Staying Salty

New Guest: Like this one, most entries are devotional. Those related to Car Biz can be located by searching the blog archives for that title. You might start with 'Welcome,' the first entry, dated November 12, 2008, where I introduce myself and the blog. I hope you'll record your responses as you read, since these entries serve best as the first remarks in a coversation.

Blessings and best wishes,
Dr. Will


Monday and Tuesday, April 26 and 27, 2010

Devotions: Ps 41, 44, 45, 47, 48, 52; Exod 32:1-34; Col 3:18-4:6; 1 Thess 2:1-12; Mt. 5:1-16

Blessed are those who consider the poor; YHWH delivers them in the day of trouble. For myself, Lord, I beg Your healing, for I have sinned against You; my enemies are waiting for my death and disappearance. They imagine the worst for me. They believe I cannot survive; but I depend on You alone, Lord. May God be blessed forever! We know You have kept Your people throughout the millennia; our victories come from You, my King and my God, who ordained victory for Your people. But when God’s people fall away, no one is in greater jeopardy—no fate is worse than to be abandoned by God! I am immersed in disgrace, though I have not forgotten You. So, Lord, I pray for Your vindication once again; for the sake of Your steadfast love, deliver me, I pray, YHWH! I will praise Jesus the Lord, fairest of men, full of grace, mighty in battle, ruler forever. The church, His bride, adorns herself for His coming. How we praise our God and King! Let all peoples celebrate and shout to God with loud songs of joy! YHWH, Lord Most High, is terrible, awesome. He ascends with shouts of praise and reigns over the nations; he is highly exalted. How lovely is Zion , God’s footstool on earth. There, God’s presence is obvious, and we muse on God’s steadfast love: this is our God for ever, and He will guide us always. God will break down the plotters; there is no refuge in human wealth or power. But I am like a green olive tree in the house of my God; I trust in His steadfast love forever. I will thank You, Lord, for You have accomplished all that is needed, and I will praise Your name in the presence of the godly.

Moses was on Sinai with YHWH for forty days and nights, and the people became restive. They demanded of Aaron to make a god for them to take the place of the God of Moses, who had disappeared. Aaron collected the golden earrings of all the people, and crafted a molten calf; he presented it: ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt !’ Aaron built an altar before the golden calf and proclaimed a feast day ‘to YHWH.’ The people got up early, offered sin and peace offerings, and they began to party. On the mountain, YHWH told Moses about the rebellion and apostasy and sent him back down the mountain; God said to Moses, ‘Now let Me alone, that My wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them; but I will make a great nation, starting with you.’ Moses begged God to relent, pleading the names of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and the promises God had made to them. So YHWH relented and agreed not to destroy the people. Moses carried the two stone tablets down the mountain, inscribed on both sides. When Joshua heard the noise of the people, he said to Moses that there was war in the camp; but Moses replied, ‘No, it is the sound of singing and revelry.’ When he came to the camp, Moses saw the calf and the people dancing. He was furious and threw down the two stone tables and broke them in pieces. Then he took the calf, burned it, and ground it to powder; Moses scattered it on the waters and made the people of Israel drink the water and the gold they had profaned. Moses confronted Aaron, and Aaron tried to explain what he had done, blaming the people. Moses took his stand at the gate of the camp, and called for any who were on YHWH’s side to come to him. The sons of Levi, Moses’ own tribe, responded and came to him. Moses directed them in YHWH’s name, ‘Let every man put on his sword and go throughout the camp; kill your brothers, friends and neighbors!’ The Levites obeyed, and more than three thousand men died that day. Moses said to the Levites, ‘Today you have ordained yourselves for YHWH’s service, at the cost of your own sons and brothers—and God will bless you.’ The following morning, Moses addressed the people: ‘You have sinned a great sin! I will go up to YHWH and try to atone for your sins.’ So Moses again ascended Sinai, and spoke with God: ‘Alas, this people have sinned a great sin, make for themselves idols of gold. Now, if You will, forgive their sin; and if not, I pray You, blot me also out of the book You have written.’ But YHWH said to Moses, ‘I will blot out those who have sinned against Me. But you go down and lead the people to the place I have mentioned to you, and My angel will go before You. And when I visit them, I will inflict the penalty for their sins.’ And YHWH sent a plague on the people because of the calf-idol which Aaron had made.

Paul counseled the Colossians: Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and treat them kindly. Children, obey your parents in all things, for that pleases the Lord. Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged. Subordinates, obey your earthly masters with singleness of heart, in fear of the Lord. Whatever your task, work heartily as serving the Lord and not human authorities, knowing that you will receive the heavenly inheritance from Him as your reward; it is the Lord Messiah you are serving! God shows no partiality, and every wrongdoer will be paid back. Masters, treat those under your authority justly and fairly—remember that you have a Master in heaven! All of you: continue steadfastly in prayer, watching as you pray, and giving thanks. Pray also for us, that God may open for us a door for His word; may we declare the mystery of the Messiah, on account of which I am in prison, that I may make it clear, as I ought to speak. Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the time. Let your speech be gracious at all times, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how properly to answer every one.

And Paul wrote to the Thessalonians: Brothers and sisters, you know that our visit to you was fruitful. We already had suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi , yet in God we found courage to declare God’s gospel to you, despite great opposition. Our appeal does not spring from error, or uncleanness, or guile. Since we are commissioned b God and entrusted with His gospel, just so we speak, not to please men but to please God Who tests our hearts. We never used flattery or spoke out of greed—God is my witness. Nor did we seek glory from men; we made godly demands as apostles of Christ. Instead, we were gentle among you, like a nurse caring for her children. Being affectionately concerned for you, we were ready to share with you God’s gospel and our own selves, because you had become very dear to us. You will remember how hard we worked among you, night and day, so that we might not burden any of you while we were preaching God’s gospel to you. You are witnesses, as is God, how holy and righteous and blameless was our behavior to you believers. We exhorted each of you like a father with his children, and encouraged and charged you to lead lives worthy of God, Who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.

Jesus began His great sermon on the mountain: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven; blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted; blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth; blessed they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy; blessed the pure in heart, for they will see God! Blessed are peacemakers, for they will be called God’s own sons and daughters. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is God’s kingdom. Blessed are you when people revile and persecute and slander you falsely on My account. Rejoice and be glad, for you have a great reward in heaven—and people persecuted the prophets before you in the same ways. You are the salt of the earth; but if you lose your saltiness, how can your savor be restored? Such seasoning is good for nothing except to be cast out and trodden underfoot by men. You are the light of the world; a city on a hill cannot be concealed! People don’t light lamps and then hide them under baskets; no, they are put on a stand to light the whole house. So let your light shine before everyone, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father Who is in heaven.