Category: A Door of Hope

 

"The closer you are to the Light, the more dirt you see." ~a.k.c.

 

"Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts:  and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom." Psalm 51:6

Don't lose hope when you continue to see sin in your life, when you are continually convicted of pride, sin and selfishness.  Our goal is to be like Jesus.  That doesn't happen all in one fell swoop.  As we draw closer to Him, learn more of Him, we see just how far we are to being truly Christ-like.

The Holy Spirit will point out sin "in the inward parts."  Our job is to repent of that sin, and walk in obedience to Christ.

We may be appalled by the grit, grime and dirt on the window of our heart; but how brightly Jesus will shine through, as we allow His Word to wash us clean!

 

"If a man is admitted into the bullion vault of a bank, and told to help himself, and comes out with one cent, whose fault is it that he is poor? 

Whose fault is it that Christian people generally have such scanty portions of the free riches of God?" ~McLaren

 

"And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you."

Matthew 17:20

 

"I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living."

~Psalm 27:13

David did not see God's goodness.

He only – by faith – believed that he would see it.  This belief is what kept him from fainting.

Our encouragement comes not so much from seeing God answer our prayer, but rather from our believing that He will. 

This morning, as I gargled, I thought of my pastor.

I know…weird, huh?

I've been gargling with salt water every morning.  It's a habit my mom started about a year ago; and she has not been sick since she started the process.  So, I've started the same routine, and every time I do it now, I will think of my pastor.

You see, he recently preached a sermon entitled "We are God's Salt Shaker."  🙂

Salt flavors our food, but it also helps in the healing process.  It preserves foods.  It cleanses wounds.

Salt burns when it gets into a cut.  Salt soothes when it is used as a rinse for a sore throat.  Salt flavors our food when added in careful amounts.

I am salt. 

There are times that I need to soothe a fellow Christian.  Sometimes I just add my personality nicely into the mixture of believers worshipping.  Other times, my very presence stings those around me – especially those with wounds that haven't healed.

I want to be carefully used, only by the leading of God's Holy Spirit. 

I never want to dump a handful of my opinion into a conversation – too much salt is disgusting.  However, if I say nothing when given a chance to speak for Christ, I give a bland, unsatisfying taste to those around me.

It's a fine balance.  I must follow the gentle nudges from within.  I must be always ready to represent Him.

And you know what?  I don't want to be the cheap, bleached, processed salt from the blue, round canister on the grocery shelf – so full of additives that is rendered dangerous, rather than helpful.

I want to be that fabulous Sea Salt!  It's so full of flavor, free from harmful chemicals, good for a healthy diet, and incredibly rich in minerals that are helpful.

Lord, help me be a pleasing savor – both to you and to others around me.

Luke 14:34 Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned?
35 It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

 

"We ought to have enough power with God to worry the world when we don't agree with them."

~Dr. Mickey Carter

"The mountains quake at him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burned at his presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein.
"Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him.
"The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him."  ~Nahum 1:5-7

"Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." ~Galatians 6:7

Will you be counted among those who agree with God,

    or will you suffer the fate of those who do not?

 

 

 

Do not criticize the intensity of my Christianity…

    I am just remembering.

 

If you only knew
All that I've been through
Then you would understand
Why I love Him so.
If you could only see
Just where He found me,
If you'd been there when He lifted me
Then you would know.
~Crabb family

Psalm 34:1, 6 – "I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth…This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles."

 

 

 

"Oh, let us rejoice in the Lord, evermore,

    When darts of the tempter are flying,

For Satan still dreads, as he oft did of yore,

    Our singing much more than our sighing."

~Streams in the Desert