"Now Hear This" #4

Sorry guys I've been a little distracted lately BUT now I'm ready to "saddle up" again. I appreciate your patience and desire to hear Jesus. And NO I haven't been sick nor my family. We're all good!

For a lot of years I was kinda puzzled why the ancient Jews never saw nor spoke of God as Father. In fact, there are only a mere handful of times that you can even find God referred to as Father in the Old Testament. Mostly they seem to have thought of Him like the pagans viewed their gods as one to be feared and somehow avoided. Even after they entered the Promised Land after their Egyptian slavery they seem to have simply embraced their pagan neighbors view of their own gods, as always angry with them.

When Jesus embarked on His personal ministry, one of the primary goals He seems to have before Him was to change how His countrymen viewed God. Their rituals and commitments were mostly intended to appease or avoid, if possible, His anger at them, rather than submitting to His love. They just had never seen Him as their Father. But, Jesus gradually changed all that.

• "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. John bore witness of Him and cried out, 'He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.' And of His fullnes we have all received, and grace for grace. for the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one had seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him." John 1:14-18 NKJV

Jesus came to make God known to the world as FATHER. His Sermon on the Mount repeatedly uses that word to give God that very special identity. The Greek word translated as "father" carries a threefold connotation that establishes a concrete definition of what a 'father" is:

1. A father is always PRESENT caring, watching, guiding, correcting, encouraging
2. A father is always a PROTECTOR because the world is filled with danger
3. A father is always a PROVIDER because he always wants the best for his offspring

As we continue to hear some of Jesus' words in this life changing teaching, I just felt it helpful to establish early on, the grand importance of how we see God and how we relate to Him in a personal way. And, how Jesus will teach us why that new awareness of God translates into how we in turn relate to others in our daily world.

• "You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt loses it's flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men." Matthew 5:13

 Salt is good for two primary things: preserving certain types of foods and flavoring. Jesus' words seem to be a word of caution and also of encouragement. He obviously wants us to fully understand that one of our primary functions in the kingdom of God is to be the "salt" that influences our own society to see just WHO our God really is by the way we act. Flavorless salt is of no use for anything but to be thrown out on to the pathways where others walk. We must be 'active' every day in every possible way as an influence in our world that will lead to a pleasant taste in other's mouths leading to their eternal preservation in the Father's kingdom.

Paul understood the impact of this figure of speech.

• "Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. Let your speech always be with grace seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one. Colossians 4:5

 In addition, Jesus said, 

• "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:14-16

Now take a few seconds to go back and read that again, slowly.

Both of these statements are in the present tense, which means now/right now. This is the Father's simple vision of how He sees our involvement in His plan from before He even made the world. Jesus doesn't say, "you can maybe at some point", no He says YOU ARE.

I really like and am motivated by this from Paul's heart at Ephesians 5:8-13

• "You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no felowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. But all things are exposed and made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light." 

So, now as you go forward each day, keep your heart focused on God as your Father and be the SALT  that flavors someone else's world and the LIGHT that illuminates the Father's love and grace to us all. Pay very strict attention to what comes out of your mouth and how your face and tone of voice can speak volumes of good or bad. Please don't hide your the light Jesus has given you. Let is shine shine shine.

God be with you in these very discouraging, dangerous and challenging days we are  all walking through. Show your faith and your love and give others a sense of hope. What you carry around in your heart is fearless and priceless. GIVE IT AWAY!