The Urgent Need for Christians to Raise Their Level of Discipleship in this Evil and Ungodly World!

22 Sep 2025 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Matthew 5:13a, 14a.        Ye are the salt of the earth: Ye are the light of the world.

Another Monday…another new work week friends, and everything should be nice and clean after the thunder, lightning, and showers of heavenly blessings we received during the night. And did we ever need the rain, for it’s something we haven’t seen for almost a couple of weeks, what with all the unaccustomed warm, sunshiny weather we’ve been having in this month of September 2025. But I do have the feeling that things will soon return to normal, and the customary cooler and wetter weather at this time of year, will shortly assert itself.

However, be that as it may, even in the cold, wet, cloudy weather, we are still required to keep the fires of Christ burning hot and bright, and make a proactive, positive and productive difference in these uncertain and ungodly times. And right now, when faith is being besieged by evil, and many of us are having a hard time to simply hold on, much less to grow in spiritual maturity, we do need a reminder of that most salient fact.

It’s like Christ said in the Sermon on the Mount. ‘Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt has lost its savour (flavour), wherewith (by what) shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.’ (Matt. 5:13) And sadly friends, in these disastrous and strife-filled times, it would certainly seem that Christ’s people have lost their salt, their salty flavour, since we’re not making much of a positive difference in the world today.

And I like how the scholars explain that verse. They say: ‘Again the phrase “ye are” indicates that only the genuinely born-again person is salt and can help meet the needs of the world. Salt adds flavouring, acts as a preservative, melts coldness, and heals wounds. Thus, it is a very appropriate description of the believer in his relationship to the world in which he lives.’

The question now is whether we can genuinely say that we are living up to those important responsibilities of helping our world, of helping the lost and blind find life and light in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ? And if we are truthful, we would have to say that we are indeed NOT living up to our responsibilities, that’s why so many still don’t know about Christ, and many who do know about Him, refuse to accept Him.

And if being the salty, mouthwatering, wanting more flavour of the world wasn’t enough, then listen to what Jesus also says of His loyal followers. ‘Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle (a lamp), and put it under a bushel (basket), but on a candlestick (lampstand); 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.’ (Matt. 5:14-16)

Now that’s another aspect of our discipleship of Christ; letting our lights shine brightly so that others can see it and come to know, understand and worship our great God Jehovah! That makes it necessary for us to again ask the question, are we shining our lights sufficiently to make, not even a big difference, but simply a recognizable one, in our needy and dysfunctional world? And sadly, again, if we are truthful, we would have to say NO, we are not making a worthwhile difference in the world, otherwise it would not be currently overrun with evil and evildoers!

And what do the scholars say about those verses? ‘Ye are the light of the world describes the essential mission of the Christian to the world. He is the condition (salt) to meet the world’s needs, and he has a mission (light) to the world. His light is to clearly shine forth into the darkness of human depravity. He is to set his light upon a candlestick, not hide it under a bushel, that is, a basket. Darkness is the absence of light; and darkness alone cannot dispel the light, but the smallest light can dispel the greatest darkness.’

That means we don’t have to go overboard with either our salt or light, but simply have our saltshakers constantly sprinkling our salty flavour, and our lights also constantly shining to light up the world’s darkness. It cannot happen overnight, but persistence and perseverance are the keys to unlocking those closed doors behind which all kinds of evil and darkness lurk. So please, let’s try and do better nuh. We all know that we have much room for improvement, and right now we are not doing a commendable job as followers of Jesus.

And to help us get things turned around, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, seeking divine aid for our lackadaisical discipleship! Altogether: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. Heavenly Father, You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. 

Yes, we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. So, we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading for wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems. 

Oh Father, please ease the pain of the many suffering from negative situations, show them Your awesome grace and mercy. And faithfully keep Your promise to prosper us if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’ 

And our prayer shows us some important aspects that need improving before we can receive divine aid; like praying, humbling ourselves, sincerely seeking God’s face and turning from our evil ways. Those are only some of the things we need to do friends to recover our salty flavour, and clean our lampshades, so that bright light can emanate from them again! Much LOVE!

…Jesus’ followers…must take discipleship much more seriously…than they are currently doing… 

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Today’s Scrip-Bit 19 August 2020 John 9:4.

19 Aug 2020 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

John 9:4.     ​I must do the work of him that sent me, while it is day; the night cometh, when no man can work.
 

And then it was Wednesday… ahready? Yes, already! (smile) Unfortunately, it seems that the days are not waiting for a slowpoke like me, they are going about the Father’s business, as they are meant to. And believe me, they are indicating in scowling disapproval, that I should also be about His business instead of pussyfooting around like the idle rich! Yeh, when even the days are disapproving of your behaviour, then you must know that things are bad with you. (smile) 

So what’s a poor man like me to do under those circumstances eh? I guess I ought to do like Jesus said when, on the Sabbath day, He healed the man that was blind from birth. ‘I must do the work of him that sent me, while it is day; the night cometh, when no man can work.’ (John 9:4) Ah my brothers and sisters in Christ, we should indeed do the work of Him who sent us, Jesus Christ, while we have the time, for there will eventually come a time when we cannot work, through death or Christ’s return. 

And then, we’ll all have to answer for the valuable time we wasted in doing everything else, besides winning souls for Christ. Yes friends, that’s our basic job down here on earth; to live a life that’s so reminiscent of Christ, that others will desire to follow Him. But if we’re living in darkness, spiritual darkness that is, we can’t do that job successfully. We have to believe and act as Jesus said: ‘As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.’ (John 9:5) 

And that’s no lie! When Jesus was here on the earth in the physical form of man, He was indeed the light of the world, but once He returned to heaven, then we, His believers and followers became the light of the world. As He said so purposefully in the Sermon on the Mount. ‘Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle (lamp), and put it under a bushel (basket), but on a candlestick (lampstand); and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.’ (Matt. 5:14-15) 

So it’s not just my imagination (smile) that we ought to be bright shining lights of Christianity in a dark and evil world, Jesus said it very clearly and boldly to all and sundry. And furthermore, He exhorts us with heartfelt passion: ‘Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.’ (Matt. 5:16) Oh precious people of God, we cannot get away from that exhortation because it’s our very purpose for being in the world: living a life that glorifies our heavenly Creator. 

And I don’t know if there’s ever been a time in man’s history that we’ve ever needed Christians, believers in Christ to stand up and be counted more than we currently do. Yes friends, in these seemingly last and very troubled times, we desperately need to show our mettle, our true Christlike character and nature, so that we can be encouraging beacons of light for those who don’t know Christ or are not very strong in their faith. There is no doubt my brethren, that this is the time for which we who are currently here were made for. And it’s ever so important that in the fear and darkness that’s hovering over our world, that we believers stand forth as lights of the world and salt of the earth! 

Yes, Jesus also did desire us to be salty, that is to have qualities that are refreshing, effervescent, flavourful, preserving and healing; all the many things that salt are good for and used for in our society. He puts it thus: ‘Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour (flavour), wherewith (by what) shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.’ (Matt. 5:13) Wow! What a damning statement from our leader! 

And it seems He knew what He was talking about, because right now in these very trying and turbulent times, many of His saints have apparently lost their saltiness, not being very refreshing, preservative, effervescent or otherwise and are of no earthly use to the kingdom! Now that doesn’t speak very well of us my people, neither does it reflect very well on our Lord and Saviour, since we are His ambassadors, His representatives down here. 

So please, can I implore us to step up to the plate, for while we’re alive, there’s always hope, and let’s do better than we’re currently doing nuh. Look at what Jesus did for us, and is still doing; stuff that we can never repay! So let’s raise up our faith and put our money and faith and action where our mouths are nuh; in being the salt of the earth and the light of the world as Jesus desires, so that we can be of some real use on our planet and not just idly taking up and wasting valuable space. (smile) 

Remember, it’s all for Jesus! For our Lord and Saviour who sacrificed His all for us, so that we could be reconciled to the Father, our dastardly deeds, our sins forgiven and eternal life in heaven ours for the taking. And all He’s asking is that we stand up strong now and let the world see the LOVE, the mercy, grace, forgiveness and compassion that’s inherent in being a believer. Is that so much to ask? I don’t think so. 

Now let’s go home declaring (awright!) our Wednesday Wail, telling the world of our most enviable position in Christ Jesus. In strong voice with sincere and fearless hearts. ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’ 

And I do believe, like Bruh Paul says, that our God can ‘do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.’ (Eph. 3:20) So if we stand strong and endure to the end, He will indeed boggle our human imaginations with His awesome divine power when we get to heaven. Much LOVE!

…time for Christ’s saints…to get real salty…and to let their lights shine real bright…