From Dream to Deliverance
Tuesday, September 28, 2004
My Prayer Today
Dear Lord, I thank You for Your love and power that is at work in my life. You have permeated my life with Your truth. I ask that I would be able to permeate someone else's life the the truth of Jesus Christ. I want to be like salt to those who are in need of Your grace and mercy. I ask that You would help me today to glorify You in everything. May my life give flavor to someone else today. In Your name I pray . . .Amen.
God's Word For Me Today
Matthew 5:13-16
13 "You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make salt useful again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. 14 You are the light of the world -- like a city on a mountain, glowing in the night for all to see. 15 Don't hide your light under a basket! Instead, put it on a stand and let it shine for all. 16 In the same way, let you good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father."
Reflecting on God’s Word
According to verse 13, what image does Jesus offer concerning our Christian witness?
What are the previous characteristics that we have discussed about salt in these Bible Readings?
Can you think of another characteristic of salt?
A Deeper Exploration of God’s Word
How does salt "permeate?" Give examples.
How should Christians permeate godlessness in our culture?
How often should we permeate our culture with the "salt" of Christianity?
Understanding God’s Word
If salt gives flavor to food, how do we as Christians give flavor to life?
Share how a Christian has given "salt" which has permeated your life.
Applying God’s Word to Our Lives
What are some things that you can do today to give "flavor" to your environment?
How can you permeate godlessness with the light of Jesus Christ today?
What is a specific thing you can do to give flavor to a non-Christian friend's life?
Thoughts...
A few years ago I was driving in the middle of an ice storm on my way to school. As the roads became worse and worse, I decided to turn around and go home. As I turned around, I found myself at the bottom of a large hill unable to make my way back up. With a very light car I was stuck at the bottom of a valley, without any where to go. My tires simply would not get the traction needed to climb the hill. I then decided to walk up the hill to a local country store a purchase some salt. With this large bag of salt I was able to pour it on the hill in front of my car to get enough traction so that my tires would take hold of the ground. My tires did eventually take hold of this salt because it had permeated the ice, and I was able to drive away by way of a side road. Without the salt permeating the ice, it would have been a very long day at the bottom of that valley.
Jesus says in Matthew 5:13 that "You (we) are the salt of the earth." One of the characteristics of salt is that it permeates. Salt has the unique ability to permeate food to give it flavor, and it can permeate ice to melt it. Without ice, there would me many slippery winter roads and many meals that would taste quite bland. We as Christians are also called to give flavor to our culture by permeating it with the gospel of Jesus Christ. As we speak the truth in love and live our lives in a way that honors God, our witness will be like salt to those who need rescued from life's dark valleys. When we show others the love of Jesus Christ, God uses our lives to be as salt. I challenge you today to ask God that He would use you to be able to permeate someone's life with the truth of Jesus.