HOLY SCRIPTURE
Sabbath Meditations :
Deu 26:1-29:9(8), Isa 60:1-22, 1Pet 2:1-25
“Now when you enter the land that Adonai your God is giving you as an inheritance, and you possess it and dwell in it, (2) you are to take some of the first of all the produce of the soil, which you gather from your land that Adonai your God is giving you, put it in a basket and go to the place Adonai your God chooses to make His Name dwell. -Deu 26:1-2 TLV
Sunday Message:
"You are Salt of the Earth"
Mat 5:13 NKJV
"You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men."
OPENING PRAYER
O Mighty Father, we thank-you for gathering us together in fellowship here and from around the world to learn and to grow in Your Holy Word. Grant us open ears, eyes and souls to receive this teaching from on high. Grant us that which we might need to apply these lessons to our daily walk, following the foot steps of Jesus the Christ.
MESSAGE
Mat 5:13 NKJV- "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men;... rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.-1Pe 3:4 NKJV
The LORD Jesus calls us "the salt of the earth". This proclamation is a really big deal. Not only because the Messiah said so, it is because of the intimate relationship each one of us has with this natural element, also know as NaCl, sodium chloride. It has physical properties, historical significance, medicinal benefits, preservation and purity uses, and most important, being SALTED also indicates being SAVED.
In the opening photo above, two small children can be seen licking a white block of SALT placed in an area where the livestock and all the animals can replenish the life-saving levels of sodium in their bodies. YES, I am quite guilty of "licking" the salt stone" that were in various places on grandpa's farm and the adjoining ranches. Even in the mountains, salt licks were placed deep in the forest to serve the deer, mountain lions, bear, and all other manner of wildlife.
Did you know that right here in Florida, during the civil war, SALT was worth more than GOLD, pound for pound, ounce for ounce? Florida's Gulf Coast became a thriving mecca of salt ponds, where sea water would flood man made ponds, allowed to evaporate under the Florida sun, leaving behind WHITE-GOLD!
SALT sustains LIFE! Without salt, we die.
In biblical times and perhaps even today, new born infants had that waxy vernex protective film removed from their tiny bodies by aggressively rubbing the newborn with coarse salt. It hurts!
The baby exercised their little immature lungs well during the process. That was a good thing. The salt made quick work of removing the wax coating that GOD provided in the womb, so that nine months of living in a bag of water would not harm the skin of new life.
After the coarse salt rub..to remove the vernex, a finer grade of salt, mixed with olive oil, would be spread all over the baby's body and then the infant wrapped in swaddling cloths.
The new tender skin would be "salt-cured" and "tenderized" using olive oil and salt to toughen up the skin's protection resisting outside infections. Preserved like little hams, salted to prevent spoilage.
I recall well in late summer evenings, the family would gather at the vegetable garden just before sunset. We would sit around and talk about the week, and eat fresh, vine ripened tomatoes, cucumbers, & tender ears of corn.
Grandma always had a few tiny round shakers of Morton Salt available. Salt on one end of the shaker, pepper on the opposite end.
Those precious memories (and flavors) will be with me forever! SALT is a very big deal!
1Pe 1:23-25 NASB for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God. (24) For, "ALL FLESH IS LIKE GRASS, AND ALL ITS GLORY LIKE THE FLOWER OF GRASS. THE GRASS WITHERS, AND THE FLOWER FALLS OFF, (25) BUT THE WORD OF THE LORD ENDURES FOREVER." And this is the word which was preached to you.
HIS WORD IS The SALT of the Lord!
Whenever we find ourselves needing some "salty replenishment" adding flavor to whatever the world tries to feed us, our "Salt-Lick" or our refreshment is the Holy WORD of GOD found in our Bibles.
The WORD of GOD! This is our SALT!
Joh 11:25-26 NASB Jesus said to [Martha, sister of Lazarus], "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, (26) and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?"
The Word of GOD is SALT, and the SALT is life!
Rom 1:22-23 NKJV Professing to be wise, [those of the world] became fools, (23) and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.
They suffered SALT deficiency...and if unchecked, eventually leads to eternal death.
Those,however, who are well SALTED by the WORD of GOD, according to scripture: are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. [You become SALT-LESS] (10) If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of [THE SALT ] of righteousness. (11) But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
You become the SALT for others to see, and prayerfully, emulate.
Are you SALTY? -Rom 8:9-11 NASB SALT becomes your protection, your preserver.
1Co 15:42-45 NASB So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body; (43) it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; (44) it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. (45) So also it is written, "The first MAN, Adam, BECAME A LIVING SOUL." The last Adam became a life-giving spirit,--
Our Lord is the Original SALT of the EARTH!
SUMMARY/APPLICATION
Fire is the great purifier. During the Lord's testing, that which the fire does not destroy will survive and go on to eternity in the kingdom of God.
Because we are human, there will be that portion which does not survive the fires of testing. HOWEVER, Salt is a great protector, a curative that will protect us into eternal life and unending joy.
Mar 9:49-50 NASB "For everyone will be salted with fire. (50) "Salt is good; but if the salt becomes unsalty, with what will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another." Holy Scripture is SALT.
The WILL of GOD is SALT. Your salvation is SALT. Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification, according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. --Eph 4:29 NASB
CLOSING PRAYER
As we close in prayer LORD, we are humbled to be gathered in Your name. To learn from Your Holy Word. To grow and to know how vital it is to be well salted, seasoned with Your Holy Scripture. Grant us the self discipline to carry that which we learn over to our walk before You, O' Mighty Lord. In the name of Jesus, this is our collective prayer, AMEN.
THE CALL
If you have never invited Jesus to be your Lord and savior, or, if you have in the past yet remain unsure of salvation and forgiveness of sin, Please pray with me now: Lord Jesus I need to fill a hole in my life that follows me where ever I go. I am a long-time Sinner and I CONFESS and REPENT of all my sins. I believe that You JESUS are the Lord, that you were hung on a cross and died. I believe that you were raised back to life by God, Your Father, ascended into heaven and presently sit at the right hand of The Almighty. Please come into be, clean me, take me and make me Yours and let me serve from this day forward and forever, Thank-You Jesus, AMEN
If you sincerely prayed with me, your salvation has been assured. {Rom 10:9 KJV -That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. }
Waste no time in finding like minded folks, to fellowship with, who also know the lord Jesus. Be introduced to a church that preaches the BIBLE. Email me. Begin the journey that you will never tire of; the discovery of the Majesty, Beauty and loving Power of Jesus the Christ. Welcome to the family!
Chaplain Gary
DOXOLOGY
Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, Ye heav'n-ly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost
Amen
BENEDICTION: Num 6:24-26 The LORD bless you, and keep you; The LORD make His face shine on you, And be gracious to you; The LORD lift up His countenance on you, And give you peace.'AMEN
Christ go with you now...until we meet again
Christ go with you now...keep praying on till then
It really doesn't matter what the weather...
Just as long as we all are TOGETHER...
Christ go with you now...Till we meet again!
SUPPORTING SCRIPTURE Rom 1:16-17, 1:222-23, Mat 5:13, 1 Pet 3:4, 1:23-25, Jn 11:25-26, Rom 8:9-11, 1Cor 15:42-45, Mar 9:49-50, Eph 4:29, Num 6:24-26
WEEKEND WORSHIP MESSAGE
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CHRIST ETERNAL SENIOR MINISTRIES
HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?
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