Category: Faith Fix

Where Your Treasure Is…

Look at 1 Corinthians 12:12, “For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.” We should look at the local church as our own body. We should consider that just as we personally have needs, the local church has needs. And just as we must take care of the responsibilities of our natural homes, if we are part of a local church, we must consider the responsibilities of that church home. Hebrews 10:24-25 reminds us, “not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” If we are to assemble together, we must have a place to assemble. Psalms 133:1 says, “good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!” If we are to dwell together, we must have a place to dwell. 

Matthew 6:21 reminds us of a very important truth, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” This word treasure means your wealth, or even your storehouse. We see this idea of a storehouse also mentioned in Malachi 3:10 (ESV),

“Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house.” This scripture tells us an important truth, if we don’t fulfill our responsibility, there won’t be food in the storehouse. If we fulfill our responsibilities, the storehouse will be supplied for. This is referring to the local church. God expects that each member of the body does its share. God expects us to bring our full tithe, the first 10th of all of our increase to the local church, the storehouse. He expects this because this is the way the church will be sustained and supplied for. He set it up this way and we can look to natural illustrations such as that of our own homes, that operate just the same. Look at the next half of Malachi 3:10, “And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.” Our needs are fulfilled when we all do our share and put God first. 

No one of us would consider it wrong or too inconvenient to provide for our own homes. We wouldn’t be angry if we got a bill in the mail to heat our houses or to have internet, but instead would just chalk it up to a normal responsibility of being a mature adult. We can’t get mad at God because He expects us not to be delinquent with our responsibilities within the body of Christ and our local bodies respectively. Sadly, too many Christians look at the local church as only the pastor’s job or the staff’s job to maintain. This is a sign of spiritual immaturity. This is child or teenager mentality that never considers where the substances of the home comes from. Mature adults know better. Mature Christians must know better. If we want a home we must contribute to it. If we want to stay warm, we must pay the heating bill. If we want a local church, we must be willing and obedient with the Word of God. 

Matthew 6:24 (ESV), “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” The enemy knows this scripture better than most Christians and, because of this truth, has made it taboo to discuss things like responsibility and money for fear of offending people. Remember Proverbs 4:20-23, “My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.” These scriptures remind us that our health and safety is in keeping the words of the Lord and that it’s going to take diligence to guard the right heart about these truths in scripture. 

It’s time Christians change their perspective. As we separate “our” money from the will of God, we enter the realm of serving that money instead of serving our Lord. Can you see how dangerous this is? Not only will the local church suffer, but our walk with the Lord will suffer as we enter enemy territory. Our health and well-being are attached to our obedience and keeping the right heart. 

When we do things God’s way no one suffers, no one goes without. When we put our full trust in the Lord whether it be in the financial arena or otherwise, He can move on our behalf and supply us with all we need and more. Remember this: Proverbs 10:22, “The blessing of the Lord makes one rich, And He adds no sorrow with it.”

Be Blessed,

Pastor Re

2 Timothy 4:2-4 says, “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season…”

The devil is known for pop quizzes. Though this is written to a young pastor, the principle of being ready is for us all. No Christian ought to be surprised when a test or a trial comes their way, because the Word promised it would happen. (James 1:2, 1 Peter 1:6) We have a real enemy who wants to get us off course. We have a real enemy who wants to get us doubting the one true God.  The question isn’t whether or not the test will come, but rather, what are you going to do when the test does come? Are you going to be ready? Are you going to know how to respond correctly so you don’t fail?

When the test comes, you’ll answer with whatever you’ve been putting in. The knowledge and understanding you’ve hidden in you, is what you will know how to answer with.  If you’re filling yourself up with doubt and unbelief, that’s not going to pass the test. If you’re not feeding yourself with knowledge and understanding of the Word of God, you won’t answer with the Word. You’ll answer with whatever you’ve been building your faith in. We can build faith in God by hearing and hearing His Word or we can build faith in the circumstance, when we aren’t hearing and hearing the Word. If the latter is the case, when the test comes you will not be ready. 

I’ve heard this said, that our faith is like a sponge. Whatever we fill it with will be what comes out when it’s squeezed. What’s coming out of your mouth when you’re tested? What attitude and disposition is being squeezed out of you? Are you speaking faith? Are you speaking scripture? Are you exuding joy?

Ephesians 6:13-17, writes, “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” Does a soldier put on their uniform and get geared up at the battlefield or before he goes out to battle? 

Too many Christians wait for the battlefield before they get ready to withstand the attacks of the devil. They’re too distracted by the affairs of this life to fill up on and guard the Word of God (Matthew 4:18-19). Is your distraction worth losing your victory? Sadly, too many Christians live distracted all the way to the battlefield and then scramble to find their armor. That is not what Jesus paid for! This is why so many Christians in this world look, act, and sound defeated. That is why so many Christians are defeated. With every distraction and with every time you neglect the Word, prayer, or showing up to your local church, you’re handing your victory over to the enemy, one piece of equipment at a time. 

Recently, I’ve dealt with some trial in a certain area of my life. When I notice that fear is starting to creep in, I realize I’m not guarding the Word enough. So what do I do? I make sure to turn my focus back on Him, not just in theory, like “God, you’re good.” No, instead I get my heart filled up with the right scriptures that will answer the doubt and answer the trial. If I don’t pick up the gear, I’m not going to keep hold of my victory. When a financial trial comes, I better be sure I have the right answer to respond with. If a trial in my body comes, I better know that I’m heal and know where the Word tells me so! If offense tries to come I better guard against that, with the Word! 

I’m a child of God! As a child of God, I’m a joint heir with Christ! All that Christ has is mine. All that the Word promises is mine! The equipment and the weapons are always available for us to use, but we’ve got to get them in our arsenal and keep them there if we’re going to have them when the test comes. Let’s hide the Word in our heart (Psalm 119:11) and have it when we need it, amen!? 

Be Blessed,

Pastor Renée 

Faithfulness & Increase

Matthew 25:21 

His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’

I was at a local business that I frequent, when some revelation about stewardship came to me. See, God will teach you if you are willing to listen, regardless of where you are. I’ve learned over the years that people often act differently about something when they have a personal stake in it. That said, this story is about napkins. 

I am known to hoard drive-thru napkins in my glovebox. I have always loved that when you go through a drive-thru the employee, if they haven’t been absent minded, will give you a stack of them. I like to save these napkins because someone is always spilling something, needs to clean up some mess, or sometimes we have absent minded drive-thru attendants and get none, when we need them. The thing is, often employees have no thought about the cost of waste. To them they are just an expendable and cheap commodity. I’d be willing to bet that if McDonald’s as a corporation released what it spends on just napkins or straws in a year, we’d all be surprised.

As I go to this shop I am often waited on by the owner, as it is a small business. There is something I have always noticed though, no stacks of napkins. In fact, you often have to ask and a stack is rarely offered. I’m sure that napkins are not his top priority but one thing I do know (and rightfully so, I might add), the bottom line is. 

I am not advocating for a poverty mentality nor am I looking down on this business man for his frugalness (You can have an opinion without being opinionated). I am simply making an observation that deserves contemplation. This is the ins and outs of stewardship. The Bible states over and over the importance of faithfulness in what isn’t yours. 

Good stewardship is ultimately is an act of love. 1 Corinthians 13:5 states two acts of love that I am so often reminded of, even in regards to napkins. Love isn’t rude and love does not seek its own. In other words, it looks after the interests of others. It glorifies God when we care about things that do not affect us directly. We don’t need to feel love just as we do not have to feel saved. We just act on them.

We need to ask ourselves, do we look after the interests of others or do we only seek our own. And I mean others that we have no natural affection towards. Jesus said it’s easy to love your own (Matthew 5:46-47), there are no brownie points for that. What would happen though if we chose to love the unlovable? I can tell you, I’m sure glad that He did.

Be Blessed,

Pastor Jeff 

Go On With God

I was cleaning up a bit of our Christmas decorations and started thinking about how much we look forward to Christmas.  We look forward to the excitement of the day and the memories we will get to create.  When Christmas is over we look forward to New Year’s for the same reasons.  Maybe we have a vacation coming up that we look forward to next.  There is always something as human beings, even since childhood, that we are “looking forward to.”  It is good to look forward.  Hebrews 12:1-2 says, “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”  

Let us run the race set in front of us, looking forward!  We need to be future minded.   Jesus was future minded and only because of that could he actually accomplish what God had purposed Him to do.  Too often Christians are living like the rest of the world just trying to get their kicks, just trying to seize the moment, which really is all about tickling their flesh. Recently, my husband gave someone in our congregation some great advice. He said, “you need to always follow a thought through and see where it leads you.” What he means by that is that when a thought comes or a temptation to act opposite of God, we need to think about what acting on that thought will result in down the line. If the temptation comes to leave my church because something the pastor said, imagine where that will lead you in the grand scheme of things. Will leaving the place God has for you be easier than swallowing the pride that has you in offense? After all, it’s being planted in the place you’re called that will flourish you. Psalms 92:13, “Those who are planted in the house of the Lord, Shall flourish in the courts of our God.”

What about the temptation to sin, to enter into premarital relationships living impure, or to party like the world parties, getting a little tipsy? Where will acting on that lead you in the end? There was a teenager once used mightily of God, walking in His plan, serving in His church, but the temptation to sin with another teenager came and instead of following that thought through to where it might actually end up after the pleasure was over, this teenager chose to sin. The result? Being removed from the post God had and having to prove faithfulness all over again. Romans 6:23 tells us, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” 

Looking forward will keep us on the right track if we let it. Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”  God wants to give us a future!  He wants to give us a GOOD future. How do we keep our future mindset on the right things?  We purpose to check our life against the Word of God and keep our minds and actions stayed on Him. Romans 8:5-7, “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. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.”

As we look forward to 2019, let us do so with purpose. Let us purpose to keep our minds and actions stayed on Him. If offense comes, ask, “where is this going to lead me in the end?” If the temptation to sin comes, ask, “what is the outcome of acting on this?” If the idea of quitting comes, ask, “what will giving up get me?” Follow those thoughts through, get the understanding that the devil is trying to steal, kill, and destroy, and go on with God. 

Be Blessed,

Pastor Renée 

Giving, Good Tidings, Love & Celebration

The Christmas season seems to always make people a little bit more generous, a little more pleasant, a little more loving, and a little more joyous. Why is this? Because whether we realize it or not, Jesus is at the heart of this season, or at least He’s at the forefront. 

Even secular radio stations and mainstream television programs preach Jesus in the songs they broadcast and the movies they air. Philippians 1:18, “…whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.” I’m a public school teacher and this season from about Thanksgiving through Christmas, you can hear about Jesus on classroom radios and in the choirs. Yes, you hear the songs singing glory and celebrating our dear Savior’s birth. 

The love of Jesus is seen in people throughout this season perhaps more than any other time of year. People are more willing to give gifts to those less fortunate. People are more giving to their families, their spouses, and their colleagues. People take the opportunity to play secret Santa in the drive-thru, buying the next car’s coffee or lunch. Food donation boxes in grocery stores seem a little fuller and spare change collections seem to become more abundant. Why is this? 

When Jesus is at the forefront, the heart of God is seen.  God is a giving God! Look at,  Romans 8:32, “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?” In 2 Corinthians chapter 9 we see that being generous brings glory and thanksgiving to God, Proverbs 21:26 says, “…the righteous (man) gives and does not spare.” Whether the rest of the world realizes it or not, giving and a heart to give comes from God Himself. 

Deuteronomy 30:14 and again in Romans 10:8, we see an important truth, that the Word of God is very near and in your mouth and heart that you may do it! When I see the positive changes in people during this time of year I can’t deny the connection to the love of God and His nature that was placed on their hearts as He breathed life into His creation. The love and hope and truth of God, and His salvation is so near to the lips of mankind. This is why I propose for Christmas all year round! 

Ok, ok. My husband said we need an extra month of Christmas because the excitement is ripped away the second all the wrapping paper’s been torn open, but I’m not talking about a year in Christmas Town. I propose the generosity of Christmas all year. I propose the freedom and the willingness to talk about Jesus all year round. I propose we take the joy of Christmas to the world, all year round. Let’s not let Christmas end today, folks. As the world around us sees the love, peace, joy, and generosity of The Father, in the name of Christ, salvation becomes increasingly closer to their lips. Amen?!

Be Blessed and Have A Very Merry Christmas,

Pastor Renée 

When You’re In a Funk

Have you ever felt like you just want to quit? Have you ever felt like it’s just all too much…life and all the responsibility and this standing in faith stuff? Well, I know I have. There are times where I feel like a spiritual loser, moments where I take thoughts that I shouldn’t, instances where I let the devil’s fiery darts start a little fire in my mind. I know I’m not alone in this, and that’s why I’m writing this right now.

Ephesians 6:16 reminds us, “above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.” If we won’t stand in faith, we won’t be able to put out those fires in our thought life. That word quench means to extinguish. It means to put out. It means to stop in its tracks as to prevent any further destruction. When the darts come flying, we can either extinguish them or we can add fuel to the fire.

Over the years, we’ve had the privilege of celebrating Labor Day with some church family, and the evening always commences in a huge bonfire. One thing you can expect is there will always be someone there with some gasoline to add to the fire to help get the fire to spread to the whole pile. In life, it seems that around every corner there’s gasoline waiting to be poured on the fire and it’s our job to avoid allowing that fire to consume us.  Think about it. Have you ever been having one of those days where you just felt like you weren’t seeing the blessing of God in your life? Then all the sudden someones comes along who doesn’t even serve the Lord and is driving the car you wanted? Or got that promotion you wanted? Or found their perfect spouse, like you had been believing for? What about when you have a symptom come in your body and all the sudden you hear on the news of someone else who just died because they had an illness that started with your same symptoms! This world is never short of circumstance that isn’t exactly what we’d like to see. 

We are to continually build our faith, keeping a working fire extinguisher nearby and ready to quench the fiery darts at all times. You’d think it foolish if you saw a platoon who showed up to the battle with no weapons, no shelter, no protection, and no way to defend themselves, but Christians are foolishly going about this life, with a real enemy, naked and afraid. 2 Corinthians 10:3-4, “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds.” As Christians, we are not to rely on the flesh. We are not to trust circumstance and we are not to lay aside the promises and protection of the Word, even when we feel like giving up, even when we feel like spiritual failures. We need to pick up and get well acquainted with our spiritual weapons! 

Look at 2 Corinthians 10:5, “casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” We extinguish every thought that is contrary to the truth, which is the Word of God. But how do we do this?? 

The thought comes that you’re never going to get anywhere better than where you are now. You answer it! 2 Corinthians 3:18, “But 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.” The thought comes that you’re never going to be able to pay off that debt and get those things you want and need for your family. You answer it! Philippians 4:19, “My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” The symptoms come and the thoughts of death and destruction try to spread throughout your mind. Answer it! 1 Peter 2:24, “who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.” Psalms 107:2 reminds us, “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy.” I’m saying so!! Are you!?

Ephesians 5:26 equates the Word of God to water. Have you ever tried to light a fire where everything was soaking wet? It doesn’t go very far. It’s a lot more work to get that fire to spread and to stay burning. Likewise, as we stay saturated by the Word, the devil’s got a lot more work to do to get that fire to spread and to keep that fire burning. Remember that faith comes by hearing and hearing the Word (Romans 10:17) and it’s the shield of faith with which we’ll be able to quench all the fiery darts. Extinguish those thoughts once and for all by staying full of the Word. Amen!?

Be Blessed, 

Pastor Renée