The Firstfruits of Coregency Restored

In the beginning, God designed men and women. They were different in function yet complimentary. And most importantly, they were coregents- joint rulers, equal in authority. God never makes mistakes. He does not have or need a "plan B". His one and only plan was to sanctify for Himself a Holy Nation of kingly priests... men and women who believe Jesus and follow Him and enjoy coregency. Adam and Eve, despite losing their coregency because of their rebellion, did not hinder God's plan.

Revelation 5:10 And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.

Mankind's Sin ruined coregency, and made it necessary for God to institute headship. Sin is the reason we have headship in place.

Jesus RESTORES to us what Adam and Eve had lost. Why? Because Jesus PAID for mankind's sin on the cross! He ERADICATED sin by His PURE and HOLY BLOOD!

DID YOU KNOW?

Jesus' sacrifice restores The Edenic Paradise and the coregency of men and women together!

In this life, in Christ, we are now experiencing the firstfruits of paradise and coregency. In other words, we can commune with God (as did Adam and Eve) heal the sick, exercise spiritual authority under Christ's authority, preach the word, exercise spiritual/prophetic gifts in the churches, etc. THAT is a taste of paradise. That is our current New Testament reality in the Spirit.

When Jesus returns in His Glory, we will see the FULL REVELATION of paradise and coregency restored!

Luke 23:43 And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Revelation 1:6 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Note: (us means men and women)

Revelation 5:10 And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.”

Men and women will rule equally on the earth with Jesus! Training for that day begins TODAY!

Also, Jesus is our Tree of Life, and He is in the midst of the paradise. When we receive the spirit of adoption into our hearts, we receive Jesus... we receive a piece of paradise inside of us.

Revelation 2:7 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.” ’

Out of that paradise flows rivers of living water.

John 7:38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”

Where are you seated today in Christ? You are seated in a place of heavenly paradise! It's present truth.

Ephesians 2:6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

Romans 8:23 Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.

Through Christ, we receive the Holy Spirit. Through the Holy Spirit, we experience the firstfruits of power, coregency, and the firstfruits of paradise.

We get the firstfruits of the Spirit of God in coregency and paradise TODAY in Christ, and we get the full harvest at His return!

James 1:18 Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.

So as we struggle along in the reality of life, with a body that is groaning, and with circumstances that seem contrary to paradise, we must walk by FAITH in Christ, not by SIGHT, and realize that this is not the full measure of the Paradise, or the Kingdom of God- this is just the foretaste. We as men and women in Christ are being restored to joint rulership... the very same authority of coregency that Adam and Eve had BEFORE sin came along. God's perfect plan is proceeding smoothly. So the headship principal is still necessary to this day, because of sin. Such a principal was instituted by God in order to keep order in a sin-infested world full of selfishness and betrayal and rebellion. Men sin and fall short. Women do also. But Jesus restores and saves us BY GRACE through FAITH! (Eph 2:8) So we know that coregency is not possible in a sin-filled house with a sinful man and a sinful woman who hate God. BUT what of TWO MATURE BELIEVERS who follow Jesus and love Him and obey Him in humility? Out of their heart, is a flowing river. In their hearts is Eden. In their soul is a source of paradise... the Lord Jesus Christ's Spirit!! Where there is a married couple, two mature and redeemed spouses, who are standing together, they should realize that there is now a Biblical and current shift towards coregency- what God always intended for us. Sin is the whole reason why Eve was required to submit to Adam's headship. But Jesus has paid for sin and now is the time for us to arise to the next level and gradually shift back toward coregency. This does not mean we eliminate man's authority in the house... no not at all.... and again, this is just a foretaste, and all of this is a process. We will all make mistakes here and there. So take courage! Keep following the authority of Jesus, and learn to use the authority He gives both men and women in the home and in the marketplace and in the church! It will not happen all at once, but now is the day to start our journey which is only possible thanks to Jesus. This is not a call for men to step DOWN as leaders, but rather a call for both men and women to RISE UP TOGETHER and claim what Jesus gives to them, the original Edenic model of coregency. That is our destiny in the new heaven and new earth. Today is the day to start our training for heavenly coregency!

Today is the day to start enjoying the firstfruits, and to prepare for the coming Return of Jesus which will usher in the full harvest and full realization of that paradise and coregency.

-PC

12:39am EST

Tue. Dec 18 2018

The Distinction between Choice And Desire

The Distinction between Choice And Desire

Matthew 26:39 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”

So I have had many great responses to my last post, from Sunday August 19th.

Read that here if you missed it:
Choices Ahead: Singleness and Marriage

Have you read it yet? OK great! Now we can continue. 😄

Many people liked it/agreed with it, and a couple of readers respectfully disagreed. It seems I will need to hash this topic "choice" out a little more. I am SO glad that people spoke up on social media and expressed their agreement and in a couple of cases, their disagreement.

One commenter in particular was very insightful. She said that she was about to disagree with my blog entry about singleness being a choice (other than for people who deliberately commit to long term singleness) when she felt a check in her spirit saying that choice can come in many subtle ways, ways that may not even look like choices. She is absolutely correct!

So I must ask you, dear single Christian:

Take some time in the Lord to reflect on your story, much like I reflected on mine. That previous blog entry was my story. And while you may not relate to everything I said in that post, it is absolutely true for me in my story. Singleness was not a one-time only choice I made. It was not a case of me saying "from now on I will choose to be single, and that's that!" No, rather the choice is made repeatedly. See I WANT to choose to remarry. But what I WANT and what I CHOOSE are often different. God helps me choose what is best for me... and what is best is not always what I want!
Thank you JESUS for helping me in my choices!! 

 But in the dating opportunities I have had so far, I have chosen singleness over and over... many small choices... many small forks in the road leading to huge differences later on. This is almost like a multiple-choice quiz!

I want to remarry again someday, but I want to do it right. I want this marriage to be a lasting one. So I choose singleness most times. Sounds odd doesn't it? But it's true. No one forced me to marry any of these women. They chose not to pursue and I chose not to pursue.

So let me help you make a distinction: what you WANT may not always be what you CHOOSE.

God doesn't force His hand on us. He will gently lead us, but He still leaves the choice up to us... even if we wish to go against His leading.

Many of us singles WANT to get married, and many of us have CHOSEN to make an effort to do so. But then we remain single many times after that. In some cases, the other person is choosing not to date you anymore, but in other cases, you are choosing not to date them. In some cases, the choice is mutual.

What if you have the day off from work and you could do anything you wanted to?
You have a fork in the road, maybe multiple forks. Many mini choices to make with your day off. If you choose to stay home, you may miss out on a new opportunity, a new acquaintance outside. If you choose not to sign up for online dating, that is perfectly fine. BUT that choice means not meeting anyone online. All our little subtle choices add up. And yes, some of it is beyond our control. God is the faithful sovereign Lord who rules and guides us. He is in control. And within Christ's rulership, He allows us to make choices, for He is making us into kings and priests under Him (Rev. 1:5-6).

What we want is not always what God wants. So as faithful Christians, we sometimes choose obedience to Christ over what we want. And over time, He shapes our will to be more like His own. But there will always be times when I think I have the right path, but God wants something different.

Now...  I think some Christian singles (not all) may automatically associate CHOICE with DESIRE. As in: if you chose it, you must have WANTED it.

 But that is not always true. I really want to be married again, and I could have had it by now probably more than once. BUT instead, I made mini choices leading back to singleness. Why?Because I believe that is what God wanted for me in those cases... to help me stay faithful to HIS local and ministry calling on my life. Jesus must be first in our lives. Yet I happen to know that He wants to bring someone to me who wants to walk WITH me. So I have kept looking and hoping in the Lord.

So what we want is not always what we choose. Jesus illustrates this distinction the best when he chose the Father's will over His own will:

Matthew 26:39 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”

There are many times we, as singles, hate to go to bed alone, we hate to be single. We long to love and be loved. We long for the adventure of romance once again. But we feel the Holy Spirit telling us "not just yet". So we faithfully obey and choose to turn down certain opportunities. Remember, it's not the Holy Spirit forcing you. He is gentle and will show you, but it must be you who takes the steps.

For those of you who are single, please hear me: You may not want to be single, but you are single. Very rarely is this completely out of one's control, unless you were locked up for many years against your will, with no outside contact. So as long as you have your freedom, then your choices have been a factor in your singleness. No one is forcing you to stay single. You may not have wanted or chosen singleness directly, yet your indirect and subconscious choices have likely played a role in your singleness, to one degree or another.

 And you may not recognize the many tiny choices you are continually making. Again, I have to make it clear... very very few of us have said "I choose singleness!!" as a definitive conclusive statement. Most of us Christian singles are more likely to say " I want marriage! I want to choose it!"
But we continue to make choices that favour singleness. Or we meet up with a chance at marriage and end up turning it down. Or maybe sometimes we had no control over one situation and it was NOT our choice, but some other factor. That can happen. Please understand that I am not trying to "blame" you for being single. Singleness, in Christ, is sacred and special, in that it helps us perform "the things of the Lord". (1 Cor. 7:32)

And I am not dumping all responsibility on you for being single. There are uncontrollable factors that often make it very hard to get married. I understand that.  But you are not a puppet either. There is a balance in the middle of the road somewhere.

But even when outside factors thwart your attempt at marriage, remember you still can choose to trust in the Lord for a spouse. Your attitude is still your choice, even in the most difficult situations. God's Word should shape your thinking. It should fuel your hope in Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus told us that with God, ALL things are possible. It is YOUR choice whether you believe that or not.

And sometimes we makes small little choices that lead to an extended season of singleness, even when we really want marriage. Yet we may not recognize that.
 Thus choice and desire are two different things. They are related, and sometimes they agree with each other. Other times, they are different.
As faithful believers in Jesus, we bend our will to the Lord's when our will or desire is not in tune with His. Or sometimes, we make choices leading to more singleness due to unhealthy things like fear or worry or apathy or doubt. But that is not always the case. Each Christian single is unique and loved dearly by the Lord.

Some Christians work very hard at finding a spouse. Some are successful and others are still working at it. As long as they are still alive they can CHOOSE to keep searching for a spouse or they can CHOOSE to quit looking. And most importantly we can ALL CHOOSE to pray in Jesus' Name and read His Word!
 All the tiny forks in the road each day are the seemingly tiny choices we make on a daily ongoing basis. They seem so little that we don't even recognize it as a choice.

It's not one huge fork or one huge choice, but a series of winding paths and several options at each intersection. And, just MAYBE, POSSIBLY, you could one day make a choice to do something unrelated to singleness, (like buy groceries). And POSSIBLY, God uses your choice to bring you a mate! It could happen, if you have asked Him for a spouse. That's just one random example of literally millions of possibilities in Christ. God is unlimited in power and ability. He can reach you where you are at. 

Sometimes God uses our choices to His advantage and to our advantage even when we don't realize it. He is the ultimate chooser. He chose us first. Yet, because we are made in Christ's image, we are also choosers. Let us choose to serve and worship Christ... choose to believe He is able to work any miracle in your life. Choose to listen to His Voice telling you His will for you. Choose to believe that God's promises are true and that He can and does answer prayer!

God bless you!
Pastor Curtis

Wed. Aug 22 2018 10:46pm EST

CHOICES AHEAD- Singleness and Marriage are Choices

MARRIAGE AND SINGLENESS ARE CHOICES

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20 years ago, when I was young, before I was married, I used to dismiss singleness. I used to think it was no good. I had no appreciation for God's seasonal gift. (God's spiritual Seasons can last years sometimes). I valued the Biblical definition of marriage. I had great examples of Christian marriage in my life. But I had no real instruction or understanding about singleness as a Christian and how God blesses it for "the things of the Lord" (1 Cor. 7:32).

Well God's Spirit has been teaching me for the past decade now.

When I was abandoned by my ex-wife in 2008, and later divorced, I thought singleness was happening to me. Singleness was something that continued to "happen" to me. And it was something that was always beyond my control. Marriage and singleness just happen. When God wants them to. That is how I thought.

But now, through the leading of the Holy Spirit and through my experiences as a pastor to singles, I can see that singleness is a choice. Yes God is moving and leading. But we are made in His image and so therefore, because He has a will, so do we.

After 7 years of singleness, I finally started to get dates. Most were one-time meetings. All of them were special and great women of God. But it was usually agreed by both that we should not pursue the relationship. Perhaps they had a different geographic calling and ministry calling than me. Or maybe there were other factors. It was no-one's fault. These women were amazing Christians, but that does not automatically mean you have to marry them. Sometimes, a discernment is needed, where you recognize God's timing is different than our own. And there are a slew of practical factors that help to determine whether or not to go down a marriage road with a particular woman. And to any women reading this, the same applies for you: you don't have to marry the very next Christian man you meet! You might want to keep your options open a little longer!

And now, almost 10 years later, I am looking back, on each connection. I can clearly see my choice was to stay single and NOT pursue those relationships. In most cases it was a mutual choice on both my part and hers. I chose singleness. I own it. No self-pity party here.

I did the pity-party at one point, as if I was the "victim" of divorce and now I am the "prisoner" of singleness.

But not anymore. God hoisted me out of a dark and secret pit and cleansed me and made me whole. He changed my thinking on singleness!
 I am a whole Christian and I am single. I am healed and single. I am loved and single. Jesus loves me, this I know! For the Bible tells me SO!!!

Now I am older and wise enough to figure out that I have been CHOOSING my path. God is guiding me through prayer. But He also lets me make choices. I own up to my choices and I honestly don't regret them by-and-large... because I have not married into the wrong situation this time around! :)  I don't regret my singleness because now I still have OPTIONS available to me in Christ that a married person no longer has.

SO.... When I am ready, I will choose marriage, and God Himself truly knows when I will be ready

I can no longer say singleness is "happening" to me. Just as marriage is a choice, so is singleness. Because of Jesus, singleness is sacred, just as marriage is sacred. It is sacred in HIM for He walked as a single on earth!

Do we control all the circumstances surrounding singleness? No of course not. Sometimes conditions favour singleness even when we prefer marriage. Those factors make it tough to break away from singleness when we would rather be married.

BUT.... I am still the chooser here. Not going to be the victim. In Jesus, I have chosen singleness for an indefinite period of time.... a season. I have chosen it because I can see what God is doing with my singleness. :) God is the chooser of me. And in His choice, I am choosing to serve Him.

I encourage you to reflect on the reasons why you are single or why you are married. Does your choice have something to do with it? Or do you see yourself as a victim of random chance? Do you think God makes all the choices for you, or do you believe He makes provisions for you to make choices as well?

God bless you!

Pastor Curtis (PC)

Two Sides to the "Koinoneo"

I have to laugh when people outside the church think I am in the ministry for the money. Some people, believe it or not, think that those who receive an honourarium for preaching or pastoring are automatically "in it for the money". I recently saw this expressed in a short post on social media. It had no context, and no names mentioned. It was just a general statement: "IF YOU'RE PAID AN HONORARIUM TO PREACH STOP SAYING GOD SENT YOU. YOUR POCKETS SENT YOU!"

This proves that the person who posted this does not have a balanced understanding of the Word of God and clearly has no understanding of most pastors. I have met a lot of pastors, and very few of them, if any, are in it for the money, let me tell you. It also shows that this person has no idea what an "honourarium" actually is.
Now, to be fair, there have certainly been some who abuse the role of pastor or minister. They treat it like a money-making scheme and that is not the heart of God. It is tragic and should never be the case.

BUT.... Ohhhhh Boy. If you think I am in it for the money, you better laugh hard at me. I would be one of the world's worst money-makers if that were the case. My honourarium is not even a part-time wage. My cheque is, in accounting terms classified as a "travel expense". It is based on whatever little is left at the end of the month after all other expenses are paid for. Yet I am VERY grateful to God for it. I give way more back than I receive. And I am grateful to Jesus for that ability. Most of my income comes from my full time work as a department manager in the retail world. That makes me bivocational. I am grateful to Jesus for every cent I get. But I can assure you, if you knew what amount I get from church, (we get paid AFTER all other expenses are covered and it varies from month to month- it's how to survive as a small church) then you would laugh at anyone who thinks I am in it for the money. Nope. I am in it for JESUS! Jesus sent me to preach and teach the word at Church On The GO, in Newmarket, Ontario, Canada.
 I always have been focused on the call and continue to be. The little bit of money I receive each month is just another small side benefit. But the REAL meat is doing God's will... the will of my heavenly Father, just like Jesus. In fact, I actually started off as a volunteer minister, 17 years ago. I only started getting an honourarium after years of faithful service and it was in line with 1 Timothy 5:17-18.

SO for a person on social media to blatanly paint all ministers/preachers with one absurd brushstroke is quite ridiculous. I mean does this person even understand the definition of
"honourarium"? According to http://www.thefreedictionary.com/honorarium it means:
"A payment given to a professional person for services for which fees are not legally or traditionally required."
Did you catch that? This means that honourariums are VOLUNTARY in nature, not REQUIRED.
This is the heart of the issue. And did such person even stop and wonder why so many of us are bivocational pastors now? WHY? Because pastoring does not pay much these days and many pastors need a second job in order to make ends meet! Perhaps this poster, God bless them, should get up-to-speed with the times in which we live.

When it comes to any topic, including money, balance is key. Don't go from ditch to ditch, but stay centered on the Way, the Road, Jesus Christ. Extreme views are neither helpful nor Biblical, especially coming from those who hide from church and are out of touch with all that God is doing in His local churches.
There are two sides to the "koinoneo" (sharing money/goods).
Today we have a word in English: coin. That word refers to a small usually metalic disc with two sides on it used as a basic form of currency in most countries. It is interesting that Koinoneo and coin sound so similar and are on a related wavelength. Especially here in Canada, (where we have $1 and $2 coins) those are often what we give when we want to help someone or donate to a cause.

So let us briefly discuss two sides of the coin, or the two sides of the "koinoneo".
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One side of the "coin":
One ditch to avoid is asceticism: or imposed poverty and complete denial of any luxuries in this life. It is the belief that being poor is the only way to gain God's approval and those who hold such views IMPOSE poverty on ministers and Christians. This is wrong and out of balance and it is unbiblical.
ONLY JESUS is the Way to God, not poverty. Now if one minister CHOOSES voluntary poverty, that is just fine. God can and does call some people to such a lifestyle. BUT it is never Biblical or right to impose poverty on others. Jesus promised to SUPPLY OUR NEEDS if we seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. (Mat 6:33) Such supply is the opposite of poverty.
Colossians 2:18 ESV Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind,
Colossians 2:23 ESV These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.

1 Timothy 5:17-18 NKJV
17 Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double HONOUR, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine. 18 For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer is worthy of his wages.”

From Blueletterbible: "HONOUR" is "TIME (ti-may)" in the Greek and is G5092 in the Strongs concordance. It means:
"a value, i.e. money paid, or (concretely and collectively) valuables; by analogy, esteem (especially of the highest degree), or the dignity itself:—honour, precious, price, some."

So to double the "TIMAY", as Paul wrote, means that the elders should receieve TWO kinds of "honour", the reverence of being a faithful and true minister, and also monetary compensation that allows him or her to live. That's what DOUBLE HONOUR is about and it is what inspired the term "honourarium". It is given voluntarily by the people in the church. There is no requirement placed on them. But an exhortation is given here, and this is where "koinoneo" comes in:

Galatians 6:6 KJV Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.

"Communicate" is an old word meaning "share" or "give". The Geneva Bible is older than the King James Bible by 51 years, but actually makes this point more CLEAR:

Galatians 6:6 GNV Let him that is taught in the word, make him that hath taught him, PARTAKER of all his goods.
 
The word "communicate/partaker" in Greek is G2841 "Koinoneo" and according to the Strongs concordance on Blueletterbible means:
"to share with others (objectively or subjectively):—communicate, distribute, be partaker."

In the old days of the church, sharing goods was a common way of making sure everyone's needs in the church were met, especially the pastors. So the act of "koinonea" has a physical and literal sense to it in this context. It requires action. Giving money ("coin") in order for that person to buy these goods is just as valid. But it is something that is done willingly by the giver, and of their OWN FREE WILL. The pastor/minister never compells or requires people to pay for his service, for that would be out of step with Scripture. The just shall live by FAITH. (Habakkuk 2:4) THIS is why honourariums are Biblical.... because by definition, an honourarium is voluntarily offered. It is never required or under compulsion.

That brings us to the other side of "koinonea":

-------------The OTHER side of the coin:----------------
The OPPOSITE ditch to avoid is GREED and MAKING MERCHANDISE of the Word of God. God gives to us freely the gift of salvation. Money cannot buy the Gift of the Holy Spirit or the gift of Salvation. ONLY the Blood of Jesus has been accepted by God as payment for our sins. We should NEVER turn our messages or services into a money-making scheme that compels or guilt-trips people into giving money. Never. Always minister by faith, not by pay-cheque. If people cannot afford to give, then love them and serve them just the same. They may have OTHER ways to give to the work of God. And if you do walk by faith in the Holy Spirit, the Lord will supply your financial needs. Among all His inifinite numbers of ways of supplying us, one way He does this is through His churches. As Ephesians 4:16 says - every joint (believer) in the Body supplies the needs of the others. (Eph. 4:16)

Below we see examples of what God condemns: Greed and making merchandise of God's house.

John 2:16 And He said to those who sold doves, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!”
 
Acts 8:20 NKJV
But Peter said to him, “Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money!
 
So we see here that Simon the sorcerer was trying to "Buy" the Holy Spirit. That is blasphemous. God cannot be bought. I am very certain that IF Simon had the idea that he could BUY the Holy Spirit with money, then he was planning to MAKE MONEY by selling the Holy Spirit as well. This is NOT what Pastors and ministers are called to do. We are called to what Jesus says:
Matthew 10:8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.

Somewhere in the middle of the road is the balanced Biblical model: church leaders should partake in goods and offerings of those they serve in the local church. Those offerings of goods or money should be offered freely by the giver and processed through proper accounting and legal procedures. The ministers are never instructed to "take". But the church attenders are encouraged to "give". Notice that distinction in Scripture.
If the ministers are faithful and true to the Gospel, then support them as you are able to with what you can give! Can you give them time and do volunteer work in the church? Do that! Can you help by doing gospel outreach on the streets? Do that! Can you give the church an extra jar of coffee for its machine? Go for it! Do you feel the church needs to pay it's lighting and heating bills and that the Pastor should eat? Then feel free to put money in the offering and be a joint that supplies the Body in faith - IN CHRIST. Do it as you are willing to. Do it out of what you have, not out of what you do not have. The Bible says:

2 Corinthians 9:7
So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.
The labourer is worthy of his hire as the Bible plainly says. A true labourer is not worried about how much people are paying, they are only concerned about preaching the Word of God correctly and about loving God and loving the people of God. The heart of the true minister always puts Jesus first, and also puts the people of God above himself. Yet they also gladly accept any help they can get so that they can live and pay the bills. Jesus is the supplier, always. And He supplies us through His Body many times.

As a side note, I have been in leadership ministry for 17 years. As a pastor myself, my advice to all people considering pastoring as a vocation is this: don't get into it for the money. Such a calling does not typically pay much so only get into ministry if you are willing to live by FAITH.
There is an incorrect notion floating around, a false "wind of doctrine" stating that pastors should not get paid at all. Well how are they supposed to live?
I was called of the Lord to enter the ministry, and that same pure calling motivates me today. My small honourarium cheque prove that. Anyone who had the dollar signs in their eyes would have abandoned my post years ago.
 So the calling of the Lord should always be your motivation. Besides, pastoring simply does not pay much for the average small church minister. So make up your mind to serve the Lord because He called you to do it. If your church can give you something in return, graciously accept it as part of their way of HONOURING you as per 1 Timothy 5:17-18.
But never let money be your motivation. It should always be the Lord who motivate and guides you. And don't refuse His help when He sends you money through His body. That simply is not wise or Biblical.

So let's shake off the legalistic notion that pastors should NOT get paid. And let's also shake off the false notion some people have that pastors should CHARGE for their ministry. Jesus did not charge money for His service. He only required FAITH as the currency of exchange for miracles and ministry. We know this is true. But His group had an actual money bag, kept by Judas Iscariot. How is this possible? I believe it is because Jesus accepted the free-will offereings of those who chose to give money. After all, Jesus had no house, no bank account, no earthly business. He was human as well as God. So He had to eat to live. It is just practical Biblical teaching to financially support the ones who freely minister to you. Serve by faith in Jesus. And then let the Lord supply your need through your congregation. He never fails!
God Bless,
Pastor Curtis
Assistant Pastor
churchonthego.ca
Sun May 20 2018 4:03pm EST 

Forgiveness and Trust: Related but Not the Same

Psalm 118:8 It is better to trust in the Lord Than to put confidence in man.

Forgiveness and Trust are two different yet related Concepts.

Forgiveness is about a release from the past, and trust is about investing in the present and the future.

BOTH forgiveness and trust help you move forward in God.

Forgiveness is about releasing people from past debts. We must forgive others in order to be forgiven by the Heavenly Father according to Jesus. It helps us let go of past hurts, and it prevents us from being trapped in the past. And Trust is an investment into the present and the future. You are never commanded to trust anyone except the Lord. But trusting other people wisely will be needed. Trusting the Lord is required for LIFE and SALVATION and SECURITY. And trusting individuals will be needed many times. That is what relationships are built on: trust. If someone violates your personal trust, either willfully or unwittingly, forgive them. Perhaps they are sincerely sorry and they need more chances. That is what mercy is for. The Lord promotes MERCY. The Bible is all about sparing the humble and repentant soul and offering MERCY. That is what you and I should do, because in time, we ourselves will fail, and will need MERCY also! None of us are flawless and we all need forgiveness from time to time. The Lord knows I make mistakes, and I repent and try my best to learn from them and correct such mistakes. We may see those in the SAME position around us getting away with the same failings and being held to a lower standard and yet we are expected to rise up. That is called a "double standard". Such things sadly do exist in marketplaces of different kinds.

When two people in the same job are held to differing standards that is sometimes very disheartening because you are seeing injustice. But forgive and repent for your own failings. Don't worry about the other person, just concern yourself with your own failings and repent and improve! Remember that the Lord will balance all the books in the end. Have a gracious and humble attitude. God promotes humility! Forgive people as often as needed. Be humble and gracious. Someday you will need forgiveness too.

Mark 11:25 “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.

However, should someone neglect you and take your trust for granted, then that is a time for biblical DISCRETION. You are not required to keep trusting the untrustworthy person. Yes we forgive the PAST failings, but we prevent FUTURE failings by removing the investment of our TRUST in that person.

Proverbs 1:4 To give prudence to the simple, To the young man knowledge and discretion— Proverbs 2:11 Discretion will preserve you; Understanding will keep you,

Proverbs 10:26 As vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, So is the lazy man to those who send him.

So you are not required to endlessly trust the untrustworthy person. As Prov. 2:11 says, discretion or discernment will preserve you (and your life, your business, your family, your finances etc etc) If someone breaks your trust, and you learn of it, there are three things to do. 1. Be prepared to Forgive them unconditionally. The Bible makes this very clear in passages like Mark 11:25.

2. Speak with them kindly about the situation with an attitude of mercy and forgiveness.

3. Trust them conditionally. It is based on if they have repented and tried to make things right with you or not. If they show no signs of change or repentance, then the conditions of trust have not been met.

So if the Lord is showing you that such a person is just using you, abusing you, or neglecting you, it may be time to withdraw your trust. Still always love and be kind. But lovingkindness and trust are also two different concepts. Always be courteous as the Bible tells us to be so (1 Peter 3:8). There is never a need for rudeness or meanness or accusations or gossip. Just kindly release the untrustworthy person from your trust. Your trust is a VALUABLE resource, a kind of wealth. The Lord has given you to that wealth to invest it primarily in HIM! Trusting people is up to your discretion as the Holy Spirit is leading you. Be wise as serpents and harmless and as gentle as doves. Don't judge a matter too quickly. Give it time and prayer always. And always place your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Jeremiah 17:7 “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, And whose hope is the Lord.

Psalm 146:3 Do not put your trust in princes, Nor in a son of man, in whom there is no help.

Psalm 18:2 The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

Jesus says:

John 14:1 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.

John 6:47 Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life.

God bless,

Pastor Curtis

Mon Feb 19 2018 2:15pm EST

DIVERSE GIFTS, ONE SPIRIT

Walk Only in Tested Gifts and Tools
God wants spiritual unity in the Body of Christ. That unity is in spiritual understanding, in thought, and in general practice. That unity is when we all have the mind of Christ.

 

Ephesians 4:13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;

That unity allows for flexibility from generation to generation. Tools may change, styles may change, creative approaches may be developed and become different over time, but Jesus and the Word of God remain perfect, flawless, unchanged, and timeless.

 

A good example of this is the youth in my Sunday class. They do not dress like I do. I love to wear a good neck tie and a shirt and a suit jacket... they are more casual with jogging pants and sweatshirts. That's OK! No problem because God looks on the heart, not appearances. James ch 2 tells us not to show partiality based on clothing or appearances.

I tend to appreciate emailing, which became big in the 90's... but my youth students tend to prefer social media platforms over email. That's ok! I have also been using social media in my ministry.
 They do not like to sing, while I love singing. That's OK, not to worry! They DO love to play musical instruments, so we find a common ground in that regard. I have been teaching them the Word, Prayer, and how to play music to Jesus with bongos and pianos. Two of these youths are on my Sunday morning worship team! Just because I taught the generation before them how to sing to the Lord does not mean that THIS generation needs to "SING". They can be just as effective by PLAYING INSTRUMENTS. No sense in forcing a tool or style or activity on someone who does not feel able to walk in it.

 

Ultimately, we find common ground in Jesus Christ... and they love the Word of God and they love to play musical instruments... so I have chosen to help them by equipping them with the tools that work for them. They are a different generation than I am. They are young, full of life and energy, and they have their own style of dress and their own style of ministry expression in Jesus. So I say: let them have their own style. I refuse to place my own style or gift or tool expectations on them. They must discover and test out all the tools and gifts for themselves. My job, as their pastor, is to support and guide them in the Word and in prayer, and to be there for them when they need help or have a question.   

 What might vary from person to person is the set of tools they use in the ministry, and the gifts they employ in such a ministry. David was activated as a deliverer for Israel by the present leadership, King Saul, but David needed tools that he could walk in... tools and gifts that differed from the previous generation. That does not mean one set of tools is BETTER than another, it just means that each person is used by the Holy Spirit in equally legitimate, but diverse ways. Read about David's need to test equipment and tools before using them:

 

1 Samuel 17:38-40
38 So Saul clothed David with his armor, and he put a bronze helmet on his head; he also clothed him with a coat of mail.

39 David fastened his sword to his armor and tried to walk, for he had not tested them. And David said to Saul, “I cannot walk with these, for I have not tested them.” So David took them off.

40 Then he took his staff in his hand; and he chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s bag, in a pouch which he had, and his sling was in his hand. And he drew near to the Philistine.

What works for one may not work for another. What counts is the presence of God's anointing. Your ministry leader has sent you to do a new work, and you have his blessing. But you may not operate in the same tools and gifts he or she can operate in. You need to discover and test the set of tools and God-given gifts that work for you. Don't feel pressured to do things the old way if it hinders your walk and your ministry in Christ. Let your style and your creativity in solving problems be like David's: full of faith in the Lord and full of zeal for taking a Godly stand. And here's the thing: what tools and gifts you DO use, they might make you LOOK ill-equipped to meet the challenge ahead! Just consider what Saul must have thought about David facing the Giant Goliath in battle WITHOUT the traditional tools of war!! But yet, by the Spirit of God, David got the victory using his own creative and unconventional tools and gifts!  

What natural tools and technologies have you tested in the Lord? What kinds of gifts have you tested?

 

There are many technologies available now: internet, computers, live streaming, social media, video sharing sites, cameras, microphones, tablets, phones, texting, email, cars, buses, etc etc. Use the tools that will help YOU personally glorify the Father in Jesus' Name and that help you walk with Jesus... and help you share His Gospel with others. If a tool is not a good fit for you, or for your generation, that's ok. Just keep true to the Gospel message and find other tools that will work for you... test them out and then walk in them!

 

There are many spiritual gifts from the Lord, and not all people possess all the same gifts - see 1 Cor 12. There are gifts of prophecy, healing, miracles, tongues, interpretations of tongues, teaching, administrations, etc. The Body of Christ finds its unity in the Holy Spirit - and the Holy Spirit issues out diversities of gifts as He chooses in the local churches.

 

Ephesians 4:3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

 

1 Corinthians 12:12 [ Unity and Diversity in One Body ] For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ.

 

1 Cor 12:4-7

4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.

5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord.

6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all.

7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all

  

There is also the gift of singleness and the gift of marriage, as Paul describes them in 1 Corinthians 7:7.

 

1Cor. 7:7 For I wish that all men were even as I myself [single]. But each one has his own gift from God, one in this manner [singleness] and another in that [marriage].

 

1Cor 7:32-33, 35

32 But I want you to be without care. He who is unmarried cares for the things of the Lord—how he may please the Lord.

33 But he who is married cares about the things of the world—how he may please his wife.

35 And this I say for your own profit, not that I may put a leash on you, but for what is proper, and that you may serve the Lord without distraction.

 

Walk only in those things that have passed the test... the test is: will those gifts and tools allow you -personally- to walk fluently in the call of God? If not, don't encumber yourself. Don't allow yourself to be distracted or encumbered by gifts or tools that may not be a good fit for you in this season of life. Just walk true to Jesus, as JESUS has called you. 

 

Be respectful to those who lead you but don't feel as though their methods, gifts and tools are always a good fit for you. What you have in common is Jesus and the Word of God. The methods, tools, and gifts you use in sharing the Word may be different, but never the Word itself. Styles may change, but never Jesus. Tools may improve, but Jesus and His word are already PERFECT, and cannot be perfected any further. Gifts will be in your possession, but they may be different than the gifts the previous generation operated in. Both sets of gifts and tools are IMPORTANT. But it is also important that a pastor or a minister personally tests things out for himself or herself. Test all things and only hold onto what is good for your personal walk. This does not mean that any tool or gift is BAD... (far from it... ALL GIFTS from God are GOOD!!)... but rather it means that some gifts and tools are BETTER than others for YOUR personal walk with God.

 

1 Thes. 5:15-23

15 See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies. 21 Test all things; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil.

Blessing and Admonition
23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.

 

THEREFORE: Don't worry if your method seems different than others. Your true empowerment comes from the Spirit of Jesus Christ and from the inner creativity He gives you to meet ministry head on and win spiritual victories. (Eph 6:13-18). The Holy Spirit and the Armour of Jesus Christ are spiritual, and universal. The Lord will tailor the armour to fit you, so you can WALK in the calling God has given you!! You will walk HOLY and in the ANOINTING of Jesus Christ! You may be unusual, in your methods, like David and his humble shepherd's approach to battle.... and others who love you may not always understand you, but your walk is unhindered and ministry is bringing forth victory and fruit in your life.

 

It boils down to Jesus: Jesus has called you and equipped you in a unique and personal way. He called you to walk a unique road: be true to Him.

 

Live as You Are Called

1 Cor. 7:17
17 But as God has distributed to each one, as the Lord has called each one, so let him walk. And so I ordain in all the churches.

 

God bless!

PC - Jan 14, 2018 5:07pm EST