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

Remember who God is, and Whose you Are; Encourage yourself

     Encourage yourself and remember who God is. 

    Be encouraged, God loves you. He didn't put you in the situation you are in by chance, there's a purpose! Be of good courage and face this situation with the certainty and assurance that God has ordered your steps. 

     When King David was being chased by Saul and he was hiding in caves in mountains, he penned some of the most beautiful and thought-provoking psalms (songs). Think about that for a moment. He was being hunted down, and he was writing music (my kind of guy). He did this, not so that you and I would have something to sing/read on Sundays, but as a way to encourage himself and remind himself of who God is. I had to stand on the fact that he belonged to the most-high God. (To whom do you belong?)

     Draw King David's situation parallel to you and your situation. You may, in fact, be in a situation to where you feel like you are being persecuted, chased, or maybe you feel rejected, dejected, and/or alone. But guess what? God was with David, and He is with you. Take King David's example and encourage yourself, remember to whom you belong; remind yourself who God is IN THE MIDST of the situation that you are in. 

    While in a cave, while hurting and in pain, while being persecuted, while in the storm, the valley, the wilderness...Praise God in advance!

We love you, and we are praying for you.

 ~SALT Pastor Erroyl. 

Sis. Pinky’s prayer:

     Lord, God Almighty, we thank you for being Alpha and Omega, beginning and end! Thank you for your Word which encourages and your sweet presence that comforts. 

     In Jesus's name, we pray,

Amen

Is tithing necessary?

I have often heard of people not tithing because they didn't find it in the New Testament. There may be a lot of questions to discuss in regards to tithing. If so, let me know. But...

Matthew 23:23

   “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former."

     In other words do it ALL! Jesus said this. So yeah, tithing is in the New Testament. So, if that's your reason for not tithing, you should revisit.

    I have also heard of someone not tithing because Christians live under a new covenant and not under The Law. This is true, however the new covenant that Jesus established does not expunge the principles of the old covenant. How do I know? Jesus says this in Matthew 5:17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have NOT come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.”  

     If anything Jesus and the new covenant, ups the ante for us. In other words, prior to the new covenant, a physical sinful act was exactly what it says (I.e. Adultery was the physical act) under the new covenant, lustful thinking is the same as the physical act of adultery.  And, He sets similar standards for other sins also.

     When you get the opportunity, read Jesus's sermon on the mount. The beatitudes. Matthew 

Ch 5. 

SALT- we love you and we are praying for you.

~Pastor, Dr. McGinty 

Sis. Pinky’s Prayer:

Thank you Jesus for giving us instruction regarding the laws of the Kingdom. Help us to be obedient even when we don't fully understand. We know that it's better to be obedient than sacrificial. We love you.

In Jesus's name we pray,

Amen

Truth and Mercy

Proverbs 3:3-4 NKJV

[3] Let not mercy and truth forsake you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart, [4] And so find favor and high esteem in the sight of God and man. …

We live in a world where people want to be right, without basing what they believe in truth. Even if someone does not believe that something is true,  that doesn't make it so. You might not believe that I am a millionaire, but that doesn't make it any less true (smile). Just like some people will not believe that Jesus is THE Truth, doesn't make it any less true. They want to be right, they want to live right, and they want lives that are right, but they will reject the truth of Jesus. Or, they will try to accept parts of the truth. But they reject the harder parts of the truth. That's why you will hear many people talk about God, but not Jesus!

Solomon tells us in this Proverb, that by wearing Truth and Mercy bound to our necks, and written in our hearts, that we will gain favor in the sight of God. Notice that if something is bound to your neck it cannot be easily removed, this is also the case for something is written on your heart.

As we go out and minister to people, yes we must present the truth, but at the same time, we must have mercy for their ignorance of the truth.

That's a very difficult thing to do. It can certainly be frustrating when people are constantly requiring new mercy from us as finite beings. But, not of God who is infinite. Always try to keep God's mercy being extended to you; before you knew the truth, and afterward. We need His new mercy every day. In the book of Lamentations 3:22-23 we learn that God's love and mercy never ends, and His mercy is new every morning. God knows we need it.

So, how do we do this? How do we present the truth to those who don't know or don't care to know and at the same time, have God's love and mercy at the forefront of our minds? Go back to that Proverb and look at the next couple of verses. Hallelujah!

We love you and we are praying for you.

-SALT, Pastor Erroyl

Sis Pinky’s Prayer:

Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. Help me to keep your mercy and truth around me so that I won't sin against you.

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen

Paradigm shift: Chronic Long-term pains

     As I am a man with a chronic illness, I completely understand what it means to “go through”... though our situations differ and may even be completely different. Pain is still pain, suffering is still suffering, loneliness is still loneliness, encouragement is still encouragement, and comfort is still comfort.

     I want to encourage you to continue to fight the good fight. As many have said, God is good! And even though He has chosen to allow afflictions upon you and me, God is still good! He is not surprised that you are going through.

Paul reminds us that God's grace is sufficient for whatever situation we come up against, and in our weaknesses, His strength is made perfect. He takes us to trying times so that His love and power is recognized by us, AND the people with whom we come in contact.... in other words as we go through the storms of life with our heads held high (perhaps with a headache or stiff neck), our steps are spritely (though slower, maybe with a limp), and our attitudes are of thanksgiving with praise... people see it and know that we are Christian and therefore God gets the glory!

-Job said it like this "though He slay me, yet will I trust Him"...he could have added something like this: God trusts me in this circumstance. It's pretty remarkable when you think about it. God has entrusted us with the delivery of an important, quite potent, lifelong, non-verbal message.

... rain or shine, up or down, drought or flood, plenty or impoverished, mountain apex or valley low, in sickness or health .… God is still good and He still loves you!

We love you, and we are praying for you 

~SALT
Pastor Erroyl,

Sis. Pinky's Prayer:

Thank you God for the rain and the sunshine; both are necessary for growth. Help us to embrace the spiritual storms and to lean on and trust in you in all circumstances. 

In Jesus’s name, we pray... Amen.

Time, time, time

How much time have you spent on Facebook today? Twitter? Etc.

The shame in it is that if we log all the time that we check our cell phones, computers, etc. it adds up, and we can't even calculate the number.

Now, answer honestly, how much time did you spend reading the Bible? Did you close it and reopen it 20 seconds later like we do Facebook? Have you checked God's status updates for you, and His Newsfeed? Did you write out your visions and make them plain in it's margins..like you reveal details of your life on your timeline?

Right! Exactly.

Okay, so no time for guilt. Repent and move on. Turn off your computer, log off of Facebook, and pick up the Bible. 

Don't know what to read, or where to begin??? Try the book of John. It's a great starting point. 

I love you and I'm praying for you.
~Pastor Erroyl
SALT

Five things to pray for in marriage

Praying for your marriage. Five things that are essential. If you are not married, get a headstart on knowing what to do. 😉

We must sustain and maintain, plan for the unexpected, and plan for the expected. Here are five things, which we should pray for, that are essential. Five things in the midst of busy and stressful seasons of life.

1. To love each other as Christ loved us.

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:35)

Father, your greatest command was to love You and love each other (Matthew 22:36-40). You’ve given marriage as a holy relationship that reflects our relationship with You. Show us how to follow your example and set aside our selfishness and pride and humbly serve each other. Help us to be of one spirit and of one mind and value each other above ourselves, looking out for each other’s interests (Philippians 2:2-4). In the midst of our busy lives, help us take time to love each other deeply from the heart, as you have loved us (Ephesians 5:1-2). May the love we have for each other be an example to the world of how You love them and gave Your life for them.

2. To grow together in Christ.

“As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4:1-3)

Father, help us not to just go to church on Sunday, but to recognize that your presence goes with us wherever we go. May we know a deep communion with you every day. May our marriage be a place where we grow together and lean on You in every situation. Help us to grow to be more like You every day, having a unity in Spirit, being patient, humble and gentle with each other, and bearing each other’s burdens with Your love and strength. Fill our marriage with Your peace. When a struggle or strife arises, may our first response be to come to You together for help. Help us make talking about You and Your Word a priority. We ask your Spirit to help us understand Your Word and grow together in our love and service to You.

3. To recognize things causing distance.

“Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” (Ecclesiastes 4:12)

Father, life gets so busy and things can creep into our marriage and cause distance. Help us be intentional in spending time together and reveal things that are creating a chasm in our relationship. Protect us from things that will divide us, whether it be time spent online or a recreational activity or a friendship that is taking away from our marriage. Help us know how to remedy the situation and bring a closeness back into our marriage with You at the center.

4. To forgive each other quickly.

“Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” (Colossians 3:13)

Father, enable us to forgive each other as You have forgiven us. Help us not to hold onto bitterness, keep records of wrong, or allow the enemy any foothold in our relationship. Keep our hearts sensitive to You and each other, and move us to the work of reconciliation quickly. When we are wounded, help us be honest with each other and not fear retaliation. Help us to work through our differences in a way that honors You and strengthens our relationship. Help us grow in humility and recognize when we have wounded each other. Give us Your strength to ask for and give forgiveness.

5. To know when to seek outside help.

“Listen to advice and accept discipline, and at the end you will be counted among the wise.” (Proverbs 19:20)

Father, grant us the humility and wisdom to know when our marriage needs outside help. Provide wise counsel in the form of friends, pastors, and professionals who will guide us back to You and show us how to rebuild trust and unity in a way that honors You. Help us not be afraid of the work of rebuilding our marriage or making it stronger, but instead help us each be humble and gentle and willing to grow and accept counsel.

Whether you pray individually or together as a couple, or with a group of friends who support each other by praying for your marriages, may you know the power and peace that comes from laying your burdens at the Father’s feet. 

This message was sent to me by a friend, and it was written by Amelia Rhodes, from Christianity.com. http://www.crosswalkmail.com/jvjqrfbmqsqwbnmdwthkzwczbfwnjhhnsvbzrrdvnfnjvfm_srcmrcbcrbvk.html