"Let me tell you why you are here. You're here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You've lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage. 
"Here's another way to put it: You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I'm putting you on a light stand. Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:13-16, The Message)
26 comments:
Salty salt - flavorful, yes, and to make people thirsty, wanting Him.
Light on a lampstand. It's always intrigued me that this would need to be said. I love that the orange person touches [and brings out the colors of] a purple person [or vice versa, I guess it shows that I'm not a lefty]--these are almost direct opposites on the color wheel!
Green/Green--sure. Red/Fuschia--believable. Orange/Purple!! That's bringing out the Godness in remarkable ways!
Who was it yesterday that said you had to remove the green to see the real colors of the leaves? Wow. That's a sermon on a mount!
Do you have an email that is available.No, I am not a spammer.Just a reader from south florida with a question?
Thank you, Bishop...wonderful entry today...I will Remember Who I Are...I Am...God IS. ;-)
Blessings Blog Fam!
PS...Welcome South Florida Anon, I believe you can reach Bishop through the main website www.churchinthenow.org and/or through this email address info@churchinthenow.org
Have a blessed day!
BEAUTIFUL! Love this message! Isn't this what the gospel is about? Loving, being joyful, full of His life so others want it too!
Oh taste, and see that the Lord is good! It's amazing that we can actually taste the goodness of God!
Love to all!
*SHINE**
Crown Jewel
Wow! "If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I'm putting you on a light stand." No more feeling insignificant for me. Shine where you are, God sees
let there be light
Linda
Sahib,
Guy has a scratch on his head. Friend asks him what happened. The guys says, "I was sitting on a rooftop and a gust of wind blew and knocked me off of the building. Thankfully, I hit a couple of clothelines on the way down, which slowed my fall. Then, I hit an awning which flung me to a stack of mattresses on the street. I bounced about twenty feet in the air and landed in a dumptruck full of marshmallows. Somehow, I must have scratched my head."
"Wow, just a scratch? You must be the luckiest man alive!" his friend exclaims.
"No, no, no," the guy says, "that would be Jim Belushi."
I started to insert Barack Obama's name, but hesitated as I wanted not to incite.
Ain't God Good?
Do you have an email that is available.No, I am not a spammer.Just a reader from south florida with a question?
I thought this would be easier with an account.:)
Welcome to the BITN Fam, Seth!
BTW, I really was being totally honest about the email though...the info is still the same as it was before you had a login...lol. If you write to info@churchinthenow.org and put 'Question for Bishop' in the Subject line, it will get to where it needs to go...even CITN members do the same when they want to email him. ;-)
I'm so glad to have you here with us and I hope you become a regular blogging fam member.
Service last night was great and this particular series has been especially good. I'm still absorbing and considering...Is Christ Divided? from all sides and facets. There's really a great deal within it and I want to make sure I don't miss a single morsel or crumb. (Yum-O!) Until l8r...
Blessings Blog Fam!
what is resonating in my spirit today is..."Here and Now", not sure exactly why, maybe it's for someone else.
GOOD DAY ALL!
I just finished putting out some of my salt, light autumn musings on my blog.
Check out my latest article "Seasons of Maturity" at: http://not1lost.blogspot.com/
hope your day is as great as mine has been!
God is Good,
All the time!
And God is God,
All the time!
Peace,
Dennis
Now I am convinced that we are truly connected (unify) by our spirit. For a couple of days now, the Lord’s leading me to post this prayer for CITN, the city of Conyers and Covington. You know, when you’re not praying and you heard something like, posted this prayer for your city, automatically you said to yourself, or try to convince yourself are just you thinking aloud. Today while on my out the house, I hear the Lord say to go read the blog. Without any hesitation turn the computer on, to read what you posted. “KNOW WHO YOU ARE”.
CITN FOR JESUS AND JESUS FOR CITN
CONYERS FOR JESUS AND JESUS FOR CONYERS
COVINGTON FOR JESUS AND JESUS FOR COVINGTON!
DEKALB, DECATUR, STONE MOUNTAINS, SNELVILLE, ALPHAYETTA, GWINETTE, ECT! FOR JESUS AND JESUS FOR THEM!
Father, in Jesus name, we thank you that your Word is true! Hebrews 6:18. Your Word, O Lord is forever settled in Heaven. Psalm 119:89. We thank you Father that your Word is QUICK, and POWERFUL, and SHAPER than any two-edged sword. Hebrews 4:12. Your Word shall not return unto you void, but Your Word shall accomplish that which you please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto you sent it. SO SHALL WORD BE! Isaiah 55:11. Father you said in your Word, thou shalt also decree a thing, and shall be established unto thee. Job 22:28.
We BOLDLY say JESUS IS LORD over CITN, Conyers, Covington, and all the other Cities! We BOLDLY say CITN, Conyers, Covington, and all the other Cities are a light set upon a hill that gives Light to the Nation and the whole world. CITN, Conyers, Covington, and the other Counties are sanctified Church and Cities set apart and meet for the Master’s use. A Church and Cities comprising peculiar people that BEARS YOUR Name and shew forth the praises of Him who hath called us out of darkness into His marvelous Light, The Name of the Lord is our HIGHTOWER. The Lord is His Name. Jesus is Lord over CITN, City of Conyers, Covington, and the other Cities.
We boldly say that the wicked is cut off from our government and treacherous is rooted out and the righteous rule in Jesus Name. In the Name of Jesus we curse the foundation of wickedness in CITN, the city of Conyers, Covington, and the other cities.
We curse drug traffic in Jesus Name! We command drug traffic to STOP! DRUG TRAFFIC STOP! DRUG TRAFFIC STOP! We command DRUG TRAFFIC to STOP in Jesus Name!! We curse the TASTE for drugs. We curse ungodly appetites in Jesus Name!
Plead our cause, O Lord, with them that strive with us; Fight against us. Psalm 35:1 Father, in Jesus Name, cause FEAR and DREAD to fall upon our enemies by the greatness of thine arm, they shall be as still as a stone. Exodus 15:16 Be an enemy to our enemies, and an adversary to our adversaries. Exodus 23:22
In Jesus Name WE BIND RACIM, BIGOTRY, TERRORISM, LAWLESSNESS, ADDICTION, PERVERSION, ACCIDENTS, BE BOUND- BE BOUND- BE BOUND In Jesus Name! Matthew 16:19, Matthew 18:18
We plead the BLOOD OF JESUS over the people of and the People of America. We boldly say CITN, Conyers, Covington, and the other Cities are a HOUSE a PRAYER NOT a den of thieves. Luke 19:46
CITN IS A HOUSE OF PRAYER!
CONYERS IS A HOUSE OF PRAYER!
COVINGTON IS A HOUSE OF PRAYER
THE OTHER CITIES ARE A HOUSE OF PRAYER!
THE CITY COUNCEL IS A HOUSE OF PRAYER.
THE CITY GOVERNMENT IS A HOUSE OF PRAYER.
THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IS A HOUSE OF PRAYER.
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS A HOUSE OF PRAYER.
THE SHERIFFS DEPARTMENT IS A HOUSE OF PRAYER.
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS A HOUSE OF PRAYER.
THE HOSPITAL IS A HOUSE OF PRAYER.
For the Lord has triumphed Gloriously. Exodus 15:21
HEAR, O CITN, THE LORD, OUR GOD IS ONE LORD.
HEAR, O GEORGIA, THE LORD, OUR GOD IS ONE LORD.
HEAR, O UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, THE LORD, OUR GOD IS ONE LORD.
HEAR, O ISREAL, THE LORD, OUR GOD IS ONE LORD.
HEAR, O CHURCH, THE LORD, OUR GOD IS LORD. Deut. 6:4
HALLELUJAH!!!
Reading the title and the blog I just had to post this: It's the best scene in my favorite disney movie (Aside from Timon's Hula)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7lfyut0kKo
I got a new computer so now I'm back in the land of the living!!!
Remember who you are...I am a mom, a good one. I am a wife....a good one. I am a daughter, a sister, a friend, a member of Church in the Now.... I like to think a good one. How easy is it to forget though and fall into the trap of self pity or less than what I am. I am a city set on a hill, I am a light. Sometimes it is not what I am going through, but how I go through it. Help me remember that Lord.
We're walking in Victory. God is doing a work in my life and I'm sure He is also in each of us as well. So much life on this Blog today! Be blessed each and every one who is led here.
On Self-Control
A person who governs his passions is master of the world. We must either rule them, or be ruled by them. It is better to be the hammer than the anvil.
~St.Dominic
Genuine Love
I desire you to love, O my God, with a love that is patient, with a love that abandons itself wholly to you, with a love that acts, and most important of all, with a love that perseveres.
Just as one who loves a creature thinks of it often, so let the lover of God have him often in his thoughts.
The mirror into which we must look in order to attain divine love is Jesus Christ.
If the actions of our neighbors had a hundred sides, we ought to look at them on the best side.
When the action is blameworthy, we should strive to see the good intentions back of it.
Let us do everything for love and, remembering that love longs for love alone, nothing can appear hard to us.
~St. Theresa Margaret
Reflections of God
If the moon is beautiful as it reflects the light of the sun at so great a distance. What will be the beauty of the saints who for all eternity and not at a distance, will reflect the divine image of God!
~Solanus Casey
I myself taught Ephraim to walk,
I myself took them by the arm, but they did not know
that I was the one caring for them,
that I was leading them with human ties,
with leading-strings of love,
that, with them, I was like someone
lifting an infant to his cheek,
and I bent down to feed him.
Hosea 11:3-4, NJB
Last one......this book I've been looking at in the library here the last few days called
Mystics & Miracles: True Stories of Lives Touched by God, by Bert Ghezzi, 2002 is a pandoras box of blessings, and I wanted to share a few pieces of what I've found with you all. Reading about the lives of "saints","mystics", "church people", "christians", "ecclesia", "called out ones", whatever we'd like to call them, those who obeyed the voice of the Lord in their lives. Those who were so close to Jesus, and so did as He wooed in their life; those for whom He always answered their prayers and responded to their burdens and suppositions with an equal assurance and consistency. Christ's friends, living second comings! We should all believe this! I'm finding these potrait studies a fascinating way of peering in on the spiritual, and the practical life and humanity of these humbled chosen vessels. And maybe God-working, have some of their virtue rub off on me.
This is the life in prayer we birth in faith. This is what we carry in hearts of hope for afterwards. This is what we are vivifying in acts of love. Miracles are following us in this love.
Miracles in Your Mouth
Society, wounded with the sores of evil, is Lazurus. We are the dogs who must draw near to cure with our tounges - our preaching - by which we lick with the milk and honey of kindness and gentleness, healing not aggavating the evils that afflict humakind.
~St.Anthony of Padua
You are all blessed in Victory! Let our lives be full of good works in you Lord!
I am the collision of my immediate past, and my immediate future. Who am I?
SOZ - Amen.
Lord, I am a flic of Your Bic, not only at a concert, but wherever You and I are.
Hi Seth,
I got your great e-mail (don't know why you had difficulty connecting, but I'm glad you were persistent!)... You could even post your message on the blog if you wanted (perhaps without including your Dad's name)...but I'm answering you here because you posted here first...
Your words are very much appreciated. You may already know this, but there's an article posted here about Jared and his band (March 14)...he just left again for another European tour...I saw him a few days ago because he asked me to visit his best friend in the hospital who, short of a miracle, is dying...
Anyway, I'm really glad that you got in touch, and hope that you'll visit more often...
Glad to know Miami is still there...
Peace to you (going now to look up your Dad on YouTube)...
Hello Blogging snoggers, or is that snogging bloggers (?) .
In ways, each time we express here, we spiritually kiss. Vulnerable, tender, loving, maybe excited, sometimes deep, sometimes just a peck , maybe on the cheek or forehead, maybe even chivalrously on the hand, or greeting on the both cheeks as some cultures.
Remember Who We Are -- perfect for today, of course.
We all, every person we see, every single person ever is the manifestation of highly evolved Spirits, exquisitely created by God, our Spirits and our Physical expressions. Our Spirit and God made each of us, source God, input on design, our Spirits. We connect to the unique Spirit we manifest, each other, and God in every second.
There is nothing that is not known in our Spirits about each other, we all agree first in our Spirit and engage each other here in the physical, as we all enjoy each other, in the Spirit, thanking and engaging God.
Every perception is equally valid. The perception that embraces our Spirit, and those that do not acknowledge it, and any other perception. Our Spirits enjoy all of the expressions we perceive. All is in the expression of God, who makes us all in the beauty , love, options, that emanates into every on of us – highly evolved Spiritual beings, manifesting in this aspect of God. Salting and lighting each other. Each one of us has something to give and something to receive, and we continuously give and receive to each other as we expand in our Spirit and in God with the help of every single other one. Praise God !!!!!
Bishop - Is there still prayer in the morning?
Need prayer don't want to go into details.
How to be a city set on a hill - Pray, Serve, & Love.
Yes, Laura...prayer @ 9AM...
We, the physical manifestations are next to and in the same space as our Spirits and God, but in a different piece of the same manifestation. Not below, but beside them. We have the comfort of looking up, thinking of God, Our Spirits, no problem with that. They are right next to us, as close as our hand, never far away. We reach out and there we all are, well within grasp. Look to our right, left, ahead, and behind (oh yes ‘above’ too) but no farther than our reach. Wondrously beautiful.
All of it, all of us, all of our Spirits and all of God, within the span of our reach. Freely, no restriction applies to any single one. Next to each of us. Embracing us without limiting us. We express our Spirits and God, and who we are here, and all of it blends peacefully. There is integration and expansion that exists because we do here, and the design exceeds us. Each part necessarily desired by each other part.
God is glorious!!!!
KNOW WHO YOU ARE!
I am what the Word of God says I am. I am an express image of Jehovah God on earth. I am fashioned after the likeness of the Creator of the heaven and earth.
I am regenerated by the Blood of Jesus. I am ransomed from the powers of death and hell. I am Blood washed. I am redeemed. I am justified by Christ. I am made to be the righteousness of God through Christ Jesus. I am a believer of the Word of Truth. I am born again. I am heaven-bound; my citizenship is in heaven. I am seated with Christ in heavenly places far above principality and powers. I am a priest and king ordained by Christ to rule here on earth. I am the fear and the dread of God against the kingdom of darkness. I am a dwelling place of the Holy Spirit of God. I am built up together and attached with other children of God into a holy habitation of God.
The Word of God says, I am a royal priesthood, I am a holy nation, I am a chosen generation, and a peculiar person to the nation. I am special in the sight of God.
The Bible says because I believe and receive Jesus Christ, power has been given to me to a Daughter of God, and I am empowered to trample upon serpents and scorpions and all the powers of the enemy. I am empowered to use the Name of Jesus to cast out demons and heal the sick. I am empowered to bind, to loose and to decree things and the Bible says wherever my voice is heard no one can ask me why. I do these things for my voice is the voice of a king that is full of authority.
I am a branch of the vine; Jesus Christ is the True Vine because I abide in Him. I am full of the Spirit. I am full of love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Because the grace of God is upon my life as the light of His glory, I am full of divine favor; I am a partaker of all heaven’s spiritual blessings.
I am the one who thought I never could, and He keeps proving to me that I can. So to the point, that I am amazed at the accomlishments that have taken place, lately. Who'd a thunk?
It's moving slow, but it's moving forward, and it will get here, when it gets here...
Great words of wisdom and encouragement Bishop!! I have always loved this passage. In addition to being a seasoninging, salt can also be a bit abrasive. And by being such, we tend to make others notice we are there and they tend to listen. I guess, as avatar pointed out, we make people thirsty, wanting Him.
God does not intend to hide us under a bushel (bucket). He also does not intend for us to keep ourselves hidden under that same bushel. I had been one who was too shy about speaking to others about God, but through God's guidance and enlightenment through the Word, have become much more bold about sharing His Goodness.
It took some soul-searching to realize that I was robbing God by hiding under that bushel and not allowing the gift that He gave me to shine. I am in a training position at the current place I work, and have had the opportunity to train almost a dozen new hires. While, I cannot straight-out PREACH the Word (in words), I DO preach the Word in action. I must report that all of these new hires are outperforming new hires from other trainers, and most of them are doing so in a much positive light than others...I attribute this to the light that God has shown on them. I truly feel that God has used the light he has in me to plant and grow that light in others.
Additionally, the light on a lampstand analody points out a good point. We not only are to keep our lights from under a bushel, we are to keep it held HIGH on a lampstand...for others to see. For on a lampstand, the light can be seen much further than a light merely sitting on the ground.
I thank God every day for you Bish.
Shine on you crazy diamonds!
You shine a little love on my life-ELO.
Shine! make 'em wonder what you got, make 'em wish that they were not, on the outside lookin' in.
Shine!, let it shine before all men...and glorify the LORD!-Newsboys.
Light up! everybody
sweet, sweet sounds will fill the air,
Light up!, and be happy!-Styx
...let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
...and tongues, like FLAMES of FIRE that were divided, appeared to them and rested on each one of them. Then they were all filled with the Holy Spirit...Acts 2:3,4.
..."Look! I am making everything new."-Rev.21:5.
...and among the LAMPSTANDS(churches) was One like the Son of Man...his eyes like a FIERY FLAME...his voice like the sound of cascading waters...and His face SHINING like the sun at midday.-Rev.1:12-16.
...I will give to the thirsty from the spring of living water as a gift.-Rev. 21:6.
...the BRIDE, the wife of the Lamb...the HOLY CITY, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, arrayed with God's GLORY. Her RADIANCE was like a very precious stone...BRIGHT as crystal.
-Rev. 21:9-11.
The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, because God's glory ILLUMINATES it, and ITS LAMP IS THE LAMB. The nations will walk IN its LIGHT...it will NEVER be night there...Rev. 21:23-25.
...The throne of God and of the Lamb will be IN THE CITY...Night will no longer exist, and people will not need lamplight or sunlight, BECAUSE THE LORD GOD WILL GIVE THEM LIGHT.-Rev. 22:3-5.
"I, Jesus, have sent My angel to attest these things to you for the churches. I am...the Bright Morning Star."-Rev. 22:16.
The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all the saints. Amen.-Rev.22;21
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