Daily Devotional for Wednesday January 15, 2020

Are you being the "salt?"

(Matthew 5:13)

***DAILY PERSONAL PRAYER FOR YOU: Dear Lord, Thank You for your blessings. I admit so much of the time I take most of them for granted, but today, I want to acknowledge Your love for me and the many blessings You bestow upon me each and every day. It is easy to say Thank You, but more important to Thank You in how I live my life each day. Give me your strength to live my life pleasing and acceptable to You during this day. In Jesus name I pray...AMEN!

***THE DAILY LIVEPRAYER TV NUGGET: I have talked much about how our states have morphed into the equivalent of a mafia crime family. Look at how they are raising money. Most states, more coming, are dealing drugs since marijuana is still a schedule 1 drug according to the US government. ALL 50 states are overseeing gambling operations of every kind, getting their “cut” off the top. You can certainly make the case that all 50 states are in the extortion business at varying degrees via their tax schemes. During this year you will see many states begin to legalize or decriminalize prostitution making them in essence “pimps.” I am well aware some may be uneasy with this analogy but here is why it is very legitimate. Much of these types of “moral crimes” are referred to non-violent and choices adults should be able to make for themselves that don’t hurt anyone else. This would include the choice to consume drugs, gamble, purchase someone for sex. These activities destroy lives and they end up harming EVERYONE involved. To say otherwise is simply a lie! That is the most disgusting aspect of this issue. States having become involved in these “revenue generating” operations, are generating that revenue on the destroyed lives of its’ citizens. They are legalizing activities that used to be crimes to generate revenues for the state and helping to destroy lives in the process. Yes, I have used the words “destroyed lives” over and over because every day at Liveprayer for 20+ years, we deal with lives destroyed by these activities that used to be criminal and states are now legalizing for a few dollars of revenues they require due to their irresponsible fiscal decisions.

*Don’t miss the Liveprayer TV program, airing “LIVE” every Monday thru Friday from 11pm EDT to Midnight! For details on viewing options for the Liveprayer TV program, “LIVE” or “On Demand,” go to: https://liveprayer.com/liveprayer-show-about.cfm

Are you being “salt?” Science by far was my worst subject is school. I am not sure why, but God didn't seem to bless me with many gifts in that area. I do remember though, that salt was used in the days of Jesus as a preservative to keep germs from destroying food. So when Jesus told us to be the "salt of the earth," in essence, He was saying that we were to act as a spiritual preservative.

I have often thought about this command of our Lord as I look at our country in the year 2020. There is a paradox that really troubles me. On the one hand, we have more churches, more para-church ministries, incredible resources like Christian television, radio, magazines, books, commit billions of dollars annually to promote the Gospel.

On the other hand abortions continue daily, legalized gambling is a part of our daily culture, the adult entertainment industry is growing by 25% annually, divorce rates are at an all-time high as many marriage have become a legal joke, the problems with our children are well documented, suicides have been up at an alarming rate over the past 5 years.

Do you see my point? Common sense would dictate that the Christian influence would be affecting our society in a positive direction, yet that is not the case.

A few weeks ago on the TV program, I shared a statement by a Bishop in the Church of England. He definitively states, Culture trumps the Bible!” Sadly, he was being serious and even worse, much of the church has adopted this lie from the pits of hell giving rise to the “fake church.” Instead of the church leading the culture (being the salt), culture is leading the church!

The comforting fact is that despite the negative trends of our society, can you imagine the chaos and utter rebellion we would live in without the increased Christian influence? As many negatives as I may be able to point out, I want to tell you today that it is ONLY the influence of God's people that has kept our society from total depravity.

God's people HAVE been the "salt of the earth" and acted as a preservative, or we would be living in a much different world. There is no place in my Bible that tells me we will live in a world that is void of sin and rebellion, since "we have all fallen short of the glory of God." Jesus never promised that we would live in such a place on earth, and even prepared his disciples for that fact just hours before his death when he told them that in this world they WOULD have many trials and tribulations.

Until our work here is finished, and we are called home to be with the Lord for eternity, we are expected to be His "salt," His "light," in this sin-filled, dark world!!!

My challenge to you this day is simple. Are you being the "salt of the earth" Jesus has called you to be? Are we acting as a spiritual preservative, or are we just watching the decay around us? God has given you gifts, talents, abilities to act as a spiritual preservative during this life. This is not an option, or something we choose to do if we feel like it. When you accepted Christ as your Savior, it became your responsibility as a child of God to act as a preserving agent in the world you live in.

It is no accident you live where you live, work or go to school where you do, recreate and shop where you do, God has strategically placed you exactly where He wants you to be at this point in time in your life. He needs His "salt" in all places since sin has infested every corner of the world.

I will be praying for you today that God quickens this word to your spirit and you get a complete understanding of how important your life is. That is why no matter how many people God may use an individual or ministry to reach, it is still just a drop in the ocean.

EACH ONE OF GOD'S CHILDREN HAVE A CRITICAL ROLE TO PLAY AS HIS SALT, SINCE GOD USES YOU TO TOUCH LIVES NOBODY ELSE MAY BE ABLE TO TOUCH.

Focus today on how important you are to the Lord, and the calling He has placed on your life each day to be the "salt of the earth" where He has placed you.

I love you, and I care about you so much. It is only in fulfilling our God-given purpose of serving Him and glorifying Him with our lives that we can know the true peace, joy and abundance of this life. Everything else is counterfeit and temporary. I pray that you will be richly blessed today as you take this challenge and focus on allowing God to use you each and every day to serve Him as you His “salt!!!”

In His love and service,

Your friend and brother in Christ,

Bill Keller