24 FEBRUARY 2025
Our church is going through a series now on the Sermon on the Mount in the book of Matthew. A few weeks ago our pastor talked about "Salt and Light." Here are some takeaways:
1) The world is decaying--it needs SALT to preserve and flavor; and it's dark with sin--it needs LIGHT and hope.
2) To be a DISTINCT PRESENCE, Christ-followers don't look down on the world. The way we go is by doing GOOD WORKS and sharing GOOD NEWS, compelled by our beliefs about Jesus.
3) A Christian isn't morally better than those with other beliefs; Christians are saved by grace, NOT because we're morally good.
4) As Christians, we're often seen as "losers" because of our counter-cultural beliefs, but it's the "losers" that can have an impact. The way that we LOSE has the biggest impact.
How can you be a "salty and lit loser" for God today?
07 FEBRUARY 2025
Something about the words, "My heart is steadfast," "I will sing and make music," "Great is your faithful love," and "Your faithfulness reaches to the skies" spoke to the simplicity of what you might see in a design from the 1960s. The colors feel like an updated set of what I saw in my grandparent's house when I was little.
I like the poetry of these verses from the Psalms--that speak to both the depth of God's love for us, and the joy it causes us to express outwardly.