I’ve heard about spies and under cover operatives – police officers – who ‘Go Dark’ – it means they cut off all contact & communication with their handlers, head quarters and home base. It’s while they’ve gone dark that they face their greatest risk. During this time they are:

1. Vulnerable to attack.
2. Susceptible to temptation
3. Alone – completely alone.

What happens when a spy ‘goes dark’ is rarely good.

Going Dark seems to be a consistent choice of some who call themselves Believers today. For reasons I’m certain they consider necessary many will separate themselves from their church, their family and their God – during this time they will face their greatest risk. They are:

1. Vulnerable to attack.
2. Susceptible to temptation.
3. Completely alone.

It’s an odd choice to make, but I see church members make this choice all the time. 1 John 1:5 says that with God you will NEVER go dark. 1 John 1:6 is even more convicting. It says if you say you follow God then choose to go dark that you are a liar who doesn’t practice the truth.

Today, may you walk in the light. No matter your circumstance may you see that choosing to ‘go dark’ is really no choice at all. May you resist temptation, be invulnerable to attack and recognize that with God, and His people – you are never alone.

Have you been through a dark time? How did you get out? Use the comments area to share your story.

[contact-form]

Proverbs is one of my favorite books of the Bible. I remember hearing the story of Solomon when I was a kid in Sunday School. I always thought it was cool that God would grant this young king one wish. I also thought Solomon’s wish was pretty cool. He asked for wisdom. God liked Solomon’s choice too. He gave him wisdom and with that wisdom Solomon became the wisest King of Israel. During his reign his nation knew peace and prosperity. He was famous all over the world (and in some cities!). His fame and fortune seemed to know no end. All this was the result of wisdom.

As I read the book of Proverbs, a book written mostly by Solomon, some common patterns and themes surface. One of the things I notice is the many elements of wisdom Solomon discusses. Let’s break it down.

• Knowledge – That’s facts and figures. It’s knowing stuff about stuff. It’s the kind of information you acquire by reading, studying, going to school or practicing a skill.
• Understanding – This is comprehension. Once you’ve got the facts and figures do you comprehend their significance? It’s one thing to know E=MC2. Understanding the significance of that little formula is something completely different.
• Insight – These are those wonderful leaps of logic. It’s what happens when you hear about ‘A’ and ‘B’ and based on that alone you somehow, intuitively know that ‘Z’ will be true. It’s what happens when knowledge and understanding meet creativity. Think of it like this, Knowledge + Understanding + Creativity = Insight.
• Discernment – This is knowing right from wrong, good from bad, benevolent from malevolent. It’s knowing what’s useful and what’s harmful. Discernment allows you to determine the value of what you know.
• Discretion – There’s an old song, “You gotta know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em, know when to walk away and know when to run…” That’s discretion. How public or private should what you just learned remain? Is your new found knowledge for public consumption or is it for you alone? That’s discretion.
• Wisdom – If all these other definitions are true then wisdom is very simply knowing what to do with what you know. These other 5 skills are useful but they find their greatest strength and their greatest value when they come together. It’s this gestalt that makes wisdom – someone who is well informed, with a clear understanding of the matters at hand; able to presume right answers in the absence of every fact; and determine the value of what they know; with the discretion to know when and how to reveal it: That’s wisdom – knowing what to do with what you know.

So today – may you be wise. May God grant you one wish and may your wish be wise. May you receive the knowledge, understanding, insight, discernment and discretion you need to choose rightly, live wisely and walk humbly with your God.

Leave a comment and tell me what you would wish for if God gave you one wish.

God Bless,
Chad

So what is your reason for trusting Christ and obeying him? John had plenty of them. Take a look at 1 John 1:1-4. With a ‘once upon a time’ John begins his story by telling everyone he has a lot of reasons for this hope he had.

• VS. 1 (heard) – There’s the PROMISE he HEARD. For generations the Jewish people were searching for Messiah. John grew up hearing the prophecies and studying the stories. If Messiah came in his lifetime he would recognize Him.
• VS. 1. (saw) – There was a PERSON he SAW. Along comes Jesus. All those promises, the words of the prophets had become flesh and now John could see it! He watched the way Jesus worked and found in Him the fulfillment of the prophecies he grew up hearing.
• VS. 1 (handled) – An EXPERIENCE of his own. But John was no novice. Others had claimed to be Messiah. Some tried to manufacture the evidence. But with Jesus and John something was different. John didn’t take the press at face value. He walked where Jesus walked. He listened to His words, followed His ways, watched Him die then celebrated His resurrection. He experienced the Savior.

And the list goes on…John had reasons for following Jesus. what are yours?