Let Your Light Shine Before Others, That They May See Your Good Deeds And Glorify Your Father In Heaven

MATHEW 5:14-16
“”You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 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. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
”‭‭Matthew‬ ‭5:14-16‬ ‭NKJV‬
‬https://www.bible.com/114/mat.5.14-16.nkj

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A city that is set on a hill can be seen from all directions from afar, even more so at night, for its light shines through the darkness.
We are living in a very dark world full of lies and corruption. But if we live by the leading of the Holy Spirit, not only do we gain God’s protection, but we shall shine for God.
His light will shine from us through the darkness, and the darkness shall not comprehend it (JOHN 1:5).
People will notice us and be drawn to us, and souls shall be saved.
We will be seen from afar as different as we stand back from the things of this world such as “adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 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.
My beloved, unbelievers will see the fruits of the Spirit because they will shine from us.
They are “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires (see GALATIANS 5:16-25).”
But if we are to shine for Christ, we must be throughly cleansed from the sin of the world, the strong holds the devil has on our minds, and the unhealthy soul ties we have accumulated throughout our lives.
We must turn from all sin in repentance, and through Christ who gives us both the desire to do good and empowers us to it (PHILIPPIANS 2:13), deal with all rage, anger, revenge, and forgive all who have caused us pain, including ourselves, however great or small so that our Father in heaven can forgive us (LUKE 6:37).
It is then we can be delivered and healed from all wounds the devil inflicted upon us and be free from the bondage of sin. It is then we can replace the pain of bondage with the joy and the peace of Christ that surpasses all understanding and shall guard our hearts and minds through Christ (PHILIPPIANS 4:6).
For, “He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭53‬:‭3‬-‭5‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
But the sad truth is, many Christians walk with one foot in the world, and it doesn’t work because they can never be truly clean nor free. To have one foot in the world, is to have both feet in the grave.
The odour of sin shall follow them and God will spit them out. Jesus said, ““I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.”
‭‭Revelation‬ ‭3‬:‭15‬-‭16‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
My brethren, “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6:24‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
We all have a choice to make, it’s either God’s kingdom or the devils.
We cannot continue to keep one foot in the world and one in God’s kingdom. Our Father is a very jealous God (EXODUS 34:14).
My beloved, your choice will decide your eternal future forever, and forever is a very long time.
Give your life to Christ today, submit to His will, rebuke the devil and he will flee from you (JAMES 4:7).
Be sure to keep both your feet on God’s side of the fence and invest into your eternal future.
“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. 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.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭12‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
Nothing of this world can give lasting peace, it is all vanity. “If you see the oppression of the poor, and the violent perversion of justice and righteousness in a province, do not marvel at the matter; for high official watches over high official, and higher officials are over them. Moreover the profit of the land is for all; even the king is served from the field. He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; Nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity. When goods increase, They increase who eat them; So what profit have the owners Except to see them with their eyes? The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, Whether he eats little or much; But the abundance of the rich will not permit him to sleep. There is a severe evil which I have seen under the sun: Riches kept for their owner to his hurt. But those riches perish through misfortune; When he begets a son, there is nothing in his hand. As he came from his mother’s womb, naked shall he return, To go as he came; And he shall take nothing from his labor Which he may carry away in his hand. And this also is a severe evil— Just exactly as he came, so shall he go. And what profit has he who has labored for the wind? All his days he also eats in darkness, And he has much sorrow and sickness and anger. Here is what I have seen: It is good and fitting for one to eat and drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labor in which he toils under the sun all the days of his life which God gives him; for it is his heritage. As for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, and given him power to eat of it, to receive his heritage and rejoice in his labor—this is the gift of God. For he will not dwell unduly on the days of his life, because God keeps him busy with the joy of his heart.”
‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭5‬:‭8‬-‭20‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
My beloved, the things of this world shall profit you nothing lasting. Its gratification brings temporary satisfaction and false hope, but with it, a feeling of emptiness and a never ending tunnel of darkness.
But for those in Christ, there is light at the end of the tunnel. His name is Jesus. He is the confident hope of life everlasting, “And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.””
‭‭Revelation‬ ‭21‬:‭3‬-‭4‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
Therefore my beloved, “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people.” Therefore “Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.” “I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the Lord Almighty.””
‭‭II Corinthians‬ ‭6‬:‭14‬-‭18‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
All glory to God for ever and ever! Amen.