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!

  

Are you convinced?

Soooo, Romans 8:37 

It has an awesome phrase in it. Most of the time we focus on that part of this scripture.  It says "we are more than conquerors through Christ". That IS awesome right? It's also true, but somehow we forget the part that precedes it. "For your sake we face death all day long... As sheep to the slaughter.'' Facing death all day long is quite a feat right? I mean ALL day long. It's not a cake walk. It's not someone posting bad comments about us on FB… it is referring to real persecution and sacrifice. Not to minimize any experience you may have, (your feelings are absolutely valid) and those can be quite painful, but perspective is needed. 

 Notice the scripture doesn't say that we are more than conquerors “in victory”. Rather, it implies that we are more than conquerors through hardships, through trials, storms, the wilderness, through valleys, through times when we must face death all day long. We are more than conquerors at times when we are as sheep being taken to emanate death.

       You see, it is easy to say that you are more than a conqueror when times are going good. But, what if your day, your ALL day long, is to face death for the sake of Christ? A political death, social death, death on your job, death of your body, a real-actual death? 

      Yes, being SALT and light requires we face death. Buuuut, with the understanding that God is with us (also in Romans 8). And, He loves us immeasurably! So much so, that whatever you face, He will not be separated from you. Whether it is a group of mean girls at school, a boss that you are convinced has it in for you, or persecution from the Roman Army; persecution in the boardroom or the mission fields, the classroom, or in the Amazon RainForest. Nothing.... No exogenous force or influence, can separate us from His Agape! 

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

So, are you convinced?!!?!!

~SALT (Saved, Anchored, Living, Transformed)

Sis. Pinky’s Prayer:

Thank you Lord for making us more than conquerors! Let us remember this often especially when hardships are ever present.

In Jesus’s name, 

Amen

We love you, and we are praying for you.

~Mouthpiece Erroyl, and Prayer-Warrior Princess Pinky 

perspective makes the difference

Perspective makes the difference... The following story is from a book that I read.. God has shown that the right perspective truly is key to loving as He loves.

"A traveler between flights at an airport. She went to a lounge and bought a small package of cookies and then sat down to read a newspaper.She became aware of a rustling noise and looked to see a neatly dressed man helping himself to the cookies. She didn’t want to make a scene, so she leaned over and took a cookie herself, hoping he would get the message. As time passed, she thought she had been successful. But then she heard more rustling. She couldn’t believe it. He was helping himself to another cookie! There was only one cookie left. While she watched in disbelief, the man broke the remaining cookie in two, pushed half across to her, popped the other half into his mouth, and left. The traveler was still furious some time later when her flight was announced. When she opened her handbag to get her ticket, imagine how shocked and embarrassed she was when she looked there and found her pack of unopened cookies!"

Maxwell, John (2010-03-12). Everyone Communicates, Few Connect:

It’s hard out here for a Christian

Hello Salt of the Earth,

Blessings to you in Jesus’ name. This did not start as a full-length devotional, but a spiritual vitamin. Well, it grew. Either way, long or short, it is a devotional that God can use to draw you closer, convict you, chastise you, reveal your true self to you, and reveal a deeper level of Himself to you.

Many people don’t want to be Christian because they see that sometimes it entails hard work, or no fun.

It’s really not that hard.  For one, we don’t operate on our own strength. Two, we can exchange our burdens with Jesus.

Micah 6:8 asks the question. (NKJV): “He has shown you, O man, what is good (righteous); And what does the Lord require of you? But to do justly, To love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?”

As for fun, the unsaved don’t know the joy that He gives His children. They think they know joy. What they experience is an emotional response to something material. Not the joy that keeps us afloat in seas, and dry in rain, and unburned in a furnace.
God bless, we love you and are praying for you. 

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

Pastor Erroyl & Sis Pinky

Sis. Pinky’s Prayer: Thank you Jesus for taking away my sin so I can have a joyful relationship with you.

Amen

Pleasing Him

"Gal 1:10 For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ." 

You can't be a people pleaser and a bondservant of Christ at the same time. Serving God, for real, will put you in direct conflict with the world. We must learn the difference between serving others as a Christian, and being a people pleaser. It starts with compromise and ends with frustration. You cannot please everyone, and you certainly cannot keep people happy...not if you are a Christian. The Gospel is offensive to sin. Conflict is inevitable. Wherever you go, you are carrying the gospel with you, just by being Christ-like. It will offend sin, and those living in sin. You may not get invited to certain events. Why? Because sin does not like to be remainder that it is sin. And, even if you do not say a word, the Holy Spirit who lives in you, cannot be hidden.  His presence in you, will cause those living in sin, discomfort. Do not flaunt piety. That’s not Godly either. Show genuine love for the sinner. After all, “...God showed His great love for us, that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.” Roman 5:8. Everyone, on the planet, has sinned. Including the saved. Since this is a fact, we should not and cannot look down on those still in the ignorance that living in sin creates.  

Even though there will be difficult conversations, lots of prayers, maybe tears, and peaceful conflicts find solace in this...In Matt 5:9 the Bible says, “Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called children of God.”  Not peacekeepers mind you. Peacekeepers will compromise to please people. Peacekeepers will overlook sin at times, people pleasers are non-confrontational, and prefer any peace they can get. They even prefer temporary peace over the confrontation and work that peacemaking requires. I'd rather have lasting peace. I’d rather please God, and be called His child. How about you?

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

Sis. Pinky’s Prayer: Show me the way to be a peacemaker and not a peacekeeper so that I may live a life that is pleasing to you.
In Jesus’s Name,
Amen

Check up time?

     Every 3000 miles our cars have to be checked. Oil, fluids, tire rotation, brakes, etc... As disciples we should also examine ourselves. We need a check up every now and again. Introspection is great and sorely needed. Why? I'm glad you asked... Because the Bible says so.

   2 Corinthians 13:5 "Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test?"  

   Here's something to consider. You might not be in the faith. Here, Paul says, "Test yourself to see if you are in the faith",  examine yourself... Think about that.
    

   So what does the test look like? It's your life... Or rather the proof of your response to the test question is found in how you live every day. The bible says that we are known by our fruit. (Matt 12:33) In other words, our actions really say whether or not we are Christians. Now, so that we are not confused, I am not talking about salvation. I'm specifically talking about being a follower of Christ, a disciple, a person who has not only been saved by grace, but transformed by His blood, into a new creature.

What do our answers look like? Are we saying one thing, yet living another? Do we live differently on Sunday mornings than the other days of the week? Are we so focused on others' issues that we don't recognize the plank in our own eyes? Are we erecting facades to fool the world?

Authentic change requires work. It's not an event; it is a PROCESS. It requires periodic self examinations, accountability, sound doctrine by which to pattern our lives, and complete and total surrender.

Take the test. Examine yourself and grade your responses, and see where you stand.

I love you, and I am praying for you.
~Pastor Erroyl
SALT

Sis Pinky's Prayer:

Father, I am a sinner saved by grace. I pray that You would continue to remind me to examine myself to see if indeed I am living a life that is fruitful. I thank you Jesus, for dying so that I may have an abundant life. Help me to not let your dying for me be in vain.

In Jesus' name I pray, Amen