Beloved, I have the joy of sharing with you today the above theme from Mt 5:14 et seq. Indeed, “You are the light of the world,” says the Lord. For the light manifests everything, it shines in the night. Also it should be highlighted, on a lamp stand, and not under a bushel that would hinder the radiation. The bushel can also represent the affairs of this life that so often prevent our light from shining. “May your light shine before men in this way, so that they may see your good works, and may they glorify your Father who is in heaven.” Light is any manifestation of God’s life before men. It shines with works that are the product of the new nature, what God calls “good works,” or righteous and righteous works, and not just what the world calls “good works,” or charitable works. If men see these works, fruits of divine life, they are obliged to recognize their origin. Let us be more faithful, so that people can attribute to God what they see in us, and thus glorify Him. In the beginning this light shone brighter before men (Acts 2:47; 5:13). In Christ’s reign, not only will men see this light that will have Christ as their home, but they will walk to its brilliance (Rev 21:23).
For to believers, it is enough to be happy, blessed, to have the approval of the Lord. And the joys of the kingdom are reserved for them. By standing apart from evil, the Christian fulfills on earth the role of “salt” that preserves corruption. He is also and above all “light”, responsible for making the moral characteristics of God shine before men and first of all in the eyes of “those who are in the house”: his own family. The bushel, a container to be measured, is the symbol of activity, the bed (Luke 8:4-18) that of laziness; two extremes that are both likely to extinguish all the radiation that a child of God should have.
Therefore, it would not occur to anyone, after lighting a lamp, to hide it under a vase or under a bed. “Children of light,” our purpose here on earth is to make the virtues of the One who is Light shine brightly in the darkness of this world (Mt 5:13-16; 1 Pet 2:9-10). And on the occasion of the coming of his mother and brothers, the Lord still speaks of “those who listen to the Word of God and put it into practice.” For only they can claim a relationship with Him. Jesus’ sleep in the boat shows us as a man tired from his day’s work. But the next moment, the order He gives to the wind and the waves makes Him known as the sovereign God. Seized with fear, the disciples cried out, “Who is this one…?” The one who “commands even the winds and water” and reveals his power to the disciples lacking faith is the Son of God, the Creator. Its power today has not changed. But what about our faith?
Thus his answers are addressed to the conscience of those who have received the Word. God has lit in them the light that must illuminate the night of this world. It is up to each of us to be careful not to hide our light which must illuminate the night of this world. It is up to each of us to be careful not to hide our light, for we would not respond to the purpose for which God made us be “light in the Lord” (Epet 5. 8). There comes a time when the day will be on all that has prevented the light from shining; “for there is nothing secret that will not become manifest, nor anything hidden that will not know each other and come to light.” We must therefore be careful how we hear, for God does not speak in vain; his Word must bear fruit, and the more the believer bears, the more he will receive: for “to whoever has, he will be given”. To receive blessing, one must practice what one knows. But whoever seems to have something, like people in the second and third category, it will be taken away from them, because they do not have life. This is what will happen to Christendom after the rapture of the Church: what it seems to have, its forms, its pretensions, will be taken away from it, and it will be seen in its true state, ready to receive the judgment that will reach it.
The following verses have been compiled for your edification and grouped together for your better understanding.
Christian influence:
· Lamp
Ps 18:29 Yes, you shine my light; Jehovah, my God, illuminates my darkness. Ps 119:105 Your word is a lamp at my feet, and a light on my path. Pr 20:27 Man’s breath is a lamp of the Lord; It penetrates to the bottom of the bowels. Mt 5:15 and one does not light a lamp to put it under the bushel, but one puts it on the candlestick, and it illuminates all those who are in the house. 1 Pet 2:9 You, on the contrary, are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, an acquired people, that you may proclaim the virtues of the one who has called you from darkness to his admirable light,
· Children of Light
Luke 16:8 The master praised the unfaithful bursar for his prudent acting. For the children of this century are more cautious about their fellow men than are the children of light. John 12:36 While you have light, believe in light, that you may be children of light. Jesus said these things, then he went away, and hid away from them. Eph 5:8 Once you were darkness, and now you are light in the Lord. Walk like children of light! 1 Thes 5:5 you are all children of light and children of the day. We are not night or darkness.
· Resplendent Lives of Saints
Jb 11:17 Your days will have more brilliance than the sun at noon, Your darkness will be like the light of the morning, Ps 34:6 When one looks to him, one is radiant with joy, And the face is not covered with shame. Ec 8.1 Who is like the wise man, and who knows the explanation of things? The wisdom of a man makes his face shine, and the severity of his face is changed. Dn 12:3 Those who have been intelligent will shine like the splendor of heaven, and those who have taught righteousness to the multitude will shine like the stars, forever and in perpetuity. John 5:35 Was the lamp that burns and shines, and you wanted to rejoice for an hour in its light. Acts 6:15 All those who sat on the Sanhedrin having fixed their gaze on Stephen, his face seemed to them like that of an angel. 2 Cor 3:18 All of us who, with our faces uncovered, contemplate as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, we are transformed into the same image, from glory to glory, as by the Lord, the Spirit.
· Radiant faces
Ex 34:30 Aaron and all the children of Israel looked at Moses, and here the skin of his face radiated; and they were afraid to draw near to him. Mt 17:2 He was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. Mt 28:3 His appearance was like lightning, and his garment white like snow. 2 Cor 3:7 Now, if the ministry of death, engraved with letters on stones, was glorious, to the point that the sons of Israel could not fix their gazes on the face of Moses, because of the glory of his face, although this glory was transient,
Of all the above, let us resolve that the Lord says to everyone, “Beware how you hear,” for the day is approaching when everything will be manifested; when no one will be able to do better again. It is here the complete picture of the character and position of the residue that receives the Lord’s instructions, the position of this residue as it was to be according to God’s thoughts. This is complete in itself, car Jesus uses an image to show us what is the place and mission of the Christian in the world: It is God who has lit in us the flame of faith. He gave us this gift, but not only so that we would be the only ones to benefit from it, so that others would also benefit from this faith: The light is also transparent. This image shows that, in its essence, faith cannot be something hidden. It is called to illuminate, to irradiate and that is what it will do with itself, if it is not hidden. This is precisely our christian witness. For following in Christ’s footsteps, seeking him and loving him in all transparency, in front of the eyes of others, is what will allow God to illuminate their lives. It is not a question of making great speeches, but of making our love for Christ visible in everyday life. We have only one life, and our faith is not just in the private sphere, an inner attitude of which God is the only witness, but it is present in all areas of our life and as such it must be visible to those who live with us or who cross our lives. Our prayers are with you all.
PRAYER OF ACCEPTANCE OF JESUS CHRIST AS LORD AND PERSONAL SAVIOR
I now invite every person who wants to become a new creation by walking in the truth, to pray with me the following prayer:
Lord Jesus, I have long walked in the lusts of the world ignoring your love for humans. I admit to having sinned against you and ask your forgiveness for all my sins, because today I have decided to give you my life by taking you as Lord and personal Savior. I recognize that you died on the cross of Calvary and rose from the dead for me.
I am now saved and born again by the power of the Holy Spirit. Lead me every day to the eternal life that you give to all who obey your Word. Reveal yourself to me and strengthen my heart and faith, so that your light may shine in my life right now.
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for accepting me into your divine family, so that I may also contemplate the wonders of your kingdom.
I will now choose a nearby waterpoint to baptize myself by immersion, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
All adoration, power and glory are yours, now and forever and ever. Amen!
I would be happy to react to any questions and comments you may have, before sharing with you tomorrow ” the parable of the lily.”
May the Lord Jesus Christ bless you abundantly.
David Feze, Servant of the Almighty God.