Embrace the Within no. 124

“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has lost its taste (purpose), how can it be made salty? It is no longer good for anything, but to be thrown out and walked on by people [when the walkways are wet and slippery]."

Matthew 5:13 AMP

Salt gets a bad reputation these days. When folks find out I mix salt.in my with water, I get strange looks and questions. BUT salt has an important purpose. Salt is crucial for hydration. When salt is placed in every food, the salt is no longer being used for its intended purpose and folks want to get rid of all of it.

We need to remain focused on our purpose. When we want to be all things to all people, we are going to find that folks no longer find God through our walk. Instead, our walk will lead folks into problems and away from The Truth.

“Your lives are like salt among the people. But if you, like salt, become bland, how can your ‘saltiness’ be restored? Flavorless salt is good for nothing and will be thrown out and trampled on by others."

Matthew 5:13 TPT

Additionally, if we lose our focus on The Way of the Lord, we lose our ability to be Ambassadors for His Kingdom. Our focus is important to keep us useful in His Kingdom. Without our focus, we will find ourselves outside of His Will and useful for nothing.

"Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt haue lost his sauour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be troden vnder foote of men."

Matthew 5:13 GNV

How can we find our purpose once we lose it? No other place works like returning to the source of our purpose. Returning to The Word, conversation with Him, and fellowship with brothers and sisters will get our focus restored. Turning away.from those things can allow us to fall out of purpose.

At that time Yeshua [God is Salvation] said to his disciples: “You are salt in the world. If the salt is neutralized in regard to its taste with what will it be salted? It is fit for nothing but to be cast outside to be trampled underfoot”.

Matthew 5:13 NMV

Let us not be trampled. Let us not be cast aside. Let us focus on our purpose and not waiver.

“You are salt for the Land. But if salt becomes tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything except being thrown out for people to trample on."

Mattityahu (Mat) 5:13 CJB

I pray that I retain my flavor for The Word. I pray that I will not lose focus on my purpose as an Ambassador of His Kingdom. And if I do begin to lose my flavor, that reading, praying, and fellowship will return me to my purpose.

I love you. I forgive you. Have a blessed and abundant day!

#ThinkBetter #BeBetter #NoGodsNoMasters #NoKingButChrist #EmbraceTheWithin #NotMyWayYHWH

Embrace the Within no. 121

“Blessed [morally courageous and spiritually alive with life-joy in God’s goodness] are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil things against you because of [your association with] Me. Be glad and exceedingly joyful, for your reward in heaven is great [absolutely inexhaustible]; for in this same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Matthew 5:11-12 AMP

The idea of persecution for following the Way of the Lord is the emphasis again in this section of the Sermon on the Mount. If I am falsely accused of any evil because of my following Jesus, then I should be filled with joy in the Spirit. I shouldn’t look to defend myself from slander or fire back with accusations or taunts. I shouldn’t fight dirty. I should go high when others go low because my belief and my strength is from God and not from words. “How blessed you are when people insult [The Aramaic is “criticize you” (1 Peter 3:14; Acts 5:41). The Hebrew Matthew is “for the Righteous One”] and persecute you and speak all kinds of cruel lies about you because of your love for me [See Ps. 119:85–87. We are to live in such a way that people have to lie when they speak evil of a believer in Christ]! So leap for joy—since your heavenly reward is great. For you are being rejected the same way the prophets were before you.”

Matthew 5:11-12 TPT

Folks are going to reject the Word because of me at times. Rather than judging the Word on its merit, folks will choose to judge the Word of God based upon my merit. Folks will create reasons to not believe the message based upon the messenger. It is much easier for them to negate me because I have done a lot that is wrong. It is much easier for me to be the problem in the delivery than to find fault with God.

“The arrogant (godless) have dug pits for me, Men who do not conform to Your law. All Your commandments are faithful and trustworthy. They have persecuted me with a lie; help me [Lord ]! They had almost destroyed me on earth, But as for me, I did not turn away from Your precepts.”

Psalms 119:85-87

When I am attacked by the godless, I need to remember that God is for me. I need to remain faithful to his commandments and trust that He is still in control. And that sounds really simple until you are under attack from the godless heathens I encounter daily. I need Your strength to carry me through at times. I need to not turn from You. I need to dig even deeper into your grace, mercy, and understanding.

“Blessed shall ye be when men reuile you, and persecute you, and say all maner of euill against you for my sake, falsely. Reioyce and be glad, for great is your reward in heauen: for so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you.”

Matthew 5:11-12 GNV

I am by no means a prophet BUT I will also face the same type of treatment from the world. When I bring the Truth to liars, what else can I expect. The prophets brought the truth to Israel and found contempt. How much more contempt will I face when bringing the Truth to someone with no history of God. Someone with no lineage that ties him or her to God is going to be even less inclined to hear the Truth. In this day when we can have personal truth and “your truth is not my truth” is spoken even by members of churches, how much more difficult is the Truth going to be hated? “Blessed (Favored by God; happy; prosperous) are you when they persecute and revile you and say all kinds of evil against you for my sake, but speak falsely”. “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is very great in heaven; for thus they persecuted the prophets who were before you”.

Matthew 5:11-12 NMV

God is happy when I am obedient to His commands. When I am doing what He wants in accordance with His Word, then I find His favor. And that is reward enough for me. Yet, I am also promised a reward in the life on the other side of death. I can rejoice in and be glad that my God is the God that is faithful and constant.

'“How blessed you are when people insult you and persecute you and tell all kinds of vicious lies about you because you follow me! 'Rejoice, be glad, because your reward in heaven is great — they persecuted the prophets before you in the same way.”

Mattityahu (Mat) 5:11-12 CJB

I pray today that no matter what others say that I stay the course in the Way of the Lord. No matter what men and women may say. No matter what lies and evil come from godless lips, I will continue to follow the Lord. And I will follow joyfully as an Ambassador of the Kingdom of Heaven.

I love you. I forgive you. Have a blessed and abundant day!

#ThinkBetter #BeBetter #NoGodsNoMasters #NoKingButChrist #EmbraceTheWithin #NotMyWayYHWH