Cybersalt Shaker

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

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The elders of our church recently had to ask someone to no longer attend Westside Bible Church. This person's name?  - 'someone Else.?

Recently too many people at our church have been counting on Someone Else to do the work of some of our ministries that require a team of volunteers.  This is not to say that there aren't a good number of people at the church carrying out individual ministries and roles, but other programs and needs at the church - such as Sunday school, junior church, junior and senior high youth groups, church cleaning and more - require a team of people to make them truly successful.  When increasing numbers of church members and attendees depend on Someone Else to do these ministries, the toll is a gradual drain of discouragement on those who have agreed to lead them.

Read more: Say Hello To Nobody

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Phew (fyoo ) ? an interjection used to express fatigue, surprise, disgust or relief.  For example:

  • ?Phew, I am so tired I have just got to sit down!?
  • ?Phew!  When that tire blew it scared the daylights out of me.?
  • ?Phew . . . . you are so stupid!?
  • ?No residual thyroid tissue.  Radioactive treatment was successful.  Phew.?

Read more: Phew

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(Originally written February 26, 2004)

I saw Mel Gibson's movie "The Passion of the Christ" yesterday. I know who killed Jesus. I did.

Of course I knew that before seeing Mel's movie because I have read the Bible. Yet, I must say that seeing this movie - a choreograph of pain about Christ's torture before and on the cross - has definitely expanded the dimensions of my understanding and appreciation for what it took for Jesus to choose to die as He did for my sins. Never before has a movie moved me to the point where my neck was wet with tears. Yet, please don't think it was the raw violence that brought those tears - as if the intensity of the movie overwhelmed my body. No, it was other things that moved me the most powerfully; things which I prefer remain private between me and Jesus for now.

Read more: I Know Who Killed Jesus

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The Olympics in Greece have officially begun.  Along with the traditional hopes and expectations of success by individual athletes and entire nations, there is also a palpable concern and angst about potential terrorism at the first games since 9/11.  To prevent any terror attacks the Greeks have spent a record amount of money putting in place a vast and varied web of security and protection.  In fact, one Greek official voiced that what they had done was 'more than humanly possible.?

Read more: More Than Humanly Possible

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Recently, a young man at our church experienced a very long bout of severe abdominal pain.  Many of us had grown quite concerned - especially when we found out that surgery was imminent. 

One evening, whilst picking up my youngest daughter from a youth group meeting, my cell phone rang.  I answered and promptly received an update, from this fellow's father-in-law, informing me that a ruptured appendix was one of the things surgeons were about to explore for.  I passed the news to the present youth sponsors and then began the drive home.  Along the way my daughter asked me what an appendix did.  I replied that I did not know.  Her response was, ?It must be one of those parts that God put in our bodies to make us more complicated.?

Read more: The Appendix of Christ

  1. Oats and Brandy
  2. Remember The Nails
  3. Slippery Branches
  4. My Dog Has Fresh Water

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