How to be Salt and Light

 Jesus tells us to be 'salt' and 'light' in this dark world that has lost its thirst for God.

The more evil this world becomes, the more righteous and holy we should become. (Yes, sometimes it's hard to keep up!)

Paul tells his friends at Philippi that they should "work out your salvation with fear and trembling" (2:12).

"Work out" is a Greek term used in farming. It describes how a successful farmer works his soil to produce the best crop possible. He plows it, removes the rocks and weeds, provides nutrients and irrigation -- everything he can do to produce a bountiful, healthy harvest!

We don't work to secure salvation -- that is a gift of God's grace. But we are to live godly lives, producing farm land that provides an abundant harvest for God's kingdom.

Then in verse 13 he says, "For it is God who works in you, both to will and to do what pleases Him."

That's the secret -- God is already at work inside us -- giving us what we need to produce that wonderful harvest of goodness that changes and nourishes our society. God is quietly working inside making us into His image and we demonstrate that -- work that out -- by choices we make, the lives we live, partnering with God to yield the best results possible!

We pray, "Father, I want to live in Your Word today -- be obedient -- to  produce fruit that glorifies You. When people see me at work in Your garden, I want them to praise You!"

It takes effort to live a godly life. We are responsible to set the alarm clock earlier every day; to put down the phone; to turn off the TV; to focus His Word and listen to His voice. 

That's how we work out what He is working in us!

Are you an ordinary person? - C S Lewis

Remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you can talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw him now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption that you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare.

All day long, we are, in some degree, helping each other toward one of these destinations.

It is in the light of these overwhelming possibilities, it is with the awe and circumspection proper to them, that we should conduct all our dealing with one another, all friendships, all loves, all play, all politics.

There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations -- these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat.

But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit--immortal horrors or everlasting splendors.

   -- The Weight of Glory, by C S Lewis

Good Morning! Godly Morning!

 

Scripture tells us that we need to hear from God our Father each morning and He wants to hear from us!

   "Let me hear of Your unfailing  love each morning, for I am trusting You. Show me where to walk for I give myself to You" (Psalm 143:8).

   "In the morning, LORD, You hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before You and wait expectantly" (Psalm 5:3).

  "In the morning I will sing of Your love; for You are my fortress, my refuge in the times of trouble...my God on whom I rely" (Psalm 59:16-17). 

   "It is good to praise the LORD and make music in Your Name, O Most High, proclaiming Your Love in the morning" (Psalm 92:2).

Has He heard from you yet?

       "In the morning, when I rise...give me Jesus!"

Have YOU forgotten to ask?

In John 4 we read the famous story of Jesus' encounter with the Samaritan woman at Jacob's well. He Himself might have told us the story sort of like this:

"Remember the woman at Sychar? She was a Samaritan and I purposed to meet her at the ancient Jacob's well.

I asked her for a drink of water. She was surprised at the request. But she didn't ask Me for anything. Right there -- in front of her-- the Creator and Sovereign Lord of the Universe, the One able to bestow any gift to any humble creature.

But she didn't ask. I had to call it to her attention.

'Look,' I said. 'If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked Me and I  would have given you living water.'

She still didn't understand. She didn't 'know the gift' and she didn't know who I was.'

I explained it to her. Just as I have patiently explained it to you.

Now you do know. You know the gift I bring and who I am.

It delights Me to give My children gifts.

So why don't you ask for more?"

[So why don't we ask for more? C S Lewis compares us to children who are content to play in the city ghetto, just making mud pies, when God is offering us a holiday at a grand oceanside resort, and we could be building sand castles!

Maybe we should rethink what we are asking our omnipotent 'wealthiest Father ever' for!

Paul reminds us, "Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen." (Ephesians 3:20).]

While You are Seeking Me, I WIll be Found!

                       

                        He promises - If we seek Him we will find Him!

I'm still thinking about how our God is delighted when we seek Him -- how He wants to be found by us!

Some years ago when we were in Israel we went out to the wilderness above the Dead Sea. It was desolate and bleak. We stood on a cliff and looked around the barren landscape. It was breathtaking and somewhat frightening.

Then a woman in our group stepped closer to edge of the chasm and began singing.

Her voice echoed throughout the deep canyons around us.

I can still hear her singing in my God-given miracle of memory. I will never forget the experience. It was more beautiful that any operatic aria I have ever heard...cool and refreshing as a glacial fountain.

I especially remember these words: 

"Ho, everyone who is thirsty in spirit! 

Ho, everyone who is weary and sad!

Come to the fountain, there's fullness in Jesus; 

All that you're longing for -- come and be glad!

'I will pour water on him who is thirsty; 

I will pour floods upon the dry ground.

Open your heart for the gift I am bringing --

 while you are seeking Me I will be found!'"

In our barren lives He daily brings showers of mercy. He is the Fountain that goes on forever and never runs dry. How blessed we are!

Isaiah 55:6 -- Seek the LORD while He may be found; call on Him while He Is near.

Jeremiah 29:13 -- You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.

Matthew 7:7 -- Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.

[Note: The author of this wonderful hymn is Lucy Jane Rider Meyer. She was born in 1849 and planned to be a medical missionary for the Methodist church with her husband. He died in 1875, before they were married. She decided to go on to  medical school and remained in the US. She also attended the Moody Theological Seminary for Women.  The hymn, written 1884, is in public domain.]