LIFE
SALTED WITH FIRE
– Mark 9:49-50
Mark
9:49 – For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be
salted with salt.
This
scripture contains two statements. The first has to do with life while the
second with ministry or service. If we are salted with fire then we may have
salt to offer in our sacrifices.
Numbers
18:19
What
is a salt covenant? A salt covenant is simply an everlasting covenant or
agreement whose terms and conditions be binding on both parties. Since it is an
everlasting covenant, what is it and what does it mean to one’s daily life and
walk with God? What aspect of our lives
are we to season with it? Every aspect! How are we to keep it?
The Salt Covenant and
the name come from an Ancient practice. Each Hebrew person carried a
small pouch of salt. When two or more men would like to enter into this
type of relationship with each other, the parties to the convent would mix
their salt in a common bowl, break bread, dip it into the salt, and eat it.
When they were finished they would redistribute the salt into their
pouches. You see the only way to break the covenant would be
to separate each grain of salt from the others and return it to
the original owner.
1.
The Properties of Salt
a)
What does salt symbolize? Why must we be salted? By looking at the attributes
of salt we will be able to discover our answers.
i)
Salt preserves – Salt has preservative power and prevents perishable items from
decaying. Fish, fruit and vegetables can have their shelf life extended through
salting.
ii)
Salt purifies – Salt kills bacteria and by its presence cleanses and purifies.
It is used as a washing agent for the mouth because of its antiseptic property.
iii)
Salt heals – Salt water has a healing effect on open wounds. (Eat durians –
salt takes away the heatness). Whenever you have a cut or sore that needs
healing – salt water is good to speed up healing process. Dead Sea salt.
iv)
Salt enhances flavour – Salt also enhances flavour. Try adding salt to fruits. Pineapples.
2.
Firstly, the Salt of Uprightness and Integrity – Numbers 18:18-19
The
first thing we study and discover that salt preserved. In other words salt prevents decay.
Psalms
25:21 says – “Let integrity and uprightness preserves me; for I wait on thee.”
The
Preservation of Relationships
- Mark 9:49-50
49
“For everyone will be seasoned with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned
with salt. 50 Salt is good, but if the salt loses its flavour, how will you
season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another.”
3.
Secondly, the Salt of Grace and Goodwill
Salt
not only preserves relationships is also a symbol of goodwill. It enhances flavour.
Job
6:6 – Can that which is unsavoury be eaten without salt? Or is there (any)
taste in the white of an egg?
In
the days of Job people knew how to make their food tasty. Egg white indeed is
tasteless. Yet a little salt flavours it. (Eat eggs every morning)
So
In Colossians 4 Paul gives us the answer to the problem of the offensiveness of
the tongues and exhorts the believers to savour their speech with salt.
Colossians
4:6 - 5 “Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. 6 Let
your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know
how you ought to answer each one.”
4.
Thirdly, the Salt of Purification – 1 John 3:2-3; Matt. 5:8)
Sin
and wickedness are present in our flesh because of the absence of integrity and
uprightness. Out of the Ten Commandments that God gave on Mt. Sinai, six deal
with man’s relationship with man. These commandments are violated everyday as
stealing, lying, adultery, covetousness, disrespect and murder area common
reality. The root cause is the absence of the salt of integrity and
uprightness. Salt of Grace is not there.
I
Cor. 15:51-54
God
is incorruptible? The answer lies in His integrity and uprightness. God will
not lie. Some bosses says end of this month I raise your allowance but never
happens.
5.
Fourthly, The Salt of Healing – Salt Heals
2
Kings 2:19-22 – Elisha – city water is bad – New bowl and put salt in it and
cast the salt into the water and he prophesy to it. “I have healed this water –
there shall be no more death and barrenness.” The water remains healed to this
day. Wherever we go we bring healings to the people and surrounding area. The life giving waters that flowed out of your
belly are pure and clean from the Throne of God. Out of your mouth shall flows
Rivers of Healing Waters.
Psalms
107:2 – “He sent His word and healed them.” Speak the Word.
Challenge: This is the last day we are living in. I
believe in the baptism of fire. God is pouring the latter rain and renewal is
coming and the baptism of fire that will salt our lives. God will salt us through
fire. Our lives will be transformed and every offensive ways will be dealt
with. The church will have salt for the Lord’s sacrifice. We will have salt in
ourselves, and have peace with one another as Jesus said. I shared the Word of
God to you.
Let
every offering goes through the fire of the altar. There is fire here at the
altar. Remember the greater the measure of our ministry, the greater the need
for salt. Ministry needs integrity, uprightness, grace of God, goodwill and
healing.
