“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

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• Let your light shine, a story of hope

The post Salt and Pepper appeared first on Thoughts About God.

“After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.” Acts 4:31

My attitude had sunk to the bottom, in huge clumps of self-pity and feelings of unworthiness. I’d become frustrated trying to find the best way to be God’s salt to a world that needed it so desperately. Each attempt only weighed me down further, like trying to climb out of a sandy pit with boulders in my pockets.

It says in Acts 4:31 that after the disciples prayed, the walls shook and the Holy Spirit filled them. When I read that, it hit me. I needed to stop and pray. Pray to be shaken a bit to redistribute my attitude, sense of purpose, and mission. It reminded me of the way a salt shaker is tapped get all the clumped salt to dislodge. That way it can be used again, and it is easier to determine how much more it will need to be refilled.

So I prayed:

Lord, Let your Holy Spirit shake my walls and empty me of all my worries and self-doubts so You can fill me up with Your presence. Dislodge the worries that are clumping together the talents You gave me to be Your salt. Where I am lacking, fill me once again. Amen.

Thought: – The next time you feel too deep in the valley and you’re wondering if you are making a difference, pick up the Bible and read about how the Holy Spirit worked through the early disciples in Acts 2-4. Dare to ask God to shake you up a bit so He can fill you anew with the Holy Spirit. Then Praise Him.

By Julie Cosgrove
Used by Permission

FURTHER READING

•  Spiritual Oxygen: Are You Getting Enough?

•  How to be Filled with the Holy Spirit

•  How you can Walk in the Spirit – printable lesson (pdf file)

The post Un-Clump My Salt appeared first on Thoughts About God.