Interesting Green: Reflection - Dennis DeHaan

Source (book): "Classic Gem: Timeless Devotions from Our Daily Bread Authors", Chapter 49, "Lucifer's Light", Page 57.
By Dennis DeHaan, Our Daily Bread Author

PHOTO: If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! - Matthew 6:23
Read: Matthew 6:19-24

In today's test, Jesus made a seemingly contradictory statement. He called light darkness. We can best understand His words, I believe, by comparing two kinds of light.

Consider first the flickering glow of a light bug. Two rare chemicals, luciferase and luciferin, produce the lightning bug's light. Both terms are related to the word "lucifer," which means "light-bearing" (Lucifer is also one of the names for Satan.) Now consider the sun's light. Its brilliance is blinding. By comparison, the lightning bug's light is "darkness."

In Matthew 6:19-24, Jesus cautioned His hearers about living for riches and urged them instead to lay up their treasures in heaven. Then He illustrated His warning by referring to "the lamp of the body," the eye (Matthew 6:22). If our focus is on spiritual things, we will be full of light. But if we live for earthly riches, we will become filled with a dark light, which He described as great darkness.

Money can brighten our lives to some degree, but it cannot heal broken hearts, remove guilt, or bring inner peace. It is too dim to satisfy our deepest spiritual longings.

Only Christ can illumine the soul with the light of salvation. Let's live to please Him. Any lesser light will leave us in darkness.

Some people have plenty to live on but nothing to live for.

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If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! - Matthew 6:23
Read: Matthew 6:19-24

PHOTO: If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! - Matthew 6:23
Photo-manipulation by Justin Peters
Picture posted by The Only Magic Left is Art
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In today's test, Jesus made a seemingly contradictory statement. He called light darkness. We can best understand His words, I believe, by comparing two kinds of light.

Consider first the flickering glow of a light bug. Two rare chemicals, luciferase and luciferin, produce the lightning bug's light. Both terms are related to the word "lucifer," which means "light-bearing" (Lucifer is also one of the names for Satan.) Now consider the sun's light. Its brilliance is blinding. By comparison, the lightning bug's light is "darkness."

PHOTO: Consider first the flickering glow of a light bug. Two rare chemicals, luciferase and luciferin, produce the lightning bug's light. Both terms are related to the word "lucifer," which means "light-bearing" (Lucifer is also one of the names for Satan.) Now consider the sun's light. Its brilliance is blinding. By comparison, the lightning bug's light is "darkness."
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In Matthew 6:19-24, Jesus cautioned His hearers about living for riches and urged them instead to lay up their treasures in heaven. Then He illustrated His warning by referring to "the lamp of the body," the eye (Matthew 6:22). If our focus is on spiritual things, we will be full of light. But if we live for earthly riches, we will become filled with a dark light, which He described as great darkness.

PHOTO: In Matthew 6:19-24, Jesus cautioned His hearers about living for riches and urged them instead to lay up their treasures in heaven. Then He illustrated His warning by referring to "the lamp of the body," the eye (Matthew 6:22). If our focus is on spiritual things, we will be full of light. But if we live for earthly riches, we will become filled with a dark light, which He described as great darkness.
Picture posted by Lionel Djito on 27 October 2013
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https://lioneldjito.wordpress.com/2013/10/27/how-can-i-be-sure-whether-god-exists/

Money can brighten our lives to some degree, but it cannot heal broken hearts, remove guilt, or bring inner peace. It is too dim to satisfy our deepest spiritual longings.

PHOTO: Money can brighten our lives to some degree, but it cannot heal broken hearts, remove guilt, or bring inner peace. It is too dim to satisfy our deepest spiritual longings.
Picture posted by Keith Speights, The Motley Fool on 04 October 2020 at 6:02 am
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Only Christ can illumine the soul with the light of salvation. Let's live to please Him. Any lesser light will leave us in darkness.

PHOTO: Only Christ can illumine the soul with the light of salvation. Let's live to please Him. Any lesser light will leave us in darkness.
Picture posted by Veena Furtado - The light of this world

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizF92jEF0oOTwlEQYdwnE7zZR-zIwoZMNYj_vyyOiWV7eeAeOvkqX8yxyboC0Xb7cbQX1yFc7djquKTot2MQcJIavpOZpByi6HdE1H5K5jABDFK2voVZImxJBl8JgIiJtwk78Y_JK_GoxHqi7XLT-289RredJpPNOYPk1La073-zBGvxVRxP-3hH38/s1700/faa278f9ff2a7af0eb800332db8320c7-1018x1700.jpg
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Some people have plenty to live on but nothing to live for.

PHOTO: Some people have plenty to live on but nothing to live for.
Picture posted by St. Mark's Evangelical Lutheran Church on 24 February 2015
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PHOTO: Reflect and Pray
The earthly riches we possess
Can demonstrate our love
If we deposit cheerfully
Our treasure up above. - Sper

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Reflection - Dennis DeHaan - Lucifer's Light
Source (book): "Classic Gem: Timeless Devotions from Our Daily Bread Authors", Chapter 49, "Lucifer's Light", Page 57.
By Dennis DeHaan, Our Daily Bread Author

Other Books (Links)

"Faithful to the end", A Preacher's Exposition of 2 Timothy, @ 2014 by Robert M. Solomon

Reflection - Faithful to the end (Links)
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2017/06/reflection-faithful-to-end-links.html

"Finding rest for the soul" Responding to Jesus' Invitation in Matthew 11:28-29, © 2016 by Robert M. Solomon

Reflection - Finding rest for the soul (Links)
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2018/10/reflection-finding-rest-for-soul-links.html

"God in Pursuit" Lessons from the Book of Jonah, © 2016 by Robert M. Solomon

Reflection - God in Pursuit (Links) - PART I-III, posted on Saturday, 10 August 2019
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/08/reflection-god-in-pursuit-links-part-i.html

"God in Pursuit" Lessons from the Book of Jonah, © 2016 by Robert M. Solomon

Reflection - God in Pursuit (Links) - PART IV, posted on Saturday, 10 August 2019
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/08/reflection-god-in-pursuit-links-part-iv.html

"Songs of Christmas", The Stories and Significance of 20 Well-Loved Carols, © 2018 by Robert M. Solomon

Reflection - Songs of Christmas (Links), posted on Friday, 24 April 2020
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2020/04/reflection-songs-of-christmas-links.html

"Growing Old Gracefully", Following Jesus to the End, © 2019 by Robert M. Solomon

Reflection - Growing Old Gracefully, Part I - III (Links), posted on Wednesday, 09 December 2020
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2020/12/reflection-growing-old-gracefully-part.html

Reflection - Growing Old Gracefully, Part IV - V (Links), posted on Thursday, 22 April 2021
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2020/12/reflection-growing-old-gracefully-part_9.html

"Teach Us to Number Our Days", © 2008 by David Roper

Reflection - Number Our Days, Chapter 1 - 40 (Links), posted on Tuesday, 16 November 2021
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2021/11/reflection-number-our-days-chapter-1-40.html

Reflection - Number Our Days, Chapter 41 - 64 (Links), posted on Wednesday, 16 March 2022
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2022/03/reflection-number-our-days-chapter-41.html

"He Walks with Me - Devotions for Your Caregiving Journey with God", © 2018 by Our Daily Bread Ministries, Shelly Beach

Reflection - He Walks with Me (Links), posted on Tuesday, 16 August 2022
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2022/08/reflection-he-walks-with-me-links.html

"Classic Gem: Timeless Devotions from Our Daily Bread Authors", Copyright © 2021 by Our Daily Bread Ministries

Reflection - Classic Gem, Chapter 1 - 45 (Links), posted on 03 April 2023
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2023/04/reflection-classic-gem-chapter-1-45.html

Reference

Links
Other Books (Links) - https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2020/10/reflection-books-links.html

New International Version (NIV), Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Matthew 6:19-24 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+6%3A19-24&version=NIV

Matthew 6:22 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+6%3A22&version=NIV

Matthew 6:23 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+6%3A23&version=NIV

Matthew 11:28-29 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+11%3A28-29&version=NIV