MY BLOG NAME: Onward & Upward
This is a phrase I’ve used to end a lot of conversations. “Onward and Upward” reminds me that I am on a journey with Jesus and toward Jesus! He’s always been involved in my life, even when I didn’t know it. And he’s been encouraging, strengthening and calling me toward real life. I get glimpses of that from time to time. And I’m grateful when I do. I’d like to encourage you the same way. Wherever you are with God, I hope this blog can give you another foot-hold in the journey.
WHO I AM…
I’m Jim Renke. I have a supportive wife, Kris. We’re blessed with 4 sons and 3 great daughters-in-law. I’m grandpa. I am a senior pastor in a great church in Lincolnshire, IL. I love encouraging, teaching, motivating and equipping people. I get a thrill out of God’s Word. I’ve given up my hobby of motorcycles for now. My little Miata will have to suffice. I like pickleball, table games, reading and travel with my family. My life goal has always to been to be helpful and give people a picture of what could be. Let me know how I can encourage you!
PLEASE SUBSCRIBE… This will let you know when I’ve posted without having to check on the blog daily.
CONTACT ME DIRECTLY…
You can email me at rev.jimrenke@gmail.com
Disclaimer: Onward and Upward is a personal blog. The opinions expressed are solely my own. They do not represent the Village Church of Lincolnshire, the Evangelical Free Church of America, or any other organization with which I am affiliated or employed.
Love your application of the dream, Jim. I love hearing from the men – we women talk enough. The Church needs the men to riSE and proclaim! I sat in on a class at Gordon-C years back, and took classes at Westminster in PA while I taught GATE in the public schools. I would be honored, for your training and knowledge and faith, if you would take a moment for these thoughts on suffering:
http://aholisticjourney.wordpress.com/2013/05/15/faith-and-suffering/
Blessings!
Thanks for reading. And thanks for the encouragement. I appreciated your post. Suffering with Christ comes with blessings that can’t be realized any other way.
Hello Jim, I ran across your site when I woke up the other morning and was wondering what to search for on my device, when the Spirit of God directed me to type in spiritual complacency, and it lead me to you, I’m familiar with the Moody church because because they have a radio program that I listen to here in St.Louis. Hope I could ask you some important and hard questions sometimes.
Question, I’m wondering, as I study my bible, I read where the Lord tells us to do certain things and we don’t do them, and then He tells us not to do certain things and we do them, I know I can only speak for myself, but why is that?
Thank you Robert. It seems to me that, as Jesus said, all of God’s laws are a fulfillment of the two loves God commands. The first and greatest command is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and the second is to love our neighbors as ourselves. When we steal, or when we lie, we violate love for God – by loving our own ways more – and love for the other – whom we violated. We’ve all done this and that is why we need the forgiveness of the cross of Christ, who came and perfectly loved. We need his sacrifice for our failure. And by faith in Him, we receive that and are restored into a relationship of grace and love.