I have chosen the Gospel of John as the subject. I pray that these will be a blessing and an edification for the saints.
JOHN 5:34-36
34 But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved. 35 He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light. 36 But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.
There isn't a Christian around, even if they aren't well versed in media and current events that isn't aware that our days are becoming more wicked and lawless as the days proceed.The sun quickly set and night has fallen. It's the same kind of darkness that was around in the days of our LORD's earthly ministry that began when the forbidden fruit was taken by our First Parents, though it was expressly forbidden by the Creator of all things.
Yet for all the darkness that pervades the length and breadth of humanity, it still (and never was!) a match against the power of GOD's Light. He has provided such Light through the testimony of His saints (REV 1:9; 6:9; 12:11) as well as the law and testimony of His Word - and if any disagree or doesn't speak the same things as given to us by GOD's revelation, it is because there is NO Light in them - they are children of darkness:
ISAIAH 8:20
20 To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.
The LORD spoke here of John the Baptist, "this burning and shining light"; elsewhere He stated that of all the men born of women, none were greater than he (amazing when you think of the likes of Enoch, Abraham, Noah, Moses, David, etc.; MATT 11:11). He came in the spirit of Elijah, turning the hearts of the parents to the children and vice versa and prepared the hearts of all the people for the coming Messiah.
Certainly the witness of John the Baptist was an incredible witness for the LORD in his testimony of Him, but while there was cause for rejoicing in this witness (and those of others as well, namely the apostles), ultimately He didn't receive the testimony of man, and why is that?
He says why: because He has a greater witness: those works that the Father gave Him to finish - and He did! Such works that would be impossible for a mere man: miracles of wonder (MATT 12:22-24) and words of truth as never spoken by any other - so much so that even officers sent by the religious authorities to arrest Him came back without Him in their custody! When asked, they simply replied: JOHN 7:46 . . . Never man spake like this man. His words are the very words of truth required for our salvation!
Compare the person of Jesus with any other person of influence, be it in the schools of philosophy or the realm of the religious, none compare with the bold declarations and the indisputable acts of this Man, the Almighty: "Infinity [Who] wrapped [Himself] into clay" as Kaden Slay sings. He fulfilled all of the Father's will because He was able to, and He was able to because He Himself is GOD - the Son, the WORD made flesh (JOHN 1:1-5,14).
The Scriptures bear record of "all that Jesus [began] both to do and teach" (ACTS 1:1) and the Word of GOD stands to baffle the brilliant, to confound the critic, to silence the skeptic, to convict the corrupt - as well as to set free the sinner, to liberate the languishing and redeem those that the world would consider rubbish!
In this dark day of the last of the last days, the enemy knows that his time is short - and we are witnessing the frantic pace with which he is promoting perdition in seeking to overwhelm the righteous - to cool any fervency of love for GOD and souls with an overflow of iniquity and to compromise us with besetting sins.
Yet the LORD GOD is rallying the remnant of the righteous in a last charge of holy war - not with weapons that are carnal, but mighty through GOD to the pulling down of strong holds that would inhibit us from working in GOD's Kingdom:
2 CORINTHIANS 10:4-6
4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; 6 And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.
The night truly is coming when no one will be able to work (JOHN 9:4). But until then, we have our lamp, the Word of GOD that brings the Light of the LORD to the blind, and enable them to see truth, to perceive and understand the Gospel, to vanquish the fear of the dark that so many face in these uncertain days.
And as these lamps are filled with the oil of the Holy Spirit, may we, the remnant of the Holy One couple the Spirit with the Word and stand boldly by faith before a world that stands adamantly in opposition to GOD and declare the coming Judgment and the only Hope to escape this inescapable condemnation by the Judge of the whole Earth: the grace of the LORD Jesus Christ and His cross of Calvary, where atonement for rebellious sinners was made, so that by repentance and faith in GOD we may receive Christ and become not just His children, but winning warriors of righteousness that can - and will win the battles before us, for Satan (and his kingdom) is a defeated foe!
Burn that midnight oil saintly child of GOD! And work! For the night will soon pass away, and the SON-rise will dawn - and a new day of the Rule of Christ shall commence!
JOHN 1:12-13
12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
Next time beloved, we will look at JOHN 5:38-39 "The Word Revealing The Word". Until then, rest in the grace, peace, love and truth of our Awesome and Beautiful LORD and Savior, the LORD Jesus Christ!
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