Dark Places

Dark Places
LYSA TERKEURST

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

Do you ever have little places of discouragement that entangle your heart? You know in the bigger picture of life, things are good. But there’s this little dark place. A little black hole. That sometimes doesn’t always feel little.

It hangs like a cloud — blocking the sun, casting shadows.

Maybe it’s an argument you've had with a family member one too many times. Your relationship is good, but this one topic feels like a black hole.

Maybe it’s an issue with one of your kids. You have an amazing child, but there is this one behavioral tendency that baffles you, embarrasses you and causes you to fear. It feels like a black hole.

Or maybe it’s a recurring frustration with a friend. She’s amazing, but there’s this one part of your friendship that darkens the collective good. And you can’t figure out how to address it. Now it’s happening more frequently, and it feels like a black hole.

I know. It’s hard.

Recently, I was up at night praying and crying out to God to help me better process some of the hard situations in my own life.

I asked God to shed some of His light on what I’m struggling through so I don’t get lost in the darkness of confusion. His voice wasn’t loud or definitive. Just a slight shift of my thoughts to be more in line with truth, and I knew light was defeating my darkness:

Look at all the prayers that have been answered with this situation.

Small changes. The big, grand finale I keep hoping for hasn’t yet come. But might I notice the beautiful symphony of hopeful notes in the in-between?

Look at the strength I’m gaining in the process.

Every time I turn to God and ask Him to shed light on my situation, I’m trading a little of my struggle for a bit of His strength.

Look at the reality that a black hole isn’t a black whole.

The whole isn’t all bad. Yes, there are some issues to address and some tensions to manage, but I can’t let Satan use this frustration to darken my outlook.

Jesus reminds us, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12b, NIV). He also assures us in our key verse that darkness cannot win against light, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5).

Ask Jesus to shed His light on your situation today. Look at this from Jesus’ perspective. Use truth to do something positive in this area today. Invest the time to make a little imperfect progress right there in your dark place.

A dark place that won’t be so dark with a little light cast upon it.

Father God, I need Your light. Light defeats darkness every time. While I might not have all the answers to my struggles right now, I am seeing more hope than ever. Jesus is my light. And because of Him, even my darkest nights aren’t so daunting and confusing. Thank You for leading me. Thank You for loving me. Thank You for lighting the way for me — day by day. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:
Matthew 5:14-16, “You are the light of the world — like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” (NLT)

The Power Within, By Dr. Charles Stanley

The Power Within

By Dr. Charles Stanley

Acts 1:8

God's Spirit works in every believer. He does not limit Himself to pastors and missionaries. If you've received Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, then residing within you is the same great power that raised Christ from the dead (Rom 8:11) The Holy Spirit pours His energy into creating godly character in all who follow the Lord.

The fruit of the Spirit is so named because it is the character and conduct that the Holy Spirit produces in believers. These are qualities that we can't generate consistently on our own. The most powerful message we can give isn't a testimony or sermon; it is the life we live when the pressure is on, temptation is tremendous, or we are buried under an avalanche of problems.

What the world most needs to see in this modern culture is godly families loving one another, business people working with integrity and frugality, and young men and women who choose moral purity. In a word, the world needs to be exposed to believers who are obedient.

By showing peace instead of anxiety or practicing patience rather than speaking a sharp word, a Christian bears witness to the beauty of the gospel. We attract unbelievers to Christ through our words and deeds. They may turn down a doctrine, but they cannot ignore a righteous life.

The strongest gospel message does not come from a pulpit. The most powerful witness for Jesus Christ where you work, where you live, and where you relax is you. Submit to the Holy Spirit's work, and He will produce a great harvest of spiritual fruit in your life.

Not What You Wanted?

Not What You Wanted?
by Alex Crain

"What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you?" - James 4:1

A holiday edition of the TV show "America's Funniest Home Videos" showed various children opening their presents on Christmas morning. Apparently, it's hard for many kids to see humor in getting an unwanted gift. Most of their reactions were, well… downright childish.

When the ribbons and paper were torn off, one child pulled out a new pair of socks, threw her head back and erupted in an angry sob. A matching outfit given to another child produced a tantrum across the floor followed by stomping footsteps up the stairs. Other children glowered with frowns and snarls. One even screamed at the parent holding the video camera, then hurled the unwanted gift back in his face. Not exactly the funniest home videos.

In contrast to all the immaturity and ingratitude came a bright ray of hope at the end of the montage as a little brown-haired girl in pink pajamas ecstatically jumped up and down with glee. She held in her hands a tiny chestnut and spun around to the camera exclaiming, "A nut! A nut! I got a nut! I don't know what kind it is, but I got a nut!" 

James 4:1-6 says that sinful responses erupt from hearts that are controlled by overwhelming desires. They don't have to be sinful desires necessarily. The degree to which "harmless" desires become sinful is shown by what happens when things don't turn out as you hoped or expected. Whether it is irritability, or an angry tantrum or a sulking frown; sinful responses show that something in the heart has replaced God.

Notice verse 1 where James asks the question (paraphrasing), "Why are you so upset? What's the real problem in your heart?" And then he answers with divine wisdom, "I'll tell you what the matter is: it's your pleasures—your desires—that are waging war within you. And the result is sinful fights and quarrels." 

Certainly, there's nothing inherently sinful about simply having desires in life. God created us to have desires. There are many good things to desire in life: having adequate food, clothing and shelter, having a happy marriage, getting a promotion at work, buying a nice car. There is nothing wrong with these kinds of desires… nothing inherently wrong, that is.

The problems come when, in our hearts, those desires turn into something else. The word translated as "lust" in verse 2 is actually "desire" with the added element of "strong craving." Epithumeo is not a word that necessarily means "lust" in the sexual sense. The idea conveyed in the original text is "you are controlled by desire." In other words, some desire—perhaps, even for a good thing—has gotten so wrapped around your heart, that it has become more important than God to you.

Whenever this happens, the result is sinful behavior. And the sin of the heart that must be confessed first in cases like this is no less than the sin of idolatry. False worship occurs whenever worship of the true God is replaced with the god of "my way." 

What a peaceful contrast is painted in verse 6. God gives grace to the humble. That is, those who humbly submit their desires to God and trust Him as the sovereign provider of needs are given grace. Grace here is the desire and ability to obey God and respond in a way that pleases Him. Such recipients of grace are able, then, to deal with whatever happens—whether the present under the tree is a pair of socks, a cool skateboard, the keys to a new car, or a tiny chestnut.

Intersecting Faith & Life: Does your situation today resemble what you expected or wanted in life? What is your response to this? Think back to a recent outburst of anger, or incident in which you showed irritability. Trace it back to the unfulfilled desire that had control of your heart. What was it that you wanted? Ask God to reveal any desires seeking to control your heart so that you can humbly submit them to Him and release them to His sovereign care. Repent of any lingering idolatry. Ask Him for grace to deal with whatever happens. Trust Him to provide for your needs.

How to Certainly Know the Plans God Has for You

How to Certainly Know the Plans God Has for You
By John UpChurch

All around the prophet Jeremiah, the whole world seemed to be falling apart. His home, his nation, his people—everything continued to slip away. But right in the midst of this dark time, God gave a promise that still fills us with hope today.

Perhaps you have come face to face with the sorrow that Jeremiah felt. Perhaps you, too, know what it’s like to see everything fall apart all around you. You know the pain, the uncertainty.

But do you know the promise?

God gave this pledge to the people of Israel who lived in exile, but it’s no less true to any of us who follow Jesus. He does have a plan and purpose for us that—while not always easy—is assuredly for our good and His glory (Romans 8).

So, how can we know this plan He has for us? And how can we walk confidently in it?

Listen Up

Before God gave this famous promise, He warned the people of Israel not to listen to false voices (Jeremiah 29:8–9). The same is true for you. All around, you’ll hear advice from a number of sources about what your purpose is, why you’re here on earth, and how to overcome challenges. In fact, all these voices can be deafening.

But knowing the plans God has for you means listening to the One who has them. You need to make time in your daily life to stop and read God’s Word and speak to Him. That’s the only way you can navigate the cacophony of opinions that come barreling at you. When you know your Creator and His voice, you can hear Him above the noise.

The more you grow accustomed to His Word, the more confident you’ll feel in His guidance through the Holy Spirit.

Action step: Make margin in your life for prayer and Bible study. You need to hear God’s voice above the roar of the world.

Keep Your Head Up

God spoke this passage to the people of Israel who had been dragged away in exile far from their homes. They faced some very tough times, but He didn’t want the former loss to be their focus. Instead, He wanted them to focus on the future hope.

The same is true for you. When you face challenges, you’ll want to quit or change directions. But if you’ve been spending time listening to God, challenges don’t necessarily mean that you need to throw in the towel. In fact, it could very well be the challenges themselves that prepare you for God’s purpose in your life.

When officials tossed the apostle Paul in prison, he didn’t take that as a sign that he should pack it up and return home. He used the opportunity to sing praises and witness to the jailer and his family (Acts 16).

If your children seem like they’re running farther and farther from Christ, if your marriage isn’t getting any better, if no job has opened up, don’t let those circumstances drag you down. Look for opportunities to shine the light of Christ even more. Ask God to keep molding you through the trials.

Keep believing that God is up to something, even if you can’t see it yet. After all, God’s purpose for our lives often leads us through the valley to refine us.

Action step: If you’re in the heart of a bad situation, take a moment to pray about and look for opportunities that God may have for you. Take stock of how God is using this tough time to change you.

Look up—to the Cross

God gave an amazing promise to the Israelites of Jeremiah’s day:

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13)

Not long afterward, God would fulfill all the promises He’d made to them. You see, from Genesis 3:15 to the exile into Babylon (and their later return), God had been telling them of a Savior, a promised One, a Messiah. And God wanted His people to remember that He would fulfill His Word to them.

In our case, all of God’s plans and promises for our lives begin with the cross. Our purpose on this earth starts at Calvary with the death of Jesus and proceeds to the tomb with His resurrection. As a Christian, we’re here to share that good news in all that we do. That’s at the heart of what God intends for us, and His purpose will never take you away from being ambassadors of His grace (2 Corinthians 5:20).

So, any plan God has for you will start and end with Jesus. You’ll have the opportunity to share the good news about Him in whatever situation God intends for you.

Action step: Take inventory of your goals and aspirations. Is Jesus at the center of them? If not or you’re not sure, ask God to help you keep the cross in sight.

A Christmas Prayer for Your Children

A Christmas Prayer for Your Children
By Tim Counts

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” 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

Father,

As I picked up my 2-year-old son out of his crib this morning, hearing him chatter in toddler-talk about the mini Christmas tree in his room, it struck me that Your Son not only came as a little baby but also grew up as a boy. The Word who became flesh learned how to form words with his mouth. How incredible. How humble. How like us and yet unlike us you are, Jesus.

As we approach Christmas Day, my prayer is that my children would not miss Jesus for Christmas. I know this starts with me, Father.  Would you strip away idols of materialism and picture-perfect white Christmases from my heart and help me to shine the spotlight on Jesus brightly this Christmas?

Would you answer the prayer that all of the decorations and cookies and parties and even Christmas programs this Advent season would not cover up the manger, but rather point my children to it?

May Christmas cookies remind them that only in Jesus will they “taste and see that the LORD is good!” (Psalms 34:8)

May even gifts this Christmas point them to the greatest treasure, Your own Son.

May our Christmas tree point to the tree that the Messiah would die on for their sins.

May we celebrate like people who have a reason to celebrate, because the good news of great joy that a Savior has come is the greatest reason to celebrate.  But as we enjoy our celebration, may we never forget the reason we’re celebrating.

I know that this would take a miracle to do in my children’s hearts just as it takes a miracle in my heart, but I confess with the angel Gabriel, “For nothing will be impossible with God.” (Luke 1:37) I know that You long for my children to behold and to believe in Jesus more than I do Father, because You are zealous for Your own glory.  Make it so–as the star shone for the magi, shine in my children’s hearts so they can see the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 4:6). This Christmas, as the angels pointed the shepherds to the glory that was in the manger that night, help my wife and I to point our children to the Glorious One who is reigning in Heaven today because He was lying in the manger that night.

We adore you, Jesus. May this Christmas be about adoring You! In Your name we pray, Amen.

Christmas Lights

Christmas Lights
by Ryan Duncan

Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. – James 1:12 

When I was still a child living in Illinois, my father drafted me into his yearly Christmas decorating. Every December, with the snow heavy on the ground, the two of us would bundle up and tramp outside to begin putting up the Christmas lights. I hated putting up Christmas lights. The process always took forever, robbing me of my well-deserved break from school. To make matters worse, my father had a fondness for those icicle-styled lights that were supposed to drip down from the rooftop in merry "winter-wonderland" fashion.

Except the high winds always blew the strands of light up into the gutters, so once again we would have to go outside and set them right. It got to the point where I would do anything to avoid putting up Christmas lights. I hid, I threw tantrums, I’d sulk, and eventually my father decided dealing with both me and lights was too much work and set me free. Looking back now, I regret how short-sighted I was. I was so upset at having to do a few hours' work that I never realized how beautiful our house looked when it was all lit up, or how fulfilling it was to know I had helped my father make it that way.

It’s funny how our Christian walk can mirror the experience of setting up holiday decorations. At times it can be difficult, and we can resent what we believe we're being denied, but take a look at what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 9:

"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.” – 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

Life offers us plenty of easy roads, and when it comes to living out the Christian life, these paths can be especially tempting. The world will tell us to go with the flow of the current of culture, to follow the past of least resistance, but God calls us to do differently. Christians are meant to reflect Christ’s glory on Earth, and this cannot be done without hard work, sacrifice, and grace. So whether you serve God through ministry, or simply through your everyday life, remember to live in a way deserving of the prize.