Wednesday, November 10, 2010

What Do You Season With

Some use salt and pepper, and then there are others like myself that likes to use a little Tony's, for those of you who eat bland that would be Tony Chatchere's pronounced (sat chur rees). You should try it, it will add some spice to your life.

Speaking of our lives, we as Christians are suppose to be the salt and the light of the world. We are suppose to go out and season the world with the Word of God. We are to take the Word to those who need healing, who need to be delivered from the enemy's attacks, who need to be delivered from lack in their lives. Those who are lost and can't seem to find their way in this world.

We are told to share the love of God with all of our neighbors. Far and near. The people we work with, the people we see in the grocery store, the people we see at the gym.

You never know who is walking around in darkness, and then when you let your light shine, when you flavor their lives so to speak with your salt, then you just may be keeping someone from destruction by the enemy. You see the enemy can't stand to be around the light. He is blinded by the light. The light throws him off track. So if we keep our light shining brightly instead of hidden under the bushel basket like the word talks about, then we can show someone the way out. It only takes a small beam of light to break darkness. AMEN!

Then the next step is to share our salt. Share the word with them, so that they may be well seasoned the next time the enemy comes up against them. Invite them to church with you, and if they have a church already, encourage them to read the word each day, so that they may stay strong.

I am going to give you the scriptures out of the message bible today, so you can get a good picture of what the word is saying.

Matthew 5 v 13-16....."Let me tell you why you are here. You're here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You've lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage.
Here's another way to put it: You're here to be light, bringing out the God colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I''m putting you on a light stand. Now that I've put you there on a hill-top, on a light stand----SHINE! Keep open house, be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven......

For those who don't need that much spice, here is the word in the NKJ version.

Matthew 5 v 13-16....."You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.....

God will get the glory when you shine your light and salt the earth. So don't be afraid to use your salt, be generous with it. You will never over season with God's salt. AMEN! And there can never be too much light when darkness is trying to take over. AMEN!

Like our pastor said Sunday, if you never pick up the salt shaker and sprinkle it on your food, you will never taste the salt. It doesn't do you any good just sitting on the table in its container. AMEN!

You need to share your seasoning with others. Make sure your seasoning is good seasoning and not something that has gone bad. In other words don't share the bad news, only the GOOD NEWS. THE GOSPEL. AMEN!

STAY IN THE WORD!

Exchanging Seeds

If you do any gardening at all, you know that in order to grow something you have to put seed in the ground. Then depending on the soil of the ground and the care that the seed is given after being sown will tell when bloom time or harvest time comes.

Gardeners like to share their seeds and exchange with each other so that they have a variety of plants and flowers. However the art of saving seeds and exchanging is being lost to the easy trip down to the store to buy already potted flowers and plants.

What about the seeds we sow into others lives each day with our words? Do you plant seeds in the hearts of those you come into contact with? Or do you just leave it for the pastor or the priest or the evangelist to do?

God says there will always be a seed time and a harvest. He says some plant the seeds, some water and then some harvest. We can all plant seeds. But we may not be the one to water or harvest.

Genesis 8 v 22..."While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, Winter and summer, and day and night shall not cease.".....

John 4 v 37-38...For in this the saying is true; "One sows and another reaps. I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors......

God did not say to brow beat someone into receiving Him or His word. He said to share the good news with them. To share His love and the Father's love for them. Sometimes we just want people to immediately receive the Word and make a change. But that is not always the case.

You will never put a seed in a pot and then stand back and watch it sprout immediately. The seed needs nourishing and caring to come to that point. Different seeds take different amounts of time to germinate, no matter how much water or care you give it, the seed will not germinate before its time.

God knows each of us and He knows when our hearts will become one with His. He knew us before we were ever a seed planted in our mother's wombs.

Jer. 1 v 5..."Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations".........

God knows our hearts so He knows the type of soil that seeds will be sown into. Don't be discouraged or become aggravated with a loved one or someone who you think has not received your seed. Instead, you need to nourish that seed with prayer and love. Don't keep pushing on it, you will push it so far down into the soil that it will not be able to spring forth and germinate.

Just like when planting seeds in your herb bed, the seeds you plant in someone's life does not need pressure to grow, it needs to be gently laid just below the surface of the soil. In other words when you share the good news of God's love with love, the seed will come to germinate.

The most important thing to remember is to never sow weeds in with your seeds. Remember your words are your seeds. Only sow good seeds. AMEN!

STAY IN THE WORD!