Something Specific

 John 8:12 (KJV) Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

In this verse Jesus says I am the light. The word "the" is the only definite article in the English language. It is used before a noun to define it as something specific (e.g., something previously mentioned or known, something unique, or something being identified by the speaker). 

Jesus wasn’t saying He was a light no he was saying that He was The Light! There are a lot of lights but there’s only one light that can be identified as The Light. So I got interested in that phrase “I Am The”. I looked up all the times it was mentioned in the book of John. Here’s what I discovered. Eight verses I found that little phrase. Now that may not seem like much but when you know that the number 8 stands for “New Beginning” it sheds a whole new light on it. Knowing Jesus, not about Jesus, but knowing Jesus gives me a New Life and Light!

In John 6:35 Jesus said He was the Bread of Life.

“ And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.”

In John 8:12  Jesus said He was The Light of the World

“Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”

In  John 10:7 Jesus said He was The Door

Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.

In John 10:11 Jesus said He was The Good Shepherd

I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

In John 10:36 Jesus Said He was The Son of God

“Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?”

In  John 11:25 Jesus Said He was The Resurrection

“Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:”

In   John 14:6 Jesus Said He was The Way, The Truth and  The Life
“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” 

In  John 15:1 Jesus Said He was The True Vine

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.”

A Servant

Psalms 86:1  A Prayer of David. Bow down thine ear, O LORD, hear me: for I am poor and needy.

Psalms 86:2  Preserve my soul; for I am holy: O thou my God, save thy servant that trusteth in thee.

Psalms 86:3 Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily.

In verse 2 David reminds the Lord that he is one of His servants. Now our Heavenly Father knows who His children are and knows also who His servants are. Not only does David remind God 3 times in this chapter he is His servant but he also tells God that he “TRUST” in Him. Then David reminds God that he “LIFTS” up his voice on a daily basis to Him. My thought here is who is David really reminding? Could it be that David is bargaining with God? Do I not do the same thing? There is one thing we don’t have to do and that is remind God for He knows and neither is He one that we can bargain with. Gods is our Heavenly Father, He is our Great High Shepherd, God is also our Master, Lord and Guider. 

But I also noticed that this was a pray while in trouble. 

Psalms 86:7 In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me.

David had confidence that God would answer. I must learn that God, my Heavenly Father really does love me and cares about me and wants to see me succeed. Now I’m fortunate because of my earthly father. He loved me so therefore I know something about a fathers love for his children. He provided for me I had a good home, food. My earthly father love me so much that He disciplined me when needed which was often. He wanted to see me succeed in all I did. I never had to remind my earthly father that I was his son. But David isn’t reminding God that he is his son but his servant. When we come into God’s family we are not only children but we should want to severe as well. Why? For all The Lord has done for us, His Children.

Honor

Proverbs 20:3

It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.

I’m interested in “It is an honour for a man to cease from strife”

HONOR “A testimony of esteem; any expression of respect or of high estimation by words or actions; as the honors of war; military honors; funeral honors; civil honors.”

STRIFE “Contention in anger or enmity; contest; struggle for victory; quarrel or war.”

It is a testimony by words or actions for a man to cease from contention in anger. 

It’s an honor not only to the person to cease from contention but it is also a reflection of the Lord shining in and through a persons life. Let’s give praise where praise is due. Without the working of the Spirit of God in our hearts few would even try to cease from strife. They would just keep justifying what they said or did by words of I just can’t help it or that’s the way I am or even God made me this way. Bottom line we become that way because of sin that we allow to go uncontrolled. Lord help me today to allow you to control my mouth and mind that I’ll not bring shame to your name.  

Don’t Be Broken Into

Proverbs 25:28

He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.

This losing self control was also seen in 

Proverbs 16:32

He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.

What makes us lose self control? Could our number one failure be TEMPTATION. Temptation always attacks our weak points. The enemy will suggest something where we are weak and if I or anyone else begins to think on what was suggested it may not belong before we preform that act. Our wall will at that point be broken down because we refused to take action over our spirit. The picture given in these verses are “no rule over his own spirit” you know you shouldn’t get angry but what was done to you or said about you was uncalled for. We call it losing our tempter as if that were to justify our actions. Where in reality we allowed our wall of protection to be broken down, then our sinful action is easily committed. Now the results of our actions may be just like an army coming into a city and destroying what’s there as well as taking things which cannot be replace. To the young boy or young girl that allows their wall of purity to be broken down can never be a virgin again. The one who steals, commits adultery, kills another with their harsh talk will never be able to go back and undo what they did. We must protect our walls by protecting our spirit. Don’t be broken into!

The Great Light

Proverbs 13:9

The light of the righteous rejoiceth: but the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.

What jumped out at me this morning was this phrase “The light of the righteous rejoiceth:”

The first time we see the word LIGHT in the New Testament is in

Matthew 4:16

The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.

Webster says this about LIGHT

“That ethereal agent or matter which makes objects perceptible to the sense of seeing, but the particles of which are separately invisible.”

Also “Illumination of mind; instruction; knowledge.”

What is this LIGHT mention in Matthew? Was this great LIGHT the sun? I don’t think so because of what is stated afterward. Notice they were sitting in darkness, it’s hard to sit in darkness after the light of the sun lighten up the world after a nigh of darkness. They were also sitting in the shadow of death when light sprung up. Here what I think. We were born in darkness a dead spirit which could not know God neither worship God.

John 4:23

But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

John 4:24

God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

The people which sat in darkness (no light lost without hope) saw great light; (the gospel , the death, burial and the resurrection of Jesus Christ the Son of God) and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up. (The light of Jesus)

John 8:12

Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

John 9:5

As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

John 12:46

I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.

Jesus is the Light and if we never know Jesus we will be seated in darkness and the shadow of death will ever be present. But the child of God walks through the shadow of death.

Psalms 23:4

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me

Therefore “The light of the righteous rejoiceth:”

Get Smart

In proverbs 9:10 we find this phase “THE FEAR OF THE LORD”  that phrase is used only 26 times in the O.T. Once in the N.T. Now what I found interesting is that that phrase is used 14 times in the book of Proverbs that’s more than half. Webster says this about FEAR “To feel a painful apprehension of some impending evil; to be afraid of; to consider or expect with emotions of alarm or uneasiness of mind. We fear the approach of an enemy or of a storm. We have reason to fear the punishment of our sins.” 

The word AFRAID “Impressed with fear or apprehension;” Adam and Eve placed in a perfect world with only one rule but they were tempted and failed and the first two things that came into their lives was Shame “Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God” and Fear “I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid,” 

Sin does two things it make us shameful for our action and causes fear to come into our lives.

Proverbs 9:10

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

Maybe that’s it, we are just not fearful enough? Somewhere we may have gotten an attitude there nothing to be afraid of. Maybe from a video game or horror movie. In a video game you don’t stay dead in a horror movie there’s no one after you. If the rolls were reversed one would feel fear. Do your thing now while you are young and healthy but leave the doctors office with the news that what you have is inoperable your tune might change. Have someone after you that’s going to do you real harm and see how fearful you become.  Get smart “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom:”

Don’t Forget

Proverbs 3:1

My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:

2 For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.

Don’t forget; Judy tells me that all the time, don’t For get to get.....before you come home. She reminds me of something we need at the House, she has already told me she want to make sure I don’t  forget. In verse one we are reminded not to forget God’s law. 

We were told back in chapter 2 to hide God’s commandments.

Proverbs 2:1

My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;

Why are these commandments so important? First to keep God’s commandments one must first receive them (God’s Word) then we’re are told not to forget them. Why? Because they will be very beneficial to us; length of days, long life, peace, shall God’s law add to us. Wow Receive, Hide, Keep now I understand why they want them removed. Remove them we can’t receive them because we are not seeing them therefore no peace in our lives. 

In Pittsburgh there’s a mother who doesn’t believe in God and has taught the same to her child, now she wants the 10 Commandments removed from School grounds. The marker was placed there in 1957, sixty years that marker has stood and now one mother and her child wants it removed. The sad thing is they are going to remove it. Who cares how the multitude feels we have two that’s upset; someone should have just said “really lady if you don’t like it go somewhere else.” But no, let’s don’t upset this poor fool.

Psalms 14:1

The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.

 The New Kensington-Arnold School District says it’s removing the six-foot granite marker as part of a settlement with the group that went to court challenging the religious display on school property.

The challenge was filed by a student and her atheist mother in 2012.

Who wants to go to a school where there’s a red flag that says everyday DON’T COMMIT FORNICATION, DON’T STEAL, DON’T LYE?? Why would anyone want to go to school where there’s peace?

That’s why God said “Don’t Forget.”