Worthless As Old Salt….

If we don’t live out our beliefs, then our beliefs must not be real. How effective can a person be if their actions don’t back their words? Stop pretending. Stop being afraid of what others might think or say. Stop trying to be “politically correct”. And stop trying to appease and not offend others. God’s truth will offend sinful behavior, it’s one of it’s purposes. God’s truth meets people right where they are, and gives them a choice. It’s people responses to it, not you, that trigger hostility and offense. If our walk doesn’t match our talk, then something isn’t right in our own hearts. And if it continues our witness will be as ineffective as worthless as old salt. It won’t preserve and won’t season another’s view of God. Our job is not to abandon people who don’t believe, our job is to insulate ourselves with God’s truths, so we can live them out and help others know Who helps us celebrate, cope, and endure through life. Sometimes words are necessary, but actions need no explanation when they are lived out in love. Actions speak louder than words. And it’s only when our actions come from a redeemed and God-regenerated heart, that they become gracious and attractive to those who possess an honest, truth seeking attitude, and to those who reject truth, a conviction to their bad behavior. Either way our actions will either point others to God, or away from Him. Make certain they match up.

5 Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone. Colossians 4:5-6

We Are Not The Exception….

Read this passage carefully. Don’t think it doesn’t apply to America. We are not the exception. Take heed, lest we fall. God doesn’t have favorites. And we are no more special than any other country. Yes, we have been blessed, but that gift will only last as long as we genuinely, and whole-heartedly serve God.

16 And if these nations truly learn the ways of My people, and if they learn to swear by My name, saying, ‘As surely as the Lord lives’ (just as they taught My people to swear by the name of Baal), then they will be given a place among My people. 17 But any nation who refuses to obey Me will be uprooted and destroyed. I, the Lord, have spoken!” Jeremiah 12:16-17

Advantages Of Being A Christian….

True Contentment is only found in God. Once we establish the relationship, and work to maintain it, we’ll find rest for our soul. Peace that surpasses all understanding will be available to us. And the desires of sin and the flesh will no longer have the appeal it once did. Filling ourselves with God’s Spirit makes us full. And that fullness truly satisfies. There’s advantages of being a Christian, this is just one more of them.

7 A person who is full refuses honey, but even bitter food tastes sweet to the hungry. Proverbs 27:7

Fight To Stay In Their Sinful, Immoral Beliefs….

In an election year we see the nastiness of humanity on full display. The “left” does this, the “right” responds with this. We see people attacking opposing candidates character, yet ignoring their own. Name calling, and plots to make up lies then act as if they are true are just a few strategies employed to prevent opposing views to be established. The prophet Jeremiah was appointed by God to be His mouthpiece, His prophet to Judah. Jeremiah spoke the words God commissioned him to speak, and he was hated for it, so much so, his life was threatened. Isn’t it sad that very thing continues to this day? People would rather fight to stay in their sinful, immoral beliefs, living them out in their own perceived comfort, than actually listen to truth and adhere to doing what is right. Just like in Jeremiah’s day, we have people willing to murder to keep immoral, sinful laws we have here in this country. Don’t allow yourself to be discouraged, take heart, God does not let this last long. God examines our deepest thoughts and secrets. He knows what’s best. And He will not allow people who plot evil to go unpunished. Whenever calamity hits a society, like hurricanes, tornados, wars, pandemics, etc... it just might be God’s justice being carried out. Think about that for a minute. Unrepentance is like a slap in God’s face. And promoting others to participate in, and stopping others who promote God’s will, will only be tolerated for so long. Don’t allow yourself to get discouraged, because God has your back. He will not allow evil to go unpunished. Ask Him to help you be bold in your faith. Ask Him to empower you with His Spirit. Ask Him to set a resolve in your heart to speak truth. He will answer those prayers, just like He answered Jeremiah’s. And you will be a beacon of light shining brightly for all to see, bringing hope to those who desperately need it.

18 Then the Lord told me about the plots my enemies were making against me. 19 I was like a lamb being led to the slaughter. I had no idea that they were planning to kill me! “Let’s destroy this man and all his words,” they said. “Let’s cut him down, so his name will be forgotten forever.” 20 O Lord of Heaven’s Armies,You make righteous judgments,and You examine the deepest thoughts and secrets.Let me see your vengeance against them,for I have committed my cause to You. 21 This is what the Lord says about the men of Anathoth who wanted me dead. They had said, “We will kill you if you do not stop prophesying in the Lord’s name.” 22 So this is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says about them: “I will punish them! Their young men will die in battle, and their boys and girls will starve to death. 23 Not one of these plotters from Anathoth will survive, for I will bring disaster upon them when their time of punishment comes.” Jeremiah 11:18-23

Bring Delight To The Lord….

The key to living the Christian life is knowing God. It’s pursuing our Maker. Think about it: if God wants us to have a relationship with Him, communicating with Him, walking with Him, and worshipping Him, don’t we have to know Him first. Once we meet Him, we realize we are sinners. We realize our lostness. We realize our need of a Savior. Then we repent and are welcomed into the Kingdom. The key to life is knowing God. It’s written throughout the OT and NT. Today’s scripture is just one example of this. It’s one of my favorites in the Bible. Why? Because it tells us exactly what we can do to bring delight to our Lord.

23 This is what the Lord says:“Don’t let the wise boast in their wisdom,or the powerful boast in their power,or the rich boast in their riches.24 But those who wish to boastshould boast in this alone:that they truly know Me and understand that I am the Lord who demonstrates unfailing love and who brings justice and righteousness to the earth,and that I delight in these things.I, the Lord, have spoken! Jeremiah 9:23-24

If You Wonder Why The World Is So Evil….

The problem with human beings is we don’t pursue knowing God. We get what we get when we leave God out of the equation. If He is “our Maker”, leaving Him out makes no sense. In order to drive a car, you have to have a general idea of how it works. You don’t need to know about combustion, or anti-lock brakes. You just need to know that it takes gas to run. If you don’t fill up with gas, you ain’t goin’ no where in the car. Sure, you can sit in it and pretend to be driving it, but no matter how deep your imagination goes, the car ain’t goin’ anywhere. The same goes for life. Without God, we have to pretend because we ain’t goin’ anywhere. Our problems will not get solved. And most importantly, our sin will only continue to grow, complicate our lives, and destroy any and all relationships we have. Not knowing God is the biggest problem humans face on this earth. And He has never moved. If you wonder why the world is so evil, now you know why. If you wondered why there’s so many mental disorders these days, you know why. Christians have the answer to the world’s problems. His name is Jesus. And He is worthy of our attention. Share Him today with someone desperately in need of an answer. He is the only Hope we have.

3 “My people bend their tongues like bowsto shoot out lies.They refuse to stand up for the truth.They only go from bad to worse.They do not know Me,”says the Lord. 4 “Beware of your neighbor!Don’t even trust your brother!For brother takes advantage of brother,and friend slanders friend.5 They all fool and defraud each other;no one tells the truth.With practiced tongues they tell lies;they wear themselves out with all their sinning.6 They pile lie upon lieand utterly refuse to acknowledge Me,”says the Lord. 7 Therefore, this is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says:“See, I will melt them down in a crucibleand test them like metal.What else can I do with My people?8 For their tongues shoot lies like poisoned arrows.They speak friendly words to their neighborswhile scheming in their heart to kill them.9 Should I not punish them for this?” says the Lord.“Should I not avenge Myself against such a nation?” 10 I will weep for the mountainsand wail for the wilderness pastures.For they are desolate and empty of life;the lowing of cattle is heard no more;the birds and wild animals have all fled. 11 “I will make Jerusalem into a heap of ruins,” says the Lord.“It will be a place haunted by jackals.The towns of Judah will be ghost towns,with no one living in them.” 12 Who is wise enough to understand all this? Who has been instructed by the Lord and can explain it to others? Why has the land been so ruined that no one dares to travel through it?13 The Lord replies, “This has happened because My people have abandoned My instructions; they have refused to obey what I said. 14 Instead, they have stubbornly followed their own desires and worshiped the images of Baal, as their ancestors taught them. 15 So now, this is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: Look! I will feed them with bitterness and give them poison to drink. 16 I will scatter them around the world, in places they and their ancestors never heard of, and even there I will chase them with the sword until I have destroyed them completely.” Jeremiah 9:3-16

Education…Exercises Our Pride….

I can’t help but think about education when I read today’s scripture passage. Higher education to be exact. I don’t know the percentage but I know it’s really high when it comes to church-raised freshman who enter college, leaving college not believing in God anymore. You’d think that education would enlighten people to the truth, but unfortunately, it does the exact opposite. Instead of opening up our eyes to truth, it exercises our pride and makes it our largest muscle. Then demands the use of that muscle to further us down the road to prosperity. Be careful if you’re in college. Be careful if you’re going to college. And repent if you’ve bought into the college agenda you’ve experienced. God is the only source of wisdom and truth. If He’s not part of your life, you’re being fed with inedible food. It may satisfy your craving, but it won’t sustain you throughout life. God is the only One worthy our attention.

8 Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ. 9 For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. 10 So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority. Colossians 2:8-10