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You Can’t Have God Without The Local Church

Ephesians 4:8Therefore He says:“ When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men.”

The first thing Christ did when He ascended to Heaven after He defeated the grave was give gifts to mankind. These gifts were specific, tailored to the most fundamental human needs. He goes on to tell us what the gifts specifically are. In verses 11 through 16 we discover the gifts are what are known as the fivefold ministry offices. To say it more simply, they are 5 forms in which God ministers to, equips, and protects His people. As we understand today, the place where we assemble together is the only place where these gifts benefit us.

It has become very common in today’s society to forsake coming together as the church because we are distracted by other things. In a world where there is so much going on and so much to distract us, people find themselves finding every reason to stop coming together. They will use every excuse known to man to justify this, however what they fail to see is there is only One who matters. This failure keeps them from partaking of the gifts Jesus thought so important to give to us. God does not give gifts haphazardly. His gifts are purposeful and direct with incredibly important reasons. One of the biggest reasons is found in Ephesians 4:14. This scripture talks specifically about people, God’s people, being deceived. We see this again in 1 Timothy 4:1. 

People are being deceived by outward forces. This deception comes through demons usually working through other people. People who aren’t taught the Word or who won’t listen to the Word end up falling into deception. The worst part is, they don’t even know it!

As a pastor, one of my primary jobs is to protect the flock through feeding them sound Biblical doctrine. As stated many times throughout scripture, I am to feed, point out falsities, and lead them in the direction of God, helping them find God’s plan for their life through the feeding of the Word. God’s Word tells us in Matthew 9:36 that people without a shepherd are scattered and faint. In other words they are weary, without direction, and prone to be victim of attack. If you understood the job of a shepherd you would understand the significance in all of this and why God chose this analogy. 

The shepherd is with the sheep continually. In fact, it is well understood that sheep, out by themselves, are in extreme danger. We are shown this in scripture time after time after time. The sad truth is, as sheep, people generally don’t see this until it is too late. The best thing God ever did after salvation was give me a pastor and a church. He gave me one that wasn’t afraid to speak the truth even when it wasn’t what I wanted to hear. Though at times hard to hear, when my pastor preached truth and I listened, my life always changed. I went from looking for answers to always finding them. My pastor taught and still teaches me, the most valuable thing since salvation. That is, how to hear from God! 

Jesus said in John 10:27, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” Without hearing God, it is impossible to follow Him. It is impossible to do any of this without what God has given us to be able to do so. Ephesians 4:16 says we are joined and knit into the Body by what every part does. Jesus said many times, he who has ears to hear let him hear. Well, isn’t that what ears are for, hearing, and mouths for speaking? If an ear can’t hear because it’s nowhere near the mouth, then the body attached to that ear is in big, big trouble.

Jesus made us one Body for a reason. We are His Body and we are meant to be joined together, not seperate. Make up your mind to not be deceived by anyone in life, but especially by yourself. The Word is our answer, it always is. Put yourself in the place to hear what God has to say and keep yourself from being destroyed. 

Psalms 92:13 Those who are planted (rooted, not moved from) in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God.

Be Blessed,

Pastor Jeff 

 

Planted For Growth

Look at what the Word says in Psalms 92:13-15,“Those who are planted in the house of the LordShall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bear fruit in old age; They shall be fresh and flourishing, To declare that the Lord is upright…” What does it mean to be planted? To plant is simply to put into the ground or into soil so that it will grow.We know through implication here that it matters that the soil and conditions of the ground must also be good for nourishment. To be planted means to grow roots into the ground and to get set somewhere meant to be stayed there. Planted here is a verb. It denotes action. Christians must choose to be planted and stay planted in the place God called them to be if they expect to truly flourish in life.

What does it mean to bear fruit? It means to see provision where you need provision, to walk in peace and joy, to have strength where you never did before, to have health in your body, and to walk in all the other wonderful promises of God in your life.

I remember one time we decided to put a little plant in a really shallow antique vessel of sorts, actually it was a cast iron ladle that was hung from our porch. At first it was really pretty, something you could have seen on Pinterest. But, because it was too shallow, it never had a place to establish any roots and the wind would knock against it, plus animals would interfere with it, and it ended up succumbing to the opposition so to speak. Christians who won’t let roots be established by being planted where God has called them will always eventually succumb to the opposition. What was once beautiful and full of potential will become dried up and unable to produce anything good.

Instead, Christians are meant to bear fruit into old age, staying fresh in their walk with God, always in a place where they can grow. And I love what verse 15 says, it matters so that we can declare the uprightness, or goodness of the Lord. That dead plant never blessed anybody. But a plant that’s alive…oh there’s a huge draw to that! Think about the agricultural industry, greenhouses, florists, and nurseries. People are drawn to living, beautiful, flourishing plants. Naturally, people spend a lot of money for these things.

Most of us are familiar with John 10:10, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” But notice the verse right before it, John 10:9, “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.” What is the thief trying to steal? He’s trying to steal your pasture, not just with Jesus in Heaven, but the pasture of your local church and pastor. What this means here is that the devil is after our life-giving feeding. He’s out to remove you from the safety and pasture of the Lord, and one of the main ways he will do that is by convincing you to be uprooted from the place God has called you to be.

Matthew 9:36 says, “But when He (Jesus) saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. The heart of the Lord is for you to find pasture and to be planted there so that you will grow and flourish, even into old age. Look at 1 Peter 5:8-9, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.” Let’s be doers of the Word, amen?!

Be Blessed,

Pastor Renée

Casting Cares

As a mother and a wife and a pastor and all the other hats that an individual wears, there’s a real battle not to be distracted and worried by all the goings on of life. It’s almost engrained in us in society that we take caring for someone to be synonymous with worrying about someone. I love what Matthew 6:27 (NKJV) says, “Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?” This isn’t just a principle for ourselves, in regards to our own trial, but it applies to us worrying for others as well. How is worrying about the people we love going to add anything to their life? How is worrying going to take them higher? 

Our children, our spouse, our parents, our friends, all need our prayers instead of our worry.  Ephesians 6:18 (NKJV) says we ought to be, “praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.” Do you think those close to us could be included in that? Why do Christians pray for strangers, but worry for their loved ones? And why are we so often praying faithless, doubt-filled prayers if we even pray at all? 

Remember 1 Peter 5:7 (NKJV), “casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” That word care means anxiety and it means worry. The Gospels called the cares of this world thorns and I know this, a thorn never felt good and never helped anybody. Our job as Christians and our job description as parents, pastors, friends, spouses, and the like, is to cast our anxiety on God. When someone you love looks like they’re headed for shipwreck, instead of crying and fretting, go to God. When you go to God, let Him know you trust Him to help them and to help you know your part in helping them. 

We’ve got to put on the armor of God to keep our heads sober and we’ve got to keep our heads sober if we’re going to resist the devil. If we don’t resist the devil, he won’t flee. So cast your cares on God, no matter if they’re for a stranger or for someone you love. Your faith will help them, and you, so much more than your worry. 

Be Blessed,

Pastor Renée 

Faith Fix: The Benefit of Spiritual Thinking

Romans 8:5 (NKJV)

For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.

With God there are no questions, only answers. Whatever questions we have only surface as a result of living in a world that largely does not know God. This applies to God’s own people, and sometimes even myself.

I am endeavoring some things as a Christian. Not as a man, a pastor, a father, a husband, or a friend, but as a child of God. I want, with as much as I know, to know Him more, to hear Him more. The desire of my heart is to have an intimate relationship with my Heavenly Father.

We are all in a similar predicament. We are born into the flesh, in a world that teaches us from the onset to please the flesh. God has left something in all of us however that draw us to Him. It is the fundamental desire to be connected with Him. No matter what we chase after and obtain, we will always be in need of God. The truth is though we can suppress it to the point that we don’t even recognize it. My God, I want more!

I remember a time when all that I sought was material. It was the focus of my life. Deep inside, however, I always had a yearning for Him. As I have grown in the faith I find myself putting down more of what doesn’t matter and craving more and more the only thing that does. Many people are after the same thing but they stop at their feelings. I don’t want what I feel because I have discovered that my feelings betray me. What I want is a real, deep, and permanent connection to Truth. 

I am learning to set my mind on the things of the Spirit. That’s where real fullness lies, caught up in His Spirit, exactly where we were made to be. Many people live just trying to discover their purpose. Well, the Bible tells us clearly what that is. We should know our purpose is wrapped up in Him. The only thing we need to find is how we connect to Him. The Bible says to seek peace and pursue it (Psalm 34:14). It also tells us His name is Peace. Well, there you go. There is your direction. And mine! Seek Him, pursue Him, and get what you’re really after!

Matthew 5:6 

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.

Be Blessed,

Pastor Jeff 

Disconnect Distraction 

Colossians 3:1-2, “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.” Have you made Jesus the Lord of your life? Have you believed on Him for salvation and for your entrance into Heaven someday? If so, our life is meant to reflect that. We are meant to seek and live after the things of God, not the things of this world. 

Too often the body of Christ is distracted by everything they have signed up for out in the world.  By work. By recreation. By relationships. By tickling the flesh with things like social media, tv, sports, and etc. Romans 8:6, “For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” Anything done more often than spending time with God will become a liability to you. That means it’s likely that it will end up putting you at a disadvantage. It’ll end up stealing from your life. It’ll end up setting you back while all the time you thought it was getting you ahead.  Now, I’m not saying that we don’t have to work or don’t have to function in this world, but our hearts and our thoughts should be focused on God as we go throughout our day, even while at work, even while running errands. 

In Luke chapter 8, we see the parable of the sower. The Bible says the sower sows the seed, which is the Word of God and only some Christians actually take that seed and let it grow in their lives to full fruition. Look at verse 14, “Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity.” Thorns are distractions. These Christians are choked by the cares of life. These are the Christians who take hold of the Word, understand the Word, might even begin being a doer of the Word, but they let everything else come before the things of God. They allow all the thorns trying to steal their time, trying to steal their attention, trying to tempt them with the way the rest of the world lives, to come in and choke the truth out. Often times, the devil doesn’t even have to tempt you, you just have to care too much about your daily life and responsibilities that you don’t think about God. These Christians, according to the Bible, bring no fruit to maturity. The seed of the Word of God never grows in their lives. 

Distraction keeps us disconnected. Distraction is dangerous. Recently I shared a statistic with our church that 25% of deaths related to car accidents were a result of distraction. It didn’t matter whether the car had great safety features, the driver was a skillful driver, or the road was paved for a smooth drive. A distracted driver creates a dangerous condition. Likewise, a Christian could be well taught and equipped through a good Bible teaching church, they could own a Bible and all kinds of good scripturally sound books and CD’s, God could have the Jeremiah 29:11 path paved for them, but if they’re too distracted all that goes out the window. It creates a dangerous condition. 

We have to go beyond the superficial religious duties of just showing up to church, when we can make it. We have to start looking at God first, above all else, in our daily lives. Remember Matthew 6:33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”  Trust God, follow Him, keep your eyes on Him, and watch what He does in you life!

Be Blessed,

Pastor Renée 

Playing the Part

Matthew 22:14

 “For many are called, but few are chosen.”

… But some are chosen.

So often we focus on how God has used other people. We talk about Moses and David and Jesus and Paul, and of course, that’s right and good. However, sometimes we forget a really important piece of the puzzle. God always intended to use us, too. In fact, His intent is every bit as much in us as it was in them.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not claiming that our roles are all exactly the same or carry the same magnitude. What I am saying is that God has a plan, and His plan includes each of us. Since we are part of His plan, our part and how He connected us to it, is just as important. We choose the measure that we walk it out. Though we must choose, it is imperative that we first see.

We see in 1 Corinthians 1:26-27 something interesting. It says, “For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty.” This fact often causes us to overlook completely the fact that God has important things for us to do. The weak, the foolish, they rarely see themselves as an important piece of the puzzle. I know because this was me. Humility is an incredibly important attribute that one should have. However, if we are not careful, false humility can take over and keep us from doing what we should. I am not advocating for people to try and build their own kinds of ministries, as often happens within the body of  Christ. What I am advocating is, seeking God, discovering what part we are to play and do that part with everything that is in us. To give ourselves fully to God’s plan as it pertains to us as individuals.

I see so often good Christians who never fully realize God’s plan for their lives mostly because they never fully realize God’s plan for their lives. Romans 12:6 says, “Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them… “ We are all part of the Body of Christ and we all have some role to play. Like a natural body, it can continue to function even if all the parts are not functioning properly, just not as effectively as if all parts were working as intended. 

We want to be most effective, don’t we? In a society that is so self-centered, we need to break from those worldly ideals and return to God’s. We need to forget about us and focus on what we are to do. Fulfilling your purpose has so much more weight than finding your purpose. Don’t be like the world. You don’t need to find yourself, you need to find yourself in Him. Be the Body, be your part, and watch the overflow of fulfillment take its place in your life. It’ll bless others too!

Be Blessed,

Pastor Jeff