We have heated our home for over 40 years with wood. It’s the best. In the early morning with a hot cup of coffee and a gentle snow fall, life is good. The wood we burn is dry, but that has not always been the case. Over the years I have had several chimney fires because I burnt wet wood and the creosote that formed in the chimney caught fire. Nothing burns hotter than a chimney fire. It will crack the concrete blocks that form the chimney and cause an internal fire to burn. Left unchecked it will destroy your home.
So how do you stop a chimney fire? It’s simple. Climb a ladder and drop a bag of rock salt down the chimney. By doing this the salt deprives the fire of oxygen and extinguishes it immediately. I’ve done this a few times and it’s amazing how quickly the fire goes out. The salt has saved my chimney and even my home from being destroyed.
A fire is burning in our nation, fueled by fear, frustration, and a media that enjoys the attention it is stirring up! The house is in danger of burning down. How do you stop it? Throw salt on it and deprive the fire of oxygen.
Matthew 5:13–16 (NIV84)
Salt and Light
13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.
14 “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
If ever our nation needed salt it is now! Salt is one of the strongest chemical bonds known to man. Sodium and chloride individually are deadly, but together they are LIFE.
SO…
- Ephesians 4:3 (NIV84) 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
- Proverbs 26:21 (NIV84) As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.
- James 3:5–6 (NIV84) 5 Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
Love to all,
Pastor Pat
Note: The day after I posted this blog, I received this article in my e-mail which was a confirmation on the importance of being salt and light!
