Category: Faith Fix

Teased & Timid (ATP)

My question is: Have either of you ever been made fun of for standing on the Word of God? How do you handle the feelings of this? I am a timid person who does like confrontation however, I am not afraid to show my faith.

Immediately, Matthew 5:11-12 comes to my heart, which says, “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” You’re in good company if you’re taking some lashing because of your faith. Even the prophets of old dealt with this kind of thing. The world disagrees with the Bible and increasingly more so it seems as time goes on. It’s always best to agree with God regardless of what the world says.

Notice the next scripture, Matthew 5:13, “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.” The whole purpose of this type of persecution, planned by the enemy and carried out by those who side with him, is to distract us and keep us from being the salt of this earth. If the devil can shut up the church he will.

Remember when Jesus Himself was rejected? Luke 4:18-19, “The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD.” If the devil can take Jesus out of our lips and muffle the message of Jesus from our words, then the mission of Jesus is stifled. We are responsible for keeping His Words at the forefront. We are the salt, the only salt of this earth and to this lost and dying world.

Matthew 5:14-16 continues, “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” Realizing who we were made to be will help empower us to stand strong in that place. That’s how you get beyond the emotions attached to people speaking out against you, persecuting you or “unfriending” you.

Of course with all of this, we need to be careful not to be brash, and walk out of love. Romans 2:4 tells us, “that the goodness of God leads you to repentance.” This scripture in context regards harsh judgment against others and how they live. It’s the goodness and love of God that will bring them to repent and change their ways. The key to this is knowing when to speak and how to respond. The world speaks out of emotions, opinions, political bents, but the church needs to respond lovingly with the Word as led by the Holy Spirit. Too many believers become contentious and argumentative instead of speaking the truth in love. Ask yourselves these things: Will the person I’m speaking to listen to what I’m saying or is their mind made up already? Why am I saying this right now? Is this the right platform to speak about these things?

I’ll leave you with this, it’s always better to speak for something than to speak against something. Be a light of truth proactively instead of being a voice against something. Be for Jesus, not against the lost world.

Be Blessed,

Pastor Renée

How Much is Too Blessed? (ATP)

As I lie in bed after Christmas where we opened so many gifts, mostly for our kids I really just feel overwhelmingly blessed and overwhelmed and sad. There’s just too much stuff. I don’t want it. I feel burdened by consumerism on Christmas-things and having to keep gifts. I appreciate it and many gifts are needed and useful but it’s just too much, even when we’ve reduced it quite a bit to just stockings and doing “secret Santa.” I want to just give everything away or I’ve been trying to sell a lot of stuff we just don’t need. I feel guilty too, there’s so many people going without in this world. Children who don’t get anything on Christmas. People without food. People who have died and gone to Hell and are suffering while we’re up here consuming things. I just don’t want this anymore and I also feel compelled to change my life but I don’t know how or where to start. I know the Bible says in one story for a wealthy man to sell all his things and give it to the poor. The thought of selling a lot of stuff overwhelms me and also it feels wasteful to just get rid of it too. Maybe this passage doesn’t apply to me because I want to get rid of stuff?

Consumerism, in general, isn’t really addressed in Scripture but possessions and the concept of greed are. A key is found in Philippians 4:11-12 where the Apostle Paul addresses the call to be content regardless of what needs we may or may not have at the time. Really the principle is that we shouldn’t be moved by possessions or material things.

Now looking at the passage you mentioned in Matthew 19:20-22, Jesus addresses the rich young ruler and tells him to give away what he has in order to have eternal life. The key to this however is that the rich young ruler didn’t have the wealth, the wealth had him. The thought of giving up his possessions made him “sorrowful” as the Word says it.

2 Timothy 3:4 says that, “…in the last times people will be lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.” Something interesting about this passage of scripture and the account of the rich young ruler is that we so often consider this as an act of simple greed, but there’s more to the story. The situation at hand was less about greed and possession and more about distraction. This rich young ruler’s mind was caught up in his own life, so much so that he couldn’t see it was better to follow the Lord and do things His way.

Remember the parable of the four kinds of ground? Luke 8:14, “Now the ones (the seeds) 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.”  Not putting down the distractions of life prevents the the Word of God, and therefore the plan of God, from producing fruit in their lives. Real fruit and God’s prosperity is found in Matthew 6:33, as we seek first His Kingdom! But the Word here also lets us know that as we seek His kingdom, all the things we need, yes even and specifically material things, come our way.

It isn’t wrong to have possessions. It’s wrong if possessions have you. It isn’t wrong to have hobbies. It’s wrong if your hobbies have you.  The principle here is this, that as we seek and serve the Lord His Word becomes truer and truer in our lives and His blessings more tangible. He’s a God of provision. Notice in scripture God never rebukes someone for abundance just because they got more than someone else. To God it all boils down to faithfulness and stewardship. As you’re faithful to tithe and to give, to seek and to serve Him, He’s going to do exceedingly, abundantly above for you. Use this abundance for Him, not by giving due to compulsion or guilt, but giving to others generously just as God has been generous to you. Be willing to sow as He leads you, but be prepared to reap as He has promised you.

Be Blessed,

Pastor Renée

When In Rome… (ATP)

What does this mean by “head covered”?

1 Corinthians 11:4-5: Any man who prays or prophesies (teaches, refutes, reproves, admonishes, and comforts) with his head covered dishonors his Head (Christ). And any woman who [publicly] prays or prophesies (teaches, refutes, reproves, admonishes, or comforts) when she is bareheaded dishonors her head (her husband); it is the same as [if her head were] shaved.

Traditionally, in the ancient world, women wearing head coverings was a common practice. Today we still see this with Muslims. For women, it was symbolic of their submission to their husbands. A woman whose head was shaved was done so as punishment for being a prostitute. In the day, you could see how this look was considered shameful.

When we read scripture we have to remember to look at it thoughtfully and with understanding. Scripture has many different angles. While some biblical writings are specific directions, some are more principle. How would one know the difference? Training, teaching, and study. You cannot look at the whole of scripture from the surface and understand it, you never will!

As I said, what we have here is ancient custom. 2 Corinthians 13:1 says, “…By the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established.” We know that things God desired to establish in us as specific direction He repeats over and over. Knowing that, let’s start to look at these verses. First, most of the direction for the church and our daily lives will be found in what is called the epistles. Essentially, these are the book of Acts through the book of Jude. People often make the mistake of thinking that the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) should be included but we have to understand these are still technically Old Testament, because Jesus had not died yet. Really they are the transition into what was coming. The reason I say this is because sometimes there can seem to be different direction between Jesus and Paul.  In one instance, on the subject of divorce, they seem to disagree by what they say. The truth is, all of scripture is God. Therefore there is no disagreement, only understanding of application. We would therefore find the direction that goes with us and stick to that.

These scriptures are found in the epistles however what we don’t see is this command repeated in other places. What conclusion can be drawn from this then? That it wasn’t a big issue with God. We also have to remember that the epistles were letters written to churches dealing with certain issues. In such cases we can find the principle and use that as direction. So what is the principle here? I’d like to bring this up: it said “anyone who prays or prophesies (teaches, refutes, reproves, admonishes, and comforts).” In context, this is referring to some sort of ministry. This is not referring to going to the store or sitting on the beach. Time and place can be very important contexts.

It’s interesting, in the same writing but in a few chapters back we can get our answer. 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 tells us, “For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you.” In this time period, only prostitutes went around with their head uncovered. Though Christ wouldn’t have cared about such things, a woman doing this then would be considered shameful and would never be accepted. She would never be able to minister to people because most would never get past this.

I do want to add another piece to this. The Bible says that this woman dishonors her husband. One of the things I love about my wife is her modesty. We teach our daughter the same principles. “That is too short, or you need to cover up more.” An issue we have today is this desire for women to dress in revealing clothes. I am not saying that women have to wear sacks, but women should consider what they are wearing. Ladies should not be advertising their goods because this is not honorable. It’s not honorable to their husbands if they are married (I don’t want other men seeing what only I should see), and if they are not married it is dishonoring to God. We have to remember, men and women alike, we are never our own so our expression should reflect this. I am God’s first and my wife’s second. After that I am a father and then a pastor. Since we are to submit to others, we should also honor others in our actions. Some people will not like this but that is God’s idea not mine. When I was living like the devil, one thing that kept me from going too far was my fear of my grandparents reading my name in the paper. My name is their name and I knew it would dishonor them to see that. That was actually God working in me even when I was living wrong!

So by principle, what we see here is that we should consider the customs and traditions of where we are. Also we should consider how others will view us. The only way to win the lost is to appeal to them. This does not mean that you sin to do so, but if even though you are free you may have to give it up in order to reach someone. Paul said, “I become all things to all people that I might win some.” He was Kingdom minded not Paul minded. We should all have the same mind!

Be Blessed,

Pastor Jeff

 Humble Beginnings (ATP)

Is there any significance to Jesus being born in a stable?

Zechariah 4:10 (NLT)

Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel’s hand.”

Although to the best of my knowledge, we are not given specific reasons for a manger birth, I believe this along with all things in scripture can be understood if we consider the character of God. I love this scripture I shared in Zechariah and have had to refer to it many times in my own life.

Have you ever heard the saying, “His eyes were bigger than his stomach?” We all know the meaning right? That though his thoughts were grand, he was not able to consume all that was in front of him. Small beginnings are not all that exciting to the average human. In fact, I have seen this in ministry many times. People often get excited about something in the moment, but when the glory fades and work needs to be done, the excitement often wanes. It is here that you find out who is truly in it for the right heart and who was just excited.

Often when we think of the Lord with our religious minds we see Him in a light that can deceive us. One of the things I get a kick out of, is most religious portrayals of Christ. Have you ever seen an ugly Jesus? The portrayals of Christ scripturally are usually quite different. Isaiah 53:2 (NLT) says, for example, “My servant grew up in the LORD’s presence like a tender green shoot, like a root in dry ground. There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him.” In fact not just His appearance but many of the things we think about Him are wrong. So much so that those who should have known who the Messiah was didn’t even recognize Him! Was God trying to hide Him? I don’t think that’s the case, but He was proving that how He thinks and how we do is so often different. This is good for us because after all, we are called to transform our thinking.

What can help us is to understand why Jesus was here. Contrary to how many think, Jesus did not come to say, “I’m God and you’re not… look what I can do!” Let’s look to scripture to drive this point home. In Mark 10:43-45 (NKJV), Jesus Himself said, “Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” The very premise of God becoming man should be an instant clue to every believer. Jesus lowered Himself, became of no reputation, was not beautiful, and he served mankind. He was a humble man and this humble man came from humble beginnings. He was showing us that even the lowest of all can do great things in the kingdom of God!

Another conclusion we can draw from scripture is in something we call types and shadows. All throughout scripture this concept is seen, where something that happens reflects or in a sense, foretells something God will do. For example, Abraham being asked to sacrifice his son was symbolic of God sacrificing His. When we consider that there was no place to be born and that the only choice they had was that of the stable, the less than perfect or even acceptable, we see a reflection of the Savior rejected by His people. Surely if the inn keeper knew God was being born he would have found better. Surely if the Jews knew their Messiah had come they wouldn’t have crucified Him. He was rejected in birth and rejected in death, a stumbling block cast to the side.

So was there significance to the stable/manger birth? I think we can see clearly that there was. As I have often said while ministering, God put no filler in scripture but the whole of it is to teach us and help us.  When we understand God’s ways, we can better understand His will. Knowing His will will help us to serve Him and His people so much the better. Though He had all the right to be glorified, everything about His earthly existence laid that down and He truly was a servant to all.

Philippians 2:5-7 (NKJV)

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.

Be Blessed,

Pastor Jeff

Merry Christmas

John 3:16 (NKJV)

For God so loved the world that He gave…

I know, that’s not the whole scripture, is it? Some people may even call me a heretic for leaving off the rest of that verse. Just like those people trying to take Christ out of Christmas by saying Xmas, right? Well, that’s not exactly true and this is the heart of this little Christmas message.

Now, before I go too far let me say that I fully believe that there are an awful lot of people who would love to end our faith. That being said, Christians do not help matters when they speak things that aren’t based in truth. After all, we are suppose to be purveyors of truth so if we speak from lies, even lies that benefit our cause or promote our ideals, and even if we didn’t realize they were such, we are wrong. I would guess that those misconceptions punch the biggest holes in our faith.

I want to touch on a few Christian stereotypes in order to help people embrace some Yuletide truth. For starters, the term Xmas goes back hundreds maybe even a few thousand years. A short understanding would be as follows: “In the Greek alphabet, X is the symbol for the letter ‘chi.’ Chi (or X) is the first letter in the Greek word for Christ. In the early days of the Christian church, Christians used the letter X as a secret symbol to indicate their membership in the church to others.” The usage of Xmas is not a new concept. I’m not saying that people never have nefarious reasons for using it. I’m saying that not all people who do use it do.

Another one I want to touch on is the “commercializing” of Christmas, that it has overtaken the holiday. I say good! Wait! What?!?! Yep, that’s right, I think it’s good and let me explain why. Motives for anything can be good and they can be bad. The idea that God is as stingy as most Christians is bad and is an idea that has driven people away from Him. Let me back up my first partial scripture with just a few others. After  all, the mouth of two or three witnesses establishes a truth.

Romans 8:32 (NKJV)

He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?

Matthew 7:11 (NKJV)

If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!

James 1:16-17 (NKJV)

Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.

I’ll grant you this, the context of all these scriptures is not to provide the believer with their every unbridled lust but they are but a few of many that establish that our God is an extreme giver! God is good and He so loves that in this goodness He gives to the good and to the bad. To those who deserve it and even to those who don’t, for this is His very nature… unbridled and unconditional love. After all, no one deserved the most precious gift of all, that of Jesus Christ.

The Christmas season being a season of giving is not because of retailers, but because the season that celebrates the greatest of Gifts is this in its nature! Love gives sacrificially and this is the very heart of who Christ, the Heavenly Father, and His Holy Spirit is! I am not moved that this is what the world is emulating, even if they don’t know it. In fact, I have noticed, in general, many people can be nicer, happier, and more easily moved in this season. This is yet more proof of the DNA we have received from our Creator. It’s in us, whether we like it or not!

Now, as for all those retailers making a profit off of this exploitation, I again say good. I am not advocating people hurt their families by overburdening them in debt, but a little bit extra is good for all. How many extra jobs or extra hours are created in this season? I have myself benefited in the past from this. Is it bad when corporations make big profits? Not if you want a healthy economy. People often rail against Wall St, but things like this are why the United States of America is not in third world poverty. Jobs, business, the ability for creativity to flourish, and opportunity regardless of who you are exist because of wealth. If we have a hard time thinking this way look in the Old Testament at how God blessed Israel. A land flowing with milk and honey and exceedingly able!

In closing I want to say, I am not advocating greed, not in the least. The heart of what I’m saying is there is always another side to everything and as God’s  people,

it is our job to look for the best. In closing out a year like 2020, a little hope will go a long long way! God is still on His throne and as bleak as the world can sometimes look, let’s not throw out the baby with the bath water. God is a giving God, and as His children we should reflect our Father. We are not hopeless and should not live as such. Let’s show the world hope by showing them the true character of our God, who always gave way more than necessary to those who never came close to deserving it.

Be Blessed,

Pastor Jeff

What He Wants Anyways (ATP)

Would you say the following statement is true? “Your level of faith determines the amount of sickness in your body (and how much it impacts you).” If this is true according to God’s word please load me up with scripture to support it!

So here is a tricky question with an equally tricky answer. I say tricky not because it’s hard according to the Word, but because there are many variables that can either support or reject it. Those variables are not the Word itself because the Word is not variable, but rather found in the one dealing with the issue. Allow me to explain.

In any truth, there is the basic premise of what is true and then there are external circumstances that can affect its effect. We often call this the gray area. For example, God’s desire is that all men be saved. He provided an easy path for all men to be saved, and that path is not based on anything they have done, yet the determining factor of whether or not they will be saved is solely based in their action. If you do not receive what is freely given, if you do not take the path, then you cannot partake of it.

Healing is an interesting topic. Once while I was walking and talking with my pastor, the subject of healing in scripture came up. He stated, and rightfully so, that God’s desire to heal can be found in the entirety of the Bible. He went on to give, from memory, I might add, twenty scriptures from the Old and twenty scriptures from the New Testament, just to prove his point. What I have found to be true is that in anything God desires for humanity, the principle is found all throughout scripture. The amount of the scripture we have in us does affect the effect of God’s truth in our lives. My pastor, is rarely sick but then again he is so full of the knowledge of God’s Word that it oozes out of him! Is that supported by scripture? Proverbs 4:22 says, “For they (God’s scriptures) are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh.”

So, before I get on to answering, let’s first remind ourselves of what faith is and its purpose. Faith is what you are assured of within yourself in relation to the truth of who God is and what He wants in your life. Its purpose is to keep us unmovable in God’s will. If we search the scriptures, can we ever find God making His FAITHFUL (or you could say faith full) people sick? Can we find God tempting His people to sin? In fact, James 1:13 says, “Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.” Jesus said in John 16:33, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

What we see here is two truths. God’s desire for humanity is victory but also that there is an enemy who will try your faith constantly. In this world will come opposition, however God will also provide a way out of it (1 Corinthians 10:13). I’m building here so bear with me. Look at a familiar scripture, but in the Amplified version. Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.” Let’s focus on the last part, “… to give you hope in your final outcome.” We see this again reflected in James concerning Job. Now remember, Job is one of our greatest examples in scripture of suffering, but also of redemption (most people ignore that part). James 5:11, “Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.” We see here this idea again, with trial which is not God, He has an intended, blessed outcome.

So all of that is the ground work to answer the question; see it’s not always just cut and dry! Is this true: “Your level of faith determines the amount of sickness in your body and how much it impacts you.” Job’s faith did not stop the trial from coming. Paul’s faith did not stop his trials from coming. In fact, if you read about all the greats of faith in Hebrews chapter 11, none of them had all trials stopped ahead of time, but faith brought all of them through to victory. The reason we have that chapter is to remind us, faith is what brings us through! Any trial, whether it be sickness or anything else, is not always avoidable by faith. That is not to say it never is either! The best one can do, is stay as close to God’s will as possible, and He will bring them through. Some things will be avoided all together! We do know this, Jesus was God’s  perfect will and we never hear of Him being ill.

Now, there are other factors that should be considered. Maybe a trial of sickness is brought on by doing something bad. If you are allergic to a certain food and eat it, it could be bad for you. Or let’s say you use tobacco and get cancer, or go to church with the flu, or go bed hopping and get a disease, faith does not override these bad decisions. I have even heard people try to justify these sorts of actions thinking they were doing it in faith! The problem is, faith is not just what you believe but rather what you believe based on what God has said. It’s kind of like the “all things are possible” argument. All things are possible, in the knowledge and direction of God. Jesus walked on water as a sign directed by God but notice Jesus did not have a habit of walking on water. If He had just randomly decided to get out of the boat, He would have sunk like everyone else!

Now someone might argue, what about Mark 16:18? It says about the believer, “they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” This is another side of the coin, of course. The constant fear of trial is not good either. What if I accidentally got around someone very sick and very contagious? That is what this scripture is for. Certainly, we should not be in fear just because we “might” get something. That being said, faith doesn’t throw caution to the wind and sound advice to the curb! I don’t have to be afraid of what might happen because I’m a believer, but I will choose wisdom when I know. I have seen God heal the deathly sick and have another avoid sickness altogether. Why does it work that way? I have no idea but I know He does and honestly, that’s good enough for me! I just need to know how to follow Him!

To sum this all up, let’s look at the question one more time. Can the amount of your faith determine the amount of sickness and the effect of it? I would say absolutely yes. Does it affect the amount of trial that comes at you? Not always. Faith will lead you away from trials, but by faith you can be led into trials, as well. The key to life and trial is following God and knowing His will. When you know God’s will it will be easier to determine where you are at. God’s will is not sickness or opposition, but through your perseverance in these things God can and will bring great change.

Be Blessed,

Pastor Jeff