The Light that Shines From Within

“May it be a light to you in dark places, when all other lights go out.”  - J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring

When you see or hear the word "light," what comes to mind? Perhaps the sun is the first thing you think of, or maybe some type of electrical fixture. I think you'd agree that these are some fairly obvious choices, among many others.

But, there is another kind of "light," one that is without equal, which I'd like to discuss with you today. Whereas, the sun shines its light down on us from the heavens, this special "light" shines in, and illuminates from our hearts.

Think back to Genesis 1:3 (RSV) when God said, "Let light shine out of darkness," and it was so. However, as incredibly powerful as this was God wasn't quite finished. The best was yet to come when our hearts were given the glorious light of the Gospel!

You might be more familiar with this as the light of the knowledge of God by the way of, or through, Christ. This isn't something that any human being could ever produce or create. It's so far beyond the power and scope of our wisdom and power that would be ridiculous to even consider it.

No, this is something that only the creator of the universe could accomplish; namely, God. And, as he is the maker of the light and creator of the universe, there is no doubt that he is the originator of the Gospel (Genesis 1:4).

Our minds, though wonderful and amazing creations, are by nature unaware and unenlightened.  That is, they are in the same darkened condition that existed before God's directive for light to shine. He, who commanded light to shine at creation, also illuminated our hearts with the Gospel light.

This illumination also extends to the minds of Christians. It provides us with a clear and consistent perspective (1 John 2:20; 1 Corinthians 2:12-15). We are enabled to perceive beauty in things, such as: serving God, religion, the Bible, self-control, honesty, truth, and charity, in which we may not have before.

Most importantly, we have been given that "light,"not to hold it within ourselves, but to bring an awareness of the knowledge of God to the masses; that the source of all light is the true God. How wonderful is that!

And, unlike the sun's rays which fade at the day's end, the Gospel light emanates brightly from our hearts (Isaiah 60:20). The illumination provided by the One who created all light, and it is available freely to all who have in interest in God's salvation by Christ (John 1:4).

Scripture: Matthew 5:14; Psalm 119:105; Ephesians 5:14; Psalm 36:9

Prayer: Dear Lord, may You always light my paths, and may Your love always radiate from my heart to others, amen.

Bless you,

Brielle

Help, I Can't Hear God..!

"God is speaking to all of us, all the time. The question is not, to whom does God talk? The question is, who listens?"  - Neale Donald Walsch

There are times when we feel as though God has unplugged his connection between us. We might wonder, "Where has he gone?" And, "Why doesn't he answer?" This is not an uncommon occurrence with believers

Perhaps you start to feel guilty that maybe you did, or said, something to irritate Him. Then you start to question yourself; racking your brain trying to remember whatever it could have been.

Job experienced this first-hand when he thought that God had left him out of the loop. He was certain that God had turned against him. But his friend Elihu told him otherwise (Job 33).

God had been speaking to Job all along, he just did not discern this. Like Job, we do not always pay attention when God speaks to us. But, this isn't because of anything God does or not, it is our own fault.

Some have even walked away from God in anger and frustration because of this. However, He is always planning things for our benefit; even when we might be less than thrilled about the way things are in our relationship with Him. 

So, how does God speak to us? He can speak to us through our conscience, by foresight or wisdom, and even special messengers (Numbers 12:6; Genesis 20:3; Genesis 31:24; Matthew 1:20). God also speaks to us today through his divine written revelation: the Bible.

That He is always eager to inform, remind, direct, and warn us serves as validation of his gracious design, He is always more than delighted to try and connect repeatedly until we listen (Job 33:14).

Scripture: Romans 10:17; John 16:13; 2 Timothy 3:16; Isaiah 41:10;  Hebrews 4:16

Prayer: Dear Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you; I will praise your name, for you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure, amen.  - Isaiah 25:1

Stay blessed,

Cheri

We Cannot Bear Sin!

"We cannot bear sin - when it is near us, we feel like a wretch chained to a rotting carcass; we groan to be free from the hateful thing." - Charles Spurgeon

Many physical flaws may be covered or concealed by the use of make-up, certain types and colors of clothing, and, to the extreme, plastic surgery. Most of these fixes, other than plastic surgery, are relatively inexpensive and can produce fairly good results.

Honestly, changing up our outward appearance is not too difficult to do. Even a few subtle, inexpensive alterations, or changes in lifestyle can make a big difference, or change almost anyone's outlook about themselves and on life in general.

But have you given any thought to the state of your inner, spiritual condition? There is something that is common to all of us, yet is impossible to conceal no matter what we may try to do, as many try to do. I am talking about sin  (Romans 3:23).

Yes, some carry around sin that is so obvious it is hard to deny, but think everything is great because they have not met with any negative consequences thus far. In other words, they are falsely under the impression that it must not be all that bad if God hasn't done anything about it (Numbers 32:23).

While others may think they they have done a pretty good job of concealing or covering up their sin, keeping it tucked away in the dark recesses of their mind where it is out of view; out of sight, out of mind. But they are only fooling themselves (1 John 1:8).

No matter, all sins have their proper punishment! Understand that while it may seem that too much time has passed by, or perhaps you actually got away with it, in general, sooner or later you will pay the price for your sins. This even includes sins that are repented of, such as in the case of King David (see 2 Samuel 11).

One of the really ugly things about sin is that no matter when it was committed, it leaves a filthy residue on our spiritual nature that never truly goes away. It clings to our soul, following us throughout our lives. Our only chance to cleanse ourselves of sin is through our faith and the blood of Christ.

Sin makes us unclean and unpresentable to enter into God's presence. We all reek of sin. It drips from our souls like filthy waste water. Only the blood of Christ can cleanse us of our putrid sin (1 John 1:7; 1 Peter 1:19). When we, by faith, administer Jesus' blood to our sin-stained souls, God declares us formally clean and acceptable (Titus 2:14; 3:5).

Thus, we have been thoroughly scrubbed clean of sin. Our sin is taken from us and placed on Jesus Christ; by which we are declared righteous by God; our sins forgotten (Ephesians 1:7). Again, the only thing strong enough to absolve us of our sins is Christ's blood. Nothing else will do (Colossians 2:14; 2 Corinthians 5:21).

You might be thinking this means that we will never sin again. Make no mistake, we are still sinners who are fully capable of committing sin! However, through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross, we are no longer held hostage by sin. We can ask for forgiveness of sin, through faith in Him, and be forgiven (Psalm 103:12).

Scripture: James 1:14-15; 1 Corinthians 1:30;  Ezekiel 18:4; Hebrews 9:28; Romans 7:5

Prayer: Dear Lord, forgive my sins and forget my iniquities. I am sorry for the offenses I have committed against You, amen.

Blessings always,

Cyndy

The Patient Character of God

"God's patience is infinite. Men, like small kettles, boil quickly with wrath at the least wrong. Not so God. If God were as wrathful, the world would have been a heap of ruins long ago."  - Sadhu Sundar Singh, Indian Christian missionary

Patience can be difficult to manage for many of us. To be cool and calm during trying circumstances can be challenging, There may be certain things that trigger impatience, or a even anger, in our lives; most of which are due to our own expectations.

For instance, having to wait too long in line for that Ultra Caramel Frappuccino, or a lack of front row parking spaces at the store. Our own high expectations take a hit when things around us don't go exactly as we think they should.

Maybe it's that person that shows up late for an appointment, or the clerk is helping another customer for what you think is an inordinate amount of time, and not attending to you. Or when you take on a do-it-yourself project that, at least in your case, isn't.

I'm sure that you could easily add many more to this list. But, the point is this: patience (longsuffering) is not our best quality. Thankfully, God has more than enough of it for all of us! You could say that patience is one of his best attributes.

That God is compassionate, kind, and unfailingly merciful are all wrapped into his patience. The Bible mentions this a lot, so it must be an important thing to know, Exodus 34:6; Numbers 14:18; Psalm 86:15 (KJV), to call your attention to a few examples.

It's a good thing for us that God, because of goodness and tenderness, doesn't get angered, provoked, or annoyed that easily! He wants all of us to have a good chance at repentance and salvation, that's why he so patiently waits (2 Peter 3:9, 15).

Scripture: Colossians 3:12; Romans 2:4; Jeremiah 15:15; 2 Corinthians 6:6; Romans 9:22

Prayer: Dear God, teach me to be patient, when all day long my heart is troubled by little, but troublesome problems, amen

Joyfully in Christ,

Elaine

Just Strangers Along the Way...

The Stranger within my gate,
He may be true or kind,
But he does not talk my talk–
I cannot feel his mind.
I see the face and the eyes and the mouth,
But not the soul behind.    - from "The Stranger" by Rudyard Kipling

1 Chronicles 29:15 tells us that, "We are foreigners and strangers in your sight, as were all our ancestors. Our days on earth are like a shadow, without hope." There are a couple of good bits of information for us to take to heart within this verse.

First, is the fact that here, on this earth, we are but strangers and pilgrims passing through. This might be difficult to accept but this fact applies to everyone, not just individuals or groups of our own choosing. This includes you and I, too!

What we have seen going on around the world today is nothing new. One group has always persecuted another, mainly for their differences. We even see this happen time and time again between the pages of Scripture; and it continues today.

Secondly, the allusion to the brevity of our lives is quite clear. Our days here on earth pass swiftly, and then we are gone. Maybe the saddest part is that nothing is truly learned from our stay here. We mostly tend to be a worldly-minded lot that places more value on perishable wealth, than on each another (Matthew 6:19). 

Moses hit the nail on the head when he meditatively asked God, "So teach us to consider our mortality, so that we might live wisely" Psalm 90:12 (NET). We seriously need God's guidance because we cannot begin to change anything on our own. 

Probably the biggest obstacle standing in our way is understanding that nothing here is truly ours. Our land, water, food, even the air that we breathe does not belong to us. All belongs to God, who graciously allows us to use it while passing through on our pilgrimage, hopefully, to live with him.

It is our own ignorance that blinds us from seeing this. Every generation has its time like a passing breeze, a breath, a mist, and then it is gone (James 4:14; Psalm 78:39; Psalm 144:4). The one universal commonality that we actually possess, besides our physical makeup, is God.

Our yearning to discover our purpose for being here (who are we?; what are we doing here?; where are we going?) is the same in hearts around the world. Thankfully, the answers to these questions, and many more, have been lovingly provided for us in the Gospel; God's answer to our inquiries.

Scripture: Psalm 39:12; Job 14:2; Psalm 119:19; Ecclesiastes 6:12; Hebrews 2:10

Prayer: Dear Lord, Lord, when I am very much in need of tenderness and support, lead me to help someone in greater need than I, amen.

Blessings always,

Mitzi

In Christ...Are You Hopeful or Wishful?

"Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness."   -Desmond Tutu

One of the greatest commodities in the world is hope. It isn't bought, sold, or exchanged; yet it is priceless. Even so, there are no requirements or stipulations attached to it. It is freely available to one and all.

The word "hope" is used many times in the Bible, and for good reason. It is considered an essential and fundamental element of Christian life. (1 Peter 3:15; Hebrews 10:23). However, many can, and do, confuse hope with wishes or desires.

Let's take a look at where the confusion might lie. With hope there is some expectation of acquiring a benefit or advantage, or the possibility of securing it. Therefore, hope always produces happiness or contentment.

Whereas, with wishes and and desires there is a certain element of pain and/or anxiety attached to it. Compare both of these to your relationship with Jesus Christ. Is your relationship based on hope or wishes/desires? (Hebrews 3:6)

John Piper says this about hope: "Darkness comes. In the middle of it, the future looks blank. The temptation to quit is huge. Don't. You are in good company... You will argue with yourself that there is no way forward. But with God, nothing is impossible. He has more ropes and ladders and tunnels out of pits than you can conceive. Wait. Pray without ceasing. Hope."

When rough times in life appear, and the outlook is bleak, would you place your hope in Christ to see you through; or would you just wish for things to get better? Your answer says a lot about your relationship with Him (Psalm 71:14).

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:7; Ephesians 3:6; Philippians 3:12; Colossians 1:5; 2 Thessalonians 2:16

Prayer: Dear Lord, please help me to walk in your light, and live every day in faith and glory, amen

Love and blessings,

Simone

Why Do the Wicked Prosper?

"How long, LORD, will the wicked, how long will the wicked be jubilant?" -Psalm 94:3

Why DO the wicked prosper? At least it would appear so to those who always try to play by the rules and stay on the straight and narrow path. But who hasn't asked themselves this question from time to time? We are not the first to bring this to God's attention, and definitely will not be the last.

This even troubled the prophet Jeremiah enough that he asked God, "LORD, you have always been fair whenever I have complained to you. However, I would like to speak with you about the disposition of justice. Why are wicked people successful? Why do all dishonest people have such easy lives? -Jeremiah 12:1 (NET)

It is a perplexing question for which there is no quick and easy answer that will satisfy everyone. But, what I can do is offer positive hope that that none of this goes unnoticed by God. He is fully aware of everything that transpires here (Psalm 139:1-6).

So why is it that some can do everything right, dedicate their lives to serving God, etc., but the dial never moves any further than where it is. Meanwhile others lie, cheat, and steal their way to the "good" life seemingly without a hitch.

The plain truth is that in many situations we simply don't comprehend what is happening to us, nor do we fully understand God's ways. We can beat ourselves up about it, but it won't do any good. We just have to trust that He alone has his reasons and it is not ours to know why (Ecclesiastes 8:16-17).

I know that it is natural to want or seek success in life. God never said that we shouldn't or couldn't (Jeremiah 29:11). But whether our "perception" of prosperity matches up with what God wants for us is unknown. And if we are blessed enough to acquire temporal prosperity we must recognize that it was God's will for us, and not our own.

However, we must always remain cognizant that material prosperity gained in this life is not transferable to eternity. What seems like true wealth can be another deceptive ploy executed by the great deceiver to distract us from God. In the end, then, how does one really define wealth and prosperity? 

Our true reward for our devotion and faith to God lies beyond the borders of our earthly existence (Psalm 73:25). Remember that the road to a prosperous eternity is filled with false turns and potholes. Prosperity gained here on earth is short-term. True happiness, satisfaction, spiritual fulfillment, and eternal delight can only be received through Our Sovereign Lord.

Scripture: Hebrews 13:5; Ephesians 6:12; Matthew 25:46; Ecclesiastes 3:17; 1 Corinthians 2:14;

Prayer: Dear God, may the wicked fall into their own nets, while I pass by safely, amen.  -Psalm 141:10

May God bless you,

Marlene

When Trouble Calls on You...

"There is no man in this world without some manner of tribulation or anguish, though he be king or pope." - Thomas a Kempis

There is no life without trouble. It (trouble) is never very far away. And no matter who we are, trouble will make an appearance at some point in one form or another; and there is no escaping it.

Asaph, a Levite and member of David's choir, who also just happened to be a musical composer, as well, shared one of his experiences with trouble in Psalm 77.

It is believed that he wrote this particular Psalm during the Babylonian captivity of the Jews. Though few of us have had brushes with trouble as severe as this, we can still learn something from Asaph's experience.

What happens when we are overwhelmed, or the bottom drops out from under our feet? As believers, we have an excellent source of comfort and assistance. It is the same wellspring that Asaph drew from in his time of suffering and anxiety: God. 

From the beginning, we can see that he did not try to hide it, avoid it, or handle it all by himself (Psalm 77:1-2). Certainly there will be times when we might be able to handles some minor bumps in the road ourselves. But isn't it comforting to know that we have access to assistance whenever we need it?

Asaph knew exactly who to turn to in his distress. Trouble also has a way of depleting our self-confidence and raising doubt in our minds. This, too, is clearly visible in Asaph's thoughts as you read Psalm 77:1-9. You can tell that it had been playing on his insecurities.

But it was during this sad lamenting of his people's situation that he remembered God's past great works. It dawned on him that God took care of them before, and would do so again if they would turn to Him (Psalm 77:10-20). And that's exactly what Asaph did, he called on God in his time of trouble.

We could all do as well by calling on God whenever trouble pops up. Don't be shy, either. Cry out! Let God hear how much you need Him. After all, trouble is no laughing matter. Pour out your complaints to Him (Psalm 142:2). God can do wonders in times of distress (Psalm 77:14).

Scripture: John 14:1; 1 Peter 5:7; Psalm 34:6; 1 John 5:4; Philippians 4:13

Prayer: The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Amen.  -Psalm 27:1

God bless you,

Whitney

His Nourishing and Replenishing Waters

"And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper."  -Psalm 1:3 (KJV)

Those of us who have been followers of Christ for a while know that it's not always an easy thing to do. Contrary to what some might think, the path forward isn't always wide-open and clear.

There are many challenging pitfalls, detours, setbacks, and distractions along the way. As someone once said, only the strong survive. The strength to confront these threats to our faith must replenished continually (Psalm 119:105).

I have known many who could not cope with these obstacles and walked away from religion altogether. This demonstrates, both, the seriousness and realness of living a life in the faith (1 Corinthians 10:13). It is definitely not for the insincere!

How can we bolster and sustain our faith to weather the highs and lows we will experience as Christians? We need to be firmly planted (grounded) in Him. Think of a mighty oak tree that has weathered countless storms; yet remains firm and secure.

Thus, the determined believer can think of himself as a spiritual plant of God. Once we have made a sincere commitment in our hearts and minds to follow Him we have have been transplanted from the old sinful life into the fertile ground by His running waters (Revelation 22:17).

Here we a continually nourished by the perpetual supply of beneficial nutrients (influences) that are supplied by the waters; better known as the Gospel. It is here that our faith grows and is replenished.

Unlike other trees and plants that grow, bloom, then die depending on the season of the year, a spiritual plant of God always blooms and produces fruit. And why not, look at who the gardener is!

Scripture: Jeremiah 31:25, Proverbs 11:25; James 1:2-4; Philippians 4:19; Jeremiah 31:9

Prayer: Dear Lord, each of us will experience various difficulties at different times throughout our lives. Provide us with the courage and strength at those times that only You can provide, amen

Bless you,

Brielle

A Compelling Need for Christ

"The key to Christian living is a thirst and hunger for God. And one of the main reasons people do not understand or experience the sovereignty of grace and the way it works through the awakening of sovereign joy is that their hunger and thirst for God is so small."  - John Piper

There are many different kinds of invitations. Some invite us to parties; others to weddings and receptions; there are graduation invitations, baby and bridal showers, etc. Invitations are commonly sent out for celebrations or other special occasions.

That being said, of all the invites that we might receive in life, there is one that stands alone among all the rest. It is the invitation that Christ extends to each of us to receive his offer of life and salvation. Believe it not, not all will answer this invitation.

Certainly, some invitations might require a certain dress, or membership in an organization or club in order to participate in the event. However, Christ's invitation has no such stipulations, although there is one qualification: thirst.

That is, one must "thirst" for his gospel grace. Simply put, you have to be receptive to it; welcome to it. If you are satisfied with the world and its worldly enjoyments, and are too busy pursuing them, then chances are you are not truly "thirsty" for Christ and his righteousness.

One in this state is probably unaware of, and has no need of, Christ and his righteousness. There is no agony, torment, or anxiety about this. They are perfectly content that life is great and therefore have no need for Christ. All success in life is due to their works, they feel no obligation to Christ at all.

The individual who truly does thirst for Christ; who realizes that worldly temptation, pursuits, and acquisitions are not as fulfilling as they seem, are invited to drink from his living waters. They are invited to rest from their heavy burdens and world weariness with Christ.

It is important to know that before Christ gives grace, he gives a thirsting for it. And where he's given a thirsting for his grace, he will provide grace (Psalm 81:10). The invitation has gone out. But not all will take advantage of it.

What are you waiting for? Come to Christ and drink from his thirst-quenching fountain. Though his waters might appear as plain as that which comes from the kitchen faucet, don't be fooled.

To those who truly believe in Christ his waters are richly satisfying, and healing. They are waters of life. Come an partake in Christ's waters of life (Revelation 22:17). If you thirst for his waters, you are invited to come to him and drink (John 7:37)

Scripture: John 4:14; Isaiah 49:10; John 7:38; Romans 10:13; Matthew 5:6

Prayer: Dear Lord, inspire me today in every moment before I speak, so that my words to others may all be positive, amen.

God bless you,

Kate

New Beginnings 2018!

     First, let me say that it is marvelous to be back for a new blogging year! The summer hiatus was good for our spiritual, physical, and emotional well-being. Our staff had the chance to do some things that an otherwise busy schedule would have not allowed.

However, just because we were not active here online didn't mean we were inactive in our work for Jesus Christ! As usual, there were classes to teach and participate in, conferences to attend, social and civic work, etc. Thankfully, in between all of this, there was time to spend and relax with family and friends, too.

Also, I'd like to apologize for our late start this year. Our usual start-up time was set back just a bit because of weather delays due to Hurricane Florence. Some of our wonderful and talented contributors were disrupted by the natural disaster and have been busy dealing with that.

Although we are up and running right now, it may be a while before we are at full strength again. Our thoughts and prayers are with all whose lives have been affected and wish them God-speed. Meanwhile, we here at Coffeehouse Bible Ministry will carry on and look forward to the day when our friends can rejoin us.

I pray to Our Father in Heaven that 2018-2019 will be bountiful in His good works, grace, and mercy. And that His hand will continue to guide us as we share the Good Word with all of you! Thank you for your companionship along the Way. May God always bless you!

Let's pray...

Dear Lord, help us grow in the fruit of the Spirit and to walk closer with Yourself. We pray for guidance from your Spirit; and may your will and promises always provide strength for my heart. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

~Eve