NICODEMUS

 

   "There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.  The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.  He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.  That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.  He came unto his own, and his own received him not.  But as man as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:  Which were born, not of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."  (John 1: 6-13)
   A dark mind is a mind without the Light of Christ, and therefore darkness is the light of a dark mind.
   A dark mind can also be a religious mind where religion appears to be light.
   A dark mind is a place of confusion.
   WHEN THE THRILL IS GONE, THE THRILL IS GONE.
   A dark mind is the dwelling place of sin and evil, for a dark mind will always be in pursuit of sin, which is the pursuit of another thrill; for it is the thrill of sin that delights the souls of dark minds. 
   When morning comes, however, a dark mind awakens to emptiness, for the thrill of yesterday is gone and now he must arise to seek another thrill to delight his soul. Sleep is no more than a time to rest, to recharge his battery.  When he awakens, his mind will search for another thrill, something else to conquer, and to claim his prize of the day.  Each day he lives is just like any other day, and work is no more than a way to gather money to finance his thrills.  But when morning comes, he will awaken again to emptiness, and thus each day is a repeat performance of yesterday, for he is always in search of yesterday's dreams.  He believes that to have friends is to have money, but when his money is gone his friends disappear.
   A dark mind is a selfish mind and he will deceive others in order to achieve his own selfish desires.  He wants his own way as he wants others to do as he wants them to do, for his thrills are for himself and not for others.  He never has time for others because others must have time for him.
   A dark mind is never content.  He must always be doing, always be going, and he never finds rest for his feet.  The thrills are always out there and he must go out and find them.  Preferably, he wants others to delight in his thrills, for lonely people find no thrills in being alone.
   Judas Iscariot was such a man with a dark mind, for the only interest Judas had in life was Judas.  He was a loner, a true rebel, for Judas did not even need others to share in his thrills.
   Jesus, however, gave Judas a chance to be more than Judas knew he could be.  Jesus called Judas to be a disciple, but Judas never became a disciple.  Even though he went to church with Jesus for three years, Judas never found delight in the Light of Christ and his mind remained in darkness.
   How many people are like Judas Iscariot.  How many people go to churches, sit on the pews, hear the Good News of Christ, but they never become disciples of Christ.  They never have good words to say about the Good News of Christ.  To them, church is no more than a religion, and their minds remain a place of darkness because they have never accepted the Light of Christ to abide in their hearts.  Like Judas Iscariot, for all that they appear to be, they are not.
      "There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:  the same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God:  for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
      "Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."     (John 3: 1-3)
   Unlike Judas Iscariot, Nicodemus came out of the darkness when he met Jesus face to face.  He was one of the two men to bury the body of Jesus and he became a disciple after the Lord's resurrection.