logo

sign-up-for-free-cybersalt-today-button

Blogs

"He died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him which died for them and rose again."
- 2 Corinthians 5:15
 
The appeal of our LORD to serve Him in consecrated devotion comes to us with special force and emphasis at this particular season of the church year. In the first part of the church year we celebrate the great festivals of Christianity, Christmas, Easter, and now Pentecost, and learn what great things God has done for us and for our salvation. In the second part of the church year we continue to mediate on God's love and mercy toward us, but emphasis is placed also upon the . . .

ELEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

Ecc. 1:2,18-26
Col. 3:1-11
Luke 12:13-21
Psalm 49
 
Jesus has a way of getting to the heart of the matter and to our hearts. Someone, attracted by the authority of Jesus' teaching, asks this rabbi to help settle a family dispute over inheritance. Jesus refuses; that isn't His role. Rather than let the matter rest there, though, he takes the opportunity to teach about what is really valuable.
 
Thinking back to last week's gospel, (Luke 11:1-13) what if we did ask and were given more than we could have expected? In fact, if we do the proverbial counting of our blessings, isn't that just what has happened? The problem, though, is that it becomes very easy then to . . .

"And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our LORD Jesus Christ. Faithful is He that calleth you, who also will do it."
- 1 Thessalonians 5:23,24
 
There is a wealth in these words that can only be hinted at in a brief meditation. We have here a prayer, a benediction, and an assurance. What St. Paul desired in his magnanimous heart for those early Christians in Thessalonica, we should desire for ourselves and our fellow Christians. These words are used by ministers in the laying on of hands in the confirmation service. They may well be used by Christian parents as their sons and daughters leave home to . . .

"But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved."
- Matthew 24:13
 
Warning and comfort are beautifully blended in this brief statement by our LORD. The warning clearly is this: Not all who are religious after a fashion will be saved; not even all who once knew and confessed Christ as Savior and LORD. In this passage Jesus is speaking of the latter days, the days preceding the end of the world. He earnestly forewarns us that many false prophets shall arise and shall deceive many. Do these words of Christ give us a true picture of . . .

"His compassions fail not. they are new every morning."
- Lamentations 3:22-23
 
A time not in peace and plenty, but in days of war and adversity the Prophet Jeremiah made this beautiful confession. Beholding ruin and desolation, he sings the praises of God's everlasting mercy.
 
Evil days have come upon us. Many earthly springs of happiness have dried up. But the spring that is in God's heart, the ever-flowing fountain of His compassion can never dry up. Whatever else may fail us, His compassions will not fail. This is not because of any faithfulness or other merit that He sees in us, but solely because of . . . 

"Verily I say unto you, wherever this Gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her."
- Matthew 26:13
 
When Mary anointed Jesus' feet shortly before His death, she had no thought of setting up a memorial for herself. She was not thinking of herself at all.  Her thoughts centered in Christ.  Her one desire was to prove her love and devotion to Him who had so richly blessed her with His light and love, truth and grace. Yet Jesus Himself declares that  Mary's gracious act of faith and love would be remembered and . . .

This is the day the LORD hath made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.
 
TENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
 
Gen. 18:20-32
Col. 2:6-15
Luke 11:1-13
Psalm 138
 
As the Gospel of Luke continues to educate us in the way of the disciples, we come to Jesus teaching His followers in the matter of prayer. He begins with the now familiar words of the LORD'S Prayer, or some call it "Kingdom Prayer." Already with the opening word, Father, we can see that Jesus does not promote the attitude of groveling subject pleading before the harsh sovereign. But how far can we go in our prayer? The answer surprises us, and must have astounded Jesus' first listeners.
 
"Be persistent." our LORD advises. Don't walk around on eggshells, afraid to ask too much or too often. Pound on God's door; make a pest of yourself, not because God is indifferent to our needs, but as an . . .

More Articles ...

Subcategories

Totally Tim Article Count:  95

Rev James Snyder videoPastor Tim has retired from pastoring local churches and is now working alongside his wife to help refugees and persecuted Christians.

For more about Cybersalt, the business, head on over to www.cybersalt.com

Software Article Count:  5

My blog about software.

Cybersalt Shaker Article Count:  65

The Cybersalt Shaker features devotionals and commentary written by Pastor Tim.

Computer Tutorials Article Count:  3

Guest Authors Article Count:  61

Writings from various sources occasionally invited/gathered to share their devotional/commentary material.

Joshua Goodling Article Count:  11

At the age of four, Joshua Goodling was diagnosed with terminal cancer and given only one week to live. That was over 34 years ago, so it's been a long week. He is now an inspirational and motivational speaker, seeking to encourage and inspire others to make a difference in today's world. You can visit his website at http://www.joshuagoodling.com. He is also the founder of http://www.inspiritnews.com. You can contact him at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

God's Penman Article Count:  516

The Reverend James L. Snyder is an award winning author whose writings have appeared in more than eighty periodicals including GUIDEPOSTS. In Pursuit of God: The Life of A. W. Tozer, Snyder?s first book, won the Reader?s Choice Award in 1992 by Christianity Today. Snyder has authored 8 books altogether.

Rev. James L. Snyder has a knack for making fun of daily frustrations and will increase your humor aptitude so you too can discover that life is less stressful when you?re laughing. Through these essays, you will realize that humor and religion belong together and that its OK to keep from taking yourself and others too seriously.

snarl
August 06, 2022

When Is It Okay to Be Snarly?

Normally, whatever normal means, I don’t get agitated by many things. I can keep my cool under the most bizarre circumstances. Nothing gets under my skin, and I can take everything with a grin. I can’t remember the last time I lost my temper and got mad. I’ve… Read More
doctor
July 09, 2022

Doctors Are Always Right

Last year I suffered what is referred to as a heart attack. I got to the hospital in time, so there was no major damage. I had one artery known as the "Widow Maker" that was 90% blocked, which seemed to be a very serious thing. Who knew I even had a heart,… Read More
fathers day
June 18, 2022

What the World Needs Today Are Fathers

There is much talk today about what’s wrong with our society. That list is pretty long, but the most important cause of problems in our culture today is the lack of fathers. So many children grow up without a father in the home. How tragic. I was fortunate… Read More
girl scout cookies
May 07, 2022

And Then, There They Were

In getting older, I have discovered, I pay a little more attention to my dietary habits. Or, maybe I should say, The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage pays more attention to my dietary habits. As we get older, she is more obsessed with vegetables than… Read More
typewriter
April 30, 2022

Maybe We Should Go Back To Smoke Signal Communications

I must admit that communication is an essential part of my life today. The longer I live, the more sophisticated those communications become, and it’s challenging to me. Recently, I was working on my latest book using my latest computer and its programs. As I… Read More
grouchy
April 24, 2022

The Good, the Bad, and the Grouchy

Have you ever had a week where everything went just perfect? Neither have I. Every Monday morning, I plan a perfect week, and I try my best to stick to that plan. My problem is simply, I do not know the meaning of the word "perfect." So I asked The Gracious… Read More

Shirley Choat Article Count:  656

Blog writings by Shirley Choat.

 

Simply Susan Article Count:  38

Susan DavisSusan is Pastor Tim's wife.
She isn't simple, but her blog is Simply Susan.

You can receive notice of news posts by signing up for this newsfeed.

You can read her blog in chronological order here.

Moving With God Article Count:  137

This is Alyssa Sampson's blog.  She is Pastor Tim's daughter.

Suneel Barkat Article Count:  1

Rev. Suneel Barkat
Pastor Barkat is a graduate of Punjab University. After receiving a call to ministry in 1999 he attended Gujranwala Theological Seminary, graduating in 2003 with a Master of Divinity (His thesis covered a Biblical model of house churches.) Upon graduating he started pastoral ministry with the Anglican Church and was ordained in 2004, working within that church in different positions until mid 2015 when he got the opportunity for a short training program on Pneumatology from South Korea. Suneel currently is a visiting teacher in an evangelical Bible College empowered by Korean Mission in Pakistan, as well as doing independent teaching and preaching ministry. He has established many Bible study groups and has the passion to preach in remote areas of Pakistan.

Page 152 of 217