In Matthew 5:13 Jesus says those who follow Him are the salt of the Earth. He doesn’t say we will become salt in Heaven, He says we are the salt now. Would you agree, a little salt goes a long way? I have a recipe for a cream cheese pound cake that calls for a “pinch of salt.” I once made it and forgot the salt. The cake was ruined - not exactly, but it was terribly bland. Now when I make it, I am SURE to remember that pinch of salt. The 3 cups of sugar are nothing against that pinch of salt! If we are blessed to live a long life on Earth, we will undoubtedly face difficult situations. We will meet people of different backgrounds and beliefs. We will be challenged to make difficult choices - we can choose to be in agreement with the culture or we can be in agreement with the Word of God. “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” (Mat 6:24) In His Sermon on the Mount, recorded in Matthew 5, Jesus explained the characters of those whose destiny is Heaven. ⇼The poor in spirit are those who recognize the need for God’s direction. ⇼Those who mourn are not those who mourn the death of a loved one. He is speaking of those who mourn their sin because they realize that sin is an offense against God. ⇼The meek are those who submit to the Word of God forsaking man and cultural standards. ⇼Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness desire only to please God. ⇼Those who are merciful are quick to forgive and show compassion to others. ⇼Those who are pure in heart not only do the right things, but think the right thoughts - they will spend eternity in Heaven. It’s easy to discipline oneself to exhibit certain outward behaviors, but remember God knows our motives, He knows our reasoning. The pure in heart do the right thing for the right reason. ⇼Peacemakers will be destined for Heaven. On Earth, they don’t seek their own good, but the good of others, they show mercy, and they both forgive and forget. ⇼Jesus says blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness. We can face earthly penalties for our obedience to God. We may lose friends, we may not be invited to gatherings, we may face hatred or violence, but we must rest assured that our reward is in Heaven. These characters are how we should be salt. A little salt is a potent thing. You may be the only person in your workplace who is a follower of Christ. There may not be another person in the classroom who has the character of Christ. You may be the only person in your bookclub, or on your street, or in Walmart at the moment who knows Jesus Christ and can choose to “store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.” (Mat. 6:20) Choose wisely. Galatians 6:9 advises, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” I think this is what Jesus is referring to when he spoke of the salt losing its saltiness. Doing good; choosing righteousness time and time again; loving the people who persecute us for our obedience to God; forgiving folks who repeatedly try to do us harm. We can definitely become weary, but we must not stop obeying the Word of God. When we feel we are about to succumb, or about to lose our saltiness...it’s a signal to pray. How can we become salty again? We must pull out our Bible and read, then we must pray some more. Do not lose your saltiness. For if you do, you are worth nothing except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15 KJV) As you begin this first week of November, I will leave you with these words of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) ~ ~ ~ AMEN! Thank you for reading! Your comments are always welcome and encouraging to me. I don’t always reply, but I always read them. They definitely help to keep this weekly message being produced. I don’t want to lose my saltiness either! Amen.
Kim
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As my children age and approach their independence, I am becoming aware of my parenting failures and I’m trying to correct them before they head out into the world. I laughed when they went to purchase Father’s Day cards and didn’t get envelopes. I guess I never showed them that the envelopes are right behind the cards and that they’re free! For the past couple of weeks, I have been thinking on another potential failure - not a complete disaster, but something that might benefit from a bit more urgency.
Our Bible study group has been reading Matthew, and dissecting Jesus’ sermon on the mount, I’m not only seeing holes in my own Christian walk, but areas in which I haven’t been the best parent because my own level of understanding was incomplete. I’ve read Matthew 5 before, but I read it with Kim’s definition of being “poor in spirit,” and Kim’s definition of “those who mourn,” and hunger and thirst I read as hunger and thirst, not “hunger and thirst for righteousness” - there’s a difference! For a long time, I think I lived as if I had God in my pocket. If I needed Him, I knew He was there. I didn’t depend on Him, I didn’t pray without ceasing, I lived as if I was in control of my own life, and if there was something I couldn’t control, I would call on Him. I’ve always been conscious of my behavior, as I wrote in last week’s message Conduct Matters, but my thoughts...unspeakable. I wasn’t necessarily breaking the Law (Ten Commandments), but I certainly was not fulfilling the Beatitudes. Until the pandemic, we attended church regularly, and began Bible study in 2013. It’s been regular for me, but my sons have missed portions due to sports practices and such. They won’t miss any more of it! I was in awe of Genesis last year as I had heard portions of many of the stories, but had never read them and reflected upon them for myself. This study of Matthew has been different. Reading about the pure in heart and the peacemakers has been eye-opening. ”For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Mat 5:20) Studies show that within 3 weeks of being away from home, a typical college student raised in the Church will assimilate to the culture of the school, forgetting all about his Christian ideals. My fear is that since my heart change came later in life, that it wasn’t early enough in my children’s lives to make a lasting impact. My prayer is that God has predestined them to His kingdom. I pray that they will continue to participate in Bible study and grow in sanctification. While they will soon be on their own out in the world, I want them to be salt and light realizing that the Word of God is far greater than anything the world can possibly offer. Amen. ~2 Timothy 2: 15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. ~Romans 8:29-30 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. ~1 John 4:4 You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. Thank you for reading, Kim When I was in elementary school, we received grades for handwriting, spelling, and conduct in addition to our academic marks. As I recall, the grades were O for outstanding, S for satisfactory, and N for needs improvement. To my parents, the most important grade on my entire report card was the conduct grade. I admit…typically, my conduct grade was not Outstanding, it was usually S for Satisfactory, but my teachers were cognizant to add a personal note, “talks too much, but is never rude or disrespectful.” Thank the Lord, they wrote that note because less than outstanding behavior was a spanking!
We don’t give conduct grades anymore, and I’ve aged out of grade school, anyway, but I’d like to think my conduct is still in the satisfactory to outstanding range. I still talk too much, but it’s always in fun. I like to smile, laugh and I like to make others do the same. I’m not confrontational, and I don’t have an angry spirit. Our conduct is important. People are watching, children are watching. I hear from my children's teachers that they, too, have good conduct in class. Hopefully, they are emulating me! Children do what they see their parents do, so be sure you are saying and doing the right things. We have all seen examples, recently of poor conduct, our children, see this too and know that personal conduct is a choice. The sin nature we inherited from Adam remains and continues to raise its ugly head. It’s the cause of our impatience, selfishness, lies, anger, and malice. You see this in videos on social media, you’ve seen it in the grocery store, in schools and maybe even at church. Poor conduct leaves a negative image in the minds of all who witness it. Scripture says, Even small children are known by their actions. (Prov. 20:11) What would your conduct grade be? Conduct matters. James 1:19-21 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. 21Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. Galatians 5:16-17 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. Romans 12:2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Conduct Matters. Amen. Thank you for reading! Kim Each year as Bible Study begins in September, I desire a new Bible. It just seems like with the new study, I should purchase a new textbook. I never do, I continue to use the one my late grandparents gave me in 1998. The front cover is torn, so I’ve taped it together on the inside. I don’t take this Bible out of the house as I wouldn’t want anyone to think the Lord hasn’t supplied me with the funds to purchase a better Bible, because He definitely has! The Bible I carry with me is lavender, and has my name, well, my old name, embossed on the front. Both are NIV and both have lots of writing in the margins. It’s those important margin notes that prevent me from purchasing a new textbook! Those notes are important. I want to be reminded of what the Holy Spirit said to me the last time I read a particular passage, and a new Bible just would not be the same. As a Christian blogger, I belong to a network of Christian Bloggers that are listed on the Bible Gateway website. From time to time, these writers will ask a favor of the other writers. In September, we were asked to review a new NIV Bible in exchange for a free copy. I jumped on this opportunity and my new Bible arrived on the Saturday before our first Bible Study session. My family watched in suspense as I opened the box left on the front porch, it had to be something special for me to be that excited. A new Bible!!! Yay!!! Well, the agreement was that I would use the Bible for two weeks, then post a few review of it on my blog...by September 17, 2021...I realized this week that I have neglected to hold up my end of the agreement. I’ve been using this new Bible and writing fresh new notes in the margins, but I haven’t posted a review. I’ve been busy. I work full time, I am a mother, a wife...a blogger! From the perspective of the person who made the request, I am a liar. The deal was that they would send me the new Bible and I would post a review by September 17 - I have not held up my end of the deal. It may also appear to the author/publisher that I stole this Bible. I am enjoying the Bible, but this week, when I went back to the email to check the deadline to post the review, I was overcome with guilt when I realized I had missed it...by three whole weeks. John said in Matthew 3:2, “Repent for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” To repent means that we not only feel bad about our sins, our offenses, our misgivings, to repent means that we admit our sins, ask for forgiveness, and turn away from continuing the practice of that particular sin. I am giving you an example, this week, in hopes that you can relate. Sin is not always blatant and ugly to the sinner. I didn’t set out to miss the deadline. I didn’t set out to steal this Bible or to lie to the publisher, but as I type this sentence, I stand before you a sinner in need of repentance. To be clear, I repented of my sins many years ago. Had my physical body died last week before I posted this review, my soul would be in heaven. Through the blood of Jesus my sins have been forgiven. I do not practice sin, but I do sin. Repentance should be an ongoing process in the life of every believer. When we don’t repent, when we don’t apologize, when we don’t face the fact that we are not perfect and sinless like Jesus Christ, Himself, we fail to see reality. In the previous paragraph, I acknowledged how my actions appear to the publisher. We cannot neglect to see the other side of our sin. I am not hurt by my actions, but my actions have hurt someone. Romans 3:23 says, For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. It is for that reason that God sent His Son, Jesus. Jesus is our Savior - His blood takes away our sin, that we don’t have to feel guilt or shame. Amen. Do you need to repent today? You don’t have to do it publicly, as I am in this post, but in your quiet time with the Lord today, admit your sins with a pure heart and ask Him to help you avoid those sins in the future. He will do it. Amen. Thank you for reading, Kim
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
24“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” (Mat 7:21-27) Last week’s message noted how Jesus’s birth, although prophesied, and announced by a start, surprised many of the people of the time. They were expecting a king, but they didn’t know when He would come and they didn’t expect Him to be a baby! This surprise was relatively inconsequential, but Scripture also tells us that Jesus will return to retrieve those who have repented of their sins and believe in His Holy Name. Those who do not believe will experience eternal damnation. We don’t know the time or date He will return, but I advise you to be ready. “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:38) For many people, myself included, repentance and baptism took place years ago, so is there anything else we must do to be ready for Christ’s return? Yes! This week’s message opened with Jesus’s words from Mat 7:21-21, a portion of His Sermon on the Mount. Calling upon the name of the Lord does not secure our place in heaven. Notice the phrase in v. 24 “puts them into practice.” Yes, we must confess our sins, call on His name, and be baptized, but we cannot stop practicing life in the Holy Spirit. I could list a number of things, but will try to be brief. We must share the Good News of Jesus. We must share with others that they don’t have to bear the burden of their sins. We must tell others about Jesus and show them the way to find Him. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Mat 28:19-20) We must love people. While we must live in the world, we must lead lives that set us apart from those who practice sin, yet we must love those who practice sin in order that we may influence them to repent of their sins. Scripture advises, “...Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Mat 5:16) “Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.” (Mat 5:42) “...Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45that you may be children of your Father in heaven.” (Mat 5:44-45) We must pray and trust God’s plan and His timing. “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” (Mat 6:6-8) “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 than food, and the body more than clothes?” (Mat 6:25) We have much work to do as we wait. We cannot be complacent believing we have plenty of time, it doesn’t matter, or believing we are secure because of a decision we made years ago. We are sinful. If we are not doing the work God has called us to do, we are likely backsliding into a sinful, faithless lifestyle. “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” (Mat 7:21) We must be ready by using our specific gifts and talents to share the Good News, love people, and through our prayer life. “For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.” (Mat 24:27) Thank you for reading! Kim |
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