A salt has no look like other ingredients, sends out no aroma like other seasonings, but without it the soup is tasteless.

Men of true impact don’t fight for position, visibility or appearance.

Their results speak for them not their propaganda.

You don’t need to shout to be heard, people keep quiet to listen to intelligent people

A salt maintains its integrity amidst pollution.

Have you seen where a salt buyer demands to taste it before buying? because salt has proved its integrity over the ages.

if you will need to swear before people believe you, you lack integrity.

Is your life a salt to the earth or an insult?

The easiest and only way the salt can lose its taste is when mixed up.

Watch your association this year, you are too needed to be wasted..

Be a salt not an insult.

Text: Isaiah 60:1-5
INTRODUCTION: In this portion of the scriptures there are four things that are evident which we are going to look at:

• There is proclamation to arise and then shine.
• There is a provision for your rising and shinning.
• There is a purpose for your rising and shinning.
• There is a prophecy surrounding your rising and shinning.

1. THE PROCLAMATION TO ARISE AND SHINE
   There is a divine commandment for you to arise and thereafter shine. God is never pleased when His children are stagnant and are not making progress.

• His will for everyone that believes in Him is to rise and make progress in every facet of their lives.
  Let us see the possible initial situations before the proclamation to arise and shine:
  I. In a fallen position. (Micah 7:8)
  It is possible to fall into sin, error, or failure. Whichever is the case God is willing to draw you out so that those positions will only be temporary and are not meant to be the end or the final state of your life.
  II. In a dead situation. (Ezekiel 37:10)
  God has a plan to raise you up from you up from the state of spiritual death, and any thing that is dead in your body or your life can be raised back to life by the power of His Spirit. I prophesy after the order of Ezekiel that the power of the Holy Ghost come upon you and raise up to life whatsoever is dead in your body in Jesus name.
  III. In a confused situation. (Acts 9:6)
  There are sometimes that one will be confused and know not what to do or the right step to take. God is telling you today to arise from the state of your confusion and receive divine leading and direction in Jesus name.
  It is the devil that will want to keep you in confusion, because a confused soul is a captured soul, but God says to you ‘arise and shine’
  IV. In a sitting situation (idleness). (Acts 9:10-17)
  Whenever one is idle and doing nothing profitable to the Lord and His kingdom, he or she is living below the purpose of God for his or her life.
  There is something you can do for the Lord, stop sitting idle in your local assembly, discover a need and make yourself available for it as you depend on the strength and power of the Holy Spirit.
  V. In a sleeping situation. Spiritual and physical (Acts 12:1-7)
  When the church was sleeping spiritually, they suffered greatly from Herod, but when they rose to pray there was supernatural deliverance, not only for Peter but for the whole congregation.
  We need heaven-sent revival upon the church today so that we can rise to the task of the
  kingdom and be effective and victorious over the kingdom of darkness.
  VI. In a fearful and reluctant situation.
  Most people God called for any specific assignment in the Bible were usually fearful and reluctant in the first instance, but through the help of God and His encouragement, they were able to do great exploits for the Lord that they could not imagine they could do.
  Men like Moses, Gideon, Jonah, Joshua, and including the entire apostle Jesus called in the New Testament.
  God is saying to you to drop your fear and break up your reluctances so that you can rise up to do whatsoever He has called you to do. You are not going to do it by your wisdom or strength, but by those of His.
  VII. In a lazy and slothful situation.
  The major problem of some believers is that they are lazy, and this is having a negative effect in their spiritual lives and in one way or the other affecting them even in other aspect of their lives.
  It is the will of God that you arise from laziness in every area of your life and be diligent and remain fervent in the Spirit.
  Without arising, shinning will not be possible, as we have seen in our text.
• 2 THE PROVISION FOR YOUR RISING AND SHINNING
  Your light has come, and the glory of God is risen upon thee. You are not left alone to make the progress on your own, infact you can not even succeed on your own, because without Him you can do nothing
  All you need to do is to arise and seek for the help He has made available for you to make necessary progress in every area of your life.
  Jesus is the light shinning upon us, and until He shines on us, there is no way we can shine
  Our shinning is a reflection of his light. That is why He described Himself as the Light and called us the light of the world. It is as we receive the light from the source that we can then shine it to the darkness of the world.
  When God appears for us, his glory will be seen upon us. We will see ourselves doing the unusual things, but we must remember to return all the glory back to Him.
  Attempting to shine without his light and glory will bring: failure, shame, disappointment and falsehood. (Zechariah 4:6)
  The seven sons of Sceva attempted to shine without the light of God upon them, and their authority was questioned and they were disgraces by evil spirits.
• 3 THE PURPOSE FOR RISING AND SHINNING
  There is a divine purpose for your rising and this is for you to standout and show forth the glory of God, so that other people may come to know the Lord through His marvelous works in your life. The reasons include:
  I. Darkness covering the earth.

• The whole world lies in darkness and God desires that there be separation of all His chidren from the worldly principles and standards. (1 John 2:15-17)
  II. Gross darkness covering the people.
  This world is full of wicked people practicing all forms of wickedness against mankind and against God and His words, so God desires that there be separation of the children of the kingdom from wicked people. (Psalms 1:1-3)
• 4 THE PROPHECY SURROUNDING YOUR RISING AND SHINNING
  i. Gentiles coming to the light.
  You are the light of the world. When you begin to shine, the unbeliever will be attracted to God and His kingdom through your life.
  This is the purpose for which you are created and called. Your life must win souls to the kingdom of God, not only through your preaching but much more through your living right according to the will of God.
  ii. Kings shall come to the brightness of thy rising.
  Your rising and shining is not only to attract mere men but also people in the high position of honor and authority.
  The life of Philip attracted the Ethiopian Eunuch to the kingdom of God; likewise Paul was able to win Governors to the kingdom of God during His days.
  You are not to be intimidated by men of high position in the society, all of them need the gospel of peace, and they can have it only through your rising and shining.
  iii. All that belong to thee shall come to thee.
  You have a wonderful promise that you will have all that belong to you; either they have been stolen, destroyed or delayed. I pray that this come to fulfillment in your life speedily in Jesus name.
  iv. Enlargement on every side.
  You will also not be limited on any side, but the Lord will enlarge your coast and expand your territory.
  -His word says little flock should not be afraid because it is the will of God to make it a greater kingdom. I prophesy divine enlargement in every area of your small beginning in Jesus name.
  v. Riches of the gentiles to be given to thee.
  The riches of those who refuse the gospel and rejected God will be transfer over unto you as a child of the kingdom.
  We need proper understanding of these promises over our lives as children of God and we should believe them that they are being fulfilled in our lives if we can remain faithful unto God in all areas of our lives.
  God says to you today arise from whatsoever is your situation unto a greater height where you begin to shine, fulfill His purposes for your life and enjoy His blessings to the fullest.

In Chemistry, chemicals when they come in contact with one another react to form something else like a compound. When an acid whether concentrated or diluted comes in contact with a base, it result in the formation of salt and water.

For instance, if tetraoxosulphate (VI) acid commonly known as Sulfuric acid reacts with a base say sodium peroxide, it will give us Sodium Hydrogen sulphate and water. Likewise, if you combine Hydrogen chloride or Hydrochloric acid with base, it will give sodium Chloride commonly called common salt and water.

So, in the spiritual matters, every man is born toxic and acidic. Though the level of concentration differ, this may be due to upbringing or religion etc.

Nevertheless, everyone is born toxic, that is: sinful.

David said “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceived me” (Psalm 51: 5).

No matter how moral one may be he/she still dwell in sin due to the Adamic nature. Morality is not synonymous to salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ.

In fact, the most saintly saint is saintless when the grace of God is not there.

Eliphaz the Temanite said “shall mortal man be more just than God? A man be more pure than his maker?”

“Behold, He put no trust in His sarvant; and His angels He charged with folly.”

“How much less in them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, which are crushed before the moth? (Job 4: 17 – 19)”

Man that is born of a woman is filthy, impure, unjust, unrighteous, and all together unholy. Sin has contaminated every part of man even from the womb to the tomb. That is why the psalmist declared “The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God, They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good”.

“The Lord looked down from heaven upon the Children of man, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.”

“They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one” (Psalm 14: 1-3; 53: 1-3; Romans 3:10)

These verses of the scripture succinctly describe the state of the unregenerate man; corrupt, abominable, without understanding of the things of God, ignore

God, ignorant of God, have gone from God, become filthy etc.

These are the traits of the terrible state of the natural man.

But alas! When the same man is born and met with Christ before death, the product of such a spiritual reaction is a salt of the earth and light of the world.

When an injurious, a blasphemer and a persecutor man, called Saul of tarsus, (filled with fury and indignation going from one city to another arresting, casting into prison and killing people) was on his way to Damascus with letters from the

High priest got in contact with Jesus Christ (Acts 9: 1-22; 1Timothy 1: 13-16), he became a new man; a salt of the earth, a light of the world.

From his personal experience of spiritual reaction, Paul declared to the Corinthian brethren.

“Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh, yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we Him no more”

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation; old things (both the spirit, nature and power of sin called the old man i.e. the lust of the eyes, lusts of the flesh and the pride of life; which is nothing more or less than the Spirit, nature and power of Satan working in man of disobedience. And also the out ward sin or transgression of the law. These outward sin are listed in Mark 7: 19-

21; Rom: 1: 18-32; 1Corinthians 6:9-11; Gal 5:19-21; Col 3:5-10) are passed away; behold, all things are become new” 2Corinthians 5:16-17.

Yes, all old things both inward and outward sins must pass away, and all things are become new when an acidic and caustic fellow comes in contact with Christ

Jesus, his/her life can never remain the same. Those that knew him on the other

side of the divide or in sin, cannot but testify to a changed man.

A visit to Calvary, is to meet with Christ and there be changed. A man/woman that professed to have met Christ or be in Christ and no noticeable change can be seen in his/her life is only deceiving him or herself. Christ makes the difference. If the type of life you are living before coming to the Lord is still the same after you professed to have come then you are still in your sins, you are not yet in Christ.

“For if anyone be in Christ, he is a new creature, old things are passed away and, behold all things are become new” 2Corinthians 5:17

There must surely be a difference between night and day, darkness and light, Christian and unbelievers, sinner and saint.

Are you in Christ not by profession but by acting then show it by a change of life seen not by you but others. When there is a spiritual reaction there definitely must be a greatly noticeable change seen by others around you.

“While passing through this world of sin, and others your life might view, say doth it point them to the sky?

Do others see Jesus in you?

Ref “Let others see Jesus in you /2ce

Keep telling the story, be faithful and true

Let others see Jesus in you”

Wherefore my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling.

“For it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of His pleasure

“Do all things without murmuring and disputing

“That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke; in the midst of a crooked and perverse nations, among whom ye shine as light in the world (Philippians 2: 12-15).

Coming in contact with Christ must bring a noticeable change. And if you are still outside Christ, you are on a dangerous path. The Bible says “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death”

Proverbs14: 12.

If you are persuading yourself that easily besetting sin, evil dealings, false religion

and selfish way are right, or your morality, religious activities and services, tithes and recognition with no life changing encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ. Then you are living in Fool’s Paradise or self-delusion.

Just as an acid remains what it is until it comes in contact with base and the forms salt and water, so you remain who you are; a filthy, wretched sinner damned to eternal destruction until you come and surrender your life to Jesus Christ.

It is only those in Christ that can bring forth new life. Come to Jesus today, surrender your life to Him completely and let Him have His way in you. By this your life will completely change and you will at last be a candidate of heaven!

Psalm 103:9,95:1-5, Daniel 2:20-22

INTRODUCTION

God has ever been involved in the affairs of man from the creation. Has a matter of fact He is the

Creator, the owner and the sustainer of the universe. He came down at the cool of the day to see how

Adam is administering the garden of Eden. Gen. 3: 8. From then it has been a direct government by God through the instrument of Men.

DEFINATION OF THE KEY WORDS.

GOD – The supreme being; God of all. – The eternal King and the controller of the heaven and earth. Dan 4:37

– He who sits in heaven and sovereignty does what pleases His will. Psa. 22:28, Dan.34:35

ADMINISTRATION: – Is the Management of the resources in order to accomplish the goals of the organization. – God govern inanimate matter, Earth, and Air, Water, hail and snow, stormy winds and angry seas. All perform the word of His power and fulfill His sovereign pleasure. – God govern the children of men.

MAN:- The term used for humanity. – God’s creature (on the 6th day) made in God’s image and likeness (Gen 26:,27). – The beneficiary of God’ love, tender care, benevolence and grace.(Jn. 3:16,1Jn3:16) – The victim of Fall, becoming deprived, sinful, and helpless, and so, needs redemption

(Rom.3:23;6:23), and so needs God- instituted redemption to make it back to God and heaven.

WHY IS GOD INVOLVED IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF MAN?.  ( Job 26:8-10, Psa. 24:1,2 ; 89:11,12)

God justification/authority for involvement in the administration of Man.

(1)The creator;  Every one who design a thing has the patent right to it.  As creator/Designer, God knows the makeup of every creature, including man.  He has the right to maintain and moderate everything for His glorious purpose (Rev.4:11)

 (2) The Owner (Psa. 24:1)h  The creator is also the owner of any product. Such is the case with God. He creates and thus owns the universe, Man inclusive.  Ownership talks about the right of possession; the legal right of possessing  something.  As the Owner of the universe, He has the legitimate right as to what He choose to do with His creatures He so desires ( Psa. 115:3)  Man is God’s property.

(3) The Controller:  No one has total control over a thing than the owner.  God has been in control ever before the heavens and earth were, continues as such since He called them to be, and continue till eternity. Many mighty Kings testified about Him.

Dan. 4: 34-35

He has knowledge and power with which He controls everything.( Psa. 95: 1 -5)  His complete ownership of, and sovereignty over everything, making all things to depend upon

Him for their existence and their continuance.   As controller of human race, He has a definite plan for us that is revealed to those who have committed their ways to Him. (Eph. 1:9-11)  He govern all human plan and acts (Prov. 16 :9,33; 19:21; 20:24 ; Jere.10:23).

EXPECTATIONS OF GOD FROM MAN.

Recognition and acknowledge of God as the Creator, Owner and Controller of heaven and earth

(Eccl. 12:1,6).  Love and worship (Deut.6:4,5,13 Lk 4:8). Cordial relationship/ Fellowship/Friendship with Him (Jn 15:14).  Faithfulness (Lk,12:42; 1 cor4:2). Cooperation with Him (Jn 8: 29).  Total submission to, and dependency upon His Holy Spirit (Rom 8:1).  Understanding  His ways, work and workings.  The true fear of God evident in keeping His commands.(Eccl. 12:13,14).

*THE INSUBORDINATION OF MAN.

Shortly after the creation and exaltation of man over all other God’s creation, man yielded to the temptation of wanting to be equal with his Maker. He believed the lies of the devil his enemy thereby making God a liar. He disobeyed his Maker eating the forbidden fruit and the consequences are still here with us. Generations after generations have followed the steps Adam and Eve with increase in iniquity till the flood wiped out that generation. Yet the insubordinate nature of man continues to manifest even after the flood. God then decided to redeem man by sending His only begotten Son Jesus Christ. But man went ahead and killed Him (Matt. 21:33-40). Till this age man’s affront against God is multiplying and iniquities are abounding with the consequences all around us.

CONSEQUENCES OF NOT RECOGNIZING AND ACKNOWLEDGING GOD AS THE OWNER AND CONTROLLER OF EVERYTHING.

There are grave consequences for every act of insubordination to the Almighty God. Such include death (both physical and spiritual), pestilence, famine etc. Examples abound in the scriptures but we shall consider these few:

Fools (Psa. 14:1) exhibit wickedness and corrupt practice as demonstration of their query of the legitimacy of God’s involvement in their affairs, and that is dangerous ( Rom. 1:28).  Sodom and Gomorrah – consume by fire ( Gen. 19:12-29)  Pharaoh – Plague and destruction(Exo.5:2,7:17,  Nebuchanezzar – dethroned and leave with animal for seven years .Dan. 2ff.  The rich fool – death Lk. 12: 16 – 21.

Conclusion:

Two alternative confront us, and is either we acknowledge and recognize God has the owner

and the controller of everything, man inclusive or not. No matter the situation God is in control.

Let us recognize His Lordship and controllership to avert gnashing of teeth at the end. Rev. 19: 20 -21; 20: 12-15. May such not be our lot, in Jesus’ name.  Amen