Soggy Potato Chip

My family sat around the coffee table while watching a movie! My husband brought out a huge bag of chips for all of us to share. As we ate our chips I grabbed one, and guess what? The chip was licked clean, and I ate it! Everyone else had their own bowl except for me! I wasn’t paying attention because I was busy watching the movie. Every chip my daughter took out of the bag, she licked the salt and put it back in the bag! This reminded me of something that I read in Matthew 5:13 “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 underfoot.” We bring God glory when we fellowship with one another! When we come together, our conversations should be Christ-like seasoned with salt (Colossians 4:6)! If there is just enough salt, then our conversations will be fruitful and rich bringing light in every circumstance! When we bring the best out of each other, God’s goodness overflows and blesses everyone who is near! We are the salt preserving relationship through Jesus!” We glorify God when we Unit together in Him.

My daughter craved the salt on the chip and knew exactly where to find the chips! But, instead of throwing the chip away, she put it back in the bag! Not only did the chip lose its saltiness, it was soggy! There is nothing I can do to make this taste better! The soggy chip experience, Not only tasted horrible, it made me lose my appetite for another chips! As believers who love God and each other, we don’t want to become like a saltless soggy chip who lose their saltiness! In 1 Corinthians 3:9, “For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building”. We are not only the light but the salt too! When you add just enough salt, it brings out the natural flavors in our food! If you add water, your food is bland and flavorless! Salt is a physical example of what we do for each other by bringing out the best in our relationships with each other!

1 Timothy 4:12 (NIV) “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.” Salt is a preservative too! We are to preserve the truth! We can’t add water to God’s word by living your life the opposite of the way Jesus told us to do. He is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6) the opposite of that is death! We need to live the example of how Jesus lived and abide in Him! You are living out being an example when you choose truth! We can’t serve two masters, you will love one and hate the other! When we live your life for Jesus, you will begin to see life differently! Wherever you are in your day, you can be the salt that preserves truth! Instead of saying Yes to something you meant to say No to, you will stand firm in what you know to be true! You will practice daily, not to join in the patterns of this world and allow your mind to filled with the living words of God! Ephesians 4:15, “instead speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ” Jesus will transform your thinking! However, if you use to much salt by not sharing the good news in love or water down God’s word by leaving out truth, then we are not loving others the way Jesus loves us. 1 Peter 4:7-10, 7 (NIV) The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. 8Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”

We need to stay contacted to the body of Christ in all seasons of life because a lot can happen in a short amount of time! We need to meditate (think about daily) on God’s word, talk about what you’re learning and your experiences and listen too! We are designed by God to be in relationship because we are made in God’s image! We need to pray together, share life experiences and share what we have learned and experienced along the way, so we can grow! Revelation 12:11 They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.

Struggles come in life for both believers and unbelievers! The difference in how believers handle each struggle is how we can be the salt and light God called us to be for Him. In my struggles, I reach out to my church family and ask for prayer. We’re not meant to do life alone! I’m so thankful to be able to reach out asking for prayer, when storms in life unexpectedly come. I don’t want my way of handling circumstance! I don’t want to get off track because my feelings get the best of me when decisions have to be made! So, I choose to reach out to my sisters and brothers in Christ! When you reach out, you are choosing to be under the mighty hand of God, trusting He will lift me up! When I lean on Him, thing will work out for good! When we walk with Jesus through our struggles, we are living out being the salt and the light of the world! We are living out what it means to let go all that hinders your relationship with God, and handing our hurts to him knowing he cares for us deeply! All our tears are out in a bottle and not one hits the ground. Choosing not to look to the left or the right takes God’s strength in us through the Holy Spirit!

We grow in relationships with God and others in the process by experiencing life together and sharing our testimonies. We will be stronger when storms come! 1 Corinthians 15:58, “Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” Stand firm, Let nothing move you by not focusing on the storm around you, instead focus on the Jesus who holds everything together! Storms bring rain, fresh air and a rainbow reminding us God keeps All of his promises! Through Jesus you will overflow with living water and you will never thirst! When you give yourself fully to the Work of the Lord, you will be like a flood reaching and helping many more people and it starts from the inside!

The enemy looks for those alone and burdened! I know what could happen when you are all alone! The enemy wants to devour those who are isolated from relationships! Even when it’s hard, I will continue to reach up and out, even if it “seems like” no hands are there to take mine! Because what “seems” is a lie from the enemy! When emotions get the best of us, we are blinded! I don’t trust what I see or my own understanding but trust Jesus. He is the only one who sees everything from a perspective we can’t not comprehend in our own human understanding! I know what “seems like” is a lie, but we need to have accountability in deep abiding real relationships with Jesus and others! Proverbs 3:5-6, trust in the Lord with all of our heart don’t depend on our own understanding, in all of our ways acknowledge him and he will make your path straight. Love, Faith, Hope and Trust are your solid foundation in Jesus for everything you will ever do in your life! When you trust God with All of your heart, then you trust the relationships He put in your life to help direct your path straight! The gate is narrow! In Romans 8:24, “For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.”

In all the changes happening all around us, God is still moving! What is unseen is miraculous and wonderful! We are all in His plan for one purpose! He leads us to understanding as He pours into us! When we listen, we are being the salt and the light! Some Testimonies are hard to hear but they need to be heard because God works through our life stories to reach others for Him! He wants no one to be lost! God uses them to reach down deep in the hearts and minds of people who might not know the hurt and struggles they buried deep down inside! Love each other deeply, the way Jesus loves You by choosing to listen! It is so hard to find time, but when you do, you’re living out loving each other deeply! This is what it looks like to wash the dust or mud off your sister or brothers feet so the enemy cannot devour them! This is hard stuff and life is hard! You may think no one sees you but God does and you are blessing someone by listening to them or just spending time, your doing beautiful things! Spending time takes sacrifice and putting someone above yourself is living out deep love! I love the time God sets aside for me, a playdate with a sister in Christ! It blessed me and my kids! We watched our children play, and I know Jesus was playing with them in the backyard! I had a million words to say, but we just watched our kids and spent time with each other! It was like an endless flood of joy and peace! God poured himself out through relationship that day, a priceless gift! We don’t want to lose the saltiness that preserves relationships through Jesus! We need to stay connected to each other so we can be the salt and light and love each other deeply!

All those who believe in Jesus and believe Everything he did for you, will never thirst! We will be the church! Church is not a building, 1 Corinthians 3:9, “For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building”. I am more than thankful for my family and church family!