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7APRIL2015BODYOFCHRISTNEWSNowonthefirstdayoftheweekMaryMagdalenewenttothetombearlywhileitwasstilldarkandsawthatthestonehadbeentakenawayfromthetombJohn201WithoutashadowofdoubtJesuswasdead.Jesushavingsufferedashamefulandpainfuldeathonthecrosswasnowdead.Andallwhobeheldhimallwhotouchedandhandledhimrecognizedthisfacttobetrue.ButthatwasFridayawesomelycalledGoodFriday.Saturdaywasascripturallysilentday.WecanonlyassumethatitwasatimewheneveryoneinadditiontoobservingtheSabbathdayreflectedonwhathadhappened.ButonSundayMaryMagdalenewhohadwitnessedthecrucifixionwasanxioustheSabbathdayrestnowcompletetogotoJesus.Johntellsusthatitwasearlythatitwasstilldark.MarklovedJesus.MaryservedJesus.MarywalkedwithJesus.Yetwefindherwalkingonresurrectionmorningexperiencingdarknessnotonlyphysicaldarknessasshemadeherwaytothetombbutspiritualdarknessastowhatthefutureheld.Jesushadsaidthathewouldriseagainbutthecrucifixionhadleftherwithahollowfeelingofhopelessanddespair.Everythinghadbeengoingsowellandnowthis.WhatwouldshedonowManypeoplelikeMarystruggleandstriveworkhardusetheirmentalandphysicalenergiestryingtobaskinthesunshineofGodsprosperity.Andforallyourstrugglingandforallyoustrivingforallyoureffortsitstillseemsthatitisstilldark.Thingshavenotchangedthereislittleornoimprovementandpossiblythingshavedeteriorated.Whenseeminglyallhopehasbeenexpendedwhenitlookslikethereisnowhereelsetoturnwhenitseemslikethereisnothingelsetotry.WhatdoyoudowhenitsstilldarkHowdoyouhandletroublesthatseeminglycloudoveryourlifeandblockthesunshineofGodsprosperityWeNeedToLookForwardToWalkingInTheLight.Marygotupearly.Marywasexpectantofthesuntoshine.Marywasmovinganddoingsomething.Shecameearlywhileitwasstilldarkitwasearlywhenshebegan.MaryspurposewastoembalmthebodyofJesus.ThisimpliedthatshehadgivenuphopeandhadnoexpectationofJesusresurrection.Whenwefindourselvesdealingwithdarknesswhenwefindourselvesengulfedunabletoseetotheendofourcircumstanceweneedtolookforwardtothewalkinginthelight.WeneedtounderstandthatasthesongofoldsaysImsogladthattroubledontlastalways.Wheninthemidstofdarknessinthemidstofseeminghopelessnessweneedtolookforwardtowalkinginthelight.ThePsalmistinPsalm305saysWeepingmayendureforanightbutjoycomesinthemorning.PaulinGalatians69saysAndletusnotgrowwearywhiledoinggoodforindueseasonweshallreapifwedonotloseheart.Yesthingsmayberough.Thegoingmaybetuff.Thehillsmaybehardtoclimb.Butdontgettireddontquit.Ifyouaregoingtogettiredofsomethinggettiredoflyingdoingfolkswrongschemingandconniving.Dontbewearyinwelldoingforindueseasonweshallreap.Psalm13tellusthatweallhaveaseasonitsaysspeakingoftherighteousmanWeshallbelikeatreePlantedbytheriversofwaterthatbringsforthitsfruitinitsseasonwhoseleafalsoshallnotwitherandwhateverhedoesshallprosper.Youhaveaseason.Everypersonhasaseason.Youcantmakeyourseasoncome.Itmaybewintertimenowbuthangoninthereforrightbehindwinterspringisontheway.Butdontgettoocomfortablebecauserightbehindspringandsummercomesfallandwinteragain.Everypersonhasaseason.DontgetmadwithsomeoneelsebecausetheyarewalkinginthesunshineofGodsprosperity.ItiswrongtobejealousbecauseGodhasinhiswisdomblessedsomeoneseeminglymorethanyouhavebeen.Dontlookonoutwardappearancesyouneverknowwhatsgoingonintheirlifeuntilyouwalkintheirshoes.Thingsareoftennotastheyseem.Theworstthing--thewrongthingtodowhenyouareindarknessistoturnawayfromcomingtochurch.Turnawayfromprayermeetingandbiblestudy.TurnawayfromchoirrehearsalandfellowshipwiththesaintsofGod.Bydoingsoyouchoosetowalkindarknessratherthanthelight.Weturntothelightwhenwereceivehimwhoislight.JesussaidinJohn812Iamthelightoftheworld.Hewhofollowsmeshallnotwalkindarknessbuthavethelightoflife.IfyouarelookingforthewayoutofyourdilemmaJesusistheway.Heisthelightthatcanbringyouhopeinthemidstofdespairjoyinthemidstofsorrow.Helpinthemidstofhopelessness.InChristwecanexperiencethelightofGodslove.YouNeedToWatchYourAssociations.Justassureasthereisapositivethereisalsoanegative.Assureasthereisadowealsohaveadont.Ifyouwanttogetridofthedarknessyoumustnotonlylookforwardtowalkinginthelightbutyoumustwatchyouassociations.Youmustnotdealwithdeadfolk.Dontdealwithdeadmentalitiesgraveyardmentalitiesaintaboutnothin.Aintgoinnowhere.AintstudyinaboutnothingornobodyD-E-A-Dfolk.Youneedtowatchyourassociations.Deadfolkwilldragyoudown.Deadfolkwilldiscourageyou.Youhavetowalkwiththosewhoaregoingsomewherewhohaveamadeupmind.Ourassociationsoftencauseassimilation.Youngpeoplethereisadangerwithjusthangingoutwithanybodybecausewhoyouhangwithinmanywayswillcontributetowhoandwhatyouultimatelybecome.Ifyouwanttocomeoutofthedarknessdontdealwithdeadfolk.TheLightOfGodsLoveWillBreakThrough.Christianitystandsnotonjustthecrossmanyhavediedoncrossesbutontheresurrection.EverythingthatJesusChristtaughtlivedanddiedfordependeduponhisresurrection.OutofallthemiraclesJesushadperformedtheresurrectionisthemostamazingofallhismiracles.TheChristianfaithisbasedonthefactthattherewasanemptytomb.Jesusstakedeverythinghehadonthefactthathewouldberesurrectedfromthegrave.NotonlywasJesuslifeatstakebutalsoGodswordsthathespokewereatstake.IfJesuswouldnothavebeenraisedfromthegraveGodwouldhavefailedanditwouldhavebeenacompletedefeat.AndweallknowGodneverfails.FridayGoodFridaywasadarkdayatthecross.Saturdaywasadarkdayaswell.ButwhenthingseemedthedarkestGodbrokethrough.WhenthingsseemedthebleakestGodbrokethrough.WhenthingsseemedhopelessGodbrokethrough.WhenthegravethoughtitwasvictoriousGodbrokethrough.Themessageoftheresurrectionisthatthedark-nessofGoodFridayhasgivenwaytothebrightnessofanEasterSundaymorning.Toliveinthelightoftheresurrection--thatiswhatEastermeans.EasteristheNewYearsDayofthesoul.AswetendtodowithallNewYearswemakeresolutions.WhatresolutionwillyoumakeaboutyourlifetodayTheEastermessagetellsusthatourenemiessinthecurseanddeatharedefeated.InChristthedark-nessofyoursituationcanbeilluminated.InChristthedarknessofyoursincanbewashedaway.InChristthedarknessofalifebadlylivedcanbeillu-minatedbyanewlifeinChrist.WilliamT.GolsonJr.MDivispastoratTrueLightBaptistChurch.ByRev.WilliamT.GolsonJr.Rev.WilliamT.GolsonJr.Theworstthing--thewrongthingtodowhenyouareindarknessistoturnawayfromcomingtochurch.ISITSTILLDARKSERMONOrderintheHouseThequalityofapersonslifeisindirectproportiontothecommitmenttoexcellenceregardlessoftheirchosenfieldofendeavor.VinceLombardiIfbalanceisthekeytolifeandexchangetheprocessoflifeifcom-municationisthebasesoflifeandagreementthepoweroflifethenIbelievethatorderisoneoftheprimaryfoundationalprinciplesoflife.HaveyoueverbeeneagertoquenchyourthirstandthereinthedistancestoodavendingmachineYoumovetowardsitinanticipationofrelievingyourdrought.Youinvestyourmoneyintothemachinepushthebuttononlytoreceivenothinginreturn.YouglanceupandthereasheetofpapersitsontheedgeofthetopofthemachineyoupulldownthepieceofpaperthatappearstobeleftbythelastcustomeryouturnitoveranditreadsOUTOFORDER.IbelievethisanalogyaccuratelydescribestheconditionofmanywithintheBodyofChristtoday.Whilemanyarespendingcountlesshoursofenergyandefforttoquenchtheirspiritualthirstandgetthemostoutoflifecoulditbethatwearesimplyoverlookingsim-plemessagethatmanyofGodspeoplearelivinglivesthatareOUTOFORDER.IveobservedthatmanyofGodspeoplespirit-filledbelieversregularchurchgoersarelookingtogetoveronthesystemratherfol-lowtheprescribedordersetinplaceencouragedandareencouragingoth-erstolookforcheapshortcutsfromtheprinciplessetforthinGodsWordasopposedthedisciplineofeducationthatresultsinlastingsuc-cessshort-termfixesforlongtermproblems.Sotheretheyremainunfruitfulunproduc-tiveinpovertyfullofblameandexcuseswhilesittinginourchurchpews.In2Kings201GodsendstheprophetIsaiahtoKingHezekiah.Hedeliversames-sageofamostpressingconcernoftheLord.ThussaystheLordSetyourhouseinorderforByPastorT.L.MitchellIIIContinuedonPage8