“Let There Be Night” Eschews Guidance and Growth

3/11/2017 73 Comments

Barbara Brown Taylor article Let There Be Night

A pastor wrote a book entitled “Let There be Night,” the context of which is that God can be found and is much closer in darkness than in light. I’m hesitant to call Barbara Taylor a pastor, but that is how people call her. Featured in Time Magazine (4/28/2014), her audacity is such that it had triggered my appetite to write off those contentions.

This book is apparently written in darkness, inspired by darkness, and is against Christ and God. Taylor alleged that great things happened in the dark. Among these are that Paul was called when he was blind, therefore in darkness; the exodus from Egypt happened at night; God met Moses in the thick darkness at the top of the mount Sinai; that Jesus was born beneath a star, and resurrected in a cave of darkness. Note the following quotations published in Time Magazine.

“The exodus from Egypt happened at night. God met Moses in the thick darkness atop Mount Sinai to hand down the Ten Commandments. The Apostle Paul’s conversion happened after he lost his sight. Jesus was born beneath a star and resurrected in the darkness of a cave.” (Time Magazine. April 28, 2014, “Let There Be Night,” page 7/13).


Let us begin our analysis on what kind of thinking Barbara Taylor has. Biblically, light is better than darkness!

ECCLESIASTES 2:13 
Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.

“Darkness holds more lessons than light, and contrary to what many of us have long believed, it is sometimes in the bleakest void that God is nearest.” (Time Magazine. April 28, 2014, “Let There Be Night,” page 10/13).


The allegation that “Darkness holds more lessons than light,” in the article written in Time Magazine is simply against the Bible.

Take note that there was an inherent darkness before God pronounced and expressed what was in His thinking, “Let there be light.” Contrary to what Taylor espoused, what is biblical is, Let there be light and not, Let there be night!

GENESIS 1:2-3 
2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. 
3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

Isn’t Taylor’s just a play of words and phrases, changing a declaration from the mouth of God from where comes life, to something directly opposite, “Let There be Night?”

Isn’t this an intentional betrayal of God’s wisdom? How audacious!

God’s thinking is undoubtedly higher and not just better than anybody’s thinking but the best!

ISAIAH 55:8-9 
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

And according to the highest thinking of the Almighty Creator, after the light showed in the midst of the inherent darkness, He saw that it was good.

GENESIS 1:4 
And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.

If Taylor is reading her Bible, she will know that there is not a single verse in the entire scriptures that says that darkness is better than light in any given time since the creation of light. On these premises, let us put under the light of the scriptures the darkness created by the thinking of Taylor and illuminate the thinking of those who believed in the fallacy being spread by her, a false pastor. I mark my points.

1. God himself dwells in light unapproachable.

I TIMOTHY 6:16 
Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honor and power everlasting. Amen.

2. If darkness is better than light, God should have inhabited darkness from eternity! Jesus Christ, the begotten Son of God, is the light that shone in Galilee, who later said that He is the light of the world.

MATTHEW 4:15-16 
15 The land of Zebulun, and the land of Naphtali, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; 
16 The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.

JOHN 8:12 
Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

3. Where there is darkness, there is no light. And where light is, darkness is exterminated. If the Father and Jesus Christ are lights and are dwelling in light, how can you find them in darkness? It is something stupid to think God can be found more in darkness.

Taylor appears to have launched her darkness campaign beginning with redefining darkness as something divine. Darkness to her is how God could be found more than in light. Darkness is as a tool for lessons to learn from – more than from light. The direction proposed is from where you are, go to the dark because the dark offers more good, hence “Let There Be Night.”

4. Contrasting light from darkness, there are more lessons in light than there are in darkness.

Let us delve on things that will prove this. The paradox is that things done in darkness are not to be taught or even be talked about. What is being done in darkness is not a lesson to be learned.

Marvelously, when a man and another’s man woman are in darkness, there is no institution that will teach them what to do in darkness.

CONTEMPORARY ENGLISH VERSION 
EPHESIANS 5:12 
It is disgusting even to talk about what is done in the dark.

The Apostle Paul did not even want to talk about things being done in darkness because there is no lesson worthwhile learning.

Walking with a definite goal to reach is better done in light than in darkness.

JOHN 11:9-10 
9 Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. 
10 But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.

5. It is Christ's commandment to walk in the light – because the way is clear. Not in the darkness where one cannot see.

JOHN 12:35 
Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.

Let us investigate further Taylor’s errors of fact.

Was Paul converted in darkness because he was blind? Paul was blinded by the intense light he saw upon encountering the Lord Jesus Christ on his way to Damascus.

THE ACTS 9:3-4 
3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: 
4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

The time when he encountered the Lord Jesus Christ was at midday when the sun, the literal light of the world, was at its peak.

THE ACTS 22:6-8 
6 And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me. 
7 And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? 
8 And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.

In conclusion, it is wrong to say that Paul’s conversion happened in darkness unless the understanding of the one saying this is under complete darkness.

Second, the liberation of the Jews from their bondage from Egypt did not happen at night. They took the first step forward out of Egypt during the breaking of the day.

The Hebrew word used is yôm which literally means “day.”

EXODUS 12:41 
And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt.

It was further clarified that they left the next day after the Passover

NUMBERS 33:3 
And they departed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the morrow after the passover the children of Israel went out with a high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians.

EXODUS 12:22 
And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the basin; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning.

Considering these verses it is inevitable to conclude that the exodus did not happen at night but in the day.

Third, Taylor alleges that the Lord Jesus Christ resurrected in a dark cave claiming that the resurrection happened in darkness. The truth is, to resurrect is to leave darkness and go towards the direction of light.


EPHESIANS 5:14 
Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.

Fourth, as God’s wisdom in the Bible teaches us about resurrection according to which is also accepted in Science, light helps in the budding of a planted seed and shows the direction in order for the plant to grow. It is the same with a human being who needs light – physical and spiritual.

I CORINTHIANS 15:35-38 
35 But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come? 
36 Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die: 
37 And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain: 
38 But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body.

Resurrection is the moment when those that are in graves of darkness will come out to light and life.

JOHN 5:28-29 
28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 
29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

Life is in light, so to resurrect is to come out from darkness into light.

JOHN 1:4 
In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

In contrast, physical darkness is only good for resting the eye and allowing the production of melatonin by the pineal gland. Melatonin induces sleep, deep sleep that is. So, darkness is only good when you are not going to do any work.

Fifth, while physical darkness is allotted by God for people to sleep, you will not learn lessons while you sleep! Physical darkness is used as the opportune time of the cohorts of the devil to do their business.

MATTHEW 13:25 
But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.

Spiritual darkness is where man abhors the light and intentionally prefers the dark because light tends to expose, to illuminate, to point to truth. Evil loves this kind of cover; it is dim; there is no light. Spiritual darkness gives no benefit whatsoever.

EPHESIANS 5:11 
And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.

THE ROMANS 13:12 
The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.

All good things, divine and humane are achieved in light. Physically, light is necessary to put in order the minutest detail of a delicate scientific instrument or a work of art. The module that brought man to the moon was not made in darkness: and though I was not there, I am pretty sure that the Mona Lisa was painted in a well illuminated place.

But more than physical light is spiritual light that lightens the soul, the mind and the heart. God dwells in it and Himself is light! It the best thing that exists with God!

EPHESIANS 1:18-19 (RSV) 
18 Having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 
19 And what is the immeasurable greatness of his power in us who believe, according to the working of his great might

Down with darkness and on with the light!

To God be the glory and light forever and ever! Amen.

73 comments:

  1. A million thanks to God for another enlightening blog!

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  2. "Down with darkness and on with the light" -- Mr. ControversyX
    Thanks be to God for the wisdom and enlightenment.
    #LightIsBetterThanDarkness

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  3. "But more than physical light is spiritual light that lightens the soul, the mind and the heart. God dwells in it and Himself is light! It the best thing that exists with God! "

    Amen!!! Thanks be to God!!!

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  4. This article SHEDS LIGHT TO EVERYONE. THANK YOU LORD GOD FOR WE ARE NOT MISLED BY ANY SO CALLED PASTORS OF THIS DAY

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  5. To God be the glory and light forever. Amen.
    #LightIsBetterThanDarkness

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  6. Tricky wicked! It encourages and justifies works of darkness because at the end of darkness you will find God. How about Satan? Where do you going to place him? Truly, this is another agent of darkness that deceitfully writes against the wisdom of GOD in the Bible. Thanks to man of GOD of this blog, He clears the wrong perception of that book.

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  7. Very educated blog.
    Thanks be unto God for the wisdom.

    From SF Bay Area, California
    Sis Tiziana Umipig

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  8. Thanks be to God for another wonderful blog! More power, Mr. Controversy! May God keep you always, Mr. Controversy!

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  9. At first she seems to be telling a story and many people that want to serve God, in America, may believe her story. Thanks be to God that you know how to shed light on a story to reveal the truth. It is true what you said we should not desire to be in darkness in order to be brought to the light. Thanks be to God that you investigate what the scriptures mean and share for people to be enlightened.

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  10. All 'prophets' or 'prophetesses' that came from America are all false. Sad to say when it comes to spiritual and religious matter no good ever came there, even if they claim they espoused the Bible. The prophecy Biblically speaking would come from the east...the one who will bring back many to the truth. Thanks be to God Bro. Eli for sending you in our midst to proclaim the truth. To God be the glory.

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  11. Amen. Thanks be to GOD for this article.

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  12. If Barbara Taylor finds darkness better than light, let her sleep during the day and awake during the night!

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  13. "Light excelleth darkness" has one occurrence in the Bibe(Ecle 2:13);
    "Darkness is better than light" is nowhere to be found in the Bible - ergo, human invention.

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  14. Light, indeed , is better than darkness..Taylor is a not a pastor of God

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  15. In the darkness, there is no lesson worthwhile learning.

    #LightIsBetterThanDarkness

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  16. I totally agree with this.

    Naturally, when you are in a dark room, your instincts tells you to look for a space that is illuminated, or you make a way to see the light. This Barbara Taylor is indeed a blind one! Maybe the reason she is too inclined with darkness. tsk..tsk..tsk.

    Good thing Mr.Controversy shows us the light! :)

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  17. Amazing truth that is when you know the wisdom of God.To God be the the glory!!!

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  18. Thank You Bro I hope those preachers will think wisely before they open their wasted knowledge to the public. To GOD be the Glory.

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  19. ...normally, day time is working time and night time is resting time...this is a God given routine that man may survive normally the oddities of life but now we can see the influence of civilization to night time and to day time...and nowadays unscrupulous activities are observed more during night time compared to day time...as a physician, I schedule my resting time at night and working time during the day meaningfully...why? because a good number of my patients gets sick wasting their time with useless activities like vices and drugs at night time...

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  20. ...my observation in life all these years at 72 is; lazy people sleeps from 4:00 am up to 12:00 nn and waste their time at night with unscrupulous activities...meaning there is proper time for everything to do normally as written in the bible...

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  21. There was darkness covered in the mind of this Barbara Taylor, they so called a pastor, I think so; to say "Let There Be Night", that God can be found and is much closer in darkness than in light.
    The verse clearly says: ECCLESIASTES 2:13
    Then I saw that wisdom excels folly, as far as light excels darkness.
    . It's much closer to say, "Let there be light" than "Let there be night".

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  22. ...people making reasons to make night as a time of good activities like Barbara Taylor is justifying to a number of lazy people to join her advocate vices and unscrupulous activities at night...and now look around and the casinos and the gambling dens and even the drug dens are available and open at night...white slavery and even sex cybergs flourishes at night...

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  23. Kaya sinasabi niya, Gumising kang natutulog, at magbangon ka sa gitna ng mga patay, at liliwanagan ka ni Cristo.Ephesians 5:14
    #LightIsBetterThanDarkness

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  24. Is true Mr. Controversy, many preachers today don't use the language of the Biblie correctly. When they want to talk about this life, they talk with words that doesn't fit with the Bible, but just with their own perspective, making their own phrases and games of words. Many people don't understand how God understand the darkness, neither the difference about physical things and spiritual things that shows the Bible. Thanks to God that reveals this things to the humble ones.

    Es cierto Mr. Controversy, muchos predicadores de hoy no utilizan el lenguaje de la Biblia correctamente. Cuando quieren hablar de esta vida, hablan con palabras que no encajan con la Biblia, pero sólo con su propia perspectiva, ideando sus propias frases y juegos de palabras. Muchas personas no entienden cómo Dios entiende la oscuridad, ni la diferencia acerca de las cosas físicas y espirituales que muestra la Biblia. Gracias a Dios que revela estas cosas a los humildes.

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  25. Light is better than darkness..where goodness dwells..Thanks be to God!

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  26. Mixing up events of physical darkness and spiritual darkness are results from a presumptuous person that doesn't have the wisdom of God in the Bible. Deceitfully convincing ideas from an uninformed individual is one of the inventive tactics that can be employed by Satan that even higher minds of a society are amazingly struck by it and believe. Awfully sad situation! Let's be guided.

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  27. ...the spiritual meaning/value of light as compared to darkness is a stable conduit or relatively a good environment to promote peace and understanding in the family or in any organization, in a society or in the country itself like, FOI bill, transparency, openness and truthfulness as a basic consideration should not be taken lightly but with a tooth or a iron hand...

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  28. A woman to have a "pastor" as a title is audacious enough. She talked as though it is okay to dwell in the darkness. Even Time magazine was deceived. How shameful! Thank God for this clear and detailed explanation (from the Bible), Bro Eli. May more people read this blog.

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  29. Thanks God there is a Bro Eli that open our eyes from the darkness brought by the pastors of rulers of the darkness of this world.

    Acts 26:18 "To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me."

    Ephesians 6:12 "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."

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  30. Keep it coming mr controvery, unmasked these false prophets! Shame on them for their evil thoughts. May the lord enlighten them. Great blog

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  31. In my opinion, Barbara Taylor is a pastor of darkness because her statements were contrary to what were written in the Holy Bible. She prepared darkness rather than light, maybe likened to those people who loved the darkness rather than the light, because their deeds were evil. For God, who said "Let light shine out of darkness," is the one who shined in our hearts to give us the light of the glorious knowledge of God in the face of Christ. (2 Cor 4:6). Thanks be to God!

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  32. ...Barbara Taylor must have read the bible and wanted to be popular by advocating premises and beliefs...contrary to the truth...a very sly way to win the hearts of her cohorts and gain wealth and honor or even power...

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  33. Gracias a Dios por darnos un predicador de LUZ que es LUZ y va a la LUZ. A DIOS sea la gloria.

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  34. When God said, "let there be light", but somebody wrote, "let there be night", I got an impression of disrespect to the Almighty who created the universe or an atheist who is in the form of a pastor.

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  35. ...i just really feel light is paradise darkness is hell...

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  36. ...let there be light...so it is written so it is done...we must be able to see the wisdom of this word of God...life began with the light anyway...

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  37. Great blog! Thanks be to God there's a Brother Eli that corrects those who are in the wrong understanding.

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  38. Thanks be to GOD that we are very fortunate that Bro.Eli was able to thoroughly explain this topic.Or otherwise this kind of self-serving pastor will continue misleading people!

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  39. Thanks be to God for a very sensible blog.

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  40. May be if God didn't open my heart to understand the truth I would feel justified of what I was doing wrong intentionally if ever I came across to read her book. These feelings were the intentions to convey to the readers,but biblically speaking, you couldn't read an instance where men of God utilized that ideas. Seemingly convincing but cowardly fool. Men of God are brave to speak the truth. They don't add or diminish to the words Of God.

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  41. Physical darkness is a good thing but it can't be confused to spiritual darkness. They are two different things. Bro. Eli quickly explained the difference. Let's be guided.

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  42. We rejoice like a father in a repentant prodigal son when he realized his misdeeds. The idea is pull him out of darkness. Although, that father didn't stop him at first, it doesn't mean pushing him into his foolishness but right of inheritance was also need to be considered. It also displayed the love of a father to a son. This is very different to Taylor's idea of tasting the darkness in order to learn the goodness of God.

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  43. ...i was a slave of vices and of sinful activities until Bro. Eli showed me the light...the true light written in the bible...shame on me before where my life was shed in the dark...

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  44. Salamat sa Dios sa pag papaunawa mo sa amin Bro. Eli, Ingatan po nwa.

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  45. People can do much work in day time. People are happier during day time. People get mad when it is brown out. Hence, light has a great help to people. During night time, evil people can easily execute their plans. Therefore, Brother Eli is correct in his analysis. Thanks for the wisdom you shared to us. To God Be The Glory.

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  46. ...cleansing activity of the body is being done during the night as we are sleeping meaning, the body is renewed for work to another day...therefore darkness is off for work and light is go for work...

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  47. there's nothing in darkness! darkness is the total absence of LIGHT.
    So it is not right to say DARKNESS has something with value!
    It's a shame that Time Magazine gave a piece of column to Ms.Barbara Taylor.

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  48. What a DECEITFUL teaching this Taylor is spreading! Thanks be to God, Bro. Eli, for writing this article.

    Let us please share this blog to enlighten the poor deceived souls.

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  49. ...why be preoccupied with what darkness can do because when man discovered fire with clicking 2 stones or rubbing woods...there was warm atmosphere and food were cooked palatable to the taste?...

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  50. ...sa araw maraming magagawang mabuti at sa gabi maraming magagawang masama...hehehe

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  51. God’s thinking is undoubtedly higher and not just better than anybody’s thinking but the best!

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  52. False pastor Barbara Taylor is a pastor of darkness. In her is a great darkness!

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  53. Wow. This really explains how erroneous the book “Let There be Night”
    This blog is really full of light.
    Thanks be to God

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  54. For the commandment is a lamp;and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life.Proverbs 6:23
    #LightIsBetterThanDarkness

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  55. Thanks be to God for a very sensible blog.

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  56. ...the glory and splendor of the day is not seen during the night...

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  57. Blogs like this must be published in Time magazine instead! Why do you prefer night when things are clearly seen in the light. Poor members of this pastor who are being misled. I hope one day, with the help and mercy of God, they will come into the knowledge of the truth. Thanks be unto God Mr. Controversy!

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  58. ...as I told to my son, "prepare a time table for a day`s activity and prepare a time to rest at night as you grow up"...don`t forget to remember and thank the Lord every day for giving you time to prepare a time table and are able to facilitate...For His Glory always and never yours...

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  59. ...I told my son there is time for everything under heaven...a time to rest at night and a time to work at day...

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  60. I prefer light than darkness as well though we need darkness sometimes like while we are sleeping to rest, thanks be to God Mr. Controversy. A wise fact that
    All good things, divine and humane are achieved in light. Ms.Barbara concluded her basis that darkness is better than light by collecting different scenarios in the bible, she fail to study the essence of light before writing her article.

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  61. Lights is what we need over this dark world!

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  62. ...Barbara Taylor mentioned some awesome issues happened in the dark in the bible but to me, those awesome things that happened in the dark only proves there is a creator who made the heavens and the earth and who said..."Let there be light"...

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  63. ...time is the essence of life here on earth so why remain in the dark when we can still do good work in the light...

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  64. Salamat sa Dios sa pagpapalinaw na ang liwanag ay mas mabuti kaysa dilim!

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  65. Never go back to the dark, but stay in the light that GOD has given us!

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  66. I literally got lots of laughs while reading this blog. :D I really enjoyed how Mr.CX was able to describe the erroneous teaching of this so called "pastor" in her own book. Most of the pastors nowadays are simply spreading lies.

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