21 Days in 2024
RELEASING THE LIFE OF CHRIST
"Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life" (John 8:12).
“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden" (Matthew 5:14).
Jesus is the Light of the World. He declares that we also, as His followers, are the Light of the World. That Light is life. Light can represent many things - truth, understanding, hope, purity and direction (Ps. 119:105). But Jesus called the Light we have LIFE. Primarily, our task in bringing illumination to the World is to release the life inside us. If we are lighting up the World with the life inside us, we are like a city on a hill and cannot be hidden.
"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life— 2 the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us— 3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ" (1 John 1:1-3).
Our mission as Christians is to disciple nations (Mt. 28:18-20). For too long we have viewed that task primarily as informational; we share the Gospel and we teach our theology to those who believe it. But, what if we viewed our task as a broader assignment to not only speak truth but to also release life?
"This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin" (1 John 1:5-7).
"But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. 6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked" (1 John 2:5-6).
People hunger for truth. But, there is so much disinformation and deception in the world that most are wary of the “Truth” they they hear. However, the things that actually release life are sought after by all. Life belongs to Christians alone. Truth is also our territory. But, the enemy has clouded the ability of people to perceive truth with his lies. When we release life to others, truth becomes clearer to them as well.
"In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother" (1 John 3:10).
"My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. 19 And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him" (1 John 3:18-19).
In our day, the ability to bring life to the “dead” should be the goal of every Christian. The mission we embrace should be one that releases the power of the Holy Spirit in demonstrations of restored life. Help comes in many forms; counseling, therapy, medicine, fitness, nutrition and discipline. But, only followers of Christ are able to access the resources of Heaven and release Life. We should not minimize our calling or the necessity of it in our culture.
His Light is Life. His Life is released through His Love. It is our privilige and responsibility to love the World as He does and thereby release light and life all around us.
We should dedicate ourselves to becoming so full of life that we spill out in every social and personal interaction for the desperate souls all around us. The Bible describes God as both Love (1 John 4:7-8) and Life (1 John 1:2). Because He is both, becoming like Him means we must be full of love and full of life. To be clear, it is when we commit acts of love that the power of life is released through us. The truth we speak in those encounters become the catalyst for the spiritual transformation of those to whom we minister.
"Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. 22 And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. 23 And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment" (1 John 3:21-23).
"Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him" (1 John 4:15-16).
"As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. 58 This is the bread which came down from heaven—not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever" (John 6:57-58).
The bread we offer the world is Christ. This Bread is Life. He who eats this Bread will live forever. The Bread we eat is the Bread we serve. It is the responsibility of our inheritance to be full of life in order to share with others the life that fills us up.
"It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life" (John 6:63).
“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden" (Matthew 5:14).
Jesus is the Light of the World. He declares that we also, as His followers, are the Light of the World. That Light is life. Light can represent many things - truth, understanding, hope, purity and direction (Ps. 119:105). But Jesus called the Light we have LIFE. Primarily, our task in bringing illumination to the World is to release the life inside us. If we are lighting up the World with the life inside us, we are like a city on a hill and cannot be hidden.
"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life— 2 the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us— 3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ" (1 John 1:1-3).
Our mission as Christians is to disciple nations (Mt. 28:18-20). For too long we have viewed that task primarily as informational; we share the Gospel and we teach our theology to those who believe it. But, what if we viewed our task as a broader assignment to not only speak truth but to also release life?
"This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin" (1 John 1:5-7).
"But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. 6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked" (1 John 2:5-6).
People hunger for truth. But, there is so much disinformation and deception in the world that most are wary of the “Truth” they they hear. However, the things that actually release life are sought after by all. Life belongs to Christians alone. Truth is also our territory. But, the enemy has clouded the ability of people to perceive truth with his lies. When we release life to others, truth becomes clearer to them as well.
"In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother" (1 John 3:10).
"My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. 19 And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him" (1 John 3:18-19).
In our day, the ability to bring life to the “dead” should be the goal of every Christian. The mission we embrace should be one that releases the power of the Holy Spirit in demonstrations of restored life. Help comes in many forms; counseling, therapy, medicine, fitness, nutrition and discipline. But, only followers of Christ are able to access the resources of Heaven and release Life. We should not minimize our calling or the necessity of it in our culture.
His Light is Life. His Life is released through His Love. It is our privilige and responsibility to love the World as He does and thereby release light and life all around us.
We should dedicate ourselves to becoming so full of life that we spill out in every social and personal interaction for the desperate souls all around us. The Bible describes God as both Love (1 John 4:7-8) and Life (1 John 1:2). Because He is both, becoming like Him means we must be full of love and full of life. To be clear, it is when we commit acts of love that the power of life is released through us. The truth we speak in those encounters become the catalyst for the spiritual transformation of those to whom we minister.
"Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. 22 And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. 23 And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment" (1 John 3:21-23).
"Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him" (1 John 4:15-16).
"As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. 58 This is the bread which came down from heaven—not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever" (John 6:57-58).
The bread we offer the world is Christ. This Bread is Life. He who eats this Bread will live forever. The Bread we eat is the Bread we serve. It is the responsibility of our inheritance to be full of life in order to share with others the life that fills us up.
"It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life" (John 6:63).
Posted in 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting