A Biblical Response To Same-Sex Marriages

A Biblical Response To Same-Sex Marriages

This article will look at the main biblical data concerning same sex marriages and will conclude that no church that takes the Bible seriously can sanction a union between homosexuals or lesbians.

God's Order For Sexuality - The Argument From Design

(Genesis 1:27 NKJV) So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

(Genesis 2:18-25 NKJV) And the LORD God said, "It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him." {19} Out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name. {20} So Adam gave names to all cattle, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper comparable to him. {21} And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. {22} Then the rib which the LORD God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. {23} And Adam said: "This is now bone of my bones And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man." {24} Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. {25} And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

The image of God is both male and female and is reflected in a godly union between male and female where the creative power of God, His life-giving , His self-giving and His moral nature are perfectly expressed. This is only possible in a heterosexual union. When God created a partner for Adam He created Eve - not another Adam. This means that perfect partnership requires some level of difference as well as a level of similarity so great that Adam could cry out loudly "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh". Heterosexuality is the normal method of human bonding and the one for which our bodies and emotions are designed.

If God had intended the human race to be fulfilled through both heterosexual and homosexual marriage He would have designed our bodies to allow reproduction through both means and made both means of sexual intercourse healthy and natural. Homosexual anal intercourse carries a high risk of disease, this is recognized in Scripture where gay men are said to "receive in their bodies the due penalty for their error". Only 1% of homosexuals die of old age.

What Jesus Taught

(Matthew 19:4 NKJV) And He answered and said to them, "Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning 'made them male and female,'

(Mark 10:6 NKJV) "But from the beginning of the creation, God 'made them male and female.'

When Jesus was asked questions about marriage he went straight back to the defining passages in Genesis that say that marriage is between male and female and is meant to be life long. He saw the creation accounts in Genesis as authoritative in His day. And what is authoritative for Jesus is authoritative for Christians also. While Jesus did not specifically teach on homosexuality His establishment of the Genesis passages as the fundamental passages on marriage, (even more fundamental that the Law) leaves no doubt as to the outcome.

The Teaching In The Epistles

(Romans 1:26-27 NKJV) For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. {27} Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.

(1 Corinthians 6:9-10 NKJV) Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, {10} nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.

(1 Timothy 1:9-10 NKJV) knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, {10} for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine,

These three references indicate that homosexual passions and acts are unnatural, shameful, contrary to sound doctrine and deny entrance to the Kingdom of God. This being so they cannot be the basis of a Christian marriage sanctioned by God's Church. The Church exists to save people not to bless the means of their damnation. No marriage can be sanctioned by the Church if the very basis of the marriage involves acts that put the couple outside of eternal salvation. No matter what our society may legislate the law of God is clear - that a marriage is not a godly marriage if it is a same sex union.

Are Emotions A Sufficient Basis For Marriage?

Hollywood has propagated the myth that when it comes to marriage ‘all you need is love". This is simply not true. Marriage is not based on emotion any more than any other partnership in life is. Marriage like many human activities involves emotion but it is not constituted by the presence of any particular set of emotions. I do not deny that many homosexuals feel deeply for their partners however I do assert that no matter how deep the feelings what they have is not a marriage in God's sight. It is a beautiful deception. Just because an emotion is deep or powerful does not justify acting upon it.

Like drugs, like adultery, like the abuse of alcohol or the love of money, or the power rush of human ego trips there are emotions which are powerful and addictive and ultimately terribly destructive. Same sex marriages must satisfy criteria other than emotion. A marriage is more than a sexual pleasure center. A marriage is a social unit that is interwoven with dozens of other lives. Same sex marriages do not last. Less than 5% of gays have ever had a relationship that lasted 3 years or more. Sex is not enough. Passion cannot sustain an inherently unstable social unit.

Society, The Church and Same Sex Marriages

Marriage is a fundamental social institution that does not exist just for the emotional satisfaction of two individuals but for the greater good of the community which stands under the blessing or curse of God. Societies that put emotional fulfillment before right actions and principles will soon give way to a multitude of addictions and deep corruptions and collapse. God will judge any society that institutes same sex marriages.

I also believe that God will judge a society that permits adoption of children or the use of sperm banks by same sex couples. His Word stands over society and when it is deliberately flaunted in the name of progress and enlightenment then it is not light but deep darkness that results. We cannot bend the principles of God's Word to suit vocal minority groups. While some nations may enact laws permitting these evils the true church of God must stand resolutely firm and never allow the sanctioning of same sex marriages by Christian clergy.

Remain undiluted in faith and in the gospel that you had received and the God of peace shall keep you till he comes. God less you.

See u at the top,

Pastor Mike

Spiritual Warfare For The Totally Afraid

Spiritual Warfare for The Totally Afraid

By Pastor Mike

Demons are variously caricatured as "naughty spirits" and even portrayed as "sources of wisdom" in some New Age teachings. The Bible however sees demons as truly evil and deceptive beings arrayed in rebellion against God and whose fate will be eternal torment imprisoned in a lake of fire. This latter view is far closer to the reality experienced by demon-possessed people and those who have dealt with demons in others.
A demon possessed person is often deeply deceived - thus showing the deceptive nature of demons, a demon-possessed person often engages in activities that display a lack of conscience toward others or a delight in the evil and the bizarre. This betrays the evil, amoral and actively wicked attitude of the demonic. A demon-possessed person is often angry at ministers, scornful of Scripture, fearful of communion, mocking at morality and may hold bizarre views of Christ. Christian praise and worship can cause strong negative reactions. This displays the demonic hatred of God and rebellion toward His legitimate authority over this Earth that He made. Those who deal with demons sometimes find that demons are both aware of and terrified of the eternal fate that awaits them. They believe in the lake of fire even if some theologians do not. This article will look at what the Bible says about demons, their fate, and how we can stop them hindering our Christian life.
Lets start with the positive...


Jesus' Triumph Over The Demonic Realm
(1 John 3:8 NKJV) He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.
(1 John 4:4 NKJV) You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
(1 John 5:18 NKJV) We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him.
The book of 1 John was probably written when the persecutions of the emperor Diocletian really began to bite. Satan and the his instrument - the pagan Roman Empire seemed to be indefinite ascendancy over the church, God and all the forces of good. 1 John is thus a very radical and bold epistle in its claims to victory in Christ. There are three realities described here:
1. The reality of Christ's mission in particular His incarnation. The reason Jesus Christ was manifested in human form was so that He could tackle Satan on his own turf and destroy all his works. Like a hand-grenade exploding in the Devil's face the incarnation brought the awesome power of the Son of God into proximity with evil so that it might completely destroy it.
2. The reality of Christ in us the hope of glory. He who is in us is He who came to destroy the works of the Devil. Jesus overcame the world then, and now, He is in us, and continues to overcome the world.
3. The reality of the indestructibility of our real eternal selves which are based on Christ in us. A person who has been born again has a new self that is created on a new order and a higher plane. It is eternal, imperishable and indestructible, it cannot be defiled. It is sinless and cannot sin. It is born of God and partakes of the very principles of the nature of God (but on a much different scale).(1 John 3:9 NKJV) Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.This new self battles with the flesh in a life long struggle for dominance (Galatians 5:16-18) so Christians still do sin but this sin is not a part of them that will still be with them in Heaven. There will be no need for Purgatory, the new self has been sinless from the "new birth". This new self cannot be "touched" by the evil one. The person we will be for the next ten million years cannot be affected by sin , defilement or temptation and it has already passed out of the judgment of God (John 5:24, Romans 8:1,2). While Satan can destroy your flesh (1 Corinthians 5:5) he cannot touch the real eternal you.(See article on the Inner Man for more detail)
These three powerful realities mean that even though Satan and his demons are at times quite formidable foes they ultimately cannot harm us. They are defeated rebels whose rebellion will come to nothing in the end. Jesus Christ came to destroy ALL the works of the Devil and through His church that task is being completed and will be finally climaxed at the return of Christ. Let's look at how the Devil lost the weapons from his armory.
(Hebrews 2:14 NKJV) Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,
The incarnation gave Jesus the flesh and blood He needed so that through death He could defeat Satan's ability to wield the power of death, keeping the world in fear and abject slavery.
(Colossians 2:13-15 NKJV) And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, {14} having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. {15} Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

These verses in Colossians indicate that the weapon of accusation has been removed. Satan has been disarmed by the forgiveness we have received. He no longer has any basis for accusing us. The Charge sheets are all nailed to the Cross.
Satan's ultimate defeat will be an ignominious vanquishing(Revelation 20:10 NKJV) The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.


The Christian's Power And Authority Over The Demonic Realm
The Christian's power and authority over the demonic realm is not based on having more "might" than the demonic realm (I do not know of any Christian with the spiritual might anywhere near that of Satan) but on authority. The distinction is important. Joash became king of Israel when he was 7 years old. Though physically puny and intellectually hardly a match for bad queen Athaliah he had more authority than her or nay of his rivals. He was king. Similarly even a "baby Christian" has more authority in the spiritual realm than the biggest baddest demon on the block. As a small child is more important than the largest fiercest lion so God has deemed that even the least Christian outranks the mightiest power and principality. The authority comes because of their position in the heavenly hierarchy. In God's household we are the "sons" and angels, even the mightiest of them are just servants of God. And sons outrank servants.
(Hebrews 1:14 NKJV) Are they (i.e angels) not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?
(1 Corinthians 6:3 NKJV) Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life?
We have undergone a spiritual transformation as a result of the gospel. In the Old Testament we were " a little lower than the angels", we were like children who, in their minority, have less status than say the butler and are expected to treat the household servants with respect. But with the gospel we have come of age and are now full-fledged sons of God
(John 1:12 NKJV) But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:
(Galatians 3:24-26 NKJV) Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. {25} But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. {26} For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
This transformation means that a huge change in status has occurred so that inhabitants of the Kingdom of God are truly awesome spiritual beings.
(Ephesians 2:6-7 NKJV) and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, {7} that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.


(Ephesians 1:20-21 NKJV) which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, {21} far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.
(Matthew 11:11-13 NKJV) "Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
We have been raised up with Christ and seated at His right hand in the heavenly realms far above all principalities and power and might and dominion so that Jesus could say of us that the least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than the mightiest of the Old Testament saints. This is "amazing grace" and is God displaying His kindness for all the world to see.


Wielding Our Weapons
With this in mind lets look the authority we have been given and how we are to wield it.
(Luke 9:1 NKJV) Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases.
(Luke 10:1, 17-24 NKJV) After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to....Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name." {18} And He said to them, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. {19} "Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. {20} "Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven." {21} In that hour Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit and said, "I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. {22} "All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him." {23} Then He turned to His disciples and said privately, "Blessed are the eyes which see the things you see; {24} "for I tell you that many prophets and kings have desired to see what you see, and have not seen it, and to hear what you hear, and have not heard it."
Jesus commissions the twelve and then the seventy to have power of evil..In these verses we discover three things:
1. The power we have over the demonic realm is a gracious gift from Jesus"I give you.."to equip us for ministry (it is in the context of a ministry trip).
2. This power is both offensive. I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. and defensive and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
3. That our operating principle is not to be power consciousness but instead humble gratefulness for the grace of God."Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven."


Binding and loosing...
The Apostle Peter
(Matthew 16:18-19 NKJV) "And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. {19} "And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."
Christians in general
(Matthew 18:18-20 NKJV) "Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. {19} "Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. {20} "For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them."
Binding Satan and his demons
(Matthew 12:27-29 NKJV) "And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. {28} "But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. {29} "Or how can one enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.
(Luke 11:19-22 NKJV) "And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. {20} "But if I cast out demons with the finger of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. {21} "When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace. {22} "But when a stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armour in which he trusted, and divides his spoils
Thus we see that the power to bind and to loose has been delivered over to God's church (Matthew 16:18-19) and can be exercised by any two or three Christians coming together in agreement before God (Matthew 18:18-20). Because of the authority we have been given on the basis of the completed work of Christ we can come against Satan as "someone stronger" and overpower him, binding his activities (Matthew 12:29), neutralizing his weapons (Luke 11:22) and taking back the things he claims ownership of. (Luke 11:22).



In The Name Of Jesus
(John 14:13-14 NKJV) "And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. {14} "If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.
(John 15:16 NKJV) "You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you
(Luke 10:17-19 NRSV) The seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, in your name even the demons submit to us!" {18} He said to them, "I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning. {19} See, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing will hurt you.
(Acts 16:18 NRSV) {18} She kept doing this for many days. But Paul, very much annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, "I order you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her." And it came out that very hour.
The name of Jesus is the delegated authority of the Son of God. In the Gilbert and Sullivan opera "The Pirates of Penzance" the pirates are arrested and the police say "We charge you yield in Queen Victoria's name...". They confront the pirates in the delegated authority of Her Majesty Queen Victoria. When we come against Satan and his demons we can say "We charge you yield in the name of Jesus Christ the Son of the Living God, King of Kings and Lord of Lords". The "name that is above every other name" is the ultimate source of authority. Say the pirates in the opera had answered...we resist in the name of the Pirate King..then there would have been a clash of authority (in fact they said "we love our Queen..it was very sarcastic..) In such a clash of authority it is the "highest name" that wins. A queen outranks a counts who outranks knights of the realm that outrank commoners etc. So it is in the heavenly realms. Such is the privilege of Christians that we are allowed to use "the name that is above every other name" when we challenge demonic authority. We come bearing the highest authority in the Universe.(Philippians 2:8-11 NKJV) And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. {9} Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, {10} that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, {11} and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
So to use the name of Jesus in prayer is a declaration of authority. Even Jewish exorcists found it had enormous authority until it was challenged (Acts 19:13-18). They were operating on "bluff" they were not converted and had no right to use the authority of Jesus name in exorcism. The basis of praying in Jesus name is , first of all, being converted. Jesus name can be used in two ways 1)In declarative mode "In the name of Jesus I command..." e.g. when Peter healed the lame man at the Gate Beautiful(Acts 3:6 NKJV) Then Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.". Secondly it may be used to request things from God eg, in the verses from John's gospel above"And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.". The difference between command mode and request mode is that we command lesser beings but command greater ones. So when addressing a demon, a disease or a mountain or a storm we operate in command mode as sons of God proudly bearing the authority of Jesus name. When addressing the Father or Jesus we do not presume on the authority we have been given but we come humbly as expectant children with every right to ask and to receive but always in wonder and awe for we have a majestic God.
Go boldly into the battle armed with the name of Jesus Christ.


Tearing Down Strongholds
(2 Corinthians 10:3-5 NKJV) For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. {4} For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, {5} casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
Strongholds are built out of thoughts (Gk. noema). When Satan builds a stronghold in a human heart, a church, a nation or across a whole planet he uses thoughts. Thoughts of fear, hatred, envy, enmity and strife. Thoughts that create jealousy and distrust. Thoughts that turn people against God. Thoughts that entice to pride and rebellion. Greedy thoughts, lustful thoughts, evil and cruel thoughts. Brick by brick, thought by thought, constellating together into a demonic aggregate, a wall that blocks out the light and keeps a world in darkness. Note that they are described as "arguments and every high thing that exalts itself". A spiritual stronghold is often characterized by a form of pride known as hubris that exalts itself against God. Herod in the book of Acts is an example of this when he accepted worship from men and was struck dead by God. (Acts 12:21-23) The Gnostic heresies of Colossae (Colossians 2:8, 18-23) the bizarre "knowledge" of Corinth (1 Corinthians 8:1-3) and the "teaching of The Nicolaitans (Rev 2:6,15) seem also to fit this category. Those with religious delusions are nearly always full of pride and impossible to reason with. That is why Paul calls it a "stronghold" . Bible-based apologetics has its place here on demolishing the "lofty arguments" and replacing them with truth. Jesus' confrontations with the Pharisees and Sadducees and His teaching on the Sermon On The Mount were real "stronghold busters" (You have heard it said..but I say. to you..)
Thoughts control emotions and actions. If your doctrine tells you that you are no good then you will feel worthless. If your doctrine demands perfection you will feel constantly guilty. This will lead to actions based on your thoughts and feelings e.g a life of constant striving. A stronghold can become so intense that the person loses touch with reality. To see this in action we need only look at the severely demon-possessed with their destroyed thought life, shattered emotions, lack of contact with reality and constant fear.(Mark 5:1-20) Satan controls us to the extent that he can control our thinking. Yet God has given us weapons against this that are"mighty in God for the pulling down of strongholds"so there is no problem with our weapons ! Lets learn to use them. The weapons are listed in Eph 6:10-18.
(Ephesians 6:10-18 NKJV) Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. {11} Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. {12} For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. {13} Therefore take up the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. {14} Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, {15} and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; {16} above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. {17} And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; {18} praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints;
The strongholds of Satan are pulled down by people whose lives show moral integrity and faith and who know the word of God and can pray in the Spirit at all times. It is a soldierly combat. For example say Satan has established a stronghold of lustful thoughts in your mind. You need to pull down those lustful concepts about the opposite sex through a thorough study of God's word and knowing what the human body is, and is not, meant for . then you need to fill your mind with things that are noble and lovely and true (Phil 4:8)) praying in Jesus name for God to demolish this stronghold in your life. If the stronghold is in your church - say a spirit of parsimony and greed then you may need to teach on generosity and giving prayerfully wielding the sword of the Spirit until the false concepts of stewardship have come tumbling down and the church is renewed in faith. If the stronghold is in your nation you may need to debate publicly, use the media and refute the lies that keep people bound while guarding yourself and your own life from the counter-attacks that will come. As I said earlier our weapons are "mighty in God" they are amazing weapons if wielded rightly. Do not be intimidated the authority of Jesus and the "big guns" of God's weaponry are on our side.


A Tactical Armory
The following table summarizes the ways Satan attacks and the way we should respond to these attacks. I have called it a tactical armory since it tells us which weapon to select for the battle. You may notice that many of the Scriptures for Satan's tactics also contain the remedy for it close by or in the same verse! God is wise.

Scripture Ref	Satan's Trick	Our Victory
John 10;10	Steal, Kill, Destroy	Take hold of the abundant life in Christ
1 Timothy 3:6,7	Pride leading to condemnation	Wise appointing of those in spiritual authority
Rev 12:10,11	Accusation	The blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony, testifying to what the blood of the Lamb has done for you.
Luke 4:1-13	Temptation through misapplied Scriptures that seem to validate fleshly desires for physical appetite, special-ness to God and power.	Knowing the Scriptures so well that you can spot the lie and counter it with a more appropriate Scripture.
1 Timothy 4:1-7	Deceptive false teachings	Reject fanciful tales, teach the Scriptures, sound doctrine, thankfulness, prayer
James 2:17-26 Matthew 7:15-28	False assurance of salvation	A godly life of good works based on Jesus teaching is evidence of having true faith.
Deut 7:25, 18:10-13, 32:7, Lev 19:31 Isaiah 47:13, Acts 19:19 1 Corinthians 10:14	Ensnarement in the occult , divination astrology, and the worship of false gods.	Destroy all objects associated with it. Complete disassociation from it.
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 Ephesians 6:10-21 Romans 8:4-6,.12:1,2 Philippians 4:8 Colossians 3:1-4.	Strongholds made of thoughts that oppose God -especially prideful thoughts and unbelief. These thoughts can control the life and emotions of a person, church or country.	Biblical apologetics, renewing the mind. Setting the mind on the things of the Spirit Use of our spiritual armour combined with faith, the word of God, prayer in the Spirit and humble submission.
Matthew 23:17,19,24,26 Luke 4:18 John 9;39 Romans 10:7-10,25 2Corinthians 3:14-17, 4:3,4 Ephesians 4:17-24, 1 John 2:10,11	Blinding the minds of unbelievers. Especially those who stubbornly refuse Christ.	Turning to Christ. Having a willingness to accept the light and seek it further. Renewal of the mind. Loving your brother in Christ Good teaching and intercession can "open the eyes of the blind".
1 Corinthians 10:14-22	Religious ceremonies that appear "cultural" but are in fact demonic.	Awareness of the spiritual realities that under gird such things. Not participating in them.
Matthew 12:27-29, 16:19, 18:18-20, Luke 11:19-22	Unrestrained Satanic activity. Spiritual wickedness in the heavenly realms. Spiritual "strong men" occupying a person, place or nation.	Binding and loosing in Jesus name which may often have a corporate dimension to it.
Matthew 9:32-34 Luke 13:11-16 Matthew 8;16,17 Mark 9:14-29	Disease caused by demons (not all disease is meant)	Healing. Prayer and fasting. Faith. Use of command prayers in the name of Jesus.
Luke 10:17-19 Acts 16:16-18 Mark 5:1-20, 9:14-29 Luke 11:20-26 Acts 5;16, 8:7	Demon-possession	Use of the name of Jesus with authority. Command the demons to leave. Sometimes it may help to identify the demons. Then the delivered person must live a Holy Spirit filled life. Faith and prayer are necessary and sometimes fasting.

Conclusion
I hope you are feeling a bit more confident in spiritual warfare by now. Please answer the following revision questions. They will help you learn the material.

What was one of the purposes in Christ's coming as a human being? (1 John 3:8 , Hebrews 2:14)

What victories did He win? (Eph 4:8 , Colossians 2:13-15, John 16:33, 1 John 5:4)

What change took place in the heavenly status of believers between the time of

John the Baptist and the day of Pentecost? (Mt 11:11-13)

Are Christians greater or lesser than angels in authority? (1 Cor 6:3, Heb 2:14, Eph 2;6,7))

What is the importance of authority in spiritual warfare? (See section on the power and authority of the Christian)

What are strongholds made of? How do we combat them? (2 Cor 10:3-5)

What are the two ways of using the name of Jesus? (Acts 3:6, 16:18 John 14;13,14, 15:16)

What is meant by binding and loosing? (Matt 12:27-29, 16:19, 18:18-20)

Why can the demonic realm "not touch us"? (1 John 4:4, 5:18)

What is the right tactic for combating involvement in the occult? (See diagram above)


I hope u are blessed.


Pastor Mike 

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT... DIVORCE?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT...

DIVORCE?

What are the spiritual consequences of divorce? Is there scriptural precedence for a divorced person to ever remarry? Can a divorced person fill a place in ministry? How are we to deal with those who have suffered in this area? With so many extremes being taught on this subject, it is difficult to have the proper perspective of this problem in the church. In this teaching we will examine how to deal with these complicated issues, in a spirit of both righteousness and mercy.

In today's society, divorce is a fast way out of an unpleasant situation. In the United States, roughly half of all marriages now end in divorce. This statistic is almost as high in the church as it is the world. What are we to make of this flood of broken covenants that wash across our land? Many are drowning in its tide, beaten by their own broken words and failure. Some are dying under a flood of guilt, while others sail merrily along, unaware that their boat is rotting and will soon sink under the waves. Is there a cure for this marital epidemic of broken promises, blame, guilt, unforgiveness, discontent and wounded children? Can God truly heal even the most broken of marriages?

Although God hates divorce, He loves the divorcee and will help all who call upon Him. He wants to teach us how to love the way He loves. The definition of true love is "God is Love." Unless God is brought into a marriage they will never experience true love. People can experience an emotional feeling we call "love", however this is only one aspect of love in a marriage. The kind of love that is needed for any marriage to be successful is the the God kind of love because this love is not a selfish love. God's kind of love, loves even when that love is not reciprocated. One attribute of love is faithfulness and loyalty. A Christian marriage is based on trust in God and each other.

LOVE IS A CHOICE

Another thing we must understand about love is that it is a choice. True love is not something we trip into and out of easily. God's love for us endures all things and does not change, even when we do. He doesn't love us for measuring up to a certain standard. He loves us because He is love Himself. There is not one thing He does that is not motivated by love. When we fail, He does not reject us, but in compassion reaches out to restore us. Though He sees the hardness, blindness and hypocrisy in our hearts, He still loves us. He loves us enough to not overlook these things, because He knows they will destroy us. He loves us with a consuming, passionate, holy, jealous and gentle love. He loves us so much that he continually offers us forgiveness, comfort, encouragement, peace and joy. Finally, Jesus showed that He loves us more than His own life when he laid down His life for us.

Because He loves us in this way, so we also are to love each other. Nowhere is God's love for us better illustrated than in marriage.

"Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the Word, that He might present the church to Himself in glorious splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such things--that she might be holy and faultless. Even so husbands should love their wives as (being in a sense) their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no man ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and carefully protects and cherishes it, as Christ does the church. Because we are members (parts) of His body. For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother and shall be joined to his wife and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is very great, but I speak concerning (the relation of) Christ and the church. However, let each man of you (without exception) love his wife (being in a sense) his very own self; and let the wife see that she respects and reverences her husband--that she notices him, regards him, honors him, prefers him, venerates and esteems him; and that she defers to him, praises him and loves and admires him exceedingly" (Ephesians 5: 25-33, Amplified Bible).

In this verse we see that the union between man and woman is a portrayal of the divine romance between Christ and the Church. The only reason man and woman are attracted to each other and desire to build a life together, is because this principal is true in a spiritual sense. The natural realm is an illustration of the spiritual realm, and all spiritual truths existed long before the natural ones were manifested. In the same that way men and women seek each other to become one, so our spirits are also seeking oneness with God--and He with us.

Just as Eve was brought forth from Adam's side, so the church was brought forth from the wounded side of Jesus. We are "bone of His bone and flesh of His flesh." God is a "family man" seeking to establish a union of love between His son Jesus and His Bride, who is the church. Together, they will rule His creation and bring forth many offspring, just as Adam and Ever were originally commissioned to do.

God hates divorce because it is a perversion of the holy picture of the His Son and the Church. This is also why He hates homosexuality, sexual promiscuity and other sexual and gender-related sins. All of these have their source with the Evil One who seeks to pervert all of God's truths until they are a twisted lifeless shamble of what they once were. When God's truths are twisted, instead of being instruments of life and freedom, they become tools of death and destruction. What can bring us the greatest happiness can also bring us the greatest sorrow. God took a great risk when He put so much power in love. He knew it could both heal--and hurt--us more deeply than anything else He created. Yet, if this is true for us, it is even more true for God Himself. He also, is deeply touched and wounded by love. Yet, because He is willing to risk His very heart for the sake of love, so we must be willing to take that risk as well. He is our example. God's love alone has the deepest power to fulfill us. However, it can only fulfill us to the extent that we use and understand it properly--and we cannot know true love unless we know God.

The most basic principal of true, godly love is this: Love lays down its life for others. "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13).

This "laying down of our life" can be manifested in many ways. Basically, it includes loving others more than ourselves, thinking of their welfare, honoring them, forgiving them, wanting the best for them, etc. This is to be practiced for both those who love us and those who hate us. Furthermore, this is to be a way of life--not an occasional mood, when we are feeling benevolent towards the world! Love is a deliberate choice.

Generally, the farther away one is from us, the easier it is to love them. We can love them in a broad way. The closer we get to someone however, the more they are magnified to us. We see both their faults and strengths more clearly. It is here that love must become a choice. Will we continue to love them despite their failures, or will we back off? Because marriages are the closest of all relationships, they are also tested the most. If we have found that we are peering at our mate continually through a magnifying glass, it may be time to step back a bit and refocus on the "big picture." Likewise, if all we see is the "big picture" we can lose the intimacy in the foundation of marriage. When we peer closely at our loved ones, their faults are magnified, but so is their beauty as well. We need to continually seek the Lord for His perspective, so we can see the loved one through His eyes of love and mercy. After all, He sees us closer than anyone, and yet still loves us!

By studying God's love for us, we can learn that love takes work, patience, commitment, faithfulness, and the willingness to take a risk. How different from the way the world tells us love is--an effortless, easy emotion! Emotions are a beautiful part of love, but nonetheless, they are only a part. They are the frosting on the cake, the harmony on the melody, the bloom on the flower. They cannot stand on their own, but rest on and grow from something else entirely.

THE SPIRIT OF DIVISION

There is a rampant spirit of division in the earth today that is seeking to destroy not only marriages, but all of our relationships. We must recognize this attack of the enemy and resist it. Satan especially seeks to destroy and belittle marriage, because of its spiritual parallel between Christ and the Church. It is our responsibility to recognize that the real enemy is not each other, but the devil and our own sin. Blaming each other or even our own inability, is the easy way out. Through Christ, we can do all things. He makes us strong where we are weak. He gives us the Holy Spirit to empower us. He gives us tools to overcome the enemy. In short, He gives us all we need. Every time we overcome the spirit of division with love and forgiveness, we bind the enemy and grow stronger ourselves. The following verse is an excellent list of spiritual tools that will overcome any attack of division:

"Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered. Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing: knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace and ensue it. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil" (I Peter 3:7-12).

It is understandable how those outside of Christ end up with broken homes, but how sad it is that now Satan is even destroying the homes of God's holy people. Perhaps it is because we have not been taught how to overcome the enemy or die to self. Whatever the reasons, there are many who are on the brink of, or have already suffered the trauma of divorce.

Those in bad marriages should not use divorce as an escape just because they are in an unpleasant situation, but should seek God for the healing of their relationship. The Lord desires to use such circumstances for redemptive purposes. He wants to heal and deliver the partner that is not committed to Him. This is perfect soil for the growth of the fruits of long-suffering (patience), faith and love to take place in the mate who is hurting due to lack of love in the marriage. God's kind of love can overcome in the situation, and a mighty miracle of healing can come to that marriage and home.

WHAT ABOUT THOSE WHO HAVE ALREADY BEEN DIVORCED?

First we must call divorce what it is--sin. Then we must look to God's Word to see how He deals with this, or any other sin. Divorce causes one to commit the sin of adultery.

"It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery" (Matthew 5:31-32).

Now let us look at a case concerning a woman who was caught in the act of adultery and see how the Lord deals with her.

"They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him, But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more" (John 8:4-11).

From this account we see the Lord extending mercy to this woman and forgiving her of her sin. We also notice that He made an important statement, "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone."

The Lord treats all sins alike as far as redemption is concerned; sin is sin. The answer to every sin problem is the acceptance of Jesus and His sacrifice that cleanses us from sin. If we turn to Jesus, no matter what sin we commit, we will find forgiveness and mercy. The Lord did not say she had not sinned, but forgave her and admonished her to "sin no more." The sin of divorce is not the unpardonable sin. No matter what sin we have committed in our lives, whether it be lying, cheating, stealing, murder or divorce, Jesus made a way for us to cleansed and forgiven. When the Lord forgives sin, He also ceases to remember it. God's love and forgiveness is so different from man's. Hebrews 10:17 says, "And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more."

WHAT ABOUT REMARRIAGE?

Yes, divorce is a sin. We can plainly see the damage it does to the lives of all involved. It is straight from the pit of hell. Yet, there is hope and forgiveness for the divorcee. Satan often lies and tells people that God is doing the separating, but it is not God. God is not the author of divorce. However, His Word does give instructions to those whose unbelieving mates desire a divorce.

"And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy. But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace" (I Corinthians 7:13-15).

If this happens, the mate that is left is not under any bondage to this marriage. He is free to remarry should the Lord lead him to do so.

Much conflict about Christians remarrying has arisen in the church because of Jesus' words in Matthew 19:3-9:

"The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? And he answered and said unto them, Hath ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh. Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh? What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. They say unto him, Why did Moses then give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so. And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery."

The Lord points out that those who divorce their mates have "hard hearts." God did not mean for divorce to happen. In the beginning His perfect will was for man and woman to remain married their entire lifetimes.

Does this statement of Jesus leave no room for remarriage? This verse has brought much bondage on those who have not looked at this Scripture in the light of the entire Word of God. First of all we must understand that the Pharisees here were attempting to trick Jesus into disagreeing with the Mosaic law so they could discount His ministry. Jesus knew this. Because the question asked here was in regard to divorce, Jesus quoted the perfect law concerning it. He, being perfect, could do no less.

Had the Pharisees asked him, "Master, is it permissible to lie or steal?" He would have quoted the perfect law in regard to these sins. Exodus 20:15-16, "Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour." Jesus also knew that man was not perfect and that man would fail, so other portions of His Word deal with the problem of sin. Man could not keep the perfect law; he failed. But the perfect God made a way for imperfect man to be forgiven of his sins through the blood of Jesus. Therefore, no matter what sins we have committed, we can find forgiveness and cleansing through Christ. He not only forgives the sin of divorce, but because of His perfect forgiveness, He forgets the sin and it becomes as if we had never committed it as far as He is concerned. Praise God! We have a new start in Christ as the old is wiped away.

However, emotional healings are still needed for all who come out of split homes. In divorces, children suffer as much (or more) than their parents. God is healing and restoring those who seek His way. Those who continue in the world will only suffer more heartache until they allow the Lord to completely rule in their lives. God alone can "pick up the pieces" and put them together in a second marriage. Without God, a second marriage will only compound the existing problems. Men and women should seek God diligently in regard to this important step in their lives. Only by following God's plan and His Word will marriage be the fulfilling and beautiful relationship it was meant to be, regardless if it is a first or second marriage.

The Lord has a compassionate heart and He wishes us to have the same attitude toward those who have committed this sin. In fact, the Word of God deals with any transgression of the law as a serious offense. It matters not how big or little we might consider the sin to be. In God's eyes, sin is sin, and all sin must have the same remedy of Christ's cleansing. If we point our finger at other's sins without dealing with our own, we are bringing judgment upon ourselves.

"For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty. For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment" (James 2:10-13).

From this Scripture we see that if we commit that least sin (one point), we are still guilty of the whole law (murder, adultery, etc.) Therefore we should not judge those involved in the sins of divorce and adultery without mercy, or else we will be judged the same way. We could be judging others critically in this area while committing the same sin in our hearts.

One can commit adultery without divorcing his mate, as this sin can be committed in the heart.

"But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart" (Matthew 5:28).

We are to minister to others compassionately in the area of divorce, for we have all sinned and fallen short of His perfection in many areas of our lives.

CAN DIVORCED PEOPLE MINISTER?

To ban people from ministering because they have suffered a divorce or to deny them the privilege of a Christian marriage is not in accordance with God's nature. If people have repented of their sin of divorce, then in God's eyes their sins are gone and forgotten. The true church should have the same compassion and understanding in its heart.

Some use the Scripture in I Timothy 3:2 to disqualify those who have been married before from ever becoming an elder or bishop. "A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach." The reason for the specification of "one wife" here was that in Christ's day some were still practicing polygamy. Christ's teaching was calling people back to God's original plan of one man for one woman. In the Old Testament, polygamy had been introduced to God's people by the nations around them. The Lord had to purge His people from this evil as well as one of "divorce for every cause." The hardness of man's heart had led him a long way from the intended purposes of God.

However, we are warned in Scripture that we are not to use our liberty as a license to sin. "For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another" (Galatians 5:13). Divorce is never God's highest and best. Those in ministry who would lightly seek a divorce and desire to continue ministering, need to examine their hearts. Any obvious sin such as divorce can definitely weaken our testimony. If we are recently divorced, or in the in the process of one, or having marital problems, it would be good for a season to step down from any and all positions of leadership within the church. We can do very little good in our public life if our personal one is in shambles.

However, because God makes all things new, there is a new day of ministry, even for those who have been divorced. He can restore the worst of marriages and restore the worst of sinners. The question He asks of us is, "Are you willing?"

If we are willing to believe and submit to God, nothing shall be impossible! Amen!

"And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love" (1 Corinthians 13: 13).

send in your comments directly or to my mail box and God bless u in Jesus name, 

till then, 

see u at the top,

Pastor Mike

WORDS ON MARBLE

WORD ON MARBLE

Stewardship is the act of organizing your life so God can spend you. – Lynn A. Miller,
Author

It’s a myth that if I get more, I will be more important. Self-worth and net worth are
not the same. Your value is not determined by your valuables, and God says the most
valuable things in life are not things!

The value of a gift is not determined by its amount but by the spirit in which it is given.

Seek joy in what you give, not in what you get.

When we acknowledge God’s ownership, every spending decision becomes a spiritual
decision. – Larry Burkett

What is stewardship? It is the Christian’s management of lifestyle which results in
generous giving of time, talent and treasure for God - PstMichael Onabanjo

. Give the “Master” charge of your life instead of giving your life to your “Master Charge”.

To have more, desire less.

God gives where he finds empty hands. – St. Augustine

Christ’s standard for giving is not how much we give, but how much we hold back for
ourselves. – T.A. Kantonen






Contentment is not the fulfillment of what you want, but the realization of how much
you already have.



Trusting comes before giving. It teaches a reliance on God that is fundamental to our
relationship with Him.

A Pastor’s Life & Ministry

A Pastor’s Life & Ministry

The pastor is unique in the life of a church. He is the under - shepherd who carries the burden of leadership. Some pastors feel compelled to please people, but a sincere pastor is always under the pressure of pleasing the Lord.

Few church members understand their pastor’s intense desire to please God. What burdens weigh on a godly pastor? What responsibilities does the average pastor shoulder? The pastor carries the responsibility to take care of himself, his family, and his church.

Robert Murray M’Cheyne was a scottish pastor and preacher in the early nineteenth century. He gave his life to serving Christ, but at the age of twenty-nine he passed away in a typhus epidemic. On his deathbed, he said, “God gave me a horse and a message. I have killed the horse and I can no longer deliver the message.” M’Cheyne felt a sadness, not for the loss of his own life, but for the loss of opportunity to preach the Gospel. He bore a heart of service and deep desire to teach the Word of God to others. This is the heart of a pastor.

Today, the risks involved with the calling of the pastor are increasing. Studies have shown that most pastors face high levels of stress, work over sixty hours a week, and have struggled with depression or burn out. But there have always been risks tied to preaching—study the life of the Apostle Paul.

While we may not face religious persecution today in America, that could change. But every sincere pastor would be willing to give his life if it meant fulfilling his calling from God. Despite the risks, the statistics, and the expectations, pastors desire to please God. What are some of the burdens a pastor faces? What goes through the heart and mind of a pastor?

A DEEP LOVE FOR THE WORD OF GOD

A pastor thinks differently when he reads his Bible. The average church member will read the Bible devotionally. Some will deepen their reading with intense study. But the pastor centers his life around the ministry of the Word. If a pastor does not love to plunge into the Scriptures, he needs to have his heart checked. His primary job is preaching the Word of God and preparing himself for those sermons.

This is why the first deacons were called in Acts 6. The apostles saw the needs of the widows, but they knew it was not proper to walk away from the ministry of prayer and the Word to meet those needs themselves. They found deacons—godly servants—who could meet some important needs while the apostles continued their study.

A pastor studies the Bible like a website. On each webpage are links to other related webpages. Natural curiosity leads the reader to a network of information on any topic of choice. A pastor will look at Scripture in the same way. Verses are linked together with other verses. With a passion to mine truth out of Scripture, a pastor will follow a chain of references to understand the “full counsel of God.” Preaching is communication, and God’s Word is the main message. The average Christian does not fully understand the Bible, but the pastor’s job is to explain it.

PRAYER FOR POWER

A pastor prepares his sermons through intense study, but he knows that power in the presentation comes from the Holy Spirit. If a pastor fails to pray fervently, he does not walk away from his greatest source for power in ministry—he walks away from his only source for power.

God gives His vision for the church to the pastor through time in prayer. The pastor cannot delegate this crucial meeting with God to anyone else, because God gives this vision only to His undershepherd. It is imperative that a pastor has time for extended, fervent prayer.

CONSTANT PREPARATION

Along with continual prayer and Bible study, a pastor is always looking for life examples of Bible principles. He can find a seed thought in almost anything. Even when meeting a stranger on an airplane, a spark of truth may spring from that conversation. If the pastor is walking with God, the Holy Spirit will tell him, “Use this to teach the people about Me.”

Jesus was always using everyday circumstances to teach truth. One day Jesus set a child on His lap—just greeting the children as someone who loves kids. But the disciples tried to shoo the children away. They saw the children as an annoyance. Jesus used this opportunity to teach the disciples about the faith of a child. The pastor looks for truth in small events. Everything is an illustration of the Word of God. He never knows when a new sermon may come along.

TRAINING OTHERS

The constant preparation for preaching is—at its core—part of the pastor’s burden to train others. He has a desire to transfer knowledge from the Word of God to the next generation. This is done on many levels. Some pastors train through the Sunday school. Some train their ministry’s leadership team. God allows some ministries to begin a Bible institute or even a full-time Bible college.

The pastor is responsible for training others through his teaching and example. People learn as much from a model as they do a lesson. Great teaching churches carry a contagious fervency—something the student can carry into his life, his family, and his church.

LOVE FOR FAMILY

No amount of training can replace the pastor’s relationship with his family. If the pastor loses his marriage or children, he has lost his ministry. The qualifications of a pastor are high. But the pastor cannot demand that his marriage be good, nor can he can force his children to please the Lord with their lives. He has to have the influence of the Holy Spirit in his home.

The average pastor puts in over sixty hours a week—a big job. It takes effort to make time for the family. He must be able to recharge. One of the best things a church can do for their own spiritual health is to allow the pastor the time to care for his family. Jesus went aside for a while, and it’s necessary for a pastor to do the same.

There was a generation in fundamentalism that could be best described as driven. Pastors were intensely focused on the work of God, but some pastors lost their marriages in the process. This is one of the greatest fears of a pastor.

THE BURDEN OF FINANCES

It is important for the church to take care of their pastor and his family because he carries the financial burden of the church. All eyes are on the pastor to lead financially. He knows that if the finances go bad, he will be the one who leaves. The church may hire accountants and business managers to track the finances, but no one feels the pressure like the pastor. The buck stops with him.

One of the best ways a church can help their pastor is by meeting his family’s needs. Some pastors struggle with their personal finances and may take advantage of the church’s generosity, but most are willing to give everything they have to the ministry—life and finances. In most independent churches, the pastor is one of the top givers. By any amount, there may be church members who give more, but proportionally, the pastor often sacrifices the most.

KEEPING HIMSELF RIGHT

A pastor wants to produce for the Lord as long as he can. He has the burden to stay sharp physically, mentally, and spiritually. There have been men who have preached with tremendous health problems, but a pastor must stay healthy for his family and church.

Time with God is vital for a pastor’s spiritual health. A pastor never wants to walk to a pulpit feeling like he is not right with the Lord. He may not have committed some wicked sin, but he doesn’t want anything between himself and God. The responsibility to preach is too great. When he steps behind the pulpit, the congregation thinks, “Bring it to us. Pull the hot bread right out of the oven.”

Pastors are just people. They are all men of flesh, but they want so much to be filled with the power of God. Very few pastors feel they are up to the task, but they have a sincere desire to faithfully serve God.

Pray for your Pastor; he needs it (i do).

Until then,

See u at the top,

Pastor Mike