Being Holy

As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts 

which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, 

be holy yourselves also in all your behavior;

 because it is written, 

"You shall be holy, for I am holy."

 I Peter 1:14-16

Holiness is indispensable for all who are truly Christian. Even the term Christian, which means little Christ, evokes the notion of holy behavior in following after the behavior of Christ. In his first epistle Peter goes on to say that we are a holy priesthood and a holy nation offering up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God, and proclaiming His excellencies. We can not do these apart from being holy...in all our behavior.

Sin is the greatest weapon used by the enemy against each and every Christian. We know this because it is what Satan tempts us to do. Sin itself is our enemy as it seeks to master us (Genesis 4:7, Romans 6:14). Sin interferes and interrupts the work of God. Through my sin and your sin we wound other Christians. Sin quenches and grieves the Spirit, it puts us at odds with God and brings His displeasure and discipline. Sin hinders us and makes us less useful and less effective in kingdom work, even to the point of our being put on the shelf (disqualified/I Corinthians 9:27). Sin destroys trust and relationships, and brings about death (James 1:15).

Do we rise up each day prepared to do battle against indwelling sin by putting to death the deeds of the body (Romans 8:13), and by putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness (James 1:20)? Have we grown comfortable with or desensitized to our own sins and therefore indulge the desires of the flesh and the mind? Is personal holiness, practical holiness, growth in sanctification important to us, and is our own Christ likeness important to us? Are we presenting a clean vessel to the Lord for Him to work through (II Timothy 2:21)? Are we identifying, acknowledging, confessing to the Lord, and repenting of our sins? Have we determined to do battle with besetting sins, putting them to death, so we may have spiritual victory in our lives? The issue is not the temptations, nor the struggle with sin, but are we having victory over sin. Can we say we are an example to those around us in this area of our Christian life?

Pastors, do you exhort your people to holy living themselves? Do you stress its importance, for now and for eternity? Do you remind them of their calling as a holy people of God, those who bear His name and represent Him before men and angels? Do you lay before them the truth that a little leaven leavens the whole lump, and that their sin affects the body of Christ? Do you explain to them that the consequence of not being conformed to this world, but being transformed by the renewing of their mind is key to growing in holiness, Godliness, Christ likeness? Have you taught them to pray, "Lead me not into temptation (lead me away from temptation), and deliver me from evil (do not let evil have its way with me)," because their spirit is willing, but their flesh is weak? Have you stressed to them that a true Christian cannot have an habitually sinful lifestyle (I John 2:9-10)? Have you told them that the Word of God, the Spirit of God, and prayer to God are their weapons in the battle against sin? Have you reminded them that true Christians have been freed from slavery to sin to be slaves of righteousness (Romans 6:17-18)?

Fellow Christians, let us take holiness seriously. Let us strive together to be found as Christ was found, holy, blameless, and above reproach. Let us attack sin and be ever vigilant against it. Let us be holy as He Himself is holy, and live in the peaceful fruit of righteousness.

Father, forgive us our sins, cleanse us from all unrighteousness and defilement, make us conscious and sensitive to the sins we tend to ignore, help us to repent and draw close to you. Thank you that we can come boldly to Your throne, the throne of grace, beside which stands our great High Priest and Advocate, Your Son the Lord Jesus Christ, to receive forgiveness, mercy, grace to help in our times of need, and power for holy living. Thank you for the indwelling presence and power of the Holy Spirit, and keep us filled with Him so that we will not give in to the desires of our flesh and mind. Bless your Holy Name this day and forever more. Amen

When a Sin Remains

We serve a holy God. Holiness has been called His greatest and most distinct attribute. In looking in Isaiah 6 and Revelation 4 what the angels cry out three times is "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord our God." When Moses approached the burning bush it was God who said, "Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground." In Leviticus 10 the Lord said, "By those who come near Me, I will be treated as holy." God cannot look upon sin, cannot tolerate sin, cannot abide with sin, and sin cannot enter His presence.

As His children, as part of His body, as partakers of the Divine nature, as those indwelled by the Holy Spirit, God has an expectation of our holiness. In Leviticus and I Peter He tells those who are His, "You shall be holy for I am holy." In II Corinthians 6:17 we are told to come out from the midst of the world and be separate. In Hebrews 12 He tells us that we are disciplined by Him so that we can share His holiness. In Ephesians 4 we learn that our new self has been made in God's likeness, and has been created in the holiness and righteousness of the truth. In just these few verses, we see that God is zealous and jealous for our holiness, and that He has equipped us to deal with our sin, so as to have victory over our sin.

Yet, in spite of all of this, we still sin. Romans 7, Galatians 5, and James 1 tell us that there is an ongoing battle with temptation and sin in our life. And, accordingly, God has made a provision for our forgiveness and cleansing, which we find in I John 1:9.

Understanding this gives us insight into Psalm 119:25-32. At first blush, when just reading through, it seems as if the Psalmist is just battling the blues. But let's look a little deeper into it. Why is his soul cleaving to the dust? Why is his soul weeping? Why does he need his heart enlarged? The answer is in this section, and we see it in verse 29. It is because of sin, because of a particular sin he has called "the false way." We now can see that the Psalmist is in a time of oppression, a time of grief, a time of a small and hard heart, because of sin.

Let's dig down into this section and see what is going on in each verse.

Verse 25-Oppression
"My soul cleaves to the dust; revive me according to Your word." Here we see the state of oppression that the Psalmist is in. Look at how low his soul is. It cleaves to the dust. It is lower than a snake's belly. It can't get any lower and it cannot escape this lowly state as it clings to his very soul. What kind of sin would bring on this degree of oppression? What kind of sin would cause this state of oppression in the life of a believer?

It is unrepentant sin! In fact a particular unrepentant sin, a false way that has not been turned away from. What type of sin, what kind of sin could this be. Well, it is:
*an unconfessed sin
*a sin that is undealt with
*a settled sin, a steady sin
*a sin that ignores conviction
*a sin that disdains discipline
*a sin that despises correction
*a sin that resists reproof
*a sin that is entrenched in the mind
*a sin that is embedded as a habit of life
*a sin for which the believer has developed a bunker mentality so as to protect it
*a sin that makes excuses for itself
*a sin that rationalizes its continued existence
*a sin that has full knowledge that it is a sin
*a sin with which you do not struggle, but comply
*a sin that the greater the discipline, the tighter you hold on to it
*a sin that believes the lies of Satan, such as
     a. It doesn't matter
     b. No one is noticing
     c. It really doesn't hurt anyone
     d. It is only a small thing
     e. God really doesn't care
     f. God understands
     g. Me and God have an agreement

     h. Because of____ I am justified in continuing in this sin

It is not a sin of impulse or a sin of the moment, but a sin that is deliberately held on to. Therefore it is not an unknown sin, a sin of ignorance, but a deliberate sin. This type of sin could be any sin.

God is jealous for the holiness of His people. He takes our holiness more seriously than we do. He sent His Son to die for that sin, that unrepentant sin, and He will do whatever He must do to drive it out and kill it. So if we are not active in putting that sin to death (Romans 8:13), He will be.

Unconfessed, unrepentant sin in the life of a believer always brings about oppression. We usually think of spiritual warfare when we use this term, but there is a spiritual oppression, a spiritual lowliness that comes as a result of unrepentant sin in our life; and it comes from the Lord Himself. Let's look at Psalm 32:3-4. When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer. Notice what is going on in Isaiah 30:18-20. Therefore the Lord longs to be gracious to you, and therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you, for the Lord is a God of justice; how blessed are all those who long for Him. O people in Zion, inhabitant in Jerusalem, you will weep no longer. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry; when He hears it He will answer you. Although the Lord has given you the bread of privation and water of oppression, He, your Teacher, will no longer hide Himself, but your eyes will behold your Teacher. Let's also look at Isaiah 64:7 There is no one who calls on Your name, who arouses himself to take hold of You; for You have hidden your face from us and have delivered us into the power of our iniquities.  

Notice in the emboldened words above that it was the Lord who had given Israel the bread of privation and the water of oppression because of their sin, that it was His hand that was heavy upon them, and that it was the Lord who had cut off fellowship with them and delivered them over to their sin. So, for us as believers, when we sin and don't confess it and don't turn from it, we can expect the hand of the Lord to be heavy upon us, to oppress us, so that we will turn from our sin. He is serious about dealing with our sin, especially unconfessed and unrepentant sin that is deliberately held on to.

So, what must we do when we are experiencing His heavy hand upon us because of our stubborn unrepentance?  We see what our response should be in the remaining verses in Psalm 119:25-32.

119:25b...Submission
"Revive me according to your word."
We must bring ourselves back under the authority of His word. When we sin, we rebel against His word, we act in opposition to His word (which is His revealed will), so the beginning of repentance is to submit ourselves again to His word. As Samuel told Saul, to obey is better than sacrifice.

119:26...Confession
"I have told of my ways, and you have answered me."
 Notice here what happens when we confess...God answers. And His answer always begins with forgiveness. True confession of our sins begins with viewing our sin the way God views it, and therefore saying the same thing about it that God says (See Psalm 51). When we truly confess our sins He truly forgives our sins.
(Psalm 32:5-7, Psalm 86:5, Isaiah 55:7, I John 1:9)

119:26b...Instruction
"Teach me your statutes."
Not only do we confess, we ask for guidance in living according to how He would have us live. Again, we know this prayer will be answered, for we know that when we ask anything according to His will He hears us and grants that request. (Psalm 25:4-5, Psalm 86:11)

119:27...Illumination 
"Make me understand the way of Your precepts, so I will meditate on Your wonders."
Not only does the Psalmist ask to know what the word of God says, he also wants to know what it means. He is asking for spiritual understanding and spiritual insight into the word of God so as to thoughtfully and properly apply it. (I Corinthians 2: 6-14, Ephesians 1:17)

119:28...Contrition
"My soul weeps because of grief."
Knowing, understanding, and applying the word of God to his life has caused the Psalmist to be broken-hearted over his sin. The very same soul that was rebelling against God, after comparing itself to the standard of the word of God, cries out, "O, what have I done." These are not the crocodile tears of insincerity, but tears of true sorrow and repentance. (II Corinthians 7:9-10, Psalm 51:17, Isaiah 57:15)

119:28b...Supplication
"Strengthen me according to Your word."
Here the Psalmist acknowledges his own weakness and asks for strength, the strength that the word gives, the strength to combat sin and its accompanying temptations; so that he will not fall back into this sin again. This is the true hallmark of repentance and contrition, the zealous desire not to sin that sin again, and the accompanying desire for holiness in all of life. (Matthew 6:13; 26:41, Psalm 119:133, Ephesians 3:16, 20)

119:29...Restoration
"Remove the false way from me, and graciously grant me Your law."

The Psalmist asks the Lord to give him complete victory over this sin, and to restore their fellowship back to where it was. Sin does not destroy our relationship with God as we will always belong to Him, but it does impede and impair our relationship with Him.  (Isaiah 59:2, Hosea 5:15, James 4:6-10)

119:30...Decision
"I have chosen the faithful way; I have placed Your ordinances before me."
After asking the Lord to remove the false way, the Psalmist announces his decision to follow the faithful way, the Lord's way. It is a decision of a destination, a decision to follow the word of God and let it lead him, wherever that may be. Following the Lord is a choice, and here the Psalmist chooses to get back on the faithful path, the narrow path that leads to life. (Psalm 85:13, Isaiah 31:21, Psalm 101:2-4; 119:103)

119:31...Determination
"I cling to Your testimonies."
The Psalmist is determined to not let go, to remain faithful to the word of God. This is the commitment that is required to life a godly life, to fully follow the Lord. Decision and determination go hand in hand.
(Philippians 3:12-14, II Timothy 4:7)

119:32...Direction
"I shall run the way of Your commandments."
The Psalmist knows where the word of God will take him...ultimately to God Himself, in His presence for eternity. It is the path of life, the path of joy, the path of fellowship with God, the path of blessing. Even though it narrow, it is well marked, as it has been marked out by the resurrection of Christ. (John 14:6)

119:32b...Passion
"For you will enlarge my heart."
Sin shrinks and hardens the heart. It hardens the heart to the things of God, the ways of God, the will of God, the work of God, and the love of God. When we walk in the faithful way and cling to His testimonies, the Lord enlarges our heart and gives us a greater capacity so as to love Him all the more; and the greater our love for Him the greater our obedience will be, and the greater our walk will be before Him.

In the response of the Psalmist we see a picture of repentance. This is the result that the Lord wanted to achieve and there is a cleansing of the soul and a corresponding peace when repentance takes place. How blessed we are that the Lord takes our relationship with him so seriously, so personally, that He deals with the sin that impedes and impairs that very relationship.

Biblical Guidelines for the Church: Authority and Accountability

                                                        Leadership and Authority

Leadership in the church is not based upon power, but upon authority. Therefore being a pastor/elder is not a position of power, but a position of authority. However, it is not an authority inherent in the person, it is a delegated authority because of the position held. It is delegated from God to the elders, and also delegated from the congregation to the elders.

It is God who has created the position of pastor/overseer/elder and laid out the qualifications for the office, and it is the recognition by the congregation of those who meet God's qualifications (I Timothy 3, Titus 1) that bring the man of God to that position. So God calls the pastor/elder to that office from the congregation with their approval.

The pastor/elder is to lead, not lord it over the people (Hebrews 13:7, I Peter 5:2-3); and the people are to voluntarily submit to his leadership and follow his example (Hebrews 13:7, 17; I Corinthians 16:16), just as a wife is to voluntarily submit to her husband.

As such, the man of God is accountable to both God and man, as both were instrumental in placing him in that office; and both delegated to him the authority which the office holds.

The Three Cords of Church Leadership

In Ecclesiastes 4:12 we learn that a cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart or easily broken. It is interesting to note how many times we see this principle applied in the Scriptures. One of the applications of this principle is in the requirements for the elders given in Titus 1:5-9.

In verses 6-7 we see he is to be a man of moral integrity. These verses are governed by the term above reproach, which means not that he is sinless, but that he is held blameless from the charge of moral impurity. What is stressed in these verses is what the man of God is not.

In verse 8 we see he is to be a man of spiritual integrity. What is stressed here is what the man of God is, with the word devout governing the verse. Devout means to be pious, clean, and pure. It also denotes devotion and loyalty to the Lord, and emphasizes that he lives his life in conformity with the word of God.

In verse 9 we see that he is a man of biblical and doctrinal integrity. What is stressed here is his biblical and doctrinal fidelity, which is demonstrated by what he holds to. His teaching and preaching are always in conformity with the body of doctrine given in the Scriptures. He does not deviate from the faith once for all delivered to the saints; and, just as he is a one woman man, he is also a one word, one doctrine, one faith, and one Lord man. He is a man of unwavering devotion to the faith that is contained and presented in the Scriptures and he will not teach anything that contradicts it.

Also of note in these verses are the three words describing the role of a church leader:

First is elder, which denotes dignity, maturity, and leadership. This word gives us a picture of his role and the gravitas of the office. It says this person is to be looked to for leadership, and his persona should be able to bear the weight of the mantle of leadership. Implicit in this word is the earned respect and trust of the people he leads.

Secondly, we see the term overseer. The word means superintendent, magistrate, or watchman; and gives us a picture of the authority and function of the office. This person is to be able to watch over, guide, and direct the church. This word shows us that the church leader is responsible for the protection and direction of the church.

Thirdly, we see the term God's steward. The word steward means house manager, one who manages the affairs of another, one who is in charge of another's property, including slaves; and he is usually a slave himself. This term gives us the understanding of the responsibility and accountability of the office. This man is responsible to God for the household of God, as the church is not his property but God's. It is the Lord's church, which is the people of God whom God has called out to be His possession. This means that the church leader is accountable to God for the wellbeing and the spiritual prosperity of God's people whom He has purchased with the blood of His Son. 

As leadership goes, so goes the church, which is why the Lord gives Titus these guidelines for the men who would be the leaders in the church. The church is only as strong as its leadership, and when leadership fails, or leads poorly then the church is weakened and the flock is left unguarded or misguided. It then becomes vulnerable and is at risk of being defenseless and directionless.  

In the three elements of integrity we see a strength and quality of character combined with commitment to the Lord and commitment to His word as given in the Scriptures. The combination of these qualities of integrity affirm and strengthen each other and make the church leader strong in resisting the attack of the enemy, who seeks to devour him. When possessing these strands of integrity the church leader will lead ethically, will lead spiritually, and will lead biblically. This is the type of man people will want to follow, who will be trusted to follow, and will be safe to follow.

In the three terms for church leader given here we see the strength of balance. These descriptive terms define role, function, authority, and accountability, with each of them governing the others. They not only define the role of church leader, but in defining the role give it its parameters and boundaries. An understanding of his role, function, authority, and accountability keeps the church leader from misusing or abusing his office; and it also gives the church a benchmark from which to evaluate and measure his ministry; and will give them the knowledge to keep themselves from being taken advantage of or abused.

Yes, a cord of three strands is not easily broken!  How wise is our God in His design for the leadership of the church.

Ministry Made Simple

 The task of spiritual leadership may

not be easy, but neither is it complicated.

When God called us to serve as leaders in

the church, He did not give us the 

responsibility to build the church. Instead,

He gave us the responsibility to proclaim

His word in order that people might be

transformed into the character of

Christ...

Ministry is really simple; it's a matter

of preaching the Word, loving the 

people, and living our lives as an

example for others to follow.

Glen Daman

Leading the Small Church

Page 224

                                                  

Spiritual Leadership

 

Spiritual leadership without character is only religious activity,

possible religious business or, even worse, hypocrisy......

The qualified leader is a man of the Book, using it not just

to prepare sermons and preaching notes, but, first and foremost,

to prepare himself.

James M. George

The Call to Pastoral Ministry

Pastoral Ministry

(How to Shepherd Biblically)

Page 91

Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you;

and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith.

Hebrews 13:7

How important it is for those of us who occupy a place of spiritual leadership to be men of character, character forged by the Holy Spirit and formed by the Word of God. Providing spiritual leadership is a daunting responsibility, a responsibility that underscores the Lord's admonition in James 3:1 "Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment." This is why the Lord stresses Godly character in His requirements for those who occupy the post of pastor; and why Paul buffeted his flesh, so that after he had preached to others he would not be disqualified.

The landscape of the church is littered with the moral failures of those who failed to watch themselves.  In fact, it has become much too common.  And it is just not in the area of sexual immorality, as noted there is also the issue of the SBC having been taken to task by those within its own ranks for inflated membership numbers and an evangelastical (intentional spelling) way of counting baptisms. Speaking of the SBC, they have remained in the news due to plagiarism among high profile pastors, downplaying sexual immorality, and public non-repentant abuse of a pastor and his wife by a seminary staff. Other churches have dismissed pastors for abusive behavior. A well known megachurch in the DC area has its members filing lawsuits against the church amidst accusations of lying and manipulation by its leadership team.

These are the obvious, the news grabbing and headline making, but what about the ones that don't make the news, the ones that cause damage just as great? I read an internet article about how Peacemaker ministries worked to reconcile a church's pastor and elders after temper, egos, and innuendos had split them and the church. What about the detrimental effects of pride, stubbornness, selfishness, ambition, jealousy, unforgiveness, greed,  and gossip? What about those that fear man more than they fear God, those that are men-pleasers vs God-pleasers, and those who would compromise rather than confront? What about the small things that are done daily that add up over time?

I remember hearing Bill Bright, the founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, preach several years ago, and in his sermon he was stressing the need for moral integrity. He said that he had asked God to take him home before He let Bill commit adultery. Admirable, yes, but for most of us, we are on guard against the big A; but it is the perniciousness of the so called small sins that we ought to be on guard against as well. Is our prayer, "Lord, lead me away from temptation in the areas where I am weak and most easily tempted, and let not evil have any way with me. Please keep me from causing any of the brethren to stumble. Help me to adorn the doctrine I preach with the life that I live. Help me to do what is right, to love what is good, and to walk humbly with You. Let not anyone, saved or unsaved, look at me and cry hypocrite. Let me be at home what I am publicly."

Who is adequate for this? None of us outside of the power that God supplies. There is a greater burden, a greater responsibility, for those of us whom God has called into ministry; but there is a greater grace available as well. Let us be on our guard, empowered by the grace of God, so that sin will not have its way with us, not derail us, nor render us impotent in our efforts to advance the kingdom of God in our own lives, so that we will be effective in advancing His kingdom in the lives of those whom He appointed to our shepherding. Let not the sin in our own lives be an impediment, an excuse, for those in our flock in dealing with the sin in their own lives.

Father, guard our hearts and our minds. Work within us only that which is pleasing in Your sight. We are frail and weak in our own strength, so help us by the strength which You supply to live a life worthy of the gospel of Your Son, and a life worthy of the calling with which we have been called. Empower us to be an example to the flock, living a life worthy of admiration and imitation. Guard us from our own selves, and give us a sensitivity to the sin which so easily entangles us. Strengthen us to fight the good fight of faith and finish our course without disqualification.  AMEN.

Pastoral Leadership

But we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing

mother tenderly cares for her own children.  Having

so fond an affection for you, we were well-pleased

to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also

our own lives, because you had become very dear

to us.  For you recall, brethren, our labor and hardship,

how working night and day so as not to be a burden to

any of you we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.

You are witnesses, and so is God, how devoutly and

uprightly we behaved toward you believers; just as you

know how we were exhorting and encouraging and  

imploring each one of you as a father would his own children.

...For this reason we also constantly thank God that when

you received the word of God which you heard from us,

you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it

really is, the word of God, which also performs its work

in you who believe.

I Thessalonians 2:7-11, 13

italics and underlining mine

Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God

to you; and considering the result of their conduct,

imitate their faith.

Hebrews 13:7

italics and underlining mine

There is much said and written about pastoral leadership and all that is required, even conferences and seminars dealing with this issue ad nauseum. I think understanding leadership and its principles is good, and even helpful; but when dealing with pastoral leadership there is a paradigm shift from the leadership model that is touted in our corporate and sports world, and unfortunately this model is what is suggested most often in the context of pastoral leadership.

I find it interesting that the Bible does not go into all the areas that the modern seminars do in talking about pastors as leaders, but what is does do is to lay out the basics for a pastor, which assume the pastor will be leading a group of people. The core requirements in the Scriptures are contained in I Timothy 3 and Titus 1, and revolve around demonstrated character, demonstrated management of his own home, and a demonstrated ability to teach that comes with a knowledge of and proficiency with the Scriptures. The reason for these requirements, and how they flesh out in the pastor's leadership is demonstrated in the Scriptures above. The pastor is to lead with the Word and by example. 

Notice how many times the gospel/word of God is used in the section of I Thessalonians. Notice the leaders who were to be remembered and imitated in Hebrews....those who spoke the word of God, whose conduct bore spiritual fruit. These, of course, fit in with the Lord's instruction to Peter to feed his sheep. The pastor must lead his flock with the word of God. After all the word of the Lord is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path (Psalm 119:105). Our first priority must be to lead our people with the word of God.

In addition to the Word, we must be leading our people by our example. To do this we must also be leading ourselves with the word of God. Again, listen to the Psalmist in Psalm 119:9 "How can a young man (or older man for that matter) keep his way pure?  By keeping it according to Your word."  It is the pure way, the Lord's way, that when lived out by the pastor is the example to his people....the example that is to be imitated. 

Why did the people in Thessalonica receive the Word as the word of God, and not the word of men?  Because they saw it lived out in the lives of Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy. Look at the underlined words above...they proved themselves, they imparted their lives, they behaved in a devout and upright manner. And this did not happen in a vacuum...the Thessalonians were witnesses, knew personally what Paul and crew had done and how they behaved, and were to recall these very facts. Also, we see that the Hebrews were to remember the result of the conduct of their leaders, in other words, the fruit born out of their lives, and then to imitate their faith.

The lives of the pastors give weight and credence to the words that they preach and teach. In essence you should not be able to separate the man from his message, they should be the same. This is the way that God has designed it, so that His people could be sure about both the message and the man. So when we think about our pastoral leadership, let's make first things first....let's put first things first....let's emphasize in our ministry what the Lord emphasizes, our handling of the Word and the life that we live. These should be the foundation of our pastoral leadership, and will provide a firm foundation for all else that is part and parcel of a gospel ministry. 

Salvation in Titus

Through the book of Titus, Paul weaves an overview of salvation. Today I want to give that overview.

The Author of Salvation

Vs (1:3, 1:4) (3:4, 3:6) (2:9, 2:13)

Notice how these are grouped in the letter.

The Appearing of Salvation

Vs 2:11, 3:4, 2:13 (its final appearing)

Appearing in the Greek is epiphaino.  It means to bring to light, to become clearly known, to show or reveal one's self. It is also the word from which we get our word epiphany.

The Availability of Salvation

Vs 2:11, 3:4

Notice to whom salvation is made available.

The Application of Salvation

Vs 1:1

Now notice to whom salvation is applied.

The Act of Salvation

Vs 2:14, 3:5-7

Notice who does the redeeming and the saving.

The Actions of the Saved

Vs 2:11-14

Compare these verses with verse 16 of the previous chapter. As Luther said, "We are saved by faith alone, but not by a faith that is alone."

Salvation and Eternal Life

Have you ever thought about where salvation comes from? Have you considered what salvation really is, what it really means? The concept of salvation is foreign to most people, but not the concept of eternity, of life after death. Every culture, ancient and modern, has some concept, some belief, some picture in their mind of what life after death will be like. Why is that so? Of course the Scriptures give us the answer for that and it is contained in Ecclesiastes 3:11"...He has also set eternity in their heart, yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end." 

Where does the concept of eternity, life after death, come from? It comes from God, who has planted it within the human heart. So when you look at the different cultures and their different religions, you see their idea of eternal life and how to achieve it, or how to enhance its quality. For many of them there is no concept of salvation, but an assumption of eternal life that contains their vision and their version of what that eternal life will be like. 

When Nicodemus came to Christ in John chapter 3, he was coming with the question of how he might obtain eternal life. In fact, if you read through the gospel of John you will see eternal life, or one of its synonyms used 47 times. John even states in 20:31 that his reason for writing that book is so that we will believe and have life (eternal life) in His name. So what must man do to obtain eternal life?  Yes, he must believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. He must turn from his sin and turn to God. He must depend wholly upon the finished work of Christ on the cross. He must receive Jesus Christ by faith. But what is done when man does this?  He is saved, by grace through faith. In other words, the Bible shows us that man must be saved to obtain eternal life (John 3:16). 


When you look at the first four verses of Titus chapter one, you see the promise of eternal life. This eternal life, is bound up in salvation and is promised by God, who calls Himself the Savior, along with His Son, Christ Jesus. Two other times in Titus, God lists both Himself and His Son as the Savior. In fact, the term Savior is used 37 times in the Bible, 24 in the OT and 13 in the NT; and is never used to denote anyone other than God or Christ. God states this in Isaiah 43:11, "I, even I, am the Lord, and there is no savior besides Me. In Titus 3:5-6 God states that it is He that saves.  


So what is God letting the Cretans and us know in the Bible, and in this letter?  He is the author of salvation, the only author of salvation. Salvation comes from Him and Him alone, and it is He who does the saving and in that salvation is the promise of eternal life. Man does not, has not, and cannot save himself.  So what must man do to obtain true eternal life? He must turn to the one who can save him and give him that eternal life, and that is God Himself in the person of His Son the Lord Jesus Christ. It is God alone who possesses eternal life, and it is His to give; and He only gives it to those whom He saves.


How about you, my friend? Are you under the deception that you can achieve eternal life all on your own? Are you mistakenly assuming that you will automatically have a good life after death, and that its quality will be enhanced depending on how well you have performed or how nicely you have behaved or on how many kind deeds you have done during your physical life? Be aware, do not miss the fact, that if eternal life is tied up in salvation, and if God has called Himself the Savior, then there is something that you must be saved from, something that you must be delivered from in order to obtain eternal life. And if you are not saved, if you are not delivered then you will not obtain eternal life.  


What must you be saved from, what must you be delivered from? It is the the second death (Revelation 20:11-15), the eternal death (The eternal state of dying, but never being dead. Isaiah 66:24) that is just the opposite of eternal life. It is not bliss, but torment (Psalm 11:6). It is not happiness, but sorrow. It is not joy, but anguish.  And all for eternity.  


God has revealed Himself as the author of salvation, as the One and only Savior. He alone possess eternal life, and it is His alone to give, and He only gives to those whom He saves. Come to Him today in repentance from your unbelief and rebellion against Him. Come to Him today in repentance from your depending on your own self for your eternal life, and place your faith in what He has done in His Son on the cross to provide eternal life for you. Don't forfeit your eternal life because of your own sinful pride and self reliance. Ask Him in faith for the eternal life that only He can give.

The God Who is for Us

 In Romans 8:26-39 we have the greatest section of Scripture that deals with the security of our salvation and our secure relationship with God through Jesus Christ. In this section of Scripture there is so much richness to meditate upon, so much great truth to let feed our soul and wash over our heart, but the high water mark of this passage is verses 31b-32, "If God is for us who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all (those who trust in Christ and His completed work on our behalf), how will He not with Him freely give us all things?"

Think about it, if God is for us, who can be against us? The truth assumed here is that God is for us, and since He is for us, who, in all the created universe both seen and unseen can stand against us with God on our side.

The God who is for us is:

The God who spoke all things into existence.
The God who upholds all things by the word of His power.
The God who owns the cattle on a thousand hills.
The God who has declared the end from the beginning.
The God who daily bears our burden.
The God who accomplishes what concerns us.
The God whose thoughts toward us are as numerous as His wonders.
The God who has stretched out the heavens, laid the foundation of the earth, and has formed the spirit of man within him.
The God who has fashioned the hearts of us all.
The God who removes kings and establishes kings.
The God who has determined the time and boundaries of the nations.
The God who has ordained our steps, and ordained the number of our days.
The God who delights in the way He has chosen for us.
The God who lifts us up on eagles wings.
The God who is our rock, fortress, shelter, and refuge.
The God to whom nothing is hidden from His sight, and to whose eyes all things are open and laid bare.
The God whose throne stands in the heavens.
The God whose train of His robe fills the temple.
The God who does not sleep nor slumber.
The God who keeps us.
The God who is the shade at our right hand.
The God who is the lover of our souls.
The God who makes us bold with strength in our soul.
The God who delights in the prosperity of His servant.
The God whose word is truth.
The God whose word stands forever.
The God who knows all the stars by name.
The God who tends us like a shepherd does his sheep.
The God who regards the nations as a speck of dust or a drop from a bucket.
The God for whom all the nations are as nothing before Him, and are regarded by Him as less than nothing and meaningless.
The God who is everlasting.
The God who does not become weary or tired.
The God who knows what we will say before the word is on our tongue.
The God who holds all things in the hollow of His hand.
The God who is the Almighty.
The God who is righteous and just.
The God who judges all things.
The God who knows all things.
The God before whom all must appear.
The God who acts and it cannot be reversed.
The God whose purposes cannot be thwarted.
The God who wipes out our transgressions, and does not remember our sins.
The God who stands with us as our Dread Champion.
The God who gives us grace.
The God who is merciful to us and compassionate toward us.
The God before whom there was no God formed, and after whom none will exist.
The God who is our Savior.
The God who delights in our salvation.
The God who causes rivers of living water to flow from our innermost being.
The God to whom we are His beloved.
The God who loves us with the same love with which He loves His Son.
The God who indwells us.
The God who abides with us.
The God who will never leave us or forsake us.
The God who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing.
The God who gives us all things richly to enjoy.
The God who will lavish the riches of His grace on us in the age to come.
The God who has loved us with an everlasting love.
The God who has in kindness drawn us to Himself.
The God who is good and does good.
The God who is holy, holy, holy.
The God who is the Giver of every good and perfect gift.
The God who never changes because from age to age He is the same.
The God whom we can trust and depend upon.
The God who has given us the gift of salvation.
The God who has redeemed us.
The God who has made us alive in Christ.
The God who has caused us to be born again.
The God who has given us a living hope.
The God who was in Christ reconciling us to Himself.
The God whose hand we cannot be snatched out of.
The God who has given us to His Son for safekeeping.


This is the God who is for us. So as we meditate on this great section in Romans, let us meditate in the light of who this great God is, this great God who is for us, this great God in whom our salvation and relationship is secure; and when we gather with others whom He is for, let us all joyfully, gratefully, and confidently open our hearts and our mouths to praise Him for who He is and what He has done.

Who is Good?

 

And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good?

No one is good except God alone."

Luke 18:19

The goodness of God is goodness in its original and untainted form. Since God is impassable and immutable, then His goodness is unchanging and unaffected by anything outside of Himself. Therefore God is good in a complete sense, in an absolute sense, not in a relative sense. His goodness is pure goodness, untainted, undefiled, unaffected, untempered, and without degrees. It permeates all that He is and all that He does, which is why the Psalmist declares that God is good and does good. Therefore, God's goodness is true goodness, the goodness by which all other goodness is measured, and goodness is defined in God Himself.

When men call each other good, we do it in a relative term, as compared to other men. What we see as goodness in men is the vestige of the image of God, as all men were created in the image of God (Genesis 2); and that image has been marred and defiled by sin, it has become compromised and disfigured. When what we call goodness in men is seen in the light of God and His true goodness, we see that what we call goodness is not really goodness at all, not goodness in its true sense, in its God likeness; but is a goodness of degree as compared to other men, as in contrast to what men would call bad or evil as related to the times or culture they live in.

When the Lord becomes our standard of goodness, our definition of goodness, as He should be, then how we use that term takes on a whole new meaning. All of a sudden we realize that we can't consider ourselves good in any way, and what we have called good in ourselves is not good at all; and we realize our dependence on this goodness as our ticket to heaven has been a false hope, a self-deceiving hope.

Because God is good, He came down and took upon Himself the mantle of man in the person of Christ. Christ as God and man was good, good in our stead, good in our place. His goodness has become our ticket to heaven, not for all men; but for all men who place their faith in Him and His vicarious life and death on their behalf. He becomes the ticket to heaven for all who renounce their own goodness and by faith cling tenaciously to His goodness and receive it as their own.

My friends, don't compare yourselves to other men, to the rest of mankind, to determine your own goodness. Compare yourselves to the only One who is truly good and see your goodness for the filthy and soiled rag that it is (Isaiah 64:6). Confess to God that your goodness is not good enough and that you will rely on it no longer, and by faith ask Him to cover you with the goodness of His Son, who was good in your place. And Christ, who took on the mantle of man, will place upon you the mantle of His goodness, and you will have the true ticket to heaven; and you will taste and see the goodness of God in His salvation of your very soul.

The Measure of a Church

The measure of a church is the measure of its people. As its people go, so goes the church. What is it that we as a people of God must possess and practice to be spiritually healthy, vibrant, and effective, so that our church(s) can therefore be the same way? In I Corinthians 13 Paul gives us three eternal spiritual qualities that I believe we must be strong and growing in as individuals so that the church we belong to will be strong and growing as well. These are faith, hope, and love. As believers we have these attributes, yet we may be weak in one or more of them. For example, the church at Corinth was spiritually immature and was especially weak in love (I Corinthians 13), and you can see the many problems it had as a result. The believers written to in II Peter needed to be diligent in developing their faith (II Peter 1:5-11) so that they would not be not only fruitful, but also not susceptible to the cleverly devised tales of the false teachers. The believers in Hebrews needed to leave behind the elementary teachings about the Christ and press on to maturity so as to anchor their hope more securely (Hebrews 6:19-20, 10:35). In his epistle to the twelve dispersed tribes James describes what real faith looks like.

Faith, hope, and love are mentioned in almost every New Testament book; and out of all the churches and groups written to there are only two that are commended for all three of these qualities. They are the churches at Colossae and Thessalonica. In the first chapter of both epistles Paul says that he is thankful for them and praying for them. He commends the Colossians on their faith in Christ Jesus, the love which they had for all the saints, and their hope laid up in heaven. He commends the Thessalonians for the work of their faith, the labor of their love, and the steadfastness of their hope. Also, in the first chapter of both epistles, he talks about the reception and power of the gospel, which is the tool God uses to develop faith, hope, and love in His children, and as His children are, so is the church.

Even though these attributes are spiritual and intangible, they are not inconspicuous. They are evident in the life, the attitude, and the actions of the people of God. They are the ground of our motivation, the core of our spiritual life, and the evidence of our salvation. So we in the church must look to make sure these qualities are ours and are increasing, and those of us who preach, teach, and lead the flock must be diligent to develop these qualities in the flock that God has assigned to us, so that the flock will be spiritually healthy, vibrant, and effective (I Timothy 1:5, Ephesians 4:11-16, Philippians 1:9, 25-27, I Thessalonians 4:1, 9-10, Galatians 4:19).

God's Greatest Joy

One of my favorite parables is found in Luke 15:1-7, as I believe it shows the true heart of God. In fact, this parable is located right before the parable of the prodigal son. The parable of the prodigal son is meant to illustrate the great truth shown in verses 1-7. Here are those verses. 

Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming

near Him to listen to Him. Both the Pharisees and the

scribes began to grumble, saying, "This man receives 

sinners and eats with them." So He told them this parable 

saying, "What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep

and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine

in the open pasture and go after the one which is lost until

he finds it? When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, 

rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his 

friends and his neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, 

for I have found my sheep which was lost!' I tell you in the 

same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner 

who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who

need no repentance."

What these verses tell us is that God's greatest joy is when someone turns from their sin and turns to Him. This great and wonderful truth is illustrated in the story of the prodigal son (vs 11-24) by the father who, from a distance, sees his lost son coming to him and runs to him in joy, embracing and kissing him, and holding a celebration for him.  

In a sense, this great joy of God should not surprise us, for because of His great love for us He gave His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, as a sacrifice on the cross for our sins. However, so many of us labor under a couple of popular misconceptions of God that veil our eyes from this truth. 

Misconception #1.

God is a God of wrath, who is eager and waiting to punish you, strike you down, and send you to hell because of your sin. We always hear the line about not standing to close to someone in case God zaps them for doing something wrong. You see, even using that line, which almost all of us have used, shows that we do have a sense that punishment for wrongdoing is right, and must be carried out for there to be true justice. Yes, if God is holy and righteous there must be and will be ultimate justice for any and all wrongdoing, but that doesn't mean that God just can't wait to get even or that He delights in some kind of barbaric punishment or that He chortles over the eternal damnation of anyone.

What the Bible tells us about God's heart and attitude toward men, all men, is just the opposite, not only do the parables mentioned above illustrate this truth, but here is what else the Bible (God speaking) reveals to us about it:

Ezekiel 18:23 "Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked," declares the Lord God, "rather than that he should turn from his ways and live."

Ezekiel 18:32 "For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies," declares the Lord God. "Therefore, repent and live."

Ezekiel 33:11 "Say to them, 'As I live!' declares the Lord God, 'I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil ways! Why then will you die?"

I Timothy 2:3b-4...God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

II Peter 3:9 The Lord is slow about His promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing any to perish, but for all to come to repentance.

So what we see here in these verses is God's desiring for all men and women to turn from their sin and come to Him for salvation and forgiveness of their sins and eternal life. 

Misconception #2.

God is a benign God who is somewhat detached from this world, but loves us as we are, and lets us set our own moral code and use our own guidelines for entering heaven (whatever our version of that may happen to be). This misconception totally misconstrues what the real love of God is. Let's see what the Bible tells us about this:

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

Ephesians 2:1-8 And you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in  Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no man may boast.

II Corinthians 5:21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 

The real love of God is the love that moved God to have mercy and compassion on us by providing the means of forgiveness of our sins (the sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ on the cross), and salvation (our acceptance by faith and our corresponding trust in the work that God has done on our behalf through Jesus Christ). God does not love us as we are, but loves us in spite of who we are (wicked, vile, disinterested, sinners, and His enemies). If God loves us like we are then there would have been no need to send Christ as the sacrifice for our sins.

The common thread that binds both of these misconceptions together is a faulty view of sin, not just sin in general, but our own sin in particular. Both views really downplay the heinous nature of all sin and how egregious sin is, all sin, any sin, to God. We all know what sin is, and we all know that we have sinned. However, have we grasped how serious even one sin is? Again, let's take a look at what the Bible says.

Leviticus 11:44 "For I am the Lord your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy.

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.

Ezekiel 18:4 Behold, all souls are Mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is Mine. The soul who sins will die.

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Psalm 14:2-3 The Lord has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. they have all turned aside, together they have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one. 

Because God is holy, any sin and all sin, is an affront to His holiness and is worthy of death. Because He is just, no sin can be overlooked or swept under the carpet. Because He is righteous all sin(s) will receive a just judgment, a right recompense, and a proper punishment.

Because of His great love He has placed all the sins of those who will come to Him in faith upon Christ, and Christ has born the punishment for those sins in our stead.

So, at the cross we see the justice of God, the mercy of God, and the love of God on full display.

Because of God's understanding of the justice and its right recompense that awaits all who sin, and because of God's love providing a way for the payment of the penalty due for every sin, God therefore takes great pleasure and has unbounding joy in the salvation of those who by faith in Christ and His finished work on the cross turn to Him for forgiveness and salvation.

Have you heard His voice calling you to come home to Him? Will you answer that call and turn to Him? Will you forsake all else for His salvation? Will you trust in what He has done to save you from the right and just consequences of a life that is lived apart from Him? Will you call your sin as that which it is and call out to the Lord for His forgiveness? For when you do there will be great joy in heaven among all its hosts for the salvation and preservation of your soul; and the Father Himself, the God and Creator of all that is, will run to meet you.

Truth--The Responsibility of the Pulpit

Truth, by its very nature, is confrontational. It is such because it is absolute and concrete. Therefore it is unassailable, unshakable, unrelenting, immovable, and unchangeable. Truth is always a force to be reckoned with. Truth is the most powerful moral force in the world; in fact, truth is what makes morality moral, as it is the under girding of all morality. Truth is discriminating as it reveals all that is not true.  

The inherent power in the Scriptures is that they are true, they don't merely contain truth, but are truth in and of themselves. Jesus asked the Father to sanctify His disciples in the truth, and then went on to say, "Your word is truth." (John 17). Psalm 119:160 tells us, "The sum of Your word is truth." Psalm 12:6 says, "The words of the Lord are pure words; like silver refined in a furnace on the earth, refined seven times."

Because it is truth is why the Bible is confrontational. It shows us the truth about God, the truth about ourselves, the truth about life, and the truth about eternity. Because it is confrontational, it is also controversial. It is why it is attacked, mocked, derided, and considered out of step with modern morality. 

Because of its confrontational nature, because it raises the ire of those on whom it shines the light of truth upon, because when confronted with the truth people will typically fight or flee (John 3:18-21). This is why many who occupy the pulpit will not preach the word in all its fullness, seeking to make it more palatable to those who hear. Such preaching neuters the word, and promulgates a form of godliness that denies the true power of the gospel. 

Those who occupy the pulpit have a responsibility to preach the whole counsel of God, to preach the word in all of its fullness, to preach so that the sharp edges of truth are not blunted, to preach so that the truth is not veiled, to preach so that the truth of God is brought to bear on the minds and the hearts of those who hear. This understanding, this sense of responsibility, this allegiance to the truth is the great need in the preaching of our day, and indeed, if you follow church history, this is the great need in the pulpit in every age. This has never been nor will ever be a position of great popularity; but those who preach the truth are beloved by those to whom they preach, as well as the One for whom they preach. 

Let those of us who occupy the pulpit pledge our allegiance, our fidelity, to the One who is the truth; and as such preach His truth...unashamedly and unapologetically.

The following is from Tom Ascol, in his blog at www.founders.org. I will let him have the last word.

"Discriminating, expositional preaching is a great need in our day. We must be willing to show from the text what God says is right and true and then distinguish that from all of the counterfeits that plague the world and church today. Failure to preach and teach like this leads to a mongrel religion that may fly under the banner of Christianity but has missed Christ altogether. It is a frightening prospect. Where there is no discriminating preaching, it has been and remains a tragic reality."

A Pastoral Prayer for Sunday

 

Lord, love Your people through our worship.

May Your truth be spoken in prayer and praise.

Attend Your word to their mind and heart;

And may mind and heart and soul be lifted

up to You.

Lord, love Your people through the preaching.

May Your truth be in every word spoken.

Attend Your word to their mind and heart;

And may each piece of dross be removed,

  each facet of godly character be refined, each godly

 motive be reinforced, and each stain

of soul be cleansed through repentance.

Lord, love Your people through Your presence.

May Your presence be in our prayer, and praise, and preaching.

Take away all other thoughts than You.

Make Yourself our only desire, and Your will

our greatest delight.

We Should Strive to be Faithful

In our roles as pastors/spiritual leaders we should strive to be faithful, not seek to be famous. There is a striving, a working, even an agonizing that is required in the pursuit of faithfulness. Striving is required if we are to remain faithful to the call of God upon our life. Striving is required because there will be obstacles to overcome in order for us to remain faithful. Striving is required in order for our faithfulness to be tested and measured. Striving is required in order for our faithfulness to be considered just that...faithfulness. Striving is required for us to be truly God glorifying.

On that day the Lord will say, "Well done my good and faithful servant." not "Well done my good and famous servant." as we enter into His joy.

Fellow pastors, let us strive together to be faithful, and may His joy be full in us.

A Monday Morning Word of Encouragement to Pastors

 

There is a sense in which putting together a sermon is much like editing a movie. Just like much of what is shot for the movie is left in the computer or cutting room floor, so it is for a sermon. After prayer and study a preacher almost always has to leave out thoughts, insights, and information either because they do not fit the context of the sermon, or he just doesn't have room to fit them in.

There is also the preaching moment, which sometimes is editing on the fly, in which the preacher adds things he did not intend to say and had not thought about, or leaves out things he had intended to say, things that he considered important and necessary,  things that were even in his notes or preaching manuscript.

In either of the above scenarios the preacher can always second guess himself, and get into the, "Oh, I could have said this...Oh, if only I would have said that... Oh, I should have said this...game with himself, and many of us do. Now, I am not saying the preacher should never examine his sermons or think critically about them, or that we should not get upset in those rare occurrences (and they should be rare) when we preach that uninspired and unaccompanied by the Spirit clunker of a sermon; BUT I am saying that at some point we have to trust the Lord with His superintending of the process of preparing the sermon and His superintending our preaching of the sermon. If we are working hard in the preparation and are praying for His illumination, His revelation, His guidance, His making His thoughts our thoughts and His words our words, then we must trust Him with what is left in the study and with what actually comes or doesn't come out of our mouth when we are delivering His word.

When we know that we have done the best we could, then we must trust the Lord that it was enough; and that just as the Lord took the fish and the loaves and fed the five thousand, He will take our meager thoughts and words and by His power multiply them to feed those to whom we preach.

The Pastor's Personal Life

Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching;

persevere in these things, for as you do this will ensure

salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you.

I Timothy 4:16

Pastors, when you pray for your people, pray for yourself as well. Your prayers for the people under your watchcare should include you as well. Yes, we are shepherd's of the flock that the Lord has assigned to us; but we are undershepherds who have been called out from among the sheep to shepherd the sheep, so we share the same weaknesses and proclivities that our people do. So the admonition to pay close attention to himself that Paul gave Timothy goes for us as well.

Paul was not telling Timothy to be self-absorbed or narcissistic, but to be self-aware. It was a warning to be on the look out for his own spiritual well being, to be on guard for his own holiness, to be sensitive to his own weaknesses. He was telling Timothy not to be so focused on those he was ministering to, so as to miss his own sin.  

Our personal holiness not only affects us, but it affects our ministry as well. It affects those to whom we minister, and those whom we lead. The leaven that begins with us can affect the whole flock, and can have a ripple effect into the broader church. This is another area that James 3:1 speaks to.  

So how do you watch over yourself? Here are a few ways:

1.  Pray for yourself, just like you pray for your people. Pray for discernment. Pray for your own heart. Pray for sensitivity to sin. Pray for protection from temptation. Pray that evil will not ensnare you. Pray for your own spiritual growth and your own spiritual needs.  

2. Don't become enamored with your own holiness, or think that you are above sin. The admonition that he who stands should take heed lest he fall is particularly applicable to pastors. Humility regarding our own spiritual condition is a safeguard here, which means you must never think you are above temptation, never think certain sins will have no draw upon your flesh.  

3.  Never become content with where you are spiritually, never think you have arrived spiritually, but seek to be constantly growing. A growing faith is a flourishing faith, and a flourishing faith is more sensitive to sin, and therefore less prone to fall prey to temptation.

4.  Stay fresh in the word, so that the word will stay fresh in you. The continual treasuring up of the word in our heart, the continual exposure to the word provides a protective shield for our heart and mind against sin.

5. Be on your guard, and be aware of the schemes of the enemy. He is constantly on the look out for whom he can devour, whom he can cause to fall, so we must be constantly vigilant against his wiles. Do not let yourself be put into situations where temptation will lurk. Part of praying that you will not be led into temptation is the realization of the areas in which you can be tempted.

Fellow pastors, the bar is set high for us because the spiritual stakes are so high, not only for us, but for those the Lord has assigned to our care. So let us be diligent in our own spiritual life so that the example we set will be equal to the word we preach.

Reminded by God

 He who made the Pleiades and Orion

And changes deep darkness into morning,

Who also darkens day into night,

Who calls for the waters of the sea

And pours them out on the surface of the earth,

The Lord is His name.

The Lord God of hosts,

The One who touches the land so that it melts,

And all those who dwell in it mourn,

And all of it rises up like the Nile

And subsides like the Nile of Egypt;

The One who builds His upper chambers in the heavens

And has founded His vaulted dome over the earth,

He who calls for the waters of the sea

And pours them out on the face of the earth,

The Lord is His name.

Amos 5:8, 9:6-7

Two times in the midst of His dirge against Israel, God stops and reminds the Israelites of who He is and His great power. He not only does this in Amos, but this is a pattern throughout the Old Testament.  He starts this in Genesis 17:1 when He tells Abraham, "I am God Almighty, walk before Me and be blameless." He does this in the last few chapters of Job as He confronts Job with His power and majesty and starts off by saying, "Now gird up your loins like a man, and I will ask you and you instruct Me!"  There are myriads of other times in the Old Testament where God has to remind those with whom He is dealing of exactly who He is.  

Sometimes today, with us, He has to remind us of who He is. Sometimes it is to put us in our place as we have become a little too big for our spiritual britches, and we need to be brought back to reality.  Sometimes it is because we need to see that He is bigger than our situation, or the people we are facing.  Sometimes it is to remind us that He is more than capable of delivering what He has promised.  Sometimes it is to remind us that He is God and we are not, or that He alone is God. Sometimes it is to remind us that we are not the captain of our ship or the master of our fate, but He is, and as such we are answerable to Him. Sometimes it is for comfort and sometimes for correction. Sometimes it is to remind us that He is bigger than life and all that it holds. All the time it is to give us the proper perspective on life, His perspective. 

We are forgetful by nature, and are often deceived by sin; and sometimes we have to be reminded of what we already know. That is why daily devotionals or consistent bible study is so good for us.  Through His word He speaks to us to remind us of all that He is and all that He has done. It is refreshing to be reminded. It is soul stirring to be reminded. It is necessary to be reminded. It is good for us to be reminded. Thanks be to God that He has not forgotten that.

The Greater Holocaust

 I watched a short video from the Holocaust museum. It concerned an album of pictures depicting the lives of the officers over the Auschwitz prison camp, and covered the period of May through December 1944. Auschwitz was the place where thousands of Hungarian Jews were murdered by the Nazis, with much of that happening during 1944. The pictures showed ordinary looking men with their families at different functions as they were overseeing the mass destruction of so many other humans. This caused me to reflect on the horrors and atrocities committed against the Jews during WWII as over six million Jews (men, women, and children) were slaughtered by different methods. It makes your spirit shudder to think about it.

It also prompted me to reflect on what the Scriptures say awaits the nation of Israel in the end times. As horrible and nightmarish a time as the Holocaust was, it pales in comparison to what lies ahead for those who are of the nation of Israel, whether they live in Israel or not. The Lord warns about this in Matthew 24:15-22 ending in verse 22, "Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved." We see a little more about this in Revelation chapter 12 where in verse 13 we see the vengeance of Satan upon Israel that starts after Satan is cast out of heaven at the mid-point of the tribulation. In Zechariah 12 and 13 we see this time described and in Zechariah 13:8-9 the word of God tells us that two thirds of the nation of Israel will perish, but that He will bring one third through the fire. This corresponds with Zephaniah 3:11-13, Joel 2:28-32, Jeremiah 50:20, Isaiah 4:1-3, Daniel chapter 8, and Romans 9:27-29. What a horrible time for the Jews as two thirds of all the Jews in the world will perish. The nation of Israel is still under the divine judgment of God for its forsaking God, breaking its covenant with God, and rejecting the Messiah. God will not completely forsake the Jews, but will save the one third that He refines through the fire. All of this is included in the divine plan of God and in the one eternal purpose mentioned in Ephesians 3:11 and further explained in Romans 9-11.

So a greater Holocaust is coming, a time of great tribulation, a time that happens after the fullness of the Gentiles has been completed. Let us not be indifferent to the plight of the Jews for the eternal plan of God revolves around them, and it includes us as we have been grafted into their rich spiritual life and heritage. In thinking about all of this I am brought to a state of humility before the Lord as I have pondered as Paul in Romans 11:33 "Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!"

Oh Lord, we can not attain to this as it is too high for us and too wonderful for us. Thank you Lord for including me in your eternal plan. Thank you Lord for selecting me and preparing my place in Your plan from all eternity. Strengthen me by Your Spirit in my inner man to faithfulness in carrying out the stewardship entrusted to me. Will and work in me Lord to completeness, lead me away from temptation, and let not evil have its way with me. Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth just as it is in heaven. Work out Your decrees until all Scripture is fulfilled, righteousness reigns, and You and You alone are glorified in Your saints in that day. Amen