As the nations of the world embark upon the beginning of a New Year, many of this world’s inhabitants are making personal New Year resolutions resolving to do this, do that, etc. looking optimistically to bring about a personal change in some habit, behavior, or lifestyle that they have identified as needing attention for their own well being.
If we will be honest with ourselves, most of us know that our New Year resolutions are short lived. We all start with good intentions; but our good intentions quickly fade unless we have the discipline to persevere.
One of the areas that we have no control over involves the nations of this world.
But is that absolutely true?
No, the Lord Jesus Christ uses the Body of Christ in spiritual warfare as He builds His Church.
See the letter to the Ephesian Church written by the Apostle Paul.
Over the past decades, the inhabitants of the nations of this world have witness with trembling as nation has risen against nation; famines occurring; devastating earthquakes happening throughout the world; horrific weather patterns transpiring bringing loss of homes, communities, flooding, complete ruin, and even death.
All these varied devastations, Jesus said were the “beginning of sorrows”-meaning birth pains. [See Matthew 24 for context]
In Isaiah 42:14-17, NKJV, this same picture, regarding ‘birth pains’, is spoken of by the prophet Isaiah.
“I have held My peace a long time, I have been still and restrained Myself [Isaiah is voicing what God is speaking to His nation Israel.]. Now I will cry like a woman in labor [margin-child birth], I will pant and grasp at once [exhibiting birth pains]. I will lay waste the mountains and hills, and dry up their vegetation [sounds like famine]; I will make their rivers coastlands, and I will dry up the pools [withhold the rain]. I will bring the blind by a way they did not know; I will lead them in paths they have not known. I will make darkness light before them, and crooked places straight. These things I will do for them, and not forsake them. They shall be turned back, they shall be greatly ashamed, who trust in carved images, who say to the molded images, you are our gods.” [Inserts mine] (boldness mine)
God’s people have forsaken Him. God brings an awakening. He comes and speaks to what His people need the most in the land in which they live. They are dependent upon water; and God chooses to withhold it to get their attention.
God loves His people. He intervenes to show them the error of their ways. He remembers His covenant; but despite His intervention, and their conviction of shame, will they turn to Him? (see Isaiah 42:18-25)
Q: Are we ass a nation in a similar place where God looks upon us, a nation, that He has blessed and says, I have waited in silence, now it is time for Me to arise and intervene in the affairs of this nation; it is time for Me to come and bring My personal visitation to this nation and the nations of the world.
The truth is God is doing this.
His Spirit is visiting this nation and the other nations of the world.
There is an awakening taking place.
There is the preaching of the Word of God.
Many are receiving Christ as their Savior; many are being water baptized; many are being filled with being the Spirit; and God is healing, and delivering people from their illnesses and bondage.
The Lord Jesus Christ’s P.H.D. is being manifested throughout the nations of the world; even in this nation.
God’s Light is shining brightly.
It is shining in this nation on college campuses; in local communities; and places where people gather and call upon the Name of the Lord.
Q: Is this light shining brightly in the local churches in our nation?
The nations of the world dwell in great darkness, but they shall see a great light.
That light is now burning brightly throughout the world.
Isaiah 60:1-3, NKJV, the prophet Isaiah declares, “Arise shine for your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. For behold darkness shall cover the earth; and deep darkness the people; but the Lord will rise over you. The Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.” (boldness mine)
Q: Is this happening in the local churches in the nation where you live?
In context, who is the light?
Israel, God’s people is to be the light to the nations.
Unfortunately, their light was ‘maybe’ flickering because of a very small remnant.
Let’s expand the thought of light.
Is it Messianic? Absolutlely.
John 1:1-5 NKJV, The Apostle John says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word as with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in the darkness; and the darkness comprehended not.” (boldness mine)
In John 8:12, NKJV, Jesus said, “…I am the light of the world; he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” (boldness mine)
Matthew 5:14-16, NKJV, Jesus taught, “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and I giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. (boldness mine)
Listen to the words of the Apostle Paul writing to the Church at Ephesus.
Ephesians 5:8-14, NKJV, “For you were sometimes darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light: for whatever makes manifest is light. Therefore he saith, Awake you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light.”
It is important to see clearly that Paul is speaking to believers.
They are light in the Lord.
We are light in the Lord.
The Church is light in the Lord.
Christ is the Light that is in us.
It is His Light that shines through us in this darkened world.
Q: How bright is the Light of the Lord?
Q: Is His Light shining through His Church, the Body of Christ in the darkness of the world today?
Consider this: The Revelation of Jesus Christ, begins with these words regarding the purpose of the revelation of the exalted Jesus Christ.
Revelation 1:1a, NKJV, says, “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, God gave Him to show His servants…”
God the Father has given to God the Son, the exalted Lord Jesus Christ, a revelation for Him to communicate to His followers, His Church, the Body of Christ.
The Lord Jesus Christ chose the Apostle John, to be His instrument to write down what He wanted communicated to His Church.
I encourage you to read Revelation 1:4-20.
One of the things that John saw and said was that Jesus Christ held in His right hand “seven golden lampstands”.
Q: What is the purpose of a lampstand?
In the Old Testament, this referred to the ‘menorah’ in the Holy Place in the Tabernacle in the wilderness. It was the light of the Holy Place. It was one piece with seven branches.
Here in the New Testament, John sees seven lampstands, or lamps.
Revelation 1:19-20 NKJV, John is told to “Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this. The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.”
I want us to focus on this fact: Jesus said “the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.”
Q: What is the purpose of a lampstand? (see Got Questions: What is the significance of the lampstand in the Bible?)
A. To shine forth light.
Q: What light? Whose light? (see John 1:6-9)
A. The Light of the Lord Jesus Christ.
I believe Revelation 2:1, sets the spiritual tone for all the seven letters that John composed.
“To the angel (the elder, pastor) of the church at Ephesus write, [this letter is addressed to the leadership of this church], These things says He (the Lord Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church) who hold the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: “I know…” (NKJV) (inserts mine)
Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church, the Body of Christ. The leadership of each local church is the undershepherd of the Chief Shepherd, Jesus Christ. (I Peter 5:1-4)
In short, the Chief Shepherd is addressing His Church.
Much has been said, written, and discussed about the meaning of these letters.
Let us focus on this.
The One who is the Light, is concerned about the light that is being manifested through His Church that exists in a world of darkness.
Q: How bright does the Light of the Lord Jesus Christ shine through you?
Q: How bright is the Light of the Lord Jesus Christ shining in the community in which you live? (the nation in which you live?)
Why is this important?
Jesus, knows their works and commends them; He knows their failings and seeks to correct them. He does the same thing in each of the other six churches.
Writing to the first Church, the Church at Ephesus (Revelation 2:1-7) a church that John is significantly related too*, Jesus says, “Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else (emphasis mine) I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place-unless you repent…” [*diu.edu, How Do We Know the Apostle John Ministered in Ephesus?]
Jesus is NOT questioning their salvation. He is saying that He will remove their spiritual influence in the community where they exist.
George Ladd in his book ‘A Commentary on the Revelation of John’, makes this observation, of Revelation 2:5. (pgs 39-40, copyright 1972 by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.)
“The loss of love was no trivial matter; it is treated as though it involved a fall from the Christian life. The Ephesians are warned to remember the fervor of their first Christian experience, to repent because they have fallen into sin, and to do the works they did at first, i.e., works of love. As Paul wrote to the Corinthians, all good works done in the name of Christ are empty if they are not motivated by love (I Cor. 13:1-3) Unless the Ephesians repent, Christ will come to them and remove their lampstand from its place. Some interpreters see here a reference to the judgment inflicted by Christ at his second coming, but it is more likely that these words refer to some kind of visitation which will bring a historical judgment upon the church so that destruction will befall it and it will cease to exist as a church.”
I concur with Ladd’s understanding.
Q: How many churches have closed since 1900?
Q: How many churches have closed in the last decade in the United States?
I googled a question regarding how many churches have closed since 1990.question.
I received the following bullet points: (AI answer)
U.S. Statistics (Recent) In 2024, over 4000 U.S. Protestant churches closes verses fewer openings. A decade ago, openings slightly outnumbers closures in the U.S.
UK Statistics (Recent): Over 3500 churches closes in the UK in the past decade.
Reason for Closure: Demograpahics (fewer young people, rise of “nones”), dwindling funds, changing neighborhoods, and neglect to contribute. [I recommend that you Google the term “nones” for further understanding]
Global perspective: While data is sparse, trends suggest waning attendance in Western nations, contrasting with potential growth elsewhere.
AI Summary statement: In essence, while a total figure for the last 125+ years is elusive, recent decades clearly show a significant trend of closures, particularly in traditionally Christian Western nations, driven by broader societal shifts away from organized religion.
Accepting at face value the statistical analysis, I see the world’s point of view why there have been church closures.
But the world’s point of view does not understand and therefore does not reflect into the reality of spiritual warfare.
Jesus said, “…I will build My Church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.” (see Matthew 16:18)
The crux of His statement is spiritual warfare.
The Kingdom of Light wrestles against the kingdom of darkness.
This is not new ‘news’. (See Ephesians 6:10-18)
Therefore, the calendar says, we have embarked upon a New Year.
Q: What will the tenor of this New Year?
B.U.T. (Believer Understand This) the New Year is fraught with battle, unprecedented unrest, chaos, confusion, rebellion, disobedience, insurrection, ungoverned lifestyle, murder, persecution, death of Christians, betrayal, deception, false teaching………[see I Timothy 4:1-5; 2 Timothy 3:1-9, Matthew 24:1-14].
Is there darkness in the world,?
Absolutely.
I refer you to the daily headline news, media, daily newspaper articles, political talk shows, etc.
They report verbally what I have just outlined with words that characterize what the Bible describes as signs of the end times.
I recommend that you seek out Christian headline news, ministry sources, Christian commentators who share what God is doing throughout the world.
If you only focus on the agenda of the mainstream media, you will dwell in darkness; however, if you seek out what God is accomplishing by His Spirit, you will dwell in light.
There is a simple chorus that the Body of Christ needs to embrace.
“God is moving by His Spirit, moving in all the earth, signs and wonders, when God moveth, Move oh, Lord in me.” (Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir)
This is happening today throughout the nations of the world.
The Glory of God, His Presence, His Light is dispelling darkness in the earth.
This is God’s L.E.D.
God’s Light Exposing,[engaging, eliminating] Darkness.
The Light is the Light of Life, found in the Light of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Light of the world.
This Light is going to shine brighter and brighter.
I close with this passage of scripture.
“He who has an ear to hear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Revelation 2:7a, NKJV
Proverbs 4:14-19 NKJV, “Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of evil. Avoid it, do not travel on it; Turn away from it and pass on. For they do not sleep unless they have done evil; and their sleep is taken away unless they make someone fall. For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence. But the path of the just is like the shining sun (light), that shines brighter and brighter unto the perfect day. The way of the wicked is like darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble.” (insert, boldness mine)
Church!
“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; But the Lord will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1,2 NKJV) (boldness mine)
Meditate on this last sentence: “But the Lord will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you.”
His Light will be manifested through you in a darkened world, to your family members, neighbors, co-workers….
It’s here; it’s increasing; and it will be seen as a witness in this darkened world.
Our God reigns, a brother in Christ, deo
Living Words of Encouragement 