Salt & Light

by James G. Artre

"You are the salt of the earth, but if salt becomes insipid (unsalty; diluted), with what will it be made salty again? It is good for nothing except to be thrown outside and to be trodden underfoot.' You are the light of the world. You cannot hide a city that has been built upon a hilltop. And they do not light a lamp and set it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all those who are in the house. Thus, your light will shine before the children of men that they may see your good works, and may glorify your Father who is in Heaven.'" - Jesus You are the salt... Years before refrigeration, salt was used to preserve meat (Even some ol' timers, like me, use it to this day). The process of preservation begins with thoroughly rubbing the surface of the meat with salt, then covering it completely with a thick layer of salt before storing it away for future use. This process helps to overcome any bad bacterias or impurities that spoil meat. Thus, not only is salt a purger of that which would cause harm, it acts also as a preserver of that which is. You are the light... And God said: 'Bring forth light'. And light was brought forth. And God saw the light that it was good; and he divided the light from the darkness. Thus the story of creation on the first day. Then it goes on to say a few verses later, on day four And God said: 'Let there be lights made in the firmament of heaven, to divide the day and the night, and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days and years: To shine in the firmament of heaven, and to give light upon the earth'. And it was so. God made two great lights: a greater light to rule the day; and a lesser light to rule the night: and the stars. He set them in the firmament of heaven to shine upon the earth. And to rule the day and the night, and to divide the light and the darkness. - Moses, Son of Amram The sun, the moon, and the stars were made during the fourth day, right? What then is this light that God brought forth on the first day?

In the beginning was the Word [And God said...], and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He [Jesus] was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In Him was life and the life was the light of men [in Him was light and the light was the life of men]. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can not overcome it. - John, The Apostle Jesus says, You are the light of the world... - the same light that God refers to in the beginning of creation on day one, the same light that the apostle John calls, ..the life of men. It is certainly not the sun, the moon or the stars created on the fourth day. So then, what is this light? It is the light that gives life to all those who embrace it! It is the light that gives clarity of purpose to this life, the joy we have in sharing this light with others, and the assurance of eternal life with our creator at the close of this earthly life. It is the light that lives through us, if we allow it, to bring forth thy kingdom come, His will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. The light, is Jesus What about you, my beloved? Have you as a born again child of the most high God lost your saltiness? Do you no longer purge the evil that is enveloping those and the world around you, as did our ancestors, even in the face of much oppression, ridicule and scorn? Or have you succumb to the peer pressure of tolerance, homophobia, politics or other worldly bacterial influence? My beloved, do you withhold showing your love towards your fellow brothers & sisters; thus, depriving them of much needed protection from the impurities of this world? Or has your light become so dim, so hidden, that God can no longer discern you from the rest of the world? Have you forgotten to let your light shine before others, that they no longer

ask of the hope that is within you? My plea to you, my beloved: Return to the light! This is the message we have heard from Him [Jesus] and announce to you, that God is Light [Completely open, transparent; knows all, sees all; thus, allowing His creation to come to Him knowing that he knows; perfect love.], and in Him there is no darkness [sin] at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness [sin], we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us. - John, The Apostle Break the Sadducee & Pharisee spirit of denominational or ism religion and its hold on your heart. Resist, refute and expose, teachers and prophets of false doctrines within your midst and drive them out. Stand firm against the wiles of the devil, return to your first love and forget not all His promises. "The angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb [Jesus] through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship [love and honor] him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever." John, The Apostle Be of good cheer, the Lord our God is with you!

~ James, your brother in Christ