Stoking the Passion

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 by men.

 ¹⁴"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

We are going back to school in a week and God is challenging us as Fusion to step it up!  Matthew 5 is the concept for Passion this Wednesday.

In verse 13 it talks about losing saltiness.  If a seasoning has no flavor, it has no value.  If christians make no effort to affect the world around them, they are of little value to God.  Though he sees us as priceless and died for each of us we render ourselves useless if we are too much like the world, and we are forfeiting what he truly created us for.  Christians should not blend in with everyone else.  Instead, we should affect others positively,  just as seasoning brings out the best flavor in food.  He created us to stand out, to be individually unique!  We are all priceless yet we live as we are common.

Today i want you to journal and think about your uniqueness in the world.  Take 5 minutes and write on your paper, " God, how do you see me as unique?"  Write everything that you see and feel.  

Then pray about them and see how you can develop each in your life to be a light for those around!

Psalm 19

Read Psalm 19-The works of God are declared in the heavens, and the words of God lead to righteousness.
INSIGHT
A creator is known by his creation; an artist is known by his art; a musician by his music; and a sculptor by his sculpture. God can be known by the universe that He has created. Psalm 19:1 says: "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork." Romans 1:20 says: "since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen." Judging from nature, God exists and has power, intelligence, and a flair for beauty!

PRAYER
The Lord is greater than our deep longings, and we praise Him that He satisfies our hearts:
Praise the Lord! 
Praise the name of the Lord; 
Praise Him, O you servants of the Lord! . . . 
Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; 
Sing praises to His name, for it is pleasant. . . . 
I know that the Lord is great, 
And our Lord is above all gods. 
Whatever the Lord pleases He does, 
In heaven and in earth, 
In the seas and in all deep places. . . 
Blessed be the Lord out of Zion, 
Who dwells in Jerusalem! 
Praise the Lord! (Psalm 135:1, 3, 5-6, 21).

As you seek to keep your life free from sin, pray this confession to the Lord:
No chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; 
nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness 
to those who have been trained by it (Hebrews 12:11).

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind.

Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:
He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High 
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 
I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress; 
My God, in Him I will trust" (Psalm 91:1-2).

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:

• An eternal perspective
• Your spiritual goals
• Passion Night on Wednesday
• The Team coming from Oklahoma for Missions
• Motion Student Conference

Finally, offer this prayer to the Lord:
May the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen
(1 Peter 5:10-11)

True Bride

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“Have you no other daughters?” “No,” said the man. “There is a little stunted kitchen wench which my late wife left behind her, but she cannot be the bride.” The King’s son said he was to send her up to him; but the stepmother answered, “Oh no, she is much too dirty, she cannot show herself !” But he absolutely insisted on it, and Cinderella had to be called. She first washed her hands and face clean, and then went and bowed down before the King’s son, who gave her the golden slipper. Then she seated herself on a stool, drew her foot out of the heavy wooden shoe, and put it into the slipper, which fit like a glove. And when she rose up and the King’s son looked at her face, he recognized the beautiful maiden who had danced with him and cried, “This is the true bride!” The stepmother and two sisters were horrified and became pale with rage; he, however, took Cinderella on his horse and rode away with her. 

I love this part of the story—to see the heroine unveiled in all her glory. To have her, finally, rise up to her full height. Mocked, hated, laughed at, spit upon—Cinderella is the one the slipper fits; she’s the one the prince is in love with; she’s the true bride. Just as we are. 

(Waking the Dead , 71–72)