August 30, 2010 by Worship Director.

You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.  You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.  No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.    - Matthew 5:13-16

At first glance, “salt” and “light” would seem to have nothing in common – but in Jesus’ day they were both critical to life.  As the source for preserving food, people no longer had to depend on the daily availability of food - they could travel long distances, carrying food with them that would not spoil.  They discovered new lands, people, cultures and resources - so it literally changed the economy of civilization.

A light source was also imperative to survival; not only evil lurked in the darkness, but real physical dangers that could easily bring death – wild animals, thieves, falls resulting in fatal injuries or infection.  These everyday realities were well understood by the people, and Jesus conveyed the importance of His followers to the kingdom through His clear and simple analogies.

Christians of today need to understand that we too are still critical to the world.

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August 29, 2010 by Worship Director.

 Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.    - Colossians 4:6

Salt is rich in Spiritual Metaphors…
(From The Salt Covenant, www.homeworship101.com)

• Salt is an important ingredient of life.  The Biblical lore of salt begins in Leviticus 2:13; where it becomes part of God’s Covenant with humanity and was directed to be part of all the grain offerings in the Temple.
• Salt historically symbolized hospitality - and God calls us to be the world’s most hospitable people.
• Salt heals - If you settled a dispute with your neighbor then you would invite the person into your home to share a dish of salt. This is the symbol of friendship that heals the rift.
• Salt is pure - germs cannot live in it.  Believers are to be pure and have salt in us (Mark 9:50).
• Salt purifies - Believers purify the world by not accepting false philosophies, dishonest ways of doing business, or selfish desires.
• Salt adds to the taste and pleasure of a meal (Job 6:6).  Believers should add spiritual interest, hope, and excitement to other people’s lives.  Too salty and it ruins the taste of the meal, and the spiritual message.
• Salt produces thirst, and Believers should produce spiritual thirst in those around them.
• Salt can dissolve in water - but its quality remains.  Believers are in this world but not of this world (James 6-13).
• No salt in the diet leads you into an energy graveyard. Without it, nutrients cannot enter your cells and you will have malnutrition and exhaustion no matter how good your diet is.  Without our CREATOR we would be spiritually starved and morally exhausted.

Be God’s salt – flavor the life of everyone around you with His love.

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August 28, 2010 by Web Admin.

1Thessalonians 1:2-8

We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers.  We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.  For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that He has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction.  You know how we lived among you for your sake. You became imitators of us and of the Lord, in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.  And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia.  The Lord’s message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia- your faith in God has become known everywhere.  Therefore we do not need to say anything about it, for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us.

The apostle Paul is very appreciative of his partners in ministry.Paul knows he needs others to share the mission of spreading the Good News as well as to bolster him when he is discouraged.  Paul’s gratitude prompts us to reflect on our own friendships rooted in a shared faith and a common mission.  Who are the people who have shared your journey and made a difference in your life with Jesus Christ? Thank God for them today.

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August 27, 2010 by Worship Director.

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.   -2 Corinthians 5:17

Our bodies, our minds, our world - are marvelous, miraculous things.  Yes, miracles happen everyday in the birth of a child, the air that we breathe,  the compassion of a stranger, the sun rising and setting without interruption. We just don’t often see them. We are so hurried and stressed in our tiny lives, that we miss the grandeur of God and the spectacular plan He has in store for each of us.

Take these final steps and see what new adventures you will discover around and within you.

35 Steps Toward Renewal - #26 through #35
Author Unknown

26. Learn something new every day.
27. Relax - What others think of us is not completely under our control.
28. Appreciate your body and its marvels.
29. Work will not take care of us when we are sick.  Our friends will.
30. Remember – The best is yet to come.
31. Phone your family regularly and tell them “Hi, I was thinking of you”.
32. Each day, before going to sleep, say:  I am thankful for __________. Today, I succeeded in __________.
33. Remember that God gives us too much that is good to be stressed.
34. Enjoy the journey.
35. Life is beautiful.  Appreciate it all you can.

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August 26, 2010 by Worship Director.

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.   -2 Corinthians 5:17

A happy life includes healthy relationships.  Christ came so that we could have a new relationship with Him.  We are called to build good relationships with others.  We truly do need each other to survive and thrive.  Jesus said that, next to loving God, loving one another was more important than all the other laws and words of the prophets in scripture.  Our lives are becoming more and more separated -  isolated behind physical walls, geographic expanses, and virtual worlds.  Reach out, touch someone, and let others touch you.

35 Steps Toward Renewal - #17 through #25
Author Unknown

17. Smile & laugh more often.
18. Do not let an opportunity pass to hug a friend.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating someone.
20. Don’t take yourself so seriously.  Nobody else does.
21. It is not necessary to win every argument.
22. Make peace with your past, so as not to ruin your present.
23. Don’t compare your life with others.  You have no idea of the highways they have traveled.
24. Nobody is responsible for your happiness, except yourself.
25. Remember well that we have no control over what happens to us, but only what we do.

Visit tomorrow for the final steps toward renewal!

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August 25, 2010 by Worship Director.

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.   -2 Corinthians 5:17

Not only do we need to renew our spiritual selves - we also have a physical body and mind that needs attention.  How we feed this marvelous machine God created for our souls to live in is important to a healthy, happy life.    There are many places in the Bible where we see the emphasis God puts on these details.   Read Daniel Chapter 1 and the Proverbs for more tips on healthy living.

35 Steps Toward Renewal - #6 through #16
Author Unknown

6.  Play more games than last year.
7.  Read more books than last year.
8.  Look at the sky at least once a day, appreciating the majesty of God’s world that surrounds us.
9.  Dream more while awake.
10. Eat more foods that come from trees and plants. Eat less manufactured foods.
11. Eat berries and nuts. Drink green tea and plenty of water.
12. Try to make at least three people laugh every day.
13. Eliminate clutter in the home, the car, and the office.  Let a new energy enter your life.
14. Don’t spend precious time on things beyond your control. It is better to invest your energy in a positive present.
15. Life is a school, and we are here to learn - especially  from mistakes.
16. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a beggar.

Visit each day this week for more steps toward renewal!

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August 24, 2010 by Worship Director.

 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.   -2 Corinthians 5:17

Some us us need practical instructions - step by step - to see that we really can experience newness.  Over the next few days, you’ll find a list of 35 simple actions we can take to change ourselves and our lives.   Just take a few steps each day, and before long, you’ll be reaching real renewal!

35 Steps Toward Renewal - Try #1 through #5 today
Author Unknown

1. Walk for 10-30 minutes every day, while smiling.
2. Sit quietly for at least 10 minutes every day.
3. Upon arising in the morning, immediately say “My goal today is….”
4. Listen to quality music every day.  This is real nourishment for the soul.
5. Live with the 3 E’s: Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy.

The Great Creator created us – Be a new creature in Christ!

Visit each day this week to discover the next 30 Steps to renewal!

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August 23, 2010 by Worship Director.

This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!  And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to Him.   - 2 Cor. 5:17-18

Starting a new school year is an opportunity to start over.  So much can change in three months over summer vacation!  With new classmates, new teachers, perhaps a new school, kids can reinvent themselves – a different look, a higher class status, a fresh attitude -  and begin with a clean slate.

In the adult world, we often feel that we don’t have the chance to start over; we’re stuck in the rut our choices have dug.  But life in Christ is new every day.  We are not tied to our mistakes of the past, but freed to become the person God wants us to grow up to be.

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August 21, 2010 by Worship Director.

…then take on an entirely new way of life—a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces His character in you.                          – Ephesians 4:24,  The Message

Putting on a new Christian life is not like slipping into a new coat, easily taken on and off as cold weather blows in and out. Renewal starts on the inside, within our cells, that changes the very skin we’re in.  It is like a chemical reaction – elements that combine to create something completely different - which acts and impacts its surroundings in ways we cannot even understand.

So, off with the old - in with the new!  If you let Him, God will change your heart, change your attitude, change your circumstances, to allow you to live and give as He would.

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August 19, 2010 by Worship Director.

However, as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.”   - 1 Corinthians 2:9

There’s a small sleepy town nestled on the edge of the Black Hills of SD that bustles with excitement in the heat of the summer.  Edgemont, SD, home of many success stories, hosts the Fall River County Fairs and all year class reunions.  This year’s fair and reunion proved to be far more special than any previous ones. No one wanted to leave. Fond memories of growing up there firmly held us in a place where time didn’t matter, people did.  Reminiscing about cherry cokes at Highley’s, parades, summer nights at the Drive In, Cascade Falls, chatting with friends on starry nights, riding bikes down one-mile hill (with no hands), summer swimming and chocolate dipped ice cream cones which melted faster than one could lick them. A kinder, friendlier place welcomed the best of times, family and friends.  Even Norman Rockwell could not have painted such moments. If only this all could have been bottled and taken home.

If you have accepted Jesus as your Savior, a far better eternal reunion waits for you. In the meantime, fellowship and fun with fellow Christians leaves one feeling so happy that we don’t want this time to end either. Get involved and encourage your church to have fun together. May you be blessed with accepting our Savior’s gift this day and look forward to enjoying your future reunion!

- Ann Reilley

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