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11-8-2020 weekly message

Meditation of the week: Psalm 91:1-16

Text: Ephesians 5:8-18

Title: Time Kills us,  if we kill time in the darkness unless we redeem our time

         After Jesus, who came as the light that gives life to the darkness in the sinful world, died to take away the sin of the world, the world became a spiritual night as if it became the night after the sun set in the west.

         After the last two thousand years have passed, the world today is just as if the night has reached at the wickest world, just until Jesus, who is the light, rises again like the sun. As it is darker before the sun rises, the world has become the world of sin, worse than ever. Apostle Paul testified of the spiritual night:

” The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.” (Rom. 13:12).

         Apostle Paul said to the saved members of the church in Ephesus, ” For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:” (Ephesians 5:8).

        He also testified of their identity before they were saved:

      ” Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;

12That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:” (Eph.2:11-12)

         Apostle John also testified of the light:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2The same was in the beginning with God.

3All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

4In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

5And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.” (John 1:1-5)

           He testified that Jesus he met was God the Word   who created the heavens and the earth through his Word in the beginning, when he was with God in the beginning before eternity. He also testified that there was life in Him and that it is the light that gives eternal life by shining it unto men.

          Moses, the man of God, entered into the anointed Holy Spirit, and testified of God the Word who created the heavens and the earth in the beginning and created the light to give life to the darken world:

“ In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 2And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

3And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. 4And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. ” (Genesis 1:1-4)

          God gave life by shining the light to men and all things that are to be on the earth by creating light before creating all things on the earth. The life-giving light of God is to illuminate the world by giving light to the sun, moon, and stars in the heavens created on the fourth day.

             Apostle John once again testified of Jesus as the light giving eternal life:

” That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; 2(For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) 3That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.

4And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.

5This 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. 6If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” (1 John 1:1-7).

        God, who was in the beginning as the Word, became a man in the name of Jesus, and appeared to his people, the Jews. When He spoke to them, He gave them who believed and accepted Him the power to receive life and become sons of God through the light He shines. Therefore, they were no longer descendants of Adam born the blood and the flesh in him, but became to be born of God by receiving the Holy Spirit from Him. But his people Jews refused to receive him (John 1:11-13)

         However, Jesus, who appeared to the world as a life-giving light 2,000 years ago, died for the sin of the world to give life to the Jews and Gentiles who shall be born into the world in the future. However, he sent the comforter, the Holy Spirit, to the world to record the words of God through the Holy Spirit, and breathe the breath of life into his words.

       Therefore, after the Day of Pentecost, all the scriptures written through the inspiration of God became life-giving lights. Therefore, those who believe in and receive the Lord Jesus Christ receive the light of life and are reborn as the light to become children of God. Therefore, those who are newly born by receiving the light of life must constantly love the words of light, and  live according to the light, and walk in the word of light while living in the darken world without light. Just as the physical body can be healthy only through breathing continually, and taking nutrition, born again Christians that received the light of life have to redeem the time to walk the words of life with obedience denying themselves no more follow the flesh.  

         Apostle Paul testified of  the spiritual nutrients that God’s children should receive spiritual food through the Words of Light:

” All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:” (2 Timothy 3:16).

           Therefore, Apostle John testified that there is no darkness at all in the New Jerusalem in heaven that is eternal dwelling place eternally with Christ for they are full of the words of life driving out the darkness:

“And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. 23And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.” (Revelation 21:22-23)

          Therefore, the children of God who have received the light of life should love the light rather than the darkness. However, we are grieving ourselves when we see  God’s children walking in the darkness to grieve the Holy Spirit failing in overcoming the temptation of the Devil.  Therefore, Apostle Paul said to the saints who were asleep in the darkness:

“Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. ” (Ephesians 5:14)

           He testified by quoting the words given to the Israelites long ago through the prophet Isaiah:

“ Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. 2For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.

3And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. ” (Isaiah 60:1-3)

         Prophet Isaiah warned the Israelites who were sleeping in the darkness. He also prophesied  that in the future when Jesus Christ, their Messiah, appeared, the Gentiles shall believe in Him who is the light of life to be saved.

         Apostle Paul testified of the fruit of the Holy Spirit and said, “For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth” (Ephesians 5:9).

In other words, the fruit of the Holy Spirit cannot be brought forth by imitating Jesus Christ, who is the light. It is only when we follow the Lord and obey the light of the Word and walk in the light. In order to live a life of obedience to the Word of God, it is impossible without thorough denial of ourselves as the Lord said. For this reason, when Apostle Paul testified of what God’s will is, he indirectly testified that we could not follow God’s will without completely denying ourselves:

” Rejoice evermore.

17Pray without ceasing.

18In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. ” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

           Apostle Paul testified of the life of Christians who deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow Christ, giving thanks and rejoicing in all things giving ensample of him:

” Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong..” (2 Corinthians 12:10)

           Finally, Apostle Paul exhorted the members of the church in Ephesus to live  life filled with the Holy Spirit:

” And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;” (Ephesians 5:18).

        There is a issue among Christians these days: Isn’t it all right to drink alcohol ? Except drunken may be OK?  But many people enjoy to drink with mixed liquors. However, Holy Spirit filled Christians are not interested in the things like alcohol.  This is because when alcohol enters into the blood vessel, it cannot maintain the fullness of the Holy Spirit  It is difficult to find Christian filled with the Holy Spirit, and such kind of Christians are regarded as very rare species. But whoever dwells in the Word of Light must obey the Word without listening to human opinions but to listrn to the words of God:

“The liquor is to be haughty, and the liquor is to make a noise. For everyone who is deceived is not wise…. The liquor is red, and it shines from the cup, and it goes down smoothly, and you do not even look at it. ….There is a cup in the Lord’s hand, and the wine is red and thoroughly mixed, and he pours it out, and all the wicked in Jishan will squeeze its dross.” (Prov. 20:1;23:31, Ps. 75:8)

         Right now, our enemy, Satan the Devil, walks like a roaring lion to devour the children of God. He is swallowing up the time of God’s children and deceives them from listening, reading, and meditating on the Word of Light. According to Apostle Paul’s counsel, we must not give Satan a space by redeeming our time to walking in the Words of Light. Not redeeming our times is the way to kill our time, then time will kill us.

Amen! Hallelujah!