When things get dark....we have hope!

"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.  The earth was without form and void and darkness was over the face of the deep, AND...the Spirit of God was hovering...."

This verse gives me hope.  As I look around at our world today, it's obvious, much is happening.  It's obvious that things are getting darker and darker.

Tonight, I was having a bible study with my kids and I was answering their questions.  Adah said, "Dad, the pastor at church was talking about darkness today and how things were getting darker and darker, will we be safe?  Will we have wars?"

These questions affected me, because in my mind I want to ignore the dark things, the things that were prophesied years ago by the prophets.  We had better pay attention and we better be prepared, because those times are happening, right now.

No one understood Noah, while he was building his boat on sand.  People must have thought he was a crazy man.  Can you imagine...building a boat in a desert?  Can you imagine the looks he got?  Can you imagine the rumors?  What is this guy doing?  What a wacko!  What a waste of time!  What a waste of resources!  But Noah, heard from the Lord.  He knew what was coming.  He was a sheep who knew the voice of the Lord.

Well, there are many people who are walking the earth saying, "Yeah right, we've been hearing he's coming back for 2,000 years."  These "Christians" are crazy!  But what if...what if what they say is true?  What if, we are living in the times of thick darkness?  What if, everything that was said in the scriptures comes to pass?  What if...?

What will happen to my family?  What will happen to my children?  What will the world look like?

This may surprise you....but I have hope!  I'm excited for what's to come, because I've read the end of the story and WE WIN!  I do not fear the times ahead of us, because for those who dwell in the shelter of the Most High, they will abide in the shadow of the Almighty!  He will deliver them from the fowler's snare!"  This is just one of the many promises found in God's word.  These are promises and he is the Great Promise Keeper.  He will never betray us.  He will never turn his back on us.
Even if we are faithless, he remains faithful!

Recently, I've noticed many people, pastors, church members declaring the doom and gloom of our country.  I've heard the "doom and gloom" messages.  This may get me into a lot of trouble, but there's no such thing as a "doom and gloom" gospel!  The gospel is good news!!!  If all we have is doom and gloom, where is our hope?  If doom and gloom is our destiny Christians, why do you follow the Lord?

The reason I love the first verse in this blog (Genesis 1:1-2) is for one reason.  Notice the first part, "The earth was without form and void and darkness was over the face of the deep"  You see, if the verse stopped there, we would all be depressed.  I mean really...think about it.  The earth is formless, void, empty and it was pitch dark.  But hope comes in the latter part of this verse.  "And the Spirit of God was hovering."  You see, the Spirit of God could see in the darkness, the Spirit of God could move in the darkness and the Spirit of God was the only ONE who could do anything about the darkness.

I absolutely love what happens next...."And God said, let there be light" and there was light!  Praise God.  You see the Spirit was hovering, waiting for the word of the Lord to be spoken.  When the word is spoken, things happen!  The Spirit is hovering even now in the earth and even though it's getting darker and darker, when the word is spoken, things happen!  Will you speak the word of the Lord?

Look at Isaiah 60:1-2.  "Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.  For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples, but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you."  What a wonderful promise!  Here's another verse that without the latter part the first part would leave us hopeless.  More good news!

Here's the study I did with my children tonight.  We were in their bedroom all gathered around on the floor.  Well, they have some glow in the dark stars stuck underneath the top bunk bed.  The Lord spoke to me as I was reading them this verse.  As Adah, Noah, Nathan and even little Elsie had questions of what would happen, I was able to show them exactly why I still have hope and why they should too.

I noticed, when the door was open in the room the stars didn't glow.  They were somewhat bland to be honest.  So...I got up and shut the door and it was dark in the room.  All we could see were those little stars under the bed.  Elsie was a little frightened, so I turned on Noah's head lamp that he was using for reading.  You see, when the darkness came then the light was noticeable.  But those little stars were not enough to light that room, but that "head lamp" was.  But I must admit, when it was completely dark, those stars were pretty comforting.

My point to the children was when the Lord said, "For behold, darkness will cover the earth, thick darkness the people, but the Lord will arise upon YOU and his glory will be seen upon YOU!  Each of us who call upon the name of the Lord will be like one of those little stars.  People will be drawn to us, people will look to the only thing that shines a glimpse of light.

One last thing we noticed during our study.  When we shined the head lamp on the stars, the stars started shinning brighter and brighter.  They were kind of dull to be honest, but Noah had the bright idea of holding the head lamp right against one of the stars.  When the "head lamp" was pulled away, that star shined brighter than all the others.

Here's my point...

The darker it gets, the more people need the light.  Matthew 5:14 says, "You (we) are the light of the world.  A city on a hill that cannot be hidden!"  So praise God, I'm a light-bearer.  Praise God, that as the main "head lamp" shines on me, I shine brighter and brighter.  Christians, we must be basking in the light of His presence.  It's imperative!  We'll need to shine bright as things get darker.

So there is no doom and gloom for those who are walking in the light as he is in the light.  Darkness can't hinder light, but only make it more obvious.  Light becomes more valuable in the dark.  These are dark times, I agree.  However, I have hope because when things are pitch black, guess who will be there shinning as bright as the stars.  Those who are in Christ!  Take heart, be encouraged!  Jesus is Lord!!!

Blessings,

Jimmy