IN THE MARKETPLACE

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9

Listen to what Jesus said: “‘You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.” (Matthew 5:13) 

Jesus lays a heavy load by telling His disciples, “You are the salt of the earth!” (emphasis added). If they don’t function as such, they’ll be trampled on?! Wow! 

What does that mean? 

For starters, let’s talk quickly about what it doesn’t mean. Getting saved doesn’t activate the saltiness in you. It doesn’t make you salt. It only secures your eternal status. 

If we are not Salt, then a problem emerges: the problem of counterfeit Christians. 

It is easy for the church to talk about displaying the character of Christ and to make grandiose claims about doing so. However, the image of  Christ within a Christians is not always true. To see the biblical image of Jesus Christ, Humility, patience, love, unity, and peace — these are the true marks of Jesus. 

There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. Ephesians 4:4-6

The church or body of Christ does not talk about itself. It is to be lowly in mind, not boasting of its power or seeking to advance its prestige.  

We are to witness but not arrogantly or rudely, not with an attitude of holier-than-thou smugness, not in sanctimonious presumption, and certainly not against a background of ugly fights. No! We must humble ourselves revealing these 7 characters of Christ to our families, friends, neighbors, and even those in the marketplace.

The church cannot save the world —but displaying the 7 characters of Christ through a believer allows God to do His Mighty work. 

Each one of us must make a conscious decision to labor and spend our lives for the Lord. One cannot exalt God while seeking to exalt self. 

The true church does not seek to gain power in the eyes of the world. It already has all the power it needs from The Lord Jesus who dwells within each one us.

Let me say this another way, Believers have the responsibility to maintain unity in the body of Christ. We are Priests within one body of Christ. Apostle Paul’s plan point to the work of the one Spirit creating one body, the one Lord Jesus Christ creating one hope . . . faith, and baptism, and the one God the Father bringing about one people of God. 

God's oneness defines the our oneness.This oneness is the Melchizedek Priesthood which is literally a spiritual conduit connecting the God of Heaven with the heart of man on Earth. 

The Lord (God) says to my Lord (the Messiah), Sit at My right hand, until I make Your adversaries Your footstool. [2] The Lord will send forth from Zion the scepter of Your strength; rule, then, in the midst of Your foes. [3] Your people will offer themselves willingly in the day of Your power, in the beauty of holiness and in holy array out of the womb of the morning; to You [will spring forth] Your young men, who are as the dew. [4] The Lord has sworn and will not revoke or change it: You are a priest forever, after the manner and order of Melchizedek. [5] The Lord at Your right hand will shatter kings in the day of His indignation. [6] He will execute judgment [in overwhelming punishment] upon the nations; He will fill the valleys with the dead bodies, He will crush the [chief] heads over lands many and far extended. [7] He will drink of the brook by the way; therefore will He lift up His head [triumphantly].Psalm 110:1-7 AMPC

At one end of the spectrum we have the Father’s love for us that is so great that He sent his only Son to us to make a way for us.  He is always pressing in to seek and save that which is lost and desiring that none should perish and that all would come into the fullness of the Gospel of the Kingdom.  On the other end of the spectrum is the heart of man that, whether he knows it or not, has a vacuum that desires to draw God in and fill the void with His love and grace. 

It’s a supernatural connection between Heaven and Earth and within it flows a mighty wind that will help propel you into abundant Kingdom living! Hallelujah!

🦋Angela