The salt and light

You may sometimes say to yourself, "God does not have a purpose for my life."  Well, His word says different.  Jesus says in Matthew 5:13 that “we are the salt for everyone on earth, and in verse 16 He says, make your light shine, so others will see the good you do and will praise your Father in heaven."  We are all instructed to live a life that projects the life of Christ.  We are to be the salt that adds seasoning to the lives of others, especially to those who do not know Christ.  We can do this at our jobs, home, with friends, neighbors, family, and with anyone we come in contact with. 

I remember when I first was saved, I wanted to do so much for Christ, but found that in the process I wound up exhausted and unhappy, because I had lost the focus of what drove me to do it in the first place which was to please God.  I realized that I did not have to run around crazy trying to do the impossible when God calls us to just help each other as much as we can.  I simple phone call to a needy neighbor, listening to a friend in troubling times, being patient with love ones, all this is being the salt and light of the world.  We don't have to change the world in an instant, but we can all do something everyday to make a difference in someone's life.  My lesson was that I could not do anything to make God love me more, because His word says that we love because He loved us first.  All God wants from us is to help and service the needy, so we can impact their lives, in hopes, that they are drawn to Him. 

I once worked with a woman who had a troubled daughter that was being influenced by drugs.  This was very tough for her, and at the time I was a new employee, so I found myself struggling whether I should pray with her or just pray for them at my own time.  Well, I felt like the Holy Spirit was leading me to pray for her at that moment, so I asked her if I could pray for her situation.  She was okay with it, so I took her to one of the conference rooms.  Now that I think about it, praying with her was a way of helping and servicing others.  These are the simple acts that pleases our Lord.  We need to be constantly thinking of how we can help others.  A couple of months later the woman's daughter was doing much better.  Whether the woman believed in prayer or not, I believe that God had a lot to do with bringing healing to this young girl.  

 

Think about like this, the more God helps you, the more you should be helping others.  Proverb 19:17 says, “Caring for the poor is lending to the Lord, and you will be well repaid.”  We should make it a daily habit to try to do a good deed for someone, whether it is for your love ones or others.  

 

+Encourage Women to Stand in Faith      

Take up your cross and follow me

It is true that one of the things that Jesus meant when He said to his disciples in Matthew 16:24, "take up your cross and follow me," was that we would suffer hardships in His name, but more importantly, He meant that we are to dedicate our whole entire life to Him, pursue a spiritual life.  Matthew 10:38 says, “Whosoever does not take up their cross and not follow me is not worthy of me.”  Self-denying is to sacrifice one’s own desires and interests.  This is exactly how we ought to live our lives, we must not put ourselves or our children, careers, hobbies, interests, or families before the Lord.  Because when we do, things just don't work out they way we had expected.  Take a moment and search your surroundings to see how chaotic this world is becoming because society has decided to take God away from the picture, and replace Him with our beliefs/desires.  As we can clearly see, its just not working out the way we had expected, and that is, because God is in full control.  He never sleeps or ponders.  Colossians 1:17 says, "He is before all things, and by Him all things hold together."

We must examine our lives to make sure we are not allowing anything to hinder our walk with the Lord.  Recall Jesus’ words in Matthew 6:33, “See you first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”  Am I suggesting that we are to put our life’s treasures aside for God, and not pursue them, absolutely not, but what I am saying is that we cannot put our life’s energy and focus on the things of this world, as we very well know that these things are meaningless in heaven, they will not get you closer to God, if anything, they become stumbling blocks in our spiritual walk. 

We all want to reach those high mountains, it is great to dream and pursue; however, be extremely careful on how you are pursing them.  Always remember that all mountains have stony rocks, and they will definitely hinder your path to the top.  Have you guarded yourself from them?  Stony rocks can be anything that prevents you from reaching your spiritual goals, like pursing your dreams at all costs -no matter what, exposing yourself to negative influences (negative behaviors and addictions,) and neglecting God’s purpose in your life in order to pursue your purpose.  Furthermore, remember that just because you have made it to the top of the mountain does not mean you have reached God’s mountain. 

Reflect for a moment and take inventory of your spiritual life to see where you would be in one year.  Are you going to be where God wants you to be?  As you start climbing your mountain, do you see God at the very top of it waiting for you to get there?  How do you know for sure you are on the right mountain? 

 +Encourage Women to Stand in Faith



 

What road are you on?

The other day I was driving on a two lane road when suddenly, I saw, in my rear view mirror, a driver speeding up attempting to advance to the front of the lane during the morning rush hour.  He completely ignored the traffic merging sign warning him that the two lane road was merging to a one lane road; he almost collided with another vehicle.  Fortunately, for him, no one was hurt.  This led me to think about the road we are on.  I had asked myself these questions: 

How is your daily road? Is it chaotic, adventurous, frustrating, etc?  Where are you running to?  Is your road a designated road?  Are you focused on the road to success?  Are there other routes or alternatives to that path?  1 Corinthians 9:24 Paul states,” You know that many runners enter a race, and only one of them wins the prize.  So run to win!”

There are many people who are spiritually deprived. They anxiously and desperately race to their destinations without having the slightest idea that there is one way to God’s road.  Isaiah 35:8 says, A good road will be there, and it will be named “God’s Sacred Highway.”  It will be for God’s people; no one unfit to worship God will walk on that road.  People today are confused and stumble because they are focused on the things of this world not knowing that this world is on God’s timer. 

We all want to be on God’s road to success.  However, some of us choose other routes or alternatives to get there.  But God says no, it has to be his designated road.  What does it mean to be on God’s Sacred Road, well in John 14 Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life!  Without me, no one can go to the Father."  Romans 10:9-10 Paul says, “If you declare with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved." 

He is the only road to the Father all other routes are nothing but distractions in our lives.  Focus on the Lord, John 15:4 says, If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

In the final analysis, God’s Sacred Road is accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.  Amen!


+Encourage Women to Stand in Faith Ministry


    

The leaven bread in your life!

A couple of weeks ago, I was studying and meditating on 1 Corinthians 5:1-13 and I briefly wanted to share what I got from it.

In the bible, yeast (leaven) bread is a depiction of sin in our lives.  Yeast and bread represents sin and our spiritual walk (our lives), respectively.  I discovered that a little yeast permeates throughout the entire dough causing it to rise, change.  Similarly, this is how sin mutates within us commencing as a lifeless innocent thought; once we have acted on that evil thought, it transforms us to unhealthy people.  Paul exhorts us not to allow such things in our lives, as the enormity of its influence causes us and others to stumble, leading to destructive behaviors.  1 Corinthians 5:7 he says, “Get rid of the old yeast! Then you will be like fresh bread made without yeast (unleaven bread), and this is what you are.  Proverb 28:13 says, If you do not confess your sins, you will be a failure. But God will be merciful if you confess your sins and give them up.

Consequently, this led me to examine myself to search for those things that displeased God, like being prideful, stubborn, resentful, harboring unresolved anger, not having self-control, and being self-centered.  2 Corinthians 5:13 Paul says, “Test yourselves and find out if you really are true to your faith.  If you pass the test, you will discover that Christ is living in you.  Otherwise, pray that God will help you overcome these short comings in your life.  Pray that He shows you those things in your life that are displeasing to Him.  God will forgive it all; He perfectly comprehends where we are, and what leads us from missing His mark.  There is nothing too hard for Him.  He loves you and wants to get you out of your distress. 
Now, take a moment to reflect on your life, and let the Lord lead you to a place where you can bear good fruit.    

God’s 66 love letters enriches, empowers, and encourages us all.  What an Awesome God He is to have taken the time to write to us all!

+Encourage Women to Stand in Faith