Tag Archives: Matthew 12:34-35

A Hindrance To Revival??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #332

24 Monday Mar 2025

Posted by in 'Come unto me, A Call To Look Unto Jesus!, A Witness--Good or Bad???, Renewing or Reviewing, REvival, Revival or Recycle?, Revive us O God!, Speaking The Truth In Love, Tuned In, Tuned In To Jesus, Turn to God's Word, Uncertainty--God HAS the answer

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A Hindrance To Revival???    A Word from THE WORD!!! #332

“Wilt thou not revive us again:

that thy people may rejoice in thee?

7 Shew us thy mercy, O LORD,

and grant us thy salvation.

8 I will hear what God the LORD will speak:

for he will speak peace unto his people,

and to his saints:

but let them not turn again to folly.

9 Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him;

that glory may dwell in our land.”  Psalm 85:6-9

I have prayed a long time to see a true revival in the midst of God’s people.  A heart stirring, conviction producing, altar-praying, tearful repentance of God’s own; the kind of revivals I saw and experienced as a child and a young adult.  Oh, dear Father—please revive us again!  But then I ask myself, am I being a hindrance to revival? Is my heart willing to hear that voice of conviction from the Holy Spirit; am I willing to turn from my pet sins, my selfish longings and desires, my misuse of God’s gifts?  May we simply lay ourselves before The Lord God Almighty, and our precious Lord and Savior Jesus, and yield to the work of His Spirit within me and you who belong to Him.

It’s so easy to be distracted, and I am chief of the distracted sometimes; yet I long to be all that God wants me to be; to be humble, obedient and willing to go or stay—to go forward or to wait on The Lord!  Let’s consider some truth from scripture that we might ponder, consider and willingly look into that mirror of the soul—God’s Word and the work of the Holy Spirit.  It’s so much easier to flip on the TV, scroll through hours of social media dribble, or watch every sport known to man!  What is your go to escape?  Are we trying to escape form our King?  Or have we just become so accustomed to going our own way, and being more influenced by the world than our Lord?  Oh, Jesus, revive my soul!  May we return to the time when the church led your people instead of the popular call from the world?  Have we allowed our heart to become divided?  Heal my heart oh Lord.  Help me to stop living a life of “long-division” and start living in submission to you, my Lord—adding and multiplying grace and obedience.

“But king Solomon loved many strange women, …

…2 Of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel,

 Ye shall not go in to them,

neither shall they come in unto you:

for surely they will turn away your heart

after their gods:

Solomon clave unto these in love.

3 And he had seven hundred wives, princesses,

and three hundred concubines:

and his wives turned away his heart.

4 For it came to pass, when Solomon was old,

that his wives turned away his heart

after other gods:

and his heart was not perfect

with the LORD his God, …

…6 And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD,

and went not fully after the LORD,

as did David his father.

7 Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh,

the abomination of Moab,

…and for Molech,

the abomination of the children of Ammon.

 8 And likewise did he for all his strange wives,

which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods.

9 And the LORD was angry with Solomon,

because his heart was turned from the LORD God of Israel,

which had appeared unto him twice,

10 And had commanded him

concerning this thing,

that he should not go after other gods:

but he kept not that which the LORD commanded.”   1 Kings 11:1-10

Solomon let his heart be compromised (divided)—this wise man—this man to whom God appeared and gave him an amazing gift of greatness; but he was drawn away from his God by worldly compromise!  What are we allowing to draw our heart away from God?  It’s usually the most innocent-seeming things that Satan will use to draw us away; sometimes the busy-ness of doing churchy things gets in the way of obeying our Lord.  Sometimes He leads us aside, when we want to be in the limelight?  Sometimes He calls on us to be quiet, when we want to speak.  Sometimes He calls us to leave our comfort-zone to go to and do the uncomfortable.  Sometimes He convicts us to give up things that we have allowed to become “foreign wives” to us—have I allowed worldly pleasures to come between me and my LORD?  Have we allowed something—anything—to divide our heart like Solomon’s?  Is Jesus on the throne of our heart or something—anything—else?

What comes out of my mouth?  What goes into my eyes?  My ears?  What do I allow that I once wouldn’t?  I’m not going to post a list—ask God and He will reveal truth, if/when we are willing to receive it.

“Search me, O God,

and know my heart:

try me,

and know my thoughts:

24 And see if there be any wicked way

in me,

and lead me

in the way everlasting.”  Psalm 139:23-24

James got pretty blunt in his letter to believers who were living a life of division.  May we heed his word today—for it’s God’s Word to us as well.

“Ye ask, and receive not,

because ye ask amiss,

 that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses,

know ye not that the friendship of the world

is enmity with God?

whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world

is the enemy of God.

5 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain,

The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?

6 But he giveth more grace.

Wherefore he saith,

God resisteth the proud,

but giveth grace unto the humble.

7 Submit yourselves therefore to God.

Resist the devil,

and he will flee from you.

8 Draw nigh to God,

and he will draw nigh to you.

Cleanse your hands,

 ye sinners;

and purify your hearts,

 ye double minded.

9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep:

 let your laughter be turned to mourning,

and your joy to heaviness.

10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord,

and he shall lift you up.”  James 4:3-10

May we learn to practice humility before God, holiness by God’s grace, His Word and being devoted to our King, hungering for God’s friendship not the world’s?  I pray that we will be the conduit for true revival not the hindrance.  Let’s keep our hearts pure before God, no matter what others may think or do.

“O generation of vipers,

how can ye, being evil, speak good things?

for out of the abundance of the heart

the mouth speaketh.

35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart

bringeth forth good things:

and an evil man out of the evil treasure

 bringeth forth evil things.”  Matthew 12:34-35

May our hearts be right before our God!  He knows, no matter what others may think; and we can only fake it for so long, the truth will come out!  Oh, Lord please open our eyes and convict our hearts to truly “Draw nigh to God” that He “will draw nigh to you.”  Please revive us again, oh Lord?

Amen and Amen!!!

Just Words Aren’t Enough??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #161

03 Sunday Dec 2023

Posted by in A Father's Love, A Form of godliness?, Are you training your children, Children, Choices And Consequences, Choose you this day?, Just words won't do?, Speaking, Speaking The Truth In Love, Train up a child....

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Just Words Aren’t Enough??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #161

As parents we spend a lot of time talking to our children, but I have realized that we are often talking “at” them and not “to” them, and there is a difference.  Oh, how I wish I could have a ‘redo’ on so many opportunities to communicate with my children.  Parenting isn’t for sissies, or the weak of heart—it takes a heart and mind set on loving our children the way that God loves us, and to know about that we absolutely must be in God’s Word to see His work, His character, His heart, His ways, His commands, demands, instruction and insights into being not only ‘good parents’ but effectively parenting biblically!  It has to be a lifestyle and a commitment to know what God expects and be the example before our children that will impart God’s ways to them, not just ‘talk them to death’ (The old adage, ‘Do what I say, not what I do!)!

“Train up a child

in the way he should go:

and when he is old,

he will not depart from it.”  Proverbs 22:6

This is a much-debated verse, and I would simply like to give you my take on it; first of all we must remember that the context is Proverbs, principles for godly living—not necessarily promises but principles!  This verse in particular isn’t a promise on raising perfect children, but a principle that there is a ‘way’ in which we are to ‘train’ our children.  The word ‘train’ is key, for we aren’t to run rough-shod over them, neither are we to let them run wild and free, running rough-shod over we parents or other adults in their life.  We are to instruct them in proper behavior—what is acceptable and what is not, living our lives before them in submission to our heavenly Father, setting an example of obedience, respect and regard for God and others in authority.

As a substitute teacher for some 25 years, I know by personal experience and observation that much of the problem we have in our public schools comes from children and parents (YES parents) who have no regard for the authorities in the public school; and while they aren’t ‘all-knowing’ or ‘perfect’ authority figures, they are usually reasonable people who care about our children.  I qualify this by saying that there are those in places of authority in education who think they have more authority than the parent, and we must know our child and what we have taught them and be willing to stand up for them when they are being wrongly accused, bullied, or mistreated by child or adult!  But by the same token we are to extend the same respect and willingness to hear those on the other side.

God has given us the best guide for how to teach, train and prepare our children for adulthood.  I can’t believe that I missed this until most of my children had left home, and I regret that I missed so much opportunity to share truth and godly principles with them.  I was raised in a ‘no backtalk’ environment, and I held pretty tightly to that principle, yet there is a place for open communication between parent and child, not sass, not disrespect, or disregard on either side.  Parents are to ‘parent’ not the child!  Let’s take a look at God’s plan, and while I’d love to share the whole of Deuteronomy 6, we’ll just post selected parts, and you can read the rest on your own—it’s too good to miss!

“Now these are the commandments,

 the statutes,

 and the judgments,

which the LORD your God

commanded to teach you,

that ye might do them

in the land whither ye go to possess it:

2 That thou mightest fear the LORD thy God,

to keep all his statutes

and his commandments,

which I command thee,

thou,

and thy son,

and thy son’s son,

all the days of thy life;

and that thy days may be prolonged.

4 Hear, O Israel:

The LORD our God is one LORD:

5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God

with all thine heart,

and with all thy soul,

and with all thy might.

6 And these words,

which I command thee this day,

shall be in thine heart:” Deuteronomy 6:1-6

Moses was preparing the children of Israel to go into the promised land after his decease, as well as to know how God expected them to behave that they would prosper and succeed in the Land of Canaan; also for their posterity—themselves, their sons, and their son’s sons and all future generations.  The key is that is starts with we parents, You/I must know God personally, to have been ‘born again’ as Jesus said, before we can pass anything on to our children.  God’s Word must be in our hearts, and it gets there not only by studying The Word, but also by the empowering understanding that the indwelling Holy Spirit gives to God’s own.

“Therefore being justified by faith,

we have peace with God

through our Lord Jesus Christ:

2 By whom also we have access

by faith

into this grace

wherein we stand,

and rejoice in hope of the glory of God…

…. 5 And hope maketh not ashamed;

because the love of God is shed abroad

in our hearts

by the Holy Ghost

which is given unto us.

6 For when we were yet without strength,

in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die:

yet peradventure for a good man

some would even dare to die.

8 But God commendeth his love toward us,

in that, while we were yet sinners,

Christ died for us.

9 Much more then,

being now justified by his blood,

we shall be saved from wrath through him.

10 For if, when we were enemies,

we were reconciled to God

by the death of his Son,

much more,

being reconciled,

we shall be saved by his life.

11 And not only so,

but we also joy in God

through our Lord Jesus Christ,

by whom we have now

received the atonement.”   Portions of Romans 5:1-11

Just as Moses encouraged his people to pursue God’s will because HE had delivered them from Egypt and was about to take them into the Promised Land, Paul was reminding the Roman believers of all that God had done and is doing for us through Jesus’ redemption!  He has saved us, keeps us by the power of The Holy Spirit, and is leading us to the eternal ‘Promised Land’ of heaven!  We can live holy lives by the power of God, and we are to share that hope and power with our children, leading them to the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!  So just as Moses called for commitment to God, we are called to the same, only we have been given the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit.   Let’s go back to Deuteronomy and see what other instructions God gave for parenting; they are simple if not easy, but doable by God’s power and obedient love of our Lord, when we know HIM personally!

“And thou shalt teach them diligently

unto thy children,

and shalt talk of them

when thou sittest in thine house,

and when thou walkest by the way,

and when thou liest down,

and when thou risest up.

8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand,

and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.

9 And thou shalt write them

upon the posts of thy house,

and on thy gates…

… 13 Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God,

and serve him,

and shalt swear by his name.

14 Ye shall not go after other gods,

of the gods of the people

which are round about you; …

… 17 Ye shall diligently keep the commandments

of the LORD your God,

and his testimonies,

and his statutes,

which he hath commanded thee.

18 And thou shalt do that

which is right and good in the sight of the LORD:

that it may be well with thee,

and that thou mayest go in

and possess the good land

which the LORD sware unto thy fathers,

19 To cast out all thine enemies

from before thee,

as the LORD hath spoken.

20 And when thy son asketh thee in time to come,

saying,

What mean the testimonies,

and the statutes,

and the judgments,

which the LORD our God hath commanded you?

21 Then thou shalt say unto thy son,

We were Pharaoh’s bondmen in Egypt;

and the LORD brought us out of Egypt

with a mighty hand:…

… 24 And the LORD commanded us

to do all these statutes,

to fear the LORD our God,

for our good always,

that he might preserve us alive,

as it is at this day.

25 And it shall be our righteousness,

if we observe to do

all these commandments

before the LORD our God,

as he hath commanded us.”  Portions of Deuteronomy 6:7-25

I know that this is a lengthy passage, and I encourage you to read the entire chapter– the more you read it, the more it will sink in, but I’d like to summarize what I think God was telling them as well as us.  Our world is going to “hell in a hand basket” and our children are following the world, we must step in and deliver them as best we can with God’s help, God’s Word and our own diligent prayer and obedient living.

Moses instructed the people that they were to behave like God’s children, having a personal relationship with HIM—they were to not only know God, but know HIS will, HIS Word, and HIS ways!  Then they were to teach their children by word and deed—in the way, when they arose, when they went to bed, when they saw teachable moments, moments that would be reinforced by the godly décor in their home—on the walls, in their media, in their speech, holding to the holy, godly lives that reflected the holiness of God not the ungodliness of the world.  Then in verses 20 and 21 he caps it all off by telling them that if they lived this godly way, their children would come of an age to ask, “why do we live this way?”, then they/we could share with them our own personal testimony of what God has done for us—for you and me!  WOW!  What an opportunity.

But what makes me sad today is that many people I know —both professing Christians and the non-Christians—have vocabularies that would make a gutter-snipe blush!  If you belong to Jesus, your language should reflect HIS character not the vile culture of our world.  I’ll close with Jesus’ own commentary on this situation.  You decide what you need to do about it, or how you can help others grow into more holy living than worldly living.

“O generation of vipers,

how can ye, being evil,

speak good things?

for out of the abundance of the heart

the mouth speaketh.

35 A good man

out of the good treasure of the heart

bringeth forth good things:

and an evil man

out of the evil treasure

bringeth forth evil things.”  Matthew 12:34-35

“But those things which proceed out of the mouth

come forth from the heart;

and they defile the man.

19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts,

murders, adulteries,

fornications, thefts,

false witness, blasphemies:

20 These are the things which defile a man:

but to eat with unwashen hands

defileth not a man.”  Matthew 15:18-20

Do you need to let Jesus ‘wash’ your mouth?  It’s your choice, but choose wisely, there is a test!

Amen and Amen!!!

Arthritis Theology For Today??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #745

23 Friday Jul 2021

Posted by in Abiding In Jesus, Arthritis Theology, Be not conformed to this world, Bibe Study, Blessed by God, By Him We Live, Guard Your Heart, JESUS

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #745  Arthritis Theology For Today???

 

I know some of you are wondering what “Arthritis Theology” is; well, my friends it came up in one of our conversations this week, and most of the older folks will relate.  I asked my husband to rub some arthritis cream on my back (since I can’t reach it any more…ha ha), and I was giving instructions on how I wanted it done, and I simply said, “If you don’t rub it in, it won’t do any good!”  And I just had to share the similitude to walking with Jesus; for the more we “rub” HIS Word in….the more good it does in our hearts, our minds, and our daily service for our Lord!  I think it may have been what Paul had in mind as he counseled the Colossian believers, let’s consider it.

“Put on therefore,

as the elect of God,

holy and beloved,

bowels of mercies,

kindness,

humbleness of mind,

meekness,

longsuffering;

13 Forbearing one another,

and forgiving one another,

if any man have a quarrel against any:

even as Christ forgave you,

so also do ye.

14 And above all these things

put on charity,

which is the bond of perfectness.

15 And let the peace of God

rule in your hearts,

to the which also ye are called

in one body;

and be ye thankful.

16 Let the word of Christ

dwell in you richly

in all wisdom;

teaching

and admonishing one another

in psalms

and hymns

and spiritual songs,

singing with grace in your hearts

to the Lord.

17 And whatsoever ye do

in word

or deed,

do all in the name of the Lord Jesus,

giving thanks to God

and the Father by him.”  Colossians 3:12-17

If I may put it in a nutshell, what you put in will come out.  It’s also what Jesus reminds us of on multiple occasions.  What are you putting into your heart?  It’s so easy to be distracted by this busy techno-crazy world and allow harmful and unnecessary things into our heart and lives.  May we choose wisely!

“O generation of vipers,

how can ye,

being evil,

speak good things?

for out of the abundance of the heart

the mouth speaketh.

35 A good man

out of the good treasure of the heart

bringeth forth good things:

and an evil man

out of the evil treasure

bringeth forth evil things.”   Matthew 12:34-35

“But those things

which proceed out of the mouth

come forth from the heart;

and they defile the man.

19 For out of the heart proceed

evil thoughts,

murders,

adulteries,

fornications,

thefts,

false witness,

blasphemies:

20 These are the things which defile a man:

but to eat with unwashen hands

defileth not a man.”  Matthew 15:18-20

May we take HIS words to heart and make sure we keep our hearts right with our Lord and strive to please HIM with a clean heart and a right walk before God and man.  Someone is watching your walk—where are you leading them?

“Keep thy heart

with all diligence;

for out of it

are the issues of life.”  Proverbs 4:23

And one of my favorite godly challenges from our brother Paul.

“But thanks be to God,

which giveth us the victory

through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58 Therefore, my beloved brethren,

be ye stedfast,

unmoveable,

always abounding

in the work of the Lord,

forasmuch as ye know

that your labour is not in vain

in the Lord.”  1 Corinthians 15:57-58

So, may we fill our heart with Jesus, and not fill our hearts with corrupt things, and find ourselves going the wrong way!  If we think it long enough, we will follow through!  Choose wisely, for there is a test.  Let’s rub in the Word of God and walk in victory before our Lord and others!

“For whatsoever is born of God

overcometh the world:

and this is the victory that overcometh the world,

even our faith.

5 Who is he that overcometh the world,

but he that believeth

that Jesus is the Son of God?”   1 John 5:4-5

Amen and Amen!!!

If It’s In It Will Come Out??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #357

06 Wednesday Mar 2019

Posted by in Abiding In Jesus, Abundant Life In Jesus, Victory IN Jesus!

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #537   If It’s In It Will Come Out???

 

“Shall not God search this out?

for he knoweth the secrets

of the heart.”  Psalm 44:21

We often talk about making lemonade out of the ‘lemons’ that we find ourselves with, but there’s a catch to that.  As the old adage asks, “What do you get when you squeeze a lemon?”  While most say, “lemon juice”, the truth is, you’ll only get out of the lemon what is in it! If it’s a dry lemon, you won’t get any juice at all—you’ll just squeeze and get nothing.  Well, our spiritual walk with God is much the same; when the squeeze comes—trials, burdens, sorrows, difficulties, or tragedies—and it will come, what you’ve put in your heart will come out; what we continually put into our hearts and minds, will be revealed when that ‘squeeze’ comes.  Jesus tells us the same thing, and more than once!

“O generation of vipers,

how can ye,

being evil,

speak good things?

for out of the abundance of the heart

the mouth speaketh.

35 A good man

out of the good treasure of the heart

bringeth forth good things:

and an evil man

out of the evil treasure

bringeth forth evil things.”    Matthew 12:34-35

And again, Matthew records:

“But those things

which proceed out of the mouth

come forth from the heart;

and they defile the man.

19 For out of the heart proceed

evil thoughts,

murders,

adulteries,

fornications,

thefts,

false witness,

blasphemies:

20 These are the things which defile a man:

but to eat with unwashen hands

defileth not a man.”  Matthew 15:18-20

Jesus makes it clear that what is IN our heart will come out sooner or later!  We can fool others, we can even fool ourselves, but we will never fool God.  And when the crisis comes—what is inside will be revealed, and it may surprise even us! So, it’s important to spend time with God personally, reading His Word, praying and seeking His face, His will and His way.  I understand that we all have to deal with life, but we are to “walk in the Spirit”; meaning that we are to live every moment—at work, at home, at play, at school—asking, seeking, and knocking with God’s eyes and perspective in all we do.  Whether it’s making coffee for a friend, or washing dirty clothes and dishes, or digging ditches, or checking out of the grocery store—it’s all to be done by His power which is within each one who is His own.  But that means we must-–must—guard our hearts and minds from the attacks of the enemy.

“Keep thy heart

with all diligence;

for out of it

are the issues of life.” Proverbs 4:23

And as Paul told the Colossians, we are to work and live in His love and peace (both of which only Jesus can impart to lost hearts and minds)!

“And above all these things

put on charity,

which is the bond of perfectness.

15 And let the peace of God

rule in your hearts,

to the which also ye are called

in one body;

and be ye thankful.

16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly

in all wisdom;

teaching

and admonishing one another

in psalms

and hymns

and spiritual songs,

singing

with grace in your hearts

to the Lord.

17 And whatsoever ye do

in word

or deed,

do all in the name of the Lord Jesus,

giving thanks to God and the Father

by him.”  Colossians 3:14-17

We are to continually pursue the holiness of Jesus, and “do all in the name of the Lord Jesus”; and that doesn’t mean just slapping “in Jesus’ name” on the things we do, but doing His work, His way, for His glory and our continual surrender to HIM!  His name isn’t a magic “potion”, but HIS presence in HIS own is a supernatural power of grace, mercy and redemption!

So, what’s inside you?  Have you opened every room of your heart to Jesus’ presence, work and control? Or have you those locked off rooms that are coming out in the most inopportune times?  Jesus is ready, willing and able to forgive, restore and renew your life and walk with Him!  Won’t you join me today as we check out what’s “inside”?  It will come out, and what we have put in will truly come out!!!

“But thanks be to God,

which giveth us the victory

through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58 Therefore, my beloved brethren,

be ye stedfast,

unmoveable,

always abounding

in the work of the Lord,

forasmuch as ye know that your labour

is not in vain

in the Lord.”  1 Corinthians 15:57-58

Amen and Amen!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Savory And Bright??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #515

20 Thursday Dec 2018

Posted by in 'Tis The Season?, Born Again, Darkness or Light?, Salt & Light, Savory And Bright

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #515  Savory And Bright???

 

“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

of men.

14 Ye are the light of the world.

A city that is set on an hill

cannot be hid.

15 Neither do men light a candle,

and put it under a bushel,

but on a candlestick;

and it giveth light

unto all that are in the house.

16 Let your light

so shine before men,

that they may see your good works,

and glorify your Father

which is in heaven.”    Matthew 5:13-14

When we look around us, it seems that our world is falling apart; or as an old adage says, “The world is going to Hell in a hand-basket”! As I often wonder why, I see how the world has changed in my lifetime, and I can’t help but think how sad it is that God’s own children have failed to be “the salt of the earth” and “the light of the world”! I believe that we who claim to be His children have failed to be the salt and light that God called us and saved us to be!

We are to ‘be’ not ‘do’ “the light of the world” for we have no light of our own, but only Jesus’ indwelling Holy Spirit enables us to “reflect” the “light of the world”! But the world doesn’t like light, much like the Charles Dickens tale of Scrooge who asked the “spirit of Christmas past” to dim the light because it hurt his eyes; so it is in our world today! Yet instead of shining brighter and stronger in “the power of His might”, we have dimmed our light to accommodate the whims of men instead!

“Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying,

I am the light of the world:

he that followeth me

shall not walk in darkness,

but shall

have the light of life.” John 8:12

Even as Jesus said in our Matthew passage above, we are to shine so that the world will “see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven”, reflecting HIS light, not our own!

“I am come a light into the world,

that whosoever believeth on me

should not abide in darkness.” John 12:46

When we are born again, we possess the light and He us! But not everyone likes the light, but don’t let that stop you from shining!

“And this is the condemnation,

that light is come into the world,

and men loved darkness

rather than light,

because their deeds were evil.

20 For every one that doeth evil

hateth the light,

neither cometh to the light,

lest his deeds should be reproved.”   John 3:19-20

In fact the darkness so hated the light of Jesus, that they put HIM to death, and He told us that what they did to Him they would do to us! And our world has come to feel the same way about the truth of the Gospel that we preach, and instead of standing firm on The Word of God, many have watered down the truth, and compromised it for various reasons! Yet when we compromise God’s Word—we are forsaking the light and will find ourselves in the darkness! And we are being trampled as salt that has lost its savor, wondering why our world is what it is! When the light fails to shine, the darkness will pervade! When light shines brightly, darkness cannot occupy the same space—we must stop hiding our light “under a bushel” and once again reflect the true light our Lord Jesus Christ!

We must stop excusing our sin, repent and seek God’s forgiveness and cleansing so that His light will once again shine through HIS own!

“For it is God which worketh in you

both to will

and to do

of his good pleasure.

14 Do all things

without murmurings

and disputings:

15 That ye may be blameless

and harmless,

the sons of God,

without rebuke,

in the midst of a crooked

and perverse nation,

among whom ye shine as lights

in the world;” Philippians 2:13-15

May we see the urgency of the hour and “withstand in the evil day” (See Eph. 6:10-18)– our culture depends on it! We can make a difference, one person at a time! People still need Jesus—the One Way to God—and the hope and abundant life that HE alone can give. We must commit our whole heart, and soul and mind to HIM in every thing, every day; giving Him our mind and our heart, reflecting HIM in our speech and actions. James makes it clear that our actions reflect what is in our hearts, and from what I see around me, there are a lot of dark hearts claiming to be in “the light”!

“But the tongue can no man tame;

it is an unruly evil,

full of deadly poison.

9 Therewith bless we God,

even the Father;

and therewith curse we men,

which are made after the similitude of God.

10 Out of the same mouth

proceedeth blessing

and cursing.

My brethren,

these things ought not so to be.

11 Doth a fountain send forth at the same place

sweet water

and bitter?

12 Can the fig tree, my brethren,

bear olive berries?

either a vine,

figs?

so can no fountain

both yield salt water

and fresh.

13 Who is a wise man

and endued with knowledge among you?

let him shew out of a good conversation

his works

with meekness of wisdom.”   James 3:8-13

Jesus Himself tells us the truth of the matter is in the heart.

“O generation of vipers,

how can ye,

being evil,

speak good things?

for out of the abundance of the heart

the mouth speaketh.

35 A good man

out of the good treasure of the heart

bringeth forth good things:

and an evil man

out of the evil treasure

bringeth forth evil things.”   Matthew 12:34-35

“But those things

which proceed out of the mouth

come forth from the heart;

and they defile the man.

19 For out of the heart

proceed evil thoughts,

murders, adulteries, fornications,

thefts, false witness, blasphemies:”   Matthew 15:18-19

So as our title suggests are we being the savory salt and the bright light of Jesus to the world? Or have we become useless to a dark and corrupt world because our light has dimmed and our salt has no savor? In closing, a simple reminder that Jesus stands ready to restore our shine and our savor! HE is Lord? But is HE your Lord?

“If we confess our sins,

he is faithful and just

to forgive us our sins,

and to cleanse us

from all unrighteousness.”    1 John 1:9