Stepping in the Light

“But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” II Corinthians 3:18

Paul says here that when we read the Word of God, we can see the glory of the Lord, and we are gradually changed to be more and more like His image as we allow the Holy Spirit to work in our lives. This is a lifelong process, so it doesn’t happen if we just open the Bible randomly and read one verse. He says it happens “from glory to glory,” or from one transformation to the next. The example Paul uses in the preceding verses is what happened when Moses came back down from the mountain where he had been meeting with God. Moses had been in the presence of God so long that his face was literally shining. His face shone so brightly that the people could not bear to look at him, and they asked that he put a veil over his face. Paul said that some people seem to have a veil over their faces when they read the Bible because it doesn’t have an effect on them. He is encouraging us to read God’s Word with an “open face” so that the truths of scripture will take effect and make a difference in our lives. We should have a desire for the truth to have an impact on our lives. Be honest with yourself. Is the Bible changing you? God wants us to always be growing spiritually. These changes happen slowly, but they should be happening. We should be becoming more loving, more patient, and more compassionate each day.

“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.” Proverbs 3:5-7

We trust people to varying degrees, depending upon how well we know them, how their actions make us feel, and how highly we regard their character. We trust other drivers that we don’t even know to stay in their lane as we go down the road. We may trust someone we don’t know to wash a vehicle for us. If we know them well, we might even allow them to borrow our car to run an errand. If we really have confidence in someone, we may trust them to babysit our children for a few hours. Our trust in God is to be much more encompassing than all of these examples. We are to trust Him with all of our hearts. The verse says that we should not lean to our own understanding. There is a certain way that we view life. We have our own individual value system, and we are very particular about the things that are most important to us. God has a plan for our lives that sometimes runs counter to our way of thinking. He knows what we need, and He knows when we need it. He knows what will make our lives most productive and enjoyable. He knows how to give us what is truly good for us. When our situation in life does not seem to match up with our understanding or our desires, we have to be willing to trust in the Lord. Whatever disappointments we may face today, God wants us to trust in Him to see us through.

“A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels: To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.” Proverbs 1:5-6

There are degrees of hearing. We regularly hear sounds in the background that we don’t really notice. We can hear someone talking, but not really be paying attention to what they are saying. We can hear a series of words when someone is speaking, but not understand what they mean by what they said. But the kind of hearing referred to in the passage above is the kind from which we learn something because we are paying attention. Have you ever wondered how someone got so smart? The Bible says that the way to learn is to listen; not giving a casual hearing, but listening with an earnest intensity and a desire to truly understand. Wisdom and knowledge never engulf anyone all at once. There is a process by which we can learn more based on what we already know. The verse says, “A man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels.” This word gives the sense of procurement or ownership. Wise people recognize the speech of someone who has knowledge and wisdom and will listen with the goal of gaining some of that knowledge and wisdom for themselves. This is the way that we can learn to understand both the proverb and the interpretation, the words of the wise and their dark sayings (hard questions or riddles). God’s Word is speaking to us. We hear the speech of wise people. Are we really listening?

“And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.” I Corinthians 15:45

Genesis 2:7 says, “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” When God gave Adam life, he became what we refer to as a living soul. We can refer to every person in this way, and yet, Jesus said to Nicodemus in John 3:6-7, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.” Nicodemus had physical life, but Jesus said that he needed spiritual life. In the passage above, Paul refers to Jesus as the “last Adam.” He was referring back to verse 22 in the same chapter, which says, “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” The creation of Adam marked the beginning of the physical life of humans, but the resurrection of Jesus Christ opened the source of our spiritual life. The word quickening used here means life giving. In context, Paul is speaking specifically of the resurrection of the dead. Only those who are saved will experience the resurrection to life eternal, and that is because Jesus gives us spiritual life. He is that quickening spirit within us. And while eternity with God is an exciting prospect, Jesus brings spiritual life to us even now. Every day, the impact of the quickening spirit of Christ is available to us. Jesus came that we might have life, and that we might have it more abundantly (John 10:10).

“For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” I Corinthians 15:9-10

The Apostle Paul was used by God to take the gospel to an astoundingly wide audience during his lifetime and to pen roughly one fourth of the New Testament. He was a zealous and driven individual who tirelessly worked to spread the message of Jesus Christ with an amazing efficiency. But Paul did not believe that he was worthy of any commendation or recognition because of the fact that he persecuted Christians before He was saved. No matter how far he travelled on his missionary journeys and no matter how many souls were saved as a result of his efforts, he still remembered the people he had hurt and the damage he had done to the cause of Christ. Paul recognized that it was God’s grace that allowed him to become a Christian, it was God’s grace that set him apart as an apostle, and it was God’s grace that inspired him and enabled him to work for the Lord. Paul recognized God’s calling upon his life, and he felt responsible to do something with it. God has a plan for each one of us. He has people for us to help and encourage. He has responsibilities for us to fulfill. He leads each one of us individually and enables us to do what He wants us to do. By God’s grace, each one of us can carry out His plan in our lives.

“Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.” Psalm 143:10

What if God were pleased with everything that you did? In Psalm 143, David asks God to teach him how to do His will. David recognized that God is good and desired for his own character to be good as well. He asked the Lord to lead him into the “land of uprightness.” This land of uprightness is not a physical location or an imaginary place. David is referring to a way of living or a level of godly character that can only be obtained by submitting ourselves to God’s will. Paul talked about walking in the spirit in Galatians 5. He said that when we walk in the spirit, we will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. David had a great desire to live this kind of life. In the course of a basketball game, one player may have a stretch of several minutes where it seems that he can do no wrong. He makes every shot he attempts and he manages to stop his opponents each time on defense. We sometimes refer to that player as being “in the zone” during that time. Everything is going right. No player experiences such success by accident. These impressive performances are the result of years of consistent practice and an investment of a great deal of effort and intensity each time he steps on the court. A similar passion and focus is required in the life of a Christian who wants to please the Lord with his life. If we are going to walk in the spirit, if we are going to live in the “land of uprightness,” if we are going to be “in the zone” as a Christian; we are going to have to cultivate a desire to know the Word of God and to do His will.

“For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle? So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air. There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification.” I Corinthians 14:8-10

In I Corinthians 14, Paul is instructing the church at Corinth about the importance of creating clear communication of God’s Word every time a local congregation of believers is gathered together. This passage has often been misunderstood, but it is actually very clear what Paul is talking about when we are careful to examine every verse in the context of the entire chapter. The words tongue and voice are both used in here to refer to languages. In verse 10, Paul assures us that every language can be understood by someone. The purpose of language is communication. When we assemble together to worship the Lord, His Word should be proclaimed clearly so that everyone present can understand. Our lives are an example to the people around us. Once our peers know that we are Christians, they begin to interpret the things that we say and do as being representative of what the Bible teaches. If it is true that God’s message should be heard clearly in the church, then it is also true that it should be clearly seen in us. By watching us, can others get a clear picture of God’s love, or are we guilty of giving off an uncertain sound?

“By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion. We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof. For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion. How shall we sing the LORD’S song in a strange land?” Psalm 137:1-4

As the Israelites’ hearts ached to return to their homeland, their Babylonian captors asked them to provide some entertainment. The Babylonians asked the Israelites to sing some of the songs of Zion. Israel’s capitol city, Jerusalem, was built on Mount Zion; and references to Zion often implied the temple of God that King Solomon had built there. The Israelite songbook was filled with songs of joy and praise that focused on the power and goodness of God. The Israelites had refused to obey God’s laws for many years and, as a result, God had allowed them to be taken into captivity. Their homes had been burned, the walls of the city had been torn down, and the temple had been destroyed. They said, “How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land?” If they sang the songs about God’s power and might, it would bring up the question of why they were in captivity. Was it because the Babylonians were stronger than the God of Israel, or because they had disobeyed God’s commands? The former was a reproach upon God and the latter was an embarrassment to themselves. We serve a powerful God. When we obey His commands, we will enjoy His blessings, and that gives us a reason to sing His praises.

“O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.” Psalm 136:1

It is difficult for us to appreciate the mercy of God unless we acknowledge our sinful condition. This psalm is written from the viewpoint of the Israelite people as a nation, but it reaches to all mankind in its scope. It is a psalm of thanksgiving for the mercy of God, and its beautiful poetic structure emphasizes the theme by repeating the phrase “for his mercy endureth forever” in every verse. The psalm begins with the foundational premise that God is good. Some people have a difficult time agreeing with this observation of the nature of God because they see the evil things that happen here on earth, and they blame God for allowing them to happen. They think that if God were really good in His nature, He would not allow events that we view as negative to take place. However, as we link together the message of the psalm woven through the repeated phrases, we find several convincing arguments that we do indeed serve a good and merciful God. The psalm sets forth that God is good, that He is preeminent, and that He is the Creator before giving specific examples of God’s goodness to the nation of Israel in delivering them from their enemies and giving them a land for an inheritance. Verse 23 says, “Who remembered us in our low estate.” The Israelites were slaves who did not deserve anything, but God showed mercy to them. Verse 25 points out that God feeds every living thing. He is good to us, whether we realize it or not. Thank God that His mercy still endures today!

“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” Psalm 133:1

When Jesus prayed for the church in John chapter 17, He prayed that they would be one. He was praying that we would have unity. Unity is important in a church, in a home, in a marriage, in an office setting, in a factory, or on a ball field. David knew something about the importance of unity. He had seven older brothers. He was anointed king while his predecessor was still alive. He commanded a band of misfits who began to follow him because they were discontented with King Saul. He fought on many battlefields and led great armies. His son Absalom had another one of his sons killed. Absalom eventually led a revolt against his father. Joab, the captain of David’s army, killed anyone that he perceived to be a threat to his position. David knew what it was like when there was no unity, but he had also experienced the excitement as the Israelite army rallied together to defeat Philistines when he killed Goliath. He heard them singing his name in the streets after their great victory. First in Hebron, and then in Jerusalem, he had seen the people come together to make him king. There is power in unity. It will make any connected group of people better, more effective, and more pleasant to be a part of. Jesus said in Matthew 5:9, “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” Are you a peacemaker? Do you work to bring people together? It is a wonderful thing when we can dwell together in unity.