From: Beverly French [frenchb@vcss.k12.ca.us]
Sent: Sunday, September 14, 2003 6:50 AM
To: Heritage
Subject: Blessed Greetings

"For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
 The Lord gives grace and glory;
 No good things does He withhold from those who walk uprightly." Psalm 84:11

We closed last week with this Psalm and I felt we could spend a little time with God as our light and shield.  In this world of such darkness it is good from time to time to focus on the light and truth that is ours in Christ.

Quoting from Isaiah Jesus tells us in Matthew 4:16,
"The people who were sitting in darkness saw a great light,
  And to those who were sitting in the land and shadow of death,  Upon them a light dawned."

In the Old Testament light was promised:
To the obedient:
"Light is sown like seed for the righteous,
 And gladness for the upright in heart."  Psalm 94:11

To the upright:
"Light arises in the darkness for the upright..."  Psalm 112:4

To the just:
"But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day."  Proverbs 4:18

To the future church:
"Your sun will set no more,
 Neither will your moon wane;
 For you will have the Lord for an everlasting light."  Isaiah 60:20

Speaking of the Word who is Christ Jesus,  John tells us, "In Him was life, and the life was the light of men."  John l:4

Then in John 8:12, "Again therefore Jesus spoke to them, saying, 'I am the light of the world; he who follows Me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life.'"

"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."  1 John 1:5

Since Christ is the light and those who follow Him walk in light, hence those who do not follow Him are in darkness, therefore I say there is such darkness in the world!

"And this is the judgment, that the light is come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light for their deeds were evil.  For everyone who does evil hates the light, and does not come into the light, lest his deeds should be exposed."  John 3:19-20

For the Believer the light is already shining in our hearts as the Apostle Paul tells us, "For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."  2 Corinthians 4:6

He also tells us in Romans 13:12"...Let us therefore lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light."

And Paul says,
"...Now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light." Ephesians 5:14

The Apostle John gives us a sobering word in 1 John 2: 7-11 as he tightly ties light and love of the brethren together.  (Read the whole passage.) "The one who says he is in the light and yet hates his brother is in the darkness until now. The one who loves his brother abides in the light and there is no cause for stumbling in him.  But the one who hates his brother abides in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes."  Vs 9-11

I close with the chorus of a song we sing in our Fellowship: "Love, life, light are mine When I draw from Christ my King. Peace, joy, they truly shine When I see Him in everything."

Only in Christ our Lord and King do we have life, light and true love. Glory to Him now and forever.  Amen