Salt and Light

Matthew 5:13-16 NKJV

13 “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.

14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."

Psalm 119:130 

"The entrance of Your words gives light;

It gives understanding to the simple."

Psalm 119:105

"Your word is a lamp to my feet

And a light to my path."

Been thinking about being salt and light...and thinking that lately I have felt like my salt has lost its flavor, and my light isn't shining as brightly as it should.  Oftentimes we get so caught up in the bad news and the darkness of this old world, and we forget that we are supposed to shine as the lights of Christ in the midst of the darkness.  The things we say and do, whatever we choose to write about or share with others, should be a reflection of the Light of Christ shining through the windows of our soul. When we let the filth of this world blow its dust and ashes in our faces and minds, we become cloudy and gloomy and dingy...and our light begins to flicker and falter and eventually, if not rekindled, it will be snuffed out by too much darkness filtering through instead of light.

I've been feeling kind of dull and uninspired lately, with nothing much to say.  And so this morning I had to just stop what I was doing and pray...pray that God would reignite the fire within me and help me to see the light of His love and the beauty He has created all around us and in us once again.  My original purpose here on this blog was to share the story of what Christ means to me and how He lives in my heart and life.  It doesn't mean I can't laugh and have fun and enjoy the fellowship of friends here...but it does mean that I must not allow anything to get in the way of His light shining forth from this city on the hill of my life.  I must not allow my words to be seasoned with old salt that should be thrown out on the ash heap, but to allow the fullness of His flavor and sweetness of His aroma permeate my thoughts and words and flow out to others who may be seeking strength and encouragement along the way.

So today, I want to let my light shine forth for Jesus...and for you, my friends. Wanna sing a little song from our childhood/Sunday School with me?

If you Google "This Little Light of Mine", you will find many different groups and individuals singing this well loved little song.  This particular video was done by a church group during the pandemic last year...very creatively done.  I love how people are finding ways to let "This Little Light of Mine" to shine in the midst of difficult trials and conditions.

Can we add our voice to this song?

Sing along!!!

This Little Light of Mine,

I'm gonna let it shine.

This little light of mine,

I'm gonna let it shine,

let it shine, let it shine, let it shine...

Amen!

Giving Light...

"The entrance of Your words gives light;

It gives understanding to the simple."

Psalm 119:130

"Make Your face shine upon Your servant,

and teach me Your statutes."

Psalm 119:135

Jesus said to His disciples:

"You are the light of the world.

A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.

Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket,

but on a lampstand,

and it gives light to all who are in the house.

Let your light so shine before men,

that they may see your good works and 

glorify your Father in heaven."

Matthew 5:14-16

So...

Let us be the Light of Christ

to others today...

wherever we are,

whatever we may be doing...

"Let your light so shine before men...that they may see 

your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."

Amen!

 Click HERE for a previous post on a similar topic "Brief Candle or Flaming Torch"

The Secret Garden Chronicles Word of God Speak

This has been a busy week, and there has been no time to spend here in the Secret Garden until today.

As soon as I said to my hubby that I was headed out to the Secret Garden to sit a while, the song "Word of God Speak" popped into my mind...and I found myself singing it as I sat down in the garden...as a prayer...so perfect for this moment.  Here is the link for this song and a copy of the lyrics for you to sing along with me:

Word of God Speak, By Mercy Me

Lyrics

I'm finding myself at a loss for words

And the funny thing is it's okay

The last thing I need is to be heard

But to hear what You would say

Word of God speak

Would you pour down like rain

Washing my eyes to see

Your majesty

To be still and know

That you're in this place

Please let me stay and rest

In your holiness

Word of God speak

I'm finding myself in the midst of You

Beyond the music, beyond the noise

All that I need is to be with You

And in the quiet hear Your voice

(chorus)

Word of God speak

Would you pour down like rain

Washing my eyes to see

Your majesty

To be still and know

That you're in this place

Please let me stay and rest

In your holiness

Word of God speak

I'm finding myself at a loss for words

And the funny thing is it's okay

Written by Bart Millard, Pete Kipley, Peter C. Kipley • Copyright © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc

Here are some of the "words" that God spoke to me in the stillness of this place today:

Psalm 119:89-90

"Forever, O Lord,

Your Word is settled in heaven.

Your faithfulness endures to all generations.

You established the earth, and it abides"

Psalm 119:105

"Your word is lamp to my feet,

and a light to my path."

Psalm 119:114

"You are my hiding place and my shield;

I hope in Your word."

Psalm 119:130

"The entrance of Your words gives light;

It gives understanding to the simple."

Psalm 119:160

"The entirety of Your word is truth;

And every one of Your righteous judgments

endures forever."

Psalm 119:169

"Let my cry come before You, O Lord;

Give me understanding 

according to Your word."

Psalm 119:170-171

"Let my supplication come before You;

Deliver me according to Your word.

My lips shall utter praise 

for You teach me Your statutes."

Psalm 130:5-6

"I wait for the Lord, 

my soul waits;

and in His word I do hope.

My soul waits for the Lord

more than those who watch for the morning...

Yes, more than those who watch for the morning."

Psalm 103:17-18

"But the mercy of the Lord 

is from everlasting to everlasting

on those who fear Him;

and His righteousness to children's children.

To such as keep His covenant, 

and to those who remember His

commandments to do them."

Thank You, Lord, for speaking to me today in this place.

You know the concerns of my heart...and You have 

addressed them according to Your Word.

In You I place my trust...for myself,

and for my "children's children",

and for ALL generations.

Amen.

Perhaps this was a quiet moment for the "Word of God" to speak to your heart today as well.  I pray so.  Have a blessed and glorious day my friends.

God Got My Attention!

Time to "focus" in on this past week's activities...since I claimed my "One Word" for 2015..."Focus".

It seems like whenever we claim a new word, that particular word takes on a life of its own...and it gets our attention in so many ways.  "Focus" is definitely getting my attention. But, isn't that what the word "focus" means in the first place? http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/focus says

"

¹fo·cus

 noun \ˈfō-kəs\: a subject that is being discussed or studied : the subject on which people's attention is focused

: a main purpose or interest

: a point at which rays of light, heat, or sound meet or from which they move apart or appear to move apart; especially : the point at which an image is formed by a mirror, a lens, etc. "

Well, this week the focus has been on things needing repair...or, I should say, "expensive things" needing repair.

• My car developed a rock and roll and rattle which necessitated some focused attention, i.e. REPAIRS.
•  
• Our home insurance cancelled our policy because they didn't have enough business in this area, necessitating our finding a new policy.
•  
• The NEW policy required a house inspection.
•  
• The house inspector refused to sign the certificate unless we replace our ROOF. Yikes!
  

There were a few other more minor things, but they all added up to getting our attention right where it hurts the most...our pocketbook!  Not a great way to start the New Year!

But, after focusing our attention on these issues we have evaluated the bigger picture, and have come to some new realizations (with the wise counsel and help of some good friends):

• The car repairs are not as serious as first feared, and we found a trustworthy and reliable Christian mechanic who also happens to be extremely fair.
• If the home insurance company had not cancelled our policy, necessitating our having an inspection of our roof, we would not have known that our roof was in such bad condition until possibly a leak developed and/or serious damage was done to our home.
• And, actually it isn't the whole roof, but one section of our roof due to the configuration of the way our house is built, so it will not be as expensive as if it were the whole roof. And God has shown us a way to pay for it reasonably...in time...but reasonably.
• And, the other more minor things are just that, minor things that can be fixed and are not the end of the world if they are not fixed right away.

I also have learned that spending time each day in God's Word helps me to focus my mind and heart on the things that are most important, and to prioritize the issues that come into my life so that I can tackle that which is most necessary first, and take care of the others as needed.

Here are a few verses that come to "light" right now:

• "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."  Psalm 119:105
• "You (God) are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in Your word." Psalm 119:114
• "Hold me up, and I shall be safe, and I shall observe (focus my attention on) Your statutes continually." Psalm 119:117
• "The entrance of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple." Psalm 119:130
• "In my distress I cried to the Lord, and He heard me." Psalm 120:1
• "I will lift up my eyes to the hills--from whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth." Psalm 121:1-2.

What have I learned this week?  

• "Blessed is every one who fears the Lord, who walks in His ways." Psalm 128:1
• "Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever." Psalm 136:1

That sums it up pretty well...but to put it in common language...I have learned to focus my attention on God instead of my circumstances...and to always look for the hidden blessing in the midst of the trials of life.  And I have learned to give thanks to the Lord, for He IS good! His mercy DOES endure forever! And I've also learned to give thanks for the people God brings into our lives to help us when we need it most. I pray that God will bless them for their kindness in ways that we cannot.

So, what kinds of things have you focused upon this week?

Now Comes the Exciting Part!

Psalm 119:105  "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."
Psalm 119: 130  "The entrance of Your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple."

I just returned home from four solidly packed days of listening and learning at the Florida Christian Writer's Conference. So, now what?  That's what I am asking myself as I sift through the vast accumulation of brochures, notes and other important information that I packed into my bags and my memory banks...what should I do now?

To answer the question that is probably on your mind but you are afraid to ask: No, I did not receive a book deal, and that is okay.  But I did discover that God may have a totally different approach in mind for me at this time, about which I will tell you more as each day reveals the complete plan.  For now I am praying, thinking, organizing, and preparing. 

The scripture verses above show me that God's Word, the Bible, is a lamp not only for my feet and my pathway (the road on which I am traveling), but His Word also provides illumination (understanding) for my simple mind, which is very comforting.  Today's guest speaker,  author Eva Marie Iverson, made a very profound statement which I felt was a message meant especially for me.  She said,

"The road may not look like you think it should, but it is the path GOD knows will keep you moving forward."

So here is my prayer for now,

"Lord, Although it may appear that another door has been shut, I can see a light shining through an open window up ahead. Help me to keep my feet on the right path, and my "simple" mind illumined by Your Word, and we'll reach that window together. Amen."

Stay tuned in for further developments!