Are we keeping our focus where it should be? Reminding ourselves regularly of all that Jesus has accomplished in us? Welcoming Him into every area of our lives?
Whenever you and I have a hard day (and occasionally, we will), we should simply take a few minutes to remind ourselves of all that Jesus has done for us. Where would you and I be if the light of His glory as “the Bright and Morning Star” (Rev. 22:16) had not burst into our lives? Let’s remind ourselves regularly to welcome the Morning Star.
A Dark and Cloudy Day
Dick’s comments: One morning when I was traveling recently in Canada, I woke early to get coffee, as is my usual routine. That day, as I looked toward the east, dawn was just breaking—and it was beautiful. Although the sky was filled with dark and ominous clouds, the sun on the horizon shone brightly at the base of all the darkness.
At that moment, a verse from the Bible popped into my mind: “until the day dawns and the Morning Star rises in your hearts.” I couldn’t recall right away where the citation appeared. So, with coffee in hand, I began my search. It turned out to be 2 Peter 1:19.
Peter had begun his second letter with words about “the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord” (v. 2), His divine power available to us (v. 3), the “exceedingly great and precious promises” God has given us (v. 4) that enable us to live fully in “the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (v. 11). Then came Peter’s clear reminder.
The context in verses 12–15 is that Peter knew he was about to die: “shortly I must put off my tent” [“die and leave this body”]. Facing this reality, Peter was fully focused upon Jesus and His glory: “I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things” (1:12); and “that you always have a reminder of these things after my decease” (1:15); and 1:19: “which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the Morning Star rises in your hearts.” Ah, yes: Jesus, our Morning Star!
Remembering the Morning Star
Philip’s comments: One of the points to bear in mind regarding Peter’s admonition to focus on the light and glory of Jesus (our Bright and Morning Star) is that He had seen it firsthand. Clearly, this was on Peter’s mind as he voiced his powerful reminders to us.
In verses 16 through 18, even as Peter is contemplating his imminent death, he is remembering the glory he saw on the Mount of Transfiguration. When Moses and Elijah met with Jesus right before his very eyes, “His [Jesus’] face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light” (Matt. 17:2). Peter had beheld the Morning Star!
You and I may never have an experience like Peter had on the Mount of Transfiguration, or like Paul had on the road to Damascus. Even so, the glory of Jesus has dramatically broken into our lives. We need to heed Peter’s advice—to be regularly mindful of and thankful for the day the light of Jesus burst into the dark places of our hearts, changing us forever. That was the first time we welcomed the Morning Star!
Reminding Ourselves Often
Philip and Dick: There is a great companion passage to the admonition Peter offers in the verses quoted above. In the second letter Paul wrote to the Corinthians (2 Cor. 4:6), he also reminds us: “For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” Light has come to us. The Morning Star has risen in our hearts.
How often should we reflect on the entrance of the glory of Jesus Christ into our lives? Taking the passage from 2 Peter as our cue, it may be (at least) a daily activity for us: “until the day dawns and the Morning Star rises in your hearts.” Peter talks about the prophetic reality that has come to us (v. 19). How do we best confirm this revelation?
Like Peter, we can testify to the reality of Jesus Christ and His glory, and we ought to do it often. In fact, we should regularly tell ourselves and others of “the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” as “eyewitnesses of His majesty” (2 Pet. 1:16).
Day after day, it is good for us to remind ourselves to welcome the Morning Star!
Preparing to See Jesus
Derek Prince gives us some further insight on this 2 Peter passage in a two-week series of radio broadcasts regarding The Titles of Jesus. One of the messages in the second week of those broadcasts is entitled “The Bright Morning Star.”
I would like to point out to you what Peter says in his second epistle, chapter 1, verses 16 and 19 (NIV). He is speaking about the promise of the coming of the Lord Jesus in glory, and he says it requires preparation on our part.
Peter says: “We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to Him from the Majestic Glory, saying, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased.’” [Peter is looking back in his memory to that scene on the Mount of Transfiguration when Jesus was transfigured before their eyes and they saw Him in His glory, His majesty, and His brightness.]
So, Peter says, “Remember, it was not just a theory; it is something we have witnessed.” But then he goes on to say: “We have the words of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.”
You see, the Morning Star (that’s Jesus, rising in our hearts) is not His coming in power and glory to judge the universe. Instead, it is an inner, personal experience. When we have come to know Him personally through the revelation of God’s Word and the prophecies of Scripture, we have come to a quiet, unshakeable inner confidence that Jesus is coming back to reign. The Son of Righteousness is going to rise for those who fear God’s name.
A New Step for a New Year
As we enter a new year, today would be a great time to set some new and positive patterns in place. Perhaps one of those could be a daily declaration of the light and glory Jesus has brought to us. Why don’t we make a proclamation together toward that end?
Dear Jesus, the first step I want to take in this new year is to present myself to You and to commit this year of my service to You. I belong to You, Jesus. My life is Yours—everything I am and everything I have.
I proclaim right from the start of this year that it belongs to You. I ask You to bring glory to Your name through all that I am involved with in the year ahead.
Second, I want to express my desire to begin every day by remembering and acknowledging the light You have brought to my life. Each day, I want to recognize and welcome the day dawning and the Morning Star rising in my heart.
Thank You, Jesus, for Your faithfulness to me in so many ways. Amen.
Placing Ourselves in His Hands
The declaration we have just offered together is a good one. You and I can never go wrong in giving thanks to the Lord and placing this year and our lives in His hands.
In fact, the staff of DPM begins every week here at Derek Prince Ministries with a similar prayer. We acknowledge that this is not our ministry—it belongs to Jesus. We try to carry this perspective into each week of our work—indeed, each hour of the day.
We take this proclamation seriously, and one happy aspect of our work here is to provide encouragement to friends and partners of DPM. That includes sending materials to help as you grow in your relationship with Jesus Christ and welcome the Morning Star in your lives. In that regard, please allow us to send you a free copy of week two of “The Titles of Jesus,” the radio series from which we selected the quote by Derek Prince.
It is our pleasure to provide this resource—just one more way for us to express our profound thanks for your faithful friendship, for your prayers, and for your support.
Keeping the Promise
We all know it’s not easy to keep New Year’s resolutions. We start out in January with good intentions, but we get distracted too easily and neglect what we promised. Here are some possible ways to keep your daily promise to welcome the Morning Star.
The first one is a happy little chorus that can be a fun way to begin the day. (You don’t even need to know the melody to utilize it.) Here it is: “Good morning, Jesus, good morning, Love. We know You’re sent from heaven above. Your Holy Spirit moves like a dove. Good morning, Jesus, good morning, Love.” (I learned that simple little chorus back in 1972, and I sing it to the Lord almost every morning as I start my day.)
A second suggestion may be easier. Simply begin your morning by saying: “The day is dawning, and the Morning Star is rising in my heart.” It’s a great way to start out!
Either way accomplishes our main purpose: to welcome Jesus, our Morning Star!
Sincerely in Christ,
Philip Wyns
President, DPM-USA
All the best,
Dick Leggatt
Executive Consultant/Senior Editor
