Bible Study: Week 2

today at my women's Bible study i finally spoke. i find myself to be a way better "speaker" in the written form. every since i was a child i have found it much easier for me to simply express myself by writing. and with the vast explosion of technology and the internet this form of expression has found perfect vessels.

however, i am not mute. and i do need to speak. despite the fear of what people will say when they hear what comes out of my throat, wavering as i try to not be afraid. however, if i find i have something to say that may make people laugh i speak up very quickly.

i would never say i am a funny person- because i have been around people who really make me laugh (dave straley.... always put a smile on my face) and i have found memories of my father having such a dry sense of humor that would break most moods. and i think i have a tad of that nature. a straight A class clown (emphasis on the A, as i was a good student, and type A, but always looking to choose my moments of humor) if you will.

but Bible study- back on topic please.

we are studying the book of John, and have only covered the first 18 versus (this study goes through May) but the essential point John makes in the book and especially in these first few versus is "light". Jesus is the Light, and He will shine in our darkness. Jesus was/is full of Glory, Grace, and Truth. often people will find themselves in spiritual or emotional darkness and realize that they cannot see- that they are blind, alone and lost. and that they need Christ and His Light to shine and free them, and to guide them back to the Lord's loving arms.

Well, what do you do if you aren't experiencing major emotional or spiritual darkness in what one would think of in the traditional sense- i.e., death, major loss, depression.

And this came to my heart, and i spoke up.

Sometimes as a Christian we become very distracted by the two extremes of "light" and "darkness" and we understand that we are not to live in the "darkness". this doesn't mean that the enemy won't lure us into it. sometimes we can find ourselves in total darkness and not even realize that we have gotten there, because it has happened slowly and not due to a significant factor, but instead small little things.

Like lies. We find ourselves in the darkness most often because we have been listening to a lie, "i'm not good enough, God doesn't love me, i can have one more of this or one more of that," the small compromises we make with our faith.

When we are in the darkness (where the enemy wants us) we are ineffective for the Lord.

How do I find myself in the darkness, because lately i fill a little like I am in the darkness.

And how did that happen? I am a follower of Christ, a child of God, a lover of my Father and Savior.

Because I have learned to live in the darkness.

Imagine yourself in a room illuminated my light, you can see everything. then a little sin creeps in, and one light goes out. No problem- you've still got tons of light, you can see so much. than another light goes out, and another, and another- until you find yourself in a dimly lit room. but do you notice that its dim? No. Because what happens when we things around us begin to go dark? Our eyes will adjust, and we will begin to except the light around us as good enough, and work with the light we have.

Until we are in utter darkness and don't even know it.

Not anything big happened, the power didn't go out all at once to shock us, but slowly the light went out.

Is that where i am? Am I in a dark room and don't know it? i don't know. but i do know that i really need to examine my heart and prayerfully try to see where the darkness lies.

because that is what is truly awesome about or Lord and Savior.

When we ask Him to light our ways, all the Light will illuminate that room once again. We may be really surprised by the ugly things we have let come in to our room, our lives, our heart- but because of Him lighting our way- we can overcome them.

if you are living in darkness, Jesus is more than happy to be your loving Light.