The Salt And Light Must Not Check Out!!

 The Salt And Light Must Not Check Out, Tune Out, Or Recoil Into Silence When The World Needs Us Most – By Joseph Kerr - https://harbingersdaily.com/the-salt-and-light-must-not-check-out-tune-out-or-recoil-into-silence-when-the-world-needs-us-most/ Recently, I’ve heard more statements of distrust. It concerns me. Have you heard it too? “I don’t know who to believe or trust. I just tune it all out. I’ve stopped listeningto the Left or Right. I don’t read any news because I don’t know who’s telling the truth. I turned off the media altogether.” It’s a reflection of our ability to trust. Why is that a problem? Because we are supposed to be discerning salt-pourers and light-bearers. God is a discerner of the thoughtsand intents of the heart, and we must be as well. We are not given a choice to check out, tune out, or recoil into silence. How Does A Nation Lose The Truth? Tony Perkins at Family Research Council said it extremely well in his article about truth: “When there’s hostility towards faith, it seems easier to just give up on the public square. ‘I’ll just focus on my family, my job, and go about my day,’ some think. Yet whenyou take that seemingly safer path, it means you’re neglecting the Lord’s instructions to be salt and light. Political and cultural engagement are part of fulfilling Jesus’s command to love our neighbors. By supporting policies like the rule of law, limited government, human dignity, parental rights, and religious freedom, we can establish the kind of conditions that allowall people to flourish. However, the Left opposes such policies and instead wants our tax dollars to pay for abortion-on-demand and public schools to teach gender identity ideology to children asyoung as kindergarten behind parents’ backs.” Don’t Check Out — Speak Out Think about it – when salt and light are most needed is when chaos, confusion, decay, and barbarity are most conspicuous. In ancient times, people used salt to preserve foodmore than to season it, but both applied. Believers reflect the Holy Spirit, the preserving force in the world. He is the divine power holding back absolute bedlam. Paul refers to Him as the Restrainer (2 Thessalonians 2:7). We are also ministers of restraint as we live Godly lives, vote, protest evil, and stand for life in the public square. In the same way, we shine the holy light of life intothe world. Jesus is the light of the world (John 8:12; 9:5). Light In The Darkness We are called to reflect His light. We have enjoyed almost 250 years of light and blessing in America. On many occasions, we have seen the hand of God bring us through wars,famines, floods, and financial collapse. In its darkest hours, we have often been the light to the rest of the world. Light is most pronounced in the darkness. Jesus said: John 3:19-21 KJV – “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every onethat doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.” Salt preserves what is most susceptible to rot and decay. When we check out, tune out, or stay silent, we stop being the active ingredient that preserves freedom, hope, sanity,and peace. We allow the rot to begin or the decay to spread. When we pull back from the battle and stop speaking, participating, or standing against the tide of evil, we cease to dispel the darkness. The world hates the Light. Jesus promised us nothing less, “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would lovehis own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.” (John 15:18-19; 17:14; 1 John 3:13). Those who do evil want darkness to prevail. The Light exposes their plans and reveals the wickedness of their hearts. People ask me why I write expose’ pieces and investigativejournalism columns: “Why are you always so negative? Why are you constantly calling someone out or exposing things people don’t want to see?” It’s not that I enjoy being the target of hate groups. I don’t seek out disdain. I don’t secretly long for people to call me names or be canceled, blocked, or shadow bannedfrom Twitter or Facebook. I’m obeying the command to be salt and light. We dare not disregard those problematic aspects of being a watchman at the very moment in history when they apply most. Spiritual Dark Ages As we face these last days, the devil wants to revive ‘the Dark Ages,’ so to speak. He wants a spiritual dark age. Don’t let the darkness win! Refuse to allow the world torot and waste away. Don’t be safe, be salient. Don’t go dark at the precise moment the world is agonizing for Light. Don’t go silent just when the world is desperate for the “Word of Life” (1 John 1:1). These are the last days (2 Timothy 3:1-12). The most recent Pew Research Poll shows that 55% of Americans believe we live in the End Times. Not 55% of Christians, church-goers,or Bible-readers; 55% of all Americans. The fields are truly ripe for harvesting (John 4:35). What will the End Times be like? Dark. Lonely. Desperate. Filled with rage, war, pestilence (disease), and societal upheaval. We see Jesus’ words in Matthew 24 happening asif the pages of the Bible were being written before our eyes. Religious persecution, famine, natural disasters, a spirit of antichrist, and financial crises are here and multiplying. Could there be a better description of our time? Church, this is our moment! Be His voice in the silence. Be His light in the darkness. Be His salt in the time of decay and tastelessness. Have you ever had the lights come on at a time you wished for darkness? If you have, you know the world’s reaction won’t be positive when we point the light into their evildeeds or shine God’s Word into their darkened hearts. Speak the Unwelcome Truth Don’t expect hugs and kisses when you speak the truth to people who want to hear lies, soothing words, and calming babble (2 Timothy 4:3). Truth won’t be popular when cleverlydevised fables are in vogue (2 Peter 1:16). The world has become accustomed to hearing lies. This is like Ezekiel’s account when God said His people were being led astray by leaders saying soothingly, “Peace, peace…’ when there is no peace…” (Ezekiel 13:10). The Bidens Administration, like others before them, has made a career out of deception. But this time around, they stare right into the camera and tell you they are tellingyou the truth when they said the opposite two days earlier, and yet, people swallow it as if it’s the truth. The mainstream media regurgitates it as if they’ve never heard anything better. The time has come when the world not only accepts lies, they preferlies. The world doesn’t realize that the people who lie to them actually hate them. They aren’t lying to protect or persuade them; they’re lying because they hate their subjects,their loyal followers. Proverbs 26:28 says, “The lying tongue hates those it hurts, and a flattering mouth works ruin.” If there were ever an apt description of our time, it is the one found in Jeremiah 8:10-11: Jeremiah 8:10-11 KJV – “…for every one from the least even unto the greatest is given to covetousness, from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely. Forthey have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.” We are called to expose the deeds of darkness (Ephesians 5:11). Salt in an Unsavory World If you’ve ever fallen or scraped your knee or had a cut and got sweat in it, you know the reaction to salt in an open wound. You didn’t respond, “Oh, I’m so glad that saltis doing a great work of healing in my open sore! Hallelujah!” The world won’t like it when you pour the salt of God’s word into the open wounds of sin, rebellion, hate, greed, lies, immorality, and deception. You will stand in starkcontrast to the willing accomplices and the silent. They will not welcome the light and won’t like the sting of the salt, but we cannot stop being light and salt at precisely the moment they most need antiseptics and illumination. “Behold, I am sending you out like lambs among wolves; therefore, be shrewd as snakes but innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16; Luke 10:3). Translation: Don’t look for love,respect, approval, or acceptance. You will not be liked; you will likely be hated. Speak the truth. Be salt. Be light. Be bold in Jesus’ name. Draw your sword (Ephesians 6:17, Hebrews 4:12) and be ready, watchmen (Ezekiel 33:2-7). This is the hour the worldneeds us the most! Believers, this is our moment. We’re surrounded by darkness. Lies, deceit, and moral depravity are everywhere. Some Christians bemoan the darkness and lament the decay, butthat is the wrong response. It’s not time for depression, anxiety, and timidity. It’s time for offense!