Salt & Light

I found this devotion at the Daily Encourager (InJesus) and it was so challenging.

Salt and Light

"Salt is good; but if the salt becomes unsalty, with what will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another." Matthew 9:50

Some of the characteristics of salt are:

1) It Enhances flavor, adds richness to a otherwise bland food.
2) It Preserves.
3) It Restores balance.

When a person is injured, we pump saline (which is a salt water solution) into them in order to restore balance to their system. The body needs sodium and potassium in order to survive. The nervous system conducts electricity by pumping salt in and potassium out of the cells of your body. Salt is an essential nutrient for the survival of the body.

We, as Christians ARE the body, therefore we need salt in order to survive. We are to be the lifeblood of the church. We can only conduct electricity by getting up and actively pursuing people and sharing our faith.

As Christians, we are called on to be salt and light to the world. We are called to enhance and enrich the lives of others by bringing the love of Christ into an otherwise bland and drab existence. We are called on to preserve the way of Christ; not only to preserve it, but to live it. If we are not living it, we are casting our salt under the feet of others to be trodden and destroyed.

We are called to restore balance to a dying world. We are not able to find peace and balance by our own accord. The only way we can find peace is to call on the name Jesus, Lord and Savior, Prince of Peace, Emanuel, Almighty God. It is when we realize our depravity and the need to have salt to enhance our lives, that we can truly taste and partake in the Salt of the world.

My question is this, are you the salt shaker who sits on the table, happy and content to have the salt sitting there, bound up inside, or are you the person who picks up the salt shaker and shakes the salt into the world?

Carl Holmes
http://www.dailywisdom.com/

Interesting Visit

The pope arrived in Portugal yesterday for a 3 day visit. 

I now attend a school downtown, so as I walked to class yesterday, many of the streets were blocked off, parts of the metro system were closed and the city workers were frantically cleaning the sidewalks and flower beds after an overnight rainstorm.  The streets had never looked so clean!

The pope visited a local famous monestary and then addressed a crowd of 1,000s near the river. We were curious to see what the response of the Portuguese would be.  They turned out in large number to hear him speak, as well as lined the roads to see him pass by in his popemobile.  It was almost a rock-star atmosphere.

The most interesting thing was the conversation that occured in my class today.  I am now in class with 2 franciscan monks from Guinea–Bissau. (Portuguese is the offical language there, but not necessarily the spoken language, so they are here learning proper grammer.)  It was interesting to hear their impressions of the pope's visit and then we discussed some of the differences in our beliefs - very interesting.

I pray for more opportunities to discuss faith and church with these men.

Happy Mother's Day!

We are so blessed! 

 Happy Mother's Day to our mothers Nancy & Diane. 

We love you!

Unexplainable – (Anonymous)

A Mother's love is something

that no on can explain,

It is made of deep devotion

and of sacrifice and pain,

It is endless and unselfish

and enduring come what may
For nothing can destroy it

or take that love away . . .

It is patient and forgiving

when all others are forsaking,

And it never fails or falters

even though the heart is breaking . . .

It believes beyond believing

when the world around condemns,

And it glows with all the beauty

of the rarest, brightest gems . . .

It is far beyond defining,

it defies all explanation,

And it still remains a secret

like the mysteries of creation . . .

A many splendoured miracle

man cannot understand

And another wondrous evidence

of God's tender guiding hand.

The Language God Speaks

The other day I was reading a devotional written by Max Lucado and it really grabbed my attention-I guess because it was written about LANGUAGE!!

"There is no language that God will not speak. Which leads us to a delightful question. What language is He speaking to you? I'm not referring to an idiom or dialect but to the day-to-day drama of your life....
There are times He speaks the "language of abundance." Is your tummy full? Are your bills paid? Got a little jingle in your pocket? Don't be so proud of what you have that you miss what you need to hear. Could it be you have much so you can give much?
Or how about the "language of affliction?" Talk about an idiom we avoid. But you and I both know how clearly God speaks in hospital hallways and sickbeds.
God speaks all languages-including yours....What language is God speaking to you?"  (Max Lucado-He Chose the Nails)