Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name.
Hebrews 13:15 NIV
Fruitful Lips
The Saskatoon berry (lat. Amelanchier alnifolia) is a type of small, sweet berry native to North America, specifically found in the Canadian prairies, the Northwestern United States, and Alaska. The berries are purplish-blue in colour and resemble blueberries in size and appearance. However, their taste is somewhat unique, described as sweet and nutty with a hint of almond flavour due to the small amount of cyanogenic glycosides they contain. Saskatoon berry jam is a Canadian fruit product made with a combination of Saskatoon berries, water, sugar, and lemon juice.
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Over the years, as I’ve shared the Gospel with others, I’ve heard people tell me “my faith is a private matter.” I discover that these are church-going people who apparently feel like they are secret agents for the Kingdom of God. The challenge is that nowhere in the Bible are we given the calling to be secret agents. Our faith is never a private thing. Jesus commanded us to make disciples of all nations, and said that when the Holy Spirit came, we would be His witnesses in our own world and in places far away. The author of the book of Hebrews tells us this in Hebrews 13:15: “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise – the fruit of lips that openly profess his name.” Here it is, as clearly enunciated as anywhere in the Bible – we are to openly profess the name of Jesus. We are to tell others. One of the marks of our salvation is that we confess, speak out loud, that Jesus is Lord. There is no such thing as a secret agent Christian.
These have been words from the heart.
Bob Beasley