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An
Outreach Publication of the Church of Christ at
Creekwood |
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In the Dark Some years ago a family visited a cave in the state of Kentucky. One of the parents wrote about their experience: “The guide led us through many beautiful and winding subterranean passageways. Suddenly he turned off all the lights and said, ‘I'm the only one who knows how to get back to the entrance. If I left you here, you'd probably never find your way out. Anyone lost in this cave would no doubt become insane within a week from the oppressive loneliness. Be quiet for a moment and feel the darkness!’ I remember my youngster clutching my arm. After about 30 seconds, someone in the party could endure it no longer and cried out, ‘Turn on the lights! I'm going crazy now!’ The guide laughed, but we'll not soon forget that frightening experience.” Abiding in darkness can be a frightening experience indeed – especially if one considers the concept of "darkness" as revealed in the Scriptures. In the Bible,
“darkness” often represents immorality:
“The night is nearly over, the day is almost here. So let us put aside
the works of darkness, and put on the armor Yet, one does NOT have to LIVE and DIE in darkness…Bob Woods, in Pulpit Digest, tells the story of a couple who took their son, 11, and daughter, 7, to Carlsbad Caverns. As always, when the tour reached the deepest point in the cavern, the guide turned off all the lights to dramatize how completely dark and silent it is below the earth’s surface. The little girl, suddenly enveloped in utter darkness, was frightened and began to cry. Immediately was heard the voice of her brother: “Don’t cry! Somebody here knows how to turn on the lights.” In a real sense, that is the message of the GOSPEL: Light is available, even when darkness seems overwhelming. Jesus said, "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). Jesus commissioned Paul to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles: “to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me” (Acts 26:18). Those who believe in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from their sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10) and are baptized (immersed) into Christ are delivered by Christ from the power of darkness and brought into the kingdom of Christ, the church (Colossians 1:13). Then, one must CONTINUE to walk in the light of His Word in order to CONTINUE to enjoy the blessings of the kingdom (Ephesians 5:8; 1 John 1:7). Are YOU in the Dark? Come to the Light -- JESUS CHRIST -- through your trusting obedience. David
A. Sargent, Minister To Subscribe to "Living Water" send a blank e-mail to:
HTML version: subscribe-livingwater@lyris.dundee.net Follow this link to locate the church of Christ nearest you: www.churchzip.com Archived issues of "Living Water" can be accessed from our website at: www.creekwoodcc.org
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