THE PEOPLE WHO WALKED IN DARKNESS

HAVE SEEN A GREAT LIGHT -- ISAIAH 9:2

Dear young people in Christ.

I will start with a simple question for you

What do you do when you find yourself in a dark room or when the sun
begins to set at the end of the day? Yes, you turn on the lamp, you turn
on the lights.

In the same way, in our lives also, when we go through the darkness of
our own worries and anxieties, when we go through the darkness of
sorrows and shame, when we walk through the darkness of our own sins
and shortcomings, when we are broken, when we go through the
darkness of loneliness and isolation, what do we do? How do we bring
light in this darkness? How do we heal ourselves from this brokenness
and misery? Because darkness can only be expelled through light. The
God of the Bible is the only one who brings light into our darkness, by His
light, by His Word, by His presence.

2 Corinthians 4:4 says, “The god of this age has blinded the minds of
unbelievers so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of
Christ, who is the image of God.”

Read the verse again, it says, "the god of this age has blinded our minds."
Do you know what is the current god of this age that's blinding young
people's minds and senses? Its technology, it's media, it's the internet.
Yes, this god called technology and media and internet is being
worshipped by so many people both young and old these days. It' so sad
to know that people can manage without God, without prayer, without
food and water, without parents and friends, without husband and
children, without wife, but not without Wifi.

Technology can surely help us get connected to the world, with people
around the world, helps us get in touch with out relatives and lost friends
through different media sources and apps. But also remember, it
disconnects us from our self, our family, and our God because it keeps us
so busy and occupied that we tend to forget the very purpose that God
created us for and we tend to forget our creator, our God. We have all
become addicted to technology using apps over apps, browsing one site
after another site, watching series after series, movies after movies,
playing games after games, so much of time wasted on all things that do
no glorify God. It’s a trap of the evil one, we need to be aware of this. We
keep ourselves busy over nothing useful.

Technology is actually a gift from God. It is good when we use

technology for the betterment of self or for the betterment of family or
betterment of the society. Technology should be used to know God better,
to get ourselves connected to God, to Glorify him above all. But be
warned, it is a tool being used by the devil to destroy us. It's one the
most successful tool of the evil one to keep people's minds blinded and
glued to their phones, browsing through different sites. The devil is a thief
and his nature is to steal, kill and destroy. (John 10:10 says, "The thief
comes only to steal and kill and destroy").

He will STEAL us from God and get us occupied with the fancy stuff that
we watch on our phones

He will KILL our relationship we have with our family and our God.

He will DESTROY the golden future that God has in store for us.

Therefore we need to be aware of the darkness that is blinding us. Yes,

these days, our lives are filled with everything except God. There is no
place for God, there is no time for prayer. Our minds are blinded with the
flashy and fake things of this world.

We can't avoid the birds to fly above our head but we can avoid them
making a nest on our heads. Same way it is with temptation, we can't
avoid being tempted with so much of sin around us but we should not let
that sin or temptation make a home in our life or our mind or in our
heart. Jesus Himself was tempted by the tempter, but He defeated
temptation through the Word of God. We can remove the darkness in our
lives only through His light and through His word. The only solution to
dispel this darkness of sin and temptation in our lives is staying connected
with the Light of the World, Jesus. John 8:12 says, "I am the light of
the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will
have the light of life." Whenever there is darkness in our family, in our
relationships, in our community, Jesus comes to shed His light on all
those areas of our lives to restore everything that the devil has stolen.

Psalms 119:9 says, "How can a young people keep their ways pure? By
guarding it according to your word." Yes, it is possible for young people
to lead a holy life. Let's not waste our time and life on things that
makes us lifeless and useless. We are not supposed to follow the
evils of this world that is trapped in darkness. Word of God says in
Exodus 23:2, "You shall not follow a majority in wrong doing."

Advent” means “coming” or “arrival.” During the season of Advent, as we

celebrate Christ’s coming, as Christmas arrives again, let's pray that Jesus
be born in our heart, in our mind, in our lives, in our families, in our
habits, in our gesture, in our attitude, and in our word and deeds. God
invites us to be brought out from darkness into His most marvelous light.
Let's pray that we always walk in the Light of Christ and shine as blessed
candles in this dark and broken world. Amen.