The Encourager
“A Challenge - by Jeff Curtis”
A Challenge
By Jeff Curtis
When Jesus said, “You are the salt of the earth,” this was not only a compliment, but it was also a challenge. Salt has value and has the capacity to be a preservative because is had a distinctive quality. As Christians, we also, need to have a distinctive quality. One way of expressing this quality is to say that we must be different from the world.
Paul stated in Romans 12:2; “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…”
James said; “…do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity toward God? Therefore, whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God” (James 4:4).
1John 2:15 tells us; “Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”
If salt had the same composition as meat, it couldn’t preserve the meat. If we are like the world, we have no preserving quality. This doesn’t mean that we are to be odd, but it does mean that we are to be distinctive.
Can people look at us and see that we are Christians – by what we do, by the way we talk, by the topics we discuss, by the way we dress, by the way we meet our difficulties? Being a Christian should affect how we treat our families, how we talk to shopkeepers, how we play our games.
Jesus didn’t say, “You are the salt of the church,” but rather, “You are the salt of the earth.” Polls indicate that most church activities take place in church buildings. We need to be “salt” where other people are: at the store, the schoolroom, in the office. Jesus was the friend of sinners (Matthew 11:19).
Wherever you go, wherever you are, you are commissioned to be God’s preserving power. You probably visit homes, go places, and make contacts unique to you as a child of God. That is God’s special place for you, your special place of influence. Never forget the challenge of being “the salt of the earth.”
What is God Like?
By Jeff Curtis
All the truths evident in Numbers 31 can be related to the single most important subject of the Bible: the person of God. What is God like?
- He identifies Himself with His people.
- He punishes sin. No one can oppose God or His people with impunity.
- He is sovereign, and sometimes we cannot comprehend His ways, even then, we must believe in Him and obey Him.
- He is holy; no one who is unclean can approach Him. When we seek cleansing, we must do so in the way that He has set for us.
- He is gracious and good, worthy of all we can do for Him or give to Him.
What is your view of God? Does it correspond or conflict with the view that has been presented? That is an important question because our view of God will determine our eternal destiny.
Meetings for 2023
March 12-16 – Paul Smithson
June 18-23 (Song service on Friday evening) - Jim Deason
October 22-27 – Jarred Jacobs
Meetings for 2024
March - Heath Rogers
June – Jim Mickells
October – Leland Ping (early part of month)
