“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.” We are the light of the world means we have the gospel on our tongue and we are sharing the light of God’s kingdom into the world. The world lies in darkness because of the fallen state of man, due to sin. In the Lord’s eyes, the world has become a dark place in need of the glorious light of the gospel, to shine so those in the darkness (not saved, nor born again) can be brought to a knowledge of the truth. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, and His life is the light that lights every person. We christians are not only the salt of the earth but the light of the world. We are the hope for those still walking around in darkness to be delivered. In the darkness there’s zero help from God when it comes to an easier life. He will lead you to the light, of the gospel using His servants but you’d still have to accept it of your own free will. God doesn’t want robots going around programed to say, “I praise you, I praise you”, no He wants free will people He created to willfully choose Him. The reason this world is so jacked up is because men and women are doing whatever they want in this world without God’s input, running things from a demonic influence which validates the rule of Satan on earth. Be the light and shine the hell out of this world.

“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great Light; those who dwelt in the land of intense darkness and the shadow of death, upon them has the Light shined.” Those of us who have not received the Lord Jesus as Lord and Savior of their lives are walking in darkness according to the bible. As we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another (you and the Lord), and the blood of Jesus cleanses us of all sin. Jesus is the light that lights every person. The life sustaining breath you breathe comes from Him. For in Him there is no darkness. Most of us understand that darkness represents evil, wrong doings, and anything that opposes the will of God. We should be living, moving and having our existence in Christ Jesus, which resents light. When we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, which means you’ve experienced the entrance of death’s door, there’s no evil to fear because He is with us, and the light has shined to keep you safe. Many have seen or have known of this great light and ignore it, but you are without excuse, God sees everything, all the time, and into every single person’s life. He knows the choices you’ve made in the past, but He’s still waiting for you to follow the light.

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is (springs) from God; and he who loves [his fellowmen] is begotten (born) of God and is coming [progressively] to know and understand God [to perceive and recognize and get a better and clearer knowledge of Him].” To get a better and clearer knowledge of God comes when we love one another. Why? Because love springs from God and we are children of a God who is love. We can love one another in different ways. Caring for your brother or sister in Christ should be our purposeful intent. It doesn’t come naturally, at all. Even being a christian we must work on being a doer of God’s word in thought purpose and action. Giving ourselves over to the leaning of our entire personality upon Him, will help get self centeredness out of the picture. Our old sin nature will try and rear its head up if not brought into subjection on a regular basis. As we love our brothers and sisters, the agape love of God will develop in us. We must practice the love walk everyday, knowing the Lord’s hand of approval is upon that. Show the world you have been born of God and that you know Him. Love and unity have always been a powerful source the darkness of this world can never stop.

“Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign: Behold, the young woman who is unmarried and a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel [God with us].” God gives us more of a personal sign of His plans these days. Back in the days of Mary and the virgin birth, we didn’t have the Spirit of God in us but the Spirit of God would come upon the men and women of God, which was more of an external contact with us. Today in this new dispensation of God’s plan, the Spirit of God dwells within us. Now we can cultivate through God’s word and the study of it, hearing God’s voice within us. The teachings and precepts in the bible, and God’s voice in your spirit, should agree in what’s being said to you. He lives in His people by His Spirit which communicates with our human spirit. No more fleeces or sending Prophets to tell us what God says about us or direction for us. It comes now by hearing that still small voice in our hearts, (our human spirit). After the finished work Jesus did at Calvary, man can truly say, Immanuel, God is with us.

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” This is the word of the Lord concerning you. We are to aim at being kind and compassionate to one another, they go hand and hand. We can’t be kind without being compassionate, and we can’t be compassionate without being kind. You can’t be kind or compassionate if there’s unforgiveness in your heart. Holding an offense against someone takes you out of the kindness realm onto the dark side. Unforgiveness will eat you alive from the inside out if you don’t rid yourself of it. We are to forgive others as Christ forgives us. God never said, but since you committed that sin, I don’t think I can forgive that, NO, the Lord forgives us of murder, theft, lying, adultery, fornication, conniving, malicious intent, etc. It’s all under the precious blood of Jesus. Taking on the Lord’s attitude of forgiving others puts us in the elite program of God. We are still prone to wrong doings because of the appetites of our bodies which haven’t changed, only your human spirit has been reborn through the new birth. But the seed of kindness has been planted for growth. It needs development. Allow the process of God raising you. Kindness and compassion will always be the plum line to our success.

“Those Who are wise will shine as bright as the sky.” Teachers and those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament. It is the sharing of knowledge that is truly the ultimate gift to give. Our gifts to others are niceties we all enjoy from time to time, but giving someone a gift that will never get old, go out of style, or lose its value is on another level. Survival is the first instinct we have innately. Without knowledge it is not possible to enhance that survival instinct for smooth sailing. Things must be done under rules and regulations. We can’t just go and take what’s not ours to survive. In today’s world we must be as wise as serpents but gentle as a lamb in attitude. The wise person has this method down to a science. They know to wait patiently for the right moment before he or she acts. Impatience can be an unwanted side journey you can’t afford. We are by nature attracted to the light of knowledge and the wisdom to rule it. You will shine brightly for others who need this gift to be passed on to them. Maneuvering around all the minutiae, the drama, crisis, calamities, relationships gone bad, and nasty people, will take knowledge governed by wisdom to shine away the darkness of this world.

“Rejoice in the Lord always [delight, gladden yourselves in Him]; again I say, Rejoice! To always be full of joy in the Lord takes work. We are natural human beings that don’t always feel like being joyful about anything sometimes. We must invoke our will to make ourselves rejoice in the Lord. It’s not when feelings are conducive to start praising God, but it’s by faith we do it. We don’t always feel like going to work but if we don’t, money becomes a problem. Rejoicing in the Lord is like putting on a garment of light that shines so bright, it affects you, and the people around you. The joy of the Lord is your strength according to the bible. Stirring ourselves up in the Lord is a thing. You can praise your way out of trouble. Praise lights the fire of our confident favorable expectations which is hope for success God’s way. Keeping Him in the mix through the good times and bad will help develop the seed of joy imparted to you at the new birth. Because if He’s really in the mix of your day, after many days there becomes an awareness of His input into your life, which turns into comfort, which is a great foundation for joy’s entrance into your soul. Rejoice in the Lord always!

“They who sow in tears shall reap in joy and singing.” The bible says that God collects our tears. It is for a purpose later on, I’m assuming after the rapture, and possibly around the judgement seat of Christ when we’re examined for the works we’ve done down here and now. The Lord is aware of our tears, but that alone won’t get God moving to help us. He’s looking for those that have relationship with Him, and knows His word, which means you know God, not you know of Him. The hand of faith is what moves the hand of God. Our tears are sometimes necessary to release the internal clutter of disbelief. When we’ve messed up and are getting reprimanded for our actions, in our heart of hearts we feel remorse, maybe guilt, and shame. Our tears help release the pressure of these feelings. And when a person can admit they missed it, true repentance is at the door of their soul, and at that point, joy comes in the morning. Cry on my friend, your tears are being collected by God, and He is the God of comfort and will help get you through what you’re going through.

“So shall My word be that goes forth out of My mouth: it shall not return to Me void [without producing any effect, useless], but it shall accomplish that which I please and purpose, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” These are God’s words explaining to us that when He has spoken, things will line up to His words, what He has declared and decreed will become. When the Lord’s words are spoken out of our mouth mixed with faith (you believe your words will produce the desired outcome) those words, will not return to you void of results. So as we pray God’s word (the bible) back to Him, He cannot resist a response to help you. There are many words from many people in the atmosphere all the time, the spirit world where Satan and his crew are, keep busy at making men and women say things like, “I can’t believe it”, “you’re killing me”, “I don’t know what I’m gonna do”. These statements seem harmlessly true at the time, but the confession of them keeps us thinking naturally and excluding God’s help by our negative confession. God’s words in your mouth are spirit and life. God hears, and responds to His word prayed back to Him, do it.

“O CLAP your hands, all you peoples! Shout to God with the voice of triumph and songs of joy!” Shouting to God with the voice of triumph is a confession of praise unto victory before it happens. Once we’ve prayed to the Lord for something, especially of great importance, that’s when we must fight the good fight of faith using our praise to God as proof of ownership of the blessing before the manifestation of it. Cries of joy to the Lord gets His attention. We wouldn’t do that if we didn’t believe He was there. Believing in someone or something without oracular proof is straight up faith. We do it all the time on the natural level. We go to work for our boss, and we trust his word that we’ll get paid. You work first, and then you wait for the check at weeks end. We shout because it stirs up the spiritual realm. We must declare and decree a thing with of vehement attitude to pierce the spiritual realm, and when God’s word and the name of Jesus is used, all things natural and spiritual must give way because God comes on the scene for you. Shout to God with the voice of triumph, and get what’s yours. Get Loud!