AuthorTerry R Baughman is Lead Pastor for LifeChurch in Gilbert, AZ. See his complete bio at trbaughman.com Archives
April 2024
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The Call of the Deep2/11/2024 The Call of the Deep
GO DEEP! Terry R. Baughman “Deep calls unto deep at the noise of Your waterfalls; All Your waves and billows have gone over me. The Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime, And in the night His song shall be with me—A prayer to the God of my life” (Psalms 42:7-8 NKJ). God's desire for relationship with humanity brings His active involvement and presence into our lives. Likewise God has instilled within us a longing for connection to the spiritual. So much so, there is a natural void in our souls when we have no relationship with him. The psalmist revealed there was a deep need within, a longing for the presence of God, in our hearts. In the same text from The Passion Translation, He said, “My deep need calls out to the deep kindness of your love. Your waterfall of weeping sent waves of sorrow over my soul, carrying me away, cascading over me like a thundering cataract” (Psalm 42:7 TPT). This reciprocal longing for connection with the Almighty, led God to create everything that we see. He took personal attention to the creation of the first man and woman (Adam and Eve), with the intention that He might have someone with which to communicate and to enjoy time together. It is apparent from the text of Genesis that God walked with them, communicating with them in their evening walks. After the first sin, when their eyes were open to their nakedness, they hid from the face of God, and were shamed by the purity of His voice. Relationship was broken and trust was destroyed. Though these first humans were separated from this sacred scene they had once enjoyed, there remained the deep desire for communion with God. Blaise Pascal, a philosopher and theologian, observed that man, “tries in vain to fill with everything around him, seeking in things that are not there the help he cannot find in those that are, though none can help, since this infinite abyss can be filled only with an infinite and immutable object; in other words by God himself” (Pensees, by Blaise Pascal). This thought has often been quoted as the “God-shaped hole within the heart.” Search where we may, there is nothing on earth that can adequately fill the longing for God, but God Himself. There is no relationship on earth that can replace the spiritual communion we can have in His Spirit. God created us for relationship and we can enjoy many relationships with others, but none will take the place of the One who is the “infinite and immutable.” Christ’s answer for the aching separation of sin was the provision of a sacrifice. In the Garden, a lamb was slain to provide clothing for the outcasts from the paradise of God. God clothed them and covered them with the skins and wool of the sacrifice. A principle was established and blood sacrifices were offered in abundance throughout the Old Testament, and the wrath of God was appeased by the atoning blood of the lamb. All this blood, all these sacrifices, provided atonement year after year as sins were pushed ahead in the anticipation of a perfect lamb in the fulness of time. John the Baptist saw the fulfillment of the promise when He proclaimed Jesus to be, “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29 NKJ). Looking back at Christ’s sacrifice on Calvary, Peter stated that we were redeemed, “with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Peter 1:19 NKJ). Jesus provided the atonement that saves us from our sins, but also restores a relationship with God! Paul wrote, “Look at you now! Everything is new! Although you were once distant and far away from God, now you have been brought delightfully close to him through the sacred blood of Jesus—you have actually been united to Christ! Our reconciling “Peace” is Jesus!” (Ephesians 2:13-14 TPT). We can daily celebrate our reconciliation. Constantly, we can rejoice in the restoration of our relationship. Join the singers of Korah’s clan and continue the chorus, “All through the day Yahweh has commanded his endless love to pour over me. Through the night I sing his songs and my praises to the living God” (Psalm 42:8 TPT). The deep calls us still. Theme passage: “Then, by constantly using your faith, the life of Christ will be released deep inside you, and the resting place of his love will become the very source and root of your life” (Ephesians 3:17 TPT).
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The Word of the Deep2/4/2024 The Word of the Deep
GO DEEP! Terry R. Baughman “Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven. Your faithfulness endures to all generations; You established the earth, and it abides” (Psalms 119:89-90 NKJ). Deep sea divers experience incredible pressure as they descend into deeper waters. Divers cannot go more than 130 feet deep without great risk to their health and wellbeing. Swimmers can feel that increase of pressure even at depths of ten feet, so how much more intense is it to go further into deep water? In June of 2023, OceanGate launched a submergible capsule, named the Titan, into the Atlantic Ocean with five male passengers. Each had paid large sums of money to be passengers to witness firsthand the wreckage of the great Titanic, on the ocean floor over 12,000 feet below the surface. The sub had completed several dives in 2021 and 2022 before the fateful final dive for the Titan. Somewhere in transit to the wreckage, a catastrophic failure of the hull of the tiny capsule caused a massive implosion killing all who were aboard. The wreckage of the submergible was finally located about 1600 feet from the hull of the Titanic. The pressure increases in our lives as we seek new depths in our spiritual experience. We must prepare ourselves for the onslaught of the enemy of our souls, as we draw closer to His purposes. However, we can be assured, the power within us is greater than the pressure around us. God’s Spirit equalizes the oppression and empowers us to prevail against all external forces. John said, “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4 NKJ). Jesus gives us more grace as we humbly seek Him. (See James 4:17.) We need not fear any outside pressure when we are fully surrounded by His arms of protection. Paul observed that, “Where sin abounded, grace abounded much more” (Romans 5:20 NKJ). He will not allow us to be crushed, He surrounds us with His protection. Holiness is protection, separation is a shield. His name is a strong tower we can run to and be saved. The Word of God is forever. It is established in heaven and there is no end to its reach. The text in The Passion translation said, “Standing firm in the heavens and fastened to eternity is the Word of God. Your faithfulness flows from one generation to the next …” (Psalms 119:89 TPT). The Word of God is unsearchable. We might say it is “un-google-able,” or unknowable. It is deep, inexhaustible, and unexplainable. Then why read or study it? We find that the more we explore, the more we find in His Word. There is just no limit to its depths. The prophet said, “The everlasting God, the Lord, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable” (Isaiah 40:28 NKJ). The New Living Translation said, “No one can measure the depths of his understanding.” The Passion Translation wrote, “His intelligence is unlimited; he is never puzzled over what to do!” Keep exploring; just know that we will never know it all! God is so deep we will never reach His limits. There will always be more to experience, more to know, and explore. Paul exclaimed, “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!” (Romans 11:33-34 NKJ). The Word IS God. John wrote, “In the Beginning was the Word … and the Word was God,” then he continued, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:1; 14 NKJ). It is impossible to separate God from the Word. He is the living Word. He is One. This Word is Forever settled in Heaven. He is not subject to revisionist history, political correction or liberal cancellation. If anything needs adjustment, it is our interpretation or understanding. The Word is revealed to us progressively. We move from, “faith to faith.” Paul reminded us, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17 NKJ). When He speaks, everything becomes clearer. The deep does not elevate us, it exalts Him. Understanding brings humility and resists pride. The Word, living in our hearts, insulates us from external pressure and enables us to dive deeper in Him. Let us experience the Word of the deep. Theme passage: “Then, by constantly using your faith, the life of Christ will be released deep inside you, and the resting place of his love will become the very source and root of your life” (Ephesians 3:17 TPT).
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Life in the Water1/28/2024 Life in the Water
GO DEEP! Terry R. Baughman “Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows. There will be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so where the river flows everything will live” (Ezekiel 47:9 NIV). Jesus often taught in parables, especially when those who opposed Him lurked about just waiting to catch Him in His words, or snare Him by some trickery in the questions they posed. When Jesus told stories and related the parable to real-life situations, those who believed in Him, understood His implications, while others were left with more questions. When the disciples asked Jesus why He spoke in parables, He said, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them” (Matthew 13:11 NIV). In the final parable in Matthew 13, concerning the Kingdom of Heaven, Jesus used the example of fishermen throwing out a large net, which they drew up through the water resulting in a huge catch of fish. All were kept in the net and taken to the shore where they were sorted, the good were separated from those who were not good for food, or too small, or some other water species. It was apparent the story of the dragnet was about more than a successful fishing trip. This was an illustration of what it was like in the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus had called the disciples from the beginning to become, “fishers of men!” When Jesus came to find Peter and Andrew, “They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.” Then, “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people” (Matthew 4:18-19 NIV). They immediately abandoned their nets and followed Him. The contents of the net produced “all kinds” according to the biblical text. Interestingly, it didn’t say “all kinds of fish,” and even the Greek word used for kinds is also used for tribes or nationalities. These fish were an allegory of the end-time ingathering of all races and ethnicities of people brought into the Kingdom of God. We are taught to bring in all kinds and let God do the sorting at the final judgment. Only God knows the heart and identifies those who have truly chosen to follow Him. Habakkuk, the prophet, used the same imagery, of fish representing human beings. He asked God, “Why do You make men like fish of the sea, Like creeping things that have no ruler over them?” (Habakkuk 1:14 NKJ). So, it is not a stretch to see the abundance of fish in the waters of Ezekiel to be synonymous with the incredible harvest of souls anticipated in the final days of this dispensation. The river of living water that began in the Temple and flowed to the Jordan, and down to the sea contained, “Swarms of living creatures.” The prophet recognized that, “creatures will live wherever the river flows.” Because of the healing, life-giving properties of water, an abundance of life results. The fruitfulness of final harvest will far exceed our wildest imagination. All who are touched by the Spirit, all who come to the waters for cleansing through the powerful name of Jesus, will find life! Where the river flows there will be new life. Jesus promised that, “Repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem” (Luke 24:47 NKJ). Where the Gospel is preached, repentance is embraced, and baptism is practiced, the power of the Spirit brings everlasting life. Jesus spoke of the Spirit when He said, “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water” (John 7:38 NKJ). The waters of baptism and the river of the Spirit bring life to the barren and lifeless soul. Where God is, resurrections take place, the rejected are restored, and healing comes to the hopeless. There is healing in this water. Step in and experience the refreshing of restoration! Ezekiel said, “There will be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so where the river flows everything will live” (Ezekiel 47:9 NIV). There is life in the water and all who come into its flow will live! Theme passage: “Then, by constantly using your faith, the life of Christ will be released deep inside you, and the resting place of his love will become the very source and root of your life” (Ephesians 3:17 TPT).
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Too Deep to Swim1/21/2024 “He measured off another thousand cubits and told me to wade across the stream again; the water was up to my knees. He measured off another thousand cubits and made me wade across the stream again, and the water was up to my waist. He measured off another thousand; it was now a river over my head, which I was unable to swim across. It was a deep swollen river—a river no one could cross” (Ezekiel 47:4-5 TPT).
In an unusual vision, the prophet Ezekiel saw waters trickling from beneath the threshold of the temple. The insignificant stream of water flowed from the south side of the altar, out of the temple, and beyond the eastern gate. The shining man of the vision led the prophet to follow the stream outside the walls of the city. After about a third of a mile the water had become ankle deep. While another walk of the same distance, brought him to water that was up to his knees. By the time they had walked a mile, the stream had become quite deep, rising up to his waist. Then after another short walk, the stream had become a river so deep that it could not be navigated, so wide it was impossible to swim across. Through this visual, the prophet revealed something of the purpose of God and the fulfillment of His plan. Those things that appear to be small, seemingly insignificant moves of God, and minor miracles, are just the beginning of something great and powerful, revealing what God is doing in the world. Flowing water is refreshing, a sign of life, with cleansing properties. All these attributes are also true of the Spirit of God. Could we apply the vision of Ezekiel to God’s promise to Joel? He said, “And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions. And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days” (Joel 2:28-29 NKJ). Jesus certainly used the parallel between the living water and the Spirit when He loudly addressed the crowd assembled in Jerusalem on the last day of the feast. He said, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” John explained, “By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive” (John 7:37-39 NIV). Jesus promised that “rivers of living water” would flow from those who were so filled by His Spirit. There are such incredible promises awaiting for those who are filled with the Holy Spirit and surrendered to His flow. We live in anticipation of a greater outpouring of the Spirit than has ever been witnessed before. To the present, we have just gotten our feet wet. Perhaps the stream of His provision has been sufficient to splash around in, but a little further down the stream it’s enough to wade in and rises quickly to the point we cannot stroll casually in the current, but must surrender to the tide of its momentum. We have yet to see the fullness of Joel’s prophecy, “I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh!” We can only imagine what it will be like. When we are in over our heads with Spirit baptisms, overwhelmed with the abundance of New Birth experiences, and miracles are happening beyond our understanding, we will know we are seeing the fulfillment of these prophecies. What God has planned is greater than our capacity to manage, plan, or control. The ultimate destination of Ezekiel’s vision was to return to the banks of the river of life, flowing through the land toward the sea. The river brought healing and renewal. The dying were revived and the dead sea was refreshed. Where the fish could not have lived, now there was an abundance of fresh life-giving water, and he said, “Everything will live wherever the river goes” (Ezekiel 47:9 NKJ). We cannot underestimate the power of the Spirit to perform God’s will. Where the Spirit is, there is life and liberty! When the Spirit is embraced, when our worship is God-centered and intentional, and we align ourselves with God’s purpose, anything is possible. When we step out from the banks and can no longer touch the bottom, we will be swept along in the perfect flow of spiritual renewal. When it’s too wide to swim surrender to the current and experience the depths of His power! Theme passage: “Then, by constantly using your faith, the life of Christ will be released deep inside you, and the resting place of his love will become the very source and root of your life” (Ephesians 3:17 TPT).
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Prayer that gets God's Attention1/14/2024 Prayer that gets God's Attention
GO DEEP! Terry R. Baughman “Confess and acknowledge how you have offended one another and then pray for one another to be instantly healed, for tremendous power is released through the passionate, heartfelt prayer of a godly believer!” (James 5:16 TPT). Effective prayers are not from a multitude of words or repetitious phrases. Some of the most powerful prayers are brief utterances expressed in haste, filled with urgency, and spoken in faith. These prayers are not just words of hope-so or maybe-so, but heartfelt passionate expressions of the believer’s heart. Jesus encountered a father who shared his deep concern for his son, unable to speak and possessed of a spirit that frequently seized him, causing him to fall into water or fire. The man must have been hopeful, but skeptical when he said, “If you can do anything, take pity on us and help us” (Mark 9:22 NIV). It was a plea of desperation, but short on faith. Jesus pointed this out in His response, “Everything is possible for one who believes” (Mark 9:23 NIV). The depths of the man’s pain was revealed in that moment, “Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, ‘Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!’” (Mark 9:24 NKJ). The man was moved beyond desperation to faith-filled passion, and Jesus responded by immediately casting out the oppressive spirit and freeing the child. The prayer of faith is an effective prayer that gets God’s attention. Jesus said, “Whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them” (Mark 11:24 NKJ). The prayer of fervency also contributes to the effectiveness of obtaining God’s favor. James wrote, "The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:16 NKJ). When we become earnest in our petition and focused with sincerity, prayer becomes powerful. This is noted in the text above, "Tremendous power is released through the passionate, heartfelt prayer of a godly believer!" (James 5:16 TPT). Fervent prayer is not necessarily loud and demanding, but intentional and wholehearted. It is amazing how serious we get about prayer, when it’s something serious. A bad report at the doctor’s office, a phone call to hear of a tragedy, or an ominous change in the weather can cause us to suddenly become intentional about prayer. The more dire the emergency or imminent the threat, the more fervent our prayers become. Something powerful happens when we feel the pain of another. We become moved with compassion. This is the same visceral reaction Jesus experienced when He saw the great multitude who came out in the wilderness to reach Him, “He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick” (Matthew 14:14 NKJ). Jesus is moved to respond when He sees our fervent need expressed in heartfelt faith. Another key to gaining God’s attention is when we pray in the power of His name. The prayer of authority is effective when we call on the name of Jesus! Following the commission to “Go into all the world and preach the gospel,” Jesus promised that believers would experience great miracles. He said, “In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover” (Mark 16:15; 17-18 NKJ). We can expect God’s anointing, power, and presence, when we call on the name of Jesus! The lame man at the beautiful gate was miraculously healed when Peter and John spoke with authority, “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk” (Acts 3:6 NKJ). The answer was immediate and the lame man leaped for the first time in his life. It caused a great stir in the city as people gathered around, looking at Peter and John as though they had done something great. Peter was quick to give the glory to Jesus. He said that it was, “His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all” (Acts 4:16 NKJ). God responds to prayers given through faith, fervency, and in the authority of the name of Jesus. Theme passage: “Then, by constantly using your faith, the life of Christ will be released deep inside you, and the resting place of his love will become the very source and root of your life” (Ephesians 3:17 TPT).
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DIVE IN1/7/2024 Dive In
GO DEEP! Terry R. Baughman “He measured off another thousand; it was now a river over my head, which I was unable to swim across. It was a deep swollen river—a river no one could cross” (Ezekiel 47:5 TPT). With great trepidation the novice swimmer steps into the stream. He stays in the safe shallows with feet firmly planted on the secure rocks. Only after much coaxing and baby steps he finally gets deep enough to splash around in the refreshing waters, still very much anchored near enough to the shore where he could dash out before a wave or a prankster pushes him out too deep. He watches with envy when others dive off the dock and swim with long smooth strokes, effortlessly gliding through the surface of the water. Fear sometimes holds us back from attempting what may seem simple for others. We paddle in shallow shores while longing for more. More courage to attempt the depths. More skill to be able to safely move through the deep, surrounded by darker waters, yet unwilling to take the necessary risks to learn greater skills and experience larger challenges. Baby steps are only good if we move forward at the same time. They are not tiny steps while remaining in the same place, but progressive movement to the next step, deeper waters, and greater opportunities. Our challenge is to continually move forward into deeper places. The prophet Ezekiel saw a vision of such a setting. He saw a stream flowing from beneath the Temple threshold. A shining man brought out a measuring line. He measured about 1700 feet (1000 cubits). Ezekiel said the water was ankle deep. Another measuring of the same distance revealed that the stream was now knee deep. After another segment of measure the water was now waist deep. Finally, the next measure brought him to a river that was too deep to cross. While every nuance of the prophecy may not be understood, there is a yearning to experience something deeper, something more vast than our ability to contain or cross over. What God is doing in this generation is beyond anything we have ever experienced. Our challenge is to prepare for greater things than ever before, miracles we cannot comprehend. The outpouring of God’s Spirit will be greater than what any other generation has seen. It will be beyond our control and more than our buildings can contain. The latter rain of revival will be similar to the beginning when it was so great the believers met in the Temple and in their homes, “And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47 NKJ). Paul said that he taught believers, “publicly and from house to house” (Acts 20:20 NKJ). When there is no room to grow more, we will move outdoors! We may dabble in the supernatural and have an occasional miracle. An occasional baptism may be sufficient to excite the congregation and an evangelist may stir us to new commitments, but God has so much more planned for the last generation. What He desires far exceed anything we can imagine. When the waters are troubled and the storms arise, we will see the incredible manifestation of God’s power and the resulting conversion of millions. It’s not time for a tremor of spiritual movement; it’s time for an earthquake of renewal. It’s time for the accumulation of many miracles to become an avalanche of revelation when the world sees the powerful name of Jesus on full display. The time has come when there’s no other option than to just DIVE IN. Yes, it’s over our heads and deeper than we can comprehend, but we will see the glory of God in ways we could never imagine. Paul wrote, “I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:17-19 NIV). This is God’s desire, His purpose, and His plan. We might as well get ready, and DIVE IN! Theme passage: “Then, by constantly using your faith, the life of Christ will be released deep inside you, and the resting place of his love will become the very source and root of your life” (Ephesians 3:17 TPT).
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You are the Light12/31/2023 You are the Light
Light in the Night! Terry R. Baughman “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house” (Matthew 5:14-15 NIV). The theme of light is seen frequently in the Gospel of John. From the witness of the messenger who prepared the way for Jesus to His bold self-revealing “I AM” statements, the mission and deity of Jesus was proclaimed. The Apostle introduced John, the baptizer, as the witness of the light that was coming into the world. Jesus confirmed that mission when He said, “John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you chose for a time to enjoy his light” (John 5:35 NIV). However, the light was greater than John. Among numerous other “I AM” statements in the Gospel, Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12 NIV). From the beginning, the Apostle John established that John the Baptist wasn’t the source of light, but testified of its coming. He wrote, “He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world” (John 1:8-9 NIV). John was very careful to reserve the identity of the light to be the one and only Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus revealed Himself to be the light of the world, but only as long as He was present with them. Jesus said, “While I am in the world, I am the light of the world” (John 9:5 NIV). He indicated that a change was coming when darkness would come upon the world, and it would seem that the light had been extinguished. However, John also gave us the assurance that the darkness could not quench the light. He said, “This Light never fails to shine through darkness—Light that darkness could not overcome!” (John 1:5 TPT). In the Sermon on the Mount, another facet of Jesus’ purpose was revealed. Jesus taught, “You are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14 NIV). Followers of Christ were expected to become bearers of the light. They would further reflect the light of Christ to the world that others might see and believe. Not only was John the baptizer a witness of the light, we also are to declare the light of the world! Jesus revealed a progression from “I AM” to “You are.” Yes, He is the eternal I AM, but He has also shared His mission with every believer when He stated, “You are ….” Paul wrote, “God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6 NIV). We are not the light, but the reflected image of the glory of God through Jesus Christ. We are to be a city on a hill, a lamp placed in a prominent location, to show the light of the Gospel in a darkened world. We should not take our lamp and hide it in an obscure place. Jesus taught, “Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:15 NIV). Paul warned, “If our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing” (2 Corinthians 4:3 NIV). May we receive the light and shine it in this generation, “You are the light of the world!” Theme passage: “A fountain of life was in him, for his life is light for all humanity. And this Light never fails to shine through darkness—Light that darkness could not overcome! (John 1:4-5 TPT).
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One Holy Night12/24/2023 One Holy Night
Light in the Night! Terry R. Baughman “While he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.’ So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: ‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,’ which is translated, 'God with us’” (Matthew 1:20-23 NKJ). After centuries without the voice of a prophet or visiting angels, several unusual events began to take place. First, an aging couple who had never had children were promised a special son. They were instructed by an angel to name him John. As a sign of the authority of the angel to deliver this message, Zechariah was unable to speak until the day his son was born and was named. He wrote on a tablet, “His name is John,” and he immediately began talking and praising God (Luke 1:63 NIV). While Elisabeth was pregnant with John, her young niece Mary was visited by the same angel. Gabriel appeared to her, bringing great news from the presence of God. She was highly favored and had been chosen to give birth to the coming Messiah. Since she was a virgin preparing for marriage, she did not know how this would happen. The angel explained, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God” (Luke 1:35 NIV). This was to fulfill the prophecy of Isaiah, “A virgin will be pregnant, she will give birth to a Son, and he will be known as ‘Emmanuel,’ which means in Hebrew, ‘God became one of us’” (Matthew 1:23 TPT). Joseph, engaged to be the husband of Mary, sure needed a miracle as well to help him understand what was happening to his plans for marriage. An angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:20-21 NIV). Everything about these events were miraculous. That wasn’t the last miracle or the last visitation of an angel. Shepherds were addressed by an angel, then witnessed a heavenly host to announce the arrival of the Christ Child. Magi were led from distant lands by a guiding star, and warned by an angel to return home a different way. Angels warned the young parents to flee to Egypt to escape the wrath of the king, and were directed when they should return. All of humanity would be affected by the events that unfolded in the months surrounding the birth of Jesus on that one holy night! History is charted on the advent of the life of Jesus. The most common numbering of years is BC (Before Christ) or AD (in the year of our Lord) from the Latin Anno Domini. One night in Bethlehem altered the course of history and has given hope for the future. God is still speaking and His Good News is proclaimed around the world. This is the season of optimism, hope, and joy! He came to change everything … one holy night! Theme passage: “A fountain of life was in him, for his life is light for all humanity. And this Light never fails to shine through darkness—Light that darkness could not overcome! (John 1:4-5 TPT).
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One Bright Star12/17/2023 One Bright Star
Light in the Night! Terry R. Baughman “Wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” … And behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy” (Matthew 2:1–2; 9–10 NKJ). Another miracle surrounding the Nativity was the appearance of wisemen, or Magi, from the East. Though they have been referred to as kings, they were more likely astrologers or priests who studied the stars and ancient prophecies for some sign in the heavens. When they saw an unusual, unidentified star or comet in the skies, they concluded that it was the announcement of a great leader that was foretold in ancient prophecy. They immediately made plans to follow the path of the star’s passing. The Magi traveled toward Jerusalem, assuming such an important leader would be known in the capital city. King Herod received the guests from the East and was curious to know more of their story, but more concerned that a rival king had been born in his territory that could pose a threat to his reign. He called for the Chief Priests and teachers of the Law to inquire of them where the Messiah was to be born. Knowing the Scripture, they immediately responded, “In Bethlehem in Judea, … for this is what the prophet has written: ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel’” (Matthew 2:5–6 NIV, quoting Micah 5:2). Herod continued to ask about the time of the appearance of the star, hoping to learn more about this child that had been born. He asked under the pretext of a desire to also worship Him. It is later revealed that the evil intent in his heart was to destroy the child. After leaving King Herod, while on the road to Bethlehem, the Magi again saw the star appear that they had seen in their home country. According to Matthew, “On their way to Bethlehem, the same star they had seen in the East suddenly reappeared! Amazed, they watched as it went ahead of them and stopped directly over the place where the child was. And when they saw the star, they were so ecstatic that they shouted and celebrated with unrestrained joy” (Matthew 2:9–10 TPT). This bright star drew them to Bethlehem, “until it stopped over the place where the child was” (Matthew 2:9 NIV). They rejoiced in the divine guidance that directed their journey and they celebrated the birth of the child by delivering their treasure, gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. One bright star pointed the way to the Bright Morning Star! The shining light guided the seekers to The Light of the World! In John’s prophecy, Jesus was revealed as, “the bright Morning Star” (Revelation 22:16 NIV). As the Bright Morning Star, the coming of Jesus signals the end of darkness and the dawn of a brand new day. Jesus is the Light of the world! We have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him! Theme passage: “A fountain of life was in him, for his life is light for all humanity. And this Light never fails to shine through darkness—Light that darkness could not overcome! (John 1:4-5 TPT).
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A Piercing Light12/10/2023 A Piercing Light
Light in the Night! Terry R. Baughman “For this prophetic message is like a piercing light shining in a gloomy place until the dawning of a new day, when the Morning Star rises in your hearts” (2 Peter 1:19 TPT). The Word is like a piercing light shining in the darkness, awaiting the dawn of truth and understanding. John, the Apostle, declared that the eternal, light-bearing, Word of God was given to mankind to bring life to a world of darkness and death. He prefaced his Gospel with, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1 NKJ). John revealed, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory” (John 1:14 NKJ). Jesus was born as a baby in Bethlehem with a divine destiny, “The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world” (John 1:9 NIV). John wrote, “A fountain of life was in him, for his life is light for all humanity. And this Light never fails to shine through darkness” (John 1:4-5 TPT). The prophets predicted that Messiah would come to bring light. It would be fulfilled in His appearance and His message. Matthew quoted the prophet Isaiah who proclaimed, “You who spend your days shrouded in darkness can now say, ‘We have seen a brilliant Light.’ And those who live in the dark shadow land of death can now say, ‘The Dawning Light arises on us’” (Matthew 4:7 TPT). Jesus was the very revelation of God in a dark world. Peter, James, and John retreated to the mountain for some time alone. It was in this solitary place they saw Jesus transfigured before them, “Jesus’ appearance was dramatically altered. A radiant light as bright as the sun poured from his face. And his clothing became luminescent—dazzling like lightning” (Matthew 17:2 TPT). There was no doubt that Jesus was the Christ, the anointed of God! Peter referenced this event as he confirmed the words of the prophets. He wrote, “We have been given the prophetic word—the written message of the prophets, made more reliable and fully validated by the confirming voice of God on the Mount of Transfiguration.” He continued to illustrate the power of this sure word of prophecy and declared, “For this prophetic message is like a piercing light shining in a gloomy place until the dawning of a new day, when the Morning Star rises in your hearts” (2 Peter 1:19 TPT). This light was celebrated in the Psalms. David rejoiced in the revelation, “The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear?” (Psalm 27:1 NIV) Again, David sang, “For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light” (Psalm 36:9 NIV). This revelation began before the foundation of the world, but was progressively revealed, first through the prophets, and then in His incarnation, but ultimately in the consummation of all things, the Revelation of Jesus Christ! John wrote of that heavenly city to come and noted, “The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp” (Revelation 21:23 NIV). This luminescent Lamb was the same Lamb that was slain from the foundation of the world, and was also the resurrected Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! (See Revelation 13:8, and John 1:29.) His piercing light of revelation continues to shine in the gloomy places as we wait for the dawning of a new day, when we will see the Lamb, face to face! Theme passage: “A fountain of life was in him, for his life is light for all humanity. And this Light never fails to shine through darkness—Light that darkness could not overcome! (John 1:4-5 TPT). |