Salt and Light Blog

Yesterday in Sunday School we talked about the brevity and uncertainty of life; in other words life is short and we don’t know how it is going to turn out. At least we don’t know the specifics of how this life on earth will unfold. James advises us on that:

“Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit’; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.’ But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.” (James 4:13-16)

(more…)

Technorati Tags: hope, uncertainty

Is there anything more frustrating for a Christian than someone you have witnessed to who believes in Christ but will not confess Him because of how it may be received by others? That frustration is not a rare emotion; in fact a couple of days before Christ was crucified, He experienced that same frustration:

“Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. Then Jesus cried out and said, ‘He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me. And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me.’” (John 12:42-45)

(more…)

We have many enemies in this world. Our greatest enemy, for those without Christ, is death. Death is the enemy of God. God created life; Satan created death, despair, and disease. Suffering is the antithesis to creation. As you read the creation story in Genesis 1 you see death, despair, and disease were not a part of the original plan. In fact when God finished, the Bible tells us:

“Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.” (Genesis 1:31)

(more…)

My nephew Michael has made an honest and valid request. My family has faced great tragedy again. My niece Cheryl, Michael’s younger sister, was killed early Sunday morning in a head on collision. She had just turned 34 last Wednesday.

A few hours later, Michael’s uncle, my only brother Stephen, died from a rare pneumatic virus that took his life in less than 72 hours. He was only 52 and leaves behind a wife, children, grandchildren, and three sisters and me his brother.

(more…)

Technorati Tags: death, grief

In his second epistle, the Apostle Peter gives us seven steps to spiritual growth.

“But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 1:5-8)

(more…)

Technorati Tags: virtue

So how do we keep from backsliding, and once we find ourselves in such a state how do we get back? The answer is simple but the execution is not always easy. It dovetails with trying to figure out God’s will for our lives. I’ve written this before but it bears repeating: so many Christians struggle with trying to figure out God’s will for their lives. Well, do you do what you already know what God wants you to do? If you know what God wants you to do, then do what He wants you to do. Jesus said:

“If you love Me, keep My commandments.” (John 14:15)

(more…)

Technorati Tags: spiritual growth

Yesterday my pastor, Dr. Dennis Brunet, preached from one of my favorite passages in the Bible. This passage saw me through a very difficult time in my life. When I first came across it, it so soothed my hurting heart that the only piece of paper I could find in my room was an envelope. I wrote this passage on the envelope and carried it with me every where I went. It became very worn from unfolding and folding it dozens of times. It literally brought me the peace of God:

“Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:4-7)

(more…)

Technorati Tags: hope

I want to write a little more on fear. Fear is a real emotion, but as the acronym teaches fear is false evidence appearing real. Yesterday I wrote we cannot be worried about what man will do to us. Our eyes must forever be on God:

“I called on the Lord in distress; the Lord answered me and set me in a broad place. The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” (Psalm 118:5-6)

(more…)

Technorati Tags: fearlessness

This past weekend Karen and I went to visit our oldest daughter Tiffany and her beautiful family. Her husband Ben and their son Benjamin, our precious grandson, are always such a blessing with whom to spend time. Sunday we went to church and even had the chance to worship with a friend formerly from here now living in St. Petersburg. It is something I heard in church that I must share with you this morning.

Dr. Stephen Rummage, the senior pastor of Bell Shoals Baptist Church in Brandon, FL, is a fine man of God who preaches the Word unashamedly and unapologetically. He was preaching about our being adopted into the family of God and he told the story of a young lady who was speaking with her mother about her child’s dark hair. She could not figure out how their child got dark hair since she and her husband both had light hair. Her mother said, “Well dear, your father has dark hair.” The daughter replied, “Yeah but Mom, I’m adopted.” The mother shyly replied, “Yeah I know, I keep forgetting.”

(more…)

Technorati Tags: Adoption

A while back I was clearing out some old paperwork from my desk and I ran across a coupon from Karen and my favorite restaurant on Pensacola Beach, Flounders Chowder House. They had sent me a birthday coupon for a free piece of their famous key lime pie, which is actually three different key lime pies stacked onto one. Oh yes, it is good. But obviously since I still had the coupon I failed to redeem it and missed out on my key lime pie.

Too many people who come to an understanding of their need for Jesus Christ fail to allow His substitutionary work on the cross to redeem them. What is in need of redemption? Paying the ransom for our souls that our sin has brought upon us. It is too steep a price for any of us to pay. So we are shackled to our sins, a prisoner to the cost of our sin debt, unredeemed by failing to receive Christ as Lord and Savior.

(more…)

Technorati Tags: redemption

It is Day 3 of the Year 2013 and some of you may have already broken your New Years Resolution; others may be regretting them by now. Some may be like me and have not made any or even narrowed it down to one. Others may be going strong in their resolution. Whatever may be your case, I want to share with you what God put on my heart this morning.

In fact He awakened me at 3 am.

(more…)

Technorati Tags: redeemed, redemption

During Christmas we dwell on the birth of Christ and we also add in an event that happen some two years after His birth. The visit from the Wise Men from the East, men known as Magi. The Apostle Matthew gives the account:

“Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, ‘Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.’ When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. So they said to him, ‘In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet: “But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are not the least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.”’ Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, ‘Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.’ When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.” (Matthew 2:1-12)

(more…)

The Prophet Isaiah foretold the coming of Christ in a way that surpasses human understanding:

“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14)

(more…)

One of my all time favorite Christian groups is 4Him and one of their best songs ever is a Christmas song titled “A Strange Way To Save The World,” a song written through the eyes of Joseph, and the first verse and channel go like this:

I’m sure he must have been surprised
At where this road had taken him
Cause never in a million lives
Would he have dreamed of Bethlehem

(more…)

So by all accounts the earth is still spinning on its axis and evil has not prevailed. You would think that evil had triumphed by looking at the headlines, but evil is just having its heyday. As I wrote earlier, Satan knows his time is short and he is emptying out hell. But his time is short, nevertheless. Solomon wrote of evil’s fullness and finality:

“For I considered all this in my heart, so that I could declare it all: that the righteous and the wise and their works are in the hand of God. People know neither love nor hatred by anything they see before them. All things come alike to all: One event happens to the righteous and the wicked; to the good, the clean, and the unclean; to him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice. As is the good, so is the sinner; he who takes an oath as he who fears an oath. This is an evil in all that is done under the sun: that one thing happens to all. Truly the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil; madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead.” (Ecclesiastes 9:1-3)

(more…)

Technorati Tags: peace on earth

Jesus’ first sermon in the synagogue was a rejected one. As you read the words, one would think those in attendance would have embraced Jesus’ words and rejoiced in their hearing:

“So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written: ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.’ Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, ‘Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.’ So all bore witness to Him, and marveled at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth. And they said, ‘Is this not Joseph’s son?’” (Luke 4:16-22)

(more…)

I wanted to share an encouraging note I received from one of my devotional readers; she is somewhat new to our group (now numbering 212). Tara wrote in response to my taking a devotional hiatus, and I publish this somewhat unwillingly because I do not want to draw attention to myself, but I felt a strong urging from the Lord to share this with you.

This dear sister-in-Christ so clearly addresses what we all struggle with; how to best serve the Lord. Here is her response:

(more…)

Beloved,

I will be taking a two-week hiatus from writing devotionals as I work on another project. I’ll give you a hint of what it is; it is a sequel to my book Understanding Evangelicals: A Guide To Jesusland. If you don’t have a copy of the first one, you get one in paperback or Kindle at Amazon.

(more…)

Technorati Tags: Devotional

The future and the unknown can be daunting. For that matter, this present day and its uncertainty can overwhelm us. If we look around we do not see much in which to hope. Looking with temporal eyes will cause fear almost every time. Fear comes in all sizes and shapes and can be triggered by almost anything.

Some fear is good; fear can keep us safe from physical harm. Parental fear can keep us on the right path, providing we have parents worthy of fearing. Fear can keep us from doing foolish things.

(more…)

Technorati Tags: Courage

This past Friday I published The Truth Newsletter on the subject of “A Food Stamp Thanksgiving” and how a record number of Americans are on food stamps. Many are because they have fallen on hard times; many are because the government has made it easy to do so. And of course we the church should be doing a better job of not only meeting the physical needs of our neighbors, but also, and more importantly, their spiritual needs. One of those needs is reaping happiness from the fruit of your labors:

“Blessed is every one who fears the Lord, who walks in His ways. When you eat the labor of your hands, you shall be happy, and it shall be well with you.” (Psalm 128:1-2)

(more…)