COME INTO THE LIGHT

There is no such thing as good light or bad light, there is just light. There is however a vast difference in how light is projected and the conditions under which it is cast. In the world of photography there are two types of light that can create different moods and situations known as the golden and twilight hour. Golden light as it is known, is so real and striking, that it has its own nature and can become a character in its own right. It conveys true reality and brings a sense of calmness and happiness. It is the truest form of light sought by true light seeking photographers. While the light during those twilight hours has its own beauty, it does not give a true or exact reflection of what is being photographed. It has to be enhanced to create or convey a projection in order to see the beauty in it. Light travels in a vacuum, space or straight line. It bends and changes direction when it hits an object. These are ways that light energy is manipulated.

God is the truest form of all light. John 1:5 explains that God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all. Light is the nature and character of God. He is not a light or a kind of light; He is the light itself. All light comes from Him. At the beginning of time, He created the light to dispel the darkness and chaos that was over all the earth according to Gen.1. Then He created the lights in the sky, the sun, moon, and stars. As light itself and the source of light, He had only to speak and light came into being. Darkness on the other hand represents everything that is the total opposite of God.

The scripture has a lot to say about light as well as darkness. Mankind has an enemy that portrays himself as light and he is the devil. According to scripture, he wants to hide God's light from mankind and works his crafty delusions by using light mixed with darkness to bend, change and create an illusion of beauty and truth as his version of God's will for us by manipulation. 2 Corinthians 11:14, tells us that Satan masquerades himself by "transforming himself into an angel of light". Ezekiel 28 gives some description of him. he was created perfect and beautiful and was full of all beauty and wisdom in his original created form. his name was Lucifer, meaning “Day Star.” God dressed him in the finest jewels and placed him on the Holy Mountain and he was perfect in his ways until the day iniquity was found in him.

 Like humans, even angelic being have free wills. It was by satan’s own desire that his pride in his beauty and abilities overtook him. By her own desire Eve too, was convinced that the tree was desirable (by her eyes) to make her wise in Gen. 3:6.

James 1:13-15 tells us, "Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death." satan does not make us sin, he is only responsible for enticing us by thwarting truth and leading us away from the light of it.

Eve had been warned by God in Gen. 2. "thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die". 1 Peter 5:8 reminds us to, "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:" Our enemy wants us to listen closely as he whispers into our mind, taste and see he calls to us, look at this or that truth, as he mixes them with lies to distort, bend, discolor and break down our belief and faith in God and the plans He has for our lives. his primary goal in every attack on us, is to take down our faith with every blow. his forces are hell-bent on his strategic objectives according to Eph. 6:10–18.

The faith of a Christian is God’s chosen channel to bring his saving, sanctifying, strengthening, healing, and delivering grace to the world. If satan can weaken our faith, he can immobilize us, kick us, make us look bad, and use us to mock God. Light and darkness cannot exists in the same place at the same time because light will always cast out darkness according to John 1:5. Remember that! We are in a spiritual war. If the fighting doesn’t get fierce, we are likely not engaged or doing anything threatening to Satan. But if satan is fighting us, he perceives us a threat. Through the promises of Jesus, He will help you to overcome the enemy’s most lethal weapons. But you must first come into the light where He is. Rev. 12:11a says, "And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony." Do you have a testimony?

Hold Fast,

-Ben