Friday, January 17, 2014

Ignite 365: A True Christian? (18 of 365)



"Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path." -Psalm 119:105

It is interesting that the Word of God is compared to a lamp. It is quite obvious that even a small flame shines the brightest in the darkest time of the night. It is living and active as well!

"For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." -Hebrews 4:12

Psalms and Wisdom Literature: Psalm 17

In the Shadow of Your Wings
This was an another cry prayed by David. Just like the other psalms composed by David, he first poured out his emotions regarding a concern he was experiencing, the problem - his enemies surround him and would like to ambush him. He cried out that he remained holding fast on God's ways and did not wander from it. He pleaded his petition that God would hide him in the shadow of His wings. At the end of the day, he eventually praised God and renewed his faith on God.


Pentateuch and History of Israel: Genesis 18:1–15

Isaac's Birth Promised
We could remember that God already promised that a son will come out from Sarah. But since Abraham laughed when he first heard this, their son should be called Isaac (which means "he laughs"). Then at this part, Sarah heard the news again and she laughed too.

At that time, Abraham was already 99 years old, and Sarah was 90 years old. The promise was that a year from that time, a son will be born from Sarah. How many times have we been like them? The circumstances say that it is impossible, and no other human way can make it happen; and we easily lose faith. God showed in this story that in Him, nothing is impossible!


Chronicles and Prophets: 1 Chronicles 18-20
This recorded the great victories David and his men had. It must be noticed that every time David was successful in war, he would give thanks to the Lord immediately afterwards. The spoils of war was dedicated unto the Lord. And the result?

"And the Lord gave victory to David wherever he went."


Gospels and Epistles: Luke 11:1–36

The Lord's Prayer
It is interesting that Luke, the writer of this book, pointed the readers to this call after Jesus taught his disciples how to pray:

“Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything’? I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs. And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

It must be noticed that the attitude in being persistent in prayer is being taught by Jesus as well. How many times have we asked God for something, prayed earnestly and sought God's guidance through His Word and the counsel of godly men, and suddenly stopped praying when we sensed that God is not answering at all? Like the friend, and the son who asked for food in the above text, let us not stop in seeking God through prayer.

Jesus and Beelzebul | Return of an Unclean Spirit | True Blessedness | The Sign of Jonah
These are series of teachings of Jesus where He emphasized that the true blessed and the true followers of God are the ones who hear the Word of God and obey it.

"Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!"

It can be noticed on His statement below:

"When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and finding none it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds the house swept and put in order. Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there. And the last state of that person is worse than the first.”

It is interesting that the person described here had never seen the Light in the first place. There are signs of "righteousness", but the heart was never surrendered to the Lord, along with all of its wickedness (of which should have been forsaken and repented of). As Matthew Henry commented,

"The house is garnished with common gifts and graces. It is not furnished with any true grace, but garnished with the pictures of all graces. Simon Magus was garnished with faith, Balaam with good desires, Herod with a respect for John, the Pharisees with many external performances. It is garnished, but it is like a potsherd covered with silver dross, it is all paint and varnish, not real, not lasting. The house is garnished, but the property is not altered; it was never surrendered to Christ, nor inhabited by the Spirit."

The Light in You
This is the description made by Jesus of a true follower, the mark of a true Christian that is. That a life completely surrendered unto Jesus Christ is a life of complete obedience to His Word. The Word, which is the Light, shines so bright in his life that it manifests in every thing that he does.


© 2014 Erickson Ibana

Image can be found at http://provoketive.com/2012/01/18/hope-for-hypocrites/

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