Pierce the Dark

"I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in Me will no longer remain in the dark." - John 12:46



If you were to go on an excursion, when would you use a torch? Would you use it during the day or in the dark of night? If you're like most people, you use it at night. Why? The torch shines just as brightly in the light of day as it does after dark. So there must be a reason that it is only used in darkness.


There's a simple explanation. A torch pales in comparison to the light of the sun. It doesn't even make a noticeable difference in its surroundings.


It's kind of like God's light in a Christian's life. A torch is needed more when it is dark. God's light is needed more where darkness is overwhelming. Yes, we are supposed to let our light shine. Yes, we are supposed to make that light visible to those around us.


But there's more to it than that.


God wants us to do more than shine. He wants us to carry His light into the darkest places. That's where He is needed the most. He wants us to carry His light to those places where people cannot see what is holding them back. Those places where people have given up all hope. Because His light illuminates their lives and their paths. It brings hope when they can see what is coming next.


It's hard. I'll be honest. Carrying God's light into those dark places is hard. And it can be scary. Evil loves darkness because it can hide there. But just because we can't see those obstacles or anything coming our way doesn't mean we shouldn't go. In fact, it's the very reason why we should. If things look hopeless from the outside, imagine how the people trapped in it feel. Carrying God's light there eliminates that hopelessness. First of all, it allows the torch bearer to see what is around him or her - including the good that was originally hidden and can now give him or her hope. Secondly, it draws other people to the Light; it allows them to see a difference and to see hope and shows them how to light their own torch.


That Light God wants us to carry is amazing. It can't be explained or even understood. But earlier this year, God helped me understand a part of it by comparing it to the Olympic torch. The Olympic torch is actually quite fascinating. Obviously, the relay is different every Olympic year, but the torch has been transported through some very interesting places and in interesting ways. But there is one thing that really stands out to me right now.


The Olympic torch has been carried through places that should have extinguished its light - including underwater.


God used this fact to teach me the most important thing about His Light. Nothing can extinguish it. Have you ever carried a candle into a dark room and had the flame go out on you just because it was dark? Of course not. In fact, the light from the candle actually got rid of the darkness. God's Light inside of us is the same way. Nothing can extinguish it - not rules or laws or pressure from people. Not even Satan himself can extinguish that Light.


So carry His Light. Don't be complacent about it. Just because the Light inside of you is shining doesn't mean everyone can see it. The people who need it the most are so lost in darkness that they will only see His Light if you carry Him to them. So do it. Pierce the darkness with the Light of the World.

Take Our Place

Suppose a friend has promised you an amazing house - a house for you and your children and your grandchildren to live in forever. All you have to do is complete a challenge and then step onto the property. And your friend will even help you complete the challenge. What would you do?

Well, I hope you're not like the children of Israel who came out of slavery in Egypt. The God who rescued them out of slavery promised them a land overflowing with milk and honey. It was a land they and their descendants would be able to live in forever. He would help them overcome all the enemies who stood in their way.

But the children of Israel saw the size of their enemies. They saw their enemies, and they were scared. So instead of going into the Promised Land, they turned away and ran. They told their God, "We don't believe you can do this. We're scared. We don't want what you've promised us." (In essence anyway. You won't actually find that as a verse in the Bible.)

So what happened? They were made to wander in the desert for forty years. Until God had raised up a generation who would take Him at His Word. A generation with leaders who would step up and say they could win. With leaders who obeyed God. A generation who would take possession of their promise.

You see? There's a secret to receiving God's promises. God doesn't just give them to you. He makes them available and provides a way for you to possess it. But you have a part in it. 

You have to trust Him. You have to know what He says is true. You have to know that His promises are good. You have to know that He will help you take them.

You have to obey Him. When God says to go, you go. When He says to stop, you stop. When He speaks, you listen. When He says to believe, you believe. When He says to watch in wonder at the work He does, you watch in wonder as He does it.

You have to face the obstacles in your way. Getting to what God has promised you isn't always easy. There's normally something in the way of your promise. For the Israelites, it was the Canaanites and the city of Jericho. For you, it could be lack of resources or funds. It could be an extremely large task. Or it could just be that you are surrounded by people who don't believe what God told you. Either way, you have to look past it at what God has promised you. Then you have to trust that He'll move that obstacle out of your way, that He'll destroy anything that comes against you.

Finally, you have to actually take possession of the promise. When it is in your hands, in your grasp, don't let it go. Don't give your promise to someone God did not promise it to. It's your promise. Don't let someone else take control of it.

It takes a generation.

So, will you accept the promise? Will you possess it? God needs us to take back what He gave us.

So join with me. Let's be "a generation, rising up to take their place."

Take the Leap

Imagine you are standing at the edge of a high dive. Ten meters below you is a pool so deep you don't even know how far down the bottom is. You've never been this high. You've only gone off the low diving board. You've never been in water that deep before. And you're scared. Your coach is telling you that you can do it. He's never let you down before. Why would He now?

Now, I have a slightly different picture to paint for you. See that picture right above this? That was taken my last day at City of Refuge Children's Home in Jamaica. That window my friend and I are leaning out of has a ledge maybe about two feet below it. But after that ledge, there is nothing but a very steep mountain. And yes, we are leaning out of it without holding onto anything (well, except for our feet being stuck under the picnic table in front of the window).

But there is a funny story behind this picture. You see? The first few days we were in Jamaica, this friend kept leaning out the window. Several of us watching her were definitely freaking out. And I was one of the people freaking out initially. Then on our third day at the home, she tried to get me to do it with her. After I about had a heart attack once or twice from her doing it, you'd think she would know my answer, but it still took a few times telling her no for her to quit asking.

Well, you'd think after a year of hanging out with this friend I would know that I may as well not ever tell her no on stuff like that. Because it seems I always end up doing it later. About five minutes after she quit asking, I decided I wanted to do it. The only thing was that by that time, I had two things keeping me from doing it. One - I had just told her no about five times. (Yes, I can be that stubborn when I want to be.) Two - I was still scared.

We had dinner. We did devotions with the children. We played games. We went back to our room. I forgot about it. At least I thought I did.

Back in my room that night I was having some quiet time. I was reading my Bible, praying, listening to God. Apparently, God didn't forget about it. Well, before I closed my journal and went to bed, I really felt like God was telling me I needed to lean out that window, that He wanted to teach me something through it. So I wrote down in my journal that I would do it first thing in the morning the next day.

The next morning, I woke up. Before breakfast I made sure I leaned out the window. Surprisingly enough, I had fun doing it. I didn't get it right away, but by the end of the next day I did. God wanted to show me that the things I'm scared of, aren't worth being scared of. They actually end up being enjoyable. All I have to do is trust Him and act.

I'll be honest. I still haven't applied that lesson to much this year other than riding a few rides at amusement parks that previously terrified me. I got to thinking about that last week after riding one particularly "scary" ride that I loved. I wanted to know why God would teach me something that I hadn't had to use.

As I sat there talking to a friend about it, I was reminded of a verse I had read the night before. "I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father."


I got to thinking about that. God expects us to do things even greater than what Jesus did while He was on this earth. That's some pretty big deal stuff. I mean, come on. Jesus raised people from the dead with just a few words. He walked on water. He healed blind people. That's a lot to live up to. Honestly, it's scary.

God asks us to do scary stuff. He asks us to talk to people we've never met. He asks us to share His Word, His life and His freedom with them. He asks us to pray for people, lay our hands on them and watch them receive His healing. He asks us to bring people back to life spiritually by introducing them to Him. A lot of times, we're too scared to do it - scared of what people will think, scared of rejection, scared of failure.

But here's the thing. God still expects us to do what He asks. We don't have to be afraid. Just like He wanted me to lean out that window, He wants you to dive head first into all He has for you. He's really the one doing all the work. Even if we do fall, He's there to catch us. But He won't let us fall because He loves us too much. He believes we can do greater works than Jesus. He told us we will do greater works than Jesus did. Then He gave us His Spirit to ensure that we could do it and do it without fear.

So you're still on that high dive. You're standing there. You hear your coach telling you that you can do it. It's time. Go ahead and just dive.

Let it Shine

"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden." - Matthew 5:14


We've all heard that before. And most of us know what it means. It means that a city on top of a hill has a light that can be seen for miles. No matter how hard you try to hide it, you can't. Even the darkest night cannot hide the light from that city.

But there's another way to think about a city on a hill. When you are that high up, you can also see for miles around you. You can see way better from there than from the bottom of a hill.

Well, about three weeks ago, I got to experience that first hand. I was sitting in a city at the top of a mountain. From where I sat, I could see the city of Kingston, Jamaica miles below. As it was every night that week, the view was beautiful. At first, a few rows of lights came on. The further the sun sank behind the mountains, the more the city below lit up. As I looked at that beautiful view, I noticed something.

It always happens in movies. One light in the house comes on, and a few seconds later, every other light in the house follows. Or one house lights up, and the next thing you know, the whole neighborhood is lit up. Something I know I have never thought about is that there's only one way for an audience of a movie to know those lights are on. The windows can't be covered. They have to be open for the light to be seen.

That is the job we as Christians have. There is a Light in our life that shines brighter than anything else in the world. It shines even brighter than the sun. It eliminates any trace of darkness. It wipes away pain, sorrow and suffering. The Light exposes sin so that it can be washed away. The Light shines down, illuminating the path we should take. This Light can do the same for anyone who will turn it on in their own lives.

Yet so many Christians try to hide it. I know I have. Yes, most people who know me know that I'm a Christian. They know I go to church. Most of my friends know that I really like my church and my campus ministry. They know I absolutely love Jesus. And if they know me well enough, they probably know that I could suggest a church or two in LA, Houston, Sydney, London, NYC, Branson, Fort Worth and even New Orleans. (Mind you, I've only been to two of those cities, and only been to church in one of them.) But I've still tried to hide that Light.

You see. I'm a journalism student. At what is probably the best journalism school in the world (without bias; if I was going to be biased, I'd say it is for sure the best). Journalists are supposed to remain objective. Journalists are supposed to report without bias. So I tried to keep my faith out of anything related to my classes in the School of Journalism (which was just flat out dumb since my faith is the entire reason I'm in the j-school). The thing is, my beliefs are the central part of who I am. Saying they don't effect my writing would be a flat out lie. And I've realized in the last few months, that no matter how hard I try, I can't do that. For one, I can't hide who I am, especially now that I am truly in love with my Creator. And for another, trying to pretend that my faith won't affect my writing would not be transparent (something else a journalist is supposed to be).

But if I quit trying to hide it, if I let the Light shine out of me.

The results are good. No, they're so amazing that only God can really understand how good they are.

You see. When people accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior, it is like they flip a light switch in their lives. They can see much more clearly where they need to go. They can see anything that might hurt them and avoid it. And they can see the things and the people that will help them get where they need to go. But people around them still can't see.

That's why they need to open the window. That's why they need to share the Light in their lives. Of course, for the people on the outside, it's not quite as bright as it is inside yet. There are still shadows because the Source of Light in not in their lives yet. But they can see well enough to find that Source, to flip the light switch in their own lives. Sure, they might still trip over some things hiding in the shadows, but they'll get there eventually. They'll find the Source, flip the switch and all shadows in their lives will be gone.

Here's where it gets really good. When they do that, the Light will reach farther than it did with only one person's light shining. Even more people will be able to find their way to the Source of light and accept Him. It starts an irreversible trend.

That's what our lives should look like. That's what I'm working on making mine look like (even in the j-school). It's hard. I'll be honest. For me, it requires reversing a pattern I've been stuck in since my freshman year in high school of people knowing I'm a Christian but not knowing any more than that. It takes work. It requires letting the Light infiltrate every tiny bit of your life. Then letting the Light lead you to the window so you can look out and see a hurting world that needs the Light you have. Then choosing to share the Light.

We are that city on a hill. Because so many people can see the Light in us, that many more people are able to find the Source of light in their own lives. It's not just that people can see the Light in us no matter what. It's that our Light really cannot be hidden. If it is, other people will remain in darkness.

But here's the really cool part.

When we are that city on a hill, we get more than just the visibility. We get the view. We get to watch as the Light we let shine out of our lives affects the people we touch. We get to watch as first one light, then another, then another, then another... We get to watch as all those lights come on.

And the view is breathtaking.

I Receive Your Love

I like learning about love. It never ends. The more I learn about it, the more I realize how much I have to learn though. It is so hard to fully grasp love. But God keeps helping me understand more of it each day.

Love is two sided. We receive love so much better when we give it in return. Pouring love out on other people opens room in our hearts to receive it. We have to be open to receiving that love. It cannot just be an obligation. Being open to love shows other people how much you love them. Then they are open to receive love from you in return.

It is the same way with God.

We can ask God to show us His love all we want. But the thing is, He already did on the cross at Calvary. Until we show Him that we have received that love by giving Him our love, our hearts are not yet open to receive any more. Once we pour love and adoration out on Him, we give Him more room to flood us with His love. So He does.

There is something else about it being the same with God. Our hearts and our lives can be full of God too. When they are full of love, they are really full of God because God is love. They can be so full of God that we pour Him and His love out on others. When we do that, He is always there, ready to refill us because He knows we will share His goodness. 

Receive love. Give love. Receive more love.

Receive God. Give God. Receive more of God.

It's really that simple.

Lord of the Dance

Imagine you are at a ball. You know? Those old-fashioned dances that even the slow dances have actual steps. Picture yourself at one of those.

As the music plays, you sit there. At first, you just watch. But as time goes on, you want to be a part of the dance too. Just sitting and watching isn't enough. So you get up to dance. But this isn't a dance you can do by yourself. You'll fall if you don't have a partner. So you search for a partner.

You find someone, but all they want to do is follow you. And you don't know the steps, so you still can't dance. All you have is you and your partner standing there, looking confused and not going anywhere.

So you find a partner who knows how to dance. There's only one problem. This partner is great at leading you... in the wrong steps. It seems like you're always running into people who know the right steps or tripping over yourself so you don't run into them.

You decide to leave partner number two and try again. Partner number three seems perfect. They know all the right steps. They even know the words to say. But then they get distracted just when they're supposed to catch you. You fall to the floor.

You're about to give up. You've tried every kind of partner you can think of. And they all failed - miserably. You're hurt. You're tired. You're more lost and confused than you were when you started.

That's when you feel a tap on your shoulder. You look up. A hand is held out to you. Two eyes full of love look down at you. "Can I have this dance?'

You sit there for a second wondering what to say. You want to join the dance, but you've already tried so many times. You don't want to end up hurt or lost again. Eventually you make a decision. Slowly, you place your hand in the one held out to you. You allow the one holding out that hand to pull you back onto the dance floor and lead you in the most beautiful dance you've ever been a part of.

Now think about this. God is the one asking you, "Can I have this dance?"

I've had this analogy running through my mind recently of life being like a ball. The things going on around you are the music. They determine what kind of dance you should be doing. You can choose anyone or anything to be your partner, but only one partner knows the right steps, and that partner is God. Unlike other partners, you don't have to search Him out. Instead, He waits until you're ready and comes to you, hands outstretched, asking, "Can I have this dance?"

Accepting God's invitation to dance with Him takes trust. And a lot of it. You have to trust that He knows the right steps to take. You have to trust that He will tell you when to take those steps. Plus you actually have to follow Him for it to do any good.

But more than anything, you have to trust His love. You have to trust that He loves you so much He would never lead you the wrong way. You have to trust that He loves you so much He would never let You fall. On top of trusting your plans to Him, you have to trust your heart in His hands.

That kind of trust can be hard, especially for people who have been hurt before. It takes a lot of courage to give your heart to someone once it's already broken. But God is worthy of that trust.

He's the one who helps heal that hurt. He's the one who knows how to mend a broken heart. He is real love. Love that never stops, never lets go and can never fail. He gives love that can cast away all fear - the fear of rejection, of being hurt again. His love casts out fear and brings renewed trust.

But He can't do that unless You accept His invitation to dance. It's about letting Him into your life. It's about learning to love Him. It's about letting Him lead you. It's about learning to trust Him. It's about learning to trust His love.

Like any dance, life has more than one step. The most important step in this dance is accepting God's invitation to dance. Once you accept His invitation He will show you the rest of the steps. Every day is a new song to learn the dance to. So every day you have to say yes to God and follow His lead.

When you say yes, it frees you because you are so focused on Him that you don't care what people around you think. It frees you because you know you're not making the wrong move. It makes you feel secure and protected because His arms are around you and your hands are in His. You feel loved because you are.

Today, and every day from now on, I want to say yes to God. I want to accept His invitation to dance. I hope you will join me and make Him the Lord of your dance as well.

Uncontainable

You're in your bedroom when all of a sudden someone knocks on the door.

"I have a surprise for you. Mind if  I bring it to you?" your friend asks.

"Yeah, sure. Bring it on in."

"Are you sure. I don't think it'll fit in your room." Your friend glances around, sizing up the place.

"Of course. It'll fit. Bring it on in."

You like surprises. You know the friend who is asking is trustworthy and always has good things to give you. So you accept the gift and wait for him to bring it in.

That's when he brings in a small object, unwraps it, and starts blowing up a life-size elephant. It gets to about half the size it is supposed to be, and it won't go any further. Your room isn't big enough to hold the gift from your friend.

"Maybe you can take that outside," you say with a puzzled look on your face.

"The air won't go back out once it's grown this much."

"But, it can't grow all the way in here. The room is too small."

So, this example might be a little bit crazy. I don't know too many people who could find a life-size inflatable elephant, let alone one that won't let the air out. But it was used to make a point.

That's how we are with God. We know He has something good for us. We want what He has because we know it's good. We ask Him to give it to us. We wait for Him to give it to us.

But then we set up limits.

We try to fit what He will do for us into our expectations. Instead of saying, "I expect You to move in ways bigger than I can imagine," we say, "This is where I am, and this is where You can go from here."

Recently, I was spending some time with God. During that time with Him, I asked myself, "Will I limit my limitless God?" I meant it to be a challenge to myself. I meant it to be a reminder not to limit Him. Well, instead of letting me think about it, God answered for me.

"You already are."

Well, if that didn't get me thinking about my supposedly rhetorical question, I don't think anything would have. God used it to show me how I have been thinking about a certain situation in my life. What I thought was merely having trouble seeing how I could reach my potential in a certain area was way more than that. Thinking that way put a limit on God.

God doesn't care about titles. He doesn't care what I think is expected of me. What He cares about is trust in Him - trust in His ability to do way more through me than I could ever hope to do on my own. He is a God without limit. He will take whatever room we give Him to move. A title doesn't matter. My expectations of myself don't matter. What matters is my trust in His ability to do great things through me.

So, the rhetorical question that God answered for me did make me think. It helped me take the limits off. And I hope it makes you think too. Know that God has big things in store for you. Know that He will give you whatever you expect, but expect Him to do more than you can imagine. Ask yourself if you will limit a limitless God.

I hope when you answer that question you answer, "I will not limit my limitless God."