SALTY SOULS!

SALTY SOULS!

Matt 5:13

13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

          Salt, in those days, was rarely found in its pure state but was almost always mixed with other substances. If it was subjected to dampness the saltiness leached out and the remaining sand would be tossed away. Jesus implied that the disciples had a particular function to perform and, if they didn’t, they might as well not exist. This challenges us to find God’s purpose for our lives.

          It is helpful to understand that salt purifies, preserves and enhances flavor. If we are the salt of the earth then we function as agents of purification. Can you imagine a world without church or God? Many of the hospitals, orphanages and relief agencies are church related. What would the world be if they were taken away? As salt, we minimize or slow the deterioration of sin in this world.

          Salt also produces thirst and enhances flavor. Those without hope in Christ are made thirsty and hungry for righteousness because of our daily influence. We add zest to life and good to our community because of our attachment to Christ.

          Salt must never expect to be praised for itself. No man sits down to a meal and says: “This is delicious salt!” No, he praises the flavor of the food without thinking of the salt.

Dear Lord, let me be salty salt shaken out upon a tasteless world. Let me create in others a thirst for you. AMEN

COME LET US WORSHIP!

COME LET US WORSHIP!

Ps 95:1-7

95:1 O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.

2 Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.

3 For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods.

4 In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also.

5 The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land.

6 O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.

7 For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.

The principal Old Testament word for worship is shachah, "depress," "bow down," "prostrate" while the principal New Testament word (59 times) is proskuneo, "kiss (the hand or the ground) toward," hence, often in the oriental fashion bowing prostrate upon the ground. (from International Standard Bible Encyclopedia,)

Psalm 95 begins by suggesting that we sing and make a joyful noise and then it recommends thanksgiving coupled again with joyful noise and psalms.

This psalm is written by David whose pastime in the sheep fields was singing and perhaps a bit of star gazing. David’s younger life was occupied by worshipping and watching. In this way he drew close to God and God kept company with him. Oh, how can we worship without singing? And, if you say you can’t sing then there is a place for you in making joyful noise.

Thanksgiving is encouraged next and it comes to life quite easily as we refocus our thinking away from ourselves and toward God and His attributes. The psalm suggests two very broad categories for our consideration.  

1. He is the greatest Being.

(1)      Great in Himself (ver. 3).

(2)      Great in His possessions (ver. 4).

2. He is the kindest Being.

(1)      He made us. Possessing reason, imagination, conscience, freedom, etc.

(2)      He supports us -- provides for our necessities, watches over us, guides us through intricacies, and guards us from perils.

(3)      He delivers us. "The rock of our salvation." The strong ground of our confidence, the foundation on which our safety rests.

Dear Lord, it is another Sunday. You alone are God. There are no words sufficient to describe you. Today I offer to you the sacrifice of singing, thanksgiving and joyful noise. AMEN

THE COST OF OUR LIBERTY!

THE COST OF OUR LIBERTY!

Mark 10:32-34

32 And they were in the way going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus went before them: and they were amazed; and as they followed, they were afraid. And he took again the twelve, and began to tell them what things should happen unto him,

33 Saying, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes; and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles:

34 And they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him: and the third day he shall rise again.

June 6, 1944, 160,000 Allied troops landed along a 50-mile stretch of heavily-fortified French coastline to fight Nazi Germany on the beaches of Normandy, France.

         General Dwight D. Eisenhower called the operation a crusade in which “we will accept nothing less than full victory.”

         More than 5,000 Ships and 13,000 aircraft supported the D-Day invasion, and by day’s end on June 6, the Allies had gained a foot- hold in Normandy.

         The D-Day cost was high -more than 9,000 Allied Soldiers were killed or wounded but as a result of that day more than 100,000 Soldiers began the march across Europe to defeat Hitler.

Nothing in this life comes without cost...

2 Cor 8:9

9 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.

          Jesus emptied His vast stores of righteousness so that he might empty me of my vast stores of sin. I had no righteousness – He had no sin.

Isa 55:1

Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.

Dear Lord, on this special day, let me remember the sacrifices that made my liberty possible. AMEN