There was a desert nomad who woke up in the middle of the night feeling very hungry. He lit a candle and began eating dates from a bowl beside his bed. He took a bite from one and saw a worm in it; so, he threw it out of the tent. He bit into the second date, found another worm, and threw it away also. Reasoning that he wouldn’t have any dates left to eat if he continued, he blew out the candle and quickly ate the rest of the dates.
Some people just prefer the darkness, because in the light they see too much. You were born for more than that!
Isaiah 60:1-3 “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you. 2 See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the LORD rises upon you and his glory appears over you. 3 Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. NIV
God’s light, in our lives, attracts a world filled with darkness releasing supernatural transformation in the lives of those around us! Psalm 24 says that we are the gates through which the Kingdom of God breaks into the earth!
The problem in our world is not the abundance of darkness. The problem is the absence of light.
2 Chronicles 7:14 if my people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray, and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. (NAS)
Nineveh was the capital city of paganism in Jonah’s day. As soon as Jonah got in alignment w his assignment Nineveh turned in just one day.
The Bible says Jesus is the light of the world (John 8). The Bible says you are the light of the world (Matt 5).
He is the light. We are the light. We don’t merely reflect the light of Christ. We are actually carriers of the very light of Christ. By his Spirit he lives through us when we surrender.
Job 29:3-6 When His lamp shone over my head, And by His light I walked through darkness; 4 As I was in the prime of my days, When the friendship of God was over my tent; 5 When the Almighty was yet with me, And my children were around me; 6 When my steps were bathed in butter, And the rock poured out for me streams of oil! NAS
We are marked by God’s anointing. Our steps release something from heaven into the earth. Job speaks of this idea of carrying the anointing of God so powerfully that we leave the mark of God’s presence, God’s blessing, and God’s love as we walk through this world
What’s it like to live a life that is truly inspired by God?
Job 33:4 The Spirit of God has made me, And the breath of the Almighty gives me life. NIV
To be inspired literally means to be breathed into.
Genesis 2:7 “..God breathed the breath of life into the man..” NLT
Air is the body what prayer is to the spirit. We must stop treating Jesus like vitamins and start treating him like oxygen. He is the very breath we breathe.
Many Hebrew scholars teach that the name of God, Yahweh (YHWH) is the sound of breath. On one hand, His name is too sacred to pronounce. On the other hand, it’s whispered with every breath we take. It’s our first word, our last word, and every word in between every single day that we live.
When you choose to live a life that is inspired by God daily you awaken your destiny. Otherwise, you settle for a mundane existence! #turnthepage Let’s press in!
We Bring GP2RL Action Point:
Purpose sacrificial devotion to experiencing the heart of God every day this week!
THE TABLE: LIGHT IN DARKNESS
DISCUSSION GUIDE
Click here for a downloadable pdf file of this guide.
UNDERSTANDING THE SEASON: A shared meal could be the activity most closely tied to the reality of God’s kingdom, just as it is the most basic expression of hospitality. It comes as no surprise that many significant stories of Jesus are centered around a dinner table.
When Jesus wanted to explain to his disciples what his death was all about, he didn’t give them an informative lecture. He gave them a relational meal.
In a society that has grown so relationally disconnected, an invitation to Biblical hospitality might be one of the most compelling and irresistible aspects of Christianity. The heart of hospitality is about creating space for someone to feel seen and heard and loved. It’s about declaring your table a safe zone, a place of warmth and nourishment.
God’s plan is for us to hear his voice together as a family. This is why we start each group with the first question:
DISCUSSION QUESTION:
1. Where are you reading in your Bible and what are you sensing from God?
Ask each person in your group to answer the discussion questions below after reading the verses. Don’t move on to the next question until everybody who is willing to share has had the opportunity to give their perspective.
ISAIAH 60:1-3 Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you. 2 See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the LORD rises upon you and his glory appears over you. 3 Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.! NIV
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
Have each person give a 60 second summary of what these verses are saying, in their own words.
What do these verses teach us about God?
What do these verses teach us about people?
What should you do this week in response to what we are reading and what God is revealing?
Who comes to mind when considering a person you might share this with this week?
We Bring GP2RL Action Point:
Purpose sacrificial devotion to experiencing the heart of God every day this week!