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Come Out of the Dark Side!

Come Out of the Dark Side!

Get the discussion questions for Come Out of the Dark Side!

I want you to do something for me. Figure out a place where you can find complete darkness, go there now and spend at least a few minutes. Make sure you it's so dark that you couldn't even see your hand if it were two inches from your face...and don't forget to come back and read the rest of the story!

OK - so being in complete darkness is not a fun thing, is it? It feels awkward because you don't know what's going on around you. For all you know, there could be a black widow spider planning to aerial drop on your head. But you don't know, because you can't see. It's also confusing, because after awhile you're not quite sure where everything is, and you don't want to move because you might run into something.

But then the light comes on and it makes everything better. You look up to see that there's no deadly creature headed your way, and you regain your confidence to go forward because you know the layout of what's around you.

Wait a minute - weren't we talking about the same room? Of course, but the obvious difference is that light changes your whole perspective. When you realize you are in the dark, you become mighty motivated to find an outside source of light.

Did you know that all of us are in a dark room right now? Spiritually speaking that is. Here's the way the Bible describes it:

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 6:12)

The dark "room" is actually the world we live in. We may be able to see what's going on in the physical world, but we are blind to the spiritual world. I don't know about you, but I feel awkward in the dark because there might be an attack ready to come down on my head. I'm also confused and afraid to go forward because my perspective on what's going on around me might be warped.

I really need an outside source of spiritual light-and not one that is from people, because they're sitting in the same room as me. No, the light I need needs to come from Someone outside the dark world-which is why God is the only good source:

Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path. (Psalm 119:105)

This verse makes it clear that the only way we can see clearly is by the light of God's word-which is the Bible. That's why we desperately need to read and study it-because if we don't we'll be unaware of what's going on around us and vulnerable to attack! God's word sheds light on this dark world so we can go forward with our lives and do what He wants us to do.

So what happens when the light comes on? You can actually see what's going on around you! Let me give you a couple examples that might illuminate what I mean.

  1. In one corner of your dark room there is a voice telling you that you are worthless because you don't measure up. It whispers that you're not skinny enough, pretty enough, smart enough, or buff enough. But then you light the lamp with this truth:

    You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous--and how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. How precious are your thoughts about me, O God! They are innumerable! I can't even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up in the morning, you are still with me! Psalm 139:13-18

    You realize that that the voice assaulting your self-image is a lie, so it goes away because you now see that you are a handmade creation of the God of the universe, which gives you infinite worth and value!

  2. In another corner there is a crowd of people telling you to follow them into another room where you can experiment with drugs, alcohol, and the opposite sex. In the dark you can't really see what the consequences of those choices would be, but then you turn on the light and witness what happens in that other room:

    Don't be misled. Remember that you can't ignore God and get away with it. You will always reap what you sow! Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful desires will harvest the consequences of decay and death. (Galatians 6:7-8)

    Do you see what I mean? I hope so, because without the Bible you are blind as a bat in a cave at night during a lunar eclipse. If you let God's word be your lamp and your light, you will truly see where to go and what to do with your life.

    In fact, I'd say studying the Bible is the brightest idea anyone ever came up with...wouldn't you?

Head: What you need to know about this truth

The Bible's truth exposes the lies of the world so we can live life wisely.

Heart: What you need to feel about this truth

It is extremely critical that a Christian develop a deep love for the Bible, and also a great respect for what it is. The Bible contains the very words of God, and the more time we spend studying it, the more we will be like Him. Here's a piece that sums it up best:

The Bible contains the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers. Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding, its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable. Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, and practice it to be holy. It contains light to direct you, food to support you, and comfort to cheer you.

It is the traveler's map, the pilgrim's staff, the pilot's compass, the soldier's sword, and the Christian's charter. Here Paradise is restored, Heaven opened, and the gates of hell disclosed. Christ is its grand subject, our good the design, and the glory of God its end.

It should fill the memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet. Read it slowly, frequently, and prayerfully. It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and a river of pleasure. It is given you in life, will be opened at the judgment, and be remembered forever. It involves the highest responsibility, will reward the greatest labor, and will condemn all who trifle with its sacred contents. [Found inside a Gideon's New Testament.]

Hands: What you need to do about this truth

This is a video that totally sums up the impact Bible study has on our lives-check it out and think about how it should impact your life.