With insufficient light we are more susceptible to temptation, and like a plant without the nourishment of the light of the sun, without the nourishment of the light of the Son of God, we can also weaken and shrivel and eventually die spiritually. Romans 13:12 (NASB) It is as if we are passengers on the train of the Church, which has been moving forward gradually and methodically. We have no excuse, as the scriptures state, to walk “in darkness at noon-day” (D&C 95:6). Jesus taught, “No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62). I had scarcely done so, when immediately I was seized upon by some power which entirely overcame me, and had such an astonishing influence over me as to bind my tongue so that I could not speak. Since Satan abhors light and avoids its presence, and since he cannot conventionally steal light against one’s will, his efforts and temptations are designed to entice his targets to voluntarily yield it up that he might more freely and effectively carry forth his destructive plans. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The analogies I will use this morning are based upon scriptures that refer to light as spirit, as truth, or as the power of God. In connection with this thought, he asked this question: “Are you living worthy to experience the light that the Lord wishes to bestow upon you?” (“Light, Visions,” 101). He became extremely nervous and began sweating profusely. Maintaining light is like staying spiritually in shape so that when the test comes we can meet it. And we need to be able to see clearly. Romans 13:12 King James Version (KJV). As in the story of the Eskimo, Satan tempts us with alluring distractions and circumstances that may appear on the surface to be harmless. [2 Nephi 28:21]. . So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. He went to bed but could not stop thinking about the movie. People lose light line upon line or sin upon sin—here a little and there a little. Some throw logs and rocks on the tracks to try and derail it. It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound. Summary: Thinking more about the phrase, "the armour of light" There’s a proverb which says, "It’s better to light a candle than curse the darkness". May we also guard against its theft. Romans 13:12: “The night is almost gone, and the day is at hand, Let us therefore lay aside, the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.” One of the scrolls of the Dead Sea sect describes the war between “the sons of light” and the “sons of darkness”. [Glenn L. Pace, “Spiritual Revival,” Ensign, November 1992, 11–12]. Because light forms a barrier between us and the world. Romans 13:12: “The night is almost gone, and the day is at hand, Let us therefore lay aside, the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.” Light and Jesus are inseparable. The armies of the Lord cannot be defeated, but they can defeat themselves. I would like to issue a challenge: Sometime today take a piece of paper and divide it into two halves. Light is like a protective shield that can withstand the fiery darts of the adversary. When light protects one from that which could destroy -- that is when light becomes armor. As more and more bad things are chosen, they become more and more desirable and seem less and less wrong. And that wicked one cometh and taketh away light and truth, through disobedience, from the children of men. Other members run alongside the tracks, and although they may never go play in the woods, they just can’t seem to get on the train. Light illuminates—when you surround yourself with … Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of your sinful nature. But now, a few years later, and after a year’s worth of church attendance, things were somehow different. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. (v. 11), + What does Paul mean by the armor of light? They taunt us and coax us to get off. Christ has come, and has pierced the darkness. Living in an environment of light will have many advantages for you at this time in your life. [Merrill J. Bateman, “Light, Visions, and Dreams,” BYU 2000–2001 Speeches (Provo: BYU, 2001), 101]. Arma Lucis (i.e. So, too, can we adjust to dark deeds and actually acquire a taste for the bad. The other elder had returned from a barbecue with friends. The decision as to which way we turn the dial is up to us. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. The principle that we receive more and more from God according to our continued obedience is true of light. + Is there sin to confess or a next step to take? President Kimball taught that transgression “begins tiny and grows to monumental proportions. [3 Nephi 13:22–23]. Another consequence of choices that rob us of light is that we don’t discern the good as clearly, and that leads to the possibility of delving deeper and deeper into the bad. When you are in the darkness, your eyes adjust, and it soon doesn’t look dark anymore. Turn the dial to the right and light increases. Light can increase or decrease according to what we desire, what we think, and what we do. Doctrinally it is as simple as this: The closer we are to the light, the more we can see. As a campus bishop I saw this consequent result over and over in regard to serious sin. The bad things we choose weaken the system so that sometimes we are unable to fully compensate by choosing good. Put on the Armor of Light [Romans 13:11-12] — Downtown Hope November 27, 2019 In today’s passage, Paul exhorts the readers to “cast off the … Topics: - Not specified - Download audio. I would like to speak about a great robbery that is taking place among us. [Romans 13:12–14]. . Put on the Armor of Light [Romans 13:11-12], Let Us Go to the House of the Lord [Psalm 122], Downtown Hope, 255 West Street, Annapolis, MD, 21401, United States. I want to reflect, this evening, upon a phrase of Paul’s in that reading from Romans: the armour of light. We have been carefully weakened so that when a 240 test comes, we fail because we only possess 120 power. As are the missionaries, we also can be Christ-centered, and we also can eliminate those things of the world that dim God’s light. "The night is far spent, and the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light." For example, in the Old Testament there is a story about a man named Achan whose disobedience brought defeat to Israel’s army (see Joshua 7; 22:20). A colleague of mine observed that it is the storm that reveals the importance of having your house built on rock and not on sand. Romans 13:12 The night is almost gone, and the day is near. The time has come to take on Christ and stop arranging our lives to serve our own desires. In one particular episode from the original Star Trek series, there was a life-form that attacked the crew of the star ship Enterprise. His light—His spirit, His truth, His power—inspires, motivates, comforts, capacitates, and protects. With a determined sprint we catch up to it, breathlessly wipe the perspiration from our forehead, and thank the Lord for repentance. Electrical power is still present, but it is not sufficient to handle the load requirement. 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