by Mike Benson

In Old Testament times, God required His people to offer animal sacrifices. What exactly was involved in this religious rite?

First, the worshiper according to God's dictates, selected an appropriate animal to be sacrificed.

Second, the worshiper brought the animal to the place of offering, otherwise known as the altar.

Third, the worshiper bound the animal and placed it on the altar, thereby presenting it to God.

And fourth, after fire had consumed the offering, the worshiper then walked away.

Did you know that God still requires sacrifice today? No, He doesn't ask us to select an animal, bring it to the altar, offer it, and then walk away. Instead God insists that the child of God climb atop the altar and remain. Why? Because the worshiper is the sacrifice!

The Bible says, "...Present your bodies a living sacrifice to God..." (Romans 12:1; cf. 1 Peter 2:5).

Think about it.

by Phil Sanders

“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how will it be made salty again? It is good for nothing anymore, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men” (Matt. 5:13).

The salt used in Palestine came mostly from the Dead Sea, which is also sometimes called the Salt Sea (Gen. 14:3). One can find vast salt deposits around the edges of this body of water, which is 1,290 feet below sea level. Water that flows in has no place to go. The extreme heat in the area causes the water to evaporate and leave its deposits there. The evaporation of one cubic mile of sea water would leave approximately 140 million tons of salts, most of which would be sodium chloride, or common salt.

Often the salt around this sea would get polluted by winds or people and animals walking on the surface of the salt. Polluted salt, then, was dug up with the purer kinds and sold in the markets. A customer getting polluted salt could do nothing with it except to throw it out. It was no good. It could not do what it was intended to do.

Salt blesses foods by seasoning them. It brings out the taste in food. It also cleanses and preserves some foods. Where would country ham be without salt?
How potent are you in your Christian life?

Does anyone know you are a Christian? Some people are acquainted for years and yet do not know the other is a Christian.

Does your life proclaim that the Lord matters to you? Can people see Christ living in you by the way you act, you dress, and you talk?

Does anyone want the Christian life you have? If others look at the way you live, would they want the faith, joy and love you have? Does any imitate you?

Do you have a light people need? If people you know needed spiritual help, would they come to you for it?

You are the salt of the earth! Be salty!

by Phil Sanders

Commitment is the act of committing, pledging or engaging oneself. It is regarded as a pledge or a promise. When we became Christians, we committed ourselves to take up our cross and follow Christ daily. This commitment was for a lifetime. In Christianity there is no such thing as a temporary commitment or a partial commitment.
When the pilot of a giant airliner is speeding down the runway, there is a certain point where he cannot decide to remain on the ground. When he crosses that line, he is committed to the air. If he doesn’t, the plane will crash disastrously. That pilot cannot change his mind when the plane is two-thirds of the way down the runway. He must make his decision from the beginning and stay with it to become airborne.
Many members of the church have obeyed the gospel, leaving the old man of sin; but they seem to sit at the beginning of the runway revving the engines but never moving. They have been saved but have never gotten engaged in their faith. Christianity is not a spectator sport, everyone must compete against an enemy who is out to get their souls (Eph. 6:10-13; 1 Pet. 5:8). This is not a competition where winning or losing does not matter. It is a competition with eternal consequences.
Jesus told the church at Smyrna, “Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Rev. 2:10, ESV). Our faith in Christ is a commitment with no end. Let’s not spend our time gunning the engine on the runway. Let’s get involved!

by Mike Benson

When my daughter Bethany was an infant she communicated a problem to me. She said, "Daddy, I am very, very hungry and I think a nice bottle of warm milk would really taste good and feel good to my stomach. I don't want to impose on you, but if you don't mind, since I can't walk or operate the microwave, I would really appreciate it if you might get me a bottle."

Okay, I confess, that's not actually the way she communicated with me. Instead, you guessed it ... she cried, as you would expect any baby to do.

But I never recall telling Bethany, "Now that's not the way to talk to your Daddy, young lady! That's not good communication. When you learn how to say the magic word 'please,' then I'll get a bottle for you."
You see, I understood that behind the crying a legitimate problem existed.

Well, guess what? Just because folks are older, it doesn't mean that they communicate their problems like adults. Murmuring, whining, and complaining are often employed to get attention (cf. Ephesians 4:29ff).

Effective church leaders realize that behind inappropriate communication a problem really exists -- and needs to be addressed (cf. Acts 6:).

Think about it.

by Mike Benson

There's a creek that runs through Hurricane Mills, Tennessee. It's deep and cold and clear, and it serves as habitat for a fairly good size school of rainbow trout. I know that, you see, because I've fished there -- several times, in fact. And without sounding pretentious, I've had some pretty good success there. I've caught my daily limit of seven trout on many occasions. The reason for my good fortune is because I know what the fish like; I've learned what bait is most effective in the creek.

Satan is sort of a fisherman, and he knows what bait is most effective with you and me -- he knows what lure will work. Read passages like Genesis 3, Matthew 4 and James 1 (cf. Genesis 39; 1 John 2) and you'll discover that the Tempter has a "tackle box" full of lures (e.g., illicit sex, alcohol, drugs, food, internet pornography, etc.) that he can flash before us.

But as enticing as Satan's baits might appear, there's ALWAYS a hook embedded inside each of them. And if we ever actually take a "bite," we'll be hauled up on shore and fried (cf. James 1:14,15).

Think about it.

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