The
City of Lights
Community Prophetic
Voice Newletter
Issue 17
Heart of God
Ministries
International
(HGMI)
Disciples of the
Light
The Lord
Jesus Christ likens
His disciples to
"light."
He is
the Light to the
World.
He
abides in us by the
abiding presence of
the Holy
Spirit.
And
moreover, as a
disciple we are
called "the light of
the world." Matthew
5:14 AMP
You
are
the light of the
world. A
city set on a
hill cannot be
hidden.
We
are also exhorted in
Philippians
2:15-16 NKJV: that you
may become
blameless
and
harmless, children
of God without
fault in the midst
of a crooked and
perverse
generation, among
whom you shine
as lights in the
world,
The
Scriptures
challenge us to
examine ourselves.
Here is a
serious question
to consider.
As a professing
Christian are you
"radiaitng
the Light to the
world" or are you
reflecting
the
light
of the world
in a darkness of
worldliness and
spiritual
shallowness?
Want
to experience some
enlightenment and
also taste of some
illumination of
the characteristics
which
disciples as light
are to
manifest?
Here are three: 1.
Position
2.
Nature
3.
Purpose
The
principle of rule
that is given to
us in the
scriptures... is
the rule of
first's and first
mentioned. 1
Corinthians
15:46 AMP
But it is not
the spiritual
life which came
first, but the
physical and
then the
spiritual.
So, let
us begin with
the first of
these 3
characteristic
applications...
The
position of
disciples of
the Light... Matthew
5:14
AMP
You
are
the light of the
world. A
city set on a
hill cannot be
hidden. Luke
11:33
No one after
lighting a
lamp puts it
in a cellar or
crypt or under
a bushel
measure, but
on a
lampstand,
that those who
are coming in
may see the
light.
You can see
that Position
is central to
the plan of
God.
His
plan provides
for His glory
to fill the
earth.
(In both the
physical and
spiritual
realms)
Luke 11:34-36 Your
eye is the
lamp of your
body; when
your eye (
your
conscience) is
sound and
fulfilling
its
office,
your whole
body is full
of light; but
when it is not
sound and is
not fulfilling
its office,
your
body
is full of
darkness.
35
Be
careful,
therefore,
that the light
that is in you
is not
darkness.
36
If
then your
entire body is
illuminated,
having no part
dark, it will
be wholly
bright
[with
light],
as when a lamp
with its
bright rays
gives you
light.
Look at the
three divine
positions
whereby your
light is to be
placed.
1. Upon
a hill for all
to see.
2. Upon
a lampstand
for all to
see.
3. Your
whole body for
all to see.
The purpose of
Position is so
that the world
will know
1. who
we are,
2. what
we are,
3. where
we are.
The Church has
been called to
be a
lighthouse set
upon a hill,
but has mainly
become
little
more
than one of
the world's
lights,
reflecting the
same
interests,
using the
same
methods and
trying to
achieve the
same
goals.
The 21st
century Church
has lost
its way
because it has
positioned
itself at
distance to
the Gospel
which was
entrusted
to the 1st
century
apostles of
the Lamb who
gathered the
remnant of
believers of
Israel
and the 1st
century
ascension-gift
of men (5-fold
ministries)
who
evangelized
the Gentile
world.
In
large, today's
Church has
become
involved in
social and
humanitarian
interests,
welfare
projects, political
strife and
community
activities all
in the name of
religion.
Christ did
place His
calling on the
Church to be
another
organization
in the
community.
It was called
to be an apostolic
organism
(God Sent)
endued with
Holy Ghost
power
to do the
commissioned
works of the
Kingdom of
Heaven!
The Church
does not even
know its
divine calling
for it has
locked the
doors on the
very
source of
divine power,
the Person of
the Holy
ghost!
Since it has
lost its way,
and its
power, it also
has lost its
desire to be
as a light set
over against
darkness in
cities and
nations in
which it
stands to
reveal sin and
corruption.
It has become
as Jonah was
of
heart and mind
when God
called him to
go to Nineveh
and preach
repentance.
He
procrastinated
and ran from
the assignment
until God
released a
life changing
storm
in his
path!
God's ways are
not our
ways! He
is a
chastising God
in the lives
of those
He has
received as
His sons and
daughters!
Repentance is
still the way
to God's
grace!
The church has
lost its heart
to stand as a
beacon
revealing the
way of
righteousness
and to draw
the lost and
wandering into
the safe
waters in the
Holy Spirit
where
righteousness,
peace and joy
abound!
Shamelessly,
the 21st
century church
has lost its
distinctive
character, its
testimony
of the Light
of Truth, Life
and Spirit and
thus has lost
it influence
in this dark,
liberal
and corrupt
world.
Yet, there is
HOPE!
The
nature of
disciples of
the Light...
The LIght has
purpose to
separate from
darkness. Genesis
1:3-4 NKJV
Then God
said,"Let
there be
light"; and
there was
light.
4
And
God saw the
light, that it
was good; and
God divided
the light from
the darkness.
Light by its
very nature
will always
penetrate the
darkness and
reveal what
there is to
see.
It uncovers
the shield of
the dark.
Darkness can
never dispel
the
light.
The light
shines! It
illuminates!
John
1:5 NKJV
And the light
shines in the
darkness, and
the darkness
did not
comprehend it.
As
a
disciple of
Light, we are
to dispel the
darkness in
the
world.
How?
Matthew
4:4 KJV
"...
by
every word
that proceeds
out of the
mouth of God."
Wherever a
disciple of
the Light
goes, wherever
we work,
wherever we
live, the
light of
our life will
penetrate the
darkness and
glorify God
whenever we
walk after the
Spirit
and we open
our mouths to
speak God's
Word of
Life. Matthew
5:16 AMP
Let your light
so shine
before men
that they may
see your moral
excellence and
your
praiseworthy,
noble, and
good deeds and
recognize and
honor and
praise and
glorify your
Father
Who is in
heaven.
Ephesains
5:8-12 NKJV
For you were
once darkness,
but now you
are light in
the Lord. Walk
as children of
light
9 (for the
fruit of the
Spirit is in
all goodness,
righteousness,
and truth),
10 finding out
what is
acceptable to
the Lord.
11 And have no
fellowship
with the
unfruitful
works of
darkness, but
rather expose
them.
Too many have
hidden their
light under a
bushel.
Doing so
results in
failure to
mature
spiritually.
The Holy Ghost
is the Teacher
of the Light;
Jesus Christ.
Denying the
Teacher to
have access to
ones life
denies the
power of the
Gospel of the
Kingdom...
How?
1. Neglecting
to tell of
God's divine
provisions and
blessings of
His saving
grace.
2. Neglecting
to pray for
the sick by
the power of
the Name of
Jesus, by His
blood and
by the
anointing
presence of
the Holy
Spirit in His
power.
3. Neglecting
nor fearing
the
consequence of
concealed
doubt and
unbelief
resuting
in rejecting
the baptism
and infilling
of the Holy
Spirit to be
equipped to
exercise
Spiritual
Gifts.
What is
the Light's
purpose?
The Lord Jesus
tells us in
Matthew 5:16,
saying, Matthew
5:16 AMP
Let your light
so shine
before men
that they may
see your moral
excellence and
your
praiseworthy,
noble, and
good deeds and
recognize and
honor and
praise and
glorify
your
Father
Who is in
heaven.
Our
lights... the
Light of
Truth, Light
of Life, and
Light of the
Spirit are to
shine that
the
people of the
world may see
the righteous
works of
spiritual
gifts,
released
through
love and
devotion to
Christ.
In these ways,
we glorify
God.
The world
cares little
for what we
say when our
actions are
not in harmony
with
our words. The
enemy of
spiritual
darkness, the
devil and his
demons, are
readily
working to
accuse and
deceive.
How often have
you heard the
comment, "I am
not
interested in
going around a
bunch of
hypocrites?"
Where does
this comment
originate?
Perhaps, the
individual has
a neighbor who
says one thing
and does
another
or has been
"stung" by a
professing
Christian
co-worker on
the job.
Although one
is active in
the church, as
a neighbor,
one may be
living little
differently
from
the world
about being
shallow in
ones spiritual
faith,
interests, and
ethical
practices.
We conclude
our
study.
As "disciples
of the Light"
shall we let
our lights
shine"
engaging in
fellowship as
that which was
entrusted to
the 1st
century Eye
Witness
apostles and
Ascension-gifts
of the
five-fold
ministries?
You are
encouraged to
seek
fellowship
with us in
wholesome
relationships?
May God our
Father, Son
and Holy Ghost
extend mercy
and grace as
we fellowship
together in
them, give to
prayer,
fasting and
the study of
the Word of
God.
We invite you
to dig out the
Wells of the
"old debris"
of Orthodox
and
Contemporary
teaching which
Excludes the
magnificent
and Glorious
PERSON of the
Holy Spirit...
The Apostolic
Spirit of God
in earth
today.
He was sent on
the Day of
Pentecost as
the Promise of
God in
fulfillment of
the work
of Jesus
Christ's first
Advent to
earth!
He is present
to
administrate
the Order of
heaven's
eternal ruling
King, Jesus
Christ
in the
Body.
The Lord Jesus
has entered
into His rest
in all
authority and
power at the
right-hand of
the
Father.
The Holy
Spirit is here
to lead
and guide the
Building
the the Lord's
Church of the
the New
Creation,
teaching and
demonstrating
the full
message of the
Kingdom of
God!
Join us in the
digging and
let us freely
take of the
water (washing
of the Word,)
the
spirit
(demonstration
of His
Presence) and
the blood (the
resurrection
life in the
Kingdom
of Heaven on
earth).
Have you
received of
the free
gifts?
Receive first
the gifts
of Heaven
...
then the gifts
of Heart of God
Ministries
International!
