The Power of God is the One Who saves and calls (draws) us to live in His LIGHT … He does this because of (and to further) God’s Purpose and Grace which He gave us in Christ Jesus before time began. This is the Purpose and Grace that He now makes known, fully discloses, and makes real to us through Christ Jesus (our Savior), Who annulled death, obliterating all its effect and brought eternal Life – a steady blaze of shinning Light through the Gospel (the very Good News and Good Gift that He is).
In Be a Son, I mentioned that the Purpose of Sons is a coin that belongs to God. I also mentioned that the Purpose of Sons is to bea Son AND a Sun– the two sides of the coin. Synonymously, they both say the same thing, which is to be like God – we are and were made for this exact reason (Genesis 1:26).
One key take-away from Be a Son is that Sons speak Truth (Sons do NOT lie). With this in mind, it is accurate to say that Truth is synonymous to Son which (as will be seen in this blog) is synonymous to Sun. All three are expressions of Who God is. Surely, He is the purpose and scope of Life here on earth as it is heaven.
Having shared on what it means to Be a Son, the focus of this blog will be on being a Sun. To get us started, lets take a look at the VERY FIRST known words out of God’s mouth(Genesis 1:3A) …
He could have said anything … anything at all. YET, for His first words, God purposefully chose to say: Let there be LIGHT. This speaks volumes about what God wants and the Purpose of Sons – a Purpose no different in meaning from what God said inGenesis 1:28A(Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth). Another set of FIRST words out of God’s mouth, this time, it was said explicitly to Man … to Sons … to believers of God: those who live by every Word (Truth) that comes out of God’s mouth. Without His Truth, nothing exists(John 1:3). Considering the significance of God’s Word, and the understanding that He prizes/exalts Him above all His other Names, it is accurate to say that the FIRST words out of God’s mouth is an imperative – one that pertains to Sons.
My Son, pay attention to My words … Let them not depart from your sight(2 Corinthians 3:18); keep them in the center of your heart. For they are life to those who find them, healing and health to all their flesh.
Proverbs 4:20-22
Sons are Light
Every good (perfect) gift is from above; it comes down fromThe Father of(all that gives)Light … in the shinning of Whom there is and can be no variation or shadow cast by His turning.
James 1 :17 (AMPC)
With God (Our Father) being The Father of Light, it means then that,Like Father, Like Son,we (His Sons) are Light … I’ll uncover this truth by sharing two and a third reinforcing truths. Side Note: unlike a lie which is covered up and furthermore reinforced by more lies, truth is uncovered and furthermore reinforced by more truth – SeLaH. Here are three witnesses upon which stands the truth that Sons are Light:
1. Genesis 1:14-17
And God Said: Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from night, and let them besignsand token of God’s provident care and seasons (i.e. seed time and harvest). Let them be in the expanse of the skyto give light to the earth. So, God made the Sun … and the moon. He also made the stars and He set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth.
Genesis 1:14-17
Reading this 👆 by itself may not readily translate or connect the dots between Lights and Sons. Try reading it alongside Isaiah 8:18 or Genesis 15:5-6 👇.
2. Genesis 15:5-6
God brought him outside (in broad daylight) and said: Look now toward the heavens and count the stars if you can number them … so shall your descendants be. Abram believed GodandGod counted it to him as Righteousness.
Genesis 15:5-6
[Definition] Righteousness: the Good Works that God does in and through the Knowledge of Himself, all of which God has already done. The Works of Faith: The Works that the Knowledge of God births – The ACTS of Faith: God’s Handiwork.
I think Genesis 15:6 (the very point where he believed God) is the point where the soon-to-be-called Abraham became a Son. This thought brings Genesis 12:1-4 to mind … Abram left his father’s house because God told him to YET the bible does not record that God counted that to him as righteousness. Did Abram not believe God when he left his father’s house? Did he make the move leaning on his own understanding? Did he obey but not trust God?
I don’t know the answer to these questions however, a note-worthy take-away for me is that it is possible to “obey” yet not trust in or lean on (the knowledge of) God – this is a classic case of works without faith. Both are requisite to Life.
Abraham’s descendants (Sons) are likened to stars in broad day light – there’s quite a bit to uncover here but I’ll stay in this lane for now. Abraham’s many Sons (the many who believe God) are the very same stars described inGenesis 1:14as signs of God’s provident care … the very same chosen generation described in1 Peter 2:9, who set forth the wonderful deeds and display the virtues of God Who calls us out of darkness (your father’s house) into His marvelous LIGHT: the broad, unending, everlasting Day-Light that He is 👇.
3. Malachi 4:2
Unto you (Sons) who revere and worshipfully fear My Name shallthe SUN of Righteousness arise (alight) – Isaiah 60:1 – with healing in His wings and His beams, and you shall go forth and gambol like calves released from the stall and leap for joy.
Malachi 4:2
Jesus Christ, the Son of Sons, is the SUN of Righteousness. This means then that to be Christ-like is to be a Sun: a Sun of Righteousness … a Light. Jesus Christ, the first of the many brethren (Sons), is the LIGHT of the world(John 8:12)… so are we – the many brethren (Matthew 5:14).
It is important to note that, in order for the Lights described in Genesis 1:14 to be, the LIGHT in Genesis 1:3 (Jesus) first had to be … He had and has to come first.
Arise! Shine for (THE LIGHT that lights) your Light has come, and the Glory of THE LORD has risen upon you.
Isaiah 60:1 (Isaiah 60:19)
Sons can’t be Lights without the Life (LIGHT) that is the Light of Man –John 1:4,9. Jesus has to come (and be put) first in order for us to arise, shine (give light), and glorify Our Father in heaven – this is the Purpose of Sons. It is a Purpose that stands(Proverbs 19:21)… an out-standing Purpose. Like the immovable, unshakable, ever right-standing ROCK described inMatthew 7:24-25, this Purpose is the Stand for the Lamps that Sons are.
The Spirit of Man (that factor in human personality which proceeds immediately from God) is the Lamp of THE LORD …
Proverbs 20:27 (AMPC)
The Lamp and The Lamp-Stand
We are chosen and called out of darkness (your father’s house) into God’s marvelous LIGHT (Jesus) for a reason: to show forth God’s praise – to actionably praise His Name … to glorify Him … to be a Light … to stand out and shine(Mathew 5:14-16)– we’ll come back to this. First, let’s take a look at the diagram below (PS: I really enjoyed putting this together 😊).
Though intended for another blog that is still a work-in-progress, I thought to share this diagram here because it’s a good visual depiction of the relationship between the Lamp which represents Sons and the Lampstand which represents the means by which the Purpose of Sons stand: the One on Whom we lean/rest in order to shine like the Sun … like stars that give light and show forth God’s provident care and wonder-FULL works: the good works(Ephesians 2:10), greater works(John 14:12), and infinitely-MORE works that the HolySpirit does in, for, and through us(Ephesians 3:20).
God wants the Lamp that we are to be wholly filled and flooded with Light – this Light is the Love of God that Paul prayed for inEphesians 3: 17-19 … this Light is the Glory of God that fills His Temple – both the temple that we are to Him(1 Corinthians 6:19)and the Temple that He is to us(Revelation 21:22). The temple that we are to God is the righteous city described in Revelation 21:9-23 – a city whose length, breadth, height, and depth is equally and fully filled with Light … with Love, both of which are synonymous to the Glory of God. This is the interest (desire) of God that the HolySpirit pursues and seeks to accomplish in, for, and through Sons – He does this solely and entirely for the Pleasure of God that He is.
For it is God Who is all the while effectually at work in you, energizing and creating in you the power and desire, both to will and to work for His good pleasure, satisfaction, and delight.
Philippians 2:13
The Purpose of Sons is impossible without the HolySpirit. Without the Lampstand(Zechariah 4:1-6)and all its inner-workings … without the Holy Spirit: THE LORD, the Spirit of Truth, the Spirit of The Word of God, the Honey from the ROCK aka the Oil, there can be no Light. He is the Wisdom that makes us Lights that shine. He is the Oil and we (believers of God), like Christ, are the Sons of Oil – those who stand on and are continuously fueled by the Name of THE LORD. His is the Name (Flowing Oil) that we bear … His is the Name (Stone of Help: Ebenezer-Eliezer … the ROCK) upon which we are built and thus stand, solely because He bears us up.
Light can NOT be (shine) without the HolySpirit. The evidence of this is seen in the beginning(Genesis 1:2B)– The HolySpirit was there when God said: Let there be LIGHT(V3)… He was there when God said: Let US make man in our image and likeness(V26)… He was our very first Breath – God’s first words to Man(V28)… the very same Breath Jesus breathed into the twelve disciples (Sons) in John 20:22. The HolySpirit is the Power of God Who makes all things God-glorifying possible. He is the Oil (fuel) that powers the Purpose of Sons, this includes that of Jesus (THE Son of Sons). While He was here on earth as a Man, Jesus was governed, accompanied, and empowered by the HolySpirit(Acts 10:38). My point is: we need the HolySpirit … we are and can accomplish nothing without Him. I reckon that this nothingness is the darkness described in Genesis 1:2A, Isaiah 60:2, and Matthew 6:23 – this is NOT what God wants.
What does God want?👉 The Shining of Light (His Glory)
It is worth noting that not all lights shine – Matthew 6:23 speaks of a light that is darkness. This is likened to salt that has lost its saltness or fruitlessness in the case of a fig tree with no fruit in its season and even when out of season (when God expects fruits of it – SeLaH). Either is the opposite of (what God wants 👉) fruitfulness: the birthing of Sons, the showing forth of His Name (praise) … the shining of Light.
God wants our body (His temple) to be fully filled with LIGHT, with Love, with Himself (the Knowledge of His Glory). This is what God wants – evidently so. Not only did He make this expressively known with His first words:Let there Be Light … Be Fruitful, Multiply, Fill the earth… we see this depicted at the end of time when God makes all things new (Revelation 21:1-7, 10-11, 22-23, 22:5) … when God makes us something brand new, fully-filled with the Knowledge and Glory of God!
… the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Glory of God like the waters cover the sea.
Habakkuk 2:14
This knowledge of the Glory of God is the fruit described inIsaiah 27:6and the fragrance described in2 Corinthians 2:14. The multiplying release or spread of this fragrant fruit is how we show forth the praises of God and thus fill the earth (Genesis 1:28) with Light.
you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own redeemed special people, that you may show forth the praises of Him Who called you out of darkness (your father’s house … life without Him … nothingness) into His marvelous LIGHT.
1 Peter 2:9 (Isaiah 43:7, 21)
The Language of Praise (Truthful Peace)
There is a language … the language of praise, and it isTruth– Yup! the language of Sons – the language of the HolySpirit:God’s Love language… it’s no wonder that God desirously seeks those who will worship Him in Spirit and in Truth (Proverbs 12:22, John 4:23-24), or that He continually pours His Oil … His Strength … His Truth … His Love into our hearts (Zechariah 4:6, Romans 5:5). Indeed, God actionably desires Truth in our innermost being (Psalm 51:6); for out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks:the fruit of our lips.
… I create the fruit of your lips: a new language of praise – a new word:Peace. I will heal you and make your lips blossom anew with speech of thankful praise … a language undistorted, and the people will finally hearMy Truth…
Isaiah 57:19(AMPC, MSG, ERV)Zephaniah 3:9(MSG, VOICE)
Keep in mind that the above reference to mouth or lips is related to every part of us that speaks: our words, our thoughts, and our actions … even our eyes. When we speak Truth in words, thoughts, and actions (by way of the good and greater works of Righteousness which results in Peace: God’s Face or God’s likeness), we personifyGenesis 1:14. When we tell The Truth, we glorify God, we set forth His Praise – this is how we DO it!
Everyone who is called by My Name (Sons), those I have created and formed for My Glory … the people I formed for Myself that they may set forth My Praise – they shall DO it.
Isaiah 43:7, 21(AMP/C)
Truth-telling is how we DO it. That said, let me be clear 👉 by DO it, I mean God does it for us through His HolySpirit Who is the Spirit of Truth … He is God’s Face (Peace) – the God of Peace(Hebrews 13:20-21)… therefore, love Truth and Peace(Zechariah 8:18)… love, embrace, honor the HolySpirit. Love Righteousness – love the work that the HolySpirit does in, for, and through you. He is the LIGHT (Righteousness) and the Way of Peace by which we MUST go.
… if you try to go it alone, or presume to light your own torch, or walk by the light of your self-made fire, the light by which you go will be your own consuming fire, and the torches you light will be your undoing …
Isaiah 50:11(VOICE, TPT, AMPC)
Jesus, our perfect example, came to earth to do the Father’s Will and He did. That said, it is important to note that He did this by the Power of the HolySpirit (aka the Grace of The Lord Jesus Christ) – Acts 10:38. Without the Oil (Strength, Power) that the HolySpirit is, it would have been impossible for Jesus to do all that He did. He did nothing of His own accord(John 5:19, 30 AMPC)– He was enabled by the Spirit (Voice) of the Word of God that He is: the inseparable power duo of God’s Spirit and Word💖.
I cite Jesus’ example to emphasize that Righteousness (the shining of Light) is what the HolySpirit does … He is the One Who does it for us. We can not and must NOT attempt to ‘do’ it on our own, in our own strength, or by leaning on our own understanding. Instead, we must always exalt Peace (God’s Name, God’s Face, LIGHT, the HolySpirit, Truth) above and beyond our own understanding (Philippians 4:7). Assuredly, the HolySpirit is how we DO it – He is the power and desire in us that wills and works for God’s good pleasure, satisfaction, and delight. His singular focus and prayer (The LORD’s prayer) is for God’s Will to be done so that God’s Name is hallowed and that God is glorified. All the HolySpirit (the Voice) does and jealously wants to do is glorify God – Revelation 19:5.
It’s no wonder thatGalatians 5:16(AMPC) encourages us to walk and live in the HolySpirit … in Him is where we have our being (Acts 17:28) – in Him is the only place we can be Lights that shine, in Him is where and how we become the faithful city of Righteousness/Truth mentioned in Isaiah 1:26,Jeremiah 23:6, 33:16, as well as Zechariah 8:3. The HolySpirit is how we arise (stand erect) and shine like Jasper – He makes it so (Psalm 29:9A AMPC ❤️) … He makes us birth Sons … He makes us give Light. Like the lamp resting on the Lampstand, we are the city set on a hill – this is what is written of Sons in the volume of the books (Psalm 40:7-8).
you are the Light of the world. A city set on a hill that can not be hidden.
Matthew 5:14
Let’s not be like those who hide (John 3:20) … let’s not be undercover, let’s come out from among them and leave your father’s house. By the Grace of God Who carries us, let’s stand out … let’s stand erect(Leviticus 26:13 AMPC)and shine – this is our priestly duty, this is the Purpose of Sons 👉 to glorify God, to speak/practice Truth (John 3:21), to set forth Our Father’s praise (Name) … to shine … to let God shine in and through us … to let there be Light! Therefore, heretoforward, come into the LIGHT.
Those who love/practice Truthcome out into the LIGHT so that their works may be plainly shown to be what they are: God-produced fruitful works, what God wants, works done with God’s help and in God (LIGHT).
John 3:21(AMPC, TPT, NLT, CEB)
Arise(stand erect, uprightly)and Shine
you are the Light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden, neither does one light a lamp and cover it with a bowl. Instead, it is put on a Lampstand (Lightstand), and it gives Light to everyone in the house. Therefore, do NOT hide the Light that you are.Let your (God-lit) Light shine brightlybefore all people that they may see your God-produced fruitful works of Righteousness (Peace) andglorify yOur Father in Heaven.
Matthew 5:14-16
This is WHY God wants there to be LIGHT: to glorify God, to make Himself known – this is the Purpose of Sons. This is WHY God made Man (Sons) – we are His Light-bearers … His Glory-carriers … His Peace-makers … His Workmanship.
Jesus is the perfect example of this Father-Son relationship. A face-to-face, priestly, no-other-God-before-Him, and no-veil-in-between relationship (bond) that is established in and sustained by the HolySpirit. He is the One Who draws and carries us into and before God, Who then looks us FULL in the face –Ezekiel 39:29(MSG) – that we may Purposefully resemble and reflect Him every where we go with and in (within) Him … so that we can be and give Light.
I keep my eyes always on the LORD, setting Him continually before me. He is ever present with me; at all times He goes before me. I will not live in fear (instead I will live in Peace, in His Face) … I will not abandon my calling because He stands at my right hand.
Psalm 16:8 (NIV, AMPC, VOICE)
In and before God is where and how we become God-lit Lights (Lights that shine). In Him … in His LIGHT we see Light(Psalm36:9)… face-to-face with Him, we mirror and reflect Him(2 Corinthians 3:18)as we go from glory to glory (shining brighter and brighter) until we become a picture-perfect mirror and reflection of God … a spitting image of God‘s likeness: the Word out of His mouth – the Truth and Peace that Sons love, speak, and practice.
Therefore, set The LORD ever before you … be ever before Him, that you may display and express the Glory-Light and Peace of God. Let Truth’s shining Light guide your choices and decisions –Psalm 119:105-106(TPT, MSG). Be a Son … speak Truth – Psalm 119:110-111(TPT, MSG). Let God (His Name: Peace, His Word: Truth) be your response. Exalt His Word-Name … His Holy Name. Tell the Truth … subdue every shade of grey, shadow of doubt, and darkness by the Light that they can not comprehend or gainsay: Truthful Peace 💖. Be a Sun … be God’s Face, speak Peace (the effect of Righteousness) by walking in the Way of Peace, the path where Truth and Righteousness echo God’s Name –Proverbs 4:25-27(TPT). Let there be Light in and through you. Multiply and fill the earth with Sons (fruitful works) of Righteousness, with good and greater works, with the knowledge of the Glory of God. Be a Son … Be a Sun … be Purposeful: Let there be LIGHT!
Rivers in the Desert 