Did God really say darkness can be felt?

Yes … yes he did.

We tend to think that darkness and light are for the visual sense of sight, but there is a darkness so black, a despair so deep that it can be felt.

Before light, darkness covered the earth. ” ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and He separated the light from the darkness. God called the light day, and the darkness he called night. And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.”

Light is a creative force. Plants need light to grow. Sunlight triggers the release of serotonin, causing us feel upbeat and hopeful.

Darkness is a destructive force. Plants die in darkness. Darkness triggers depression and despair.

We live in an age of intense light, both in the physical realm, but also at a social level. It seems every comment and act is exposed to public scrutiny. Even the dead are at risk for ridicule. Every Internet search is recorded and catalogued, revealing our heart and character. As we seek to hide our deeds this intense light drives us deeper into darkness.

When Moses commanded Pharaoh to release God’s people, the Egyptian ruler refused. So “the Lord said to Moses, ‘Stretch out your hand toward the sky so that darkness spreads over Egypt—darkness that can be felt.’ Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky, and total darkness covered all Egypt for three days. No one could see anyone else or move about for three days. Yet all the Israelites had light in the places where they lived.”

The word for felt in Hebrew is more than simply a darkness that affects the inward man and hope. This kind of felt is the Hebrew word that signifies touch.

“When a person deviates from the eternal rules of God and morality, there is darkness.” – Billy Graham

The darkness of which Mr. Graham spoke is not simply shades of shadows, but a complete loss of inward light. It is a soul-deep darkness. This is one reason so many individuals grope around as though blind. They cling to all manner of perverted beliefs in hopes of finding footing and safety in numbers. While they blindly comfort and cling to one another, claiming to be enlightened, they stand at the edge of a chasm so deep and dark that no light reaches down into it.

When Pharaoh finally relented and released God’s people the angel of God went before them, leading the way. “Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness to the one side and light to the other side.” Many Biblical scholars believe this angel of God was the pre-incarnate Christ: the One who actually created the heavens and earth at God’s command. “Through Christ all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.” John 1:3

With the light of Christ, moral decisions become black and white. With the light of Christ, God’s words, commands and laws bring liberty and life. But the one who rules the realm of darkness — the one who steals, kills, and destroys — would have you believe that the words of Christ are hurtful, out-dated, and of no value to the wise, educated, and enlightened.

This is a lie.

“Some have rejected the truth of God and become victims of a great delusion. They have changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped the creature more than the Creator. For this reason God gave them up to vile passions.” Romans 1: 25-26. “For this reason God will send them a strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” II Thessalonians 2:10-12.

Without the light of Christ we make our way along in darkness. Even if it seems as though we are progressing towards a greater age of enlightenment, we are actually rushing headlong into the fires of Hell where there is a darkness so intense it will be felt for eternity.

During his final moments on earth Christ hung on a cross between two convicts. One taunted him, saying, “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” The other begged for forgiveness. “Don’t you fear God. We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong, Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

One convict died in his sins and went to hell.

The other admitted he was a sinner and acknowledged that Christ had done nothing to deserve death. “Truly I tell you,” Jesus said to the second man, “today you will be with me in paradise.”

Confess your sins. Admit that Christ accepted punishment for your sins.  Then come into the light and begin to live a life without sin: a life of love, joy, peace, self-control, kindness, moral integrity, devotion to God, self-control and gentleness.

Did God really say believers should not marry non-believers?

Yes … yes he did.

As Moses prepared the Jewish people to enter the Promised Land, God warned, “Be careful not to make a treaty with those who live in the land where you are going. If you do, those in the land will be a snare among you.” Exodus 34:12 “When you choose some of their daughters among those who live in the land, and those daughters prostitute themselves to their gods, they will lead your sons to do the same.”  Exodus 34:16

God was not warning Moses that the daughters of those who worshipped pagan gods were sexually immoral. Rather, God warned that the women in the land were willing to sacrifice their talents and self-respect for personal or financial gain. In doing so, the men of God would follow the practices of the women.

God knows men struggle with lust of the flesh. Man has since Adam.

Paul wrote to Timothy, “Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner.”

With full awareness and intent, Adam looked upon Eve in all her beauty and traded his relationship with God for that of the help-mate made for him. The last image Adam beheld before he turned from God towards sin was the radiant beauty of God’s final creation. He chose the creature over the Creator.

It is no wonder God warned Moses to keep his people separate. God demands that we make no accommodation for sin, not one. Even the smallest compromise leads to larger and greater sins. This is why Paul cautioned believers in Corinth, “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?”

Though it may seem intolerant to refuse to sign agreements, covenants, and treaties with non-believers, God knows our hearts must seek him before others. And if both hearts serve him first, then God, not the couple, is the head of the relationship. When we submit to God first, we surrender our right to be right, to be in control, to be honored. When we submit to God first, we become a servant of others, “submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.” Ephesians 5:21.

At its core, sin is my claim to rights as a person. We demand respect and to be recognized for our accomplishments, all the things to which God alone is worthy. The nature of sin is fulfillment of one’s own desire and will. It is our pride which leads us to say, “I am my own god and I demand to be …”

Only with Christ as our Lord can we love as he loves us.

Paul gave us an example of an equally-yoked relationship. “Husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.” Ephesians 5:22 & 25 “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. As the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.” Ephesians 5:22 & 24

May we strive to follow God’s instructions for Godly relationships.

“Lord, help me to love my wife with the same love you have for her. And may she love me with the same love you have for me. And may we both love you above all else. Amen.”

Did God really say that gaining freedom from sin comes at a price?

Yes … yes he did.

What God said was this: “When you return to Egypt … I will harden Pharaoh’s heart so that he will not let the people go.” Exodus 5:21.

God’s intent was clear: his people would be set free. But the struggle would last days, weeks, months … possibly over a year. Too often we think accepting Christ as our savior means we are instantly changed into super-God-children who act and think like Christ. But the process of sanctification, of becoming holy and pure, takes days, weeks, months, years … a lifetime. And the effort may kill us.

In fact it must.

In a spiritual sense, if we are to truly be free of sin, we must die to self (Luke 9:23). Not be wounded, hurt, inconvenienced, but die. The Apostle Paul said, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” Galatians 2:20.

Satan will not surrender a single soul without a fight. He will make your circumstances more difficult and cause you to question your decision, your faith, your commitment to doing the thing God has called you to. Satan will lie to keep you addicted to your sins. And keep on lying. It is his native language.

“Make the work harder for the men,”  Pharaoh said, “so that they keep working and pay no attention to lies.” Exodus 5:9  Did you catch that? Pharaoh called God’s truth a lie. Satan will, too.

Often the circumstances of life do not get easier with Christ, but harder. Pharaoh ordered the Jewish slaves to gather their own straw rather than have it supplied, and when straw ran out, their brick quota remained the same. “The Israelites foremen realized they were in trouble.”

Aren’t we all.

Maybe you have said, as Moses said, “Lord, why have you brought trouble upon us? Is this why you sent me?” Exodus 5:22.

In one sense, yes. This is why we are called to face trouble and hardships — to be set free of sin. Christ paid the price for our freedom, but we must do the hard work of becoming transformed into his image — of working out our faith. Often that means working with straw stubble, rather than straw, and working day and night to meet the demands of life with the standard of God.

Freedom from sin comes at a price. It always does. In fact it costs you your very soul.

Lord, thank you that you have provided a way to live free of sin in this life. May you give me the strength and discernment to make the hard choices and do what is right in your eyes. My your hope of freedom burn in my heart.