Let Light Shine

“For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” – II Corinthians 4:6

It is good and right to deeply study God’s Word, to know all about God, who He is, what He has done. And this knowledge of God ought to draw our hearts to delight in Him, to worship Him. That is our worship to God, having our “inner man,” our minds and hearts once in darkness now speak “let there be light” up on to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Then, what a privilege and joy to study God’s Word to know Him more! To know this truth, “Blessed are the people whose God is the Lord” (Psalm 144:15). He replaced our stone hearts once in the dark about the things of God with a new heart, making us new creatures, born again to delight ourselves in God. We study His Word, we make church a priority, from a duty of delight. To come delight ourselves in the gathering of God’s people because we know God to be of the highest worth, and we have been invited in Jesus Christ to treasure God of highest worth.

What a blessing to my heart to know Jesus Christ, who died for my sins and is raised from the dead to sit at the Father’s right hand, intercedes for me. He who is wise, sovereign, and knows the future is guiding me. Even if I must walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I am blessed to know that the glorious Jesus Christ is with me, will not abandon me, and promises to always be with me even to the end of the age.

And God has announced His glory to all creation from the heavens, the works of His fingers (Psalm 19:1). To study this even deeper in His Word, to be reminded regularly in Bible Study and Sunday services, is to know God more which stirs my heart to thank Him.

Yet, there remains so many in the dark about God. They may know and even affirm truths, but it doesn’t lead to worship. As Romans 1:21 says, “Although they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.”

I am grieved in my spirit that so many people in this world live and die without giving a serious thought to God, much less care to know Him. They remain in the dark. Even as Christ has come, “the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil” (John3:19).

Reader, if you are in the dark, don’t remain there. Don’t love your works which offends God. You are invited by Jesus, come to Me. He will not turn you away. Yes, He is the light which exposes you a sinner, a criminal to God and an offense to His glory. Yet, the Light calls you to repentance (Luke 5:32). To have an illuminated mind to see the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, turn from your sins, and follow Him. Come and know this blessing to know the Lord is your God.

Know God’s greatness. He created all things for a purpose, to praise Him. He announces His glory in creation. And He who is eternally holy and just sent forth His Son Jesus Christ to save sinners. Respond in faith, dear reader, by calling out to the Lord Jesus. Save me. Forgive me. I want to see the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Respond to knowing His greatness by giving Him thanks and worship Him. Right thinking about God leads to right worship of God. I invite you to Allison Avenue Baptist Church Sundays at 9:30am for deeper study of God’s Word in Sunday School, 11am for worship service to gather and give thanks to our God mighty to save.

Heavenly Father, I pray now with an urgent heart, open the eyes of these readers to Your Word, to see Christ Jesus, to respond in faith, and be thankful and worship You. You are worthy of our eternal praise and we thank You for the goods news that Jesus saves sinners and that in Him we enjoy communion with our God and with His saints in worship. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

 

 

 

A New Year's Eager Expectation

“It is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death.” –Philippians 1:20

I am bewildered to save this article as “January 2026.” Another chapter ends in my life, a new chapter begins. Old calendars thrown out, new calendars purchased and ready to write our plans for upcoming months, weeks, days. And it is that time many set goals or New Year’s resolutions.

It seems to me New Year’s resolutions are simply the meditations of our imagined idealized versions of ourselves. What do I want me to look like and be like by the end of this year? And the strong undercurrent to our goal settings is this: what is the purpose and meaning to my life?

The verse quoted above is Paul reflecting on the joy of God’s purpose for him, alive but in prison. Paul’s aim in life is to honor Jesus as Lord; yet, the glory of God reaches far beyond Paul, that in God’s people God’s work will be brought to completion (Philippians 1:6). The Christian’s hope is in God’s work will be completed despite the afflictions, griefs, and sorrows in this fallen world.

As Thomas Fuller wrote, “If it were not for hopes, the heart would break” (Gnomologia, Westminster: Printed for B. Barker, 1732, Page 112). That’s what Paul meant by eager expectation and hope. I know my life faces hardships and pains, my body may break and I will die, but my hope is in Christ who will right every wrong.

If honoring Jesus with your body whether in your life or death is not the highest priority and joy in your goals this year, then what is the point to exercising, losing weight, reading those books, changing those habits if 2026 is the final year of your life?

The non-Christian may fire back: what’s the point of all that if you, a Christian, are going to heaven and receiving a new body? Paul answers: I am eagerly expecting and hoping my life is not shamed, but Christ who suffered and died and rose again will be honored in my body alive or dead.

Now, I’m not saying you should avoid making resolutions, but to submit your goal setting under the authority of Christ. As Paul’s stated purpose here, whether he lives another day or dies, his goal was to praise Jesus and display His highest worth. That is the purpose for which He created you, and the ultimate purpose to your life now and in your plans for your life.

As the answer to the first catechism question goes, “The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” This is what fuels the heart of the Christian toward good habits! We could make it our goal to read through the Bible in 2026, not to earn God’s favor, but rather to delight in the Lord more. We may find like Paul that exercise has some value, but godliness is great value in this life and the life to come (I Timothy 4:8). So, get in shape, make good eating habits, these have some value. Godliness, not in gaining God’s favor but because we in Jesus enjoy God’s favor, displays Jesus whom our souls delight as our highest treasure in all things.

The Lord Jesus who frees sinners and promises everlasting life to those who trust Him is worthy of you honoring Him whether you live or die, for the Christian has the eager expectation and hope of enjoying Him…forever.

Heavenly Father, grant to us this eager expectation and hope in the Lord Jesus that we may honor Him in our lives and deaths. May we praise Jesus our Savior and Lord in the pains and joys 2026 may bring to us. Grant us the wisdom and mercy needed to achieve this goal this year. In Jesus’ name. Amen.