Welcome Friends:
Awhile aback I found myself with some idle time and I was musing, reflecting back on some of my childhood experiences and memories and I began thinking about my fear of darkness as a boy. I have a vivid imagination and even as a boy and I could conjure up some pretty ferocious monsters in the darkness of my bedroom or in the darkness of the night outdoors. It is amazing what a coat or a shirt hanging off of the door in my bedroom looked like or if the closet door was open I would be petrified imagining what terrible thing might wander out of the deep dark cave of my closet.
No matter how great the fear or how terrible the monster however, as soon as light was present my “would be attacker” with my fear, vanished. What a difference light makes. I could see the coat hanging, for what it was . . . I could see the clothes hamper, for what it was. Although I did not understand it at the time, I have come to understand that light often brings perspective.
The Bible has a lot to say about light and darkness. We see light and darkness contrasted, with light representing godliness and darkness representing evil. In fact it is in the Gospel of John that Jesus is first referred to as light ( John 1:4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (ESV)).
Our 2020 focus for Horseshoe Bend Baptist Church is “PIERCIING THE SPIRITUAL DARKNESS: In My Heart / In My World”. Piercing the darkness in our hearts begins when the Light (Jesus) comes into and takes up residence in our hearts providing forgiveness and salvation. While piercing the darkness of our hearts begins at salvation, it is a lifelong process of surrender as we seek to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 3:18 NASB).
Piercing the darkness of our world happens as let our “light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:14 NASB). Piercing the darkness of our world begins at home (with our spouses and children, and extended family). It goes forth from there as we are used by God to pierce the darkness of our neighborhood, community workplace and beyond (Acts 1:8b . . . and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (ESV))!
We invite you to join us in 2020, as we seek to PIERCE THE SPIRITUAL DARKNESS both in our hearts and in our world!
Bro. Michael
