The Faithfulness Principal: My Story An Example

Let me show you a truth found within a parable of Jesus: The "Faithfulness Principal".

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.’

The principal Jesus is teaching in this parable is that God rewards the good and faithful servant. Faithfulness in a few things leads to responsibility and rulership over more things. Do you want responsibility? God wants to bless you with it. But He wants you to prove yourself with faithfulness in a few things before He gives you more things.

Think of a train. Our church meets on the second floor of a building and on the ground floor is a train station known as GO Transit. The GO train consistently picks up passengers on that platform based on a planned schedule. That requires discipline to keep up with. What good is a train which never shows up on time, or does not show up at all? You will get very few passengers that way. But a faithful train means MORE passengers will come to trust in and rely on that train over time. The same is true in our lives, especially as leaders in the church. We must prove ourselves as dependable based on God's schedule. We are to be good and faithful servants. Goodness ONLY comes from God. Only God is good. (Mat 19:17; Mar 10:18; Luk 18:19) And God sent His Perfect sinless Son, Jesus Christ. In order for us to be saved from the wrath of God to come, we must be washed in the blood of Jesus and forgiven by Him for our sins. We don't work for it, we cannot earn our way to heaven. Jesus did all the work that was necessary for our salvation already. Now we just need to call on Jesus and believe He died for our sins and that God raised Him from the dead. Call Jesus Lord and then obey Him. After being saved by grace (not works), we then practice right living from a regenerated spirit in the Holy Spirit. Faithfulness comes from consistently applying your efforts and time to the things of the Lord, where-ever He calls you. In order to hear God's Call, you must KNOW Him. You must have RELATIONSHIP to Him. Religion does not cut it. Only a living relationship to God through Christ will enable you to have the spiritual EARS to HEAR the Spirit of God calling you. That is what it means, in essense to be a "good and faithful" servant. Our goodness comes from God alone, not ourselves. There is nothing good in ourselves. But when Christ enters us, we are covered and cleansed and made "good" by His grace! And our faithfulness is the result of a Holy Spirit-empowered life... a new nature given to us by Christ! (2 Cor. 5:17)

Within this parable is the truth of faithfulness, or as I am calling it, the "Faithfulness Principal". Faithfulness leads to MORE. It is not the other way on. God does not reward you with MORE, then expect you to start practicing faithfulness. No. God instead gives you a little, and then lets you practice consistent responsibly stewardship (faithfulness). God WANTS TO GIVE YOU MORE!!! He loves to give His born-again children more blessings, more rewards, and more responsibility. But it must be on HIS TERMS, using His Faithfulness Principal.

This faithfulness principal is true not just for eternity, where we get an eternal reward, but it works in this life too, over a period of time. Listen to Jesus' response to Peter's statement:

Mark 10: 28-31

28 Then Peter began to say to Him, “See, we have left all and followed You.” 29 So Jesus answered and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel’s,

30 who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life.

31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

So by forsaking yourself and the world, and following Jesus faithfully, you get rewards and responsibilities both NOW (in your present life) and in ETERNITY.

Just don't overlook the fact that Jesus says that the NOW rewards of serving Him will also come with persecutions. And also remember that when we are promoted in this life or the next, we should accept it with HUMILITY because Jesus says many who are first shall be last and many who are last shall be first. So keep yourself humble before Jesus and His family.

I got MORE responsibility (as a youth pastor first and then as an assistant pastor) because of faithfulness. God graciously empowered me. The BIBLICAL PRINCIPAL is this: Faithfulness Results In More Responsibility. Some people look at my faithful attendance in church and say I'm consistent because I am a pastor. No... I am sorry, but no. If I was not faithful FIRST, I would never have become a pastor at all! I follow Jesus' pattern. My life is an example of it. The Faithfulness Principal is true!

I am an assistant pastor today BECAUSE I am faithful (by the Lord's Grace). Pastoring came only after I was proven faithful for 4 years at the same church, with consistent attendance and genuine, consistent evidence of Christian lifestyle and practice.

SO, needless to say, In order to be faithful you have to be ALL IN. There is no such thing as half-hearted faithfulness. God is only interested in WHOLE-HEARTEDNESS.

And whole-heartedness leads to consistency in all things.

Consistency in prayer. Consistency in worship. Consistency in the Word. Consistency in obedience to the Spirit. Consistency in relationship to Jesus (Christianity is not merely a set of religious rules. It is a relationship). Consistency to God's family, the local church.

It always begins with faithfulness to the Lord's Call. And it doesn't happen over night.

Me, I felt the conviction of the Holy Spirit 19 years ago, that I cannot be a "hermit Christian" any longer. I became a born-again Spirit-filled believer at age 6. My mother led me to the Lord, and I still remember that night. I was also raised in church and taught the Bible by my parents, especially my dad (who has now gone home to rejoice with Jesus). But when my parents stopped attending church in my youth, so did I. But the early memories of confessing my faith as a child in church still live on in my mind quite vividly. And I remember from a young age what a Spirit filled church was like. Those experiences laid in my heart dormant, but present. I became a hermit for my teen years. I loved the Lord, but was no longer going to church, no longer getting the spiritual support I so clearly needed from a spiritual family. 1 Peter 5:5 Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”

James 4:7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

1 Corinthians 16:16 that you also submit to such, and to everyone who works and labors with us.

Then, I learned in college the hard way that Christians aren't meant to be alone. I had no elders to be accountable to so I got into some entrapments. God delivered me from them thanks to my natural father being able to hear from the Spirit of God and pray for me and also with me. So after graduating with a diploma in Applied Photography, and being set free, I got back to my home town. Then God led me to my current church. I just came in off the street, walked into the Tannery Mall (a four-storey multi-use marketplace building) and discovered a church. The door was locked, and there was no service running at that moment. But God impressed me that I should return there for a Sunday service. It said "full gospel Christian Fellowship" in the window. That triggered a memory: I remember years ago asking my dad what kind of Christians we were: he said we are Full Gospel Christians. So even though my parents did not attend (except for a couple of special visits) I do owe it to my parents for raising me right and for arming me with the right understanding of Scripture.

So I did return a couple of weeks later, and started attending on my own every week, in the year 2000. I was a young man at the time, in my 21st year of life.

Eventually, because I kept showing up, the leaders saw potential in me and gave me something to do in the church. Faithfulness breeds opportunity. One thing led to another and I trained and studied under the lead pastor. I was involved in youth ministry in 2001. Later in 2001 I became a Bible teacher, following a lesson plan for adults.

Then in 2003 I was sponsored by my pastor for credentials. I was made into a pastor by my church in 2004. At the time I was "Youth Pastor".

Since then the Lord performed a MIRACLE and PRESERVED me in the Call to Ministry. I endured abandonment and loss over the years. I endured friends walking away. I was the only one in my family to walk this particular ministry path.

It could have been very lonely for me if it wasn't for God's gift in my life. God has gifted me with the ability to always know He is near. I am not worthy on my own, but He never leaves me. That's His awesome GRACE (unmerited favour).

I have never felt that God is absent. Instead, I have this awareness of God's rich presence. God is with me. Thank you Jesus for this precious gift!!

And because of Him, Jesus Christ, I am able to stand. I have no strength on my own. I still fall and faulter and God is always there to lift me up and get me going forward again. Jesus is faithful. I learned faithfulness from Jesus.

So by standing all these years, I have become an Assistant Pastor (since 2012) who teaches adults on Tuesday night services, teaches youth on Sunday mornings, and leads worship with digital piano and voice three times a week. I even train spiritual children in ministry, and they help me on the worship team on Sunday mornings!

I am grateful and humbled that God could use someone so imperfect as me. Yet His blood and Spirit makes me perfectly complete and His process over time makes me mature.

So, almost 19 years later, I am still in the church, and there is NO QUESTION that God has called me and established me. I have proven myself in Christ. Thanks and glory be to God alone for establishing me and keeping me.

You CAN be faithful too as God's principals for Biblical Christian living are not subject to favourtism. You CAN become a pastor if the Lord calls you to it, and you apply yourself. He gives His Spirit freely to those who are born again (John 3:3). By His Spirit, you can do whatever it is that God calls you to do. (1 Cor 7:17)

Faithfulness is what God rewards. Faithfulness in Christ's strength will lead you to your destiny, no matter what it is. It may not be pastoring. It could be some other place or position in the church and marketplace and home. But whatever it is, you need to apply yourself consistently to it, and don't expect grand results or instant change.

Faithfulness is continuing with nothing ever seems to change.

Faithfulness is continuing even when family, lovers or friends abandon you over God's calling.

Faithfulness is continuing because you know God called you to it. Obedience to Christ is key.

If you start answering the call daily, weekly, on a regular basis in obedience to the Holy Spirit, then God CAN and WILL use you too! God rewards faithfulness and anyone off the street can start being faithful, in God's Spirit, for the Holy Spirit has no limits. I am living proof of God's faithfulness principal.

God bless you! Pastor Curtis

Assistant Pastor Church On The GO .ca

Feb 3 2019 2:45pm EST

Act Like Men

1Cor 16:13 ESV Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.

Jesus reinforced true manhood. I have been teaching my youth/spiritual kids in church, who are preteen/adolescent boys, that Jesus did not lose anything of what the Father gave Him. So we as men must not lose what God gives us, including physical belongings. My class has a habit of misplacing things so I am aiming to teach them responsibility on the most basic levels. I plan to share this passage with them next Sunday.

-----------Luke 22:35-38 New King James Version (NKJV)

Supplies for the Road

35 And He said to them, “When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?”

So they said, “Nothing.”

36 Then He said to them, “But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one. 37 For I say to you that this which is written must still be accomplished in Me: ‘And He was numbered with the transgressors.’ For the things concerning Me have an end.”

38 So they said, “Lord, look, here are two swords.”

And He said to them, “It is enough.”

------------
There are many many things I do not know. I have no idea how to repair a car, fire a gun, or hunt for game. The last time I went fishing was about 34-35 years ago. Good thing that is not what makes a man a man. One thing I do know, is how to be a man of God... Leading, teaching, learning, confronting and pushing through obstacles. I am sure of who I am. I act like it.

My identity is attached to Jesus the MAN of GOD.

My personal story is one of manhood reinforced by Jesus.

My story, by God's grace: I followed God's call, not a woman. I was willing to face abandonment from a former wife and a lack of physical intimacy in order to obey Jesus Christ. I lived alone as a husband doing God's work, when my exwife had chosen to leave and forsake me. Jesus never forsook me and I was and am a Victor. By the way, I don't have a wife now. That former woman, she is NOT my wife. If anyone refers to her, please refer to her as the ex or as a "former wife". Because guess what, I am not married now and she is not my wife. God says the same thing in Hosea 2:2. (Hosea 2:2 "she is not my wife".) My past is in the past, and I refuse to let anyone resurrect my past. I am in the blood of Jesus, a fully formed and fully functioning man of God who has made God first. My future is bright and powerful in Christ. This is my present reality. My divorce is part of my testimony but it does not define my identity.

I endured spiritual threatenings, spiritual intimidations, and turned those spiritual threats and intimidations into opportunity in order to get breakthroughs and promotions and raises.

I stood for God's Word when other Christians were tempted to bend the Word of God. That required me to put the desires of the body on hold. I lovingly confronted them with truth when the time was right (because I value their life and love them in God). I endured loss of friendships and comrades because of this.

I submit to Godly authority, as instituted by God and I am accountable to these authorities (in church and in the marketplace). My own authority in Christ stems from submission to authorities in the marketplace and church.

And I am even brave enough to attempt to reach out to women of God to see if something might work in the future. But I never rely on women to complete me. I am already healed, complete and whole in Christ.

Women of God, if you are not ready to walk this path with me, you don't need me as a husband.

True Men of God follow Jesus and trust in God.

Men use their strength for GOOD.

Men are prepared in advance for sudden threats and emergencies.

Men honour the generations that came before them and the generations coming after them.

Men are organized and use all the tools and bags needed to be prepared. (Anyone who knows me knows I am ALL about carry bags/shoulder bags/knapsacks!! :)

Men will defend the weak with force/violence when necessary and courageously diffuse tense situations without force when possible.

Men are often the first to act. They don't wait around for others to see if they are going to do it.

Men are lovers. They love God and they love people in gentleness and truth.

Men are fierce defenders of their loved ones and principals.

Men have boundaries. They will not accept touch from women who are overreaching and crossing personal boundaries.

Men respect women. They view them as equal in value yet unique in function and ability. They are counterparts, co-regents in Christ, joint heirs with Jesus.

Men are not daunted by the threats of circumstance (I would know). Indeed I would suggest that danger is actually a male motivator. It fuels us to arise.

They learn not to take these things personally but instead use the ingratitude or ignorance of the world to fuel their own excellence and good work.

Men don't rely on others (women, peers, or corporations) for their identity. They rely soley on their Saviour and God, the Lord Jesus Christ who tells them who they are in Christ. Men of God, you are complete in Christ (Philp. 2:10).

Men are true to morals and God's principals. They do not hesitate to repent and turn from sins... and they practice right living as much as they can.

Men of God live in the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God sent by Jesus Christ.

Men are hard to offend. They already know who they are and are not fooled by hot-air-filled ramblings by armchair "experts".

Men act and prove what they say and believe.

And it's time for us to follow Scripture which says: 1Cor 16:13 ESV Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.

God bless.

Be encouraged!

Pastor Curtis

Tue Jan 15 2019 2:54pm EST

New Vision This Morning: The Mountain Guide

This morning, at church I was part of our regular Sunday morning worship service. I led some worship and the youth actually participate on worship team using conga drums and a keyboard. I have been training these particular students/spiritual children in prayer, the Word and in music for the past 4 years, now almost 5.
 Well today, we finished the worship and went into our youth class and prayed. And the youths took turns praying in Jesus Name for many important things including the ability to guard against temptation and asking for God's will to be done. Then I started to pray aloud, after they finished. And as I prayed, it was as if the Holy Spirit started playing a mini picture in my head and started narrating that picture through my lips. I was amazed at what I was seeing in my mind and what was beng uttered out of my mouth! The Lord Jesus truly does teach us all things by His Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is such an important person... I could not function or minister or live without Him.

So in this prayer a mini vision unfolded. And amazingly, my spiritual children could see a glimpse of it too in their own minds.... I was amazed. 

Here is what I saw:

It actually was a picture of a mountain. I saw myself walking up the mountain path and the guard rail was on the side of the narrow path up the mountain. But instead of leaning on the railing, seeing how close to the edge I could get, I was following my mountain guide who was just up ahead, and we were tethered together, like a mountain climbing team. So it's like the Lord is saying we need the guard rail, the ten commandments, but we should not be testing them, coming too close to edge of the path. Instead we should cling to our Guide, Jesus, who has already been up the mountain and has already fulfilled all the law and the prophets. We cling to The LIFE, Jesus Christ, instead of to the rules (guard rail). Yet we still remain safe within the guard rails and we leave them in place and do not trespass those boundaries. But our true safety is in being tethered to the Man, The Last Adam, Jesus and following His lead. We are not being led by the railing, or moral rules (as important as they are), we are being led by a PERSON with whom we are are IN RELATIONSHIP. Our Lord Jesus is the Mountain Guide who succeeds Moses and surpasses Moses in glory and is leading His team up the Heavenly Mountain of New Jerusalem (not natural Jerusalem). This is shown to be a current daily reality. New Jerusalem is a present truth ! And we are overcoming all mountainous obstacles on the path. 

And we are going up higher in Jesus. 
We are pressing on in Him, so that we may KNOW Him more and KNOW His resurrection power!! We are going to reach our DESTINATION and live forever with the Lord Jesus! 

He is guiding us there today and every day, up the narrow way, that winding spiraling mountain path! And it was amazing that my youth were able to catch a glimpse of it as well as I prayed! God is so good. 

I think a good passage for that would be Heavenly Mount Zion, New Jerusalem. Read Hebrews 12:22-24. That whole chapter compares the old mountain (Sinai and the law) with the New Mountain (New Jerusalem and the Spirit of Life in Jesus). I encourage you to study this chapter and let the Holy Spirit speak to you in Jesus' Holy name.

Bless you!
Happy New Year 2019!!
Pastor Curtis
Sun Jan 13 2019 3:11pm EST

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