Keeping the Fire Burning

Keeping the Fire Burning

Leviticus 6:8-13

And the fire upon the altar shall be burning in it; it shall not be put out: and the priest shall burn wood on it every morning, and lay the burnt offering in order upon it; and he shall burn thereon the fat of the peace offerings. The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out. Leviticus 6:12-13

When I was a boy I was always fascinated with splitting wood... I would beg Dad to allow me to help split the wood but he knew I was too young, so I was made to be content carrying arm loads of wood from the woodpile to the house and into a woodbox beside our old buck stove. One day when I was very young, I went to the splitting log and grabbed the axe... I took a big swing... missed... and split my knee wide open, OUCH!... to say the least! I may be rambling a bit but I've shared this so that I could draw your attention to the fact that every fire must have fuel; wood, paper, oil... there must be something that feeds the fire in order for the fire to continue.

I think one of our greatest failures as Christians is that so many fail to realize that God gives the flame, but it's our responsibility to keep, to tend the flame.

Our Scripture tells us that it was the responsibility of the priests to keep the fire burning on the altar.

They were responsible to remove the ashes, the waste, the old, and the expired and to add new wood. 

Today, it is our responsibility to provide fuel for the fire, it is also our responsibility to get rid of the trash, to get rid of anything that threatens to quench or hinder the flame. 

We have to see to it that every day we provide a fresh supply of wood. 

Q: The Holy Ghost comes to us as a flame that can either grow and develop and become a devouring fire… Or it can remain a small flicker, or he can actually be quenched till he cannot be seen or experienced at all.

Just being in church doesn't stoke your fire; just hearing the preaching of the Gospel does not add any Flame or fuel to your fire.

You can speak Jesus name every 30 seconds and still not have the influence of the Holy-Spirit in your heart & home.

You say how do I keep the fire burning?

1. You have to have the word, that’s the kindling

2.You have to pray (pray until the Fire falls and then keep on praying until the flame begins to consume everything in your life) Read the word, study the word, pray, praise, worship)

Oil

2 Corinthians 1:21-22 Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.

In times past there were those who were responsible to keep the Kings oil. Whenever the King, or the Kings household needed oil they came to this keeper of the oil, he was in charge of the oil (oil was used for almost everything) oil was necessary for cooking… Oil was necessary for the lamps to keep the lamps burning. 

Well that's what we are: we are keepers of the Kings oil. 

Oil makes the Fire burn; the oil is the fuel of the fire.

Being a keeper of the oil means: 

1. To be sure that there is always oil available

2. To be sure that the oil is always fresh

3. To keep the oil free of contaminants

The Bible says in Ecclesiastes 10:1…Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour:…

In other words dead things, carnal things, selfish things, fleshly things make the anointing stink. 

It doesn't matter how saved you are if you have carnality, fleshly things, earthly things (criticism, jealousy, envy, strife, debate, rebellion, anger, selfishness, stubbornness, resentment,) it causes the oil to stink.

The Christian is suppose to produce a sweet aroma: The Spirit of Christ is sweet, and pure, and honest, and precious, and draws people to Christ.

But a carnal, selfish, self-willed, critical, stubborn, argumentive Christian drives people away.

Many years ago kerosene lamps had to be tended to, first of all; they head have kerosene then they had to have the globe cleaned from time to time, because when the wick got burned instead of a beautiful clear light, it would smoke up the globe, and finally, they had to have the wicks trimmed every so often. 

The same is true for us we have to make sure we have oil in our lamps. And we have to keep the wick trimmed we have to cut off and cut out the unnecessary, the unprofitable, the used, the old, the excess. And we have to keep the globe clean so people can clearly see the light in us, and not our fleshly nature.

Paul said… 1 Corinthians 6:12 All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.

1 Corinthians 10:23 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.

Solomon said by the Spirit of God: Let thy garments always be white and let thy head lack no ointment. Ec 9:8

The garments speak of the life that you live that others can see, the outward expression of the inward possession.

If you claim to have the Holy Spirit living in you: Then your life should show it.

One of the most important ways to keep the anointing in your life is to be in position in the body of Christ.

All of our anointing comes from Christ the anointed one who is the head of the Church; He is the head of the entire body of Christ. Christ means: The anointed One

I would rather sit under a self-taught farm boy who has the anointing, than a seminary professor with more degrees than a thermometer but has no anointing.

Because Jesus said: it is the spirit that quickeneth the flesh profits nothing.

And the apostle Paul said: the letter killeth but the spirit maketh alive

The Bible says the path of the just is as the shining light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

That means our light, our fire, is supposed to get bigger and brighter all the time until we are completely consumed, completely on fire for God.

We were created for the fire

We were created to live in the fire

We were created to be creatures of fire

We were created to carry the fire

Conclusion:

Matthew 5:14-16 (Ye are the light of the world... Let your light so shine!)

We are Keepers of The Flame

Years ago my pastor told me of a family who lived in a small cabin nestled in a settlement. This families responsibility was to keep fire for the community... if someone's fire had gone out due to travel or another reason; they could come to this family and get an ember for their own home. History records that this family stayed faithful to be the keepers of the fire for more than 125 years.

Are we keeping the fire burning for our homes, churches and communities? Like it or not, as God's people we are responsible to keep the fire burning! 

Preached by Pastor Chad 

Homecoming & Family & Friends Day 2016

VBS 2016 SOLDIERS for CHRIST

Bible Study In Psalms Wednesdays

Again... Revive Us

::Bible Study::

Psalm 85:1-7 ... 2 Chronicles 7:14

It is the nature of all created things to wear out and to wind down. It is the nature of a fire, to go out; of sheep, to wander; of love, to wax cold; of the church, to drift; and of people, to forget. 

As a result we need to be revived and restored to the early devotion we had for becoming loyal disciples of Jesus Christ.

Acts 3:19 is a good definition: “…Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

There is a difference between a revival and an evangelistic campaign. An evangelistic campaign is something the church decides to do. Revival is something God does. Revival is a work of GOD!

And as modern evangelism looks more and more like emotionalism we are in more need today than ever for an authentic revival effort.

EXAMPLES OF REVIVAL

There have been examples of extraordinary movements of the Spirit of God throughout history.

One example is the tremendous movement of the Spirit of God in Korea (1906-1910) with 80,000 added to the churches. Since the Korean War, 15 million have come to Christ in a nation of just over 40 million.

Another example is China. There were less than one million Christians in China prior to 1950. Primarily in the last 25 years

the Spirit of God has added 70-90 million believers in a nation that contains one-fourth of the world’s population 

In our nation’s history we have experienced three major revivals:

FIRST: The Great Awakening about 1740 in the time of George Whitfield and Jonathan Edwards. All of society was dramatically affected. Thousands came to Christ. The Great Awakening became probably the major unifying factor among the American colonies at that time. Laid the spiritual foundation for the beginning of our nation. 

SECOND: The Second Great Awakening at the beginning of the 19th century. 1785-1820. Taverns were closed, families were reconciled, young people became serious in their pursuit of God. Thousands came to Christ. 

THIRD: The third great period of revival in America took place at the beginning of the 20th century. Immigrants were coming to America from all over the world.

As these immigrants were arriving, God chose to raise up a number of great evangelists like Dwight L. Moody and others to preach the gospel to them. Tens of thousands came to Christ. Beginning of Sunday Schools. Beginning of the American Bible Society. Missionary societies were formed.

But the Church in America in spite of its many activities and apparent successes has no measurable affect in reversing this downward spiral.

Religion is up and morality is down.

THERE IS HOPE! 

Revival is possible as long as God is God. Jonathan Edwards argued that God grants light when the darkness is the greatest.

It was at just such times that revival occurred in America’s history.

When there was disinterest in religion, gross immorality, rampant unbelief, God poured out his undeserved, gracious blessing.

CONDITIONS FOR REVIVAL ON GOD’S TERMS

2 Chronicles 7:13-14

Notice in verse 13 that God says that there may very well be times that He must use trials and uncomfortable situations to get the attention of His people...

1. IF MY PEOPLE WILL HUMBLE THEMSELVES

God said... My people... not the government, not the world... but His people!

God has said, "If my people will humble themselves." God will visit us when we reach a point of desperation. When we surrender that pride, when we give up the idea that we can do pretty good on our own, and we get down on our knees and admit things are not as they should be, then God will come to His people. God says that the first thing I am looking for in my people is a spirit of humility.  

David said in Psalm 51:16-17,  For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. 17  The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

Q: When I was at my lowest, confounded by obstacles, bewildered by the darkness that surrounded us … I discovered an astonishing truth: God is attracted to weakness. He can’t resist those who humbly and honestly admit how desperately they need him. Our weakness, in fact, makes room for his power.” -Unknown

James 4:6-10

The next thing we must do to attain revival is that we must pray…

2. IF MY PEOPLE WILL PRAY AND SEEK MY FACE

Are you pretty satisfied with the state of the church today – with the devotion to God in your own heart? Revival will not come that way. God never sends revival to those who don’t want it enough to even bother asking for it in prayer. 

Jonah 3:4-10... Tells of a nation that has a genuine desire to repent of their sins.

Jeremiah 29:11-13 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. 12  Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. 13  And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

Dwight L. Moody, that famous evangelist from Chicago went on vacation to England. He wasn’t planning to do any preaching; he was on a sabbatical. But he met a pastor there who said, "Mr. Moody you’re so well known, would you come and speak at our church?" So he went to preach the next Sunday morning.That afternoon Moody wrote in his journal that they were the deadest crowd he had ever seen and that the only thing worse than preaching to those people was that he had promised to go back that night and preach again. But as he preached he noticed that the atmosphere had changed, he did not know just why. At the close of the meeting, he was led to give an invitation for those who wanted to be saved to stand. Something amazing happened. A great crowd of people stood. He didn’t know what to do. So he said, "Maybe you don’t understand what I am asking. So when we are dismissed if you believe you are unsaved and you need to be saved come over to this little room and meet with me." When the service was over, he went to the room it was packed! He left the next day for Dublin Ireland. Shortly after arriving there, he received a telegram from the church to return, “Come back. Revival has broken out." So Moody got back on the train, went back to that church and preached 10 straight nights. And hundreds of people came to Christ. Not long afterwards, he learned the secret. An invalid lady, who could not attend the church, was praying for a mighty outpouring of the Spirit upon the church. She prayed for months. Once she saw in the papers accounts of some of the Moody meetings in America, and although she had never heard of Mr. Moody before, she began to pray that God would send him to her church in London for a revival. One Sunday morning, her sister returned from the service and informed her of Moody’s presence and his preaching. She spent the whole afternoon in prayer that God would make that night a night of power. And God did! 

Charles Spurgeon said – “Whenever God determines to do a great work, he first sets his people to pray.” 

3. IF MY PEOPLE WILL TURN FROM THEIR WICKED WAYS 

Repentance is not only for the hardened sinner. Repentance is often required of those of us who have accepted Christ and are inside the church. Our Lord said to the church at Ephesus, Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. Revelation 2:5 

Real repentance involves confession of sin and turning away from it. 

When Paul preached at Ephesus, the Bible says that "many came, and confessed, and showed their deeds" -and not only that, they turned from their sins, and made a bonfire of those things which should not have been in their homes. 

Our sins need to be confessed, and if we have wronged another person, we need to confess and make restitution.

If we are to be clean we have to renounce all bitterness, wrath, malice, harshness, unforgiving spirits, filthiness, and immorality; in short, anything that would “give the devil a foothold” 

Eph. 4:27 Neither give place to the devil.

Conclusion:

R. G. Lee describes revival like this:

If all the sleeping folk will wake up,

If all the lukewarm folk will fire up, 

If all the dishonest folk will confess up, 

If all the disgruntled folk will cheer up, 

If all the depressed folk will cheer up, 

If all the estranged folk will make up, 

If all the gossipers will shut up, 

If all true soldiers will stand up, 

If all the dry bones will shake up, 

If all the church members will pray up... 

Then we can have a revival! 

--R. G. Lee

Dear friend if you find yourself desiring a fresh touch from God then count yourselves blessed... So many are wandering around cold and complaisant not caring to ever really be on fire for God. Run to Him hungry and thirsty and allow Him to fill you once again.

Always Abounding (Bible Study)

I Corinthians 15:1-12…50-58

This chapter is a treasure of hope… It is a argument for the resurrection of the body. This is distinctly a Christian teaching. Notice that the Resurrection was primarily not a doctrine but a fact. It is not necessary to argue it, but simply to say that Christ arose, therefore all will arise, because Christ is the Son of man. V. 19 of this chapter says… If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.

 As we approach the final verse of this chapter 15, we notice that Paul is giving the people of God instructions on how to be prepared for the end of days. In fact there are 3 truths mentioned that we are to strive for… Let’s look at these truths together, and while we do let’s consider that Satan wants us to be unprepared at the return of our Lord…

 Be Stedfast
 D: STEDFAST; 1. Fast fixed; firm; firmly fixed or established; Constant; firm; resolute; not fickle or wavering.

Acts 2:42  And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. 

-We are trying to figure out every way possible to fight the multiple warfares that Satan wages on us except for getting down in the trenches and getting our knees dirty… one thing that God’s people of days gone by understood that we don't today is the value of prayer… laboring in prayer!

Q:“What the Church needs to-day is not more machinery or better, not new organizations or more and novel methods, but men whom the Holy Ghost can use — men of prayer, men mighty in prayer. The Holy Ghost does not flow through methods, but through men. He does not come on machinery, but on men. He does not anoint plans, but men, men of prayer. The Church is looking for better methods; God is looking for better men” -E.M. Bounds

Hebrews 3:12-14  Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. 13  But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. 14  For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;

2 Peter 3:17-18 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. 18  But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

Unmovable 
D: UNMOVABLE, adjective That cannot be moved or shaken; firm; fixed.

Psalm 16:8 I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Psalm 121:1-3 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. 2  My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. 3  He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.

Colossians 1:21-23  And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled 22  In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: 23  If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;

-It seems as though we are all so quick to forget that Christ is our help and our hope, when confusion compasses us… its not then that we should fold and run… but it is then that we should stand firm, unmovable on Christ our Great foundation.

Matthew 7:24-25 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: 25  And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

Always Abounding
D: ABOUND'ING, participle present tense Having in great plenty; being in great plenty, being very prevalent; generally prevailing. Increase.

Colossians 2:6-7 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: 7  Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

-Abounding in what?… The work of the Lord, laboring. while all the while realizing that what you are doing for God matters to God.

Matthew 9:35-38 And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. 36  But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, [4] and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. 37  Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; 38  Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.

1 Corinthians 3:8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. 

1 Corinthians 3:9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building. Revelation 14:13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.

Concluding Thoughts: Are we stedfast, unmovable, and always abounding?

The Helpful Farmer

... Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. -Matthew 19:19

There was a farmer who grew excellent quality corn. Every year he won the award for the best grown corn. One year a newspaper reporter interviewed him and learned something interesting about how he grew it. The reporter discovered that the farmer shared his seed corn with his neighbors. “How can you afford to share your best seed corn with your neighbors when they are entering corn in competition with yours each year?” the reporter asked.

“Why sir,” said the farmer, “Didn’t you know? The wind picks up pollen from the ripening corn and swirls it from field to field. If my neighbors grow inferior corn, cross-pollination will steadily degrade the quality of my corn. If I am to grow good corn, I must help my neighbors grow good corn.”

So it is with our lives... Those who want to live meaningfully and well must help enrich the lives of others, for the value of a life is measured by the lives it touches. And those who choose to be happy must help others find happiness, for the welfare of each is bound up with the welfare of all.

Keep Yourselves

Jude v. 21 - Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

As Baptist, verses like these make us scratch our heads. I've spent my entire life watching and listening to believers try to explain away verses like these. After all... Do not most Baptist teach that we are totally depraved and can not do one thing to please God? 

Notice the verse carefully.... "Keep yourselves"... This means that God requires that we see to it that we are careful to study, pray and live our lives in fellowship with Christ and one another. The last part of our verse pinpoints the key to our Spiritual success "The Lord Jesus Christ". 

Jesus puts it this way in John 15:4 "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me." 

It's way overdue that professing Christians become followers of Christ. It's as if we are all willing to establish our own definition of what being a Christian is, but unwilling to study to truly see what the Word says on the toughest issues. But I say; follow the words of Christ... Make Him head of all that is about you and things will begin to change for the better in your heart and home.

Like the old song goes... I have decided to follow Jesus, no turning back... No turning back. The world behind me, the cross before me. No turning back... No turning back. Though none go with me still I will follow, no turning back... No turning back.

We NEED One Another

Psalm 133:1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!

1 John 4:7-8 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

I'm thankful that it is not my idea or your idea but the HolySpirit that keeps us in unity. How can we love one another when we are prone to have so many different opinions? Because if we are the children of God we have the Spirit of Christ bearing witness with one another that we are indeed the children of God. The world puts a stipulation on love..."I'll love you as long as I'm getting what I need from you". But our love as the people of God is unique, this kind of love says "I'll continue to love you no matter how you treat me". It's not always easy, but it is possible in Christ.

1 John 4:11-13 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.

Serving Self

 

Every person is born into this world with a combination of the traits, talents, and temperament of their forefathers.  When we are innocent little children, we belong to the Lord (Mk 10:14).  However, as we grow and eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Deut 1:39), each one of us comes into our inheritance from Adam:  we are carnally minded, selfish, under bondage to the god of this world, under the sentence of death.  Our vision is darkened by the cloud of sin and iniquity in which we come to live.  We may be living a good life (doing constructive things) or living an evil life (doing destructive things).  Although, in either case, we are serving ourselves if we are not serving God.  Our minds are on the desires of our human nature (Rom 8:5).  We are all born heirs of the kingdom of Darkness due to the fall of Adam (Rom 5:12-21).  We are all born blind to the reality of the kingdom of God (II Cor 4:4).

Now everyone experiences problems at one time or another during their life here on earth.  It is the legacy of our common ancestor, Adam.  Sometimes we are troubled, agitated on every side.  We are, at times, perplexed, having doubts about our life and we may be in despair, hopelessly obsessed, oppressed, depressed, or defeated.  The children born into this world are sometimes persecuted, abused and made to suffer at the hands of others.  We may be cast down, humiliated and sometimes we are destroyed or killed.  Jesus said, 'In this world you shall have tribulations' (John 16:33).  We are all troubled people until we enter the kingdom of God.

 The kingdom of God:

What is the kingdom of God? 

Where is it?  

The kingdom of God is mentioned numerous times in the New Testament.  Jesus taught us to pray, 'Our Father in heaven, may your name Thy Kingdom come...' (Mt 6:9-10)  The kingdom of God is where His will is done, whether on earth or in heaven.  A person can be, spiritually, in the kingdom of God while still living on this earth.  Jesus explained this when the Pharisees asked him when the kingdom of God was to come.  He replied, 'The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.’ (Luke 17:20-21) 

The Kingdom of God is within us... You and me as the children of the most high King! So if it is so that we are already citizens of this Kingdom then may we live each and every day as selfless as Christ our King did while He was here on this earth. We have Him as our best example of what it means to be selfless and give ourselves for others. It's easy to get wrapped up in this life to the point where we become selfish and uncaring.

God guard our hearts and minds and help us to be aware of the hurting and broken around us... And help us to be a help to the weary. May the Gospel message be on our lips continually.

Bearded Man Card Tract

Have you picked up one of our "Bearded Man" card tracts? Being a bearded man myself... I felt the need to have a short but straight forward tract that would grab the attention of the bearded. 

The back of the card reads...

Greetings! I'm just a bearded fellow telling others about another bearded Man who changed my life and gave me peace. You may have heard of Him before, His name is Jesus. He is no mere man as you and I, but rather He is Lord and Savior to all who come to Him to be forgiven of their sins. Jesus is the only One able to forgive and cleanse us. He earned this right by dying in our place and taking upon Himself His Father's wrath that is against all sinful men. Jesus was beaten, His beard was plucked from His face, and a crown of thorns was placed on His head, then, He was nailed to a wooden cross and left to die. Why? Because He loved us enough to take our punishment! If you feel the HolySpirit drawing you to Himself, all you must do is repent of your sins and ask Jesus to save you. Then follow Him by praying to Him and reading His word daily, finding a good bible believing church is also very important. "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." -Romans 5:8 Even burly, bearded, axe-slinging, flannel wearing men need Jesus. 3and20baptist.com

If you picked up one of these cards and found us through the web address given at the bottom of the card then thank you for stopping by, we hope that  you are already a follower of Christ but if not then please repent of your sins and ask Jesus to cleanse you and save you before it's too late... Please contact us and let us know if we have helped you.

The Path

But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. -proverbs 4:18

As the children of God it is expected of us to understand more and more as we walk in this dark world... To grow in Kingdom mindedness as all pilgrims and strangers should. Notice the above verse says that it is the path that we are on that will shine more and more until our life here is finished. There are 2 reasons for this...

1) Because this world is getting darker the further we go... And I think as followers of Christ we see that now more than ever. So in essence, the darker this world gets... the easier it is to see the path.

Sometimes our way seems to be blurred and often unsure, and even with our best intentions to stay on the path... we can step off course.

My favorite hobby is hiking, we live near several mountainous state parks so I'm blessed and without excuse when it comes to getting out and enjoying God's beautiful creation. On most trails, the way is well marked, and instruction are given to stay on the trails or danger could befall the hiker. 

And so it is with God's word... We need it... We must have it. It is our compass and lamp. It's always a creepy feeling to be caught out in the forest at dark without a light, we need the Light to stay on our path in this ever darkening world.

2) This is my favorite point... The further we walk in this narrow way with Christ, the more we learn to love and trust Him... The more we become like Him and understand that His ways are far better than the ways of this world. Becoming more like Christ... Thinking as He thinks is our comfort and joy.

Praise the Lord that our path is well lit and will continue to get brighter as we move along. We don't have to fear what is ahead because not only is our path shinning brightly... But the very One who brightens our path is walking hand-in-hand with us. As I said above... I love to hike but I had much rather have a friend with me when I do so - not only for safety but mainly for fellowship with a brother amidst enjoying His handiwork . 

Isn't it sweet that the One who holds the world in His hand is holding our hand as we travel along this path?

Godly Men

"For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." Titus 2:11-14

Do we not all have a concept of what a real man is? Being muscle bound, having a beard, wearing flannel, carrying an axe on our shoulder or driving a diesel truck do not make us men. And even though I personally like these rugged things mentioned... Through Christ alone can we be true men.

For us men to truly, in our hearts, want to repent of our sins, repent of our screw-ups—for us to truly want to turn our backs on our old selves, on the self-indulgent men we’ve been—we’ve got to first trust that we can change, that we can become new men in Christ. I mean, we’ve been the way we are for a very long time, so it’s understandably hard to trust that there’s new life available, right here, right now—life that’s God-connected, God-filled, and God-honoring.

All we need to be real God-fearing men is to bind ourselves to Christ, there has never been a man like Him... And as we become more like Him we become true men.

Salt & Light

We can only imagine their expressions of bewilderment as they listened. We have grown up hearing it. We memorize it, put it on the refrigerator door, tape it to the truck dash, and hang it on our walls. We struggle to understand it, attempt to rationalize it, and sometimes just ignore it. Casually we call it the Sermon on the Mount. Somehow giving it a label seems to make it more achievable, but imagine how it must have shocked those first Jewish listeners. It was an astonishing message then. It still is today. 

In this message, Jesus gave two little illustrations of His coming kingdom, and with each example, an inclination His kingdom would struggle with. Examine again His familiar words: 

Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt has lost its 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. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 
-Matt. 5:13, 14 

Jesus said that His kingdom was going to be both Salt and Light; two elements that we are very familiar with.  

Salt 

Many good illustrations have been made concerning salt and Christ’s Kingdom; but notice the warning. He said salt can lose its savor! His believers, His own kingdom can become ineffective and useless. What did He mean? 

Chemists today tell us that salt is unchanged by time, and salt well preserved does not lose its saltiness. So what was Jesus saying? As men in Jesus’ day transported and traded salt and spices, there was always a danger of contamination with foreign material. We picture caravans of camels, plodding through desert sandstorms. Great care must have been taken to keep cargo pure since seasonings lose their effectiveness if they become impure or diluted. Perhaps Jesus was simply saying that salt’s usefulness is in direct proportion to its purity.  

Diluted Salt 

In this illustration, we sense God’s longing for holiness and purity. A desire for a kingdom totally separated unto Himself. Obviously Jesus knew what was on the horizon. Satan has spent the last 2000 years trying to dilute God’s salt. For long periods of history the “church” and the civil government have been so entangled that an unbeliever looking on couldn’t be sure which was which. Using God’s name, men have pillaged villages, tortured “heretics”, and fought “holy” wars. This strange marriage of “church” and state was tremendously confusing to the seeker. Salt had lost its savor! 

Current Confusion 

Today in America, we have separation of church and state, yet this confusion still exists. The seeker can become frustrated and discouraged when, despite all the words, the lives of professing believers are no different than his own. Our society chases after fashion, luxury, and wealth. So do professing Christians. The world uses divorce if a marriage isn’t enjoyable. But the divorce rate among “Christians” is said to be even higher than the American average. The worlds uses courts, and force to achieve its end. Is nominal Christianity any different? Men are claiming the name of Christ, while ignoring His teachings. Recently an author interviewed in a secular news magazine stated that the weakening of Christianity has come from within “the churches themselves, when they started focusing on loving Jesus, rather than listening to Him.” Jesus plainly said that those who love Him will keep His commandments, yet as this author points out, Christianity has so diluted the gospel that verbal adoration is replacing simple obedience to what He says. Salt has lost its savor! 

Examine Your Salt! 

It is tempting to look around, nod wisely, and agree that professing Christianity has certainly lost its effectiveness. But before you condemn professing Christianity, remember: you too are a professing Christian! Take a walk back through the “basic” teachings of Jesus. Walk slowly. Let His words challenge your heart. 

They are just simple teachings, but have you mastered loving others like you want to be loved? How about loving your enemies? Can you say you have achieved this while still struggling to speak well of brethren who hold a different viewpoint? Can you cheerfully lend money hoping for nothing again? How about continuing to loan “your” possessions, though they repeatedly come back damaged? And if “your” belongings are stolen, are you tempted to ask for them again? 

Have you found a comfortable interpretation for not laying up treasure? One that conveniently allows for continued accumulation? How about His lesson regarding the coat and cloak; when a man sues you for $10,000 do you offer him $15,000? Are you actually walking closer to Christ’s teachings than the professing believers you scorn?  

Just how pure is your salt? Are there areas where you have slowly given ground to the values that surround you? Do these teachings of Jesus just look nice on a plaque, or are they actually the guiding force of your life? Has your salt become diluted? Salt can lose its savor! 

Light 

Jesus went on to say that His kingdom would be like a city set on a hill. Perhaps you have been driving late at night and seen the glow from a city in the distance. The glow you are seeing is the side effect of the lights’ primary purpose. The lights may be illuminating a used car lot, a factory, or a football field. But as these lights perform their principal purpose they also create the glow, or byproduct, that you are observing.  

Passive Light 

Think of this as Passive Light. God is slowly transforming us into the image of Jesus. As He works, the attributes of Jesus will shine like a city in a world growing darker with dishonesty, pessimism, and fear. Jesus said this kind of light can’t be hid. People will ask questions! The Apostle Peter said to “sanctify the Lord God always in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:” 1 Peter 3:15 Sometimes we speak of this verse as though the main point is to always have the right answer. But perhaps the primary emphasis is on sanctification. Maybe Peter is saying that the man who really sanctifies the Lord in his heart had better be ready to give an answer, because he will be getting questions! 

Take this as a personal challenge. Are you getting questions? Does your outward light--your countenance, integrity, and speech--differ radically from unbelievers around you? Salt can lose its savor! 

Purposeful Light 

Jesus went on to speak of a type of light that can be hidden: 

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. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Matthew 5:15,16 

Think of this as Purposeful Light: A man gives thought to how he places a candle. He observes the need and places it strategically. Jesus is saying, let your light shine in a way that will do the most good. These verses tell of God’s desire that His followers intentionally inflict damage to the kingdom of darkness by shining effectively. But He also addresses another tendency His kingdom would struggle with. Jesus’ command to let this light shine tells us it is possible for His people to hide it. Not only are we in danger, like salt, of losing our purity and separation, we can also neglect to let our light shine. Light can be concealed! 

God has a desire that His light pierce the darkness of men’s hearts. He desires that we give thought to our candlestick. That we enter into the conflict between light and darkness, intentionally shining for Him in a darkening world. These verses speak of concern for others, fervent prayer, and purposeful conversations. They also warn against basking in praise. The Father, not His people, is to be glorified. We are hiding His light when we, like a bushel, “absorb” the glory rather than pointing others back to God. Remember the warning: Light can be concealed! 

Jesus had a desire that we possess His burden for others and purposefully take His message to them.

“The servant was always sent out among the people; he was not to station himself somewhere, and thus wait, or rest contentedly until the people would chance to come to him; no, his message was urgent, it was one of good news and glad tidings, and without any waste of time; he must go out among them from one class to another, and proclaim it to all.” 

Again, examine your daily life. Do you really have this kind of a burden for the souls of men around you? Are you fervently praying for them? Is it possible that Jesus could work day after day beside a man who is on a downward path to hell, and never mention that fact to him? Consider your candlestick! Are you giving thought and prayer to its placement? Light can be concealed! 

The Balance  

Salt and Light. While there may be other interpretations, in one sense these elements represent both the offensive and defensive mission of Christ’s Kingdom. Every kingdom struggles to balance these two objectives and God’s kingdom has been no different. Peter Nead in addressing this balance said this: 

“The church should be much concerned and engaged with God for the conversion of the world; and as the minister is the means appointed for the teaching of the nations, the church should have an eye in that direction. She should see that there be no lack of laborers; and above all, she should see that they be sound in the faith.” 

Notice the balance: much concern for the souls of others, but also sound in the faith. Paul reminds the church at Philippi of this balance with these words: “That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation …” Notice the radical separation. Lives that are separated unto Jesus Christ and therefore shockingly different from the surrounding culture. These words remind us of salt.  

But Paul continues; “among whom ye shine as lights in the world, holding forth the Word of life;” Phil. 2:15,16 These words speak of offensive warfare. Notice the words, holding forth. He wanted them to hold forth the Word of life, the Lord Jesus Himself. These are words that speak of intentional light. 

This same equilibrium is needed as we reach out in other ways. The Apostle James says: Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction and to keep himself unspotted from the world. James 1:27 

Observe again the balance. He speaks of assisting the fatherless and widow, terminology used repeatedly throughout the Old Testament to describe the destitute and downtrodden. These words remind us that just as God has always had a heart for the underdog, His followers will as well. They are words that speak of seeing the need and reaching out. 

But James goes on and says that this man will also keep himself unspotted from the world. He is consciously following a different path than the culture that surrounds him. This man is purposely keeping himself from society’s mindless chase after sports, pleasure, wealth, and fashion. These words speak of defensive warfare. They speak of salt. 

The Struggle 

This balance between salt and light has created tension throughout church history. Many have focused outward, concentrating primarily on sharing, caring, and reaching the lost. But while focusing on reaching some have lost their balance, losing their grip on holiness and separation. Others, in their desire to avoid that error, have found themselves concentrating on separation. They have focused inwardly, and over time have gradually lost their burden for others. But what would happen if the church had both? 

Both? 

As we look back, two periods in church history stand out as examples where both existed. One of these is the first few generations of the Early Church, and the other the first part of the Reformation. During both of these times believers were radical promoters of holiness, separation from the world, and adherence to the teachings of Jesus. They were possessors of salt! But these believers had more than just salt. They were also very active in speaking to anyone who would listen. In fact, when they were apprehended, many times authorities ordered their tongues removed. It was the only known way to keep them quiet! They were intent on telling others about Jesus until their last breath. And remember--many of them would never have been tortured if they would have simply remained silent. But they refused to be silent; they believed in being Light! 

Salt and Light 

Consider Satan’s perspective. Which do you think Satan is most fearful of? A church that focuses inwardly on preserving, but has lost its zeal for reaching out to others? Or a church that focuses outwardly, but due to its lack of adherence to scriptural teaching, confuses the very people it is trying to reach? After all, neither is doing much damage to the kingdom of darkness. But believers during the years mentioned zealously embraced both of these teachings of Jesus! Jesus hadn’t said that His kingdom would be salt or light; He said His kingdom would be salt and light. Jesus emphasized both, and these believers did too. Perhaps Satan isn’t too concerned about either of these principles alone, but notice how he responds when he sees them combined! 

Fury Unleashed 

Satan saw this potent combination as a threat to his kingdom, and His rage erupted immediately. He attacked the church in these eras with tremendous fury. Believers were burnt at the stake, thrown to lions, fried on hot metal plates and flayed alive. They were drowned in rivers, thrown into vats of boiling oil, and chained down while rats consumed their flesh. They tasted Satan’s fury unleashed! 

Why was Satan’s anger so intense? What caused him to react so violently? While it would be simplistic to conclude that all persecution is a direct result of this combination, it would also be foolish to ignore the connection. Perhaps Satan understands that neither piles of salt nor light alone provide much risk to his empire. But he cannot ignore the fact that these two combined have the potential of turning his empire upside down! 

Salt Within and Light Without 

Today the choice ours. We can ignore defense like the men of Ai. We can run out with zeal to conquer for the kingdom, only to look back with regret at the smoke ascending from our posterity. Or we can be like the ten men sent to spy out Canaan. They simply decided the enemy was too great, their God too small, and offensive warfare too risky. 

But perhaps God is calling us to be like Nehemiah’s laborers on the wall. The Bible provides them as an example of offense, defense, and trust combined. They moved out in fear, believed God’s Word, and “everyone with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon.” Neh. 4:17 

So go forth and build in the name and power of the Lord Jesus. Have salt within and light without. Rest assured this is still God’s vision for His kingdom. Press forward with joyful confidence, believing that He that is within you is greater. But as you pursue both salt and light, make no mistake. All who live Godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. Expect it!