PJP2 PROLOG - S161204 - PROLOG Focus: 1 John 5:1-5........CANDLES - Psalm 4:6-7 (ESV/emphasis added/jaj)...."There are many who say, 'Who will show us some Good? Lift Up The LIGHT Of Your Face Upon us, O Lord!' You Have Put More JOY In my Heart Than they have when their grain and wine abound.".... PJP2 PROLOG POST - 161204 - CANDLE - 1 John 5:1-5 (ESV/emphasis added/jaj)...."Everyone who BELIEVES That Jesus IS The Christ Has Been Born Of God, And Everyone who LOVES The Father LOVES whoever Has Been Born of Him. By This we Know That we LOVE The Children Of God, When We LOVE God And OBEY His Commandments. For This Is The LOVE Of God, That we Keep His Commandments. And His Commandments Are NOT burdensome. For Everyone who Has Been Born Of God Overcomes the world. And THIS Is The VICTORY That Has Overcome the world—our FAITH. Who Is It That Overcomes the world Except the one who BELIEVES That Jesus IS The Son Of God?".... How very appropriate to stop and contemplate on God's CANDLES of His Son's ADVENT/NOEL to our world (and individual lives) lost in the darkness of selfishness and sin. This brings to mind an explorer having entered a cave only to have his flashlight give out once he gets deep into the cavern. He is surrounded by total and complete blackness. He is too far from the cave entrance to have any of the outside light reach him. His radio, linking him back to his fellow explorers, has conked out as well. He tries, for a bit, to feel his way back, but quickly becomes disoriented and determines he needs to stay put and pray that his Team will find him in time. He knows not how long he waits....BUT at last, in the distance, he picks up a small pin-point of LIGHT coming towards him. He then faintly hears the calls of the Rescue Team sent to find him. He responds, "Over here!" He is SAVED. Our explorer is SAVED Because he BELIEVED his fellows would come to seek him out, and SAVE him. By his BELIEF, his FAITH, he was able to Overcome the terror of being surrounded by total darkness. Likewise, as we pause and ponder our Lord's Advent/Noel, we can Liken our Lord Jesus' Coming to Walk Among us as One of us to The Rescue Team. God The Father Mounted His Rescue Team, His Only Son, to Descend in to our darkness and to Overcome this darkness of sin by His Holy LIGHT of LOVE. Bottom-Line/Up-Front: Regardless of how deep or dark our distractions may be, His LIGHT, which SHINES for us, and SEEN by us Through The Eyes of our FAITH, Still Is Shining Even Today. So, Crew, Have FAITH, BELIEVE - His RESCUE TEAM is STILL Searching and Reaching out for us, and IF you Will Have FAITH/BELIEVE, His LIGHT will STILL SAVE you..... My Prayer for us Today.....O Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit, Father God, Thank You and we Praise You for Your LIGHT and SAVING LOVE. Lord Jesus, Open our Inner Eyes that we May See Your LIGHT Guiding us to You and Your Salvation. Holy Spirit, Empower us, as Your Household of HOPE to Share Your LIGHT that those who Do Not Know You May Still Find their Way To You. Father God, Thank You for Your Power Within Your Son to Provide us Your Means to Overcome. Lord Jesus, In Your Holy Name we Do Raise our Prayers and Praise....Amen and Amen....jaj