Jack Davis
“Every good and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” James 1:17
“God is Light” – I Jn. 1:5, “This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.” Whatever God has spoken is for the illumination of mankind. He said: “Let there be light.” Also He has given, spiritual enrichment, and enlightenment for believing humanity. The Apostle Paul wrote; “I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ; That in everything ye are enriched by Him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: so that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” – I Cor. 1:4-7. Contrary to what some teach, God’s precious Word contains all that we need to prepare us to meet our dear Lord in the air.
Our Father’s great giving flows from His throne, through His Son, to us, and through us as living waters. Jesus told the woman at the well; “If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith unto thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water” – Jn. 4:10. God knew all that we would need, and provided for it long before we could ever think to ask. He so loved that He gave, that we might have everlasting life. He spared not his own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, that He might with Him, also freely give us all things.
Thank God, we “know the grace (gift) of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, for our sakes he became poor, that we through his poverty might be rich” II Cor. 8:9. Our attitude might well be, “Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift” – II Cor. 9:15. We are prone to ask for, and expect “things” from God, while it is His ultimate purpose to share more and more of His Son with us. The eyes, ears, and heart of natural man cannot grasp the measure of God’s great giving. Of all that He has prepared for them that love Him. He has therefore sent to us His Holy Spirit, to make known unto us the things that are freely given to us of God (I Cor. 2:9-14). The Apostle Paul earnestly prayed that the Father of glory would give unto His people the “spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; That ye might know” (the reality of) His calling, His inheritance, and His power (Eph. 1:17-19).
Our Father has given us the Holy Spirit that we not only realize all that is available, what we may desire and expect, but also how to receive and give good gifts like our Father. He even puts it into our hearts to want the good that He has for us. “Ask, and it shall be given unto you; seek, and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you…what man is there of you, whom if his son shall ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall you Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask Him?” Mt. 7:7, 9-11.
As Adam’s descendants we just seem to naturally go after that which is not bread - Isa. 55:2. Many Christian parents are giving their children “stones for bread, and for fish the serpent.” Oh Lord awaken your people, before it is too late. In answer to prayer in His will, we receive, find, and have opened to us all the good that our Father knows is best for us. There is so much misinformation, and false conception as to how God’s giving is to be obtained, or realized. As there was also in the days of the early church. Simon thought to make purchase of God’s giving with money - Acts 8:14-24.
LIGHT for winning, and reigning: God, as the light, will be manifested in His fullness in that eternal state, “And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever” Rev. 22:5.
God’s Son – The Light: “And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof” – Rev. 21:23. “In him was life; and the life was the light of men” – Jn. 1:4. Jesus said; “I am the light of the world…” Jn. 8:12. In Hebrews 1:2,3, we read that God has spoken unto us in these last days by his Son…”Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of (God) the Majesty on high.”
Oh, hallelujah; in Jesus may be seen God’s effulgence, i.e., the “brightness of His Glory.” He is the Lord’s light person, the out-raying of the Divine. Praise God there is coming a day, when this will be universally seen. In I Timothy 6, we read of the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ; “Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, King of kings, and Lord of lords: Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see; to whom be honour, and power everlasting, Amen” – Vs. 14-16.
God’s Son as light absolute is unapproachable to darkened humanity. But God by His wonderful Word, reveals Him as our Savior, “Who hath abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel.” He has commanded the light of the glorious gospel to shine into our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of His glory in the face of Jesus Christ. Therefore we who are privileged to have this treasure, the Christ life light, may begin to see Him as He is and are being changed from Glory to Glory.
Children of Light: We, having been begotten by the Father of lights, through His Son the light of the world, are now called light in the Lord. We also are encouraged to go on in the light and shine in Bridal brilliance, Consider Revelation 21:10-11, “And he carried me away in the spirit to a great high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending from God out of heaven, Having the glory of God: and her light was like a stone most precious…”.
“The Lord is my Light:” “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple” – Ps. 27:1,4.
It is indeed good to know Jesus as the light of the world, but better yet in a personal way as the light of our life. Divine illumination when appropriated leads to worship, as we may realize from these scriptures, David speaks this from calm assurance that was his in the reality of experience. God has promised light as we find recorded throughout the Scriptures. Yet it seems that few are claiming His promise. Let us not think of Him as just what He could be, would be or should be, not just what He wants to be or what I want to make Him, but by faith what He IS, presently and for all time, He is my Light. I count on no brightness of my own.
We read in the Psalms, “For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly” – 84:11. “Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness…” – 112:4. “The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple. Thy word is a lamb unto my feet, and a light unto my path” – 119:130, 105. “For thou wilt light my candle: the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness” – 18:28. Thank God for such promises, and the faith for claiming them. “They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed” – 34:5. Praise God, for encouragement to look unto Him for enlightenment. For it does not came by looking into the darkness, nor by fellowship therewith. We are warned and urged to come out from the darkness, and to have no fellowship with it (II Cor. 6:14 & Eph. 5:6-16). Hallelujah! We have been called out of the darkness into God’s marvelous light. Glory to God forever for delivering us from the power of darkness, and translating us into the kingdom of his dear Son.
“My Light:” Knowing Him, by divine illumination in a personal, practical way is a glorious privilege. Light absolute had been prepared, provided and promised for every Christian conduct. All that we do is to be performed in the realm of divine light. WALK Jesus said, “…he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” – Jn. 8:12. “Walk while ye have the light…” – Jn. 12:35,36. “For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light” – Eph. 5:8. WORK Jesus said, “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. I must work the works of Him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh; when no man can work” – Jn. 9:5,4. He illustrated the truth of what He said, in the act that followed. He healed the man who was blind from birth – Jn. 9:35-38. The work of this healing illustrates several precious things, but I would like to point out that it is by divine enlightenment that we become true Worshippers.
WORSHIPPERS: “God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” – Jn. 4:24. “For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh” – Phil. 3:3. Thank God for the Word’s enlightenment unto Spiritual worship.
WITNESS: “Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; holding forth the word of life” – Phil. 2:14-16. It is important to be a witness as well as giving witness. Let your light so shine before men that they will glorify your Father in heaven…”But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day” – Prov. 4:18. With the light of the Christ life within, our lives are not only illuminated, but also illuminating. “They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever” – Dan. 12:3. I am certain that we will be rewarded for partaking of and sharing what light we have.
WARFARE: There is no way to fight and win in spiritual warfare against the rulers of the darkness of this world, without being clothed with the “armour of light” – Rom. 13:12. Much of religion today teaches men to resist the forces of darkness with human enlightenment. How foolish! We only overcome by the power of His might, equipped by the armour of His light.
WATCHING: I believe being current with the light of the glorious gospel, will keep us alert to the signs of the times. Satan would like to dull our hearts and minds with spiritual drowsiness, and drunken indifference in order to keep us from the wise conduct of those who are awake, awaiting, and loving our Lord’s appearing.
“Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober” – I Thess. 5:5,6.
J. D.
