The oky’s Podcast

August 29 - Oath 
 
 
There is a name that God gives himself in Exodus 34:6-7. Yes, it is two verses long, that’s how incredibly long it is. This is because he gives Moses the name that completely describes the attributes of who he is. It goes like this. 
 
Then the Lord came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the LORD. And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The LORD, The LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.” 
 
Wow, what a long name. 
 
Inside of this, God is trying to show Moses what makes him who he really is. He is the LORD! Which means he stands for something specific. He is compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, forgiving, and yet just. This name helped Moses and the Israelites, because this was the name they were going to be known by as well. They were to represent God to the nations so that there was a difference that was visible and able for people to follow. 
 
And this is the same calling that God has on us today if we say we are followers of Christ. We represent his name. This is why it is so important for us to study and apprentice Jesus. We must become people who look, talk, and act like him. It’s why Jesus said that the way people will know we are his disciples is by the way we love. The love of Jesus was so revolutionary and profound, that it was countercultural in ever way possible. 
 
So God called Moses and the people to represent the name of God - yes, that long 2 sentence name full of mercy and grace. And Jesus as well calls us the same way. We are to represent him by carrying on the attributes of the Loving savior. 
 
This is where Jesus comes from as he continues on in the sermon on the mount. Listen starting in vs. 33
 
Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the LORD the vows you have made.’ But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swap by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one. 
 
Jesus is saying, represent him well. And the only way to do this is by making sure you live out and illustrate what it looks like to be in the presence of the living God. Be honest, and true. Live a life of integrity. Because when you don’t, it actually hurts the name of God. You don’t represent heaven well, you don’t represent God’s people well, and you sure don’t represent what it would be like to be surrounded by God’s goodness. 
 
You are a walking representation of the living God. What you do matters ALL THE TIME!
 
So do what you say, and honor God in how you live. 
 
I would love you to stop and wrestle with this a bit. 
 
Where do you live in a way that is in opposition with the teachings and lifestyle of Jesus? Because when you live that way, you hurt the name of Jesus. And, Jesus describes this as coming from evil. So it would do you good to figure out how you can actually do this differently. 
 
What area in your life is opposing the teachings of Jesus. 
 
Find that out, and correct it, so you can represent his name well.
 
And again, when you focus on the beginning of this sermon - the section known as the beatitudes, it’s actually pretty hard to live a life of sin while committing to being that type of person. So go back and reread that list. Then commit to living the life God has called you to as you become who he designed you to be. 
 
And in the mean time, I love you, and as you represent Christ well and live out the image of the living Heavenly Father, May God bless you! 

August 28 - Divorce 
 
 
How committed are you to other people? 
 
Remember, Jesus is trying to make sure that we understand the calling. First, be who God designed you to be, and the result - you will be really good about caring for others and putting them first. 
 
But let’s be honest, we aren’t to good at that as a human race. 
 
Quick disclaimer, today’s text is going to talk about marriage. But I think it’s deeper than marriage. So please allow me the liberty to redirect how you might normally look at this text. Because the truth is, we are really bad at commitment. 
 
From all that I’ve seen, it is easy to care for people until it costs us too much. Then it’s easier to walk away from them and even cut ties with them. I’ve watched this play out with Christians too many times. They are friends with people and enjoy being around then, but once something happens and one of their friends is in some sort of need, they cut them off. Say they have a sinful problem that they are trying to overcome - their community alienates them. Or sickness comes, and people might be willing to put together a meal train, but please don’t ask them to come and spend time with the sick person and pray over them, or God forbid they check in on them and see how they are doing too much. 
 
Now I get that there are several Christians listening to this podcast right now, who are very good at caring for others. You are one of the first ones to respond when someone is hurting or in need. I’m grateful for people like you! But the truth is, just because someone is a Christian, doesn't mean that’s their response. In fact, I’ve even watched church leadership get this wrong throughout the church at large. 
 
Recently I was talking to a couple who were working at a church. One of them was let go because of something in their past that resurfaced. The accusations were false, and the person accusing didn’t press charges 13 years ago because they don’t have anything they can prove. In fact, all the evidence and the timing of the alleged incident are completely debunked by other life events happening in this person’s life at the exact same time. But they were let go because it is dangerous for the church to not respond. 
 
I get that. In a day and age where society is trying to build a case against the church, and legal issues are constantly siding in favor of the complainant no matter the proof - or lack there of - I get that this person was let go.
 
The concern is that their spouse was still on staff. 
 
For the next few month, she was told that this had no bearing on her position. Yet time and time again, she would run into a problem that would arise and be reprimanded for boundaries that were unclear.  3 months later, she too was let go. 
 
When talking with this couple, I asked them what their church had done to help them navigate the problem. To which they replied, “nothing.” 
 
For three months they were still connected to the staff of the church, and no one reached out to help them navigate a really confusing and difficult situation. Let me make sure I’m clear at what I am saying - the couple was walking through an extremely difficult time, one which multiple pastors were aware of including the senior pastor, and NONE of the pastoral team reached out to see how they could help them navigate this. 
 
This couple’s situation isn’t isolated. I’ve talked to so many people who have worked for a church, and have walked away completely disappointed at the lack of shepherding they received as being a staff member. If we, as pastors and church leadership, can’t find out how to properly support, encourage, and partner with those in need, how will we ever help the rest of the church. 
 
I’ve watched pastors try to avoid certain members of the church who require extra grace and time. I’ve heard pastors talk about their flock with eye rolls and sarcasm. 
 
There is a problem in the church - which indicates the problem in Christian culture, of not being committed to those in need, or those who we differ from. 
 
This is in conflict with the heart of Christ.  
 
Ok. So now we get into the next piece of the sermon on the mount. Vs. 31-32
 
It has been said, ‘anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
 
You might be asking, why did I start out by talking about helping others, when Jesus was talking about divorce. 
 
Well, you have to understand the heart of God around marriage. This is symbolic of our commitment to him. We, the promised bride of Christ, are guilty of constantly walking away from Jesus in order to pursue our own desires. Yet he refuses to divorce us, and continually offers himself as a sacrifice to make us right. He is not wiling to let us go, no matter what we’ve done. 
 
And the goal, is that we would treat others the same. 
 
Yes, Jesus is talking about divorce. He is referring to the fact that the plan was for a couple to be together forever. This is a representation of God’s commitment to us. But I think this goes deeper here. If we can’t be committed to the people of God, how will we ever be committed to God? Jesus is using this sermon on the mount to show us what our relationship with others should be like. And if we are willing to divorce our spouse, and walk away from them, how much more willing are we to walk away from others in need, or walk away from the LORD.
 
There is something to be said about caring for others. 
 
And even more to be said about commitment to others in order to show them the love of Christ. God’s plan is that we would show love and help people find wholeness. This only happens if we are willing to walk with others through difficulty. 
 
Ok, real quick, let’s talk about marriage. Jesus says in Matthew 19 that God never wanted divorce, but the stubbornness of mankind was going to do it any way, so he gave them rules to follow. But the truth is, God desires a couple work it out. This is the demonstration of sacrificial love that puts others first. The more a couple learns to do this, the more they can do it for others. And just so you know, I’ve helped many couples through infidelity, and they are stronger and healthier now than they ever were before. So it is possible for God to reconcile and rebuild a marriage. 
 
It is so easy for us to walk away from the people who disappoint us. 
 
But It is clear that the heart of Jesus is to find reconciliation with others. 
 
We weren’t meant to isolate others, and Jesus shows us this in the marriage analogy. It only causes more hurt and sin when we push people away when they’ve hurt us. We must be people who learn to commit to others and grow through difficulty. We must stand beside those who are in need, and help those who are hurting. If we don’t, we are breaking the heart of the one who is so committed to us, that he would use marriage as a symbol of his commitment. 
 
I hope this isn’t confusing. 
 
The bottom line is this, Jesus calls us to commit to him. And we do that by committing to others in a way that sees past their weaknesses and difficulties. If you want to apprentice Jesus, learn to do the same. Commit to helping those in need, stand beside those who are walking through hardship, and stay focused on building relationships that outlast any circumstance. 
 
If you do this, I know it will help you understand what you believe, and why you believe it to be true. Please know that I not only love you, but am committed to helping you in any way that I can. 
 
And as you practice commitment to others, may God bless you. 

August 27 - no harm in looking. . right? 
 
 
Stop me if you have ever heard this one before. . .”There is no harm in looking.” 
 
Maybe it’s something you’ve said as you were walking the streets of Chicago at Christmas time, as you went from storefront to storefront. You weren’t trying to spend any money. You just wanted to look . .  How did that go for you? 
 
Probably, you either walked away with something - after saying you were just going to look. . . OR, if you are proudly nodding you head right now because you can say you walked away without buying anything, I bet you at least raised the level of expectation for your future. “One day I will own one of those. .  “ 
 
Or maybe shopping isn’t your thing, what about this - We aren’t going to purchase a new car. We can’t really afford that right now, but, “There is no harm in looking.” 
 
Did you know that car sale men love that attitude! 
 
Because they can always find a way to “get you into that car of your dreams.” 
 
It might cost you an arm and a let, and it might set you back years in your financial planning, but again, there is no harm in looking. 
 
Or, take it to the next level. . . 
 
As a kid I was told not to eat the cookie dough when my mom was making cookies. But then she would leave the room. . . I thought to myself, “I won’t eat any, but there is no harm in looking. . .right?” I mean, I just want to see that the dough looks right. . . 
 
That never worked for me! 
 
I would always eat the cookie dough, even when I just intended to look. . .
 
Ah, but let me take it to the darkest one. .
 
I know I’m married. But I’m just looking. What harm is there in that? 
 
Jesus had plenty to say about this. See, again, he knows the condition of the heart. When it is unchecked, it leads us down roads we never thought we were even entertaining. See, the heart is a strong muscle that is always in motion. When we let it roam, it will lead us to places that will hurt us - even destroy us. 
 
So Jesus continued his sermon on the mount with these words. . . 
 
You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than fore your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell. 
 
Jesus is making this point more severe. If you look, it is your heart leading you somewhere you never should have gone. It will cause your whole body to be thrown into hell. Jesus says that whatever is the part that is causing you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. 
 
The practice of this might mean not going to the city in the Christmas season, because it will cause you to want things that you know aren’t cost effective. It may mean just being satisfied with your car, and ignoring the shiny new one that your neighbor just got. Stay away from the cookie dough. Keep clear of the person that isn’t your spouse. Because in all of these things, if you entertain the desire to have something that you know isn’t good for you, eventually you will give into it! 
 
So cut off the appetite! 
 
What is it that you have entertained that is causing you to be drawn in a direction unhealthy for you? 
 
If you want to come out on the other side saying you controlled it - instead of it controlling you, STAY AWAY! Do not even entertain it! Run the other direction! 
 
If you start doing this, I promise you will understand what you believe, and why you believe it to be true! 
 
Until tomorrow, I love you, and as you learn to control your appetite, May God bless you! 

August 26 - Condition of the heart
 
 
The heart is the strongest influence on you as a person. WE’ve already talked about his. The heart is constantly in motion, and it continues to drive us no matter what we are doing. The heart wants what the heart wants, and continually pulls us in a direction we don’t even understand we are going at times. 
 
Ok, remember that for a minute. 
 
Jesus continued on his sermon with this great section in vs. 21-26. 
 
Listen to what it says.
 
You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgement. 
 
Ok, listen to this, he is about to tell you the danger of an untamed heart. Listen to how he continues in vs. 22
 
But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca’, is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ Will be in danger of the fire of hell. 
 
Why did Jesus go from murderers being subject to judgment, to anyone who is angry with a brother or sister being in danger of judgment? Because the heart leads us to places we never thought we would go. 
 
If you ask someone who has done something that has derailed their life, 99% of the time they will tell you that it was one little decision after another. It wasn’t like they just woke up one day and said they wanted to ruin their life. They made a small decision back here, that led to a small decision over here, that led to another small decision after another small decision after another small decision, that eventually led to a massive, life-altering decision. The unchecked heart ruined them. 
 
Jesus is addressing this. If you let unchecked anger go, it causes you to mistreat people. IN fact, the problem with unchecked anger is that you actually take it out on people who aren’t even the one’s who caused your anger. You take it out on everyone. Your heart has been tainted, and now you are subject to judgement, because your actions reflect the condition of your heart. 
 
kNowing this, listen to what Jesus says next. . . . .He is about to show you how to be a peacemaker. You ready for this. So again, he is talking about you in the context of others. You don’t be anger, or you will be judged. . But listen to how profound what he says next really hits. . . 
 
Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your bother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift. 
 
Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or you adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny. 
 
So Jesus started by making sure we understand that the unchecked heart will only make things worse. So holding anger has already aligned your heart with the heart of a murderer. The only difference is that you haven’t acted on it. And knowing this, Jesus then says that if you know someone has something against you, go and make it right even before you offer a sacrifice. 
 
Why? 
 
Because you know that there is something unchecked in their heart, and it is controlling them without them even realizing it. They are subject to judgement because of something they are feeling toward you. So don’t let them sit in ruin because of you. Go and make it right with them. This is an act of peacemaking. You are reaching out to them and making sure thing are good so that it doesn’t consume them. 
 
And there is benefit to you if you do this! 
 
If you settle matters quickly, they won’t let this unchecked heart control them and cause there to be deeper punishment for something they are holding against you. They will settle down instead of taking you to court and draining you of everything you have. 
 
See, the unchecked heart ruins everyone! 
 
So you have to check your heart. Don’t let it take things further than they should be. And if someone has something against you, you owe it to them, to help them overcome it so their bitterness and heart doesn’t ruin them. 
 
The heart is dangerous. Peacemaking is remembering that people respond out of emotion all the time. They don’t necessarily mean what is happening, they are just being controlled by the emotion of their heart. So help people overcome this so they don’t allow themselves to get in a dangerous spot. And overcome it yourself too! This will help you to keep from doing something you will regret later! 
 
So here is the question. 
 
Who do you have something against? Who has hurt you, frustrated you, and made you mad? Figure out how to let go of that anger. By the way, this doesn’t mean just forgetting that person. Until you forgive someone and can think of them in a healthy way that wants best for them, the problem is still nestled deep into YOUR heart. Sometimes this takes professional help to overcome. Don’t let it go unchecked. You will realize when it is too late, that you are taking it out on the people around you that you never even realized you were taking it out on. 
 
And if you don’t have something against someone at this moment, think if there is someone who has something against you. Help them overcome their heart. Don’t allow them to get into a spot where there is bitterness. Be the bigger person and go to them and ask them to forgive whatever you have done to them. Even if you don’t agree with what they said happened, there is something to going and admitting that what they perceived was never your intention and that you are sorry you caused this type of pain to them. Then ask them to forgive you. This takes humility, courage, and. . . well a few words we’ve learned about. . .like meekness, mercy, pure in heart, oh, and peacemakers. . . 
 
Ok, think that through. Figure out who it is in your life that you need to work this out with. And as you wrestle with this, I pray it helps you to know what you believe, and why you believe it to be true. But always remember, I LOVE YOU! And as you learn to be a peacemaker and reconcile differences with other people, I pray that God blesses you!  

What are your core convictions. 
 
I want you to stop for a minute. Think about that. What core convictions do you have? 
 
What do I mean? 
 
What is it that you know drives you and keeps you on track with what you really believe to be true? If I were to ask others about you, what would they say are the things that make you tick? 
 
Jesus had core convictions. 
 
He knew and understood how humanity worked, and he also understood what his Heavenly Father wanted for humanity. So he was constantly trying to make sure people understood what it looked like to live a life worthy of his name. 
 
IN fact, before we read our next text in the sermon on the mount, let’s fast forward to Matthew 22 for a moment. 
 
Jesus was questioned by an expert in the law, and he asked this question in Matthew 22:23
 
Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?
 
Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God wit all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments. 
 
This is what I call a calibrated value. Jesus just told us, out of everything that is in the law - the 613 mitzvoth (or commandments) here is what you ned to focus on. Loving God and loving others as you love yourself.. . . 
 
Now as we read the rest of the Sermon on the Mount, you are going to see something. Every time Jesus talks about you as an individual, it is in relation to other people. Even what we read yesterday and the day before - you are salt, and you are light. . . Why? 
 
So that others. . . Jesus said you are those things so that others might see your good deeds and glorify the father in heaven. 
 
See, he started it right from the beginning. Finished the beatitudes, and his core conviction came through. You become what it takes to love God properly, because then, you are going to learn to love others. 
 
Now, let’s read the next section of the sermon on the mount. This starts in Matthew 5:17
 
Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear form the Law until everything is accomplished. Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teachers others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teachers these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teacher son the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven. 
 
Remember Jesus’s audience. He is talking to a group of people that idolized the pharisees and the teacher so the law. What they said was golden, and even had the power to put people to death. So they put these teachings at the highest level. 
 
But listen to what Jesus is saying, they must rise above the example set before them. The reason he would later give them was that they would learn to love God, love themselves and love others properly. And once they did that, they would be able to fulfill all the law and the words of the prophets. And anyone who leads people to talk poorly of God, themselves, or others. .  .  .. well, they will be considered least int eh kingdom of heaven. 
 
This is what made Jesus tick! 
 
He was about glorifying his father, being honest about who he himself was, and then loving others relentlessly. And this was the example set before them. 
 
So they could learn to follow the law the way the Pharisees and teachers of the law did. . . But unless they learned to love the way Jesus did, they would miss it. The only way that the Law and the words of the prophets are fulfilled, is if we do what Jesus later said in Matthew 22. Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself. 
 
Now you see why Jesus started this sermon by giving the beatitudes? Everything about what Jesus went on to tell his followers pointed to this concept. Love God, Love others. 
 
It’s what made him tick .. 
 
So what makes you tick? 
 
What is it hat sits at the core of who you are? 
 
It might be money, success, happiness, fame. . .  
 
Listen, if you are going to apprentice Jesus. If you are going to be his follower. If you are going to call yourself a disciple of Jesus, then you need to know this. The core of who Jesus is, and what he expects of his followers is this - Love God, and then love others as you learn to love yourself. 
 
Until heaven and earth disappear, all of the commands, the words of the prophets, and even the example and words of Jesus point to this. 
 
So here is your exercise. 
 
Ask someone close to you what makes you tick! 
 
Find someone honest, and ask them what they would say is the thing that defines the type of person that you are. Take what they tell you, build from it, and become the type of person who follows the way son Jesus. And if you are able to practices and teach these commands, you will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. As you study this, I pray you learn more of what you believe, and why you believe it to be true. 
 
For now, I love you, and as you align with the methods and lifestyle of Jesus, may God bless you! 

Darkness - 
 
my soul, sinks into formless depths of deep uncharted abyss, 
No shape, no life, no beauty, just dark empty nothingness. 
Until 4 words were spoken 
4 words that caused everything to be right, 
The creator of the universe 
commands, “Let. . there. . be. . light. .”
 
In an instantaneous moment, sunlight pierced through empty dark skies
At the moment where everything else dies, 
life burst into quiet places before my very eyes
Silencing the voices that led to my demise. 
 
Golden drips of sunlight streaked down clouded window pains to my heart 
And like a fog lifting in the sunlight, the deep despair began to part
 
I stood there, for what seemed like forever, just standing in one place
I stared at the sun as it engulfed, overtook, saturated, my face
Like statically charged particles the sunlight danced across my skin
After completely illuminating me, it began to burn within. 
 
What once was broken pieces that I tried to keep out of sight, 
Began to burst with color from the spoken word of light. 
The more I understood the sun, the more my words were at a loss
This sun that brought me warmth, once hung on a cross.
 
Yet all around me. .   
Those who I see every day
Still dead and dying 
Their heart full of decay
Heads hung in dismay
And i’m left with nothing to say
 
They rip at their chest, 
pounding their flesh
In desperation they look to the sky 
Crying out with their hands lifted high
like an animal ready to fight
They plead, “Let. . There. . . Be . . . LIGHT!
 
Then the light around me starts to speak 
Until my knees grow weak 
“you have the answers they seek”
It says pointing at me
 
But what could it be? 
 
 
“You are the light of the world” he gave me the cue
Glorify my name in all that you do!
For A city on a hill can’t be hidden 
So go, Illuminate your father in heaven
 
And so I stepped into the dark 
Oh how I wanted to run
But this light cannot be overcome
 
So to you I plead for this desperate human race
Let Christ’s light illuminate your face!
So wherever you go may you get this one thing right,
As you represent Christ, Let . .  there. . .  be. . . . light!
`
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

August 23 - You are the Salt of the Earth
 
You are the salt of the earth.
 
For as long as I have been a dad, I have prayed over my kids when they go somewhere. In fact, to this day, sometimes I will drop off my girls at their work, and I always pray over them before they get out of the car. And while I pray that they are safe, that God protects them and watches over them, gives them health and his grace. . . .the biggest part of my prayer is at the end. I always end by praying that God will use them to be a blessing to the people in their workplace. That the people they come in contact with will be blessed because my girls were at work today. I ask God to give them favor, strength, and courage to represent him well. That when their time of work is over, others will be better because of being with Ava and Alia. 
 
Which is just a continuation of something I’ve prayed over my kids since they were little. I have said a prayer that I’ve repeated for most of their lives that goes like this. “God will you use my kids to show their peers how real you are. That through them, their friends will know how good, loving, and just you really are.”
 
That’s the goal, isn’t it. 
 
If I am a follower of Jesus, my goal should be that people’s lives are better off because of me. And that has nothing to do with me. That’s just the fact that I know the author of Life. And He goes with me when I walk into a room. 
 
Well, in all actuality, he is already there when I enter the room, however, when I am an apprentice of Jesus, people see him through me! So he becomes more clear, and I become less obstructive. This is what Peter’s admonishment was in 1 Peter 2:11-12, when he said, 
 
Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain form sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.
 
The goal - live such a good life, that people look at us and say, “HUH. . . . there must be a better way. . .”  
 
This is what Jesus meant when he said, You are the salt of the earth.
 
You should be walking into your workplace with the mindset that you re going to see people’s lives bettered, simply because a carrier of the gospel salt is on their way in. You are going there to preserve life, to sweeten the environment, and brig hope to people. 
 
Your classmates should miss you when you are not at school. They should sense that something just wasn’t the same without you there.  
 
Your roommate should feel like they are the most blessed person because they get to live in the same place as you. And it should make them walk away wanting to be better too! 
 
Oh shoot. . . you ready for this one? 
 
If you are married, or if you have kids. . . . . . Your spouse should feel like the luckiest person alive that they get to be married to you. Not because you are so great yourself. . . . though, I am sure you are. . . But more so because when you walk in, the Spirit of the Living God walks in with you. Your kids should realize the Spiritual maturity wrapped around you as you walk with them through life. They should look at you and not only want to be like you, but want to be with you. Because they realize the presence of the living God and it makes them better as you make them better. 
 
Understand something. . . This is no small task we are called to. We represent the most high! That is why we are called to BE a certain type of person before we can ever Do something for God. We weren’t called to be great, we weren’t called to be some extraordinary voice, or a powerful leader, we weren’t called to DO GREAT THINGS FOR GOD. . . He’s God. He doesn’t need us to be great. He is GREAT!!!!!! 
 
You know what he needs us to be? 
 
SALT!
 
Walk into a place, and pull out the flavor of life by loving, caring, being generous, humble, gentle, sacrificial. .. . And as you pull out the flavor of life, preserve it! Make it last for people who haven’t seen the goodness of God before. Bring peace to the soul that has been wrestling to find wholeness with no rest. Cause people to encounter a joy that will transform their lives, maybe even to the point of giving them reason to smile. . . . 
 
Jesus has brought them through the beatitudes. He has shown them who he wants them to be. And now, if they get that right, the work of what they DO, is automatic. See we often want to focus on what to do, instead to who to be. The problem is, we can’t do enough to represent Christ unless we are transformed first in who we BE! But as soon as that work happens, we automatically do the work God has called us to by being who he desires us to be!
 
Listen to what Jesus continued to say. 
 
You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is not longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
 
What? 
 
How can salt lose its saltiness? 
 
IT CAN’T!!!!!
 
Salt is salt. It can’t lose it’s saltiness. So why would Jesus say this? What is he meaning? 
 
The phrase here is interesting. But if the salt loses its saltiness. . . This comes from the Greek mōrainō - or the root mōros - which yes, is where we get a English word you might have heard. . . Moron - which is a person acting foolishly, or unintelligibly. Jesus is saying that if the salt acts a fool . . . . how can it be made salty again. 
 
He is referring back to the list of beatitudes. 
 
If a person fails to BE the type of person that brings this hopeful joy into the world through the  way they act, how will they ever be justified? Can they be made salty again? They become worthless to the cause of lifting the name of Jesus. 
 
Let me put this out there, God is looking for people who represent his name! He is looking for people who will honor him no matter what they are walking through. He is looking for salt, not morons. . . 
 
I know, that is a little blunt. But I think it would do us as God’s people to stop and question how we are acting. 
 
Yesterday morning I was on the 55 headed into Newport, and he freeway ends and hits a light right at 19th street. It’s such a weird section of the road, because it goes from pretty flowing traffic of 70MPH to 45 within feet. I was enjoying my morning, being very intentional to drive calmly. See I was headed to the DMV to take the CLD test in order to start driving a school bus in order to bring in secondary income. So I have been keenly aware that if I don’t drive properly in my personal vehicle, it could cost me the only job I’ve been able to find that might actually work well with church planting. So I remember holding my steering wheel in the proper positions. I slowed down plenty early. I was alert, and in a good mood. 
 
Until I looked in the mirror and saw this little white Mercedes flying up to me. Within seconds, I knew I was about to get rear ended, and it was going to hit hard!!!!! Sure enough, at about 55-60 MPH, the car behind me slammed into my completely stopped vehicle. 
 
As soon as my car settled from the impact, I turned off the engine, removed my seatbelt, popped open the door, and jumped out of the car. And I caught my self being so frustrated that I said aloud, “What a moron!” 
 
But as soon as the words left my mouth, I was ashamed. I knew I was being wrong, and all the words I’ve spoken over her last couple of weeks on the beatitudes were now coming back to haunt me. I had an instant change of heart. And as I was walking back to the car, I began praying for whoever was in it. 
 
I got to the door of the other car to find an 89 year old man completely disoriented. He was struggling to get out from behind the airbags, and was confused. My heart broke for him. He was so disoriented and scared. I grabbed his arm and helped him stand to his feet because smoke was starting to pour out of the hood of the car. I asked if he knew what happened and if he could walk. He was ok to do this, so I helped him over to the wall next to the road. 
 
Fast forward, I eventually got a rental car, went to the DMV, took my tests and made it home. But the entire time, I couldn’t stop thinking about Earnest. I felt so bad for him. So I found he police report where his cell phone number was. I called him and let him know I was praying for him. And he said, “Now I feel really bad that I did this to a nice man.” To which I said, “oh no, I’m just grateful you are ok, and you get to keep going from this!”
 
Why am I telling you this? 
 
Because it’s not that hard to be salt in the middle of this dark and crazy world. In fact, tomorrow we will talk about being the light of the world. But both of these are the same. As we preserve the goodness around us, it becomes even more evident and longed for. You can have a huge impact, with out a little effort. All you have to do is BE!!!! BE the type of person who represents Christ. 
 
So Here is what I want you to wrestle with. 
 
You are called to be salt, and it’s in a specific area that only you can make a difference in. There is someone in your life who needs extra grace. There is someone you either pass on the road every day, or run into in the dorms, sit by at breakfast, wherever, whoever, it might be. They just need an extra portion of salt, because the world has drained all the flavor from around them. You have the chance to be an inspiration and joy to them. Not so that they walk away liking you more, but for them to walk away and like, well, themselves more, and others more, and in the process begin to see who God is. That’s the point. When you do this properly people see the one who created you to be this way - not you! 
 
So who is it that needs you to be salt. 
 
Because the alternative is for you to be a moron. 
 
You can either show them the love of the living God, or ruin your chance to make a difference in their life and in the world. The choice is yours. 
 
But know this, we all get it wrong at times! We all lose the salt of life and become flavorless. But the grace of God gives us another chance every day! So find that person you can love. Show them what God is like, by being the person he called you to be. 
 
And know this! 
I love you! 
 
And as you flavor the world and persevere it, may you know more of what you believe and why you believe it to be true. . . and may God bless you! 
 

Part 9 - Blessed are those who are persecuted because of Righteousness
 
Why is it so hard for people to like what is good?
 
I remember when I was a kid, my friends all knew that I went to church. For some reason, this equated to me not being invited to a lot of things, because they believed I would be no fun. I’ve heard people called “goodie two shoes” and “church kid” or “Good little Christian”, and instead of celebrating someone’s desire to live a righteous life, it seems despised. 
 
There was a season that I worked at Stateville prison in Joliet Illinois, and during that time I was not living for the LORD. But near the end, I was turning life around. One Saturday night the guys asked me to go out with them after work, and I said that I planned to get up early and go to church the next day. They all laughed at me. And then at the end of the night, when the entire shift was in the holding area to get out of the prison, troy yelled to me across the entire shift of employees. “Hey Grove, have fun being a little church boy tomorrow!” Everyone stared at me and started laughing. 
 
There is something despised by others when someone is trying to do things right. 
 
Why is that? 
 
Well, to the chaos of the world, light is scary. It calls things into order. So goodness isn’t recognized by them world, and it feels out of place. 
 
Jesus said to his disciples, John 15:18, "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.”
 
See, the world doesn’t understand righteousness, because it is foreign to the chaos that the darkness brings to the world. So it makes more sense to ridicule people than love them. It’s easier to cheat and steal than it is to do thing the right way. Tearing someone down in order to get ahead is the acceptable corporate way, so to elevate someone over you is countercultural. 
 
When you act in a right way, the world is confused. In essence, they hate what they fear, and they fear your behavior - primarily because it exposes their behavior. 
 
So Jesus gave this checklist of ways to act, and they are all counter to the rest of the world. 
 
Blessed are thePoor in Spirit. The world proves that you get ahead by building a platform for yourself. Especially in this social media “influencer” day and age, it doesn’t make sense to realize the depravity of your condition. And if I admit that I’m broken and in need of a savior, then that means you must be broken too. That’s not ok with the world. 
 
Blessed are those who mourn the results of their sinful nature. The world doesn’t like that, because it implies someone should be sorry for their actions, when it seems that everything should be ok as long as it doesn’t hurt someone else. There is nothing wrong with an action that doesn’t cause harm to others. 
 
The world doesn’t like it if I am meek. When I show constraint in how I treat others, I must think that I am better than everyone else. 
 
See, the entire list that Jesus gave, is so countercultural, that when we do just one of those things, people get confused and almost annoyed. Now if we did all of the list, imagine how people would feel? The light of our actions is exposing the darkness around us. Which I don’t want to give anything away, but the next part we will talk about in two days, is Jesus calling us the light of the world. He goes from saying to BE this type of person, to showing us that we are the light of the world. 
 
If we truly live the way Jesus instructed here in the Beatitudes, we are the light that exposes the darkness around us. And this, the darkness hates! Because it is foreign to the natural chaos of the world. 
 
But, it’s what Jesus expects of us. Listen to what he said, 
 
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  
 
Ok, just so you know, this is my goal! I want to be persecuted because of righteousness. Not because of me, or the stupid things I do. I want to be persecuted because my actions expose so much of the darkness, the the darkness actually hates me. 
 
I’ve heard it said that the devil isn’t concerned with most Christians. They don’t live in a way that threatens the darkness. But when someone lives in a way that glorifies God, this terrifies the enemy. 
 
Jesus is the example of how threatened the enemy is by righteousness. He was beaten, and put on a cross. Yes, he planned to do this. But understand, he didn’t just come and do it as part of his plan. The plan God had was to let mankind hand him over, torture him, put him on a cross, and punish him for things he never did. This wasn’t the work of God. This was the work of the darkness hating the light. See, God didn’t cause Judas to betray Jesus. God didn’t make Herod try to kill the babies under the age of two, or force the jews to want to kill Jesus and want a murderer named Barabas to be set free in his place. That was the natural chaos of darkness - hating what is light. Just by being pure light, Jesus was naturally hated by man, and put to death. Jesus knew this would happen. 
 
That’s why John says in 2:24 that peel saw Jesus and believed in his name. But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people. He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person.”
 
It’s a humbling thing, isn't it. To know that Jesus knew that just by being righteous and pursuing light, people would hate him and put him to death. We will discuss tomorrow, it was even the pattern seen in the O.T. with the prophets. Those who live righteously, are hated. . . 
 
Look, I want people to like me. It feels good when others are drawn to you. But the truth is, I would rather evil and darkness hate me, than for me to be accepted by others.  I want to live in a way that promotes the light of Christ. I want others to see God’s goodness through me. And if that means they hate me because of it, so be it! Because the reward, the kingdom of heaven! 
 
Now here is the fun thing. When I live in the light, an when people hate me because of the righteousness I pursue, they hate me - not because of me, but because I bring the kingdom of heaven to earth. Jesus’s prayer, they kingdom come, they will be done, on earth as it is in heaven - starts becoming reality, when we live righteously. So darkness hates the fact that it’s kingdom is being overthrown. So the defense is to fight back. And this fight comes through hatred. 
 
See, I want to live so righteously, that the kingdom of heave is brought to this earth, and the kingdom of darkness is threatened. And how do I do that? By BECOMING who God designed me to be. That’s not a pastor, a husband, a father, an artist, or anything else I might seek identity inside of. I become who God designed me to be, when I learn to be poor in spirit, mournful, meek, hungry and thirsty for righteousness, merciful, pure in heart, and a peacemaker. 
 
That’s who God designed me to be fist and foremost! So I choose to pursue those things. 
 
How? 
 
I will wake up tomorrow and humble myself, I will recognize that without God’s grace, I am nothing and can do nothing. I will see others through the understanding that they too are human just like me, and they fight the same battles as I do. I will long for righteous living, making sure I put things in place to help protect me from my wandering heart. I will have mercy on those around me, and try to make peace with everyone I can. And as I do, I will see the kingdom of heaven come to this earth, as God pours his Spirit out!
 
You know what would be the best way for you to practice this? 
 
IN community. 
 
Find someone you can share this with. Ask them to work together with you to pursue God’s best. 
 
Over the next few weeks, I will be going through the Sermon on the Mount. I plan to take it slow, give us things to think about, and highlight practices we can chase after as we become this type of person. Throughout the next couple chapters of Matthew, I will refer back to these beatitudes. I want you to see how Jesus gave us a framework, and then exampled it over and over in the text. But find people who will learn this with you, and hold one another accountable. And as you do, I pray that you learn more about what you believe, and why you believe it to be true! 
 
Until tomorrow, I love you, and as you pursue righteous living, may God bless you! 

Part 8 - Blessed are the peacemakers
 
At the gym I go to, there is a row of tv’s hung from the ceiling so that those on the treadmills or bikes can watch as they work out. I love it, because my ADD is in full swing looking back and forth from one tv to the next. I can usually watch CNN, Fox, Local KCAl, and GPRO tv all at the same time. So I get 2 overly biased news outlets, one local outlet, and extreme sports all in one. 
 
But I am so blown away at how one sided the news channels are.
I don’t want to upset any of you, but if you watch CNN or FOX, please don’t be fooled into believing they are reporting the news. They are both reporting their side of the news. It’s obvious when you watch them side by side. 
 
For instance, 
 
When the ICE raids were happening just a month ago, there was protesting going on here in LA. It was the only thing being covered by the news. Yet all three channels mentioned above, reported a completely different angle of the same story. And it wasn’t like the synoptic gospels where you were getting a clear story by watching them all together. You were actually left wondering what was really happening at the end. One station was bent on showing the lawlessness of the protest, and reran the same clip over and over again of two men beating and burning a trump doll, mixed in with a group of people looting a store. On the other hand, the other station looped their real with shots of detention busses and people being pulled onto busses for deportation. They mixed their loop with families in tears. 
 
Neither of them covered the 1000s of people actually marching, the organized protest on the streets, or the people asking for reform. This wasn’t even part of their story. One side wanted to paint the picture that this was just an anti-trump movement, while the other story wanted to paint the picture that this was a heartless effort to tear apart families. . . . . neither captured the story. However, both captured the hearts of their audience. 
 
Just by explaining what I witnessed has probably got some of you stirred up a little. So please forgive me and allow me to keep moving on to make my point. 
 
There is a rift in the USA. 
 
And it’s not one that only rests here, but let me address what I see and understand here. 
 
It’s so easy to get along with everyone who sides with you. Those who have the same viewpoint or believe the same way you do, are the easiest to stand with. I get that. It’s natural. You have more in common to talk about, you probably watch the same shows, listen to the same voices, and have a common interest in how you vote, support, and promote certain ideals. 
 
But why does someone disagreeing with me, mean that we have to have hatred between us? 
 
It’s all around us. Every time someone is in disagreement, there seems to be a need to cancel one another. It is as if people believe one difference in ideology means there has to be a complete line drawn in the sand to cut that person off. 
 
Let’s be honest, 
 
We do it with politics, 
We do it with religion, 
We do it with social class and economic status, shoot, we do it if our neighbor leaves their trash cans out too long, or if a roommate doesn’t clean up the dishes the same way we do. 
 
It’s like everything tries to tear us apart when you think about it. 
 
This is why Jesus waited until his 8th point before saying, Blessed are the peacemakers. This is no easy task. And the only way to be a peacemaker, is if you learn to be poor in spirit, mourn, become meek, hunger and thirst for righteousness, merciful, and are pure in heart. Without those things, I promise you, there is no way you have the understanding and motivation to be a peacemaker. 
 
See, being a peacemaker is someone who is willing to stand in the middle of a group of people who completely disagree with you, and maybe even speak evil of you, and be wiling to say - I would die for each of you. 
 
The more common thought when confronting people who are idiots, is more something like - I could just strangle them!!!! They make me so angry. 
 
But not so with a peacemaker. 
 
Their inclination is to do whatever it takes to bring hope and peace to someone, no matter where they are in their life. That is why Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”
 
What! 
 
Children of God?
 
If only we had an example of what a child of God might act like. . . Oh, wait. . . The one who offered up these words is the SON of God. 
 
And what did he do? 
 
HE laid down his life for us, as Paul says in Romans 5:10 “While we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son”
 
WE weren’t just in a disagreement. . . We were enemies - meaning we were working against him. Jesus came to reconcile us to God, while we were still trying to depart from God’s covering. Yet Jesus came and died. 
 
I imagine there were several times when Jesus watched the Jews and the Gentiles, where he just shook his head and laughed. One side believing they were better than everyone and acting as if they were above the lowly sinners, while the other side rolled their eyes and threw off any sign of restraint and moral character. Jesus probably looked around and thought to himself, is everyone gone crazy around here? 
 
But he didn’t fight for a side, give his political opinion, push people away, or even cut people off. He simply loved everyone and created peace between others. So when he says blessed are the peacemakers, he was the living example of what this looked like. 
 
To be a child of God, means you represent him, you look like him, talk like him, act like him. . . . 
 
See, God is less concerned with you arguing your point and getting your ideas across than he is concerned with you presenting his name to the people around you. He wants you to be a person that represents him and carries his name, more than a person who has a strong case for their argument. 
 
It is quite possible that the only way to truly do this, however, is to turn off the influences that are arguing your point for you. Stop building a case. Stop listening to news channels and podcasts that reinforce your frustrations, and start looking for sources that will help you love others. 
 
Look, there are a lot of people in this world that I want to grab by the shoulders and shake some common sense into them. There are people who say and believe the dumbest things, and somehow even promote these ideologies. I don’t get it. But I don’t have to either. I just have to love them. 
 
And, if I remember the first 7 points Jesus made, I will find that I actually need to be grabbed by the shoulders and shaken at some point too. So maybe I should just chill out. 
 
So how do we become peacemakers?
Well, by loving people who are different than us! 
 
Try inviting someone to dinner, who completely disagrees with your stance on marriage, life, sexuality, religion, immigration, or anything else that might rub you the wrong way, and instead of having a conversation that tries to convince them that you are right - find out how their day was. Ask them what things you can pray for. Show them love and compassion. And in so doing, become a peacemaker. Because then, you will be called a child of God. 
 
Who do you know that you can make peace with? 
 
Who have you disagreed with in the past, and you no longer have a relationship with them because of that disagreement? Maybe call them up. Text them. Let them know you are thinking of them and miss them. Swallow your pride, and Be a peacemaker. And as you do, I pray you learn what you believe, and why you believe it to be true. 
 
Ok, you wrestle with that for now - I love you, and as you learn to be a peacemaker with the people around you, may God bless you!