SALT AND LIGHT

TO SAY THAT WE KNOW THE TRUE LOVE OF CHRIST AND HIS MAJESTIC BEAUTY WE WOULD HAVE TO CONSIDER JUST HOW SINCERE OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR LORD IS ......WE MAY CALL OURSELVES A CHRISTIAN BUT DO WE SEND CONFLICTING MESSAGES TO THOSE AROUND US BY THE WAY WE LIVE OR DO WE SET AN EXAMPLE BY LIVING LIFE IN A WAY THAT EXEMPLIFIES THE SCRIPTURE THAT STATES , "You are the salt of the earth . But if salt loses its saltiness , how can it be made salty again ? It is no longer good for anything , except to be thrown out and trampled by men . You are the light of the world . A city on a hill cannot be hidden . Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl . Instead they put it on its stand , and it gives light to everyone in the house . In the same way , let your light shine before men , that they may see your good deeds and praise your good deeds and praise your FATHER in heaven . " MATTHEW 5:13-16 ......GOOD DEEDS TO BE DONE ONLY TO GIVE GOD THE FATHER THE GLORY ......REFLECTING ON OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD TAKES ON A WHOLE NEW FORM WHEN WE COME TO UNDERSTAND THAT KNOWING GOD IS DIFFERENT FROM KNOWING ABOUT HIM .....JUST AS WE COME TO KNOW THOSE AROUND US IN OUR EVERYDAY LIVES JUST IMAGINE IF WE WERE LOOKING FOR A DEEP AND ABIDING RELATIONSHIP WITH SOMEONE AND WE READ ABOUT THEM AT FIRST ......ALTHOUGH WE MAY LEARN A LOT ABOUT THEM BY READING AND HEARING DIFFERENT THINGS WE WOULD NOT GET TO TRULY KNOW WHO THEY WERE UNTIL WE ACTUALLY FORMED A RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM ......IT'S THAT WAY WITH GOD AS WELL .....GOD CREATED US FOR A RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM ......THAT IS VERY TRUE , HOWEVER , SIN ENTERED THE WORLD ( YOU UNDERSTAND IT AS WELL BY SAYING WRONG MORAL CHOICES ) ...... ADAM AND EVES DISOBEDIENCE SEVERED THE ONCE PERFECT RELATIONSHIP THAT WE HAD WITH GOD ....... YES , SINCE OUR GOD IS SINLESS AND PERFECT , SPOTLESS AND EVER SO HOLY , THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HIM AND ALL HIS PEOPLE HAS BEEN MARRED EVER SINCE THAT DAY IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN.....IN THE BIBLE IT STATES , " All have sinned and fall short of the glory of GOD " ROMANS 3:23 ...... THE BIBLE ALSO STATES , " the wages of sin is death , but the gift of GOD is eternal life through CHRIST JESUS our LORD . " ROMANS 6: 23 .....THE SERIOUS CHRISTIAN KNOWS THE IRONY OF THE SCRIPTURE ABOVE IS BOTH THE BLEAK OUTCOME FOR ALL PEOPLE AND GODS ANSWER FOR ALL PEOPLE.....JESUS CHRIST .......THE NEWBORN KING......GOD IN FLESH ......THE GREAT I AM ......THE BRIGHT MORNING STAR ......THE KING OF KINGS ......THE LAMB OF GOD......WHEN HE CAME TO EARTH JESUS LIVED A PERFECT LIFE SO THAT HE COULD PAY THE PRICE FOR OUR SINS.......WHEN HE DIED ON THE CROSS AT CALVARY HIS BLOOD WAS SHED ONCE AND FOR ALL ......WHEN ON THE THIRD DAY HE ROSE SO AS TO NEVER DIE AGAIN ...... JESUS CHRIST IS ALIVE AND SITTING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF OUR FATHER GOD IN HEAVEN ..... AND SO WE NEED TO EXAMINE THE AUTHENTICITY OF OUR BELIEFS ABOUT WHO JESUS IS....... UNLESS WE STUDY GODS WORD ( THE HOLY BIBLE )IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO KNOW EXACTLY WHO JESUS CHRIST IS AND WHAT HE HAS DONE FOR US OR WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A CHRISTIAN..... IT IS JUST NOT ENOUGH FOR US TO "BELIEVE " ...... IN THE BOOK OF JAMES CHAPTER 2 VERSES 14-26 JESUS TEACHES THAT TRUE FAITH WITHOUT DEEDS (WORKS , ACTIONS ) IS DEAD FAITH ...... JESUS KNOWS HIS OWN ......CAN WE TRULY MAKE THE CLAIM TO BE ONE OF HIS ....... IF WE SAY YES PRAISE OUR LORD BUT IF WE SAY NO OR NOT SURE IT IS NEVER TOO LATE TO SUBMIT OURSELVES BEFORE OUR LORD AND BEGIN ANEW AND WHAT BETTER A TIME TO START THAN THIS BLESSED CHRISTMAS SEASON.............................SUMMER