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Signed, Sealed, Delivered

God has always been covenant minded. God is filled with integrity and His character is such that He always fulfills what He said He would. Sometimes it’s hard for us as humans to understand the full implication of this, because covenant isn’t the same in our eyes as it is to God. But, if we’re fully going to understand the plan and purpose God has for our lives, we’ve got to look at the way God created covenant to be.

Covenant means a legal agreement, a testament, a compact, a contract meant to be upheld. In Genesis chapter 17 we see God established a covenant with Abraham, promising to make him the father of many nations, to multiply Him and to make him exceedingly fruitful. Look at Genesis 17:7, “And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you.” God said it, and God meant it. Now look at Galatians 3:29, “And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”

When God sent Jesus, He signed a covenant with us, with anyone who would call upon the Name of His precious Son. He signed an agreement that He could never go back on. Jesus was the seal of that new covenant. Look at Matthew 26:28, “For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” There’s nothing more permanent, nothing more official, nothing more precious than the blood He shed for you and me. This is how God delivered us from the powers of darkness into the kingdom of His Son. (Colossians 1:13)

Romans 10:9-10 tells us how we enter into this covenant, “…if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” When we accept Jesus, that is us signing our end of the covenant. It means we’ve accepted Jesus into our heart and along with Him, we accepted what God gave us through Him. The confessing with our mouths is the same as us taking a legal oath to uphold our end of the covenant. If we’ve accepted Jesus, we are in covenant with God Himself. It’s a legal agreement. It’s meant to be upheld.

Sadly though, many Christians expect God to uphold His end of the covenant, but refuse to do their part. Christians want the safety of God, they want the peace of God, they want the provision of God, they want the health of God, along with all the other blessings He promised when He entered into covenant with us, but they won’t be doers of the Word. If you’re not all in with God, you can’t expect God to be all in with you. If you’re not tithing, if you’re not giving offerings, it’s like living in a household with your spouse and refusing to help pay for the mortgage, for the groceries, for the electricity, then wondering why the power is shut off. If you’re not coming to church to hear the Word of God, if you’re not reading your Bible and talking to God, it’s like trying to build a Lego spaceship without using the owners manual. It’ll end up crooked and things will be all out of order. If you want the health of God, but won’t put away the sins of the flesh, continuing to partake of life destroying substances, fornication, and the like, you can’t blame God when your healing doesn’t come.

See, a covenant only remains in tact if both parties remain faithful to that covenant. Think of a marriage where one spouse decided they didn’t want to be in covenant anymore and left. The other spouse can’t remain in covenant because they have no one to be in covenant with. People are abandoning God, divorcing God, but then expecting Him to continue to pay their bills, fight their battles, and bless their lives. We must not take God for a fool. He wants to bless us, multiply us, make us fruitful in all areas of life, but we must do our part. Let’s be all in with God! “God, what’s mine is yours and what’s yours is mine.” Amen?!

Be Blessed,
Pastor Renee

Chew Before You Swallow

1 Corinthians 3:2 (NKJV)
I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able

Have you ever given a newborn baby a steak? It sounds crazy doesn’t it? You would not give a baby a steak because they would choke on it. At the same time, you don’t ever see a baby building a house, plowing a field, or running a marathon. Only those who are physically mature can do such things. Spiritually, many Christians never grow to the point where they can eat solid food.

The Word of God is meant to challenge us. Yes, it is to teach us but also to challenge us. The love of God always calls us up higher. As Psalms 42:7 says, “deep calls unto deep”. God wants us to know and this is why He gave us His Word. Yet so often you can preach a message straight out of scripture, maybe even one that Jesus Himself taught, and people choke on it. Like spiritual babes, they cannot tolerate the truth they are being fed.

I know, we are supposed to walk in love, right? After all, love covers a multitude of sins. I wholeheartedly agree and enthusiastically promote the love of God! There is however, something we must understand about love. Love ALWAYS tells the truth, even when it is hard. Now, what you have to understand is, I am speaking to Christians here. Don’t make a habit of going onto the street and Bible thumping nonbelievers! I am also not saying that we lie to non-Christians. Certainly not. The Bible tells us we must deal with them wisely and be seasoned with salt when we do. You catch more flies with honey, right? But to Christians, we need to get to the place where we mature, chew on the Word and swallow it, and allow it to nourish us as intended.
It is easy to hear messages about God’s grace and how much He loves us. It is easy to hear God wants you set free, and healed, and prosperous. It’s easy to swallow these things and yes, they all have their place. However, there are times when we need to be convicted to change, told we are wrong, and corrected. There are times when we need to be told, “be in church” and “you must live right” and “it’s not all about you.” Jesus did, Paul did, in fact all the apostles did. So did the prophets in the Old Testament. Correction is a staple of our faith and found throughout all of scripture. However, correction isn’t popular and is therefore, to a fault, often rejected. A Christian who is never challenged is one that never matures in the Lord. Imagine being a baby forever and yet we have many Christians who never progress past this.

We live in a culture that wants to patty cake everything. Sadly, that culture has crept into the church. We need to be people of love, in fact, the greatest examples of it. That said, love does not tell someone everything they do is good, but speaks the Truth. Love corrects, rebukes, exhorts, teaches, and calls up higher. Love encourages us to be better, stronger, and more Christ-like.
When you hear a message that steps on your toes don’t get offended or upset. Chew on it and ask yourself, “is this what scripture teaches?” Chew on it and consider, “would a good father teach their son or daughter this way?” Reject “Christianity” that constantly points to you and what you can do and receive the true Christianity that always points to Him and what He did. Seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, for that is where you will find true freedom. There you will find the abundant life Jesus Himself told us He came to deliver.

Hebrews 12:5-6 (NKJV)
And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: “My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; For whom the Lord loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives.”

Be Blessed,
Pastor Jeff

Faith By The Word
As pastors, our job, according to scripture, is to equip the saints, that is the body of Christ, for the work of the ministry (Ephesians 4:12). We are called to study the Word of God, to pray and to seek His direction for the local church and for the lives of the people He has put in our care.

But one of the biggest responsibilities of a pastor is to be an example of walking and living according to faith. That’s why when the opportunity came to purchase our new church building in Corry, PA, and we knew it was the direction of the Lord, we had to step out and take it by faith. Many people wonder how you can acquire a building of your own after only a few short months of establishing a church, but the Lord is faithful. See, faith doesn’t wait for the natural things to line up and all to seem favorable before it moves. Faith moves the natural. Remember what Jesus taught us in Matthew 17:20, “…for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.”

If you have faith as small as a mustard seed you can accomplish more than with all the natural advantages you can think of, with no faith. When God has a plan, when His stamp of approval is there, He will always make a way, according to your faith. It doesn’t just work for pastors. It works for us all, as Christians, as we follow His leading in the still small voice of peace in our hearts, and step out into the direction He has for us to go. I’m so thankful that we don’t just get to hear about faith giants in the days of old, but we can walk in the same mountain-moving, life-altering faith as recorded in scripture.

There’s no better way than the path of faith. Faith moves mountains. Faith heals the sick. Faith pays the bills. Faith mends relationships. Faith opens the door for peace, promotion, favor, and victory. Faith is the way to go. As pastors, we don’t try to get people to come to our church because we want big numbers. If we wanted big numbers, we wouldn’t stand fast to the Word of God without compromise. No, a true Pastor wants as many people as possible to get the truth that builds the kind of faith that will move the mountains in their lives.

Are you dealing with a mountain of sickness? Did you know the Word of God promises healing, true healing? We’ve seen testimonies of people being delivered from stage 4 cancer, depression, and drug addictions, among other life-threatening diseases, all by building faith in the Word of God. Did you know the Word of God promises your needs met and that God actually wants you to live in abundance? We’ve watched testimony after testimony of those once surrendered to poverty, now having all their debts paid and needs provided, with enough left over to give into every good work! Did you know the Word of God can move the mountain between you and your spouse? Marriages being built on the Word of God won’t end the way those in the world are ending. God wants strong marriages, strong people, and strong local churches.

I encourage you, if you haven’t ever learned how to use your faith, get connected to a good Bible-teaching local church, who won’t compromise the truth. It will save your life. As the Bible says, in Romans 10:17, “…faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” If you want to have faith to change your circumstances, you must be in a place of hearing the Word of God. This is why the Bible tells us not to forsake assembling together (Hebrews 10:25), because when Jesus ascended, He gave gifts unto men, in the form of pastors, teachers, and other ministry offices (Ephesians 4:8), in order to teach and preach the Word of God that will build faith in us and change our lives.

Find a Pastor who preaches and teaches the truth with boldness. John 8:32, “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” If you’re looking for a Pastor and for a church to call home, we’d love to be that for you. We love you. We’re rooting for you. And, we’d love to help you see the blessed plan God has for your life.

Be Blessed,
Pastor Renee

Top Of The Page

Ephesians 1:17 (NKJV)
that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him

I’ve been loving my new Bible. If you didn’t know, recently I made the transition from solely using electronic Bibles to mostly using an actual old school book. I believe I was inspired by God to do this and it has proven to be quite
enlightening.

Now, before I go to much further, I am in no way saying that iDevice Bibles or the equivalent are bad. I am not saying it is wrong to use one. They are wonderful tools, but for me, they are just different. Incredibly handy for reference, electronic Bibles eliminate the need to carry a library with you everywhere. This is great for the back!

I know, “where is this going,” right? As I read in my Bible I have found great joy in underlining, highlighting, and writing all over these pages what the Lord is revealing to me. I especially love, when I go back through it, these scribblings are like tracks of where I’ve been. Now, I haven’t had this new Bible very long (maybe a few months) but, every time I open it I am reminded of what God has been showing me and how much I have been getting in just a short time. See, we tend to forget when it’s not in front of us. As with anything we all have our own methods of study and learning. For whatever reason there are certain revelations that come to me that I deem “top of the page” worthy. These are tidbits that just seem right to accentuate a bit more. I write them at the top of the page, a little bigger, and usually with a star. All of this may seem strange to you but it’s refreshing to me.

The point I am making is two-fold. One, you need to take time to fellowship with the Lord through His written Word. Two, if you pay attention, He will lead you to methods of study that suit you and enable you to hear from Him more. Trusting God, even in what seems the simplest of things, blesses Him immensely and He will reward you by meeting you more. Remember Matthew 5:6?

This came to me at church the other night: “God sent His Son to be visible… yes, He wants us to know and see Him!” Hallelujah! God is just waiting for us to allow Him in. It’s a process but the Word tells us, draw close to Him and He will draw close to us (James 4:8). The first step is with us.

Revelation 3:20
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.

Be Blessed,
Pastor Jeff

Use It Or Lose It

Proverbs 4:7 (NKJV)
Wisdom is the principal thing;
Therefore get wisdom.
And in all your getting, get understanding.

Wisdom, the Bible says, is the most important thing. People chase money, fame, pleasure, and even other people, but it is all the deception of the devil. Not because any of these things in and of themselves is bad, but because our heart toward them can be.

Recently, a man in my church had some questions about the book of Ecclesiastes. A curious and great question after reading it, “how can a man (King Solomon) having so much wisdom say such depressing things?” “Vanity Of vanities!,” He starts off, “all is vanity!” What we need to understand is Ecclesiastes is written from the stand point of a man reflecting on his life after not following God. See, Solomon received wisdom, but he didn’t always walk in it. You can have the tools, but if you don’t pick them up and use them, they are pointless. They become vanity!

In doing some Solomon research, I came across some very interesting scriptures. We read in 1 Kings 11:1-2, “But King Solomon loved many foreign women, as well as the daughter of Pharaoh: women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites— from the nations of whom the Lord had said to the children of Israel, “You shall not intermarry with them, nor they with you. Surely they will turn away your hearts after their gods.” Solomon clung to these in love.” Now, if we are not skillful with the Word we can misunderstand something important. Twice here it tells us Solomon loved these women. The love it is referring to is not the love we are to have for each other or that God has for us. It is literally to have affection for someone sexually. God, in His wisdom knew Solomon would be drawn away from Him by His lust for women. He knew if he didn’t check it, he would be drawn away from God. Solomon was given great wisdom and though he used it for many things, he didn’t use it for the most important, that which God had warned him about.

As we continue to read in chapter 11, we see that exactly what God had warned Solomon about came to pass because Solomon didn’t use the wisdom given him. It wasn’t anyone else’s fault, but Solomon’s.
We need to take heed according to the Word of God. When it says don’t touch, don’t touch. The stove will only burn you if you touch it! The Word of God was given to us to protect and guide us, to lead us into His blessing. It is not God’s fault if we choose to ignore His wisdom.

Psalms 119:11 (NKJV)
Your word I have hidden in my heart,
That I might not sin against You.

Be Blessed,
Pastor Jeff

Who Do You Think You Are?

I recall many different identities I tried to personify as I went about my teen years. I remember the Brittany Spears preppy school girl, knee high socks, plaid skirts, Mary Jane shoes era of my middle school days, followed promptly by my skateboarder girl period. I went retro, bell bottom, colored shades, bargain basement finds, “forget the mall” at one point afterwards. I even associated myself with the hip hop, rapper styles and personality. I never knew who I was and was always searching. If you’re anything like me, you may have experienced a similar sense of confusion. At some point though, we need to stop pretending and know who we are!

We need to know who we are and think like who we are. It matters who we think we are because we will live like we think we’re supposed to live. When I was 23 years old, I found Jesus. I knew nothing about Him, but as time went on, He helped me to learn both who He is and who I really am. I’m so glad I don’t have to wonder anymore. See, in those memories I recalled, I was just following whims of society, who the media told me I should be. This is why it’s so dangerous to get our direction on television or social media. The truth of who we are is only found in scripture.

2 Corinthians 3:18 (NKJV) says, “…we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” When we look to scripture we see God’s purpose for mankind. He wants us to be transformed into the likeness and image of Jesus. He wants us to be transformed into who we were made to be by the washing of the water of the Word of God (Eph. 5:26).

We need to know that, as Christians, our citizenship is in Heaven (Philippians 3:20), that we are members of the household and family of God Himself (Eph. 2:19), and that we have been made to be a dwelling place of the Lord (Eph. 2:22). We need to know who we are!

I imagine that, had I not found Jesus, I would have had a perpetual identity crisis. The only way to know about the creation is through the Creator. This is why we live in a time and place where people are so confused about who they are and how they should live. Society has tainted the truth about right and wrong. Society has made serving the devil somehow alluring, through total deception. We need to get back to the truth of who we are and how we are meant to live. Look at Psalms 119:9 (NKJV), “How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word.” Let’s let the Lord order our steps. Let’s let the Word of God be our mirror, and we will continually be transformed into the very image of Jesus Himself.

Be Blessed,
Pastor Renee