Monday, Mar 10, 2008

March 10, 2008

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March 10 2008
To Listen to Today’s Reading http://timewithgod.mypodcast.com
Genesis 7; Ezekiel 12; Hebrews 4

Today is March 10 this is time with God, I’m Pastor Dennis - I’ve been waiting here for you. Welcome to our life transforming community. Together we are strong. As we walk though the word together we help each other grow.

Today is Monday. Yesterday was daylight savings time, as well as the Lord’s day. Many of you were missing yesterday, some due to illnesses. In the morning I preached a provocative sermon on greed and gambling. A lot of folks had not considered all that the Bible says about it. We had a great discovery class talking about the mind blowing subject of God. We talked about his timelessness, self existence, the Trinity and other aspects that are mind expanding. That afternoon I went to lunch with Brad & Karen and Dave & Barb. We had a great time. Shaphen called during lunch to say the help he had recruited to move wasn’t working out. Dave and I ran out to Myrtle Creek with his REO Speed Wagon and picked up a load to move to Shaphen’s place. Thanks so much Dave for helping me out! Couldn’t have done it without you. Then in the evening we watched a very interesting video on Dinosaurs. A gal named Samantha had ridden her bike all the way from town to go to church with us. We put her bike in our car and brought her back home. Now that I have a new camera phone, I hope to post some pictures to the web of some of these things on our podcast page www.timewithgod.mypodcast.com

This week’s theme verse. Matthew 5:13-16 You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

Christians are supposed to be the Salt of the Earth. Salt is good. I put salt on several of my foods, especially my breakfast. And many foods have already had salt added during processing or cooking. Salt makes food taste better. Sometimes, if the food is not so good, salt will actually make it palatable. Salt is good. Before refrigeration was invented salt was used extensively as a preservative. Meat would be salted and dried so that it wouldn’t go bad. The Disciples, especially the fishermen among them would have readily understood this. They knew how quickly their fish went bad without salt. There are two things Jesus is saying about Christians – If we live the previous verses (the beatitudes - poor in spirit, morn, meek, hunger for righteousness, pure in heart, peacemakers et) like we should, then A) we will make the world a more savory and wholesome place to live and B) we will preserve the world from decaying into corrupt morals and other evils. Notice we “ARE” the salt of the earth. This has to do with our character and nature. Because of the new birth, we have a new nature. That nature makes us act different than the world. The nature of dogs is to bark and guard. The nature of cats is to sit back a bit more and hiss. The nature of deer is to be timid. The nature of the Christian is to be salt. We should naturally interpose wholesome conversation into the workplace. We should genuinely live with integrity. It is this savory nature of ours infused into the world that keeps it from going corrupt. Let’s get salty!

Dear Father, thank you for giving me a new nature. Help me to realize that I should not imitate the world, but that I should live up to who I am. I should live like salt. Help me to be a savory and wholesome influence on the world around me. I know that your presence in me makes a powerful impact on the world. Lord, help me to be live like salt!

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