Jesus says, “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven,” (Matthew 5: 13-16).  Jesus is calling for a boldness and deliberateness in our Christian living.  Salt is not subtle.  Light is not secret.  Jesus specifically uses this very familiar imagery to convey the way he expects his followers to make his truth, love, righteousness, and salvation known to the world.

This is not new to most of us.  We have known for years that as Christians we are to be salt and light, but what does that mean?  What does that look like?  It certainly does not mean that believers should be overbearing and obnoxious in their relationships.  Light illuminates the darkness, therefore we should be a source of Christ’s warmth and love in an otherwise cold world.  We should also be a source of Christ’s truth willing to expose error when necessary.  Remember, as we are faithful to reflect Christ’s light, God gets all the glory.  Likewise, salt is a spice.  Salt is certainly good for flavoring and otherwise bland dish, but we should also remember that salt is an irritant.  Yes, Christians should always be a sweet flavor in the lives of everyone we see.  We should pleasant aroma in the world.  Nevertheless, we should not be ignorant of the fact that the message we bring is an irritant to sin.  If you are truly being salt and light, don’t expect to be loved by the world.  You will irritate the sensibilities of this evil age.  That’s OK, we are not called to please the world, but to please our savior.  “For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life and who is adequate for these things?” (2 Corinthians 2: 15-16)
 
In Christ,
​
Blain Craig

​I want to begin by thanking all of you who participated in the elder selection process over the past couple of months.  This past Sunday we concluded the selection process with our election following the morning worship service.  My emotions are mixed, but God is sovereign in all things. 
          I am disappointed that Randy Tate fell short of the required number of votes for election.  Randy is a qualified man and demonstrates strong characteristics of leadership.  I look forward to God continuing to use him and Lyndia mightily at Oak Crest.
          Both Mike Holt and Israel Arguello were elected with vote percentages above 90%.  I am thankful for these men.  As I said Sunday evening, I hope you will begin to look to them for all of the ways a pastor serves a flock.  They will pray with you and for you.  They will minister in your joy and in your pain.  Above all, they are a crucial part of all of us growing in our understanding and service to Christ.
          Anytime there is a mixed vote, there is a necessary time of healing.  We must strive for unity in the Spirit at Oak Crest.  We must not give the enemy a foothold through the development of a divisive spirit.  We must not have factions or political parties in the church.  We must each guard our hearts and pray for God to continue to be glorified in the church.  Our conversations must be seasoned with love and understanding.  I am thankful for each of you and love you deeply.
 
In Christ,
Blain Craig

          David wrote in Psalm 20:6-7, “Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed; he will answer him from his holy heaven with the saving might of his right hand.  Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.”  That beautiful Holy Spirit inspired passage of Scripture teaches us something about God and our circumstances.  First of all, in relation to God, we never have to wonder whether God will be faithful.  The verse is clear – he will save according to the might of his right hand.  I cannot imagine facing the realities of life without the saving power and mighty right hand of a sovereign God. 
          Equally, the verses teach us something very comforting about circumstances.  I don’t really fear or trust in horses or chariots.  Do you?  Unless a person really loves horses, most of us don’t come into contact with them on a daily basis.  What is my point?  Circumstances constantly change, as much as those things people put their trust and hope in are constantly changing.  David lived in a day when people relied on horses and chariots for warfare.  Today we rely on long-range ballistic missiles for warfare.  Although the weapons change, the truth remains the same.  Anything other than God alone is shifting sand.  Although I may not put my trust in horses, I may be guilty of putting my trust in my 401k, or my car, or the government.  The point is simple we can never be guilty of trusting totally in anything other than Jesus Christ.
          As we have seen over the last months nothing is stable or certain aside from God and his Word.  If asked a year ago, who would have guessed Donald Trump would be a presidential nominee.  If our security is the stability of financial markets or the sophistication of our military, we are building our house on the sand.  The simple truth is that nothing is certain except God.  I don’t know what it is that you are depending upon more than Jesus, but take comfort in Psalm 20.  He is faithful and true.  When all else fails, Jesus reigns supreme. 
 
In Christ,
Blain Craig