What we think is as important as what we do

Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount about our thoughts and attitudes. The Jews knew it was wrong to kill someone, but they didn't think it was wrong to be angry with another.
Matthew 5:21-22 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
In this lesson, Jesus taught them that not only were their words and action regulated by law, but their thoughts were also. He taught that holding a grudge or wishing someone harm was just as bad as hurting them. This is because what we think inspires what we do.
Matthew 15:18-19 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:
Genesis 6:5 says God destroyed the earth in the flood because every thought the people had was evil. But how can we control what we think? Sometimes, anger, jealousy, envy, etc come to our hearts unbidden. What we must do is recognize them and force ourselves to think differently. When we are mad, we must think calmly. When we are jealous, we must put ourselves in their shoes. We cannot nurse a grudge, or we will be punished ourselves

Memory Work
Matthew 5:8 "Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God."
Proverbs. 4:23 "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life."

The Faithful and Wise Servant

Luke 12:35-40 "Let your loins be girded and your lamps burning. Be like men watching for their lord, when he returns from the marriage feast; that, when he comes and knocks, they may immediately open to him. Blessed are those servants, whom the lord will find watching when he comes. Most assuredly I tell you, that he will dress himself, and make them recline, and will come and serve them. They will be blessed if he comes in the second or third watch, and finds them so. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what hour the thief was coming, he would have watched, and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore be ready also, for the Son of Man is coming in an hour that you don’t expect him."
Serving Christ is not optional in the Christian life. Not that salvation is performance-based. We neither gain nor lose salvation based upon our performance. But rather we reveal the quality of our faith by our behavior. If we truly believe that Jesus is Lord, then we will treat him that way. By faith we take on the role of servants, for that is what we are. The role of servant today is better illustrated by a position in the military, as opposed to simply being an employee. It's a 24 hour job and at any time you may face judgement from your commanding officer. You may even be asked to give up your own life.
Employees expect to get paid for their work. But God is not obligated to reward us for good service. For we are slaves to Christ, bought with the price of his blood. We serve because that is our purpose given to us by the Creator. Nonetheless, because He is gracious, he does indeed reward us for our service. But it is not impersonal like paying a salary, but rather out of genuine appreciation for our services. There are those who have the mentality of "What do I get out of it?" They only serve if they see something in it for them. Jesus does encourage such people to serve by pointing out these rewards, but as one matures in Christ, service is seen more as a priviledge rather than simply a means to personal gain.
The illustration of the thief may seem quite in contrast to the master returning. But what he is trying to get at is the element of surprise. It is not that Jesus comes to steal something. There are those who think that Jesus tip-toes in through the window to secretly rapture believers away. But this doens't fit the context. For then the believers would welcome such a thief in to be raptured away. Thieves don't generally break in to steal the owner of the house. And the servants are put in the role of the owner by proxy. The thief in the night illustration is not necessarily one of secretiveness, but one of surprise. Jesus' return is spoken in the New Testament as a single dramatic event, which will not be in secret.

You are the light of the world

"Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."

Our Savior Jesus Christ tells us in that we are the "salt of the earth" and the "light of the world"—we who are also the weak and the foolish of this world. Mentally, when we hear such praises from God, some of us look both ways and behind, and say, "He must be talking about someone else." We struggle to overcome, and we feel we are always "a day late and a dollar short." Though we wish with all our heart that we were more like God, His image in us seems all the more elusive.
But Jesus did not lie in saying these things. As salt gives food a rich, pleasant taste, we are those who are to give a good flavor to the lives of those we encounter. There should be something in our conduct that shows the fruit of the life to which God has called us.
He goes on to say that, if we are not "radiating with flavor"—reflecting the teachings of God in our lives—what use are we, especially to God Himself? Salt without flavor has no use, and it can even be detrimental to the things it comes in contact with. Maybe its best use is to be put on icy roads, to be ground under the tires of vehicles and then washed away.
In Christ's other metaphor, light illuminates what was once dark; it reveals things that were hidden. Though we may be poor, considered old and over the hill, uneducated and obscure, when we live our lives as He instructs, we are a brilliant beacon to this tired and confused world. Our lives can shine a spotlight on the solutions to many common problems experienced by our friends and neighbors.
Jesus points out that we should not hide our light under a basket, but live it in the open for all to see. We can set a proper example of the abundant way to live. We should give everyone we meet the light of our loving concern, the light of our honesty, the light of joy and peace, the light of godly family relations, the light of good work habits, and all the other rays of light contained in God's way.
In doing this, we will initially bring attention upon ourselves, and this may at times become uncomfortable. Righteousness has an uncanny tendency to bring out the worst in carnal human beings. Ultimately, however, we will glorify God the Father and His Son by it, promoting the cause of the Kingdom of God.

We glorify the Father by bearing the fruit of the Spirit and doing good works, by correctly praising and honoring Him, and by being led to worship Him properly in obedience. We provide a witness to the world when they see in our lives the excellence of God's way and the power and purity of the truth.