Project Initiation – Why? https://thethankfulrevolution.com/portfolio/biblical-exploration-we-are-the-salt-and-light/
What does God say about us being salt and light?
Take a look at the following declarations about who we are:
I am the salt of the earth. Matthew 5:13
I am the light of the world. Matthew 5:14
It is important to do a deep dive into why Jesus ministered to His followers that we are the salt of the earth and light in this world. There is significance in this message that we must explore. First, let’s see the foundational scripture:
Matthew 5:13-16 (GOD’S WORD Translation)
URL Source Link: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%205%3A13-16&version=GW
God’s People Make a Difference in the World
13 “You are salt for the earth. But if salt loses its taste, how will it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled on by people.
14 “You are light for the world. A city cannot be hidden when it is located on a hill. 15 No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket. Instead, everyone who lights a lamp puts it on a lamp stand. Then its light shines on everyone in the house. 16 In the same way let your light shine in front of people. Then they will see the good that you do and praise your Father in heaven.
As we continue in our Biblical and Spiritual exploration it will be filled with great joy and revelation.
“Salt and light are images used by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount, one of the main teachings of Jesus on morality and discipleship. These images in Matthew 5:13, 14, 15 and 16 immediately follow the Beatitudes and are often interpreted as referring to Jesus‘ expectations of his disciples.” URL Source Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salt_and_light#:~:text=Salt%20and%20light%20are%20images,Jesus’%20expectations%20of%20his%20disciples.
Salt enhances the flavor of food and is used as a preservative. Salt is used in God’s covenants and as a cleansing agent.
Ought ye not to know that the LORD God of Israel gave the kingdom over Israel to David for ever, even to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt?
Ezekiel 16:4 Amplified Version
4 And as for your birth, on the day you were born your navel cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water for cleansing, nor were you rubbed with salt or even wrapped in cloths.
Light dispels darkness and indicates that we truly are in one accord with God.
1 John 1:5-7 The Voice
5 What we are telling you now is the very message we heard from Him: God is pure light, undimmed by darkness of any kind. 6 If we say we have an intimate connection with the Father but we continue stumbling around in darkness, then we are lying because we do not live according to truth. 7 If we walk step by step in the light, where the Father is, then we are ultimately connected to each other through the sacrifice of Jesus His Son. His blood purifies us from all our sins.
Got Questions Ministries provides the following video to further explain what does it mean for believers to be salt and light.
URL Source: https://www.gotquestions.org/salt-and-light.html
On 11.15.20 The All Spice Seasoning Life Lessons from God was discussed with one of my best friends – As we traverse this life’s journey when we marinate in God’s proper season then we become elevated into a new realm or reality, accomplishment, and revelation. We are God’s Gumbo: The All Spice Lessons Learned in my travels to know God more. Below, Tosha sent a picture of the salad she put together to dive into after our conversation. She was reminded how a good seasoning enhances the tastiness of a good meal and I concurred that a well seasoned meal is one that causes you to not want to stop eating.
The Thankful Revolution rejoices with you and looks forward to continuing to encourage, edify, educate, and inspire as we traverse along our life’s pathway and choices. Enjoy the journey!
Continue to stay tuned for more on the meaning of LIFE as we explore Biblical Truths one word at a time, one scripture at a time, one moment in time, …let’s eat that daily bread! Selah, Shalom, Amen Indeed Miriam a.k.a. Essence of Myrrh Proverbs 3:5-6 Subscribe, Bookmark, Save, Share, Comment, Like, and Enjoy how N.O.W. = New-Beginnings is our Witness can be yours today through one daily Myrrhism Word/Message at a time.
The Thankful Revolution 
Biblical Exploration: We are Salt and Light Project from The Thankful Revolution: URL Link https://thethankfulrevolution.com/portfolio/biblical-exploration-we-are-the-salt-and-light/comment-page-1/#comment-2447
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Daily Devotional:
Wednesday, July 28, 2021
Salty in a Good Way
“Salt is good for seasoning. But if it loses its flavor, how do you make it salty again?” (Luke 14:34 NLT).
In the Roman culture, salt was extremely valuable. It was so valuable, in fact, that salt was a form of payment—hence the expression, “He’s not worth his salt.”
Jesus said, “Salt is good for seasoning. But if it loses its flavor, how do you make it salty again? Flavorless salt is good neither for the soil nor for the manure pile. It is thrown away. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!” (Luke 14:34-35 NLT).
Jesus was saying that you’re valuable, and your life makes a difference. On the other hand, what good is salt that isn’t salty? It’s like Christians who aren’t making an impact on their culture.
Obviously, salt makes a difference. A little pinch of salt in something can help enhance its flavor. Among other things, salt stimulates thirst. When you’re eating popcorn during a movie, for instance, you realize that you’re really thirsty.
In the same way, when you’re living a godly life, you should stimulate in others a thirst for Jesus Christ. People should be able to look at your life as a believer and know what you stand for and what your convictions are. It also should cause them to want what you have.
So when Jesus said that we are the salt of the earth, He was saying that our lives should make a difference wherever we are.
Paul wrote to the church in Corinth, “Clearly, you are a letter from Christ showing the result of our ministry among you. This ‘letter’ is written not with pen and ink, but with the Spirit of the living God. It is carved not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts” (2 Corinthians 3:3 NLT).
For more relevant and biblical teaching from Pastor Greg Laurie, go to http://www.harvest.org
and
Listen to Greg Laurie’s daily broadcast on OnePlace.com.
Watch Greg Laurie’s weekly television broadcast on LightSource.com.
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Impacting the World
by Dr. Gary Linton | Updated March 2nd, 2021
URL Link: https://www.ministrymaker.com/impacting-the-world
We will never be able to make a real impact on our society through legislation and programs alone. Things done in the flesh are doomed to failure. They must be done through Jesus and in the power of the Holy Spirit. This is how the early disciples turned the world upside down (Acts 17:6).
“The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God” (2 Corinthians 10:4-5).
The church has often been too much like Lot. As Lot, our faith is personal and private – we are not really interested in impacting our society. We are only serious about our personal peace and affluence. Jesus said two things about who we are to be as His followers:
The Light of the World – Matthew 5:14-16
“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
Paul said we were to shine forth as light (luminaries) in the midst of this crooked and perverse generation (Philippians 2:15). In doing so Peter said we show forth to the world the praises of Him who has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9). Jesus said we are not to hide this light, as so many do, but let it shine for all to see.
As the moon has no light of its own and merely reflects the light of the sun, so we have no light of our own and merely reflect the light of the Son – Jesus. Your light may seem dim in the midst of your other brothers and sisters in Christ, but when you get out into the darkness of the world even the dimmest light among us shines forth brightly.
While hanging in the darkness the dimmest light shines bright. We become like those we are around (1 Corinthians 15:33). In order to keep our light trim and bright we must spend time around God’s people as well. They are the ones in whom God dwells. They help us to keep our lights lit and bright. Godet said, “One torch serves to light another.”
The Salt of the Earth – Matthew 5:13
“You are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.”
There are a number of things about salt that reveal to us the impact we can make on society if we will just be what God has called us to be. Here are a few interesting facts about salt:
Salt is a preservative. It preserves what would otherwise decay. Before the days of refrigeration, people would pack meat in salt to preserve it. In the absence of salt, bacteria causes meat to go bad. Our job is to be on the meat and not just having a good time in the saltshaker (church). We have so much fun in the saltshaker that we allow the meat to go bad. Don’t get me wrong, church is not supposed to be dead and boring. We are to have a lively and fun time in church, but that is to motivate us to do our job and go outside the doors of the church to get on the meat.
Salt stimulates growth. In Jesus’ day, farmers mixed salt with soil to enhance productivity. We are to be productive, to produce righteousness in our society, and an increase in the body of Christ by reproducing ourselves (John. 15:16). If we are not producing then we are not being the salt God intends us to be.
Salt produces thirst. Taverns provide an abundance of salty snacks. They don’t provide them because they’re nice guys, they simply know that those snacks make people thirsty and then their customers will purchase more to drink. If we are being the salt Jesus says we are to be, the world will become thirsty for what we have and see Jesus as the only one who can satisfy their thirsty souls (John.4:13).
Salt heals. Salt gets rid of impurities. I remember as a young child when I had a sore throat my mother would have me gargle with salt water. The church is to be a spiritual hospital that provides healing for a wounded society (Galatians 6:1; Luke. 4:18-19).
Salt intensifies heat. My wife informed me of how instructions with some pastas call for salt to be added. The addition of salt makes the temperature of the water boil hotter and more rapidly. We are to boil hotter for God and turn up the heat in the world.
Salt adds taste (Matthew 5:13). When salt is added to food it gives the food a more colorful taste and makes it less bland. Jesus said that salt can become tasteless and when it does it’s good for nothing but to be trampled under the foot of man. When salt is mixed with another substance it changes. The other substance doesn’t become salty but the potency of the salt is diminished to the point that it may not even be seen or tasted. This is why we can’t have, as our source of fellowship, the world. We must be in and around the world to affect it, but the world can’t be what we consistently fellowship with (1 Corinthians 15:33).
Salt penetrates. In Indiana our roads are often salted during the winter to melt ice and we see the result in some of our older vehicles as rust eats through the body of the cars. We are to penetrate the kingdom of darkness and the hearts of mankind. If we’re not impacting and penetrating the world, then something is wrong. We are not being what Jesus has called us to be. Let’s be the light and salt we are called to be as Jesus’ disciples. Let it be said of us, “These that have turned the world upside down have come here also” (Acts 17:6).
Prayer: Lord, help us to be the light of this world and salt of the earth You intended us to be. We know it is only possible through You divine aid and the work of Your Holy Spirit in our life. We are dependent on You and You alone. In Jesus name. Amen!
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The scripture compares the child of God to salt and light. Both being agents of change. Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid (Matt. 5:13-14). URL Source: https://www.christianity.com/devotionals/bible-pathway-ministries/bible-pathway-june-5-2013.html?utm_source=Bible%20Pathway&utm_campaign=Bible%20Pathways%20-%20Christianity.com&utm_medium=email&utm_content=4871669&recip=506679457
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Being Salty
By Debbie Holloway
You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men (Matthew 5:13).
I think sometimes we get so used to our familiar metaphors, we fail to let their significance really sink in. What Christian hasn’t proclaimed brightly: “We’re salt and light!”? And yet, do we really think about the significance of that imagery? In a faith tradition where we have so many great metaphors and allegories, let’s remember to ponder this one that Jesus coined.
What does it mean to be “the salt of the earth”?
Salt Enhances
As we know too well in our sodium-filled modern world, salt makes things taste better. But condiment connoisseurs will make sure to explain that salt, when used properly, brings out the flavor already present in the food itself. Unlike pepper, which was used in ancient times to mask distasteful rotting and souring in foods such as meat, salt only enhances what’s there.
As Christians, we aren’t here to blot out the colors and flavors around us. We’re not here to ignore or destroy what we see and replace it with something else. Rather, we are to be (tasty) ambassadors of Christ on a mission to draw out and display goodness. God made a good world, and, though fallen, it’s still good! We still have the breath of life from God inside us. So let’s remember to point to the truth and be the people who enhance and brighten wherever we go, not overpower our surroundings like too much pepper.
Salt Preserves
Before the age of refrigeration, how did people preserve perishable food? That’s right: salt. Something about packing meat with salt slows down the process of decay, making it easier to store, transport, and save meat without it going rancid right away.
Likewise, let us as the salt of the earth remember to preserve what is good. In matters of justice and stewardship, Christians should be front and center to fight for what is right, what is safe, and what brings life to the world around us. Our homes, families, and communities should be solid and fresh, not rotting and fetid.
If we fail to protect and preserve, what good are we? If we fail to enhance the flavor of what’s around us, there’s nothing left for us “except to be thrown out” (so to speak).
Intersecting Faith and Life: Be a pleasant taste and a force for good, and those around you will “praise your Father in Heaven” (Matthew 5:16).
Further Reading
Matthew 5
Colossians 4:6
Mark 9:50
URL Source: https://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/crosswalk-devo/crosswalk-the-devotional-april-23-2014.html?utm_source=Christianity.com%20Daily%20Inspirations&utm_campaign=Christianity.com%20Daily%20Inspirations&utm_medium=email&utm_content=4643966&recip=506679457
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Please check out this website: https://iamthesalt.com/
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