For He Has Called You Out of Darkness

For He called you out of the darkness into His wonderful light.

My friend’s brother and his wife had two wonderful children when they were young. They decided to adopt a child from another country. This child had lived in poor conditions in an orphanage without much love and care. The child had issues, both physical and emotional. But she thrived under their care. Her life changed when she was adopted by this couple. They went on to adopt half a dozen more children from other countries. They are my age and I can’t imagine doing this. Our children are grown and raised. But they are caring for and literally redeeming the lives of these children who didn’t have much chance where they were. The couple has literally taken these children out of their dark situations and brought them into a life of carefree childhoods and joyous love.

God wants you to know that He has called you out of darkness. But more than that. He has an exchange system for you. He hasn’t brought you out of your darkness to live in your own light. Things aren’t just better for you – you now live in His Wonderful Light! You are chosen by Him. He came on the scene of your life and called you out. He said, “She is mine. He is mine.” He cares for you and He has literally redeemed your soul. He wants you to know that He would choose you again and again. 

God also wants you to know that because you are chosen and because you live in His light, you have purpose to fulfill. This purpose is beyond your raising, above your troubles, beyond your sins. God looks at your life and He sees the real you. You may still be looking at the old you, but you are not bound by your mistakes nor the mistakes of others. His purpose includes destroying the works of the evil one that were pronounced over you. He has given you a new heart to fulfill His purpose. He knows everything about your present situation and yet He can use it all for His glory as well as your good. He is such a generous and benevolent Father that He will recreate your life in redemptive glory so that you can move on from the betrayal, the bitterness, the humiliation and the pain. You are being remade, you are new! In Christ’s family you are being brought out of every single dark situation and are learning to walk in the light of His joyous love.

Oh beloved, it’s time to run to the Open Grave and see that the stone has been rolled away. You are free in the family of God to enjoy your life. You have divine blessings in place for you. Reach for them. You have a divine destiny to fulfill, go for it. You may feel tethered to your past, but God says it is gone. Let go of the turmoil and reach for His hand. Your life is not the same and you never have to return to the orphanage of your former life. You have a new name – you are a servant of the Most High God, you are a child of Faith, you are a living breathing picture of God’s grace, mercy and favor.

Walk in God’s Truth today and walk away from the lies. You are free, you have purpose and you have favor and blessings. Let God take you where you cannot go on your own and find in Him real peace and great joy as you live in the light of the Truth – God loves you and He’s for you and that’s all that matters as your adoption is secure forever by the Faithful God.

I Peter 2:9 But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests,[a] a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.

Psalm 57:2 I cry out to God Most High, to God who will fulfill His purpose for me.

Galatians 2:20 My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

Romans 8:15 So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when He adopted you as His own children. Now we call Him, “Abba, Father.”

Galatians 4:7 Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are His child, God has made you His heir.

You Can Walk in Freedom No Matter What

This morning I decided I needed to go out and enjoy the snow with “the young’uns”. Donning the heaviest clothes I could move around in I stepped out onto the snow and gingerly made my way across the cement at our front door. It was great! After walking around and throwing snowballs I noticed that my left foot was hurting. Looking down to see what was wrong I saw that I had gathered a huge ball of snow and leaves on the sole of my shoe. I knocked it loose and walked some more. But both feet were gathering these piles of snow and leaves. It impeded my ability to walk freely about. It was a lot of trouble to stop every few moments and knock snow from the instep of my shoes.

Finally, cold and weary of the constant removal of shoe from beneath my shoes, I went back inside to wait to help warm the first grandchild who got too cold. It just wasn’t worth the trouble and I realized that although the shoes were comfortable for regular walking, they weren’t meant for the snow. I should have picked a different pair, one with a different tread and sturdier ankles. I also realized that had I needed to walk a long way in the snow I would have been in trouble with the shoes I had on. Preparation is important. Without it I didn’t have as much freedom to enjoy the trek outdoors.

When we are born again we come into a kingdom where God has provided everything we’ll ever need for life and godliness. Yet we often find ourselves ill prepared for the situations that come our way.  We tend to want to wear house shoes everywhere. We prefer comfort. We like it. We’re God’s kids and we want it easy. Sometimes we prefer ballet slippers. We want to pirouette through life as though we’re all little princesses and princes. We are in fact God’s kids and since He is the King we are in a sense royalty. But we’re meant to traverse through hard times, rough times and rugged weather. We have to be prepared. Neither house shoes nor ballet slippers will get us through when we need our feet shod with rugged boots.

Thankfully we are blessed. We have an entire wardrobe standing ready for us. We don’t have to go unprepared. We have every need for every situation we find ourselves in. Others only have what they find for themselves, but we have the entire council of God’s Word to choose from. He speaks from Genesis to Revelation for our journey through life. All we have to do is get prepared. And we become prepared by taking in the Word and keeping it handy. We don’t know what we will encounter in the days ahead, but God does. So He has provided us with just the right Word for just the right weather. If all we insist on wearing is flip flops we’ll have a hard time in the winter of life. We may know that we have been saved, but we need to know more. We need to know that God will get us through. We can’t wait until times get hard to try to find the right Words to help us through. We must prepare ahead.

Oh beloved, are you struggling with the situation you are in? Did you find yourself in the midst of adversity and see that you are ill prepared to walk it out in faith? Are you wondering why it has happened? Did you fail to hear the weather report that all will have to walk through tough times and blustery weather? It’s not too late! You can still make it. Just stop in to God’s Wonderful Shop of Truth and let Him fit you with the proper Word for this time in your life. If you will come aside and spend some time with the Lord, reading His Word, searching for the right fit, He will lead you into all truth.  And the truth you put on for your present circumstances will get you there and you will walk through in freedom and grace.  You are not meant to stumble or be hobbled in life, but you are called to walk freely in His Word fully prepared for whatever you may encounter.

God loves you and He’s for you. That’s why you can trust Him to lead you into all truth so that, even when the going gets tough, you will walk in the freedom of His truth. There will be better days of flip flops, house shoes and slippers. But it’s wonderful for you to know that you don’t have to walk hampered as you live in the light of His Word.

Psalm 119:45 And I will walk at liberty, For I seek Your precepts. NLT

Habakkuk 3:19 The Lord God is my Strength, my personal bravery, and my invincible army; He makes my feet like hinds’ feet and will make me to walk [not to stand still in terror, but to walk] and make [spiritual] progress upon my high places [of trouble, suffering, or responsibility]! Amplified Bible

Psalm 86:11 Teach me Your way, O Lord; I will walk in Your truth; Unite my heart to fear Your name. NLT

2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.  God uses it to prepare and equip His people to do every good work. NLT