"LIGHT OF THE WORLD" AUDIO BLOG

“The eye is the lamp [light] of the body; so if your eye is clear [spiritually perceptive], your whole body will be full of light [benefiting from God’s precepts (laws, commands)]." Matthew 6:22

If we think about the eyes literally, they are the primary way light enters our body (clearly, it also enters through our skin since it is the body's largest organ). But, light enters the pupil, and the iris controls how much light enters. Then, it passes through a lens, which works with the cornea to focus the images we are seeing. The light then passes through the retina, and literally kickstarts an electrical process that sends signals to our brain to show us the images. 

I found that completely fascinating and amazing, a miracle of creation, something only God could do. Praise God! Like the rising of the sun in the east, and setting in the west. Hallelujah!

Now, the good news of salvation is everlasting life through Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior: "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." Romans 10:9

If we believe this, even though our flesh is weak, we have been set apart as holy for God:

"And in accordance with this will [of God] we [who believe in the message of salvation] have been sanctified [that is, set apart as holy for God and His purposes] through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." Hebrews 10:10

Likewise, if we think about it spiritually, as in Matthew 6:22 (above), if our eye is clear '[spiritually perceptive],' or focused on God, what is right, good and pure, we will never again be in darkness, regardless of the infirmities of the flesh, because Jesus tells us, we are the light of the world. Matthew 5:14

So, with our physical eyes, we SEE the lights of the world,

but with our spiritual eye, we ARE the light of the world,

​and will never again be in darkness.

Or, as Apostle Paul told, in the story of 'A Thorn in the Flesh':

2 Corinthians 12

A Thorn in the Flesh

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7 "Because of the surpassing greatness and extraordinary nature of the revelations [which I received from God], for this reason, to keep me from thinking of myself as important, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan, to torment and harass me—to keep me from exalting myself!

8 Concerning this I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might leave me;

9 but He has said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you [My lovingkindness and My mercy are more than enough—always available—regardless of the situation]; for [My] power is being perfected [and is completed and shows itself most effectively] in [your] weakness.' Therefore, I will all the more gladly boast in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ [may completely enfold me and] may dwell in me.

10 So I am well pleased with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, and with difficulties, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak [in human strength], then I am strong [truly able, truly powerful, truly drawing from God’s strength]." 

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Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify our Father which is in heaven. Matthew 5:16

Hallelujah! Amen!

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Have you ever heard the phrase, Don't be a doubting Thomas? Did you know where it came from? The Holy Bible!

DOUBTING THOMAS in Scripture: 

John 20:1-31

1 "The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.

2 Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.

3 Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre.

4 So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre.

5 And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in.

6 Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie,

7 And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.

8 Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed.

9 For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.

10 Then the disciples went away again unto their own home.

11 But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre,

12 And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.

13 And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.

14 And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.

15 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.

16 Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.

17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.

18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her.

19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

20 And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.

21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:

23 Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.

24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.

25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.

26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.

27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.

28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.

29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

30 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:

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31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name."

Hallelujah! Praise God! Amen!

"...THE GREATEST OF THESE IS LOVE" AUDIO BLOG​

​This morning, my husband and I were talking, and he said something like, "You're not a social butterfly." I said, "No, but I can be. I stopped trusting people." Later, I was looking for scripture to respond to a Facebook post, and God directed me to 1 Corinthians 13. I read it, and thought, That doesn't really fit what I need. Plus, I know I've posted that recently.

So, I tried my "Bible ritual," where I pray for guidance and then pick up the Bible and open it to the Word God wants me to see for the day. Today, I prayed and opened the Bible to . . . drum roll please . . . 1 Corinthians 13.

As I was sitting at my desk, reading it again, the light bulb went off. It wasn't meant for everyone else. It was meant for ME. And God kept showing me, because I wasn't listening. I was not paying attention to Him.

I had just told my husband this very morning, that I stopped trusting people. And God told me, no, no, no. You will not. You will love and trust, because HE loves and trusts me.

"Love never gives up on people. It never stops trusting, never loses hope, and never quits." 1 Corinthians 13:7

So, moral of the story, Don't give up on people, don't stop trusting, don't lose hope, never quit, and always love!

Also, listen and pay attention when God talks to you!

1 Corinthians 13 

Let Love Be Your Guide

1 "I may speak in different languages, whether human or even of angels. But if I don’t have love, I am only a noisy bell or a ringing cymbal.

2 I may have the gift of prophecy, I may understand all secrets and know everything there is to know, and I may have faith so great that I can move mountains. But even with all this, if I don’t have love, I am nothing.

3 I may give away everything I have to help others, and I may even give my body as an offering to be burned. But I gain nothing by doing all this if I don’t have love.

4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous, it does not brag, and it is not proud.

5 Love is not rude, it is not selfish, and it cannot be made angry easily. Love does not remember wrongs done against it.

6 Love is never happy when others do wrong, but it is always happy with the truth.

7 Love never gives up on people. It never stops trusting, never loses hope, and never quits.

8 Love will never end. But all those gifts will come to an end—even the gift of prophecy, the gift of speaking in different kinds of languages, and the gift of knowledge.

9 These will all end because this knowledge and these prophecies we have are not complete.

10 But when perfection comes, the things that are not complete will end.

11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, and I made plans like a child. When I became a man, I stopped those childish ways.

12 It is the same with us. Now we see God as if we are looking at a reflection in a mirror. But then, in the future, we will see him right before our eyes. Now I know only a part, but at that time I will know fully, as God has known me.

​13 So these three things continue: faith, hope, and love. And the greatest of these is love."

​God Bless You and Jesus Loves You! Amen!

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