IS IT DARK IN HERE? by Ryan Roth
Why does it seem that everyone has lost their minds? The simple things of life have become complex, the oddities have become common, and the vulgar have seemingly become virtuous.
Am I the only person who is confused by what has become normal and good… what is acceptable and what is unacceptable… what is wonderful and what is weird?
Why is it considered brave in the world to worship at the altar of humanism but discriminatory to speak the teachings of Jesus?
Even the logic used to define science has replaced a belief in Creative Design with a belief in an uncreative crap-shoot.
Why is a discovery of a cell on Mars considered precious life but a fetus on earth considered expendable?
Or what is said to our youth making tough decisions about drugs, sex and alcohol?
Why is fulfilling the lusts of the flesh in almost any way called ‘finding ourselves’ but being sexually chaste and reverent for the Lord considered old-fashioned, close-minded and sad?
Why is it considered pathetic for a young man or woman to save themselves for marriage but cool for men and women to engage in premarital sex and spend themselves till there is nothing left to give?
And look at laws that man has been passed. Why is murder considered a “hate crime” or extra hateful if done against a person of another race? Can there be degrees of hate beyond murder?
And who is in charge of defining and carrying out the laws of the land? How can we have judges with no belief in God tell us what justice is?
We have truly lost our minds.
When God is taken out of our culture, his voice begins to quiet in our minds, his stories begin to disappear from history, his peace departs from our hearts, and his love is redefined.
The void left by the departure of the Spirit of the Lord is filled by ways that seem right to a man yet these ways will lead to death.
You cannot take God out of one area and hope to keep him in another. We cannot reject his words and hope the definitions of our very words will not change.
What are the words of God, so long ignored, that we need to hear in this world right now?
Can we enjoy life without the Creator of life?
Can we know joy without knowing “the joy of the lord?”
Can we know peace without knowing the Prince of Peace?
Can we know what truth is without knowing “the way, the truth and the life?
Can we know love without knowing the Creator of love?
The definitions of words change as a culture changes. In an effort to make everyone feel good about themselves and every decision they have made, right or wrong, we change words to accommodate everyone but the Creator who gives definition to these words.
The serpent speaks to women and men still, long after the Garden of Eden. The snake tries to take the victory of Christ away from the saved by reminding us that we are weak and sinful. “Can you really say something is not of God when you yourself have sinned and fallen short?” he whispers.
First he must bring doubt to our belief.
Then he must take our boldness to stand up. He whispers words little lies like “it doesn’t really matter. Are you really sure what you believe is true or have you been misguided? You have sinned therefore you are a hypocrite to stand for anything.”
Next the serpent must change the meaning of love in our hearts from one of selfless sacrifice to one of selfish desires.
Think of the common Hollywood expression of two people who just met yet “make love” almost spontaneously. Is there a misunderstanding of what love is in this expression? Can we really create or ‘make’ love?
Finally, over time, the serpent changes our belief or so deeply buries it that we cannot find it in our time of need. Anyone who speaks contrary to humanism is ridiculed and shunned. In this world the lust of the flesh has become king and the love of Christ is made the king’s court jester.
We have lost our minds… or maybe better stated, “We have lost the guiding light of God in order to find our minds.”
The Lord appeared to Paul in the book of Acts. Paul was busy in his successful career of murdering Christians but the Lord called to him. As he fell from his donkey a bright light opened his eyes to what he had been doing against God.
‘… the Lord said get up and stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness not only to the things which you have seen, but also to the things in which I will appear to you; … to open the worlds eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.’
The Lord came in light having Paul stand, believe and bring more light to the world.
How can Paul preach the message of Christ when he had killed those whose words he now echoes? We are just like Paul. Paul had sinned but Paul was being saved. We have sinned but we are being saved.
We need more light. The very first words God spoke into the deep was “Let there be light.”
The bible does not say our redefined, politically correct, self-absorbed, self-assuring, morally relative, insincere and even made-up words are the light unto our path. In fact, it is just the opposite.
As David said in Psalms 199:105 – “[God’s] word in a lamp to my feet and a light unto my path.”
Let there be light in the minds of men to direct our thoughts. Let there be light in the dark places; in the deepness of darkness may God show himself as clear as the summer’s sun. May we stand together and reflect this light to those around us that all might come to know the Creator of love.
You can contact Ryan at _roth@yahoo.com to give feedback about how this message ministered to you.
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