Coming to the Still Waters

  On another hike up into the Rockies developing a friendship with another brother in Christ.  This one was on some trails less traveled by others.  This second picture is the Old Fall River Road which used to be the road over the mountain pass before the modern road we have today.  On the west side of the pass it has been left to go back to nature but walking on these switchbacks you couldn't help but think of the history of those who traveled over this way.  The second picture is how we traverse it today. Our passage last Sunday was another transition passage.  Jesus is getting us ready for some major teachings just as He did before giving His disciples the Beatitudes.  These transitions are not just getting us from point A to point B, but rather you find an outline of what the major teaching is going to be about.  Matthew told us we have a teaching Jesus, a preaching Jesus, and a healing Jesus and lets view teaching Jesus first.  In this passage, Jesus lets us hear that He has a

  Another meadow shot with the Onahu Creek cutting through it.  The ridge in the background was for us to go up and over before reaching the Big Meadow.  It is amazing upstream to see what is feeding what is raging downstream.  This second shot is a lower bridge over the same creek. Jesus does this often.  He gives a major teaching and then gives a couple of life examples to explain it.  It was good to go back over the Beatitudes and look at the opposite as diluting or contaminating our salt and light.  The salt representing our speech of Jesus and how it slows down the decay of our world and the light representing our seen of Jesus and how it pierces the darkness of our world.   When we are not poor in spirit;  when we don't mourn over sin;  when we not meek;  when we are not hungering and thirsting after righteousness;  when we are not merciful;  when we are not pure in heart;  when we are not peacemakers;  and when we are not persecuted for righteousness' sake then our s

  This is the meadow above the Cascade Falls on the North Inlet.  You are looking at Snow Drift Mountain in the center.  I am hanging right at the 10,000 mark but next week I will have an opportunity to go up another 1,000.  I am thankful to be hiking with others who have been to these places before.  Thank you Anna and Phil for the trekking poles for Christmas last year.   We ventured into the Sermon on the Mount last Sunday.  What does a disciple of Jesus look like and act like?  The Beatitudes give us a good picture.   One who knows he needs God.  (poor in spirit) One who is physically impacted by his sin.  (mourn) One who is under control because he is following divine instructions.  (meek) One who can't get enough of Jesus.  (hunger & thirst for righteousness) One who thinks and acts on behalf of others more than himself.  (merciful) One who keeps devotion to God by keeping short accounts through confession.  (pure in heart) One who points others to God.  (peacemaker) One

  I'm not that great at taking " selfies ."  This was my maiden voyage into town, about 5 miles from the church, on my single speed bike at the elevation of about 8500 feet.  I was doing a little huffing and puffing and so thankful for the downhills that God provided.  Here is a pic of Mt. Craig just prior to entering into town.  Mt. Craig is in the center and Shadow Mountain is to the right and foreground.  The body of water is Shadow Mountain Lake. Matthew keeps adding to his explanation of who Jesus is.  He claims in 1:1 that Jesus is the Messiah, the son of David and the son of Abraham.  His name means, " The God who saves. "  They will call Him Emmanuel which means " God is with us. "  The prophets will call Him a Nazarene , one who is despised.  John the Baptist calls Him the Judge , the ultimate Harvester bringing His wheat into His barn and taking the chaff to the fire.  God calls Him " beloved " at His baptism because He is His Son