Read: Genesis 18:1 – 21:7
The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.
(John 1:9)
Relate: The one who is the true light… There truly is only One who is the light. Yes, there are all kinds of false lights. Buddha is a false light. He preached that with right intention, action, effort, and concentration one can truly find oneself and annihilate suffering. Yet he ate some bad pork and fell violently ill, never achieving that deathless state he prophesied for himself. Muhammad is a false light. According to the earliest sources, when Muhammad first encountered what he believed to be the angel Gabriel, the angel choked him and commanded him to “recite”. It was only after the third such choking that Muhammad relented. In contrast, nearly every truly Biblical encounter a person has with angel begin with the angel saying, “fear not”. Muhammad left that frightful encounter fearing that he was demon possessed. He was probably right. To be fair, I also have the potential to be a false light. Every time I try to bring attention to myself or take credit for the gifts God has given me, every time I try steal the glory that belongs only to God, I am no better than Satan. It was for this that he was thrown from heaven. There is only one true light, and it is Jesus alone.
Who gives light to everyone… Strange as it may seem, everyone means everyone. When Jesus came to this earth, He came for everyone. Granted, not everyone chooses to believe in Him (that’s for tomorrow), but this world is a better place because He came. How many millions of mouths have been fed because of those inspired by the loaves and fishes? How many charity organizations exist thanks to the example of the widow’s mite? Samaritan’s Purse and the millions of Christmas gifts they give out globally each year, would it ever have happened had Jesus not told the story of the good Samaritan? By leaps and bounds this world is a far better place because Jesus came. Am I making it a better place as well? If not, can I truly say that I am following Him?
Was coming into the world… For centuries, for millennia, the children of God had been anticipating the coming of God. Under the domination of Egypt, then Assyria, then Babylonia, then Persia, then Syria, and finally Rome with only brief and occasional gasps of true freedom and independence, they desperately yearned for the coming of the Messiah. Then John shows up. Can you imagine being of of his disciples? The Messiah is coming and He is coming soon. Very soon. It is no longer an ambiguous hope for a distant future, it was the first thought of each morning. “Will this be the day?” Finally, one day down by the Jordan River John stops his preaching mid sentence. With a visible excitement as he is nearly jumping out of his skin, John points and shouts out, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” It is no longer, He is coming. Now… He has come.
React: The early church lived in that same anticipation. Those who saw Jesus ascend into heaven also saw the angels who (without choking anyone) promised that He will return the same way they saw Him go. They lived in an anticipation that it will happen any day now. It was a blessed hope that permeated their speech, their writing, their lifestyle. But we humans get easily distracted. We forget how long “soon” may seem for those who are not yet clothed with immortality. Days, weeks, years go by and it is hard to live in that same eager expectation. I remember as a kid being fully convinced that God would come back before I die. There wasn’t a question in my mind. Although I still firmly believe that He is coming soon, and every day is a day closer, the questions in my mind of just how soon “soon” is do seem to loom a little larger. But the promise is still true, He is coming again into this world. Until that day, it is our responsibility to reflect that true light that everyone in the world might see it. Because He is coming, let us be about making this world a better place.
Respond:
God, I know You are coming back. Part of me is eager for Your return. Yet another part wonders when, sometimes if, You are coming back. Help me to live my life each moment as if Your return is but a breath away. And until You come, help me to not grow weary in doing well. Help me to carry Your light everywhere until Your radiance envelopes us all.
THE RIVER WALK 
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon Him) is not a false light. HE (peace be Upon Him) is the promised Prophet as mentioned in the Holy Bible.
http://mudasirali.wordpress.com/2011/11/21/prophet-muhammad-pbuh-in-the-bible-new-testament/
And yeah my Brother, Learn to respect humanity first. Budhha was neither a Muslim nor a Christian, But He was a good humam being, I have read about his preachings and lifestyle.
I’m a Muslim And I believe I’m a better Christian than you because I believe in Prophet Jesus (Peace be Upon Him) and His teachings. The Quran teaches me to believe in Him.
If you believe in the teachings of Jesus, then you believe He is God, because Jesus claimed that about Himself many times.
http://tworiversblog.com/2013/11/30/november-30-son-of-man/
If you believe in the teachings of Jesus, then you believe He died and rose again from the grave. Jesus claimed this about Himself as well.
http://tworiversblog.com/2013/12/09/i-died-but-look-i-am-alive-12913/
If you agree with these two truths, then we are in agreement and you are my brother.
Be blessed,
BJ
Amen, BJ! There are intrinsic spiritual truths that many religions believe; but only one truth that truly saves a person’s soul eternally, and that is that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. It makes people uncomfortable, but there is truly only one path to Heaven, and only one Judgment: that of Christ at the end of a person’s physical life. We all have a reckoning. But that Jesus came as Love, that is the truly awesome wonder of it all!
Who says Jesus Died?, its the non-believers who do.
And Alhamdullilah We Muslims are first to know and believe that Prophet Jesus didn’t die.
Al-Quran, Chapter 4, Verse 157:
And because of their saying (in boast), “We killed Messiah ‘Iesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), the Messenger of Allah,” – but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but the resemblance of ‘Iesa (Jesus) was put over another man (and they killed that man), and those who differ therein are full of doubts. They have no (certain) knowledge, they follow nothing but conjecture. For surely; they killed him not [i.e. ‘Iesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary)]:
And we believe in Second Coming of the Jesus.
Prophet Jesus was a messenger like other messengers mentioned in the Quran and Bible.
Prophet Jesus never claimed divinity. And Bible proves it.
http://mudasirali.wordpress.com/2011/12/11/concept-of-god-in-christianity/
Every soul shall taste death and we have to return to the Same Lord. Life is a test and what matters is how much efforts we put in seeking the truth and the light.
In your article, you mention that Jesus says, “I can do nothing on my own. I judge as God tells me. Therefore, my judgment is just, because I carry out the will of the one who sent me, not my own will.”
Yet in context, you will see that He is claiming absolute equality and unity with the Father. He claims the divine prerogative as Judge (John 5:22,27,29) to receive honor (John 5:23) forgiveness of sins (5:24) the power to give life (5:25-26) and to speak to those beyond the grave (5:28) He claims that all scriptures point to Him (5:39) Clearly, this verse is saying the exact opposite of what you claimed when viewed in context. It is saying that the Father and the Son are One.
The same can be seen with how you have taken a portion John 10:29 out of context. You quote: “…the Father is greater than all.” But the very next thing Jesus says is, “No one can snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else.No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.” Do you see it? 1)No one can snatch them from me. 2) The Father is most powerful. 2) No one can snatch them from Him. 1) I and the Father are one. It is a direct AB-BA correlation. Basic logic. The two are one.
In the same chapter Jesus uses divine analogies of Himself. He says, “I am the Gate” (10:7, 10:9) “Those who come through me will be saved.” (10:9) “I am the Good Shepherd” (John 10:11,14) “I will die for my sheep.” (John 10:11,17-18) “I will return to life” (10:17-18) “I give eternal life” (10:28) “The Father is in me, and I am in the Father” (10:38)
In fact, Jesus was so clearly claiming divine prerogatives that some of those listening to Him wanted to stone Him on the spot. (John 10:33)
Reblogged this on thedreamyactiveinertbrain.
He is the True Light that enlightens every man! thanks for keeping it real, bro!
Reblogged this on | Adrian D. Riojas | and commented:
A great new song from Desperation. Loving the Electronic sound that our worship music is taking on. It truly makes you want to Dance before the Lord. 😉
Reblogged this on A Christian Warrior and commented:
some deep thoughts and discussion here.
But in the end it is Jesus who is Lord of all His light will shine and His death saved us from our sin. With Jesus you do not need to earn salvation it is a gift to those who believe in Him.
He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.”
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. (Revelations 22:20)
Amen, BJ! Keep ’em coming. I’m loving it and thank God for you!
Reblogged this on RG's 2 Cents and commented:
Well said, BJ.
BJ, thanks for visiting our site.
Let me be counted with those who proclaim Jesus as God the Son.
A Servant
Excellent BJ! My devotion: 2Peter 2…False Teachers and their destruction-can’t say it any plainer than that! God is no respecter of persons. He watches over each person from their birth to death…hoping that all will come to believe in His Son Jesus and be with Him in his Kingdom. No one precedes God. Men only have a story told of their earthy legacy to pass on. Fables at best. When you believe in man…you base your eternal existence in the same fate…judgement for unbelief. When you believe in God…your eternity is sealed in the same destiny of our Savior Jesus…to be present with the Father in his kingdom forever. We can trust living our daily lives here on earth because we have the hope of our High Priest Jesus, who sits at the right hand of the Father in Heaven ever interceding on our behalf. [Hebrews 7:22-28] …” He [Jesus] made the first covenant obsolete by the promises in the “new” covenant…making the first one obsolete, and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear. [Heb.8:13].
In vs:10 it reads…”This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, declares the Lord
I will put my laws in their minds and write them in their hearts
I will be their God and they will be my people
No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying “Know the Lord because they will all know me from the least of them to the greatest.
For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” Jesus covers all in all. Sealed. Done. It is an individuals choice…my prayer for each person…is that the choice is Jesus. Bless you, BJ ~Zoey
Amen! and Amen!! I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the father but by me!!! Merry Christmas!