How To Avoid Uselessness!

"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." -- Matthew 5:13

If salt loses its saltiness it simply becomes a small piece of rock! A small rock is worthless and unusable as a preservative, spice or currency (see yesterday's post). The Christian can learn a lot from this short illustration concerning life in Christ!

Our value, preserving characteristics (as instruments of salvation) and ability to affect the world for good are all blessings we inherit through our relationship with Christ. Jesus said in John 15:4 we cannot bear fruit (be "salt") unless we abide in Him. To abide in Christ is to rest in relationship with Him; to enjoy relationship with Him and depend upon Him for everything. As Christians we can enjoy consistent relationship with Christ and depend upon Him for everything or depend upon ourself for our life. If we choose to ignore Christ and depend upon "self" we cease to be "salt" and all "salt" can be for the world. A Christian who ignores Jesus is about as useful to the Kingdom of God as a screen door on a submarine!

Love Jesus with all of your heart and depend upon Him for your life so you might be "salt" today!

James

Somebody Pass the Salt!

"You are the salt of the earth. But if 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." -- Matthew 5:13

Jesus calls His disciples the "salt of the earth" so it would behoove us to understand the many uses of salt so we might fully know what Jesus was saying about us! Salt has had many uses throughout history: Salt has been used as currency, a preservative and just good old fashioned spice to wake up the meatloaf! Jesus wants His disciples to know they are of great value, preserve the world through the message of salvation and give the world its spice on account of the life they life in Christ!

You and I are of great value because God has given us life through His Son! We have the privilege and responsibility of sharing this life with others so their life might too be preserved and become "preserving spice" in a world which has lost its zest apart from God!

Tomorrow we will look at how salt can lose its saltiness and what happens when it does so!

James

Nothing as Sweet as Good Company!

"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in Heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you." -- Matthew 5:11-12

In this wrap up to the Beatitudes Jesus encourages us to rejoice in the face of all kinds of opposition. The Greek word translated "rejoice" in our passage means to rejoice exceedingly. "Rejoice" is defined in the English dictionary, "to be glad, to take delight in something." Jesus is teaching us to face insult, persecution and false accusation with exceeding delight! This delight is fueled by knowledge of two great things: First, such opposition places us in a wonderful group of people, the prophets who have gone before us. Second, the promise of Heavenly reward for faithfulness in the face of such opposition.

When we are persecuted, insulted or opposed because of our faith we join the prophets, apostles and myriads of others who have faced such opposition for their faith throughout history. In such instances we are counted with those who have been found worthy to suffer for the Name of Jesus (Acts 5:41)! What a wonderful group with whom to find yourself numbered! Be exceedingly glad because of your place among the saints and the reward stored up for you in Heaven because of your faithfulness!

James

The Music of the World Cup...Explained

Perhaps we have discovered a new way to make a "joyful noise" to the Lord???

James

What are you waiting for?

How many of us enjoy waiting? I imagine the large majority of us don't enjoy waiting for anything! But unless you have figured out something I don't know, we will always be waiting for something. It can be as minor as waiting in traffic, waiting in a line at the store, or waiting for something in the mail. Or something major such as waiting for a relationship to begin, waiting for a new job, waiting for a loved one to return from a military absence, or waiting for test results from the doctor; much of our life is spent waiting!

As believers we often wait on God to move in our lives. Our human nature tempts us to look at such waiting as negative, but God can do amazing things as we wait patiently on Him if we seek Him and His purpose in the waiting. Many times we grow weary while we wait on God because we do not know how long we will have to wait or whether we will receive that for which we hope. But God reminds us in one of my favorite verses that he is in control and our waiting will be worth it!

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:11-13

These verses have always given me peace during my times of waiting. God knows we are waiting and even more than that - the waiting is a part of His plan for our lives! Let me encourage you to focus on the second part of these verses today; call on God, draw close to Him during your moments of waiting and make the most of it! Often times there is as much blessing in times of waiting as there are when our hopes have been realized or modified by the Lord!

Kim

We Aren't Home Just Yet

Today we are looking at Matthew 5:10 and the encouragement Jesus gives to those who are persecuted because of righteousness: "Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven."

Some years ago a friend helped me understand righteousness by sharing with me (what I have subsequently called the "hillbilly definition") his definition of righteousness. I call it "hillbilly" because of its incredible simplicity and helpfulness. My friend defined "righteousness" as "God's way of doing things."

In our verse today, Jesus is encouraging those persecuted for choosing to live their life "God's way." Jesus tells us there will be persecution for following Him but there will be great reward for doing so as well! When we are persecuted for our obedience to God we should consider this future reward and be encouraged by it; we should remind ourselves that someday we will go to a Heavenly home where we will never again face persecution for doing things God's way! Persecution is not our final destination! There will be a heavenly reward for those who suffer and yet remain obedient to God while here on earth!

James

Doing God's Work

In Matthew 5:9 Jesus tells His disciples, "Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called sons of God." Once again we are left asking a "who" type of question upon reading our passage for the day. Who are the "peacemakers" and how can I become one? Certainly, we want to be a son or daughter of God!

Peace, as a concept, was thought of differently in Hebrew culture than it is in our own today. We tend to think of peace as an absence of war, strife or hardship. The Hebrew people thought of peace as a total sense of well-being. The Hebrew word for peace is "shalom" and primarily means, soundness and health, but also signifies prosperity, well-being in general and to be in good standing with both man and God.

A peacemaker is someone who brings a total sense of well-being to others physically, mentally and most importantly spiritually. A peacemaker helps others enjoy a prosperous life as well as a right relationship with God and others. The person who does such wonderful ministry will be identified as doing God's work; such a person will be called one of God's children!

Pray God will make you a peacemaker so others may see you as a child of God and give glory to His name!

James

How's Your Heart Today?

"Blessed are the pure in heart for they will see God." Who are the pure in heart? We all want to see God and so we want to know how we might become one of the "pure" Jesus mentions in this verse (Matthew 5:8)!

To be "pure" in heart is to be free from sin. We become free of the consequences and power of sin at the moment we place faith in Christ for our salvation. However, many forget we should be free from the practice of sin between the moment of our salvation and our departure for Heaven. Sin is any thought we linger upon, word we speak or activity we undertake which is contrary to God's will for us. The believer in Christ will be led by the Holy Spirit to obey God and should cooperate with what the Spirit tells him! If we obey God, we position ourselves to see Him at work in the world around us. Those walking in obedience are more able to hear God's voice, understand His activity and see where He is at work so they may join in what He is doing.

Ultimately, we are made pure in heart by the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross. We will one day see God's face on account of the purity Jesus gives us through our faith in His work on the Cross. But while on earth we can see God's work and hear His voice if we choose to obey Him and be pure in heart.

James

Mercy,..The Gift We Need But Don't Always Want to Give

"Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy." This simple word from Jesus (Matt. 5:7) is not always easy to obey! The dictionary defines mercy as, "compassionate or kindly forbearance shown toward an offender, enemy, or other person in one's power." Jesus intends for His followers to demonstrate compassion and patience toward those who offend them. This is not simply compassion and patience toward our friends who offend us but those who might be considered enemies too!

Mercy is not always an easy thing to extend toward those who hurt or offend us. In fact, mercy can seem impossible to extend in some circumstances. However, for the believer, mercy can always be extended because of the power of our relationship with God! There really are times when it is impossible in our flesh to extend mercy but in the Spirit we can do all things.

Obedience to God is not something we do on your own! God has placed His Holy Spirit within us and God intends for us to depend upon Him for our life, especially in moments of weakness or temptation. The next time you find yourself in a difficult situation where it seems impossible to demonstrate compassion or patience toward someone, stop and pray, ask God for strength, ask God to help you see this person through His eyes and ask God to help you demonstrate mercy. The Holy Spirit will enable you to obey God if you depend upon Him!

Mercy is much easier to demonstrate to others when we consider the great mercy extended to us through the Cross of Jesus Christ. "God demonstrates His own love for us in this; While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans. 5:8)" We all need mercy from God and will inevitably need mercy from others too. Let us remember the mercy given us and pray for the Holy Spirit to help us so we will be empowered by God to extend mercy to others!

And don't forget the second part of Matthew 5:7! If you are one who extends mercy to others you will be the kind of person others desire to extend mercy to as well!

James

A Little Humor For Your Saturday...

Hungry Today?

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they will be filled." This verse, Matthew 5:6, is a powerful promise to those who hunger for God and His way of doing things. The word "righteousness" can be translated "God's way of doing things" and Jesus here promises those who seek "God's way" will find that for which they seek!

God desires for each of us to have relationship with Him and live in obedience to Him; God is working in our life to make this happen ("For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose." Phil. 2:13). God is working things together in our life so we might become like Christ ("And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28). As we grow in our walk with Christ we take comfort in the fact that God will bring the work of perfecting us to completion ("He who began a good work in you, will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Phil 1:6b).

The believer in Christ desires God and obedience to Him! Thank God for making relationship with Him possible through the Cross! Thank God for making obedience to Him possible through the work of His Holy Spirit in us!

James

Meek Isn't Weak!

"Blessed are the meek for they will inherit the earth." Jesus tells His disciples a world of information in this short verse (Matthew 5:5). We enter this life with nothing and will leave with nothing (physically speaking)! In the interim, we must always remember from whom our possessions come and who is in control of everything...God! We cannot control or defend our life and if we try to do so we will find ourselves frustrated, tired and defeated. The meek man or woman has learned this lesson and receives God's intended blessings both for this life and the one to come.

Anything we "possess" during our life is something given by God for our time here on earth to bring glory to Him. God makes us temporary stewards (managers) over part of His creation during our lifetime. If we forget from whom our earthly possessions come we may easily become tempted to "possess" and fight for what God desires to give us. It is the meek person who relies upon God for his life and in so doing never falls into the trap of being possessed by his possessions. The meek person understands this world is temporary and one day he will inherit the earth with Christ as a child of God. The meek can trust God for what they have or do not have in this life, because they know this world in its present form is not the totality of all God intends for them!

The meek person is gentle, self-controlled and demonstrates a sense of peace. This kind of disposition is found in those who have fully surrendered their life to Christ and placed their trust in Him for all they have in this life and the next!

James

Comfortable Living...

"Blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted." These words from the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5:4) are directed to two groups of people: those who mourn over the loss of loved ones and those who mourn over sin and repent.

When a loved one who knew Christ as Savior dies we grieve because of our loss. We miss them! I still wish for the opportunity to talk to many folks for whom I have attended a funeral. My granddad and I talked many hours about life, the Bible and Heaven. I miss those talks. I grieve but I do NOT grieve as one who has no hope (1 Thess. 4:13). I know the words of Christ are true and one day my grief will be completely taken away and I will be reunited with my grandfather in the presence of Christ. I have this hope (anticipation of good) because we both accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord.

When you sin do you grieve over your sin? And if you grieve are you grieving because you hurt the heart of God (Godly sorrow) or because you were caught doing wrong? Or maybe you grieve because it was wrong to do what you did (worldly sorrow). Paul teaches in 2 Corinthians 7:10, "Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death." Are you genuinely sorry for your sin because you know it offended a holy God who loves you and died for your sins? If so, comfort for your sorrow is available in repentance and the knowledge Jesus forgives you. You do not have to carry the burden of guilt, pain and sorrow for your sin! If you are sorry your sin hurt the heart of God and repent God is ready to lift the burden and give you comfort and rest!

I pray for those of you who are mourning today. I pray you will find the Lord's kind of comfort and be encouraged!

James

Dying To Live

"Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself take up his cross and follow me."" These words have been misunderstood by some who believe the cross to be a type of burden to carry. These poor misguided people see the Christian life as burden and toil as they attempt to attain relationship with God by their own self-effort. But the Cross was never an instrument of burden! The Cross was always an instrument of death.

Jesus is teaching that in order to become a Christian you must die to who you are and be raised to new life in Him! Die to your sin, self-effort and old way of living. Die to all you are in order to become all He is! Make sure you aren't attempting to live a good life in order to earn Christ when you should be dying to self in order to be raised with Christ. Paul said, "I am crucified with Christ therefore I no longer live, Jesus Christ now lives in me. And the life I live in the body I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself up for me." Paul recognized the necessity of taking up his cross and dying to himself so he might enjoy new life in Christ. Have you laid down your burdens and self-effort to receive life in Christ?

It is through faith and relationship with Christ that you become a Christian NOT by bearing burdens or doing good works!

James

Don't Worry... Seek Him!

I do not have children yet, but I have many friends who are mothers and one very common temptation among them is worry! It is very easy for mothers to spend hours worrying about their children's safety, choices they will make, people they may encounter, situations they may face, etc... However, worrying is not a temptation unique to mothers! Worry is something we all struggle with on a daily basis. We are tempted to worry about our future, our finances, our health, our family, if something will happen or won't happen! Worrying can easily become a very natural part of life but as Christians we are not supposed to worry. We do not need to waste time or lose sleep worrying! God, Himself, has told us in the book of Matthew that we do not need to worry!

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

So what is the alternative to worry? Wouldn't it be great if we could use all the energy wasted worrying on something else? In Matthew, 6:33 God tells us what to do with all that energy!

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

How exactly do we seek God's Kingdom and righteousness? We acknowledge Him, talk to Him, praise Him, and ask Him for help and guidance in all that we do. We thank Him, we represent Him, we serve Him and we honor Him in all we say and do!

Next time you feel yourself tempted to worry - remember verse 33 and seek first His kingdom!

Kim

How Poor Are You?

"Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of God." These are the first words of the most famous sermon ever preached, the "Sermon on the Mount" by Jesus Christ. Have you ever meditated on what these words might mean? What does it mean to be poor in spirit? Why is it necessary to be so in order to be given the Kingdom of God? And what does it mean to be given the Kingdom of God???

To be poor in spirit means we recognize our complete spiritual poverty apart from Christ. Apart from Christ there is no forgiveness of sins, no salvation and no relationship with God. To recognize one's poverty is to recognize complete dependency upon Christ. As long as we think we can save ourselves or attempt to appease God through activity we are denying complete and total dependency on Christ for everything!

To be given the Kingdom of God means becoming a child of the King! Poverty of spirit allows us to receive the salvation Jesus came to give us through the Cross. This Kingdom of God means forgiveness, salvation, relationship with God and eternity with Him in heaven. Of course there is much more to the "Kingdom" than any human could ever comprehend but this short list gives us a good start in understanding what we have to look forward to because of our salvation through Christ alone.

It is by God's grace that we are saved and not because of works! Jesus loves us and has done EVERYTHING for our salvation so we might spend eternity worshipping Him and enjoying the inheritance He is preparing for us! Rest in Him today!

James

Faith and Obedience...The Relationship

A reader of yesterday's post asked me, "what about obedience?" Is obedience to Christ part of what makes up genuine faith? Good question! So, today we will take a look at the part obedience plays in a life of faith.

In Romans 1:5 Paul writes of an "obedience which come from (some translations "produced by") faith;" herein lies the relationship between obedience and faith. Remember, faith happens when we believe something to be true and place trust in that newfound belief. If we believe and trust (faith) something, we will necessarily be affected by that faith and our behavior will change. Real, genuine faith in Christ will affect every part of our being including how we speak, think and act.

James writes in chapter 2:18 that our faith is demonstrated by what we do! Real, genuine faith in Christ is more than lip service or simple belief in a set of facts. Faith is belief and trust which produces new expectations and a changed life (Hebrews 11:1). Faith in Christ necessarily produces obedience to Christ. So, have faith and be obedient to Jesus today!

James

Living by Faith...

"The just will live by faith." Paul wrote these words in Romans 1:17 and the implication here is the "normal Christian" life would be one lived by faith in Christ. But what is faith? How do I live by faith? How can I have more faith?

Faith is the combination of two things, belief and trust. Faith is more than simple belief! Faith is believing something is true and then trusting (relying upon, resting in, depending upon) what we know to be true. Unless you have come to the place where you trust what you believe you have not yet genuinely experienced faith.

Living a life of faith means living your life in light of your relationship with God and what He says is true. We must believe God is who He says He is and trust He will be completely faithful to do what He says He will do! Dependence upon the faithfulness and goodness of God enables us to be a person who lives by faith.

The first step to having more faith is reading the Word of God and learning more of who God is and what He has promised to do on our behalf. The second step is placing our trust in what we have come to believe is true in God's Word. Faith can be strengthened by our life experience but it is obtained and broadened through what we learn about God in His Word and trust to be true for our life!

Pray and ask God to help you live by faith today!

James

A Dose of Encouragement...

I just finished reading, "The Selfless Way of Christ: Downward Mobility and the Spiritual Life" by Henri Nouwen and thought I would write a short review for those looking for something good to read this summer.

I will begin by saying I know very little about the author, his theology or background. I might disagree with many things he taught while a professor at Yale Divinity School. However, in this particular work he seems very inspired and has much to say which I believe will encourage all Christians in their walk with Christ.

Nouwen's premise is that we are all called to follow Christ on a "downwardly mobile road" which leads to love and selfless service for the Kingdom of God. He writes of how this "downward mobility" is in contrast to the "broad path of success, fame and influence" which our culture has defined and thrust upon us. Nouwen contends that the culture's demands stand in direct contrast to a Scriptural understanding of growth, success and ambition. He believes the temptations Jesus faced in the wilderness were temptations to be relevant, spectacular and powerful. Nouwen believes these temptations are the same we all encounter on a regular basis and must deal with in a Christ-like manner if we are to truly be a follower of Christ. Christ set aside the glory of Heaven to pursue a "downward mobility" in order to love and serve; we too are called to the same downward mobility, setting aside what might be for our own glory so we might love, serve and give glory to Christ.

Nouwen finishes the book by giving a "game-plan" for facing temptation and the self-serving ambition it entices us to pursue. He encourages us to grow in our walk with Christ through participation in the church, time meditating upon the Word of God and personal prayer. His writing on these three subjects is very good and will encourage readers to pursue all three with renewed passion and discipline.

This is a good book little book (can be read in an hour or so) and I recommend it to those looking for a shot of encouragement in their walk with Christ!

James

A Little More Humor...

A Divine Appointment

Over the years God has truly blessed me with wonderful people in my life. I have been completely amazed how He would introduce someone into my life exactly at the time I needed them. He has been faithful to place people in my life who have been through very similar experiences and feelings and could completely empathize with me - which I know for me, always made the situation I was facing a little bit easier. I heard someone once say that these are "divine appointments" and I have loved that saying ever since. It gave me goosebumps to know that God, Himself, had arranged my life and this other person's life to meet at the very time that we met! Having someone counsel you and support you through something they have already conquered always gives great hope! It is so encouraging to see that person on the other side and be reassured that I too will get though this.

Sound familiar? Jesus, is that person for all of us! Jesus came to this earth as a human and experienced the same pain that we do today - the death of a parent, physical pain, temptation, etc... He has been through all of it! That is why one of his many titles is counselor".... And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6. The most divine of all appointments is when Jesus comes into your life! Once you've had that appointment you know you will never be alone and there will always be a Wonderful Counselor to support, love, encourage and help you through those difficult times. What more could we ever need?!

Kim

Putting First Things First

I love my wife. I like her a lot too! She is a wonderful woman and I thank God for her. God not only blessed me with a very beautiful wife but a very good woman to spend the rest of my life with as well. I am blessed to be Kim's husband and a part of what God is doing to make her more like Jesus everyday. I could never have dreamed of a better woman to be my best friend, lover and partner than Kim.

Old timers are usually quick to say that marriage is not easy and requires a lot of work if it is going to be a success. Even if you have the best of partners you must still make a daily choice to love her (or him). Paul helps us know what real love is in 1 Corinthians 13. In this passage the apostle helps us understand love is much more than a goofy feeling in the pit of our stomach; love is a real, intentional choice and involves action! Be intentional and make the choice to love and serve your spouse today. God will bless you and your marriage when you put both He and your spouse ahead of yourself!

James

Sin is Always Crouching at the Door!

Yesterday I read an article about the latest casualties of World War II. You can read the story here . War, and the loss of life which comes with it, is tragic; but even greater the tragedy when victims die 65 years after the war ended! Bombs from the war are routinely found in Germany with four discovered in the past month alone. These hidden reminders of war still have the capacity to take life!

Christ died on the Cross to pay for our sins and defeat the power of sin in our life. Yet, sin is like a hidden "bomb" which lurks around us everyday and we should always be alert to the danger it represents. Christ defeated sin and it no longer has power over the believer, but sin still seeks to enslave and defeat us nonetheless. Never forget the danger sin represents and don't think because Christ won the war over sin 2000 years ago that you can't become a casualty of sin today! Don't give sin the opportunity to destroy the life Christ intends for you to have as a believer in Him!

James

Giving to God What is His Already

How much of our life does God deserve? This may seem a funny question, but I believe it is one worth asking. When you prayed to receive Christ as Savior you gave your life to Him. What does this mean? Does this mean God has ownership of my pocketbook, time, children and marriage? Does this mean God has the right to my free time, where I live or what kind of car I drive? What does it mean to give God your life???

Many people spend their entire life seeking to justify continued "ownership" of those parts of their life they choose to keep from God. They reason God isn't really concerned about life's little details and doesn't really care about things like: what they watch on television, listen to on the radio or look at on the internet. Surely, God isn't really concerned with what we wear is He???

God really DOES care about the details of our life! God has rights to our ENTIRE life! And God is even interested in the little things we often think we should still have control over like our "me time" and the type of clothes we wear. When you gave your heart and life to Jesus it was a complete and total abdication of the rule of your life! When you were saved you committed to God 100% of everything that is you! All of our life should now be lived with God's will and desire for us in mind.

It may seem a scary proposition to give up control of every area of your life to God! But remember, God is completely good and loves you so deeply it cannot be comprehended. God wants what is very best for your life. God is looking at your life with eternity in mind and seeks what will make you most like Jesus too. God can be trusted! Pray and ask God to help you give to Him what you may be holding back from Him today!

James