doesn't say we will see immediately or even in this life how God has brought good out of the bad circumstance -- just that it will happen for those of us who love Him.

• Third Point of Light: The day is coming when suffering will cease and God will judge evil.

“If God has the power to vanquish evil and suffering,” people ask, “then why doesn't He do it?” But just because He hasn't done it yet doesn't mean He won't do it. The Bible says the day will come when sickness and pain will be eradicated and people will be held accountable for the evil they've committed. Justice will be served…

Also, “the Lord is not slow in keeping His promise … He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). In other words, God hasn’t vanquished evil yet because He’s waiting to first reach some of us!

• Fourth Point of Light: Our suffering will pale in comparison to what God has in store for His followers.

Paul said in Romans 8:18: “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” This is not to deny the reality of pain in our lives. But after 354,484,545 days of pure bliss in heaven, we’ll look back and realize that these difficult days in this world aren't worth comparing to an eternity of blessings and joy with Him.

• Fifth Point of Light: We decide whether to turn bitter or turn to God for peace and courage.

We've all seen examples of how the same suffering that causes one person to turn bitter and reject God can cause another person to turn to God. We all make the choice to either run away from God or to run to Him. But as one who’s tried both responses, let me assure you: it’s much better to run to Him!

-- Lee Strobel in “The Case for Christianity Answer Book” 

#6164

ALL Y’ALL ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”  (Matthew 5:14-16)

Jesus is speaking to His gathered disciples and reveals what life in the Kingdom should look like… It’s important first to note that the “you” in verse 14 is plural and would better be translated as “all y’all”. So while there are places where the Scripture speaks of us individually reflecting God’s glory in our unique way, here Jesus tells His disciples: “All Y’all” (collectively) are the light of the world.

Think of it this way. People who get lost in a dark cave have a greater chance of finding their way out if someone lights and holds a single candle. However, they have a much greater chance of finding their way out if a thousand people who are spread all over the cave light and hold candles…

So if we are interpreting Jesus’ words correctly, God’s plan to light up the dark world is to send His disciples into the world to shine His glory through good works done from a heart full of love.

A plain reading of Ephesians 2:10 “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” indicates that God handcrafted you intending to use your life to share a unique part of His glory with the world through you… So we show God’s glory to the world as we express and reflect the goodness of God to the world through the good works He commands us to do in His name.

To return to the dark cave illustration, it’s as if God deploys a thousand people all holding their single candles spread into the different parts of the cave people are lost in and collectively uses those candles to draw an arrow of light to point to the way of escape and rescue. The creativity and wonder of it all takes my breath away.

May you let Christ shine through you as you do His work in the world. 

-- Rev. Tim Carson, former pastor at Estero Church, Florida

#6082

IT REFLECTS ON JESUS

“People do not light a lamp and put it under the bushel basket; rather, they put it on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.”  (Matthew 5:15-16 NRSV)

In coming to know Jesus, you have come to know yourself, too: naturally, this is more pleasant for some than for others, but to see yourself as you really are can never be entirely pleasant.  And when a Christian fails at something he ought to have done, it isn't just the failure that hurts -- there is also the knowledge that he has let Jesus down.  And those little shortcomings of ours, that used to matter so little, compared with the glaring faults of others: we know now that our temper, or our gloom, or our selfishness, reflects on Jesus; and knowing that people are judging your Lord by you is not always a joyous thought to live with. 

-- Robert MacColl Adams (1913-1985) in “Of Rice and Men” 

#5967

LIGHT OF THE WORLD

Jesus said: “Blessed are the poor in spirit,… those who mourn,… the meek,… those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,… the merciful,… the pure in heart,… the peacemakers,… those who are persecuted because of righteousness… Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me… You are the light of the world… Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. ”  (Excerpts from Matthew 5:3-15 NIV)

These blessed people really are the light of the world! They may only be one insignificant candle, but they give light to an entire house. When people in a dark world see the work of these citizens of the kingdom, the people give glory to God because they know there is still hope for this world!

This is who we are called to be as citizens of the kingdom of God. We may be amazed or surprised – that is exactly the response [Jesus] intended! The Beatitudes are not placid statements spoken softly. They are exclamations. We step out into the morning sun after a foggy night and exclaim, “Wow! Look at that sunshine!” We hear a great piece of music and come away exclaiming, “Wow! That’s really Beethoven!” The Beatitudes are similar exclamations. They exclaim “Wow! Look at the happiness of those who are citizens of the kingdom of God! This is really living; we just never saw it before!” 

-- James A. Harnish in “What Will You Do with King Jesus?”

#5879

THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD

Jesus said, “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”  (Matthew 5:14-16 NIV)

You are the light of the world – but only because you are enkindled, made radiant by the One Light of the World. And being kindled, we have got to get on with it, be useful. 

-- Evelyn Underhill

#5524

THE SHEPHERDS’ RESPONSE

“So the [shepherds] hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the Baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen Him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this Child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.”  (Luke 2:16-20 NIV)

The greatest brightness of the whole birth narrative comes in the shepherds' response. You see, had the shepherds only heard the message and gone back to sheep tending, we would think they were foolish. Had they found a baby and then gone home with a satisfied knowledge, we might consider them extremely fortunate to have been in the right place at the right time. Yet, what they did was greater. They proceeded to tell everyone around them, everywhere they could go, what they had heard and seen; and then they praised and glorified God for it all. The shepherds took on the role of the angels themselves, new messengers of salvation and good news; and in doing so, they extended the light of God's loving Word far beyond where it might have gone otherwise that night. The light of this news, this new day, was carried far and wide; and all who heard it were amazed and still are.

As we hear the shepherds' story, we find our task as the followers of Christ this Christmas. That is, we are called to bear the light of the news of the coming of Christ to this world, to carry the brightness of this gospel… The extent of this light is only limited by our self-limitation and unwillingness to share the message, or lack of faith in believing that the message is that profound, that world-changing… Who do you know who needs the light of Christ's love offered to him or her? 

-- Randy Cross in “Born to Save: An Advent Study Based on the Revised Common Lectionary”

#5504

A LIGHT HAS DAWNED

This December my wife and I are renting a lake house near our daughter in Michigan. It has a great view of the Canadian Lakes. The other morning while it was still dark I looked out and saw about 20 Canada geese sitting on top of a thin layer of new ice. They were facing west and it was cold and dark. But as the pre-dawn sunlight began to paint the sky with color, they began to stir. Then as soon as the sun broke the horizon they got up, did an about face, waddled about 20 yards, and sat down, facing the light that had dawned.

It reminded me of Isaiah’s passage: “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned… For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isiah 9:2,6 NIV)         

Unfortunately, many in our world today are not even as responsive as the geese, ignoring the Light of Christ that has come into our world. It does require an about face, for many are walking away from the light into a darker and darker world.  Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12 NIV)

-- David T. Wilkinson, SOUND BITES Ministry

#5494

LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS

“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness -- on them light has shined.”  (Isaiah 9:2 NRSV)

It may come from a star. But somehow Christmas means seeing all of life in a new light. We live so much of our lives engulfed by the darkness of stumbling among the shadows of our selfishness. We live in a world beclouded by evil and hostility, by greed and hatred. Light means liberation! Light means freedom! Light means a new, better and brighter day! As people who walk so often in darkness, may we see a great light -- the light and splendor of Christmas.

Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”  (John 8:12 NIV)

-- Don G. Smith, from an article entitled “Musings on a Miracle”

#5248

DEEDS DONE IN SECRET

“He who walks uprightly walks securely; but he who takes a crooked way shall be found out and punished.”  (Proverbs 10:9 AMP)

Scripture says to shun even the “appearance” of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:22). There’s a reason for this. If you always walk circumspectly, never giving anyone cause to question your motives, you’ll never have to retrace your steps or explain yourself. But those deeds done in secret will always come to the light of day. So make it a practice to live your life as though you were living on a stage before the whole world. 

-- From “God’s Little Book of Proverbs: Timeless Wisdom for Daily Living”

#5206

STEPPING INTO THE LIGHT

“Do not merely listen to the Word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the Word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the Perfect Law that gives freedom, and continues in it -- not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it -- they will be blessed in what they do.”  (James 1:22–25 NIV)

Experience is the matrix in which change is forged.  Usually the realization that we have a need to change begins with an experience.  The experiences we are especially interested in here are those that are symptoms of deeper needs; things that reveal wrong attitudes, fears, destructive behaviors, and so on.

The appropriate response to an insight gained through experience is to turn to the Scriptures ... God’s Word illuminates.  It penetrates our clouds of self-deception and shows things as they really are.  It takes courage to step into the light in this way.  To be confronted with the truth about ourselves can be like getting caught with no clothes on.  But we must see things as they are before we can do what needs to be done.

[To say yes to what the Scriptures say about us] takes a certain attitude on our part.  It is humility ... Prayer and worship are the language of humility. 

-- Jim Peterson in “Lifestyle Discipleship”

#5115

LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE

"You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."  (Matthew 5:14-16 NIV)

The Word of God tells us that we are the light that Christ has set in this dark world. We are given the noble task of shining bright so that God could be seen, heard, felt, and be praised and glorified even by those who do not know Him. Truly, it is an honor to be chosen by God to represent Him in this world. 

-- J.B. Cachila in an article entitled “3 Ways to Shine the Light of Christ to the People Around Us” at chrstianitytoday.com 

#5020

REJOICE, REJOICE

"A thrill of hope, a weary world rejoices, for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn." (“O Holy Night” by Placide Cappeau)

This classic carol captures the harshness and hope that collide every Christmas, especially in 2020. The world is weary. As the nights grew longer, we were feeling our way to the end of an unprecedented year. The typical comforts and joys of the season were elusive. And the sorrows we already carried became a little harder to bear.

Yet into that darkness, a bright light has dawned: Christ has come. God breaks into our weariness and sorrow with the light of His Son, Jesus Christ.

The story of Christmas is the story of people in darkness finding light, of weary people finding hope, of grieving people finding reason to rejoice.

"The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." (John 1:5) 

-- Covenant Life Church, Gaithersburg, Maryland

#5001