It's About Time

My wife's favorite color is blue, her former favorite movie (God bless her) is 'Coming to America", her favorite song changes with the season of life that she's in, but she has a special affinity for "He's Able", Her favorite scripture? "I will look to the hills from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord." I could go on and on with her dress size, shoe size, (and because I'm smart) her ring size. That knowledge comes from putting in time with her; consistently.

Can you really say that you love someone if you do not spend time with them? If other things steal your attention, focus, and commitment from the one you say you love is that really love? Guess what? This applies to God also.

We say we love Him, but do we spend time with Him? Do we log hours watching Scandal, Real Housewives, SportsCenter, sporting events, but yet can't seem to find 30 minutes to read the bible? Is the 20-second  grace recited prior to eating a meal, our only daily prayer? Do we check Facebook more than the Bible? Do we concentrate on people, more than God? Problems, more than the Problem-solver? Be honest with yourself... You know that's a problem.

So how then can we justify saying that we love Him? We've got to step our game up, and put in the time with Him. We must read more, pray more, praise and worship more, and LOVE more (and more consistently also).

Are there too many distractions and detractors in our lives vying for His time? Are we putting the time in with our Lord and Savior? Or, are we giving His time away to gods that we've made?

Deut 4:28 ..."And there you will serve gods, the work of men’s hands, wood, and stone, which neither see nor hear nor eat nor smell." (...and of plastic, metal, and fiber optics also).

Guess what? It's not just you. It's most of us. Most of us are guilty, culpable complicit, and fail all the time. But, we don't have to. Don't beat yourself up. Feel the Holy Spirit's conviction, accept your mistake. Learn from it, and move on.

Jesus said that we should love God with everything that we have, are, AND above all else in our lives (Matt 22:37). Do our actions show that? Or, do we simply talk a good game?  1 John 3:18 says that we should love with ACTION and NOT with words!  Show God with your actions just how much you love Him. It's about time that we give Him, His time.

We love you, and we are praying for you.

~SALT,  Pastor Erroyl, and Sis Pinky

Sis Pinky’s Prayer:

Thank you God for your love for us! Draw us close to you so that we may get to know you more intimately.

In the precious name of Jesus, we pray,

Amen

There is work to be done! Are you blocking your purpose?

        Here are a few words to ponder from a fellow laborer, mentor, brother, and friend. Pastor, Vernon "Pop" Reddick. He shared this with a group that he leads, of which I am a member, and I just had to share it with you.

~SALT, Erroyl, and Sis. Pinky  

                         As always, We love you and we are praying for you.

Read this, digest this, apply this, and share this.

__________________

This Scripture comes from John 9:1-5 gather what you need from it all, for our purposes now, please key on v4...

1 Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. ² And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”   ³ Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. ⁴ I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. ⁵ As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

Thoughts as you process this:

1) Every bad thing is not necessarily bad when the Lord has His hand on it.

2) How is God wanting to reveal His work through you?
      a) AND, are YOU in the way?

3) Are you doing the works you were sent to do while the timing is right?  Jesus said, "I must work the works of Him who sent Me..."

***My question again is, "Are you doing the work God sent you to do?"

Blessings!

Pastor, Vernon "Pop" Reddick

Serving the Great "I AM" and His people and learning to enjoy the journey.

Discipline

    Sometimes, when we start going through tough times, we forget that God is NOT shocked by our predicament. He's not caught off guard when we are in a storm. He's not wondering why/how we are in a wilderness. We are quick to say stuff like "the enemy is messing with me", or "Satan sure is busy".

     Read the story of Jonah (Jonah 1:4-5),  or Moses and Aaron (Ex 4:27), or the Israelites (Ex 13:18), or Jesus even (Mark 1:12, Matt 4:1) and get a fresh perspective. See who leads these people into a storm, or desert, wilderness, or valley. There are other examples too. Paul, Abraham, of course, the disciples, John the Baptist. It really does go on, and on.  

    STOP giving Satan credit, for how God is choosing to grow you, stretch you, maneuver you into a place for a blessing, to teach you, and love you. Love??? Yes, love (Heb 12:6). A good parent disciplines their child. So of course, God being our Father and being the perfect parent, disciplines us.  

     We like to only think of God as loving. Rightfully so; God is love, yes! But not exclusively so. God is also a just God (Gal 6:7). Now, if after all of the scriptural evidence here you still feel that it is impossible that some of what you go through is God moving, see the alternative (Heb 12:8). 

     I don't want you to feel like or think that God causes your trouble. That's not the case. However, He certainly is aware of it, and in fact, allows it to happen; as with Job (Job 1:8-12). God is Sovereign, and therefore in total control of what does and does not happen.

     The next time you find yourself in a storm, or wilderness, or valley understand first that God loves you. Then ask the Lord to show you why you are there. Is it to wake you up like Jonah? Is it to kill off things or people as with the Children of Israel? Is it to prepare you for ministry as with Jesus. Or, maybe it is to discipline you. 

We love you, and we are praying for you. 

-SALT, Dr. McGinty, Pastor

Sis. Pinky's Prayer: 

Gracious and eternal God, thank you for our valleys and storms! Give us understanding as we go through unpleasant times so that we may see Your Movement and the purpose of the situation. We know that you chasten those whom you love, and that ALL things work together for good!

In the mighty name of Jesus, we pray,

Amen