“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.” Matthew 5:13 (NKJV)

In Matthew 5:13-16 Jesus proclaims how Christians are to be like salt and light to the world. Salt acts as a preservative and adds flavor to food. Today, if your faith has been shaken and you’ve lost your spice toward God’s family, refuse to let circumstances or what has taken place, cause you to feel hopeless or irritated with others. God’s word says, “Salts good for seasoning. But if it loses its flavor, how do you make it salty again? You must have the qualities of salt among yourselves and live in peace with each other” (Mark 9:5 NLT). As a Jesus follower, it’s important that you remain salty; preserving your faith while enhancing the lives of your sisters and brothers in Christ.

It’s also important to be gracious in your manner when conversing with outsiders, those who are still held in the pepper shaker of darkness. The bible says, “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone” (Colossians 4:6 NLT). The more you allow Christ to speak and shine through you, you’ll be like an addictive seasoning to those around you. You’ll leave them thirsting and seeking after your genuine and considerate ways of living. In time, perhaps Jesus will win them over and they’ll become a member God’s salt & light family.

Pray that God would reveal to you whether or not you have been slowly losing your spiritual fervor. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you preserve important relationships and act as a God-seasoning ingredient in the lives of others.

By Barbara Alpert
used by permission

RELATED ARTICLES:  Read Essential Topics of Knowing God:

• God’s Plan for My Life – a study
• He is Out to Destroy You!
• Let your light shine, a story of hope

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Today too many Christians have lost their hunger for God.

Instead of coming into the Lord’s presence hungry for more of His fullness, our thoughts are held hostage to worldly pursuits and fleshly distractions. At best we are merely curious about spiritual realities, but not truly hungry.

Let me tell you a story that illustrates what I mean. We have a little dog named Sophie. Sophie loves people food. To her, eating people food is the culinary equivalent of entering the Kingdom of God. She loves our food. She even has a Bible verse that she claims in faith, “Even the dogs get the crumbs” (Matthew 15:27).

When my wife and I share a meal, Sophie will sit at our feet, squint her eyes, and stare at us (she thinks squinting makes her cuter). Any food that falls to the floor instantly vanishes into her mouth. No matter how much of her food she has already eaten, she is always hungry for ours.

Our home has a small, fenced-in yard outside our porch where Sophie plays. Although the fence surrounds the area, there are gaps where the pickets don’t quite reach to the ground. If Sophie wanted, she actually could squeeze under the fence and get out, but she normally has no reason to try.

Occasionally she will get curious and go as far as the gate, stand there a while and look out, but she doesn’t leave the yard.

One day, though, my wife decided to feed a few slices of stale bread to the birds that nest on the other side of the fence. When Sophie went out an hour later, she immediately noticed a human food smell in the air, which she tracked to the bread outside the gate. In less than a heartbeat she found a little gap under the picket fence, flattened herself to the ground, and then shimmied beneath the fence to the bread on the other side. It was gone in less than a minute.

My point is this: hunger will take you where mere curiosity would never go.

My friend, God is looking for hungry people. Blessed are those who hunger. He is seeking people who are truly seeking Him. Indeed, He has bread from Heaven for us, and it is eternally satisfying. We cannot afford to settle into the routine of a fenced-in reality, not when God has eternal food prepared for us. Let us, therefore, follow our hunger as we pursue the presence of God.

By Francis Frangipane
Used by Permission

Francis Frangipane
info@frangipane.org
www.frangipane.org
www.icitc.org
www.arrowbookstore.com

FURTHER READING

•  Hunger and Thirst – by Bill Bright

• Hunger and Thirst for God -by Charles Stanley

• Cry of the Hungry and Thirsty | A Perspective on Adversity – by Lynn Mosher

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“We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure.  This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.”  1 Corinthians 4:7 NLT

I look down at my hand on the steering wheel and notice the beautiful pearl ring on my middle finger.  As I gaze at the special jewelry, memories of my recent Florida trip rush to mind as I think about the fun times my daughter and I had searching for oyster pearls.

Quickly becoming a tradition, Abby and I have discovered the excitement of picking out oyster shells at Sea World.  Divers, disguised as mermaids, plunge to the bottom of a huge glass tank and we point out the exact shells we want them to retrieve.  Once on dry land, the oysters are cracked open to reveal the beautiful treasures beheld inside.

I must say that my Abby is extremely lucky and has picked out shells that have yielded large white pearls, twin pearls (which is extremely rare) and even a blue pearl.  Anticipation and excitement fill the air because we do not know exactly what we’re going to get.  It’s like we are partaking in a little mystery as we await the cracking of the shell.  And so many times, we have been surprised by the perfect jewels we have received with this fun activity.  On our last trip to Florida, Abby and I had matching pearl rings made to always remember this fun tradition we partake in together.

The Bible makes no secret about the precious treasure we behold as Christians.  It is no mystery that God has blessed us with power through the Holy Spirit, as stated in
2 Corinthians 4:7.  Though we as humans may be weak, just like the oyster shells, who can be cracked and busted, God has entrusted us with the salvation message to tell others. The miracle is God’s power dwells within us to help us render His treasure to those we come in contact with, have relationships with, do life with.

Be encouraged to offer the gems within you to someone today.  Do not be timid or shy about communicating your faith to others.  Draw confidence from knowing God is with you every step of the way to provide strength, courage, and opportunities to share your heart.

“Heavenly Father, thank You for blessing me with the inner-dwelling Holy Spirit who gives me strength and courage to share Your story with others.  Help me to never take Your gift of salvation for granted or the price You paid for my debt of sin lightly.  Guide me in seeking out others who need to hear Your message.  In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.”

By Alisha Ritchie
Used by Permission

Further Reading

• What a Friend We Have in Jesus

• What is Wrong with Society Today?

•  Salvation Explained

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Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live in a country where you weren’t free – free to drive to see family members, free to speak your mind, free to worship in the way that you want?  It’s hard for me to imagine what it would be like to not have a copy of God’s Word, to not be able to call a friend and talk about how I’m struggling in my relationship with God or to freely write what is on my heart.

As I see what is happening all around the world – the unrest in so many countries, the earthquakes and tsunamis, I have to admit my heart trembles and I wonder if my world will drastically change.  Will I someday experience what many Christians in other countries around the world experience?  Will someday being persecuted for my faith mean more than just losing my job or being criticized for believing in God but going to jail or having my family stripped away from me?

And then I wonder. . .  will I be as resilient in my faith as I am now?  Will I be able to stand strong in the face of danger?  If I let my thoughts run in that direction I can allow fear to completely consume me.

Look at what 2 Timothy 1:7-8 (NLT) says:

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord. . . With the strength God gives you, be ready to suffer with me for the sake of the Good News.”

“God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity but of power, love and a self-discipline. . .” 

When we give into fear and allow it to consume us we are giving power to the enemy but God has given us everything we need to stand strong and to face whatever comes our way!   But how do we do this in the face of overwhelming circumstances and fear? By turning our hearts back to Him.

When I experience fear, heartache or worry in my life He wants me to give it to Him and to claim His power and love.   Just as a pedestrian on a swinging rope bridge keeps their eyes fixed on the other side and doesn’t allow himself to look down to the gorge below,  we have to fix our eyes on our Savior, the author and finisher of our faith.

If God’s Word is true and I believe it is than He will give me what I need when the time arises.  I don’t have to live in fear or worry of what tomorrow will bring because He promises to be with me, to give me His Strength and His Power to meet whatever will come my way.

We have nothing to fear . . .

if God is for us, who can ever be against us?  (Romans 8:31 NLT)

By Kristi Huseby
Used by Permission

FURTHER READING

• Eternal Love
• Fully Surrender to the Lord

Learn more about knowing Jesus at: https://thoughtsaboutgod.com/four-laws/

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“Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah, his blood poured out on the altar of the cross, we’re a free people—free of penalties and punishments chalked up by all our misdeeds.

And not just barely free, either. Abundantly free!”  Ephesians 1:7-8
(The Message)

Imagine walking out of prison. What would it be like to be rid of a cell’s narrow confinement? How would it feel to leave someone else’s schedule behind? No more being told when to eat, when to talk, when to sleep. Freedom would feel strange and unfamiliar. A former prisoner might have a hard time accepting that they were really free. She might wonder, “Where are the guards? Who will tell me where to go? When to eat? What to do? Am I really free? How free am I?”

For a myriad of reasons Christians often find it difficult to believe we are truly free. We know ourselves. We know our sinful tendencies. We have experienced repeated failures. How is it possible that God looks upon us through the blood spilled by Christ on the cross and declares us free? But that is what we are a free people—free of penalties and punishments chalked up by all our misdeeds. And not just barely free, either. Abundantly free!

The Apostle Paul triumphantly declares to the Roman Christians, “there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.” (Romans 8:1) There it is again! We are free!

The released prisoner has the choice to continue living as though prison walls surround her or to walk with head held high, believing that the punishment has been paid. For us—released and redeemed—we walk with joy and gratitude that God’s love and grace has declared us not barely free, but abundantly free.

Thank you Father that Jesus’ sacrifice did not just lessen my sentence, but rather His work sets me fully free. Help me to live in that freedom. Amen

Question: In what areas of your life do need to be set free?

By Marilyn Ehle

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“..but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.” Acts 1:8

God’s Spirit works in every believer. He does not limit Himself to pastors and missionaries. If you’ve received Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, then residing within you is the same great power that raised Christ from the dead (Rom 8:11) The Holy Spirit pours His energy into creating godly character in all who follow the Lord.

The fruit of the Spirit is so named because it is the character and conduct that the Holy Spirit produces in believers. These are qualities that we can’t generate consistently on our own. The most powerful message we can give isn’t a testimony or sermon; it is the life we live when the pressure is on, temptation is tremendous, or we are buried under an avalanche of problems.

What the world most needs to see in this modern culture is godly families loving one another, business people working with integrity and frugality, and young men and women who choose moral purity. In a word, the world needs to be exposed to believers who are obedient.

By showing peace instead of anxiety or practicing patience rather than speaking a sharp word, a Christian bears witness to the beauty of the gospel. We attract unbelievers to Christ through our words and deeds. They may turn down a doctrine, but they cannot ignore a righteous life.

The strongest gospel message does not come from a pulpit. The most powerful witness for Jesus Christ where you work, where you live, and where you relax is you. Submit to the Holy Spirit’s work, and He will produce a great harvest of spiritual fruit in your life.

By Dr. Charles Stanley

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“And he has committed us to the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us”
2 Corinthians 5:19-20

We were invited to a dinner party where the ambassador from a South East Asian country was the special guest. As you can well imagine, it is an honor for a person to be chosen to represent their country in another land. She was an effective ambassador.

During the evening she told us about her country – the beauty, the history, the people. She told us what they imported and what they exported. It was a very thorough overview. And when the dinner came to a close, she warmly invited us to come visit her country.

On the way home, my husband and I discussed the close comparison of what Christians are called to be – Christ’s ambassadors – and what she had been commissioned to be – the ambassador for her country. Meeting with her was a reminder of our calling. All Christians represent the Kingdom of God. This world is not our home.

We are here for one thing:

To tell others everything we know about our King and the heavenly home we are going to. We are to invite them to come to the Kingdom of God.

Do you ever feel inadequate representing King Jesus? We all do. We can’t do it in our own strength. But God has provided the Holy Spirit who will provide the words and the boldness. Just before His ascension Jesus said,

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses…” Acts 1:8.

Do you want to experience the power to be His witness? I encourage you to ask God to fill you with His Holy Spirit.

We are Christ’s ambassadors! What an honor He has bestowed upon us. Together let’s make people aware that we represent the Kingdom of God. And don’t chicken out when it’s time to invite them to come visit God’s Kingdom.

Father, thank You for granting us the privilege of being Your subjects to represent You here on earth. We have to admit, Lord, (please forgive us) that sometimes we get so busy with life that we forget why we are here. Sometimes we are downright cowardly. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit, so we will be bold and loving in order to represent you effectively. Amen.

by Katherine Kehler
used by permission

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