There is nothing easy about prayer. And not just because we struggle with HOW to pray and WHAT to pray, but more so because of what we know ourselves to be. Our consciences rightfully fill us with dread and fear as we contemplate entering God's presence knowing what sinners we are.

So on what basis can it be said that we have "boldness to enter into the holiest"?

Why was it necessary for the eternal Son of God to come into the world as a baby in human flesh? So that he might experience the same growing pains as you in order to be a merciful and sympathetic mediator to God the Father for you.

Was there really no room at the local Bethlehem inn? Was Jesus born in a stable? Were there animals present at the birth of Jesus? Were there really three wise men?

The answer to all of the above is a resounding NO!

Jesus makes three remarkable statements in John 16:27-28 which underscore John's thesis in John 1:4, "In him was life and the life was the light of men":

"I came out from God"
"I came forth from the Father"
"I am come into the world"

What are the claims Jesus is making in these statements?

Why does Jesus close his conversation with Nicodemus in John 3 with these words: “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil”?

What is this light, and why has it resulted in condemnation, and what has been condemned by it?

Though it is now associated only with the Christmas season, Isaac Watts wrote "Joy to the World" as an anthem to the Second Coming. It is based almost entirely on Psalm 98, a psalm written in three stanzas: Why We Worship (vv. 1 - 3), How We Worship (vv. 4 - 6), and Who is to Worship (vv. 7 - 9).

Those who once were darkness but are now light in the Lord (Ephesians 5:8) are still in the darkness. They have changed, but their environment has not. But they can see things in the darkness that those who are darkness cannot see. The grace of Christ has abounded toward us with wisdom and understanding, causing us to know the will of God (Ephesians 1:7-10). This understanding of the will of God is the key to navigating the times and seeing in the dark.

The church has been living in evil days since the ascension of Jesus and will continue to live in evil days until Jesus returns. There is no sense in which it can be said that the 21st Century church is suffering to any greater degree than the 1st Century church.

How then shall we live in these evil days? From Ephesians 5:16 Pastor Paul takes us to 2 Timothy 3 to order our loves around the appearing of Jesus.

In our text, the Apostle Paul is contrasting the behavior, conduct, and demeanor of "the children of disobedience" with that of the "children of light." Christians are not called to live in isolation and separation from the darkness, but to conduct ourselves in a manner which brings conviction to those who have been taken captives by sin and Satan. What are the practical ways in which we do this? The answer is in this text.