“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 by men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is
set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a
bushel, but on a candle stick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify
your father which is in heaven” (Matt 5:13-16; KJV).
As Christians,
we are to be salt, we are to shine as lights in the world we live in. Those who
watch us should see a difference, should be led to say, what is it about you, I
need what you have?
We
should not hide our lamp under a basket; in other words, we should not be
intimidated but be bold and shine. We should ask ourselves have we lost our
saltiness, are we shining brightly for the Lord?
His
love, his life-giving power and presence in us should shine out (Phil 2:13 and
15). Look at how God’s presence shone through Moses after he had met with God
(Ex 34:29). God wants to show his plan and purpose through us, his church, even
to all the evil principalities in the heavenly places. (Eph 3:10).
Let’s
allow Gods presence, his word and power to change us today and shine through
us.
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God
does not leave us alone (John 14:15-18). He sent us his Holy Spirit, his power
(Acts 1:8). Jesus received the same Holy Spirit when John the Baptist baptized
him in water (Matt 3:16). Jesus needed this power to flow from him when he
ministered upon the earth (Luke 8:46).
We
are told that this is the same power that raised Christ from the dead and that
this power will bring life to our mortal bodies: “But if the spirit of him that
raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead
shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you” (Rom
8:11). This Greek word for power is where we get our English word dynamite (Eph
1:19-20). We have his dynamite power on the inside of us!
As
we discover God’s promises to us in the Bible and step out in faith, the Holy
Spirit can go to work to change us and use us. Jesus said: “Verily, verily, I
say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and
greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father” (John 14:12).
Yes, he said that we are empowered to do the same works as he did on this earth
and even greater works! Let’s allow his power to change us and flow from us to
a hurting world.
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Check out our web site ( www.onthewayinlove.com ) for information on our
book: “On the Way: Basic Christian Training”, including how to purchase it and
also to see more encouraging Bible based blogs. Please recommend our book to
others.
Isaiah
40:31 is a wonderful verse: “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their
strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagle; they shall run, and not be
weary; they shall walk, and not faint” (KJV).
One
spring Jean and I were parked in our car on the south end of Waskesiu lake in
Prince Albert National Park, Saskatchewan, Canada, having our prayer time.
There were 6 or so golden eagles feasting on dead fish out on the melting ice.
After a while the eagles took off and gave us 30 minutes of the most glorious
flying and gliding display right in front of and over our car. What amazing,
powerful and graceful creatures; such colors and majesty, such strength. Isaiah
40:31 truly came alive for us. God is so obvious to all in his creation (Rom
1:20).
This
is the strength he has for us. “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not
dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea,
I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." (Isa 41:10)
It's God that does the strengthening and holds us with his hand. God tells us
not to fear, he is the one who fights our battles for us (Deut 31:6).
And,
yes, this is New Testament as well: "I can do all things through Christ which
strengtheneth me" (Phil 4:13). Did you notice that was all things not some
things? Trust God, cast your cares on him and lean on his strength today. We
can't do it on our own, my, how we need our God.
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this on to someone. All rights reserved.
Check out our web site ( www.onthewayinlove.com ) for information on our
book: “On the Way: Basic Christian Training”, including how to purchase it and
also to see more encouraging Bible based blogs. Please recommend our book to
others.
"As
the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye
keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my
Father's commandments, and abide in his love." These 2 verses are from
John 15:9-10 in the King James Version of the Bible.
Jesus
is telling us to abide or continue in his love; but how? Well he gives us a
clue by telling us to obey his commandments. A cardinal command is to love: “And
thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and
with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And
the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love they neighbour as thyself. There
is none other commandment greater than these”.
I
believe we also need to meditate on the scriptures that tell us about God’s
great love for us - and there are many of them. Here is one I am sure we are
all familiar with, but it speaks volumes: “For God so loved the world, that he
gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish,
but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). Wow, could you ever doubt his love for
us?
We
also need to learn to be quiet before God and just sense his love for us in our
hearts; and experience it. If we get a revelation of God's great love for us
then we will start to feel better about ourselves and then it will be easier to
love others.
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Check out our web site ( www.onthewayinlove.com ) for information on our
book: “On the Way: Basic Christian Training”, including how to purchase it and
also to see more encouraging Bible based blogs. Please recommend our book to
others.
Have
you ever tried to read the bible or pray and had to deal with competing
thoughts just roaring through your mind? Or is it just me that has to deal with
busyness of mind? I talked to God about this and asked for his help. His reply
was that I had his help and I just needed to buckle down and use his help. He
said my mind needed to be in his intensive care unit.
Gods
ICU is his word. God has given us his
peace (John 14:27) and a sound mind (2 Tim 1:7). We need to stay our minds on God’s word (Isa
26:3), renew our minds with his word (Rom 12:2) and bring every thought into
the obedience of Christ (2 Cor 10:4-5).
How
do we do this? Well, get hold of the word and mediate it day and night (mediate
is to mull it over, speak it to yourself); it works, we just need to do it. Get
radical and make sure you read Joshua 1:8: “This book of the law shall not
depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt mediate therein day and night, that
thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou
shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success”.
Alleluia, just preached myself happy again; think I will just run around my
office.
If
this spoke to you send it to someone. All rights reserved.
Check out our web site ( www.onthewayinlove.com ) for information on our
book: “On the Way: Basic Christian Training”, including how to purchase it and
also to see more encouraging Bible based blogs. Please recommend our book to
others.