Matters of Faith

A practical application of the Word of God for everyday issues.

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James ‘Loren’ Russell was born in Harlem, New York, and raised in the Bronx, where he and his wife (Evelyn) of thirty-eight years currently reside. Loren began his professional career as a life insurance agent, quickly rising to sales manager and then senior management. To fulfill his entrepreneurial ambitions, Loren established The JLR Company/J Loren Consulting, LLC to provide financial planning services in general, “Biblical Economics” services to the religious community, and motivational and developmental seminars and workshops. He served 7 years with the Southern Baptist Convention as the Northeast Strategy Coordinator, Regional Church Finance Consultant, and Church Planting Coordinator for NYC. Loren earned the Master of Divinity degree from Drew Theological Seminary and received an Honorary Doctor of Ministry from the Virginia University of Lynchburg. Through J Loren R Consulting, LLC, Loren provides financial, strategic planning, and business consultations to churches, not-for-profit organizations, and businesses nationally, with a specialization in urban church strategies. Loren’s spiritual and civic commitment keeps him busy. He is currently providing pastoral leadership to The Evangelical Church of God and continues as an Associate Minister and former Sunday School teacher at his home church, Goodwill Baptist Church. He is the founder of the Back In Stride Ministry, a ministry designed to help ex-offenders to establish their businesses; past President of the John L. Scott Associate Ministers Auxiliary of the United Missionary Baptist Association; founder and Chief Chaplain of the New York State Chaplains Workers Task Force, Inc; President of the 42nd Precinct Community Council, Clergy Liaison, and Moderator for the Ceasefire Initiative all for the New York Police Department; President of the Home/Simpson Street Homeowners Association, Bronx, NY; Board member of Harlem Congregations for Community Improvement (HCCI); 3 times past President of the Yonkers-East Yonkers Rotary Club, NY, and past District Governor for Rotary District 7230. Loren has a chapter capturing parts of his life in the book, Children of the Dream – The Psychology of Black Success by Audrey Edwards and Dr. Craig Polite. He also helped establish and provided voice-overs for the Speaking Community Calendar at Bronx Net Cable, Bronx, NY. Rev. Dr. Russell is an author who writes a weekly column called “Matters of Faith” that appear in several publications, Yonkers Insider, Better Mag magazine, Positve Community Magazine, and Pamela’s Big Heart Newsletter, and on his social media outlets. In addition, he hosts a weekly internet radio talk show, “Matters of Faith: The Radio Show” (Matters of Faith YouTube channel), and authored and published Matters of Faith: The Book. Loren is a frequently sought-after preacher, keynote speaker, motivational instructor, workshop leader, and Master of Ceremonies for a variety of programs. Loren’s favorite quote is by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. which epitomizes his philosophy on life. It states, “We must all learn to live together as brothers, or we will all perish together as fools.”

Your Reputation Precedes You!

Rev. J. Loren Russell

Psalm139:1-4 NKJV

O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.

Incognito is what a person does when they do not want to be noticed. They may wear clothing that is not common to them, wear a mask to hide their faces, distort their appearance with make-up, or call themselves by a different name, anything to remain unknown. 

Sometimes, being incognito is necessary, particularly if you are trying to hide something. We might find ourselves ashamed of some past indiscretion and want to keep it under wraps. Or we may not want people to know of the benevolent things we do, preferring to remain anonymous. However, once the word gets out about who you are, your reputation precedes you. Wherever you go, people know who you are. What people interpret about your reputation is entirely up to them, but the things you do that create your reputation is entirely up to you. 

It is uplifting when someone approaches you and says that someone has spoken so highly of you that they were looking forward to meeting you. Not quite so when they see you and begin whispering about you in hushed tones to others in a derogatory way, “Yea, that’s him/her.” Those are the times we would like to remain incognito. When your reputation precedes you, rest assured, people are watching you, for one reason or another.  

But it does not matter what you do to distort your appearance or hide your reputation from others, God knows you from the inside out. There are no circumstances and no situations that escape the observation of the Lord. He sees everything and knows everything. He sees and knows everything about you! He knows your abilities and your troubles. He knows when you are going out and He knows when you are coming in! 

Since you can’t hide from God, and He is our ultimate judge, why not build a reputation that will cause God to say, “‘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 Lord is always looking for an opportunity to be gracious to us. Always remember that He is ever watching! 

Be Blessed!   

Rev. J. Loren Russell is President/CEO of The JLR Company and The J. Loren R Consulting, LLC for Church Financial Strategy & Consulting, an associate minister at both Goodwill and The Greater Universal Baptist Churches in the Bronx, creator & host of “Matters of Faith – The Radio Show” Mondays 8:00 – 10:00 PM on Facebook LIVE and author of Matters of Faith: The Book (eBook available at http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/993177)

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