1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:10,400 Speaker 1: Life Audio. You're listening to Everyday Prayers with Million Praying Moms, 2 00:00:10,840 --> 00:00:13,640 Speaker 1: where we're dedicated to helping moms pray God's word for 3 00:00:13,680 --> 00:00:17,320 Speaker 1: their families in the areas they need at most. I'm 4 00:00:17,360 --> 00:00:20,919 Speaker 1: your host, Nicolette Belle. Over the last decade, we've helped 5 00:00:20,960 --> 00:00:24,280 Speaker 1: thousands of moms make prayer a priority for their families. 6 00:00:24,840 --> 00:00:28,000 Speaker 1: Our mission is to help you do the same. Prayer 7 00:00:28,080 --> 00:00:31,360 Speaker 1: is not a last resort. It's our first and best 8 00:00:31,480 --> 00:00:35,159 Speaker 1: response to the challenges of parenting, a partnership for the 9 00:00:35,159 --> 00:00:39,599 Speaker 1: hearts of our children that God invites us into. Today's 10 00:00:39,600 --> 00:00:42,879 Speaker 1: devotion is written by Stacy Thacker, author of ten books, 11 00:00:42,920 --> 00:00:46,880 Speaker 1: including our brand new book, Every Day Prayers for Christmas. 12 00:00:47,440 --> 00:00:49,760 Speaker 1: To learn more about Stacy, or to learn more about 13 00:00:49,760 --> 00:00:51,760 Speaker 1: how you can get involved in the ministry of Million 14 00:00:51,800 --> 00:00:57,400 Speaker 1: Praying Moms, visit Today's show notes or Millionprayingmoms dot Com. 15 00:00:58,160 --> 00:01:01,000 Speaker 1: After a word from our sponsors, we'll pray together for 16 00:01:01,080 --> 00:01:01,640 Speaker 1: our children. 17 00:01:05,360 --> 00:01:08,440 Speaker 2: The light of the world has come, and again Jesus 18 00:01:08,480 --> 00:01:11,040 Speaker 2: spoke to them, saying I am the Light of the world. 19 00:01:11,120 --> 00:01:14,480 Speaker 2: Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will 20 00:01:14,480 --> 00:01:18,319 Speaker 2: have the light of life. John eight twelve several years ago, 21 00:01:18,560 --> 00:01:21,080 Speaker 2: I made a commitment to read the entire Bible in 22 00:01:21,160 --> 00:01:24,839 Speaker 2: ninety days. It took about an hour of dedicated reading 23 00:01:24,880 --> 00:01:27,839 Speaker 2: each day. I started on Memorial Day and finished around 24 00:01:27,880 --> 00:01:30,880 Speaker 2: Labor Day, with a couple of days off thrown in 25 00:01:31,040 --> 00:01:33,720 Speaker 2: as a buffer. I noticed as I read the Old 26 00:01:33,760 --> 00:01:37,319 Speaker 2: Testament it had a distinct pattern. God would reveal his 27 00:01:37,400 --> 00:01:41,280 Speaker 2: character and pursy relationship with his people. They would respond 28 00:01:41,319 --> 00:01:44,039 Speaker 2: and say yes, but after a time they would turn 29 00:01:44,120 --> 00:01:47,720 Speaker 2: back to idols and worship other gods. This resulted in 30 00:01:47,800 --> 00:01:52,000 Speaker 2: consequences that they had been warned about. Then God would 31 00:01:52,040 --> 00:01:54,640 Speaker 2: woo them back and they would once again respond, and 32 00:01:54,720 --> 00:01:57,880 Speaker 2: the cycle would start all over again. It felt like 33 00:01:57,920 --> 00:02:01,640 Speaker 2: an uphill battle. But once I started reading the New 34 00:02:01,680 --> 00:02:06,160 Speaker 2: Testament and Jesus came, everything changed. Suddenly there was no 35 00:02:06,280 --> 00:02:09,120 Speaker 2: barriers between God and his people to know him, and 36 00:02:09,160 --> 00:02:11,880 Speaker 2: they were empowered by His Holy Spirit to walk with him. 37 00:02:12,400 --> 00:02:15,320 Speaker 2: When the light burst onto the scene, the pace of 38 00:02:15,360 --> 00:02:19,079 Speaker 2: the story flew by at warp speed. It was as 39 00:02:19,080 --> 00:02:22,040 Speaker 2: if I blinked and found myself on the final page 40 00:02:22,080 --> 00:02:26,160 Speaker 2: of Revelation, crying my eyes out. Something to think about 41 00:02:26,400 --> 00:02:28,760 Speaker 2: as we have followed the theme of light through scripture. 42 00:02:28,800 --> 00:02:31,240 Speaker 2: It has felt a bit like my full read through 43 00:02:31,320 --> 00:02:34,200 Speaker 2: of the Bible so many years ago. But the good 44 00:02:34,240 --> 00:02:37,040 Speaker 2: news is that everything we have learned about light up 45 00:02:37,080 --> 00:02:41,480 Speaker 2: to this points to Jesus I love Helysa Turkurse puts it. 46 00:02:41,639 --> 00:02:45,840 Speaker 2: She says, Jesus in every way fulfills and surpasses every 47 00:02:45,880 --> 00:02:49,520 Speaker 2: image and symbol of light that came before him. Jesus 48 00:02:49,639 --> 00:02:52,440 Speaker 2: is the light of the world, and today's passage tells 49 00:02:52,480 --> 00:02:54,840 Speaker 2: us that Jesus knew who he was and what he 50 00:02:54,880 --> 00:02:57,800 Speaker 2: came to do. When Jesus enters the scene at the 51 00:02:57,800 --> 00:03:02,560 Speaker 2: Feast of Tabernacle see J seven, there had already been 52 00:03:02,720 --> 00:03:06,360 Speaker 2: a glorious celebration with water and light as the key elements. 53 00:03:06,400 --> 00:03:10,800 Speaker 2: For several days. Every night the priestswood light large candlestands 54 00:03:10,800 --> 00:03:13,840 Speaker 2: that stood on top of the temple, and the extraordinary 55 00:03:13,880 --> 00:03:17,559 Speaker 2: physical light display symbolized the pillar of fire. The Israelites 56 00:03:17,600 --> 00:03:21,079 Speaker 2: followed in the desert. It reminded them of God's presence 57 00:03:21,160 --> 00:03:24,000 Speaker 2: with them in the wilderness, but also pointed to the 58 00:03:24,040 --> 00:03:27,560 Speaker 2: coming Messiah. So when Jesus declared I am the Light 59 00:03:27,600 --> 00:03:29,880 Speaker 2: of the world in the midst of the festival of Light, 60 00:03:30,040 --> 00:03:33,679 Speaker 2: he was saying the light has come. He also makes 61 00:03:33,720 --> 00:03:37,320 Speaker 2: two promises. First, he said that when you follow him, 62 00:03:37,360 --> 00:03:41,360 Speaker 2: you will not walk in darkness. This does not mean 63 00:03:41,400 --> 00:03:43,880 Speaker 2: there will not be darkness in our world. We have 64 00:03:44,000 --> 00:03:47,839 Speaker 2: clearly established that darkness exists, but as followers of light, 65 00:03:47,920 --> 00:03:51,640 Speaker 2: we will never be alone. Second, Jesus promised that when 66 00:03:51,640 --> 00:03:54,720 Speaker 2: we follow him we will have the light of life. 67 00:03:54,840 --> 00:03:59,120 Speaker 2: This kind of life is genuine, blessed, and flourishing because 68 00:03:59,120 --> 00:04:02,160 Speaker 2: we have constant access to the light of the world. 69 00:04:02,640 --> 00:04:06,119 Speaker 2: It is through our relationship with Jesus that we experience 70 00:04:06,280 --> 00:04:10,160 Speaker 2: true life in light. Oh friend, keep walking with the 71 00:04:10,240 --> 00:04:13,720 Speaker 2: light of the world. He has promised to bless us 72 00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:17,719 Speaker 2: with life in him. The best is yet to come. 73 00:04:18,279 --> 00:04:21,520 Speaker 2: Let's pray, Father, thank you that you sent Jesus to 74 00:04:21,560 --> 00:04:24,080 Speaker 2: be the true light of the world. We believe that 75 00:04:24,120 --> 00:04:26,960 Speaker 2: when we walk with him, we will never walk alone 76 00:04:27,000 --> 00:04:30,120 Speaker 2: and we will have true life in him. Thank you 77 00:04:30,240 --> 00:04:33,600 Speaker 2: for these precious promises. May we walk worthy of Him 78 00:04:33,800 --> 00:04:37,400 Speaker 2: in all that we say and do in Jesus' name. Amen. 79 00:04:37,920 --> 00:04:40,680 Speaker 1: I hope you're enjoying reading along with us this month 80 00:04:40,720 --> 00:04:43,840 Speaker 1: in our new book, Every Day Prayers for Christmas. Grab 81 00:04:43,880 --> 00:04:46,839 Speaker 1: your copy and a few for gifts wherever books are sold. 82 00:04:47,560 --> 00:04:50,280 Speaker 1: If you love the Everyday Prayers podcast, consider joining our 83 00:04:50,279 --> 00:04:53,719 Speaker 1: community with a ten dollars monthly donation through Patreon. When 84 00:04:53,720 --> 00:04:58,160 Speaker 1: you join, you automatically receive a new downloadable scripture inspired 85 00:04:58,200 --> 00:05:02,039 Speaker 1: prayer calendar every month, plus the devotions and prayers from 86 00:05:02,080 --> 00:05:05,359 Speaker 1: this month in written form, along with an invitation to 87 00:05:05,440 --> 00:05:09,720 Speaker 1: our monthly live mom chat. Learn more in today's show 88 00:05:09,760 --> 00:05:15,039 Speaker 1: notes or at Million Prayingmoms dot com. Until next time, friends, 89 00:05:15,720 --> 00:05:19,680 Speaker 1: the Lord bless you and keep you. Make his face 90 00:05:19,839 --> 00:05:23,520 Speaker 1: shine upon you and be gracious to you. May the 91 00:05:23,560 --> 00:05:26,560 Speaker 1: Lord look with favor on you and give you peace.