God wants your best!

God wants your best!

Genesis 4,offering,Cain and Abel,What God requires

God never requires more than what you already have... In Genesis 4:7 He asks Cain,  "If you do your best, will not I accept you?" In other words, all He asks of us is the best from what we already have, not our leftovers.  The expectation is found earlier in chapter 4 of Genesis by the mentioning of Cain's vocation. He was a tiller of the soil: a farmer. Our best is not that time we fit into our schedules, or the offering that we give after having paid our bills, and other expenses. Can we not plan to serve God with our time, talents, and treasure just as we plan parties, a guy’s night out, or to buy expensive items? Why is it that we can boast about work attendance and punctuality, we make sure our children go to school everyday, but we cannot seem to make it to church on time? Is that our best? Is that really what we give to God?
The adjective used to describe the fruit that Cain gave to God was "some". Is that what we give God "some" fruit? Nothing special, not the best, just "some" fruit. (On a sidenote, there are some who would argue that Cain’s sacrifice should have been one of blood. Because, in the Hebrew tradition there is no forgiveness without blood. That’s how we get to Jesus by the way. However, in the situation in Genesis 4, we don’t know the purpose of the offering. I believe their occupations were listed and then commented upon with God’s favor, or not, as a clue to the type of offering that was required of them. When we check both ideas against scripture Heb 11, they both stand well.)
God required a calf from Abel, because Abel raised animals. He required fruits from Cain, because Cain was a tiller of the ground. Notice that He did not require Abel to give fruit, nor Cain to give from a flock. If you want to know what God requires of you, look within. He’s already placed it in your care. Be it your writings, cooking, or singing, your listening ear to hurting persons, event organizing, praying, or serving. God did not place that gift in you simply so that you could sustain an Earthly life. Whatever it is, remember that you should give a portion to God, and when you give God His portion, it must be your best--in order for it and you, to be accepted by the Lord. Look again at what Abel gave to God. It was the first born from his flock, and the fattest of the firstborn. He gave God the best of the best. And that's what we should do with who we are, and what we give to God.
Another part of that scripture (Gen 4) tells how Cain was feeling after this offering. His countenance had fallen. In other words he felt rejected, and miserable because of it. Don't we feel the same way after we give God less than our best? When we present God with a version of ourselves that is not the best we can be, don't we feel our countenance has fallen? Hmmmm.

We love you, and we are praying for you.
~SALT, Pastor Erroyl and Sis. Pinky

Sis. Pinky's prayer:

Almighty God, maker of heaven and earth, we thank you for placing spiritual gifts in us. Help us to give you our best at all times, especially when it's sacrificial. Let us not allow worldly things to get us distracted nor self created idols to take the place of You. We thank you for being patient, loving, merciful, and full of grace. 

In Jesus' name we pray,

Amen

Acting on God’s Voice

Hello SALT. This is a quick, but vital lesson. Ok, not so quick. 

Listen and obey what God tells you.  Even “Godly” people say things that may contradict. Here’s one of my personal examples:

     In regards to Sickle Cell (chronic hereditary blood disorder) and this season, God has told me that “His Grace is Sufficient for me.” He’s had several corroborating scriptures to practically leap off of the page so that I didn’t miss and mess it up. Scriptures that I already knew yes, but of which I had to be reminded in this season (if you want them, let me know and I’ll send them to you). Now, I know He’s told me about His Grace... but so many people of faith come to me with “By His stripes...” and encouragement about having faith. 

    Are they wrong? Am I right? Well, the answer is, “yes”, and “no”, and “not exactly”.  I always listen to what these people are saying, even if it is completely inapplicable. Why do I listen when I know it’s not for me? A few reasons. Random order:

1) God may be using that moment to increase their confidence for evangelizing, or prophesying.

2) It’s ALWAYS good to hear scripture. It just is. 

3) Checking my spiritual barring. Same season? Mission changed? Am I still hearing “My Grace…?”

4) God may be working on my patience. My flesh, which does not like to waste time, wants to simply say, “that’s not for me, remember Paul’s thorns?”

5) Their intentions are pure. 

6) Spiritual maturation is not something you can gauge, by human means. Since we do not have the tools to accurately assess this, we shouldn’t try. Only the Holy Spirit can, and should, do this. Now the problem arises because we CAN see areas of spiritual immaturity. Mostly in others and seldom in ourselves. It’s a foolish thing to try to get someone who is not spiritually mature to understand that God works on countless, shifting seasons, and on simultaneously moving planes. It is difficult for them to understand that while God is consistently telling them that, increasing faith = their breakthrough healing, at the exact same time He’s telling me about His sufficient grace.

Of course both of these situations are mutually correct and accurate. But, it depends on the seasons, and the walks.

We love you, and we are praying for you.

Pastor, Dr. Erroyl and Sis. Pinky

SALT- Saved Anchored Living Transformed

Sis. Pinky’s Prayer: Help us God to learn to discern the season we’re in and the seasons others may be in so we may say things of the Spirit and not of the flesh.

In Jesus’s name, 

Amen

“Throw your hands in the air!”

I Throw Your Hands in the Air

In Acts 27 - Paul, other prisoners, and sailors find themselves in the midst of a great storm. There came a point when the winds were so strong that the sailors could only take their hands off of the wheel (v 15), lest the ship be tossed and broken.

There are many lessons to be learned from this event in history. 

1. Listen to advice from Godly people to avoid the storm.
2. Don't follow the majority simply because they make logical sense.
3. Some storms can be avoided.
4.  If you wind up in the storm, lighten the load - extra baggage does you no good in a storm.
5. Know whose you are. There is an abundance of knowledge, protection, relationships, opportunities, and blessings just from that knowledge alone.

The lessons that you can get from this scripture go on and on (The WORD is rich y'all)!

Primarily, but briefly, I want to focus on this one fact;  You cannot drive a ship well (safely, accurately, without serious danger) while in a storm. Even though smaller storms are easier to navigate through, and the repercussions are not as great, a small storm can seriously injure.  The size of the storm, and severity of the repercussions from the outcome, typically have a directly proportional relationship. In other words, the bigger the storm is, the more damage it can do... potentially. 

The ship in the example represents your life. As with the ship, your life has a purpose, route, and a destination. They both have a captain, a crew, and passengers.You, your family and friends, and those folks that are just along for the ride. They both have luggage, and baggage. Some things you need, and some you do not. And, they both WILL encounter storms.  

Knowing that there are storms coming can be scary. But, that also gives us the opportunity to prepare for the storms, and the opportunity to learn what to do while in the storm. Here the crew tried everything to make the situation better. Eventually it was realized that the best thing to do was take their hands away from the wheel, and allow the storm to drive them. We have to get to a point sooner or later when we realize that God is in control of the storm!  Prov 16:9  says that a man makes plans, but God makes the way. We must realize that the storm was designed by God to accomplish a purpose. Maybe to get your attention, maybe to warn you, maybe to begin or end a relationship, or maybe to call you home to glory. Regardless though, we have to take our hands off and let Him guide. Trusting Him while in the storm might be difficult, but it is vital. We tend to, just like the crew from the scripture, try everything first and eventually release the control. This surrendering is what God wants. It’s obedience. God honors this and this is when we are in His divine will. Let go of the wheel!

By the way, while your hands are off the wheel go ahead and raise them a little bit higher and give God some praise.

We love you, and we are praying for you

~Pastor Erroyl and Sis Pinky

SALT

Father, 

Help me to take my hands off the wheel in every aspect of my life. Help me to surrender and praise You for being Alpha and Omega! 

In Jesus’s name we pray, 

Amen

It takes two baby.…Do your part!

Many times we will say things like "the Lord needs to do a work in me". And while that is certainly true, sometimes what that statement does is give us a cop-out to doing the work we need to do.

The Scriptures say "Faith without works is dead" James 2:26. Because God lives outside of time, He has already begun the work in you. That is evidenced by the fact that you know work needs to be done. He placed that desire to "get it right" in you, He placed the people and situations in your path.    

That was His part. The first part for you is to believe. That is the faith. The next part -the work... Some people find it easy to work, and others find it easy to believe. You must have both. Why, because work without faith is just work... So yeah, it takes two baby.

I love you and I am praying for you. 

~Pastor Erroyl

SALT

Endure in the season: Unpacking Colossians 4

In the season: Unpacking Col 4 

It’s seasonal, but in most cases in the book of Colossians I can substitute the word and meaning of prison with ailment.  My life has been a medical rollercoaster. Like Paul, I know the reason for my bondage. So, I no longer pray for life’s inclement seasons to end. Now understanding that our Father uses ALL things to shape us. He may be using that valley that you’re going through to humble you. To make you look more like Jesus. I suspect that Jesus was not a handsome lad after having been scourged. That unexpected, right on time, unmerited blessing that you received,... yeah that was Him expanding your completely inadequate understanding of who He is.  He’s bigger than that. He’s stronger than that, and He loves you. I no longer pray for healing, for myself.... Wait, wait, wait... before you stop reading  (labeling me a lunatic no doubt) listen to this. I no longer pray for healing, for myself in regards to certain things. That may seem like an odd thing to hear a pastor or preacher say. Do I want to be healed? Yes.  Do I believe He can do it? Of course, but I know what He has told me corn this season. In many things, most notably the encephalitic coma of 2015, I am in a, “by His stripes, I am healed” situation. But, in others, most notably, Sickle Cell Disease, I am in a, “My Grace is sufficient for you” situation. It’s not time to be healed. DO NOT let anyone tell you that all you need is faith. All you need to do is believe and God will do it. First we must realize the caveat.  His volition; the Father’s will is first and foremost. Secondly, “Faith without work, dead” (James 2:26)

I also don’t pray to be stronger as I used to. Why not? He says to me that, “in your weakness, My strength is made perfect.” Seriously, why would I (anyone) ever want to use my minuscule, ever failing, constantly depleting strength, and forego His infinite stores. So, I do not pray to be stronger. I pray for Him to increase my endurance in all things. After all, “the race is not given to the swift” (Ecc 9:11), right? I pray, “...(Col 4:3) that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— “ I pray for Him to grant me knowledge. To increase my understanding, and to bless me with wisdom.  I pray for the Mind of Christ. 

(Colossians 4:2–6)

Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. 3 At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— 4 that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak. 

5 Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. 6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. 

So, while in this season, while trekking through wilderness, climbing this mountain, weathering the storm...Endure. Be ye steadfast. Do not grow weary in well-doing, Endure until the end. 

We love you SALT, and we are praying for you. .   

SALT

~Pastor Erroyl and Sis McGinty 

Sis. Pinky’s Prayer:

Lord, help us to remember that your grace is sufficient, especially during the turbulent times of our lives. We need to always rely on Your strength and not our own.

It is in the majestic name of Jesus we that we pray,  Amen. 

***SALT Ministries is based on Col 4:5-6.  We believe those two verses of scripture are poignant and encapsulate much, if not all that a church needs as its “mission”. 

Working for me

We don’t often say, “God I thank you for this trouble, this pain, this disobedient child, this stubborn spouse, or this selfish me”, but we should. The Bible day that all things work together for my good because I love Him and I’m called according to His purpose. ALL things. Bad days, yup... pain, yep. Heart ache, yes. Betrayal, yeah that too. ALL means ALL. Hallelujah! I’ve got a lot of ALL in my life. 

Gospel of the Storm

Storms can teach us a lot if we are willing to learn from them.
We can learn about ourselves. We see our shortcomings clearly, our points of fortitude, and we are forced to acknowledge endogenous weakness as well.

It's not really until there's a leak in the roof, or a crack in the foundation that you get your home inspected. In other words, the turmoil caused by the storm can be a great indicator of who we really are. If a branch is blown through a window during a storm, you get it fixed right? So, when a storm uncovers hidden issues, faults, shortcomings, and character flaws in your life... fix it. Do the work. If you don't, the next storm will wreak havoc in your life.

We can also learn about others. Their ideology, theology, politics, morals, standards, strengths and weaknesses are on display when the winds begin to blow. You don't really know the character of a person until your relationship is tested. Storms do that very well.
We can see our relationship (or lack thereof) with Christ in our response to the looming clouds. Our reaction to the storm can tell us how much, or little, we've grown in Christ. Our focus mustn't be on the storm; but on He who can calm it. So if you response is to panic, worry, or run away then maybe there is some growth that needs to happen. Your belief, or unbelief,  that God is really in control shows through during storms.

We should look to Jesus to see how to act in a storm. You know what Jesus was doing during a storm? Sleeping. (Mark 4:35-40) That's right, He was resting. And, sleeping 'good' too ;-)
I'm not going to worry, I'm going to rest in Him. How about you?
I love you, and I'm praying for you.
~Pastor Erroyl
SALT

Sis. Pinky's Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father,

We thank you for giving us a new perspective about the storms that come into our lives. Help us to rest in You and to look to the hills from where our help comes from when the typhoons of trials beat upon us. We love and thank you Jesus for being our model and for leaving us Your peace.

In Jesus' name we pray,

Amen!