Salt and Light Blog

The Lord Jesus Christ teaches us how powerful love can be. We have all heard of the cases where a child lifts up the back of an automobile to rescue his father who has knocked the car of its jack. This kind of power is supernatural; it is not something of which man is normally capable. Another amazing display of love is the power it can bring out in us when it comes to laying down our lives for those we love. That love drove my son to face a fierce enemy, both physical and spiritual. Jesus said:

“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” (John 15:13)

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Technorati Tags: Jesus Christ

The Lord gave me a lot to meditate on after yesterday’s devotional. I ended it by writing “I must never forget to live through my Savior.” How is that possible? Well, let’s look closer at what is my daughter Tiffany and many others’ life verse:

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13)

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I have forgotten the number of times I have been morally defeated through my own sinful flesh. Luckily, so has God. The difference is that Satan loves to remind my how many times I’ve gone to the throne of grace seeking forgiveness of my sins. Satan tries to convince me that I’m using up all my mercy, as though God has limited grace. The argument is that I may as well stay as I am instead of having to return to the mercy seat for my latest sin. And if all I had was Satan’s counsel and my guilt, I would be doomed. But glory to God I have the promise of His Word!

“For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. As a father pities his children, so the LORD pities those who fear Him. For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust.” (Psalm 103:11-14)

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Technorati Tags: sin

Early voting started this past Saturday in Florida. And yesterday we began being inundated with ads by a SuperPAC that supports Mitt Romney. To say these ads were full of half-truths would be generous.

That’s the one thing that bothers you the most about politics, isn’t it dear Christian? You cannot stand all the lies and mudslinging. As my sweet bride always says, “I want to hear what each candidate’s plan is to help turn our country around.”

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I’ve lost count the number of times I’ve felt like a failure in my Christian walk. Why? Because of sin, either it be a besetting sin that I cannot overcome or a sin I knowingly commit against the warning of the Holy Spirit, a sin usually wrought out of pride. You would think by now I would realize I cannot overcome sin in my own power. It is a lesson I understand yet never seem to learn.

The good news is I do not have to walk in my own power. There is a spiritual power, an abundant power working in us:

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Grace is defined by the Random House Dictionary a number of ways, with the third definition closest to the Biblical one: favor or goodwill. W.E. Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words defines the Greek karis as “that which bestows or occasions pleasure, delight, or causes favorable regard.”

Theologians describe it as unmerited favor.

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If there were ever a subject taught more falsely by peddlers of Christ than the title of today’s devotional, then I’ve yet to see it. The “name it and claim it” prosperity preachers found on the Trinity Broadcasting Network and similar stations LUUVVV to preach on this subject.

Well the aletheia truth is that Jesus does want us to live an abundant life, but let’s be sure we understand the abundance. This abundance comes from the Good Shepherd Jesus Christ. Read His words carefully:

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Technorati Tags: abundant life, Bible

Today is my grandson Benjamin’s third birthday. It is hard to believe that little guy is three until you spend some time with him. He is all of three years old and then some. He is also a miracle in my life; part of the abundant joys the Lord provides in my life.

The miracle of joy I experienced on January 9, 2009 came 478 days after I spent one of my worse days on earth. That was the day I lost my only son. In between those days, the Lord Jesus Christ revealed Himself to me (and still is) in ways I could not imagine. He showed me how it was an act of mercy that He took Eddie home to be with Him. He also showed me that although I had lost my only son, through my son-in-law and grandson He had given me two more sons.

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Do you realize how blessed you are? Oh of course I do Bro Dave.

No, let me try it again; do you realize how blessed you are? Yes Bro Dave of course I do!

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Technorati Tags: abundance, blessing

There is an old urban legend (meaning I don’t know if it is true or not) about Lee Trevino being approached by a woman who told the famed golfer that her little baby needed an operation or the baby would die. Lee gave the woman a few thousand dollars for the operation and later it was discovered the woman was a scam artist. When “The Merry Mex” Trevino was told of the scam, he reportedly replied, “Oh so you mean the baby isn’t going to die, that’s wonderful!”

That is what you call being generous to a fault!

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How do I go about changing the way I think about my material goods, and that includes our income, homes, automobiles, boats, toys, etc.? Well Paul told the Philippians earlier in this chapter to be anxious for nothing. We must have a thankful heart for all we have and not dwell on the things we don’t.

We should also look at others who have less than us with some sympathy, even if they’ve placed themselves in their current predicament. Now I am not advocating that we enable bad behavior, but that person is in his or her bad place because of a lack of Biblical wisdom.

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Technorati Tags: contentment, finances, greed

What causes stinking thinking, and just as important, how do we clear it up?

First, we use worldly principles to guide our thoughts and actions. Even as Christians we can get to the point that the world’s point of view governs our actions. One example is how Christians elected to office end up rolling over to a godless edict sent down from the courts. To bow at the steps of an unlawful judicial ruling not only is godless, it is also unconstitutional.

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You’ve probably heard this old adage before: “When the times get tough, the tough go shopping.”

Okay, so it may not be an old adage, but too many people live by it. And why do some of us go shopping when times get tough? To make ourselves feel better, to have a sense that we are still in control. The problem is we are not in control of our lives. The outcome is in God’s hands.

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Technorati Tags: Happy New Year

There is a story of a man who was stranded on an isolated island. He was alone on this island for many years so he made himself shelter and did the best he could. Eventually the island was discovered and the man was rescued. Before they left, the man decided to give a tour of his island.

He showed the people his hut, proudly saying, “This is the home I built with my own two hands.”

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Technorati Tags: envy, strife

I woke up with a song in my head that I was listening to yesterday. It is Chris Tomlin’s “My Soul Magnifies The Lord.” Here is a YouTube video of the song with the lyrics:

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Technorati Tags: "virgin birth", Jesus

Two weeks from today Iowa Republicans will caucus and choose their presidential candidate for November 2012. As Christians, we are to be good citizens and should vote for the candidate that best aligns with our Biblical worldview. With that being said, we Christians must remember that while we live in America and are citizens by birth, we are actually citizens of heaven by rebirth in Christ. If we will look to the future coming of our Lord Jesus Christ I believe our perspectives on all aspects of life would be radically transformed. This is what the Apostle Paul tried to teach the Philippian Church:

“Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern. For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things. For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.” (Philippians 3:17-21)

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One of the quickest ways to cripple your walk with Christ is to take your mind off of Him. If Jesus is not you’re all and all, then you probably think of Him very little if at all. Well that’s all well and good Bro Dave but how do I keep my mind on Christ?

I’ll use my lovely bride Karen as an example. When we were courting long distance, she in Alabama and me in Germany, we used to write each other continuously. Her letters to me made me feel so loved and I couldn’t take my mind off of her (she still has me like that!). In fact, the Holy Spirit became jealous and reminded me Who was first in my life.

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Have you ever met a Christian who seemed to not want to be forgiven? I’m not talking about the sinner, unsaved. I’m talking about the repentant, redeemed by the blood of Christ. It’s almost as though he or she preferred to stay under the heavy yoke of guilt instead of the Jesus’ easy yoke and light burden (Matthew 11:30).

If ever there was a Christian who could claim the “woe is me I’m unworthy” mantle it was the Apostle Paul. Paul had every reason to believe he should not be forgiven. (Side note: no one should be forgiven; that’s why it’s called grace!)

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Yesterday we asked why and how Paul could look at all the achievements of his life and comparing them to Jesus, consider them all garbage. The answer is found in today’s passage:

“Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.” (Philippians 3:8-11)

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I’m not sure that saying is “hip” anymore. I know for a while that if someone was bragging hard on themselves, another person would eventually say, “You ain’t all that!”

I think many times the Holy Spirit would like to say that to us, albeit in a heavenly way. Whether it be our bragging of why we think we’re going to heaven or if we as Christians try to portray ourselves as something we really aren’t.

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Technorati Tags: humility, pharisees, Pride