Scripture: Genesis 1 v 1 - 4: "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness."
God is creative on multiple levels and started off with Heaven, a place we call Home. He knows through all eternity what is needed and when. Earth was made just a rock like the other planets but one He could improve on when necessary.
Everything God made was good. The light was good so He divided it from the darkness. He doesn't like the dark either. Animals, trees, fish, birds, man were all good in His eyes. He wants us to be good. Not just good enough to get by, but really good. He sent His Son, Jesus, to show us what good is meant to be.
He was too good to be true so we killed Him. And God knew we would so He had plan B. When He died He would absorb into Himself every bad thing so that we could be good. God gave one proviso - we must believe in Jesus and behave like Him. Then we stay good.
In the darkness dwells God's enemy, Satan. He was created good but he corrupted himself through greed and wanting to control the universe, like so many really bad people want to do. He is full of pride and Jesus calls him the Father of Lies. He is the very opposite of Jesus Christ and therefore is also known as the spirit of Antichrist, which engineered His death through the Romans and Jews.
He hides in darkness and his followers on Earth are starting to emerge from that darkness getting bolder and more cruel like militant terrorists and corrupt dictators. The gap between the good people in the Light and the evil in the dark grows wider every week.
The Lord has begun to divide the sheep from the goats.
The recent outcry against the horrendous new abortion laws the Democrats in the USA introduced, that even full term babies can be hacked to death even while the mother is in Labour, has caused a major rift even among some Democrats. Other states have gone completely the other way and made new laws confining abortions to life threatening problems and before the pregnancy is 3 months gone. Others are demanding that the mothers watch a sonar of their baby, or say if heartbeat is detected it cannot be aborted.
Our God is watching and making His judgment for the day they stand before His Great White Throne. He will ask, Do you know My Son? Is your name in the Lamb's Book of Life? Does My Son know you?
Matthew 7 v 21 - 23: "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."
Jesus only knows those who follow Him and have a vibrant personal relationship with Him. If we do we will be seen to walk as He walked among the poor and needy, healing them and setting them free of demonic oppression. Those who have a passing knowledge of Jesus and who feather their own nests at the expense of the poor will find Jesus saying, I never knew you! There is no grey area between good and evil, light and dark, in God's Kingdom.
1 John 1 v 6 - 7: "If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin."
So God wants us to be good and live in the Light where we are seen and fully accountable for our actions, for this is who the citizens of Heaven are. It is eternal life in the presence of God and all members of our families and friends who know Jesus. The Lake of Fire was reserved for Satan and his fallen angels but had to sorrowfully be enlarged for those who believed the Father of Lies.
People of the Light love one another and look after each other, they endeavour to meet each others needs and look for ways to express their love. This is good and what God wants to see. There is no religion or intermingled faith, no cover ups or demands, no other God but our Father.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, we want to be good sheep from today, living in Your light and following Your Word obediently. Help us to shine our light into the darkness to attract those who are seeking change and let them be drawn by the love and kindness they are shown. In Jesus' name. Amen.
