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Matters of Faith
A practical application of the Word of God for everyday issues.
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Reverend J. Loren Russell
Romans 12:1-3 NKJV
I beseech you therefore brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. 3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.
People invest in stocks, bonds, real estate, commodities (gold, silver, platinum, pork bellies, sneakers, oil, gas, and anything else that has a limited supply and a high demand). Everyone who makes an investment expects that there will be some sort of return on that investment (ROI). Some investments have spectacular returns, while others, to coin a phrase, “go belly up”, and fail to yield any positive return. The text presents several spiritual investments that have great return on investment.
The text opens by pleading (“beseech”) its readers to present themselves before God as bodies that have been committed to the Lord – holy and acceptable. There is an implied reasonableness of this investment by the statement, it will make them holy and acceptable to God. That benevolent statement, by inference, is the evidence of a reasonable expectation of a positive return.
The second investment with an expectation of a great return is non-conformity with the world. It says that there will be a substantial return on investment by having a transformed mind. God orchestrates the transformation of the investor that results in a total conversion on the inside that will be evident on the outside. The positive return for the investor is a knowledge of the will of God – all that is good, pleasing, and perfect in His sight. The implication is that the change will be so dramatic that it can be shared with people throughout the community.
This leads to the third return on investment; a humble and contrite spirit that is a by-product of the amount of faith the Lord has deposited into the life of the investor.
An investment in the Lord thy God is a win-win situation with the absolute best return on investment. If you read verses 4-21, you will find that the ROI is not something that is received when you become a child of eternity, it is promised in your lifetime to make you more than a conqueror, it promises to give you the ability to overcome evil with good.
Be Blessed!
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Join us on Sunday at 1:00 pm
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Reverend J. Loren Russell
2 Thessalonians 2:15 (NKJV)
“Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle.” – NKJV
To stand is not exceptional for the Christian—it is expected. It is not extraordinary to stand firm in faith, to go where others dare not go, to speak what others are afraid to say, or to live visibly as an ambassador for Christ. This is normal Christianity. And yet, though it is not exceptional, it is increasingly rare.
Paul writes to the church at Thessalonica with a clear and urgent charge: stand fast. His words still confront us today, because he reminds us that our faith was never meant to take a seat—it was meant to take a stand. We were not given a “sit-down faith.” We were given a faith that stands up, speaks out, and holds on.
When Paul says, “stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught,” he is calling believers to cling tightly to the truth of God’s Word—whether it was taught in person or written in a letter. Truth is our anchor. The Word is our source of clarity, accuracy, and power. Without it, we drift. With it, we endure.
And endurance is exactly what is required during times of trouble and trial…, in seasons of suffering and sorrow…, through persecution or poverty…, in unemployment and uncertainty…, in heartbreak, sickness, and overwhelming circumstances – we are charged to stand.
The world will try to seat us with fear, silence us with pressure, and distract us with comfort. But we must remember: if you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything.
Whether loved or hated, blessed or cursed, embraced or opposed, we stand on the promise that we were chosen for this moment. Someone loved us enough to take a stand—and to die—so that we could live. Now we honor that sacrifice by standing firm in faith.
Persecuted or prospered. Abused or advanced. Broken or blessed.
Homeless or heroic. An inmate or an investor. Sick or well. In every condition, the call remains the same: stand.Scripture declares that when we suffer for doing what is right, it is commendable before God (1 Peter 2:20). Faith that stands is faith that endures—and faith that endures is faith that glorifies God.
Tomorrow, we will celebrate the birth of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., a man who was not afraid to take a stand. In the face of tormentors, systemic racism, segregation, threats of physical injury and death, economic oppression, and even ridicule and rejection from members of his own community, he stood firm. He stood when it was dangerous. He stood when it was costly. He stood when it was lonely.
And isn’t it ironic that many of his detractors and persecutors—especially those who lived long after his assassination—came to regret their position? That is exactly what James was talking about when he wrote, “They will be ashamed of themselves for falsely accusing you when you have only done what is good.” (James 2:13, paraphrased)
Dr. King was willing to declare, loud and clear, that hate and racism have no place in a society founded on the truth that all people are created equal. His stand was not rooted in politics alone—it was rooted in faith, in truth, and in the unshakable conviction that justice is God’s idea.
So today, we are challenged to make up our minds to stand firm in faith, to grip the truth tightly, and to hold fast to what we have been taught – because in the end, we have only two choices:
We either stand for our faith—or we sit because of foolishness.
Be Blessed!
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Rev. J. Loren Russell
Isaiah 54:1-4, 17 (NLV)
“Sing, O childless woman, you who have never given birth!
Break into loud and joyful song, O Jerusalem, you who have never been in labor.
For the desolate woman now has more children than the woman who lives with her husband,” says the Lord. “Enlarge your house; build an addition. Spread out your home, and spare no expense! For you will soon be bursting at the seams. Your descendants will occupy other nations and resettle the ruined cities.
“Fear not; you will no longer live in shame. Don’t be afraid; there is no more disgrace for you. You will no longer remember the shame of your youth and the sorrows of widowhood.”
“But in that coming day no weapon turned against you will succeed.
You will silence every voice raised up to accuse you. These benefits are enjoyed by the servants of the Lord; their vindication will come from me. I, the Lord, have spoken!”
When the book of Isaiah was written, somewhere between 700-690 BC when childless women were viewed as being punished by God or suffering the consequences of their sin. The comparison here is to the nation of Israel who became barren because of her sinfulness. But Isaiah tells them to sing songs of praise and redemption despite their barrenness. He says they should break into loud and joyful singing because the Lord was going to restore His covenant promise to them.
Isaiah tells them that they were going to be blessed abundantly and would expand to the right and the left. They were told to enlarge their homes and spare no expense in doing so. They would soon be “bursting at the seams” with children and descendants who will occupy other nations and resettle ruined cities. Not only would they be fruitful again, but Isaiah also tells them that no weapon formed against them would be successful, and“every tongue which rises against them in judgment, they would silence”.
Like the Israelites, there is a lot of spiritual barrenness in believers today. Some might argue that spiritual barrenness is more widespread now than it was in Isaiah’s time. There is a lot of profession of faith, but not a lot of practice, confession without conviction, faith spoken but not lived. But the God who gave grace, showed compassion, extended mercy and gave victory to the Israelites is the same God who wants to be gracious to His people today. He wants us to know that He has not abandoned us, and that we too must sing joy and redemption songs while in the throes of despair. Every foe will be defeated, every weapon destroyed, and every tongue that speaks against us will be silenced. The same assurance that was true for them is true for us.
You can walk into your future with boldness. Know that the God who took away the barrenness and strengthened Israel so that they gave birth to many children and were victorious in battle, is the same God who has redeemed, blessed and gave you victory in all your endeavors. “These benefits are enjoyed by the servants of the Lord; their vindication will come from me. I, the Lord, have spoken!” This is your heritage also. Stress Less, trust more…,
Live Blessed!
Matters of Faith 