Mark 9:50 - Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with each other.”
I had to go back and do research on this passage in order to ensure I fed you accordingly. This lesson turned out to be just what I needed today as God is right on time!
In the scriptures prior to this Jesus talks about leading people to sin and how it is better to detach a member of your body than to allow it to cause you to sin and go to hell. I'm going to assume this part of the message is either for non-Christians or to those followers that choose to ignore the discernment of spirit.
Salt is used for a number of reasons today including to add to, to preserve flavor, and to end grease fires. Verse 49 says everyone will be salted with fire. Fire here refers to trials we will face and salt refers to the quickening of the spirit which helps guide us away from temptation. Jesus calls us to have salt among ourselves - to preserve our faith and limit our desire to sin (of course by renewing our minds in the spirit/ the new identity we've taken on since giving our lives to Christ). He also cautions us not to lead others into temptation and therefore expects that we will be the salt of the world (Matthew 5:13), helping to put out the fire in others that causes them to walk in darkness.
If we lose our passion for Christ and live a life of sin how can we be seen as examples of his mercy, kindness and peace? As we walk in His light, as salt of the earth, we too must caution ourselves and heed to our spiritual instincts that bring peace not only within ourselves but with others.
Malachi 2:6 - True instruction was in his mouth and nothing false was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and turned many from sin.
Memo
Please Remember:
God is with you and will never forsake you. His Word is truly His bond and He will not mislead you, lie to you or teach you to do something or behave in the wrong manner. You can truly trust Him. When He stands by and whispers in your ear, you can trust that your walk will be in His perfect peace. Your ways will be ye and ye, and your heart will find pleasure in doing what is right and turning from sin.
Any questions? Feel free to contact the site supervisor: sheepnotes@gmail.com. Thank you.
(wink wink)
Memo
Please Remember:
God is with you and will never forsake you. His Word is truly His bond and He will not mislead you, lie to you or teach you to do something or behave in the wrong manner. You can truly trust Him. When He stands by and whispers in your ear, you can trust that your walk will be in His perfect peace. Your ways will be ye and ye, and your heart will find pleasure in doing what is right and turning from sin.
Any questions? Feel free to contact the site supervisor: sheepnotes@gmail.com. Thank you.
(wink wink)
Malachi 2:5
My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my name.
I'm glad the conversation of fear and God has come up. There is a little confusion about how we are to respond to God's presence. He doesn't want us to have feelings of distress due to danger or harm in his presence because that is not His objective. Like any "natural" father God has high expectations of a positive future for us all. He wants us to feel comforted and at peace before him regardless of the topic of conversation. I think we are fearful before him sometimes because we have to be accountable for our sins and that can be scary when you're trying to do your best and feel bad about falling short. We will never be perfect. Meditate on that as you strive to be more like Christ. He isn't setting us up to fail but expects us to lean on him for guidance and growth.
When the Bible refers to fearing God, it mostly means to be in awe of, to revere, or hold in high regard. He wants us to respect Him, His Word and His voice. We need to be mindful to remember Christ in our daily lives showing and proving that we serve the real power over the earth. God wants us to understand the importance of this difference and to confirm His promise of love He again reminds us of the promise of life (given to live) and of peace (to be still, in harmony with, secure, free from). We have been redeemed by Christ to live our lives to the best of our abilities in peace and with a heart that loves like he does.
With 3 days left let us revere God and his genuine consideration and grace towards us that we may understand in the spirit realm how perfect we are in his eyes.
Amen!
My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my name.
I'm glad the conversation of fear and God has come up. There is a little confusion about how we are to respond to God's presence. He doesn't want us to have feelings of distress due to danger or harm in his presence because that is not His objective. Like any "natural" father God has high expectations of a positive future for us all. He wants us to feel comforted and at peace before him regardless of the topic of conversation. I think we are fearful before him sometimes because we have to be accountable for our sins and that can be scary when you're trying to do your best and feel bad about falling short. We will never be perfect. Meditate on that as you strive to be more like Christ. He isn't setting us up to fail but expects us to lean on him for guidance and growth.
When the Bible refers to fearing God, it mostly means to be in awe of, to revere, or hold in high regard. He wants us to respect Him, His Word and His voice. We need to be mindful to remember Christ in our daily lives showing and proving that we serve the real power over the earth. God wants us to understand the importance of this difference and to confirm His promise of love He again reminds us of the promise of life (given to live) and of peace (to be still, in harmony with, secure, free from). We have been redeemed by Christ to live our lives to the best of our abilities in peace and with a heart that loves like he does.
With 3 days left let us revere God and his genuine consideration and grace towards us that we may understand in the spirit realm how perfect we are in his eyes.
Amen!
Peace Fast Day 26: The Coming of Zion’s King
Zechariah 9:9-10
9 Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. 10 I will take away the chariots from Ephraim and the warhorses from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be broken. He will proclaim peace to the nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River[a] to the ends of the earth.
This verse reminds me of Kirk Franklin's song STOMP. That song gets me excited it's a Holy Ghost Party. They are excited and can't explain it or contain it. When they think about the goodness of God it makes them want to clap their hands and want to dance. Zechariah 9:9-10 is a celebration. Everyone is rejoicing for our king is at hand! God comes to us with the victory and it is ours. People don't see it coming because he rides through on a donkey not a Maybach or Benz, so the gold diggers aren't checking for his glory. Though he is rich in houses and land he is humble in is approach drawing those that are weary and heavy laden because he has the power to bring them peace in a moment - in a breath. The bows are broken, the peace is ours and our ruler has come to set us free. STOMP!
Zechariah 9:9-10
9 Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. 10 I will take away the chariots from Ephraim and the warhorses from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be broken. He will proclaim peace to the nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River[a] to the ends of the earth.
This verse reminds me of Kirk Franklin's song STOMP. That song gets me excited it's a Holy Ghost Party. They are excited and can't explain it or contain it. When they think about the goodness of God it makes them want to clap their hands and want to dance. Zechariah 9:9-10 is a celebration. Everyone is rejoicing for our king is at hand! God comes to us with the victory and it is ours. People don't see it coming because he rides through on a donkey not a Maybach or Benz, so the gold diggers aren't checking for his glory. Though he is rich in houses and land he is humble in is approach drawing those that are weary and heavy laden because he has the power to bring them peace in a moment - in a breath. The bows are broken, the peace is ours and our ruler has come to set us free. STOMP!
Day 25 - Micah 5:5 And he will be our peace when the Assyrians invade our land and march through our fortresses. We will raise against them seven shepherds, even eight commanders,
When God came down to walk with us in flesh as Jesus he established himself as our peace - fortified the covenant and became a witness to his own glory. He didn't have to but he did in order to confirm his majesty and our victory over sin in the name of Jesus. Our enemies are a non-factor. They exist and need our constant prayer and understanding but they don't contribute to or deduct from our peace. This is a reminder as all of our lessons to date have been surrounded by the truth that is internal, unshakable, immovable peace. Jesus came and left his physical body but entrusted seven shepherds to continue to show teach his ways. We are descendants of these original messengers. Be conscious to maintain your composure in the midst of the enemy. As you travel on your righteous path know that haters will be working (for the enemy unbeknownst to them) to bring you down, to confuse you and to try and shake your foundation but the power lies within and you already have the victory.
My pastor reminds us that we can only change our lives by renewing our minds with the word of God. For us, today, that means to maintain focus on God and the peace he promised us that cannot be moved or brought down by anyone or anything in our view. Instead he will continue to provide, reveal and guide a path that is just for us in a way that is uplifting to bring confidence in our acknowledgement of the one to whom we belong.
When God came down to walk with us in flesh as Jesus he established himself as our peace - fortified the covenant and became a witness to his own glory. He didn't have to but he did in order to confirm his majesty and our victory over sin in the name of Jesus. Our enemies are a non-factor. They exist and need our constant prayer and understanding but they don't contribute to or deduct from our peace. This is a reminder as all of our lessons to date have been surrounded by the truth that is internal, unshakable, immovable peace. Jesus came and left his physical body but entrusted seven shepherds to continue to show teach his ways. We are descendants of these original messengers. Be conscious to maintain your composure in the midst of the enemy. As you travel on your righteous path know that haters will be working (for the enemy unbeknownst to them) to bring you down, to confuse you and to try and shake your foundation but the power lies within and you already have the victory.
My pastor reminds us that we can only change our lives by renewing our minds with the word of God. For us, today, that means to maintain focus on God and the peace he promised us that cannot be moved or brought down by anyone or anything in our view. Instead he will continue to provide, reveal and guide a path that is just for us in a way that is uplifting to bring confidence in our acknowledgement of the one to whom we belong.
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