by tascha
Today I will be talking to myself. I bet you do that sometimes. { 🙂 } My kids think I am one crazy loon! But today, I will talk to myself to YOU, because I know I am not the only one who may need this little reminder
[though I may need it the most!]
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. Matthew 5:13
Anymore most people think of salt as an ‘additive’ or something to avoid, or something to bring flavors to life. But not so long ago, refrigeration was a thing of luxury; and not long before that, it was unheard of. People used salt barrels [among other methods] to preserve certain foods- mostly meats. Pork and beef take very kindly to salt-curing. It intensifies the flavor and preserves the quality-for a time.
And salt does this through 2 primary ways:
{1} it pulls moisture out of the meat, thus creating a dryer product. Bacteria usually prefer moist environments to thrive.
{2} it kills bacteria on the surface of the meat.
[God is so amazing!]
When the salt has given up the properties that make it salt-it no longer works at keeping the meat eatable. It allows rot to begin. And that, friends, is NOT a good thing! [don’t ask me how I know].It also is not useful to anyone- for any purpose- other than to be used as dirt and trodden under foot of men.
And Jesus says WE {Christians} are salt. Not that we are to “try to act like salt”– but we ARE salt.
Thus, we should:
{1} be creating an environment around us [be it home, office, carpool, play-groups, Sunday school] where “bacteria” cannot live.
We must speak up and LIVE Christ, but not be rude. Christ was never rude. He was vocal about wrong, especially among the religious [money-changers in the temple?], and He never condoned wrong-doing [the Samaritan woman?].
But he also never CONDEMNED those who simply did not know that He was The Christ- their Messiah.
He extended love and mercy.
But many
went back, and walked no more with him. [John 6:66] because it was not comfortable for them. Jesus had given them a
hard saying [John 6:43-60].
There will be those who do not wish to be our friend because we ARE SALT [but we must NOT be rude or condescending– ever!]
{2} kill bacteria on the surface.
Those who must be around us [on the job, at a play-date, in school] will learn to be watchful of their mouth or actions around a Christian who is {lovingly and humbly} vocal about right and wrong.
I have seen it happen. It does not change their heart, but it does stop certain actions in certain places [around you]. And not just curb their sinful habits, but they may even pick up some good habits. When a lady acts like a lady, men are more likely to be polite and gentlemanly [open the door, offer to carry packages, etc.]. When a Christian acts like a Christian, people around that person will begin to wonder just what it is that makes us behave that way… and with such conviction. And it might make them want to be a better person–{what an introduction to the Gospel!}
but when we loose our “saltiness,” we are also no longer useful. to anyone.
The unsaved know when a Christian is not acting Christ-like– and it hurts the Cause of Christ.
And those who are trying to be like Christ, be salt, cannot rely on the unsalty– for prayer, for support, for ministry help, for a good example to our children, for friendship.
So let us KEEP [or get back] our saltiness!
Often during the holidays [Thanksgiving through New Years] there are many parties and get-togethers that may bring us into contact with those we may never see again. Will they remember us as “just another in the gang”?
—or will they go away thinking: “there was something different about her– no one cursed when she was around.” or “men changed their manners around her.”
Just a thought.
from my convicted heart.
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Let’s connect on FACEBOOK!
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by tascha
with self.
It is everywhere.
I find it in my own heart,
…and see it in the lives of those around me.
[not just physically around me. I’m on facebook too.]
there are books: self-help. self-awareness. self-esteem. self-improvement. self-happiness. self. self.
self-ISH.
And I am at least as guilty [if not more] than the next person in line- this line of life- in line to be happy, find peace, get that handout of contentment.
But the premise of these guides: the idea that happiness can be found inside yourself, is completely non-Christian & un-Biblical.
This is long, and not meant to ‘tickle’ any ears.
{But I speak to myself first [and always] and [always] with LOVE to any who continue on.}
I looked up the word HAPPY in The Word, and here are all the verses I found:
Genesis 30:13 And Leah said, Happy am I, for the daughters will call me blessed: and she called his name Asher. [child-bearing]
Deuteronomy 33:29 Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the LORD, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency! and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee; and thou shalt tread upon their high places. [God was their Savior, Shield, Sword]
1Kings 10:8 Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom. [heard wisdom]
2Chronicles 9:7 Happy are thy men, and happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and hear thy wisdom. [heard wisdom]
Job 5:17 Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty: [God’s correction: a proof of being His child]
Psalm 127:5 Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them [having children]: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.
Psalm 128:2 For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee. [fear the Lord and walk in His ways. vs1]
Psalm 137:8,9 O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us. Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones. [this has to do with the destruction of a wicked people]
Psalm 144:15 Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the LORD. [God is my Lord]
Psalm 146:5 Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God: [God is my help & hope]
Pr 3:13, 18 Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her. [getting wisdom]
Proverbs 14:21 He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth: but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he. [show mercy on the poor]
Proverbs 16:20 He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso trusteth in the LORD, happy is he. [trust God]
Proverbs 28:14 Happy is the man that feareth alway: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief. [reverence God]
Proverbs 29:18 Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he. [hear and heed the Word of God]
Jeremiah 12:1 Righteous art thou, O LORD, when I plead with thee: yet let me talk with thee of thy judgments: Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously? [Jeremiah is questioning God’s allowing wicked people to prosper. In the next chapter God tells Jeremiah that the wicked will be punished.]
Malachi 3:15 And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered. [these words are spoken against the Lord, and rebuked by Him]
John 13:17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them. [be a servant. follow Jesus’ example]
Acts 26:2 I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews: [Paul was happy to give account of himself, as a follower of Jesus. What a thought!]
Romans 14:22 Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. [refrain from doing what may be doubtful to new Christians so as not to be a stumbling block]
James 5:11 Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy. [suffer & endure affliction for the cause of Christ]
1Peter 3:14 But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; [suffer & endure affliction for the cause of Christ] vs 15 & 16: sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer… [for] a reason of the hope that is in you… having a good conscience…
1Peter 4:14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. [suffer & endure affliction for the cause of Christ]
There are a couple of recurring themes for happiness here:
having/bearing children
trusting God [knowing He is your Help. Savior. Hope]
enduring persecution
heeding the Word
and a few single thoughts:
being corrected by God [proof of being His child]
showing mercy on the poor
being a servant.
giving account of our life as a Christian
not being a stumbling block to new Christians.
Then, of course, there is the word Blessed, and the BeAttitudes from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5 {each a study all to itself}.
But the point is that NONE of these Scripture has anything to do with self. at all.
Man does not fully understand nor could he have designed conception, birth, children. And child-rearing? That is not an endeavor I would wish to attempt without God and His Word-His direction. [and child-bearing is something that only a woman can experience. {staggering}]
Trusting God is purely NON-self-related.
If it were not for God there would be no me. I must let go of ME to allow Him to HAVE me. [think of the game where you fall blindly into the arms of the person behind you. that is trust. and there is not one thing you can do to keep from falling to the ground once you start.]
I must let go and let God carry me.
Enduring persecution is probably the height of unselfishness, the overwhelming submission to God’s working through me, through you.
There is not one place in Scripture where we are told to think of ourselves before others, or to ‘better’ ourselves as is the world’s view of happiness. Doing so is not heeding the Word, and does not bring happiness. [speaking from experience]
When I am corrected by God it is often because I have been thinking of myself before others; and have stumbled, disobeyed, been a stumbling block.
But that correction tells me that He is my Father, and that causes happiness. {amazing}
Helping the poor, being a servant- these are not glamorous acts that bring fame or fortune or even comfort and security. Sometimes it means going completely out of the ‘comfort zone’ and even using some of that [already] budgeted cash for someone else. But it brings happiness. {extraordinary happiness}
If giving account of my life as a Christian is to bring happiness, I must be LIVING the LIFE of a CHRISTIAN. {penitent. right now.}
There are some things that I am free to do- actions that I could pursue. They are not wrong. But the mere fact that younger or immature Christians see me and know that I have been saved for many years and have a position of ‘staff wife’ in my church means that I am NOT free to do just anything ‘willy-nilly’ without thought of these spiritual babes.
I am {somewhat} responsible for their reaction to my actions. But being aware and mindful of that brings its own happiness.
So. Are we ready to BE HAPPY today?
by tascha
the gradual decline into disorder.
sometimes, not so gradual [toddlers anyone?]
the struggle against decay.
The constant upkeep of home, family, friends [life] is, at times, staggering. The weight of it causes my feet to stumble. My path becomes broken and I fall- sometimes so very hard, to my knees, where I should have been to begin this journey~every day~on my knees before the God of this universe~who deigns Himself to love me.
He reaches down, not to grasp a hand or push me onward, but to pick me up, soul and spirit, and brush me clean with tender Forgiveness.
He sets me on my feet- holding me steady until such time as I am ready to try again, this time with my hand firmly grasping His.
Only His steps can make my path straight again.
So I will follow.
There are no stumbling ridges when I simply hide in His shadow, walking this path under the cover of His wing.
And Gentleness reminds me
of Goodness every. time. I. fall.
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Let’s connect on FACEBOOK!
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I’m also on Instagram!
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and I’m on Twitter!
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