Ephesians 5 reads, [8] For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
[9] (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)
[10] Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.
[11] And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
[12] For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.
[13] But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.
[14] Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
[10] Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.
[11] And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
[12] For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.
[13] But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.
[14] Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
Jordan explains, "When you walk in the light you're demonstrating what God wants done. Light reproves darkness and men love darkness rather than light. So when the Word of God goes out it reproves darkness and that's why the Adversary hates America especially. No place on the planet in the last 2,000 years has caused the light to shine worldwide as it has in the last 250-300 years out of America.
"The preaching of the Word of God even in its most feeble form has run darkness out of our country and the light's reproved it. The Adversary doesn't like that.
"Paul writes in II Corinthians 4, [3] But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
[4] In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
[5] For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.
[6] For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
[7] But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
"The light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ has shined into us. What you need to do in your life is demonstrate the value you've discovered to be in the Lord Jesus Christ. As you put that on display it will attract people; it will be the draw.
[4] In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
[5] For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.
[6] For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
[7] But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
"The light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ has shined into us. What you need to do in your life is demonstrate the value you've discovered to be in the Lord Jesus Christ. As you put that on display it will attract people; it will be the draw.
“To be transformed, there’s something inside of you which comes out. Jesus went up on the mount of transfiguration and who He was inside shined out of Him and that’s that word ‘transformed.’ "
*****
"And the things of this earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace," says the refrain of the old Christian song Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus.
"When the peace of God is filling the heart and life, there is no feature that shows it forth as do the eyes," writes Bible expositor Cora MacIlravy (circa 1916). "When we get our eyes upon Jesus Christ, He begins to reveal Himself more clearly. Even in our physical eyes can be seen a look that comes from abiding in His presence and holding communion with Him . . .
"We're keeping our eyes upon Jesus so that deep, settled peace of soul and spirit is being perfected within us and is becoming manifested before the eyes of those who know not God, and to Christians who have not entered into deep experiences with God. When our thoughts have become lost in the thoughts of God, this unearthly reflection is in our eyes.
"When we are seeking nothing for ourselves excepting to have the will of God done in our lives . . . when every thought has been brought into captivity unto the obedience of Christ, man sees the Christ looking out from our eyes . . .
*****
"Song of Solomon 7:4 says, 'Thy neck is as a tower of ivory; thine eyes like the fishpools in Heshbon, by the gate of Bath-rabbim: thy nose is as the tower of Lebanon which looketh toward Damascus.'
"We are not told that her eyes are like waterfalls. We are not told that they are like a river that is rushing seaward, its bosom covered with ripples and waves. We are not told that her eyes are like the ocean, which is moved upon by the moon, and is lashed into fury by winds and storms; which is tempest-beaten and tossed. They are like the pools of Heshbon; still, deep, quiet; none knowing whence this stillness comes or how it is fed.
"The word 'Bath-rabbim,' means, 'the daughter, or city, of a multitude.' These pools are at the gate of the 'city of a multitude,' where the throngs hurry by and crowd through the gate into the city; but the water is unmoved, unruffled. The joys and sorrows, the hurry and rush, the ambitions, desires and distresses of the multitudes have never moved those quiet pools.
"She may be at the very gate of Bath-rabbim, but there is tranquility in her eyes and appearance that the world can neither give nor take away. Her life is untouched, unmoved, unpolluted by the unrest and turmoil of the world and the crowds around her...
"Toward the eyes of the Bridegroom, the eyes are as doves' eyes; pure, holy, steadfast, watching for the dawn of the Eternal Day of His presence. None that pass by can see whence these pools are fed, but if they could look down into the depths of her life, they would see springs of living water pouring into her being from the very throne of God. Her eyes are not looking toward the world, but are steadfastly fixed upon her Lord...
"It is not when we separate ourselves from humanity as do the hermits, or isolate ourselves from mankind as does the recluse, that our eyes become as the pools of Heshbon. This holy rest and meditation are perfected when we are doing the will of God, and faithfully performing the duties He has given us to do...
"May the Spirit of God make us like the pools of Heshbon. Though there are wars and rumors of war, though there are tempests and tumults, none of these things move us as we abide, still and hidden away in His presence...
"It is easy to follow the Lord and look a little like Jesus when there is nothing to disturb us. Even the ocean and the large lakes reflect the skies with some clearness when there is a calm. But He would have us reflect Him as clearly in unfavorable, as in favorable circumstances.
"He would have the image of Christ shine as bright and clear in the darkest night, as at noonday. He would have Christ's reflection upon us unbroken and undistorted when we come up to hard things and face insurmountable obstacles; when we are maligned and persecuted; when we are hated and slandered for His Name's sake."
"When the peace of God is filling the heart and life, there is no feature that shows it forth as do the eyes," writes Bible expositor Cora MacIlravy (circa 1916). "When we get our eyes upon Jesus Christ, He begins to reveal Himself more clearly. Even in our physical eyes can be seen a look that comes from abiding in His presence and holding communion with Him . . .
"We're keeping our eyes upon Jesus so that deep, settled peace of soul and spirit is being perfected within us and is becoming manifested before the eyes of those who know not God, and to Christians who have not entered into deep experiences with God. When our thoughts have become lost in the thoughts of God, this unearthly reflection is in our eyes.
"When we are seeking nothing for ourselves excepting to have the will of God done in our lives . . . when every thought has been brought into captivity unto the obedience of Christ, man sees the Christ looking out from our eyes . . .
*****
"Song of Solomon 7:4 says, 'Thy neck is as a tower of ivory; thine eyes like the fishpools in Heshbon, by the gate of Bath-rabbim: thy nose is as the tower of Lebanon which looketh toward Damascus.'
"We are not told that her eyes are like waterfalls. We are not told that they are like a river that is rushing seaward, its bosom covered with ripples and waves. We are not told that her eyes are like the ocean, which is moved upon by the moon, and is lashed into fury by winds and storms; which is tempest-beaten and tossed. They are like the pools of Heshbon; still, deep, quiet; none knowing whence this stillness comes or how it is fed.
"The word 'Bath-rabbim,' means, 'the daughter, or city, of a multitude.' These pools are at the gate of the 'city of a multitude,' where the throngs hurry by and crowd through the gate into the city; but the water is unmoved, unruffled. The joys and sorrows, the hurry and rush, the ambitions, desires and distresses of the multitudes have never moved those quiet pools.
"She may be at the very gate of Bath-rabbim, but there is tranquility in her eyes and appearance that the world can neither give nor take away. Her life is untouched, unmoved, unpolluted by the unrest and turmoil of the world and the crowds around her...
"Toward the eyes of the Bridegroom, the eyes are as doves' eyes; pure, holy, steadfast, watching for the dawn of the Eternal Day of His presence. None that pass by can see whence these pools are fed, but if they could look down into the depths of her life, they would see springs of living water pouring into her being from the very throne of God. Her eyes are not looking toward the world, but are steadfastly fixed upon her Lord...
"It is not when we separate ourselves from humanity as do the hermits, or isolate ourselves from mankind as does the recluse, that our eyes become as the pools of Heshbon. This holy rest and meditation are perfected when we are doing the will of God, and faithfully performing the duties He has given us to do...
"May the Spirit of God make us like the pools of Heshbon. Though there are wars and rumors of war, though there are tempests and tumults, none of these things move us as we abide, still and hidden away in His presence...
"It is easy to follow the Lord and look a little like Jesus when there is nothing to disturb us. Even the ocean and the large lakes reflect the skies with some clearness when there is a calm. But He would have us reflect Him as clearly in unfavorable, as in favorable circumstances.
"He would have the image of Christ shine as bright and clear in the darkest night, as at noonday. He would have Christ's reflection upon us unbroken and undistorted when we come up to hard things and face insurmountable obstacles; when we are maligned and persecuted; when we are hated and slandered for His Name's sake."
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