Seasoned With Salt.

Paul is exhorting the Colossians that in everything that they do as Christians they must season “their life” with salt. What exactly is the idea of seasoning something? Well, we all know that salt is an ingredient that is used in order to preserve. Salt flavor is one of the basic tastes, and salt is the most popular food seasoning. Salt is also an important preservative. The Bible often uses salt to teach us that we as Christians must season the world in which we are living.
1) Mt 5:13 "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.
What Jesus is saying in Matthew is that you and I have the job, the task, to help the world by understanding that we are the salt of the earth. Think of it like this: The world is getting corrupt by sin, the world is getting rotten by sin, the world will be wasted if we as Christians do not add some salt in the life of those who are dying in their sin.
To get comfortable and ignore that the world is dying in sin will not help us. We are the salt of the world. But what will happen when we being as salt compromise with the world?
1) Lu 14:34 "Salt is good; but if the salt has lost its flavor, how shall it be seasoned?
We must keep that salt in our lives at one point. If we do not know how to use it, then this salt will lose it flavor. We must be on constant guard, making sure that we still have flavor in the sight of God, as salt.
In my passage that I quoted at the beginning Paul is talking to the Colossians and he reminded them who they were and how they are supposed to talk, to act and to conduct themselves, Paul said:
1) Col 4:6 Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.
Everything that we do as Christians must be seasoned with salt! Are we? Are we making sure we are only using conversation which are profitable for you and I? Do we end up in disputes and controversies when we talk because we do not know how to season our conversations?
Think about it, we are the salt and in our every action God is expecting you and I to put some flavor unto those who are sad, disappointed and crying due to difficulties that they are facing in life.
2) Mark 9:50 "Salt is good, but if the salt loses its flavor, how will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another."
Jesus in Mark 9:50 is saying that salt by all means is good. If we all have salt in our lives then we will be helping those who are dying in their sins and trespasses but that also we will have peace with one another.
When we lose that sense of responsibility to love one another and to seek for peace among us, then we will no longer have flavor for one another.
Are we responsible enough to think about the lessons from “this good ingredient which is salt”?
May the good Lord help us to understand who we are and our purpose and mission as a church.
In Love
Eric Castillo

The Justification For All Our Sins

Have you ever confronted someone regarding sin? What were the results? Hopefully, they responded as David did in II Samuel 12:13, admitting their sin and turning from it. Regrettably, however, that has not always been the case has it?
In contrast to David’s appropriate response, you have probably received responses similar to Saul’s response to Samuel in I Samuel 13:11-12.
What was Saul’s biggest concern? “The people were scattered from me.” Who was he trying to protect? “The Philistines will now come down on me.” Who governed his actions? “I felt compelled.” Just in case it was wrong to do, who did he blame? “You did not come within the days appointed.”
Then, of course, there was the day he completely disobeyed God’s command to utterly destroy the Amalekites, including all of their livestock (I Samuel 15:2-3).
When Samuel confronted him, he initially acted as though he had done nothing wrong, saying, “I have obeyed the voice of the Lord” (I Samuel 15:20). He explained that if anyone did anything wrong, it was the people.
After further rebuke, he reluctantly admitted that he had sinned. But he did not stop there. He had to explain why. “I feared the people and obeyed their voice” (I Samuel 15:24).
Too many times when confronted with our sins, we respond as Saul did. We do not admit our sins and turn away from them. Too often we admit them as sins but then justify them, explaining why everyone ought to understand. On our worse days, we do not even admit that they were sins, but rather explain that considering our extenuating circumstances our actions were alright.
What causes this behavior? Saul’s words explain it all—“Me, me, I.” Not only is our self-centeredness the root of all our sins (James 1:14-15). It is also the means by which we justify everything we do. We can easily see everyone else’s sins as sins. But our sins? People should understand. If they had been through what we had been through… If they realized all the hurts and wounds we have endured… If they knew how mistreated we have been… If they would just put themselves in our shoes, they would understand.
But what is happening here? This is all about us. We want everyone, including God, to accept everything we do, whether sinful or otherwise. Why should they do such? Because we were the ones who did it and that justifies it.
That is selfishness. Remember, we are to sacrifice ourselves and our desires, serving the Lord (Galatians 2:20; 5:24). May we all carry our crosses this week, crucifying ourselves with Christ.

In Love.

Eric

You're Never Alone

“Teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’” (Matthew 28:20 NKJV)
Everyone feels alone sometimes. You just suddenly feel like the world has totally turned its back on you, and you just feel like no one cares about you anymore. It’s at these difficult moments in our lives when we need God the most, although sometimes it might feel like He doesn’t care either. But when we feel this way we just have to remember that God has promised to always be there for us, no matter what. We have to keep in mind what Jesus said: “And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” With such a promise, how could we ever feel alone and unloved? Such a promise by Jesus should constantly fill us with unending comfort and hope.There’s a line in the song titled, “Times When I’m Alone,” that expresses exactly how we should all feel when we are down in the dumps. It says: “And though the world seems cold, and nobody ever seems to care, no, I’ll never doubt your love because I know you’re there.”
Who needs the world when you’ve got the Lord?
In love
Eric C

Adorning the Doctrine of Christ

“Adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things.”(Titus 2:10) Servants are to “adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things” (Titus 2:10). That word “adorn” has an interesting background. It is a Greek word and when spelled in English letters comes out, “kosmeo” or, “cosmetic.” Christians are to be the Lord’s cosmetics. McKnight and other commentators provide a deeper meaning to the word “cosmetic” than we usually do. He would, for example, point out in Romans 6:17, that Christians have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine that was delivered. Here is applied cosmetics with the added explanation that is like molded metal poured into a form. It does not come out as it went in. It takes the shape of the mold.What ever the Gospel is, as a Christian, you take on that form. You are the copy of it. Where the Gospel is light, you are illuminated. Where it is salt, you are seasoned. Where it is love, you are loving. Where it is holiness, you are holy and happy in its form. Where it is truth and grace, you are honest and gracious. Your temper, speech, your very presence gives evidence of your “adorning the doctrine.”There are so many areas where this molding should take place that you are required to honestly work on it all the days of your life. Are there times when your zeal for orthodoxy seems to smother other considerations? Does it need to be that way? You cannot renounce charity and candor, but you must combine them with the love and concern that was firmly set by the One who set the mold for you.
May the Lord help us to understand this concept...
in Love
Eric C

At Present

“Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22-33 NKJV)

We often hear, “I’ll be glad when this day is over” or “I dread tomorrow.”Obviously, these phrases are often lightly spoken. In reality we can find something good that we have either seen, heard or done each day that we can thank God for giving us, after all that is His present to us. In Lamentations 3:22-23 Jeremiah says it is the Lord’s mercy and compassion that we have new blessings every morning. Thank you, Holy Father, for loving us so much.“Yesterday’s the past Tomorrow’s the future, But today is a gift That’s why it is called, ‘The Present’ Today is a gift from God.”

Think about it and praise the Lord.

In Love Eric C

A Great Example.

“... How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” (Genesis 39:9)Our supreme example for living righteous lives before God is Jesus Christ, His Son. He left the glory of heaven to come to earth to live, suffer, be tempted, and die as a man. Hebrews 4:15 tells us, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are…yet without sin.”In the great Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:48, Jesus encourages us to “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly father is perfect.” However, we sometimes want to make excuses and justify our weaknesses and our shortcomings. We point out that, although Jesus lived as a man, He was also divine, as if that negated His suffering and temptation. We tend to take comfort in and feel justified by verses such as Romans 3:23 in which the Apostle Paul says, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” and 1 John 1:8 where John says, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.”We have all heard the expression (and maybe said), “Well, I’m only human,” usually to make an excuse for sin and to imply that it is beyond our control. Especially if we have suffered some injustice at the hands of our fellow man, then we really think we have an excuse—the old “He hit me first!” attitude.In Genesis, chapters 37, 39 and 50, we read the story of Joseph. In chapter 39, we read of his temptation and attempted seduction by the wife of his master. Joseph could have given in to the temptation and easily justified the sin in his own mind. After all, he had been almost murdered and sold into slavery by his own brothers. He could have responded, “Why should I try to live right after what has happened to me.” And Joseph wasn’t divine, he was human, a “red-blooded” young man who was likely truly tempted by the repeated advances of Potiphar’s wife. “And who would ever know, anyway? Way off down here in a foreign land, away from anybody who knows me.” But Joseph made no excuses and refused to betray his master’s trust and sin against God (Gen. 39:9).And what did Joseph’s refusal to sin get him? Falsely accused and thrown into prison! Even more justification for saying: “What’s the use? If he was looking for an excuse, he could have said to himself, “Trying to live right is getting me nowhere, but in trouble!” But he didn’t. He continued to do God’s will and God continued to be with him.Then finally, Joseph got his chance for revenge. He was Governor of the whole land of Egypt, there was a famine in the land, and his brothers came down from the land of Canaan to buy grain. Here was his opportunity to repay them for the evil done to him. But instead, Joseph forgave them, embraced them, and provided for them, even after their father’s death.After much adversity, the story of Joseph has a happy ending, and “the good guy wins.” Joseph had never read Romans 8:28, in which Paul says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose,” but he understood its message, and in Genesis 50:20 he told his brothers, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good...” Joseph wasn’t perfect, but he apparently also understood the message of 1 Corinthians 10:13: “...And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” And we don’t have to do it alone. Immediately after Paul tells us in Romans 3:23 that “all have sinned...” He continues in the next verse, “…and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” And immediately after telling us in Hebrews 4:15 that Christ was tempted but was without sin, in verse 16 he says, “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” No need for excuses.
May The Lord bless us and help us to be loyal and faithful.
In Love
Eric C.

A Time For Everything.

“To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven:

A time to be born, And a time to die;

A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted;

A time to kill, And a time to heal;

A time to break down, And a time to build up;

A time to weep, And a time to laugh;

A time to mourn, And a time to dance;

A time to cast away stones, And a time to gather stones;

A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing;

A time to gain, And a time to lose;

A time to keep, And a time to throw away;

A time to tear, And a time to sew;

A time to keep silence, And a time to speak;

A time to love, And a time to hate;

A time of war, And a time of peace.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 NKJV)

Whenever you are excited about something does it feel like an eternity to wait for it? I know that it is sometimes hard to be patient for things like dating, getting older, driving, and other matter of beings. In Ecclesiastes, chapter three, it tells us that there is a time for everything in heaven. We shouldn’t wish our lives away, but use every day that we have to teach someone else about the salvation of God. Remember that God has a plan for everybody’s lives. Everything He does for us is not to hurt us, but help us. There may be some pain along the line, but it is all worth it in the long run. Be happy that God sent His one and only Son to die on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins.This life is short compared to the eternity that we will one day spend with God in heaven.

Do you realize that?

In Love

Eric C.

Lessons Of Nadab And Abihu

God has chosen to give us some valuable lessons from the Old Testament.

"For whatever things were written before were written for our learning" (Romans 15:4).

Nadab and Abihu were priests in the tabernacle of God under the Old Testament. One of their duties was to burn incense in the tabernacle at 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM each day. "Then Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it, put incense on it, and offered profane fire before the Lord, which he had not commanded them. So fire went out from the Lord and devoured them, and they died before the Lord" (Leviticus 10:1-2).

The KJV says "strange fire". It was "profane" or "strange fire" because that fire was not authorized.
Nadab and Abihu were told in offering the incense they were to "take a censer full of burning coals of fire from the altar" (Leviticus 16:12). Apparently they chose to ignore the Lord’s instructions and do as they saw fit and get the fire elsewhere. Because their sin was doing that which the Lord "had not commanded them", they were struck dead for doing so. Doing that which the Lord "had not commanded" is prohibitive.
If the Lord struck people dead today who are bent on pleasing themselves and not God by engaging in unauthorized religious practices the way He struck Nadab and Abihu, the world population might not be as large as it is. "Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition" (1 Corinthians 10:11).

We will all be held accountable (Romans 14:12). The warning we receive from the example of Nadab and Abihu is the Lord severely punishes those who act in the absence of His authorization.

Thank you all.

Will You Obey Jesus?

Joe R. Price
Obedience results from recognizing the authority one has over you plus a willingness to yield to that authority. We obey the laws of the land because we recognize the authority of civil government and we willingly comply with its laws and ordinances.
Jesus is obeyed because of his authority. He calls upon us to willingly yield to his authority and obey him today.
1) The wind and the sea obey Jesus. “And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, "Who can this be? For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!” (Lk. 8:25) Jesus possesses power over the elements, being both their Creator and Sustainer (Jno. 1:3; Col. 1:16-17; Heb. 1:3). Should we not learn from the wind and the waves to instantly obey when the Lord commands us?
2) The unclean spirits obey Jesus. “Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, ‘What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.’” (Mk. 1:27; also 9:25-26) The demons tremble with fear before the power of God and His Son (Jas. 2:19; Lk. 8:27-31). Should we not tremble before the great power of God and obey when the Lord commands us?
3) Diseases obey Jesus. “The centurion answered and said, ‘Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed.’” (Matt. 8:8). Christ’s power over illness and infirmities was completely obeyed when He said the word. Should we not completely obey when the Lord commands us?
4) Death obeys Jesus. He commanded Lazarus to “come forth” and death released its grip (Jno. 11:43-44). When Jesus comes again He will command all the dead to come out of the graves, and it will be so (Jno. 5:28-29). Should we not learn from death and fully obey when the Lord commands us?
Why then do so many people disobey Jesus? Why do the elements, the evil spirits, disease and death obey Him, yet most people will not? One reason is free will. We must choose to obey Jesus with our whole heart. Without a willing heart we will never properly obey Jesus (Matt. 15:7-9).
Jesus saves those who obey Him (Heb. 5:9). One does not know God and love God if he or she is disobeying Jesus: “They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work” (Titus 1:16). Be numbered among the faithful disciples and obey all Jesus commands (Matt. 28:18-20). Your profession of faith is genuine when you are always obeying Jesus.

PRAY WITHOUT CEASING.

Paul encouraged us to
Rejoice always;Pray without ceasing;In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
I Thessalonians 5:16-18
Was he encouraging us to stay in our prayer closets for every moment of the remainder of our lives? Was he speaking of some kind of attitude of prayer?
No. He was using a figure of speech. He used it three times. We are to rejoice always.
1 Pray without ceasing.
2 Give thanks in everything.
3 He was using hyperbole, that is, exaggeration to clarify the point.
It works something like this. Have you ever heard someone say they love country music and listen to it all the time? We do not assume they listen to country music every moment of every day. We do not expect to see them hooked into their i-pod during school or the church’s assembly because they claimed to listen to country music all the time. Rather, we recognize they are fans of country music. They listen to it regularly and repeatedly. When given the chance to listen to music, they will most likely listen to country music.
Having said all that. We can all recognize I would never say, “I listen to country music all the time.” I do listen to it sometimes. But I am by no means a country music fan. There are some songs and some artists I like and listen to on occasion. But my two or three times a year foray into country music wouldn’t qualify for the statement, “I listen to it all the time.”
Back to prayer. Paul was using that same hyperbole. We should be able to say, “I love to pray. I Pray all the time.” But recognizing the hyperbolic nature of the statement does not mean we are fulfilling this passage just because we have prayed some in the past week, month or year.
We need to be able to say, “I pray all the time. I pray regularly and repeatedly.” I need to do it always. That is, it needs to be a continually repeated habit. I need to do it without ceasing. That is, nothing interferes with my habit of prayer. Like Daniel who did not even allow the law to stop him from praying, I need to pray without stopping. I need to do it in everything. That is, prayer should be my response in all circumstances. Whether times are good or bad, I should be praying.
Sadly, in our hectic lives, without meaning to, we can end up going all week and then realizing we never stopped to individually pray. We meant to. We just didn’t. We can’t let this be us.
The question for all of us is, “Can I really say I pray all the time?”
In Love.