VOLUME 2 - FULL by SALTY Magazine

VOLUME 2 ISSUE 1

EXCEL

LENT!

FREE DOWN

LOAD

THE GOSPEL :: BAD NEWS GONE GOOD! WWW.SALTYMAG.TV

PROPAGANDA

FOR WE KNOW THAT THE WHOLE CREATION HAS BEEN GROANING TOGETHER IN THE PAINS OF CHILDBIRTH UNTIL NOW. AND NOT ONLY THE CREATION, BUT WE OURSELVES, WHO HAVE THE FIRSTFRUITS OF THE SPIRIT, GROAN INWARDLY AS WE WAIT EAGERLY FOR ADOPTION AS SONS, THE REDEMPTION OF OUR BODIES/

ROMANS 8.22-23

WWW.SALTYMAG.TV

THE

SPR INK LE 02

INSIDE COVER Tyler van der Hoeven www.portolio.tylerv.me

FORETASTE Editor’s Word by Robyn-Ann Lawson

MUSIC VIDEO Thou Art The Christ by The Voice

SERMON JAM John Piper and Britt Merrick

WHAT’S SO GOOD ABOUT THE GOSPEL? by Ramses Preshad

SALVATION BELONGS TO THE LORD (NOT US) by TD

SPOKEN WORD The Gospel by Propaganda

AFTERTASTE Is The Gospel Still Good After Salvation? by Robyn-Ann Lawson

SUBSCRIBE TO SALTY LAYOUT DESIGN: Juliet Symes COVER IMAGE DESIGN: Charis Tsevis

WWW.SALTYMAG.TV

VOLUME 2 ISSUE 1

FORETASTE

editor@saltymagazine.com

“

It’s important to evangelize our own heart daily with the sweetness of the gospel.

“

@evangelistmatt @SALTYmag

Twitter: @SALTYMag Facebook.com/SALTYMagazine

his summer, as SALTY celebrated the 2nd anniversary of what I thought would be a one-time project in 2010, I became overwhelmed by the reality of the great vision the Lord had given me to steward. Even more, I saw where I could run it into the ground before God even had a chance to build it, due to selfish zeal. So I paused for 3 months to pray and intentionally wait on His prompting. In doing so, I was refreshed again by the amazing simplicity and power of the Gospel. Good news so big that it will take all of history to tell it fully, but a message so common that those with ears to hear and eyes to see can embrace its benefits and freedom today. Without God’s full judgment yet being established, all men already stand condemned. Yet the son of God has Himself come to ransom and save those seeking to escape this corrupt generation and flesh. By the Spirit He draws us, and overwhelms us with a grace that reforms sinful appetites to instead thirst for righteousness. Even further, this same Gospel empowers us to become the very ambassadors of God in this foreign land. Both slave and oppressor, victim and prey, sex slave and sex buyer, murderer and liar, the cheated and the thief – all being rescued and pursued by grace and mercy. Where else has this been seen? Whose God so good?! The stories countless.. the souls humbled. I’ve recommitted myself and SALTY to this Gospel, for I am not ashamed of the power of God that continues to save me daily. Today’s America would mock my pursuit of God and call it elusive, depressing, and foolish, but where has their relentless “pursuit of happiness” gotten them? Greed, lust, and insatiable dissatisfaction leading to top rankings for suicides, sickness, and depression worldwide. Beloved, do not fight to keep a life enslaved to sin and the prince of this world. Those who fight to save this life and any good in it will only lose it. But those who lose their lives to gain Christ will live by abiding in life Himself. “Eternal life is to know Christ and the One who sent Him.” Come, let’s give ourselves to the Lord and His glorious kingdom of righteousness, truth, and justice – for the King is coming and all not found in His standard of holiness (Christ) will not stand. Our God is a consuming fire, let’s burn!

Robyn-Ann Lawson 4

WWW.SALTYMAG.TV

MUSIC

VIDEO

Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being.

MATT 16.15-17

THOU ART THE CHRIST [ BY THE VOICE ] 6

WWW.SALTYMAG.TV

WINNER

MINISTERS CHOICE AWARD

PHOENIX

PLATINUM BEST OF SHOW AWARD FOR A DOCUMENTARY ISSUE

NEW MEDIA FILM FESTIVAL

AURORA FILM AWARDS

2011

WINNER

GRAND PRIZE FOR BEST FIRST-TIME DOCUMENTARY CALIFORNIA FILM AWARDS 2011

FINALIST

TRANSFORMING STORIES INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN FILM FESTIVAL 2011

WINNER

33RD ANNUAL TELLY AWARDS

SILVER AWARD

NON-BROADCAST PRODUCTIONS FOR SOCIAL ISSUES

2012

WINNER

AWARD OF EXCELLENCE CANADA FILM FESTIVAL 2012

WINNER

AWARD OF MERIT

FOR A FEATURE DOCUMENTARY

ACCOLADE COMPETITION 2011

"One of the most compelling documentaries ever made" -Movie Guide

Go behind the veil of the sex industry. ON DVD AND BLU-RAY EXCLUSIVELY AT N E F A R I O U S D O C U M E N T A R Y . C O M 100% of ALL proceeds will go to COMBAT the global crisis of sex slavery. WATCH THE TRAILER

SERMON

JAM WHAT ISTHE [ GOSPEL? BY JOHN PIPER+BRITT MERRICK ] WHAT’S THE POINT OF THE GOSPEL? FOR CHRIST ALSO SUFFERED ONCE FOR SINS, THE RIGHTEOUS FOR THE UNRIGHTEOUS,TO BRING YOU TO GOD / 1 Peter 3:18 The point of the Gospel? Not your forgiveness, not to get to heaven, but to get to God! Jesus Christ the son of God, the Righteous One, died for your sins, raised triumphant over his enemies, to offer a right standing with God by faith alone, to bring us to GOD. God Himself is the Gospel, the Good News! What we gain most through the forgiveness of Christ, is God himself! The only righteousness, hope, mercy and strength that we will ever need, and be able to bank on. Not your own strength or good works... but Gods righteousness and mercy towards you, daily. Hallelujah!

WWW.SALTYMAG.TV

t u o b a d o o g o s 's t a h W

? L E P S O THE G [ BY RAMSES PRESHAD ]

he Gospel. When I hear those words, a million things begin to run through my mind; Forgiveness, redemption, grace, adoption, reconciliation, joy, fatherhood. Unfortunately, I remember growing up in the church and having a very anemic understanding of what the gospel truly was. Perhaps, this is why it didn’t affect me for so many years. As silly as it may sound, my understanding was that one day I would stand before God, and before Him, He would have this scale. On one side of the scale would be my good deeds and on the other, my bad deeds. My understanding was that if my good deeds outweighed my bad deeds then I would gain access into heaven. Immediately, you can see my two fatal errors: One was a dependence on my own “righteousness” to be acceptable before God

& the other was a focus on gaining heaven & not Jesus. Two errors that are more common in the American Church than one would dare to believe. The most interesting part of it all was that this concept of “good deeds vs. bad deeds” was never taught explicitly at my church. However, it was very much implied by the lives of the people who I fellowshipped with every Sunday.

What a miserable walk it is, to claim to follow Christ and still carry the weigh t of the Law on your shoulders. Consequently, many of the guys and girls I grew up with in the church are no longer following

WWW.SALTYMAG.TV

Christ. They were pinned down with a burden that was impossible to bear. What a miserable walk it is, to claim to follow Christ and still carry the weight of the Law on your shoulders. Barely making it through the day - focused on doing the “right” things so that you may add another tally mark to your list of “good deeds”. Going to sleep every night hoping you “did enough” to stand acceptable before God. If that weren’t enough, I remember finally hearing the Gospel faithfully preached and my hope beginning to slip through my hands...

MY GOD REQUIRED

PERFECTION. How was I ever going to stand acceptable before Him, now!? Perfection wasn’t a standard that I could ever attain! But just as quickly as my hope in my own righteousness slipped through my hands, I looked up and found Christ clothing me in His righteousness, His perfection. It was as if scales had fallen from my eyes and suddenly I was able to grasp the Gospel of Christ. The good news was that this Man had not only lived the perfect life I couldn’t, but that He now offered His perfect righteousness to me, freely. Not because I had earned it, not because of anything I had accomplished but because of a love that finds its source in eternity past.

So, my perspective shifted. I was no longer preoccupied so much with heaven but my focus became this Man. Who was He? I must get to know Him! What type of love is this that takes hold of a man and causes Him to endure suffering and death on a cross for a people so undeserving? What was the length and breadth of this love? How deep and how wide? My vision became myopic. My zeal, enflamed. My heart, ravished. Truly, no greater love is there than this, that a man should lay down his life for his friends. But it doesn’t end there. Not only had this man declared me righteous, not only had He Justified me, once and forever, before the Father; but now He called me son. The God of the universe, this Being that breathes stars to life & fashioned the universe by the works of His hands, adopted me into His family & now calls Himself my Father! What joy! We often times focus so much on ‘justification’ and ‘imputed righteousness’ and ‘propitiation’, but none of these things mean anything if their ultimate end wasn’t a restored relationship with our Father. Christ’s passion to see His people reconciled with the Father was so great, that it ultimately led to his death. And it is this same zeal that causes someone like me to lay down my life for His kingdom & for His glory. The same zeal that consumed Christ, and led Him to die, fuels my own zeal in return and causes me to die-to-self and live for His name sake.

MY HOPE

IN MY OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS

slipped through my hands

I LOOKED UP & FOUND

CHRIST clothing me in

HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS

HIS PERFECTION

WWW.SALTYMAG.TV

SALVATION

BELONGS TO

THE us LORD not

[ BY TD ]

++ The Sinner’s Prayer and The Gospel ++ Have you ever taken a day to sit back and think, why do churches do the things they do? It is easy to believe all the practices we’ve been born into are normal, but are they really? Just because we practice certain traditions for years, does that mean those traditions are from the word of God? See, the thing about traditions is that they’re not bad. After all, Paul exhorted the saints of God to “…hold the traditions…” they had been taught by the apostles (2 Thess 2:15, 3:16). Yet this same Paul warned the Colossians to beware, “lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after tradition of men…and not after Christ.” (Col 2:8). So you see traditions can be positive or negative. But we have to be careful lest we, “make the command of God of none effect by [our] tradition.” (Matt 15:6)

WWW.SALTYMAG.TV

Why the concern about traditions? Well consider one tradition that has been added to the preaching of the Gospel. That man centered incantation called, “The Sinner’s Prayer”. Have you ever wondered where it came from? What are the origins of this tradition? Well most Christians would quickly point you to Romans 10. After all doesn’t it say, “if you confess with your mouth…” That’s what is says, but what does it mean? Was Paul teaching in Romans 10 that the prescribed means to gather the sheep of God is to tell them to repeat an incantation after you? More heinous is the assurance people are given that the repetition of said incantation is evidence they are now saved.

Saved. Really?

If this sinner’s prayer is a biblical tradition that ought to be attached to the Gospel, why didn’t the Lord ever use it in His ministry? Furthermore why didn’t His apostles practice the sinner’s prayer after their Gospel presentations? Can you imagine the Apostle Paul inviting His audiences after His bold declaration of the Gospel in Acts 17, “Now with every head bowed, and every eye closed, if you feel God tugging at your heart right now go ahead and raise your hand…now repeat after me, ‘Dear God, I’m sorry for my sins…’”

Sounds ridiculous doesn’t it?

Brethren, the problem with the sinner’s prayer is that it gives man the opportunity to usurp the role of the Holy Spirit in God’s redemption plan. Each member of the Trinity has a role in the redemption plan. The Father predestined those whom He would save (Romans 9:11-13; Eph 1:3-4; Acts 13:48), the Son died for those whom He would save (John 3:16; Romans 5:8), and the Spirit is the Regenerator of those chosen to be saved (John 3:3-6; Titus 3:5). Therefore, when you instruct a sinner to repeat an incantation and then assure them of their salvation on the basis of that incantation, you’re deceiving them into believing they have been definitively regenerated by a decision. Hence, the sinner’s prayer is often denounced under the label “decisional regeneration”. Type that into youtube. A video awaits you by Lane Chaplin that will unveil the history of this unbiblical tradition that started in the 1800s.

WWW.SALTYMAG.TV

sinners condemned under the law of God, in Reader you may be wondering why need of the blood of Christ to save us from our sins and free us from the condemnation of make such a big fuss about the the law (Galatians 3:13). And what God calls us sinner’s prayer? It’s simple, the Gospel in response to the preaching of the Gospel is repentance from our sins, and faith in the work is precious and we need to let the of Jesus Christ (Mark 1:15; Acts 20:21). members of the Trinity receive their due Let’s end this. glory in the collecting of God’s sheep. When the rich young ruler ask the Lord what This particular practice does not give the Holy Spirit His glory in the Gospel. He is the one who takes men from that state of being dead in their sins, to being “born again” (John 3:5-8; Eph 2:5). He alone has the power to change their God hating hearts and confirm their salvation to them (Romans 8:7). Like Romans 8:16 records, “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God”. Notice the verse doesn’t say, “The sinner’s prayer bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.” No, it triumphantly attests that it is the Spirit who bears that witness.

he must do to inherit eternal life, the Lord didn’t reply, “Oh just repeat after me…” On the contrary He asked him why he called Him good. He went on to take the man through the law to expose his sin. Instead of the man repenting and being broken, he tried to justify himself (Luke 18:18-25).

ONCE THE

HOLY SPIRIT

CONVICTS YOU, A SINNER’S PRAYER

WILL POUR OUT OF YOUR MOUTH

Furthermore, the sinner’s prayer can make the Gospel appear like a ticket to heaven. An incantation you repeat to soothe the damning testimony of your conscience. That is why many people who are not saved, living in sin, hasting to hell, appeal to a sinner’s prayer at one point in their life as evidence they are saved. Thus that incantation purchased them their ticket to Heaven. They are “good”.

AS YOU ARE

CONVICTED WITH

YOUR SINFULNESS

No, they are not good. The Bible testifies that there is none good, no not one. We are all

Reader, if you are confronted with your sinfulness, respond in repentance from your sins and faith in the final atoning work of Christ. Once the Holy Spirit convicts you, a sinner’s prayer will pour out of your mouth as you are confronted with your sinfulness against the backdrop of God’s holiness. Nobody will have to lead you in it.

Do the same when you evangelize. Let the Holy Spirit do His work. He doesn’t need your help. Cherish the Gospel. Honor God. Selah.

WWW.SALTYMAG.TV

SPOKEN

WORD

[ BY PROPAGANDA ]

WWW.SALTYMAG.TV

IS THE

GOSPEL STILL

GOOD AFTER

SALVATION? [ BY ROBYN-ANN LAWSON ]

AFTERTASTE

he Gospel is only as good as God is good.

The moment we begin relying on our good efforts rather than God’s finished work, the Gospel loses its relevance and value. Even after being justified, we retain the joy of our salvation by continuing to practice the repentance and faith in Christ alone that redeemed us in the first place. It is the power of Christ that saves us, and the power of Christ that keeps us saved – what an enduring Gospel! Sin and self-righteousness must be continually warred against as the enemy of our souls – whether big or small; let’s not settle for conquering “big sins” then accepting “small sins” as okay before God, because our good deeds now outweigh the bad. Decide in advance to never agree with your sin or struggle, but to side with God about your sinfulness and receive His grace and His pruning daily. As Paul patterns in 2 Corinthians 12:9, boast in your weakness “so that the power of Christ may rest upon you”. If offended or found in conflict with His Word, conclude that God has a standard and you are not it. Quickly ask for humility and the revelation to grasp His mercy and wisdom in every situation – in suffering and in rejoicing, in the routine and in the adventurous, in His commands and in His silence. Meditate on His right-ness (righteousness) and take comfort in the reality that God alone is good and wise. Do not be conformed to the prideful thinking of this world, “but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2). Even now, for many “in the church”, God is

WWW.SALTYMAG.TV

better, maybe, than all the bad news out there. At least this offer promises a ticket out of eternal misery, if we choose to give up all our fun on the earth right now. What a deal!

becoming increasingly unreasonable the more they learn about Him. As Matt Chandler mentions in his book The Explicit Gospel, our culture has been successful in convincing the majority that “it’s we who are good, and God who is fallen”. Angry, murderous, anti-women’s rights, demanding, distant and irrational – they are convinced this is a God who made up an impossible standard and now wants to shove perfectly “good” people in hell for not meeting it. So even though many hear (and even respond to) a gospel preaching, they don’t really feel it’s good news – just

Most will not confess this, but demonstrate their true belief by the apathetic and lukewarm regard they now have for their faith. The Gospel is now repetitive, worship only emotional, reading the Bible brings no benefit and prayer proves purposeless. The reality is, God was not received as “Good” in the first place – just convenient. Many times, a deal was only made that they thought would lead to selfimprovement and bartering for benefits – but the kingdom of God is not a democracy! There is one King and one Lord, whose government shall reign forever in holiness and excellence. Every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord of all – abandon your defense now and receive His sacrifice for your sins. All who go before His Supreme Court without the Advocate will be proven foolish and guilty (John 14:6).

DECIDE IN ADVANCE

TO NEVER AGREE

WITH YOUR SIN

OR STRUGGLE

BUT TO SIDE

WITH GOD

ABOUT YOUR

SINFULNESS

+ RECEIVE HIS

GRACE + HIS PRUNING

DAILY 17

WWW.SALTYMAG.TV

Saints, let’s guard our hearts from this great falling away! I am praying that by grace Psalm 119 truly becomes our anthem, and that we can exclaim with the author in verse 68: “Father you are good, and what you do is good; teach me your decrees.” Disciples, fight to retain the sweetness of the Gospel that was “preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast” (1 Corinthians 15:1-2). Taste and see that the Lord is good… then keep drinking!

REDemption Issue coming this January!

SAVOR AND SUBSCRIBE Click here to receive our monthly updates + issue releases

Volume 2 Issue 2

Remembering

Haiti

REDemption::PRICE+PURPOSE WWW.SALTYMAG.TV

www.saltymag.tv

THE

SPR INK LE 02

Inside Cover Marisol Fumy Facebook.com/marisolfumy

FORETASTE Editor’s Word by Robyn-Ann Lawson

06 REMEMBER HAITI by Haitian Pearl 08 DEFINING REDEMPTION by Georges Dumaine 10 SPOKEN WORD Bridal Price by David Bowden 11

WALK WORTHY by Gayon Bramwell

13 SERMON JAM Radical by David Platt 14 AFTERTASTE Here Goes Nothing by Suzanne Delica 15

MUSIC VIDEO Grace Amazing by Jimmy Needham

16 SUBSCRIBE TO SALTY 3

www.saltymag.tv

LAYOUT DESIGN: Juliet Symes Cover Image: by Da joPhotography.com

Volume 2 Issue 2

FORETASTE Redemption comes with a price. Redemption comes for a purpose. Many disciples of Jesus have forgotten this, or were never taught how to live out this reality. If you were granted the mercy of coming before the throne of grace and receiving forgiveness for your sins, it’s because Jesus paid a price and because Holy Spirit has a purpose. Like Dan Allender reminded us last night at the Exodus Cry Abolition Summit, “God did not just forgive your sins, He plans to use them!”

editor@saltymagazine.com

Redeeming Love Redeeming Love, by Francine Rivers is a historical romance novel set in the 1850s Gold Rush in California. The story is inspired by the book of Hosea from the Bible. Its central theme is to portray the redeeming love of God towards sinners.

Let’s get over ourselves and our excuses, and realize that a man did not intentionally bleed Himself to death on a cross just so we could add weekly church and bedtime prayers to our schedule. There are numerous good works stored up for us to do, before we were even born, for us to reveal the goodness and greatness of God (“for we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2.10). There is much darkness yet to be dispelled with our light, social domains still needing to be pierced with truth, and perverse industries awaiting transformation by the power of the Gospel. We all have a different circle of influence and will need to give account for what we did with such a great salvation. The same God that saved you CAN set your family and friends free from their own shame and baggage. BELIEVE. But also know that faith not evidenced by works is dead (James 2.17). #GetInTheGame Pause and imagine for a second that the next breath of freedom you are about to inhale cost something (because it did).. now decide, what will you use it to do?

Live Life On Purpose,

Robyn-Ann Lawson Twitter: @SALTYMag Facebook.com/SALTYMagazine

www.saltymag.tv

Haiti I

t has been said that you are the “Pearl of the Caribbean” and it has also been seen the extent to which Satan will go to try and steal, kill and destroy. But regardless of where you’ve been or how you feel, there is hope for you in the gospel of Jesus Christ. There is a King coming back to reign forever and He will reign in righteousness over you for all nations do presently and will always belong to Him. What we do not see with our eyes will become openly manifest – His lordship, His light, His love. And before the Great Day of His return, there will be a song heard from you, which will say, “Glory to the Righteous One!” I know that God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the wise, and it’s only a matter of time before this is seen in greater measure. Lord, may You have a remnant of lovers and worshippers of You from this people for it is what You are due and it is what You died for. May a song be heard from this nation, a song of praise to our God. By Christopher P. Tofilon Worship Leader, IHOP-KC

www.saltymag.tv

HaitiANpearl Serving a Nation Through Night and Day Prayer and Works of Justice

Meaning Behind the “Pearl”

Our primary means of partnering with the Lord for Haiti is through intercession. We believe that the government of God is released through agreement with His heart in prayer, so wee seek to serve intercessors for Haiti both within and without of the nation by casting vision, providing resources, and creating a network of those who labor together in prayer for the nation. As a natural overflow of prayer, we also seek to serve practical needs in Haiti through Christ-centered works of justice.

Discovering the Pearl

ur goal is to partner with the Lord as He loves and serves the nation of Haiti. We believe that He desires to bring Haiti for as a chosen people and a royal priesthood before him (1Peter 2:9). As the Haitian people enter into their identity before God, the natural overflow is the coming of His Kingdom to every sphere of Haitian society.

Years before she was deemed “the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere,” Haiti was called the “Pearl of the Caribbean.” Most pearls to today are made with human intervention, but a true pearl is formed over years, hidden from view inside of an oyster, where something painful is turned into something beautiful. We believe that Haiti is one such pearl, and that Jesus Christ is the divine merchant who gave everything to have her as His own (Matthew 13:45-46).

Discovering the Pearl (DTP) is a video series broken up in short 5-7 minute chapters that feature different people’s journey of how God grips their heart to love and pray for Haiti. Our hope is that as you watch inspiring narratives of God moving on others’ hearts, He’ll also move on yours to join the movement: serving Haiti through intercession and true works of justice! With Haiti commemorating the 3rd year anniversary of the earthquake, help spread the message that Haiti’s greatest need before economic, political and social reform is prayer by sharing this video and gathering people to pray for this beautiful pearl: Haiti.

7 www.saltymagazine.com

DEFINING

Re demp tion

[ BY GEORGEs DUMAINE ]

www.saltymag.tv

REDEMPTION: GOD DEEMING MAN WORTHY

o I was thinking the other day: If redemption comes from redeem, then where does redeem come from? The root word for redemption and redeem is deem, which means to assign value to or to judge (Miriam Webster). It was also interesting to see that deem is connected to the Old English word doom, which is exactly what we all were: doomed! Like coming home with a pink referral slip from your second grade teacher for the third time… or the pink slip from the doctor’s office saying you’ve got terminal cancer or that you’re HIV positive. Doomed.

deemed “others” unworthy of all that we felt entitled to (love, opportunity, freedom, worth, etc). In the dark alleys of human history, right as the thugs Sin and Death held the world hostage at gunpoint… Jesus showed up. Yes, the only begotten son of the Father came to save the day! “How?” you ask? Well, though infinitely profound, it’s simple: it’s what we call “the Gospel.” You see, Jesus wasn’t just God made flesh, he was God made guilty. His death on the cross paid the penalty for our sins in exchange for our forgiveness (Hebrews 9.24-28). And it was His triumphant come back from Sin and Death’s fatal blow that guaranteed our adoption into the family of God where we, by faith, become coheirs in the eternal inheritance if we choose to place our trust in Him (Romans 8.14-17). That is why the gospel is such good news! All that we were was given to Him, so that all that He is could be given to us. It’s why we call Him, “Redeemer.” He re deemed us worthy by re assigning glorious value to our dark and depleted souls. Even the most stanch atheists tear up or come alive when watching a movie or hearing a story of unexpected victory for the underdog. It’s all plagiarized from the story of all stories: The Redemption of the Human Race. One question remains, where do you find yourself in this story? Have you been re deemed? (Colossians 1.13-14)

"Redeemer" He re deemed us

worthy by re assigning glorious value

to our souls dark+depleted

“But, why? Aren’t we all pretty good people?” No, we’re not. “But wouldn’t it depend on whose standards we’re judging up against?” No. It doesn’t. Even if we were all judged against the lowest of our standards, if examined closely, we still wouldn’t pass. Like the super competitive athletic bully who can’t keep his own made up rules, we too, constantly break our own standards... or come up with really “good” excuses and exceptions for them.

Because of our brazen disobedience against God, we all were condemned to eternal separation from Him, which being the source of life, always leads to death. Our ongoing repeated offenses justified heaven’s verdict: guilty. And if that wasn’t bad enough, now ridden with fear, selfishness and pride as a consequence from being separated from God, we all became “children of Cain” and turned on each other, making our brother our enemy. To appease these maligned consciences in a fight for worth and power, we took borrowed strength that was given to us from God for good and used it for evil instead. With labels, stereotypes and fear induced lies, we oppressed each other and 9

With all that said, I wonder where the word freedom comes from? Email me your thoughts! gdumaine@haitianpearl.org Georges Dumaine Executive Director www.haitianpearl.org

www.saltymag.tv

SPOKEN

WORD

[ BY DA VID BO WD EN ]

Matthew 26:39-27:38

www.saltymag.tv

Walk Worthy [ byGAYON BRAMWELL ]

Think: eBay

connected to someone who is highly esteemed.

he concept is simply stupendous. You sign up as a merchant (seller) of your own goods - whether old, new, or lightly used - and sell (auction) them at a reasonable price. Buyers, finding your goods to be a worthy price, can bid on your item, and whoever is if the highest bidder, wins the online auction of your item. Simple and yet profound.

On a list of the 10 Most Shocking Things ever sold on eBay, several items cause me to have a dumbfounded look or just sheer grimace:

What makes eBay a crystal ball of culture is it lends itself to an aerial view of how we are constantly showing something or someone has worth. Merchant 1 buys a UF blanket for $20; sells it for $50 to bidder #37. Merchant 2 sells the same UF blanket with Tim Tebow’s signature for $500, to bidder #2500. Simple example with some simple truth. We ascribe worth to different things; and more worth to things that are

• An imaginary friend

• A baby • A Grandmother • An old wet suit

• The fingernails of a serial killer The above items are definitely shocking. While selling an old wet suit, an imaginary friend, or fingernails are mildly amusing, a baby or a grandmother are not. Simply put, it’s sad. Who could possibly ascribe the highest value for the life of a human? Better yet, who would know it?

www.saltymag.tv

Now think: Jesus Jesus chose to reveal the value and worth of a life over 2,000 years ago. In an Olympic display of love, justice, and desperation, Jesus volunteered his very own pockets, his bank account, his royal trust funds, yes, his life, for the sake of all humanity to know God. If just pure economics, this exchange was and seems ridiculous. Why would God give up His son for believers who have not guaranteed a love reciprocated? In other words, why would God make such a huge risk? Why would God allow His Son to die on a cross for an eternal relationship with Him, with a risky return-oninvestment? The risk-factor says it all. I have a holy hunch, a conjecture, that God knows a lot about love. He wins the superlative on Most Emotionally Intelligent and we would do well to watch Him. Love without risk makes for lame scripts of sub-par, weak and pathetic lame, fake, lame, stale - did I say lame?” - words and actions of affection. It’s the risk of not being loved, that makes the work of love noncounterfeit. Ever wonder during holiday season how to budget a gift for a close friend? The universal dilemma surfaces, “What if they don’t get me something of equal or more value? or nothing at

risk. He offers His Son with no guarantee of reciprocated love in return. He proved that nothing in history is more valuable than His precious creation – humans. And requires no guarantee of love in return… ever depicting for eternity that His love is on a “whol-nother” level. Epic. God’s eBay bid for our lives was His son. Think about that. If you were on sale, on eBay right now, God would give His only Son, for you. Echoing for eternity will be this fact: God looks at humanity and counts us worthy. Valuable. Wanted. Precious. His thoughts towards us are not meager. They are plentiful! Think about His thoughts, if you could. <Pause>. Now think about your thoughts.<Pause.> You can know exactly how you’ve been thinking by looking at your actions. When you review your schedule, your finances, your love life, the way you pray, are you counting Him as worthy? Knowing that we ascribe worth to something or someone through the trade-offs of our money, time, and skills/abilities, could we actually say that we reflect the “worthiness” of God? Do we actually show to the world, and yes to Him, that we find Him worthy? Looking at the excruciating death and depth of grace that we have received, can we boldly state that we live a life worthy of the Good News of Christ?

Do we actually show to the world,

and yes to Him, that we find Him

worthy?

all?” And then, you realize how much you love them and are willing to come up “short” in their gift to you. Or you under-deliver because, hey, no one goes all-out and gets an extravagant gift for a friend. Right? Oh boy! So what does God do? He takes a gargantuan 12

Can we say that our thoughts, our agendas, our motivations, our financial habits, and what we do privately and publicly are worth the sacrifice of the Son of God? Let me know your thoughts, email gwelltravaille@gmail.com

www.saltymag.tv

SERMON

JAM [ BY DAVID PLATT ]

Radical

Whoever does not

bear his own+ cross

come after me

cannot be

my disciple. 13

www.saltymag.tv

LUKE 14.27

Here Goes Nothing

or Everything? [ By Suzanne Delica ] AFTERTASTE

t’s a phrase you use when you are about to partake on some adventure or take on some challenge you are not 100% certain what the outcome will be. Somewhat like YOLO, “here’s goes nothing” is a dare to enter an uncharted territory of spontaneity, risk, and even fear. But, you are so tempted to experience the unknown as the adrenaline rush from uncertainty flows through your veins and turns into sweaty palms and heavy breathing. Thoughts of “can’t turn back now...” paralyze any sound judgment or attempt to be logical. So you JUMP!!! Off that 765 ft. cliff into an abyss of “idk” and “wth did I just do!” All because you felt you had nothing to lose when you said “here goes nothing.” 14

www.saltymag.tv

What if Christians had this same attitude towards the power of the Blood of Jesus? What if Christians said faithfully “here goes everything,” by giving their fears, doubts, and concerns to God in order to overcome? What if instead of YOLO, Christians chanted carpe diem (cheers to making the most of the present, with little thought of tomorrow)? Because Jesus gave everything including His last breath for your sake--so that you can be free to jump off that same 765 ft. cliff BUT into a sea of freedom, forgiveness, and favor forever...as heirs with Him. The Good News encourages you: Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. -1 Corinthians 9:24-25 As redeemed heirs, there is no real reason to question God’s Word; by doing so you take away from the journey of miracles, joy rides, and surprises God has in store. However, if you ever find yourself questioning your decision to fully receive God’s REDemption, remember you gave everything and in return God gives you “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”(Galatians 5:2223) Now, ask yourself where else can I get that in exchange for nothing?

MUSIC

GRACE amazing

[ BY JI MM Y NE ED HA M ]

www.saltymag.tv

VIDEO

savor and subscribe Click here to receive our monthly updates + issue releases

It’s not a

feeling

Volume 2 Issue 3

Don’t Waste Your

Singleness

A brother’s

God’s registered

apology

trademark C ornelius

to sisters

Lindsey

LOVE vs GOD WWW.SALTYMAG.TV

Mrs. H Love

www.saltymag.tv

THE

SPR INK LE Inside Cover Art by Melissa Leslie MLoveStudio.com

FORETASTE Editor’s Word by Robyn-Ann Lawson

AN APOLOGY by Barnabas Johnson

07 VIDEO BLOG by Joe Solomon 10 LOVE by Cornelius Lindsey 13

GOT LOVE? by LaBridgette Williams

15 SPOKEN WORD by Ezekiel + Janette.ikz 16

LOVE IS NOT A FEELING by Carlie Harford

17 SERMON JAM by Jimmy Needham, John Piper, Mark Driscoll 18 AFTERTASTE God’s Registered Trademark by Robyn-Ann Lawson 19

MUSIC VIDEO by TJay+Level3.16

20 SUBSCRIBE TO SALTY 3

www.saltymag.tv

LAYOUT DESIGN: Juliet Symes Cover Image: Cornelius Lindsey

Volume 2 Issue 3

FORETASTE Therefore, as God’s chosen people

holy and dearly loved clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility,

gentleness + patience.

Bear with each other + forgive one another

if any of you has a grievance

against someone.

editor@saltymagazine.com

“It’s easy to love when a person is treating you the way you want to be treated, but it’s painful to love them when they don’t. The interesting thing about the biblical definition of love is that you don’t know if you have it until it’s tested. If love truly exists, it will never end. “Yes, love does hurt,” but the hurt produces in you humility, if you allow it. Let’s love through the pain, and love like Jesus!” -Lisa Fields on

Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

+ over all these virtues

put on love which binds them all

together

in perfect unity. Colossians 3:12-14 A welcome from Robyn-Ann Lawson

Twitter: @SALTYMag Facebook.com/SALTYMagazine

www.saltymag.tv

Who do you FIGHT for? fightsextrafficking.org

To all the

sisters

I hurt that I love, S

isters, please stop letting these dudes hurt you and treat you like crap. Stop chasing dudes, and trying to change them. Chase God and the right man will come. Chase God and the pain will disappear. Let God be your man and watch how many good men you will find.

[ from Barnabas Johnson ]

I just talked to one of my exes and discovered how bad I have hurt so many people. Not because I was a â&#x20AC;&#x153;horrible guyâ&#x20AC;?, but because I was not a man of God. If a man is not of God, he is of this world. He will be influenced by worldly things. He will not see your heart and see you for who God has made you to be. He will see your body or the outer appearance. He will never know your true worth. The arguments, the fights, breakups, pain, suffering, and pain will always be there. Chase God instead and he will come. I want to say sorry for being that worldly man that just wanted sex, or your attention to host 6

www.saltymag.tv

VIDEO

BLOG

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Waste Your

Singleness

[ by Joe Solomon ]

7 www.saltymagazine.com

www.saltymag.tv

my own ego. Sorry for the lies and pain. Sorry for the “I love you” that had no meaning. Sorry for the “I was asleep” when I was with the next chick. Sorry for the harmful words and names I called you only to hurt your feelings or degrade you. Sorry for having you pay for dates when I could have, so many times. Sorry for talking to your best friend behind your back. Sorry for saving other girls’ names under guy names to make you secure. Sorry for telling you I was busy and making time for the number 2 and 3. Sorry for breaking up on special holidays only to save money. Sorry for making you seem wrong when you were always right. SORRY FOR DESTROYING YOUR HEART AND PERCEPTION OF MEN, forcing you to be an object rather than a woman. Sorry for coming home late and saying I was with the boys. I am so sorry for the pain I have caused, and that others dudes after and before me continuously cause in your life. I am now a man of God and know if I was back then, I would have treated you differently. Now a man of God will see you for your heart. He will be attracted to you for the way you love his Father. You will have to reach him through God and not the worldly mediums. He will never cheat on you because he fears hurting you, but he will not cheat on you because he fears disappointing God. He will never compromise your walk for his worldly pleasures, like sex and greed. But he will guard your heart and protect you from men’s earthly desires. He will not ask to spend time with you after hours alone because he knows that will only set the relationship up for failure. He will make sure you are at church with him every Sunday. A man of God will ask you to pray with him when times get hard. A real man will guide you to the word of God and will not follow the laws set forth by this world, but by his Father. He will do devotions with you. He will ask you how was your day, but not forget how was your walk with God today. With a man of God, your relationship will not have bad days because the foundation is with his Father. In times of adversity he will seek God for guidance. When he messes up, he will admit he is wrong and ask for your forgiveness. He will not let a day go by with anger on his heart. My sisters, this is the man you need. 9

What I am saying is, don’t chase a man, but chase God first and that good man will come. God will not give you a good man if you are not ready and walking with Him. Prepare yourself for this good man God has for you. God will not put His child in harm’s way. Will a father give his child up to an individual he knows would cause harm? One more thing, you won’t find this man in the club. You won’t find him in a bar. He won’t be the guy that “hollas” at you because he thinks you’re fine. He will be that guy who gets to know you as a friend first, but figures out that the entire time, his friend was his wife. I am talking about a friendship through Christ. Instead asking you questions about sex, he will ask you questions about marriage and your walk with God. Better yet let me say it this way. It is easy to find a good man in the world who seems like he is perfect in the beginning. But a perfect man is found through Christ, that man of God. So stop wasting your time jumping from male to male, or searching for that “do right” man. Run to God and watch your life change. Not only would you find the man God chose for you, but you will discover true joy in life and contentment in Christ. There is so much I could and want to say, but to sum it up: chase after a relationship with Christ. The energy you put into a man put it into God. He is a jealous God and will take away that man you think is perfect. Give God 100 percent and you will get it back. For a long time, I wondered why I felt so lonely and needed someone in my life -- but not until I found Christ did I realize He was the one I needed all along. It is easy to be single if you are constantly chasing after him. Get to know Christ’s heart. His likes and dislike. What He did on His free time. His concerns. His favorite things. If you ask He will let you know. My sisters, I say this because I love you and only want to protect your hearts. CHASE GOD AND NOT MEN.

www.saltymag.tv

ove is more than a four-letter word. It is an action. It is a bold statement. It is a life worth living. Love is the foundation for man’s redemption, and it is only by love that we are able to love others and love God. We see in 1 John 4:7 that love is from God, and we know those who know God because they are born of love. It is safe to assume that those who do not know God do not know or have the capability to love. If someone wanted to grow in love, she or he should grow in his or her knowledge of God. Perfect love will mature as one becomes more intimate with God. The very essence of true love finds its origin in God simply because God is love (1 John 4:8). Without God, we do not love. Let’s first look at what love is not; then, let’s look at how we should define our love for others and self. According to 1 Corinthians 13,

love is not proud. It is not vengeful, selfseeking, boastful, or mean. Love is not what the hit songs, movies, or plays suggest it is. Love does not seek to hurt others. It is not possessive or fearful. Love is powerful, not forceful. Love is not jealous or envious. Love is not rebellious. Love denies itself for the good of others. It is not defined by the mistakes and errors of humans. Love is and will always be a true

representation of God

for God is love. We are not to allow our experiences, or the experiences of others, to define love. We should only define love by what is ideal. Love, in its purest form, is kind and patient. Love is selfless. It gives of itself without the expectation of anything in return. It does not take a record of the wrong that has been committed against it. It finds and takes refuge in truth, and it never fails or quits. 10

To say that we love one another means that we will not give up on one another. Our confession of love means that we are willing to be selfless, not selfish; givers, not takers; and lovers, not haters. The truth of our lives should be shown in how we love one another. We should not seek to reduce love to just some kind of infatuation or “like.” You must understand that “likes” change all the time; however, love is constant and consistent. You may “like” something as a child, but those immature “likes” change as you mature. Think about how many people you have liked while in school, at church, or in your community. You liked something about them. It could have been the way they dressed, the way they talked, the way they looked, etc. However, those outward characteristics will fade. They are fleeting.

www.saltymag.tv

ove It is only by love that we are able to love others and love God

Infatuation and lust only covers the surface. It does not go beyond the concept of what is pleasing to the five senses. Love dives deeper than sight, touch, smell, hearing, and taste. Love loves what isn’t perceived as lovely. It decides beforehand that I am going to love regardless of the situation or the circumstance. It does not leave that decision. It stays there through the good and the bad, riches and poverty, and sickness and health.

Sit in silence, and allow Him to speak to you. As you mature in your knowledge of God, you will mature in your love for others. That is not a suggestion; it is a promise.

[ BY CORNELIUS LINDSEY ]

Overall, there is no way for you to truly understand the concept of love unless you truly come to know God. If you separate yourself from God, then it is safe to assume that you have separated yourself from love. I want to encourage you to have a deeper relationship with God. I’m not asking that you learn more about Him. I’m encouraging you to learn Him. Spend time with Him in prayer and meditation. 11

www.saltymag.tv

Cornelius Lindsey is the husband of Heather Lindsey. He’s a father, son, and brother. He’s the Founder of The Gathering Oasis, www.thegonow.com, an evangelistic ministry focused on spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He’s also the President of Cornelius Lindsey Enterprises, LLC., a company whose concentrated focus can be described in one word, service. To learn more or to connect with Cornelius Lindsey, visit www.corneliuslindsey.com

launching 3.20.13 love-life-inc.com

www.saltymag.tv

ebruary is the month of love and romance! We can see and feel it in the air from the couples that hold hands to the many commercials reinforcing our desire for a Valentine or our desire to love and be loved. Love in my opinion is the strongest addiction and drug because many people will sacrifice almost anything just for a moment of being “in love.” Have you ever heard the statement “It’s better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all?” At first this sounds like a beautiful poetic statement but my question is what are you willing to risk for love? What are you willing to trade for a date? What are you willing to give up for that moment you’ve longed for so dearly? Is it that deep you ask? The answer is yes. Over the years I’ve seen many people sacrifice their morals, standards, and friendships just to be with someone who was not guaranteed to remain with them. People say to follow your heart but in reality you need to follow God as your heart can deceive you into thinking something is right when it’s really wrong (Jer. 17:9). Many have lost their sexual purity, educational goals, and aspirations in hopes of their present relationship possibly leading to marriage. However, most of the time those relationships don’t last and the person who sacrificed everything was left to pick up the pieces yet again. Have you been there? I have too.

We love because He first loved us. 1 John 4.19

Now don’t get me wrong, the desire for love is a natural and healthy desire. However, how much attention have you given to the creator of love? Yes, I’m asking, how is your relationship with God? To know love is to know God and to know God is to know love. You cannot effectively give and receive love without knowing the creator because love all started with God. He loved us first and that gives us the ability to love others (1 John 4:19). God showed you that He loved you by creating you. He showed His love by sending Jesus to earth to die for you. He showed His love by everything you have in life; it’s all a gift of God’s love. God’s love always adds to our life and never takes away from it. We need to understand, feel, and experience the love of God, which will lay the foundation for a healthy love relationship with someone else.

got love? [ BY LaBridgette williams ]

www.saltymag.tv

So got love? Here’s how to know God’s love and how to develop healthy relationships:

Make a decision to put God first. Learn about God and His love through His word. Focus on becoming the best you that you can be. Place all of your hopes and dreams in God. Place proper boundaries from ungodly relationships in your life. Remain accountable to friends and mentors. Realize that if a relationship is taking you away from the plan and standards of God, it is not the relationship for you. When we are secure in God’s love for us, it enables us to follow God’s plan for love and wait for His best. No longer will we feel the need to sacrifice God for love. When we do life God’s way we can have both God and love with no guilt or shame. God is the perfect keeper of your heart and will help you establish healthy lifelong relationships. No longer will we feel the need to sacrifice God for love. When we do life God’s way we can have both God and love with no guilt or shame. Always remember real love seeks to give the advantage to and not take advantage of. So, instead of seeking so much to “fall in love” this season, learn to grow in love with God.

real love seeks to give the advantage to and not take advantage of 14

www.saltymag.tv

SPOKEN

WORD

Ready or

Not [ by Ezekiel & Janette-ikz ]

www.saltymag.tv

Ahh to be captured in the sweet arms of Feel-good hugs and butterfly kisses Oh this must be love. Or… An urge that surges deep within, stopping At the extent of your limbs. A feeling, Bringing bliss to your body lasting only a moment Holding on till the end of the rollercoaster But guess what…it ends. So you have to get off And ride another ride. Emotions rising and falling like the tide, Never consistent, always ceasing How can we hold on to this feeling? We can’t. We’ve got it all wrong. Love is infinite, unconditional, Hoping, enduring, not irritable. No feeling but a way of life Shown to us through Jesus Christ Who I’m sure didn’t feel like getting crucified But endured out of obedience To save our lives. His standards exceeding our pitiful meaning of love as a feeling. When we love like Him We’re at peace with even our enemies Turning faces with our purity God’s standards— Holding strong when our Emotions fail to succeed. Stop insisting on Making “love” the way we want it to be. But follow the One above, God, The very definition of Love.

Love is

not a feeling [ By Carlie Harford ]

www.saltymag.tv

Dearly

SERMON

JAM

Loved [ Jimmy Needham (with John Piper and Mark Driscoll) ]

www.saltymag.tv

AFTERTASTE

ur generation has lost the art of truly trusting God.

We say we believe in a good and merciful God, when really, we just hope He will be there to forgive us whenever our own wretchedness becomes exposed. But to move beyond that and trust Him enough to extend that same goodness, mercy, and forgiveness to others is offensive. We think it impossible that God would ask us to continue loving unconditionally, once someone has treated us conditionally. Just ask the offended non-churchgoers, the Christian roommates in malice, the 60% divorced Christians, etc… just ask me.

Love is God’s trademark. It’s registered under His name so we don’t get to re-define it. Of course, there can be admiration, desire, respect, “really like”, “wanting to be with forever”, infatuation, etc. – all of which the English language has erroneously made synonyms with love. But none of these emotions know the long-suffering, humiliation, silence, sacrifice, and steadfast eternal reality of love. As disciples, let’s repent and stop fooling ourselves. The world can clearly see that we are just as clueless when it comes to this love thing – boastful on the mountaintop, but hiding in shame when we hit the valleys of love’s disappointments and respond in malice, envy, revenge, rejection, and gossip. Let’s humble ourselves before the Lord and ask Him to bind

God’s We have all fallen short, but it is impossible to completely love someone purely, without trusting God fully -- without knowing that no matter what happens, or what man does to us, even so, it is well with my soul. Without an identity being hidden in Christ, we cannot endlessly die to self, pride, reputation, pain and offense to love humans unconditionally, no matter the cost.

Registered Trademark [ by Robyn-Ann Lawson ]

up our wounds and make us whole again, consumed by His persevering love for us. Then, as we lose our old identities to rest in the finished work of Christ, He will grace us with the discipline to love, and to trust Him even when we feel the pain that comes with it. Lord, we ask for your help to love like the first church. To endure in marriage, friendships and other relationships. To give ourselves to the poor and lowly. To adopt the orphan and the foster child. To wash the dishes that our roommates left in the sink. Oh how foolish it all seems, but you want to use the foolish things of this world to confound the wise! We owe you so much more than we can ever repay, yet all you ask is that we love our brother the way you have loved us. Teach us to love well, and to consistently use your trademark if we are to wear your name. Amen.

Love is costly. And only One has paid the full price for it (John 3:16). The rest of us are just benefactors, hearers of the legend, children playing in daddy’s shoes. But outside of God, there is no true love because only God is love. Only He understands it fully and embodies it naturally. That’s why love does not exist outside of Him, it is His descriptor – like holiness. Outside of describing God and that which belongs to Him, the word “holy” is useless, irrelevant. Only He can fit that bill. God is holy. God is love (1 John 4:8). 18 www.saltymag.tv

love

[ by t.Jay and Level 3:16 ]

www.saltymag.tv

MUSIC

VIDEO

LOOKING FOR MORE SALT? Click here to receive our monthly updates + issue releases

Volume 2 Issue 4

RELIGION IS NOT A DIRTY WORD WWW.SALTYMAG.TV

www.saltymag.tv

THE

SPR INK LE 02

Inside Cover Design by Mark Taylor Inspiks.com

FORETASTE Editor’s Word by Robyn-Ann Lawson

07 RELIGION IS NOT A DIRTY WORD by Audrey Assad 08 SPOKEN WORD by Jeff Bethke 09 RELIGION+LANGUAGE by Jeff Bethke 12 SERMON JAM Book of Ephesians by The Passion Speakers 14 AFTERTASTE Free Salvation, Not Cheap Religion by Robyn-Ann Lawson 15

MUSIC VIDEO by Beautiful Eulogy

16 SUBSCRIBE Cover Image: Jeff Bethke by Chris Taylor LAYOUT DESIGN: Juliet Symes

www.saltymag.tv

Volume 2 Issue 4

FORETASTE A welcome from Robyn-Ann Lawson

editor@saltymagazine.com

Anyone who sets himself up as â&#x20AC;&#x153;religiousâ&#x20AC;? by talking a good game is self-deceived. This kind of religion is hot air and only hot air. Real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this: Reach out to the homeless and loveless in their plight, and guard against corruption from the godless world. James 1:26-27

Twitter: @SALTYMag Facebook.com/SALTYMagazine

The Message (MSG) 4

www.saltymag.tv

Religion is not a

dirty

[ By Audrey Assad ]

word

I like the English language, and I respect it enough to be frustrated by words being used wrong by giant numbers of people, so I’m taking a stand on behalf of the word “religion”, which I believe is one of the most grossly misused and incorrectly defined words in America. Here’s how it’s defined by www.thefreedictionary.com;

“Belief in and reverence for a supernatural power or powers regarded as creator and governor of the universe.” I have no qualms about calling Christianity a religion; because it is one by definition, just like Islam and Judaism are. I don’t feel any need to re-define the word ‘religion’ to mean “archaic legalism” and then distance myself from it in order to offer an option to those around me looking for something deeper than that. Christianity is not only a religion, but I believe it to be the truest one among all the others. Imagine you had an apple. You thought it was better than all the other apples in the world. You tried to get people to buy your apples instead of buying other apples by insisting that they were not apples at all, but a different fruit entirely. Some people might buy them, but they would bite into them and find that they were apples after all. You can sell Christianity as “a relationship, not a religion” all day long, but that doesn’t change the fact that Christianity is a religion. It would be more accurate to say that Christianity is a “religion and a relationship.” Religion’s not a dirty word. Legalism is. I think that’s a very important distinction. Message me your thoughts! www.audreyassad.tumblr.com

<<< Find more thoughts, music and art at AudreyAssad.com 7 www.saltymagazine.com

SPOKEN

WORD

Why I

Hate Religion But

Love Jesus [ BY JEFF BETHKE ]

www.saltymag.tv

LESSON:

LANGUAGE ISNT CLEAR CUT

COMMUNICATION is MULTI-FACETED

A big issue too, that people raised, was with my definition and use of the word “religion.” To be honest I never thought in a million years that if controversy arose on the video, it’d be for that reason. Through this all I have realized that religion means a thousand different things to a thousand different people. To be honest I used the word without hesitation because in my Seattle context “religion” is synonymously with a man-made, legalistic system (exactly what I was rebelling against). When I realized not everyone used it in this manner I did some research and realized I’m not the first one to use “religion” in a bad light. People like Tim Keller and Mark Driscoll use religion synonymously with “moral effort attempting to appease God”, and people like Dietrich Bonhoeffer have used it negatively as well. Bonhoeffer, right before he died, hoped the future Germany would get to a place of “religionless” Christianity. On April 30, 1944 from a prison cell, Dietrich wrote: We are moving towards a completely religionless time; people as they are now simply cannot be religious anymore. Even those who honestly describe themselves as ‘religious’ do not in the least act up to it, and so they presumably mean something quite different by ‘religious’. (Letters and Papers From Prison, pg 362). 9

www.saltymag.tv

[ by jeff bethke ]

Something I learned very quickly too is there is a vast difference between a street definition and a dictionary definition of a word. For example, the word “gay” in today’s society is going to mean something completely different than its actual dictionary definition. This is why, in scriptures, writings, and articles the author’s definition of “religion” has to be interpreted before understanding the whole piece. My prayer is that the ones who saw my video and were upset by my definition of the word “religion” could look past the semantics and to the heart of the message, and interpret the poem in light of the definition I have expounded on here. Lastly, in regards to language used I also wanted to touch on my poem’s first line. I say, “What if I told you Jesus came to abolish religion?” Now, a lot of people fired back quoting Matthew 5:17, which I say amen to! In hindsight I do think that was a poor choice of words, and want to apologize to anyone who was confused by that one line. Even though I wasn’t talking about the law, I was talking about selfrighteousness, I still think that line was more confusing than it was clear.

The beauty and great weight of Jesus, is that He came to fulfill the Law not abolish it. To know all the shadows and pictures in the Old Testament were simply a picture of Him is astounding. He is the ultimate fulfillment of the Old Testament. That fact is actually what led early Romans to consider the first Christians as atheists, because their “religion” was so upside down to them. They’d ask, “where is your temple?” to which the Christians would reply they didn’t have a building, and Jesus was their temple. So then they’d ask, “well who is your priest?” To which they’d reply we don’t have a priest on earth, because Jesus is our ultimate priest in Heaven. Finally they’d ask, “well who is your sacrifice?” to which the early Christians would respond that they no longer give or do sacrifices because Jesus’ sacrifice was once for all (King’s Cross, Tim Keller, pg.48). That, is what Jesus meant in Matthew 5:17, and that

is a truth changes someone from dead, man-made religion, to a vibrant relationship with Jesus and His body. Read the full article at JeffBethke.com 10

www.saltymag.tv

AB O UT

CLAR O CANDLES . COM

CLARO (latin): to bring light to the darkness. Claro brings light to social injustice by making candles that raise funds and awareness for causes you care about. We make candles that burn away the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most urgent statistics by giving 50% of profits to amazing organizations. Every two weeks we partner with a different nonprofit. We champion their cause by creating a limited edition candle line and giving 50% of the profit from your purchase to their work. Each campaign features a different design, color, and scent, so you can support lots of great causes and collect each candle. 11

www.saltymag.tv

SERMON

JAM Book of

Ephesians [ by The Passion Speakers ]

www.saltymag.tv

AFTERTASTE

FREE SALVATION Matthew 22: 8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. 9 Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ 10 And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests. 11 “But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. 12 And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 14 For many are called, but few are chosen.” God offers free salvation and eternal life in Christ Jesus, but not cheap religion. Many modern Christians believe since God forgives freely, He will accept everyone that mentions Christ as their alibi – no matter the true state of their heart. As a result, Jesus is inappropriately viewed as a homeboy, chill dude, and the cool bouncer that will let you in the back door of heaven, whenever and however you show up. False. He is a Mighty Judge and King. God does tell us to come as we are, but He also charges us

to come and repent. Repent means to change and turn away from your previous state. Like the man in the above parable who showed up without changing since the King’s invitation was free, many believe they will waltz into the Kingdom without repenting, because God offers an open call to salvation. But like the parable ends, many are called, but few are chosen. Only those that have changed and readied themselves in response to such a gracious invitation will enjoy the rewards of His labor. Yes, He has paid for everything, but let us not be deceived; He will only entertain those that value the cost of such a great salvation (Hebrews 2:3). Disciples, let us develop lives that bear fruit in keeping with repentance (Matthew 3:8). Our God is just and holy, and those who come into His presence must come on His terms (John 4:24). Let us not trample on His grace (Hebrews 10:29) but allow His love to produce a religion in us that is pure and undefiled. Christ gave His all to pay for our sins and demands a response of equal measure (Luke 14:33). And this practice of daily denying our self to learn His ways and gain more of Him is our lavish response - our zealous devotion, our faith with works, and our costly religion.

NOT CHEAP RELIGION [ By Robyn-Ann Lawson ] 14

www.saltymag.tv

Beautiful Eulogy

www.saltymag.tv

MUSIC

VIDEO

[ by Beau

tiful Eulog

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SALT Follow and share us on Facebook!

Volume 2 Issue 5

LIGHT UP THE DARK WWW.SALTYMAG.TV

THE

SPR INK LE Inside Cover 02 Art by Thulani Mngadi (Sthe 55) FORETASTE 04 Editor’s Word by Robyn-Ann Lawson SPOKEN WORD 06 Start Something That Matters by David Bowden A LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS by Amy Carroll

SERMON JAM 09 by Lecrae Erasing Sacred vs Secular Divide DON’T BE SCARED OF THE SHADOWS by Beckie Vazquez

AFTERTASTE 12 Light is Meant for the Darkness by Robyn-Ann Lawson OUTSHINE THE LIES by Carlie Harford

MUSIC VIDEO 15 Light Up The Dark by The Washington Projects SUBSCRIBE 16

LAYOUT DESIGN: Juliet Symes

www.saltymag.tv

editor@saltymagazine.com

Volume 2 Issue 5

FORETASTE In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him

was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men.

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

He was in the world, and the world was made through him,

yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people

did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to becomechildren of God,

who were born, not of blood

nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man,

but of God. Facebook.com/SALTYMagazine

www.saltymag.tv

John 1:1-5,10-13

English Standard Version (ESV)

@SALTYMag

SPOKEN

WORD

[ DAVID BOWDEN ]

www.saltymag.tv

a light Originally published on Proverbs31.org

“In the tent of meeting, outside the curtain that shields the ark of the covenant law, Aaron and his sons are to keep the lamps burning before the LORD from evening till morning. This is to be a lasting ordinance among the Israelites for the generations to come.” Exodus 27:21 (NIV) The memories that burn brightest from my childhood are of our family’s camping trips to the beach. All the hard work of packing the tent, suitcases, sleeping bags and food into the car was worth it when camp was set up and family time began. My favorite time of the day came as darkness settled, the shouts of children quieted and grills were lit. Often, as we cleaned up from dinner, my mother would take our lantern into the tent to repack our supplies, and I would bask in the

glow from the tent and the warm safety of my parents’ presence. Those memories flooded back as I read Exodus 27 from my daily reading plan. In a meticulous design revealed in the preceding chapters, God laid out the blueprint for the Tent of Meeting, also called the Tabernacle, where He would be worshipped by the Israelites as they traveled from Egypt to Canaan. Sentence after sentence details the fabric, the measurements, and the structure. When the plan for God’s Tent of Meeting was complete, He began to describe the furnishings. They included a beautiful set of lamps on a lampstand that was to burn continuously inside. This intricate lampstand described in detail in Exodus 25:31-40 was a pure-gold work of art

www.saltymagazine.com

made by the artisans God appointed, and it burned clear olive oil. Pieces of a greater puzzle began to click into place as I pondered other scriptures and truths explaining the rich symbolism of the Tent of Meeting’s lampstand. I began to see God revealing His plans for us thousands of years ago: We are the tent. (2 Cor. 5:4) Jesus is the light. (John 1:4) The Holy Spirit is the oil. (Zech. 4:1-6) Fueled by the Holy Spirit, we are called to let Jesus’ light shine through us into the darkness. (Matt. 5:14-16) Just as the Israelites moved the Tabernacle through the desert sands ... Just as my parents pitched a tent in beach sands ... Just as I move through this darkened world ... God provides a Light that shines in the darkness, and He creates a tent (us) to shine through. For Jesus’ light to pierce the darkness, shining brighter and brighter, we need to become more and more transparent. For His light to shine continuously, we need to constantly be refueled by the Holy Spirit through prayer, studying and memorizing Scripture, and abiding in Him. For His light to shatter the inky blackness of this world, we need to fearlessly move our tents into places of darkness where no other light shines. There is a world of people who long for the safety and presence of Jesus – but they need a beacon to guide them. May we humble tents, who carry the Light, glow brightly everywhere as we travel through this world!

Dear Lord, Thank You for allowing me to be a simple dwelling for Your Light. I pray that even as the priests were charged with maintaining the light, I would be faithful to let Your Light shine. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

SERMON

JAM

Erasing Sacred vs Secular Divide + Engaging Culture [ lecrae ]

www.saltymag.tv

Originally published on The WITHIN Network

Recently, as I was contemplating light, I was sitting in my living room when I noticed the shadows of the light fixture spanning the ceiling. I noticed different shades with different angles. I noticed how the shadows appeared to be larger than the actual object it was a reflection of. Then I started to really be curious. I even got up and started experimenting with my lamp! I must’ve looked silly but I was convinced I was on to something! I believe God was revealing some things (which I am still chewing on to be honest!) about our relationship with the Light aka Jesus. Imagine walking down the street on a nice day. Imagine closing your eyes and turning your face toward the sun – basking in the warmth that it provides. You are engaged with the light face to face, fully unaware of the shadow you are casting behind you. Now, imagine shifting your gaze down or to the side even for a moment. What would you see? I’m pretty sure you would see your own shadow or ones that were around you. I believe sometimes we can be scared of the shadows we may see, especially if they appear larger than the original object. The difference is where we choose to look. If we are focused on HIM, our help, our refuge, our shelter, then it’s harder to focus on the shadows of the valley we might be in. When we face the light directly, we aren’t aware of the shadows around us, we just enjoy the fullness of light.

Have you ever reflected on the simplicity and power of light? How it dismisses darkness? And how Scripture tells us that we ARE light and refers to light as another name for Jesus? Light is powerful! In our natural lives, we can take light for granted. We flip the switch and it’s there. The only time we really reflect on the importance of light is when we don’t have it. Let that not be said of us, as believers, that we only value the importance Jesus we don’t feel Him there. I pray that you will become more mindful of Light and its lessons in every sense of the word!

So, I’m encouraging you (and myself) to stay fully engaged with the Light of Jesus Christ. If we don’t stay facing the light, it’s easy to become overwhelmed by the shadows that may appear to be impossible to conquer. Scripture, however, teaches us that not all shadows are bad. God also has a shadow and it is referred to as a place of refuge and rest in the Word. Psalm 57:1 tells us about finding “refuge in the shadow of [His] wings until disaster has passed.” Regardless of how real and large the disasters and shadows in our lives may be, GOD’s shadow is bigger and His light is brighter, guaranteed!

don’t be

scared of the

shadows

[ Beckie Vazquez ]

www.saltymag.tv

Visit DevotionConnection.com

Light

Is Meant

For the

AFTERTASTE Not all lights are created equal. In a society where so many tout messages of “positivity” and inspiration, even us Christians can assume “shining our light” just means joining the cultural sea of good deeds and good intentions. But it takes more than happy thoughts to dispel the forces of darkness at work in this world. Some lights are so dull, they only make it possible to see their own faint glow and not much else. One can also be positive, yet provide no enlightening diagnosis or wisdom to situations at hand. In the same way, we can believe in Jesus and not shine any light bright enough to expose and dispel surrounding works of darkness. This happens to me when I forget the definition of light, and why Christ saw it necessary to establish disciples as “light

of the world” (Matthew 5:14) -- not just light for ourselves. Dictionary.com defines light as “something that makes things visible”. So if Christ called us to be lights in our environments, it means there are things to be made visible that others will not see until we speak or shed light. After coming to Christ and being freed from our sin and addictions, it is easy to forget that others around us are still being tormented with oppressive bondages. However, Jesus is the light of the world, and until He came as the Word of God and made visible the sin that was against us, we did not see our own desperate need for a Savior. This is the same Word that has been deposited in His disciples and sent out through us to every

www.saltymag.tv

Darkness [ Robyn-Ann Lawson ]

The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple. Psalm 119:130

town, industry, and field of study to declare boldly for those stumbling around in the dark. And let’s not be fooled, darkness is simply the absence of light. So if we do not establish ourselves on platforms to be heard and seen in our spheres of influence, darkness will reign in these empty spaces. Deception will go unchallenged, justice becomes corrupt, and media is drowned in perversion. But once a lamp is lit and set on a stand, “it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:15-16). We must abandon fear, idleness, and pride and just shine! The world is the Lord’s and everything that dwells in it – that includes the legal world, entertainment world, medical world, political

world, etc. – and we have been called to be in these worlds (but not of them) to relay God’s passion and perspective. Yes, these institutions may be dark, but thankfully, our light was meant for darkness. Still, we only shine as bright as His Word is abiding in us. Only His words are absolute, have authority, and reveal the original purpose of all things; only the truth and knowledge of Christ sets captives free. It is not our great personalities or nice motivational talks. So if we are not being personally counseled by His teachings and already delighting in His laws, let’s not expect that light to shine bright enough to guide anyone else. Your Biblical perspective is important for those sincerely crying out for truth and given ears to hear… so get lit daily and glow!

www.saltymag.tv

[ CARLIE HARFORD ]

the

Outshine Lies Darkness creeps outside, Hovering streets, blindin eyes Deceiving em into believing That flesh never dies, That we’re not dust and we’ll never arise Despite the fact that our King has redeemed us. Even hopeful lives, dive deep into tides Sinking cuz they’ve lost sight Of the Light that keeps them alive. That’s why we must shine Illuminating lies, Becoming that city Set on hills that can’t hide. Children of the day, not the night Let us continue, fight the good fight. Unblind the minds, out from inside To bring the light of His glory In the Face of Jesus Christ. 14

www.saltymag.tv

MUSIC

VIDEO

[ The Washington Projects ]

Light up the Dark

www.saltymag.tv

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SALT Follow and share us on Facebook!

Volume 2 Issue 6

Erica Introducing

Mason

Life

DON’T WASTE YOUR SUMMER WWW.SALTYMAG.TV

THE

SPR INK LE Inside Cover 02 Design by Meliza Celeridad FORETASTE 04 Editor’s Word by Robyn-Ann Lawson SENT BY THE DIVINE by Carlie Harford

SERMON JAM 06 Treasuring Him by John Piper DON’T WASTE YOUR SUMMER by Barnabas Johnson

SPOKEN WORD Sincerely Freedom by Nick Vitellaro

INTRODUCING ERICA MASON by Sabrina Singleton

AFTERTASTE 13 Idleness is the Devil’s Playground by Dario Phillipe MUSIC VIDEO 15 Don’t Waste Your Life by Lecrae SUBSCRIBE 16 DESIGN: Juliet Symes ON THE COVER: Erica Mason [ photography by Wise Clairvoyant ]

www.saltymag.tv

editor@saltymagazine.com

Volume 2 Issue 6

FORETASTE 5

May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love

& Christ’s perseverance In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ we command you brothers & sisters, to

keep away from every believer who is idle

& 7

disruptive does not live according to the teaching you received from us.

For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example.

We were not idle when we were with you...

We hear that some among you are idle & disruptive.

They are not busy; they are busybodies. Such people we command & urge in the Lord Jesus Christ

to settle down & earn the food they eat. 13

& as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good.

2 Thessalonians 3:5-7,11-13 Facebook.com/SALTYMagazine

www.saltymag.tv

@SALTYMag

Sentby thedivine Abandoned children, women abused,

Extended before our very eyes

Street corner dealers, rampant youth,

Giving us opportunity to utilize

Cities desperately cry out for Truth Not understanding the damage we do When we sit inside of our comfortable homes Watching shows that entertain us away From reality, adding to chaos by remaining stationary. What will it take to clothe the needy, To reach the urgency of our community, When we think that life is all about me. We’re called to be sent, placed perfectly To expand the Kingdom for eternity. Though He chose us by his unending grace He allows us to choose how we run the race. Time, a moment by moment space

God-given ability to alleviate cracks in society. Children of love, multiply, magnify The Name from whom our fruit bearing lies Meet the people where they lay Don’t be distracted to delay Unity from Heaven to this earthen clay Mend broken lives, find souls in need of light, Restore a wrecked world to His original design. Do anything, do something, Prove Jesus is alive. But please don’t just idly ride the waves of time…

www.saltymag.tv

[ Carlie Harford ]

SERMON

JAM

[ JOHN PIPER ]

www.saltymag.tv

Don’t Waste

YourLife [ Barnabas Johnson ]

r e m m u This S

Hey, did you know summer is right around the corner? Better yet it’s already here. What are you waiting on? The time is now to make your life meaningful and change the world! Statistics show that partying, clubbing, and even crime goes up during this time of idleness, and is at its highest. As I think and wonder why, it’s obvious - idle time. We find a lot of time for the many goals we need to accomplish during fall and spring, so you can imagine the number of things we can engage in during a summer of idleness. I see a lot of young bothers and sisters waste their life chasing fun and the American dream, which causes so many problems down the line. Our generation is lost and searching for purpose, but Christians don’t need to join them because we have been given a sure identity, and purpose, in Christ. 7

The devil will find work for idle hands. Psalms 34:14 urges us to turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. The enemy loves when your mind is idle or empty, because it is easier to fill or tempt it towards sinful or wandering thoughts. See it this way: it is virtually impossible to sin when you are occupied doing the Lord’s work. When you abide in His word and His works, He abides in you and walks with you. Why play with Satan when God desires to play with you? Our God is a jealous God and desires all of our attention, not just some. He cautions in His word that no man can serve two masters, so if your actions are not glorifying Christ, it is glorifying Satan. Yes, even as Christians, we can end up glorifying Satan if we do not guard God’s purpose in our lives. The Scriptures warn that “where there is no vision, people cast off restraint” (Proverbs 29:18). So get a vision for your time and talents this summer!

www.saltymag.tv

There is so much to do for Christ, even while young. If you have been forgiven, it means God has a job for you to do right now, in this generation. Matthew 9:37 states, “the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few”. You are either the worker or the harvest. Don’t be deceived and think you are a worker, when you yourself may still be in the harvest stage due to your actions. You can fool the world but you cannot fool God. What type of Christian are you going to be? He commissioned us in Matthew 28:19-20, “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” So one test of whether you’re a follower of Christ, is if you are making other disciples. There is so much fun and so many benefits in being a Christian. But these benefits and joy are all found in serving and taking part in God’s agenda on the earth. Don’t take my word for it, look what Paul writes in Galatians 5:13 about serving: “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love, serve one another.” When is the last time you served someone less fortunate or someone that is lost? Check out these other scriptures on serving: John 12:26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him. Hebrews 6:10 For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do. 8

Colossians 3:23-24 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.

the harvest is plentiful but the

workers are few

For a while I was content with salvation and the “Christian” title, thinking that was all I needed. Then I became convicted because I knew that there was more to being a Christian. That conviction forced me to create DevotionConnection.com because I saw an epidemic: Christian brothers and sisters had so much time on their hands and wanted to do kingdom work, but did not know how. We tend to think about the now and not the future. But some of the things you are doing at this very moment are the things preventing you from seeing heaven or experiencing heaven on earth. Stop wasting your life and enjoy God. I encourage you this summer to not make the same mistakes I made, but “draw close to God and he will draw close to you”. I can give you a list of things to do, but instead, start by drawing close to God and He will tell you what to do each day. Make the right decision when He prompts you to move, and put that time to use - because really, every breath you inhale is borrowed time from God.

www.saltymag.tv

SPOKEN

WORD

www.saltymag.tv

www.facebook.com/JoeApparel

“Hey! You’re the rapper girl!”

Erica Mason Introducing

This is how Erica Mason is usually addressed while attending classes at the University of Florida (UF). It’s because in addition to being a 3rd year Family Youth and Community Sciences major and campus RA, she raps at events hosted by Fraternities, Sororities, Christian groups, and nonprofit organizations at UF.

[ Interviewed by Sabrina Singleton ]

“It’s really fun. I get opportunities to minister to people of all different backgrounds.” Erica gets these opportunities because the rap/pop genre of music is very popular and booking Erica is a free way for UF student organizations to provide entertainment. “I get to meet a lot of different people and share the same message about Jesus, just in different ways. It shows them that you don’t have to be super religious or stuck up to love Jesus. You can just be yourself. “ In addition to performing at events, Erica is preparing to release her full length original album entitled “Royalty”, whose songs tell a story of a transformation from a life of an insecure girl who doesn’t know her value or worth to an awesome woman of God. The album will have a pop/rap sound with a mixture of fast and slow songs, featuring subjects from her own life experiences and stories inspired from others or the Holy Spirit. Her goal is to release an album that creates a personal 11

www.saltymag.tv

connection that young people can relate to and discuss issues that Christians think they are alone in. “You are not the only person that is struggling with something. It’s just that no one else is talking about it.” Becoming a rapper wasn’t Erica’s original plan. She just didn’t want to spend the rest of her life in her hometown of Williston, FL. “I just always wanted something different. I wanted something better.” Erica got saved at 8 and started to develop a relationship with God at 14. She would pray often about her escape: “Man God there’s got to be something. Being saved can’t always be boring. ‘Cause everyone else I know [who is saved] is just boring.”

It shows them that you don’t have to be super religious or stuck up to love Jesus. You can just be yourself. Erica’s prayers were answered when she got exposed to gospel rap at a youth program she was involved in. She heard a Tekulve album and would always listen to it. “One day I was like ‘Uh, I think I can do this. Let me try it’. And I tried it… and it was really easy.” Erica shared her first rap (using a beat from a J-Holiday song) with her youth leader, who asked her to perform it. When she did, the audience started to cry. “People were just ushered into the presence of God through it.” What started as an experiment turned out to be a gift from God, so Erica continued to write, rap, and perform. “My music is really changing lives and people have come up to me with tears in their eyes saying ‘Your music is changing my life. Keep doing what you are doing’.” The crowd’s reaction to her performances was like an epiphany. “It just made me say ‘from this point on, I’m going to place my heart in every song I do. I’m going to just stay faithful’.” 12

Erica believes that with her faithfulness, she can branch out into singing and releasing worship songs influenced by the many genres that she likes to listen to - including rock, pop, and country. “I always say ‘I’m not a rapper. I’m a rapping worshiper.’ You have to be diverse to meet the multitudes.” For a sneak peak of “Royalty”, check out the single “Closer to You” which is Erica’s current favorite. It is an expression of her personal prayer closet time with God. “Being closer to God is my heart’s cry every morning… as I get closer to [God], everything else is irreverent.” In the interim to the full release of “Royalty”, Erica regularly leaks cover songs. She uses the beats as a platform to give a Biblical perspective to the topics that are addressed in popular secular songs. Her goal with each cover is to transform what was once used to deliver a perverted message, into a message that will glorify God and reach and connect teenagers and college students from where they currently are to God. “If they (the secular artists) are working hard like this for the world, who’s going to work hard for God?” You can stay updated with all Erica’s projects by subscribing to her YouTube channel. While speaking with Erica, it is evident that she has a firm grasp of the concept of SALTY. “Being SALTY means being contagious. People need flavor for their food because without that flavor, it’s disgusting. People need Christians who are salty to show them that life is full of happiness, full of joy, and full of endless opportunities. The best part of having that salty flavor is being able to be contagious because everyone wants it. Everyone just has to have it. When you are really contagious, People will look at you and say ‘I want to be just like you. I don’t know how but I got to have whatever she has.’ And that is truly the definition of SALTY.”

www.saltymag.tv

Idleness is the

Devil’s Playground [ Dario Phillipe ] AFTERTASTE The Grind The weekly to monthly and yearly grind of the average American is nothing short of tiresome and exhausting. You know what I mean…

Whether you’re a full time student, employed full time, or both, your mornings start with the first of many doses of coffee to keep from slipping into an almost comatose state. Afterward, you’re off to the Indy 500 race through traffic only to arrive late to your destination. Then, you flip through text books, spend hours listening to lectures by Professors who’s oratory skills were nonexistent, fighting to meet the demands for every course, and ending your nights in some last minute studying for a test in the morning. This constant hustle and bustle or grind of everyday life provides the perfect ingredients for anyone to fall into idleness the first sign of summer vacation.

www.saltymag.tv

“IDLE HANDS ARE THE DEVIL’S PLAYGROUND” When I think of Idleness there isn’t a better example than the life of King David. The eleventh chapter of the book of Samuel opens with “In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war” In other words, Spring was that time of year when kings would leave their jeweled out thrones and hang their regal robes for a body full of armor. The weather was fair and the soldiers were in top shape. But the verse ends with “But David remained in Jerusalem.” You may be asking “So what? He’s a King and he can stay home if he wants!” You see, King David was a warrior king. His rise to fame was the epic slaying of the Philistine giant Goliath and the saving of Jerusalem from this long time enemy. War was his bread and butter! But David decided to stay home, kick his feet up, and just chill. So, what’s the big deal? What’s the worst that can happen? What’s wrong with a little idle time to self? Unfortunately King David’s decision to indulge in idle time caused him to steal another man’s wife, cause the death of this woman’s husband on the battle field, and ultimately lose his first born son. This sad chapter in David’s life was caused by him being lost in idleness instead of living as a man called to a lifelong duty of servitude to the Most High God. Just to be clear, there’s nothing wrong with “rest”. The word of God condones rest and relaxation. But there’s a huge difference between resting (refueling) and idleness (being unproductive).

(AAA) TRIPLE A FACTOR

This summer, start with what I call the “Triple A Factor”:

Acknowledge that there are some needs and problems within your community

Assess evaluate your skill sets and talents to find out how you can help

Action do something about it! For example, once you’ve acknowledged the needs in your community, ask yourself “which of these needs could I help solve or do something about?” Of course, use this summer to rest and relax, but exercise those spiritual muscles by serving in your church, evangelizing to the lost, go on a mission trip, start a small group bible study at the local library, or mentor the youth in your community. We are to be focused on Kingdom business in and out of season (2 Timothy 4:2). Remember, Jesus acknowledged that the workers were few and the harvest (the needs) is plenty. We are advised to pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers (Matthew 9:37-38). When Jesus spoke of workers, he was talking about “You and I”! So, don’t waste any time and make this summer count!

www.saltymag.tv

MUSIC

VIDEO

Don’t Waste Your Life [ LECRAE ]

www.saltymag.tv

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SALT Follow and share us on Facebook!