<![CDATA[Living Water Evangelical Free Church - Blog]]>Sat, 15 Nov 2025 21:37:24 -0600Weebly<![CDATA[Fear - By Pastor Benjamin Hardee]]>Wed, 06 Aug 2014 17:15:32 GMThttp://www.livingwaterefc.org/blog/fear
Picture
Dawn was approaching. They had been out since dusk in the fishing rig. A howling wind had sent waves against the boat like a tormenter at the door. Aboard were 12 young men.

It must have been a long night . . . in the dark surrounded by mist and storm. It must have been one of those nights when you begin to give up on sleep.

“It’s a ghost!” they all screamed as they saw a man walking across the water towards them.  

But it was no ghost, it was the Son of Man. “Don’t be afraid” He said to them.

How embarrassing, a dozen grown men screaming “ghost” at Jesus.

Peter said, “Jesus if it is you, tell me to come out to You.”

“Come!” Jesus said.

Peter stood supported on the water. Firm and sturdily he walked to Jesus until he began to notice how windy it was and how the storm was still blowing. He had taken his eyes off Jesus and he sank like a man in quicksand.

This is the problem we have. We are often quick to notice Jesus doing the miraculous, but when we hear the wind of family conflict, or the blowing away of our financial security or the storms of cancer, we take our eyes off of Jesus.  It is not long before we are sinking into disbelief. Do not let your fears keep you from continuing to trust in Jesus.

No matter what blows your way do not take your eyes off of Him. “Fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2

(See Matthew 14:22-33 for the rest of the story.)

]]><![CDATA[Salt- By Pastor Benjamin Hardee]]>Wed, 22 Jan 2014 20:06:59 GMThttp://www.livingwaterefc.org/blog/salt-by-benjamin-hardeeBecause of an increase in heart disease, many people are trying to cut salt out of their diets. Salt is viewed rather negatively by people in the health care industry. It is hard for us to believe that salt used to be a special and sacred spice. When the Moors ruled North Africa and Spain, salt was traded weight for weight for gold. Concurring armies would sprinkle salt around the cities they had razed in an attempt to purify them. Even Roman soldiers at times were paid in salt, hence the saying begin to circulate “worth his salt.”  

Perhaps the greatest need for the ancients to own salt has not even been mentioned. If one of these “end of the world” scenarios ever played out, salt would quickly become as costly today as it was in the ancient world. Salt is and was important because of its preserving abilities. In a world without refrigeration, salt is one of the only ways to preserve food. Salt keeps stuff from rotting.

Jesus said, “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.” What did Jesus mean when He called us salt? Did He mean that we brought flavor to this world? Did He mean that we are valuable to this world? Did He mean we were special and sacred? Jesus may have had all those things in mind, but mostly I believe that He was thinking about our preserving abilities. In a world that is rotting and decaying, all from sin, we have been sprinkled in to keep it pure. Our purpose is to keep this world from rotting. We are preserving the world, sharing the Gospel, until the day of Christ returns.

Remember this: you have value, you have flavor, and you have purpose. Preserve, keep fresh, and save the world. Intrinsically, this is what you were meant to do.

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