Participants: Chris Holland
Series Code: IIWC
Program Code: IIWC201405
|
00:12 >>ANNOUNCER: IT HAS STOOD THE TEST OF TIME...
00:15 GOD'S BOOK, THE BIBLE. 00:19 STILL RELEVANT IN TODAY'S COMPLEX WORLD. 00:25 IT IS WRITTEN . . . 00:26 SHARING MESSAGES OF HOPE AROUND THE WORLD. 00:39 As we are just days away from the new year, I am wondering if any of you 00:43 will fall into the New Year's resolution trap You know, it's that trap 00:47 of making a commitment to do something, only to break that commitment just 00:51 days into the New Year. Today, I would like to explore a passage that is 00:56 a well-known Bible passage. I believe that the message of this 01:00 passage is one of hope. In Matthew 5:13, it says this, 01:26 This is just one short verse taken from the Sermon on the Mount, a 01:31 sermon that extends through the majority of chapters 5-7 in the book 01:35 of Matthew. Right here at the beginning of that sermon, Jesus says you are 01:42 the salt of the earth. This saying has been an interesting saying to 01:48 study, for scholars, commentators, and the like are not sure what exactly 01:54 he meant. Because in those times there were many different uses for salt. 02:00 What kinds of uses for salt were there in that time? Most of us are 02:05 familiar with the first use of salt as a seasoning, the trusty 02:09 sodium chloride or table salt. It functions as an enhancer of the flavors 02:16 around it. Besides contributing its own basic "salty" taste, salt brings 02:22 out natural flavors and makes foods more palatable and acceptable. This is 02:29 why some people, of whom I am not one of, put salt on their watermelon or 02:34 cantaloupe. In fact, salt is even used in some of the most popular desserts. 02:39 The beloved Nestle Toll House chocolate chip cookie recipe, calls for 1 02:44 teaspoon of salt. The famous Betty Crocker Apple Pie calls for salt. You 02:51 see, salt enhances all the flavors around it. Yet it is important to note that 02:59 it is also the most dominant of all seasonings. In an 03:02 experiment to test this theory, I took equal parts of sugar and salt and then 03:08 tasted it. Let me guarantee you my friends, the only thing I could 03:13 taste was salt. 03:17 In fact, so important is salt that it is an essential element for 03:21 human and animal life. And this essential element if not consumed in the right 03:27 quantities can cause problems If there is a lack of sodium, it causes 03:32 hyponatremia, which can lead to death. If there is too much sodium, it too 03:38 can lead to high blood pressure among other things also equally 03:41 dangerous to the health. Salt was and is also used for preserving In ancient 03:48 times, when refrigeration and many other modern methods of preserving food 03:54 were unknown, salt was of even greater value than it is today. They would pack 03:59 the food in salt, and the salt would leach out any water, while itself acting 04:05 as a preserving agent and keep the food until it was ready to be used. In fact, 04:11 the high osmotic content of salt inhibits bacterial and fungal growth When it 04:18 was time to use the food, it would simply be soaked in water to help remove 04:22 all of the salt. Interestingly, all animal sacrifices and grain 04:28 offerings were required to be seasoned with salt What does this have to do 04:35 with preservation? Many times in the OT the Bible refers to the covenant of 04:42 salt or a covenant made with salt. The reason that salt was used in a 04:49 covenant agreement was because of its preserving qualities. It was to 04:55 indicate God's everlasting promise and the fact that His promises never spoil. 05:06 Yet salt was used for another process and that is the process of 05:10 purifying. In 2 Kings 2:20-23 a story of Elisha is recorded, 05:51 Elisha throws salt into the bad and poisonous pool of Jericho, why? To purify 05:58 it or heal it. In ancient times newborn babies were rubbed with salt, in the 06:04 belief that this caused the skin to be drier, firmer, and cleaner - 06:10 freeing it from all impurities. Even today in natural remedies and even 06:16 at modern spas they use salt as a type of salt rub to polish and purify the 06:23 skin. In addition to these uses, another is for salt as a fertilizer. Please 06:32 listen carefully - don't go and take your bag of salt and put it on your 06:37 garden - your garden probably won't like that very much. You say how is 06:42 salt a fertilizer. While most of us are familiar with sodium chloride, 06:48 table salt - some of us may be unfamiliar with potassium chloride. It is 06:55 another salt, found naturally as Sylvite. And Potassium Chloride is very 07:02 effective as a fertilizer as potassium is very important for the growth 07:07 and health of plants. Yet while potassium is live giving and important in 07:14 fertilizer for plants, you could say that it is also important as fertilizer or 07:20 fuel for a human - as potassium is an essential mineral macronutrient in 07:26 the human body. However if it is administered improperly and in too 07:32 great a quantity, it is lethal. Potassium chloride has been used in places 07:39 where capital punishment by lethal injection is administered. 07:46 So really what does this have to do with anything? I mean, great we got a 07:52 lesson on the uses of salt, but how does that apply to the passage? 07:56 Friends Jesus says you are the salt of the earth; we are the salt of the earth. 08:05 I want you to notice with utmost clarity.that Jesus does not counsel us to be 08:11 salt, He does not commend us to be salt, He does not advise that we be salt, He 08:18 does not even command us to become salt. No. He says you are salt. Do you 08:26 hear that, you are salt? In the original language, this is a present tense 08:32 verb. Quite literally it says you, plural, you yourselves are salt. Jesus 08:39 by using the second plural pronoun with the second plural verb places 08:46 emphasis on the present reality that you are salt. And because Jesus did not 08:55 specify what kind of salt we can take it in its broadest sense. You are: a 09:03 Seasoning to flavor and enhance what is around you, you are counter 09:10 cultural, not adaptive to today's corrupted culture. You are a preservative, 09:20 through your life; you give a message that preserves people for the 09:25 second coming You are a purifier. By sharing a life of hope in Jesus, it 09:34 helps people make a decision for Jesus to be purified by him You are a 09:40 fertilizer. By your life and what you do, you help and encourage growth in 09:48 those around you. Remember it must be used in proper measure. Too much and it 09:56 kills; too little and it starves. My friends by our very nature Jesus says we 10:03 are salt, by virtue of being attached and committed to Him. Friends 10:12 we must not detach ourselves from Jesus Christ because if we are 10:15 detached from Jesus.we lose our saltiness. We lose our flavor. We are 10:22 salt if we are Christians, if we have committed to Jesus. If we have lost our 10:31 saltiness, we have lost our connection with Christ. 10:40 Have you lost that connection? Or maybe, you've never had that 10:44 connection. Today is a perfect time for renewal in Jesus. This is not a 10:51 resolution to be broken, but a decision to allow Jesus us to change us and 10:58 have us be the salt of the earth. We live in the world but need to know who 11:07 we are. And that is usually seen in the small things that we do. It is 11:14 in the everyday little things that we make a difference in the world 11:19 around us. In the book, Say please, Say Thank You The Respect we Owe One 11:26 Another: The author Donald McCullough has this to say - 12:16 Jesus says in Matthew 7:20, by their fruits you will know them. This is 12:24 why, as we look at a new year, Jesus says you are the salt of the earth. 12:32 Jesus calls us to make a difference in the small things. Jesus can make you 12:39 new. He can make me new. We can't be re-seasoned, but Jesus can make us new 12:49 again that we can truly be the salt of the earth. Is that your desire today? 13:03 Is the face that I see in the mirror 13:08 The one I want others to see? 13:15 Do I show in the way that I walk in my life 13:22 Love that you've given to me? 13:30 My heart's desire's to be like You 13:36 In all that I do, all I am. 13:44 Do they see Jesus in me? 13:51 Do they recognize Your face? 13:57 Do I communicate Your love and Your grace? 14:09 Do I reflect who You are 14:15 In the way I choose to be? 14:22 Do they see Jesus, Jesus in me? 14:40 Well, it's amazing that you'd ever use me, 14:47 But use me the way You will. 14:52 Help me to hold out a heart of compassion and grace, 14:59 A heart that Your Spirit fills. 15:05 May I show forgiveness and mercy 15:11 The same way You've shown it to me. 15:19 Do they see Jesus in me? 15:26 Do they recognize Your face? 15:31 Do I communicate Your love and Your grace? 15:43 Do I reflect who You are 15:50 In the way I choose to be? 15:55 Do they see Jesus, Jesus in me? 16:08 Well, I want to show all the world that You are 16:14 The reason I live and breathe, 16:20 So You'll be the One that they see 16:26 When they see me. 16:31 Do they see Jesus in me? 16:37 Do they recognize Your face? 16:43 Do I communicate Your love and your grace? 16:55 Do I reflect who You are 17:01 In the way I choose to be? 17:07 Do they see Jesus, Jesus in me? 17:35 >>Chris: Do they see Jesus in me? The appeal of the song, friends, matches the 17:41 words of Jesus: "You are the salt of the earth." Through our daily 17:50 activities, through the little things we do on a day-to-day basis, do 17:55 people see Jesus in me? The call of Jesus is that we are the salt of the 18:04 earth, that we are change agents in everything that we do. When people think 18:11 about spending time with you, does it bring joy to them? When people think 18:15 about being around you, do they desire to be around you because you bring this 18:19 atmosphere of joy and peace and kindness? That's what it means to be the 18:26 salt of the earth, to be someone who changes lives on a daily basis through 18:33 those small things in life. Today Jesus is calling you to make a 18:40 decision to follow Him. Because by following Him, you are the salt of the 18:47 earth. He can renew you in this new year and help you start over. Is that 18:55 something you'd like to do today? I invite you to pray with me. Heavenly 19:01 Father, we are so thankful that Jesus came to die for our sins. We are so 19:06 thankful that through Jesus, we can start over. And we are thankful 19:12 through our relationship with Him that we are the salt of the earth. So just 19:20 now, we give our lives to You, we submit to You and we ask that Jesus would 19:25 change us thoroughly and completely, that we might be the salt of the earth. 19:49 Friends, you know, one of the most common New Year's resolutions is a 19:53 resolution to lose weight. And often, that weight that needs to be lost is 19:57 the average five to ten pounds that someone gains during the holiday season. 20:02 The holiday season is a most challenging time to continue with a healthy 20:08 diet and healthy lifestyle. Here at It Is Written Canada, we are 20:13 committed to not only teaching people about the gospel of Jesus Christ and 20:19 having a healthy spiritual life, but also to have a healthy physical life. In 20:24 Third John 2, God tells us that He wants us to prosper and be in good 20:29 health. And that is our desire for you, to be in good health. You know, my 20:37 own personal journey has been one that has been most challenging. And I 20:43 have come to recognize my need for living a healthier lifestyle, 20:47 especially as it relates to my weight and my diet. And five months ago, I 20:54 made a renewed commitment. And through that renewed commitment, the Lord has 20:59 blessed that I've been able to lose thirty pounds. I have a journey 21:03 still ahead, but I want to invite you to go on that journey with me. Bev 21:09 Haines does our Live Healthy segments. And one of the principles that she 21:16 teaches is the principle of good nutrition. Good nutrition is one aspect of 21:24 something we would call the principles of health. And over the next eight 21:30 weeks, we will look at those eight principles of health that will lead to 21:35 optimal physical life. I hope you enjoy this segment, and that you 21:41 don't just make a resolution to change, but rather, you make a 21:46 covenant with God, that He would give you the strength to change your 21:50 lifestyle and live healthy. 22:12 >>Bev: Hi everyone The NEWSTART acronym coined by Weimar Institute, a 22:21 wellness centre located in California. In today's segment, we're focusing on 22:25 N for Nutrition. A healthy lifestyle starts with good nutrition and, 22:31 when we talk about how to eat well, we like to break it all down into the three 22:35 main components of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. We need all 22:39 three for a balanced and healthy diet. Now, when you hear me talking about 22:44 diet, I'm not referring to dieting (I don't believe in dieting!) but, rather, 22:49 your overall every-day eating pattern. Well, let's start with 22:53 carbohydrates, or "carbs" for short. Over the past several years, we've been 22:57 hearing a lot about high-protein, low-carbohydrate diets. 23:01 Well, I'm glad that that particular craze is over, because your body 23:05 absolutely, positively needs carbohydrates to function. In fact, carbs 23:10 are your body's preferred fuel for optimal performance, so it's 23:14 really important that you eat enough carbs each and every day. Now, I'm 23:18 talking about the good carbs! Things like delicious whole-grain 23:22 breads and whole-grain pastas; tasty brown or wild rice, and other whole 23:27 grain cereals like oats, millet, rye - have you heard of quinoa and 23:31 amaranth?; then there are succulent, juicy fruits - my favourites are mangos, 23:37 golden kiwis, and cherries; and then scrumptious vegetables - I 23:41 love zucchini, eggplant, and sweet yams. And Bill, if you haven't tried whole 23:45 wheat pasta as yet, you really must! It's so delicious! The best thing 23:50 for us is to stay away from the more processed foods - you know, those 23:54 convenience foods in the crinkly bags and the enticing-looking boxes. 23:59 Sure, they might save us time when we're cooking or snacking, but those foods 24:03 are full of salt, sugars, fats and chemical preservatives. Things that 24:08 our bodies really don't need. What are bodies do need, though, are the 24:12 vitamins, minerals, fibre, antioxidants and phytochemicals that are 24:16 found readily in plant foods. Now, when it comes to fats, a little goes a 24:22 long way, and there are some fats that are healthier than others. 24:26 When the fat comes from natural plant sources such as avocadoes, nuts, seeds, 24:31 and olives, those are healthy choices. When it comes to protein, if 24:36 you're looking for optimal health, you'll want to include more plant-based 24:39 protein sources rather than animal-based sources Studies show that the 24:44 healthiest diet is one that is high in carbohydrates, low in fat 24:48 and moderate in protein. And, I find it interesting - and wonderful - that 24:53 most of the major health organizations are now encouraging people to 24:57 include more plant-based foods in their every-day eating. Here are some 25:03 easy, delicious ways of incorporating plant-based proteins into your diet: 25:07 Purchase a good vegetarian cookbook - there are lots of them in your local book 25:13 store. Toss some beans into your salads, rice and pasta dishes - delicious 25:19 ones to try are chick peas or garbanzo beans, kidney beans, black beans. Beans 25:25 are a powerhouse of good protein. Adapt your favourite meat-based 25:30 recipe by using soy products, gluten. Shake it up - blend some soft tofu 25:37 with fruits and one of the delicious soy, rice or almond milks - delicious! 25:42 If you want additional information on healthy eating, visit the 25:46 Physicians Committee for responsible medicine at www.pcrm.org, and you'll 25:51 find links to lots of great resources. 25:58 See you next time! 26:03 >>Chris: Friends, Jesus says, "You are the salt of the earth." That comes 26:06 through a personal relationship with Jesus. Today I want to offer to 26:12 you a book that has changed my life, and I have seen it change many, 26:17 many other lives. It is the book Steps to Christ. That book leads you on a 26:23 journey of drawing nearer and nearer to Jesus. You know, as we've begun this 26:29 new year, instead of making just another New Year's resolution, why not 26:35 today make a covenant, a covenant to be transformed by Jesus? This book, Steps 26:43 to Christ, is one that has changed many lives, and it can help change yours. 26:49 Here's the information you need to receive today's offer. 27:43 >>Chris: Friends, you are the salt of the earth. Jesus desires to enter 27:48 into a personal relationship with you, that you can be His change 27:52 agent on this earth. I'd invite you to go to our website, 27:56 itiswrittencanada.ca, and there you can find resources to help you in 28:01 your relationship with Jesus. You can also go to youtube.com/iiwcanada, and 28:08 there you can watch any of our archived programs to help you develop further 28:15 your committed relationship with Jesus. I hope today's program was 28:18 an encouragement to you. I hope and pray that you'll watch again next week. 28:23 Until then, remember, it is written: "Man shall not live by bread alone, but 28:30 by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God." 28:36 $$$$$$$$ |
Revised 2020-02-13