July 20, 2018

 July 20, 2018

Judy Hollaway

April 13

Running with Jesus

Luke 14:34-35a Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned? It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out.  

(“Salt is a good thing. But if the salt loses its salty taste, you can’t make it salty again. It is worthnothing. You can’t even use it as dirt or dung. People just throw it away.)

                  "Don't Lose Your Influence!"

                 Most people probably think of salt as simply a white granular food seasoning. In fact, did you know only 6% of all salt manufactured goes into food? Apparently we use salt in more than 14,000 different ways from the making of products as varied as plastic, paper, glass, polyester, rubber and fertilizers to household bleach, soaps, detergents and dyes. Salt acts as a preservative in foods. Too much salt can ruin the taste of food but just the right amount can make you want a little or a lot more of the food it is in. 

               For the Christian God wants us to be salty. He wants our lives to be able to have a powerful influence on those around us.

                It is so easy to lose that influence. One word spoken in haste, one bad choice can destroy our witness.  Not only choices affect us and others, but not walking daily with God weakens our faith. When our faith is weak and those crosses of life come we are called to bear, others will watch us to see how we handle them. To lose our flavor as this verse says we are good for nothing in the kingdom. For salt to lose its savor it has to be diluted! 

                Hum!!! Let's think about this one!  Am I a diluted Christian? Satan will little by little pull us into activities and life and before long we drop out of church. Then we go back to old life styles, the Bible is placed where you can't remember. It may just be collecting dust on your table. You glance and say I should read it later. Before long we become diluted and non effective. You seldom talk to God! Yes,old Satan has you right where he wants you! On his team! Started small, you didn't mean too, and you didn't plan it! 

                  So what do you do, go home where you belong. The father is waiting. It may take a little while to get the savor back but you can.

Father, keep us salty and make us aware what we do and say dilutes our witness. Help us be aware of the small things he is trying to lure us into to take us away from You and Your kingdom work. Open our eyes to see where we are on our walk.

                 Walking toward Calvary or away from Calvary! Walking toward enhances our savor and walking away dilutes us! Which way are you walking? "Let's have a Think!"

Tomorrow:  Listening! I love eaves dropping on Jesus conversations! Don't you?! When you read and study walk down into the Bible, don't stay on the surface, become a character in each setting! Travel town to town!