The Walking Dead

Posted on October 17, 2017

Hi eNews Friend, After spending a moonless night walking through the woods of rural Virginia, Lisa’s cousin Charlie opened the door of his cabin and flipped on the light switch. The pain was immediate. The pupils of his eyes had widened during his dark walk as his body sought to allow the most possible illumination to his retinas. And when the bright halogen lights of his cabin flooded into those widened pupils, Charlie winced with pain and exclaimed, “Ouch, the light hurts my eyes!” We’ve all experienced Charlie’s pain. 

But what Charlie said next was new to me. Charlie said, “Hey, there’s a spiritual parallel here! When a guy gets used to walking in spiritual darkness – enjoys his sin – and then suddenly a bright ray of God’s truth hits him, he winces in pain too from the sudden dose of truth and light.” We all know Charlie’s right. When we get used to darkness, light hurts. Which explains a lot about how people react to Jesus. Not everyone is grateful that you share the truth about Jesus with them … cause the truth can hurt. Now, it wouldn’t hurt long if they would adjust their life to the truth … but if they walk back out in darkness, their only experience with light is the sudden pain it brings when they feel it. 

The truth-tellers of the Old Testament made that walk sound like a Zombie's wobble. They said, “We’re not even close to right living. We long for light but sink into darkness, long for brightness but stumble through the night. Like the blind, we inch along a wall, groping eyeless in the dark. We shuffle our way in broad daylight, like the dead, but somehow walking.” Like the dead, but somehow walking. Makes me think of a popular TV series. But of course, we don’t have to be "The Walking Dead." Jesus said, “I am the world’s Light. No one who follows me stumbles around in the darkness. I provide plenty of light to live in.” (John 8:12) Today, do all you can to follow Jesus. 

The more you follow Jesus, the less you’ll be walking dead. See you Sunday, Ray PS: I’m super-excited about the near-completion of our new 11,000 square foot children’s wing. The contractors have a few tasks to complete and inspections are now being scheduled for our occupancy … hopefully by the end of this month! After the children’s wing is completed, we will begin moving all the furniture and equipment from the old classrooms to the new classrooms. And then the contractors will begin the “Triple the Narthex” project. 

These are exciting times! PSS: Thank you for your diligence in fulfilling your financial commitment to the Imagine Campaign. The largest expense of the campaign is the buildings we are constructing and we will soon be making large payments to our contractors. If you are able to give a larger portion of your gift in April or May, it will help us significantly. Thanks! PSSS: There's no doubt that one of the darkest parts of our world is where ISIS is reigning in terror. And on Friday night, April 15, 7-9 pm, at The Pointe, a world class expert in Islam, Fouad Masri, will be giving a free seminar on how we can respond to the ISIS crisis. 

The next day, April 16, Fouad will be back for an all-day seminar called "Bridges" that will help us reach Muslims in our city for Christ. The Friday evening seminar is free to all Pointe Church attenders. The Saturday seminar includes lunch and has a reasonable fee. Please consider dedicating your time to join us for both. Register here for the Saturday seminar.