The conflict between light and darkness part 3
Posted by Edison Macusi on Thursday, October 8, 2009
Under: Word for the week
We continue our discussion on how we can best become the harbingers of peace and light into our families, communities and eventually our nation. The church is the most powerful entity in this world when we all combine our resources together as one big cooperative and institution. Whenever the Lord looks down from heaven, He does not see His body as bodies but He only sees one Church, His Bride. It is therefore very repugnant if not at all presumptuous to think that we own the people of God as if they are our own. No, just as Paul has said, he has bethrothed the believers to their rightful groom, the Lord Jesus. Therefore, as messengers, we should be careful in what we speak and how we bring the message that the Lord gives to us. Are we speaking the truth out of love, or doing it out of conceited glory?
There are many kinds of messengers in this world but to find the true one, each disciples must learn to discern the voice of God in them whether these messengers have come to seek the glory of God and not their self-glorification. Most root of diversification in the body of Christ has been because of church splits, and I am talking here of splitting it in a hurtful and divisive manner instead of replicating and planting a new congregation in peace and harmony to other bodies present in the area. Such hurtful divisions and dissensions only proves to us who we are really serving and who we are really after…self-glory and self-deification instead of Christ’s glory and dominion. This is a basic conflict that we want to address in the succeeding bulletin so that we can engage the darkness of our times, prepared and strong on behalf of the Lord and His people.
As I have been laying the groundwork in the previous issues, we will start at general overview, the problems that beset the church and go towards issues and conflicts and how we can overcome them as a genuine disciple of the Lord and member of His local body, then we go on how we can overcome all these problems as a church of the Lord, His Bride. It is essential that we go through these introductions so that we will all know what issues we need to address. Even a doctor cannot give the right prognosis without knowing first correctly what is the problem. Our goal in Take the land is to build the strongest fortresses of truth and peace in each individuals and disciple them to become strong enough to wage war against the heavenlies and release heaven on earth.
This requires extraordinary work, time and investment but even if I will find just one person willing to be discipled, that does not discourage me one bit for one person plus the Lord, can do much more than all the armies of the world combined together. This is the prophetic authority that any man of conviction can do to this world, when they stand for truth or issues. Not everyone can be a Martin Luther or Jan Hus, but we can be those people whenever we stand for truth even when it looks like to be trampled in the byways. In fact when Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses or issues of argument at the small Wittenberg church where he serves as the priest, he shook the world when the Pope asked him to recant and the German princes were divided whether to back him or not. Yet, he stood before the Diet of Worms (V-orms), the council that would decide and seal his fate, unfazed and boldly he stood and said,
“Unless I am convinced by the testimony of the Scriptures or by clear reason (for I do not trust either in the pope or in councils alone, since it is well known that they have often erred and contradicted themselves), I am bound by the Scriptures I have quoted and my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and will not recant anything, since it is neither safe nor right to go against conscience. May God help me. Amen. Here I stand. I can do no other.” After Martin Luther’s bold conviction, “Here I stand. I can do no other,” freedom resounded and the death knell to the repressive dominion of the Pope stood asunder bringing reforms and sweeping changes. That is the power of truth spoken in love when it liberates the mind of the princes and the peasants together to find their salvation in Christ alone and their source of authority in the Scriptures alone.
This too shows how much important to understand the problem, discern its solution and use the divinely powerful weapons we have been entrusted with to overcome them and push back the darkness, unrelentingly. Theology is good but it is good for nothing without the practical applications and the sound principles that could empower us as believers. You can be the graduate of the best theological seminary in the world but if you lack the passion for Jesus and His church, there is much to be desired of you. Passion conquers a thousand evils in our hearts which is why I put a premium on the passion of a disciple more than his education. More than anything else, passion speaks of love in action and only the wise knows how to love the Lord truly. Discipline is the key to the education and continual training and upgrading of the disciple without which we cannot remain to be a salt and light that is relevant to this world.
Our aim in these series is to bring discipleship to the masses who too are wary of these issues but do not know what action to take and what must be done now. All power and authority is in Christ and as He is seated at the right hand of the Father, we too who are in Him, are called to be seated in His power and authority and use that authority for healing the nations and restoring truth, justice and light into our churches and communities. Those who are seeking a deeper walk in Christ through fellowship, training and discipleship are the ones who are called into the fray of leadership and in the epic battle that has just started to rumble in the heavens and will not stop until again the second coming of the Lord. Obviously if you are reading this column, you want to go deeper in knowledge, and be the best-trained individual to follow your call in the Lord. There is none more adventurous and fulfilling in this life than to walk in our calling and to bring many sons and daughters to light.
Pillars of light
I like what the apostle James wrote in the Scriptures, “This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God” (James 1:19-20). By saying this, we are supposed to learn something more and of far greater value by being quick to hear and slow to speak and slow to anger. The moment we allow ourselves to be overcome with anger, this results to unrighteousness and therefore, we are prone to do evil once we are in that spirit. Some people calls it we have been in the mood of anger…or that I have been in anger management seminars to quell my turbulent emotions. Yet truth speaks more clearly, those who cannot control their anger will in one way or another do evil. This is because anger gives foothold to the devil, “Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity” (Ephesians 4:26-27).
Most people who rationalize their anger do it as an act of vengeance but every time we have anger and do not let it go, it will be like attracting the devil to come and indwell us. Just as the sons of light will not allow the darkness to cover them, they will confess their errors and sins as soon as possible even when it is not expedient for them for the sake of love and righteousness before the Lord. For such kind of sacrifices and obedience, the Lord is pleased because He will not allow anyone to get by who also do not forgive the faults of their fellow man. God does not rationalize, even if men will. His scales are the same for the white, black, yellow or brown races of men. All are the same before His law. One pillar of light that we can take on is to actually hear the Word of God and do it just as He said, be doers of the word. We are supposed to be manifesting the life of Christ on earth, each of us should be counting as to what aspect of the ministry of Jesus are we growing in right now.
His Kingdom come
Just as our prayer is that His Kingdom come, we are not here to simply speak the message of good news, but we are specifically called to proclaim the Kingdom of God. We proclaim this because we believe that it will come. Jesus said that whenever the Spirit of God comes to you, His Kingdom has also come upon you. God’s Kingdom is not made of stone or bricks but holy men and women of God who have given themselves to the Lord. Understanding some principles of the Kingdom or rule by the King in our midst will also help us to see and understand what Jesus wants to accomplish through us in His Kingdom. Just as a King rules by decrees, the Word of God is the Law of God.
It is His Word that guides us. Therefore, this makes it necessary for everyone to read the written Word of God because our vessels can be limited in use when these are unclean compared to when these are of gold quality. The Old Testament prophetic foreshadowings of these are the way the utensils were covered and used for the purpose of the Temple. Thus, only those who are purified, clean, and prepared are those vessels “fully covered in gold.” Those who want to be covered in gold should allow themselves to be tested, purified by fire and cleansed by God so that they can serve in the Holy of Holies, then the Lord can also send them as messengers of fire!
“Behold, I am going to send My messenger, and he will clear the way before Me.
And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple; and the messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight, behold, He is coming,” says the LORD of hosts.
“But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap.
“He will sit as a smelter and purifier of silver, and He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, so that they may present to the LORD offerings in righteousness.
“Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the LORD as in the days of old and as in former years.” (Malachi 3:1-4)
Preparations of light
We are told here that if we want to be His messengers of fire, first of all we should be purified just as a gold or silver would be smelted and refined. All the trials and daily lessons we learn in this life are meant to do just that, keep us from evil and remove our roughshodded parts. The greatest way to understand our trials is to keep a biblical perspective of all things that happen to us, and it is spoken that, “He will sit as a smelter and purifier of silver and He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver…” (Malachi 3:1a). The way gold and silver is refined is to bring them into fire, both have to be burned, to go through the fire so that the dregs and impurities within it will be removed. Trials in this life have the same effect as James tells us, “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance” (James 1:2-3) and Peter adds, “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing…” (1 Peter 4:12-13).
God often uses all of these fiery ordeals in this life as a means to purify our devotion and strengthen our resolve to live for Him and to know Him. One question which I have tried to seek an answer from the Lord is this, if God is so good, and in His goodness, allows sufferings, isn’t He selfish that He do these things for His sake? Then a word came to me, God does not do these things for His sake but for my sake, it is to produce in me “faith that brings endurance” and in the midst of trial, it is to “share in the sufferings of Christ” that also results in glory, this is the meaning of to “share in the sufferings of Christ” and as a result to “keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation” (1 Peter 4:13). Thus the Lord does not really allow trials to come our way for His sake but for our sake. Besides, this is done in His love because He does so only so that we also will share in His glory because those who suffer for His sake, shall also bear His glory. Do not waste your trials, worship Him in the midst of your trials and His light and glory will rise upon you.
“For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen;
for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:17-18)
There are many kinds of messengers in this world but to find the true one, each disciples must learn to discern the voice of God in them whether these messengers have come to seek the glory of God and not their self-glorification. Most root of diversification in the body of Christ has been because of church splits, and I am talking here of splitting it in a hurtful and divisive manner instead of replicating and planting a new congregation in peace and harmony to other bodies present in the area. Such hurtful divisions and dissensions only proves to us who we are really serving and who we are really after…self-glory and self-deification instead of Christ’s glory and dominion. This is a basic conflict that we want to address in the succeeding bulletin so that we can engage the darkness of our times, prepared and strong on behalf of the Lord and His people.
As I have been laying the groundwork in the previous issues, we will start at general overview, the problems that beset the church and go towards issues and conflicts and how we can overcome them as a genuine disciple of the Lord and member of His local body, then we go on how we can overcome all these problems as a church of the Lord, His Bride. It is essential that we go through these introductions so that we will all know what issues we need to address. Even a doctor cannot give the right prognosis without knowing first correctly what is the problem. Our goal in Take the land is to build the strongest fortresses of truth and peace in each individuals and disciple them to become strong enough to wage war against the heavenlies and release heaven on earth.
This requires extraordinary work, time and investment but even if I will find just one person willing to be discipled, that does not discourage me one bit for one person plus the Lord, can do much more than all the armies of the world combined together. This is the prophetic authority that any man of conviction can do to this world, when they stand for truth or issues. Not everyone can be a Martin Luther or Jan Hus, but we can be those people whenever we stand for truth even when it looks like to be trampled in the byways. In fact when Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses or issues of argument at the small Wittenberg church where he serves as the priest, he shook the world when the Pope asked him to recant and the German princes were divided whether to back him or not. Yet, he stood before the Diet of Worms (V-orms), the council that would decide and seal his fate, unfazed and boldly he stood and said,
“Unless I am convinced by the testimony of the Scriptures or by clear reason (for I do not trust either in the pope or in councils alone, since it is well known that they have often erred and contradicted themselves), I am bound by the Scriptures I have quoted and my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and will not recant anything, since it is neither safe nor right to go against conscience. May God help me. Amen. Here I stand. I can do no other.” After Martin Luther’s bold conviction, “Here I stand. I can do no other,” freedom resounded and the death knell to the repressive dominion of the Pope stood asunder bringing reforms and sweeping changes. That is the power of truth spoken in love when it liberates the mind of the princes and the peasants together to find their salvation in Christ alone and their source of authority in the Scriptures alone.
This too shows how much important to understand the problem, discern its solution and use the divinely powerful weapons we have been entrusted with to overcome them and push back the darkness, unrelentingly. Theology is good but it is good for nothing without the practical applications and the sound principles that could empower us as believers. You can be the graduate of the best theological seminary in the world but if you lack the passion for Jesus and His church, there is much to be desired of you. Passion conquers a thousand evils in our hearts which is why I put a premium on the passion of a disciple more than his education. More than anything else, passion speaks of love in action and only the wise knows how to love the Lord truly. Discipline is the key to the education and continual training and upgrading of the disciple without which we cannot remain to be a salt and light that is relevant to this world.
Our aim in these series is to bring discipleship to the masses who too are wary of these issues but do not know what action to take and what must be done now. All power and authority is in Christ and as He is seated at the right hand of the Father, we too who are in Him, are called to be seated in His power and authority and use that authority for healing the nations and restoring truth, justice and light into our churches and communities. Those who are seeking a deeper walk in Christ through fellowship, training and discipleship are the ones who are called into the fray of leadership and in the epic battle that has just started to rumble in the heavens and will not stop until again the second coming of the Lord. Obviously if you are reading this column, you want to go deeper in knowledge, and be the best-trained individual to follow your call in the Lord. There is none more adventurous and fulfilling in this life than to walk in our calling and to bring many sons and daughters to light.
Pillars of light
I like what the apostle James wrote in the Scriptures, “This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God” (James 1:19-20). By saying this, we are supposed to learn something more and of far greater value by being quick to hear and slow to speak and slow to anger. The moment we allow ourselves to be overcome with anger, this results to unrighteousness and therefore, we are prone to do evil once we are in that spirit. Some people calls it we have been in the mood of anger…or that I have been in anger management seminars to quell my turbulent emotions. Yet truth speaks more clearly, those who cannot control their anger will in one way or another do evil. This is because anger gives foothold to the devil, “Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity” (Ephesians 4:26-27).
Most people who rationalize their anger do it as an act of vengeance but every time we have anger and do not let it go, it will be like attracting the devil to come and indwell us. Just as the sons of light will not allow the darkness to cover them, they will confess their errors and sins as soon as possible even when it is not expedient for them for the sake of love and righteousness before the Lord. For such kind of sacrifices and obedience, the Lord is pleased because He will not allow anyone to get by who also do not forgive the faults of their fellow man. God does not rationalize, even if men will. His scales are the same for the white, black, yellow or brown races of men. All are the same before His law. One pillar of light that we can take on is to actually hear the Word of God and do it just as He said, be doers of the word. We are supposed to be manifesting the life of Christ on earth, each of us should be counting as to what aspect of the ministry of Jesus are we growing in right now.
His Kingdom come
Just as our prayer is that His Kingdom come, we are not here to simply speak the message of good news, but we are specifically called to proclaim the Kingdom of God. We proclaim this because we believe that it will come. Jesus said that whenever the Spirit of God comes to you, His Kingdom has also come upon you. God’s Kingdom is not made of stone or bricks but holy men and women of God who have given themselves to the Lord. Understanding some principles of the Kingdom or rule by the King in our midst will also help us to see and understand what Jesus wants to accomplish through us in His Kingdom. Just as a King rules by decrees, the Word of God is the Law of God.
It is His Word that guides us. Therefore, this makes it necessary for everyone to read the written Word of God because our vessels can be limited in use when these are unclean compared to when these are of gold quality. The Old Testament prophetic foreshadowings of these are the way the utensils were covered and used for the purpose of the Temple. Thus, only those who are purified, clean, and prepared are those vessels “fully covered in gold.” Those who want to be covered in gold should allow themselves to be tested, purified by fire and cleansed by God so that they can serve in the Holy of Holies, then the Lord can also send them as messengers of fire!
“Behold, I am going to send My messenger, and he will clear the way before Me.
And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple; and the messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight, behold, He is coming,” says the LORD of hosts.
“But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap.
“He will sit as a smelter and purifier of silver, and He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, so that they may present to the LORD offerings in righteousness.
“Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the LORD as in the days of old and as in former years.” (Malachi 3:1-4)
Preparations of light
We are told here that if we want to be His messengers of fire, first of all we should be purified just as a gold or silver would be smelted and refined. All the trials and daily lessons we learn in this life are meant to do just that, keep us from evil and remove our roughshodded parts. The greatest way to understand our trials is to keep a biblical perspective of all things that happen to us, and it is spoken that, “He will sit as a smelter and purifier of silver and He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver…” (Malachi 3:1a). The way gold and silver is refined is to bring them into fire, both have to be burned, to go through the fire so that the dregs and impurities within it will be removed. Trials in this life have the same effect as James tells us, “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance” (James 1:2-3) and Peter adds, “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing…” (1 Peter 4:12-13).
God often uses all of these fiery ordeals in this life as a means to purify our devotion and strengthen our resolve to live for Him and to know Him. One question which I have tried to seek an answer from the Lord is this, if God is so good, and in His goodness, allows sufferings, isn’t He selfish that He do these things for His sake? Then a word came to me, God does not do these things for His sake but for my sake, it is to produce in me “faith that brings endurance” and in the midst of trial, it is to “share in the sufferings of Christ” that also results in glory, this is the meaning of to “share in the sufferings of Christ” and as a result to “keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation” (1 Peter 4:13). Thus the Lord does not really allow trials to come our way for His sake but for our sake. Besides, this is done in His love because He does so only so that we also will share in His glory because those who suffer for His sake, shall also bear His glory. Do not waste your trials, worship Him in the midst of your trials and His light and glory will rise upon you.
“For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen;
for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:17-18)
In : Word for the week
Tags: the conflict between light and darkness martin luther pillars of light his kingdom come preparations of light
Our heartbeat is to disciple the youth of this generation and be a prophetic voice that declares the power of God to change men's heart, even the most evil to become the foremost saints of the Lord and take the land for His honor and glory and hasten the appearance of His Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. Our main purpose is to publish articles, books and preachings that will not only stir the hearts of men to seek the Lord but to equip them so that they will become firebrands of revival and healing wherever they move and set their feet upon. The promise is sure, to them who will give their lives for His utmost purposes, He is able to fill them with His Spirit without measure!
