Let Your Light Shine

 

Let Your Light Shine

Matthew 5:14-16

“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

Early in the morning we must give our praise to God for He is worthy. The name of Jesus must be on our lips and hearts as we give Him praise. The giver of life is our Savior who endured the cross. His righteousness clothes us in white fine linen as we worship Him. The light of the world never changes because His Word is everlasting and His truth stands. Holy is the one who we sing about “Amazing Grace” and the precious “Lamb of God.”

If God has done great things in our lives, we must let our light shine and witness to somebody about Jesus. Our lives are the testimonies that witness to the world that Jesus is real. There are so many people who do not know who Jesus is. Saints, we are the lights in this world. Thereby, we must serve and help somebody because we are Christ’s witnesses. His light and love lives in us according to His Word and Spirit. Colossians 1:26-27 the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. 27 To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory 

As we grow closer to the Lord the Word will speak to our hearts. The answers to our prayers will be revealed, so that we will know that the Lord hears us. The years of praying to know Him will bring peace to our souls. The evidence of God’s love is the fact that He woke us up this morning and He continues to fight our battles. We are walking in the will of the Lord as we acknowledge and give Him praise. The message of Christ is in our hearts and minds because we know that He redeemed us with His blood. Ephesians 1:7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace

The grace and mercy that He shows to us is abundant because we’re receiving forgiveness, favor, blessings, miracles, restoration, and other things that we didn’t ask for. God is indeed a merciful God. It is true when we seek the kingdom His righteousness is added to us. The things that use to entice us in the world have no control over us because our relationship with Jesus triumphs going back to the old things and the past.  Romans 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

The Holy Spirit will provide everything that we need. He is our helper, teacher, and comforter. The victories that we’ve conquered are because of Him. He fights for us in the Spirit and knows and sees the things that live in the spirit, the attacks, battles, and warfare.  He lets us know people’s hearts and motives toward us. Saints, we must cherish, respect, and obey the Holy Spirit. He is the Spirit of truth. Our spirit man is made new because of His work in the Spirit. He gives us wisdom, knowledge, and understanding and power to overcome as warriors of Christ. 1 John 2:27 But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him. Ephesians 1:13-14 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

We live in a dark, evil, and corrupt world that does not love God. This world is Satan’s domain where he is the prince of the air. Ephesians 2:1-3 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. His agenda is to steal, to kill, and to destroy the children of God. We must study the scriptures to learn how crafty and cunning he is because he is our adversary who does not sleep. Our Savior died for our sins and have rescued us from the kingdom of darkness. We are children of the light and must not become entangled with the works of darkness. Colossians 1:12-14 giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.

People of God we must run from all matter of evil. Galatians 5:19-21  Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. This lifestyle is not hidden from God. The Holy Spirit dwells within us and He will be in us until the day of redemption. Ephesians 4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. Sin is Satan’s friend, and they are God’s enemies, because both are against God’s divine laws and righteousness.  Sin spreads like poison and infects and destroys everything righteous and divine. Death is the only way out to depart from sin.

However, God sent His Son, Jesus to die for the sins of the world. That is how serious sin is to God. He had to send His beloved Son to save us from the punishment for our sins and trespasses against Him. The blood of Jesus was the sacrifice that made atonement for our sins. The Word is clear about repentance and accepting Jesus Christ as Lord for forgiveness of sin.

Those of us who are on the Lord’s side must run from the powers of darkness. We are safe in the arms of Jesus. But our other enemy is our flesh. It is the tent that we live in on earth until we die. The flesh doesn’t want to obey the Holy Spirit nor learn how-to walk-in righteousness, because our bodies were shaped in iniquity in our mother’s womb. Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned—

The enemy is watching us 24/7 and he’s waiting to send people to us to cause us to fall from grace. Therefore, we must be sober-minded and be watchmen over our souls. The Word is our sword and defense, and we are responsible for arming ourselves for battle. That means taking the time to read, study, and meditate in it daily, so that we will not fall back into sin. Sin is powerful and Satan uses it to deceive us. It’s like sugar in the punch at a party, if you spike it with liquor, it is still sweet. So, people tend to drink more of it because of the sweet taste which is dangerous.  But if you make the punch sweeter and mix it with poison, what do you think will happen? It will kill you, if you drink it, so we must be aware of who we’re eating and drinking from because it’s easy to hide poison in something sweet.

In most cases, people don’t know they’ve been poisoned until it’s too late. Satan in his craftiness and cunning ways lures us in with some truth and mixes it with lies. He is the father of all lies. He doesn’t want us to follow Christ nor obey His Word. We are the righteous the sons and daughters of God. The Word of God that abides in us is the light that Satan wants to destroy. Because God’s Word is powerful and living and that is why Satan is after us to thwart God’s plan for our lives. He cannot have us because we belong to God our souls have been bought at a price by the blood of Jesus. We are sealed to the Holy Spirit until the day of redemption. The Lord is saying that we must live in the light and walk in the Spirit and hold on to His unchanging Word. John 8:12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”

 

Candle Stick

 

 God placed a light inside your soul

As you seek Him it will be revealed

You were born to be a warrior

All God’s children were created to shine

We will face many trials, tests, and tribulations

The choice is divine

Pray when you are lost and confused

Hold up your candlestick as it guides you

Trust God’s love

He sent Jesus to be the light of the world

Now accept your gift and let your light so shine

For the world will see who you belong to

ã2004 “Naima’s Inspirational Melodies”