Salt & Light

Jesus started His Sermon on the Mount by giving eight Beatitudes or characteristics that should be present and obvious in the lives of Christ followers. These are:

• Poor in Spirit

• Mourning

• Meekness

• Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness

• Merciful

• Pure in Heart

• Peacemakers

• Persecution for Righteousness’ Sake

There’s a ton to learn from and go over in those, and we have looked at them in more depth over the past couple of months, but that is not the end of His sermon, rather it’s just the intro. So, let’s look at what else Jesus has to say to us.

Matthew 5:13

“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.”

Never Even Think of Failing

A word that God has really placed on my heart ever since my uncle died in November is "Hope."

I've been thinking about that word a lot over the past couple of months. 

Hope in unthinkably difficult times.

Hope as it relates to Christmas.

Hope for the future.

Hope in something.

I started this year hopeful. Hopeful that it would be a far better year than the previous several have been. It may turn out to be, but it's also started pretty hard, which can make hope difficult.