Don't Mistake Zeal For Maturity

# 95 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 1Ti 3:6 not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. (1 Tim 3:6) It is so exciting to see someone come to faith in Jesus. Their zeal is almost matchless as they get into the Word of God and let the Word of God get into them. Behavior changes that are many times a complete 180 turnaround often accompany these conversions. Unfortunately many time we mistake these changes for spiritual maturity and place these people in positions of spiritual authority before their time. Harm can be done to the body of Christ with these hasty promotions, and as we are warned here, great harm to the novice through that great enemy of the faith....pride. You may think you are doing the novice a great favor by voting them in to the office of elder or sending them out as missionaries, or even ordaining them as pastors, but according to the Apostle Paul speaking through the Holy Spirit, you are setting them up for the same fall that befell the devil. His pride led to rebellion that ultimately sentenced him to the burning fires of hell for eternity. This is the end of all unchecked pride, and these hasty appointments have the potential to get the snowball of pride rolling! I speak from personal experience. A radio personality who was converted to Christ and on fire for Jesus, I was elected to serve as an elder in the congregation. It wasn't long before my pride rose to the surface over some theological issues and the inevitable conflict with the pastor occurred. To this day, I'm still embarrassed by my actions, but I was one of the fortunate ones. The Lord used a time of prayer at our church to teach me a valuable lesson about humility and I'll never forget how he drew the pastor and I together at the altar of the church and at the foot of the cross. Funny how pride melts away and forgiveness flows at the foot of the cross. With pride gone, grace rushes in and puts us all back where we need to be....in the back row, and if we are asked to come forward to a place of honor and leadership, let it be after the moisture has dried behind our ears.

Tutelage Is Vital For A Pastor

# 94 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 1Ti 3:6 not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. (1 Tim 3:6) Next on the list of qualifications for a pastor is he must not be a novice. He must not be a new convert. This is so vital! Though one may have all the other qualifications, if he is a recent convert, he must not have hands laid upon him and ordained into the pastorate. This has nothing to do with age, but everything to do with someone who has had some time to exhibit some spiritual maturity. Spiritual maturity comes with time and this time is well spent under the tutelage of someone else who has been schooled in apostolic doctrine. The Apostle Paul spent three years in this process as we read in Ga 1:15-18, “But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb and called me through His grace, 16 to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood, 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus. 18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and remained with him fifteen days.” Did you catch all that? Paul, was called by the Lord to be an Apostle, but he didn't race off and start pastoring and planting churches. He spent three years being schooled in the desert by the Holy Spirit. This was necessary for an Apostle who's qualifications for the office include face to face teaching from the Lord. Today's pastor is not required to head off to the desert for three years, but he should be spending time under tutors who have been schooled in apostolic doctrine before jumping into this vocation. But schooling alone isn't a true test of maturity. Maturity is always gauged by fruit. So the pastoral candidate must be schooled for sure, but he must also have produced some observable fruit in his service to the Lord. What is observable fruit? Plain and simple, it's performance and results. It is wise therefore to have all pastoral candidates serve under another pastor, sort of like an internship. In time, this fruit or lack thereof, will be evident.

Living In A Fish Bowl

# 93 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 1Ti 3:4a, “ 4 one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence (1 Tim 3:4a) God bless PK's. (preachers kids) They truly are a special breed of children! They didn't choose their lot in life, but because they are the pastor's children, they must live in a fish bowl. They face intense pressure to toe the line. After all, if the pastor can't keep his children from misbehaving, how in the world can he pastor a church? Why his very calling could be at stake! He could lose his livelihood simply because his children are unruly! No wonder some PK's turn to rebellious ways. That's what happens when Law is overemphasized and legalism rules. This phenomena is addressed in Ro 7:5 For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death. And in Ro:7:8, 8 But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. This truth is magnified in the fish bowl in which the children of pastors live, and it's an area in which the evil one will often focus his attention in an attempt to silence the messengers of God! A PK gets in trouble with the law, an unplanned pregnancy occurs, and the pastor feels he must step down or the congregation demands it! This is all so wrong, and please church, pastor, children, don't fall for it. Ruling one's house well has nothing to do with raising spotless children, just as pastoring a church has nothing to do with raising spotless sheep. No! A thousand times no! Sin will come! Or are you one who has reached perfection! Ruling one's house well and ruling the congregation well is not about making sure everyone behaves. No! It's what you do when misbehavior shows up.....and it will! How you handle sin in the family will demonstrate that you know how to handle it in the church family as well. Yes you teach your children and your congregation the difference between right and wrong! But when they slip up, you lovingly confront them, and if necessary discipline them, with the ultimate goal of restoration! Sometimes these require tough decisions on the part of all involved, but decisions that the leader of the flock and the family must be willing to make. Yes, the ruling of one's family is a great proving ground for the one who would rule a flock.

God, Family, Vocation

# 92 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 1Ti 3:4a, “ 4 one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence (1 Tim 3:4a) Next on the list of qualifications for pastors is he must be one who rules his house well. So far we have seen qualifications necessary for the pastor as related to his personal life. In addition to his aptitude to teach, he must have his personal life together on the fronts previously mentioned. Now, if married, or in charge of a family, he must exhibit the qualities of leadership in that home. The idea of ruling here is that of exercising rank. It is to preside over those under his authority. It comes from a word that means “to guard.” So a pastor is one who has shown that he is able to preside or guard his family or household unit well. The first mark of a good leader in the kingdom of God is in the area of service. Jesus spelled it out for us in Mt 20:25-28, “ But Jesus called them to Himself and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. 26 "Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. 27 "And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave-- 28 "just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." This trait is not necessarily easily observed. You and I don't know what goes on behind the closed doors of the pastor's house. (and wiring the parsonage is not a good idea!) So this characteristic is only determined by the testimony of family members and whatever can be observed in public. Is there obvious love and respect shown toward the husband/father/pastor? Have you often caught the pastor in the act of loving service to his wife and children? You know, it is worth saying here, that because this is a qualification mentioned for a pastor, it is important to make sure he has his priorities in order, and they are God, family, then vocation. The demands of shepherding a congregation can infringe on that order and therefore the order needs to be guarded by the pastor and respected by the congregation.

It's Sneaky, Like A Snake

# 91 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 1Ti 3:2 A bishop (pastor) then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; 3 not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; Next on the list of qualifications for the prospective pastor is he must not be covetous. This word is very closely related to “not greedy for money. “As quarrelsome is also closely related to “not violent.” And as “gentle” (with the idea of moderation) is closely linked to “not given to wine.” It's as if the Holy Spirit is putting added emphasis on these three traits through the use of repetition! Having said that, let's talk a little bit more about the sin of covetousness. This sin is difficult to pin down, because it is a sin of the heart. Yet it is such a serious sin, that it gets its own commandment in the Ten. “Thou shalt not covet.” The problem with coveting is it causes a desire for power, position, and possessions to unseat the desire for God in our hearts, and that's why it is called idolatry! Col 3:5 says, “Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Covetousness has been called the mother of sin because the desire to sin first arises in the heart before it finds expression in the act. Think of Eve and the mother of all sins: Ge 3:6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. The word desired here means covet! That's where it all began! All Christians need to be on guard against this sin, but if it becomes an apparent character trait of the pastor, then he is not qualified for this office. If he's in it for power, position, or possessions, he cannot serve the flock as instructed by the Holy Spirit in 1Pe 5:2 Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; Pastor, ask yourself this question often. Am I serving my sheep eagerly or greedily? Ask it often. Bring your attitude before the Lord often, because still another danger of covetousness is it is like a snake.....very sneaky

Macho Macho Man!

# 90 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 1Ti 3:2 A bishop (pastor) then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; 3 not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, Next on the list of qualifications for the prospective pastor is he must not be quarrelsome. To be quarrelsome simply put is someone who is always looking for a fight. Someone who is always stirring the pot of controversy. He will strive with anyone, anytime, and over any matter. Pastor or pastor to be, let me tell you something. As the leader of a a congregation, fights and disputes will come all on their own. Controversies and disputes will show up at your door. No need to start them by yourself. (Hey pastor, can I get an Amen on that?) Disputes over things like style of worship, (organs or electric guitars?) which hymnal to use, (the new one or the old one?) what color carpeting should we install in the sanctuary, and other bones of contention will surface over time. I remember a story several years ago about a congregation splitting over how to spell halleluiah. One side said with an “H” the other said with an “A” To be sure, a pastor doesn't avoid controversy when it comes, but he also doesn't seek to stir it up, simply because he is spoiling for a fight. It's interesting that the Greek word here for “quarrelsome comes from the word “mache or machomai” I'm guessing we get the word “macho” from this word. So a word of advice to the calling committee. If your pastoral candidate wants to add “Macho Man” by the Village People to the hymnal. You might want to scratch him off the list! Jesus, (our model of the Good Pastor) never actively sought fights and quarrels, they came to Him, and He handled them appropriately. May all our pastors learn to do the same.

"But" Is An Important Word

# 89 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 1Ti 3:2,3 “A bishop (pastor) then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; 3 not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, Next on the list of qualifications for the prospective pastor is he must be gentle. It's not what you might think it is. Say the word “gentle” and one immediately thinks of something soft and tender. We sing a hymn in the church about our “Gentle Shepherd” Jesus, Who, of course, serves as a model for all pastors, but is a shepherd really all that gentle? If you think that's the case, you've never been involved in the day to day activities of a farm. Yes there is a place for gentleness, and it's a wonderful picture of our God. Who has said “A bruised reed I will not break,” (Mt 12:20) but there is also a place for firmness in dealing with sheep. The Greek word here, literally means “appropriate.” The shepherd must be “appropriate?” By implication in the Greek, it means gentle, moderation, patient. And the insertion of the word “but” here is significant. Think about it, this passage would read fine without it, “but” with the word “but” inserted, it ties in the character trait of gentleness, moderation, and patience to the preceding character traits of “not given to wine, not violent, and not greedy for money.” The insertion of the word “but” tells us that moderation, patience, and gentleness ought to mark the pastor's use of wine, temperament, and money. He must be one who has learned to properly “appropriate” all three! This insertion of the word “but” should once again remind us that every single word, jot, and tittle is to be carefully weighed as we interpret the Scriptures. The Holy Spirit does not waste words and neither should we. So, you want to be a pastor? Then get a handle on how you “appropriate” these things. (Namely wine, temperament, and money.)

Not Greedy For Money Part 2

# 87 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 1Ti 3:2,3 “A bishop (pastor) then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; 3 not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, I want to spend some more time on this qualification of “not being greedy for money, ” because it can be a very strong temptation for a pastoral candidate. I was converted to Christ under the preaching of televangelist Jimmy Swaggart, and I am forever grateful for the Law and Gospel that was so clearly stated to this poor sinners' ears. These kind of programs need finances to be on the air, but sometimes it seems that there is an over-emphasis on collecting money and it's evident that the lifestyles of some of these “televangelists” is rather opulent, and I confess that the thought occurred to this “new Christian,” that having some sort of similar ministry whether on the airwaves or in a mega church would be a good way to make a living. You see, the gospel message was not the only message being sent out by these huge television ministries. There was a subliminal (and sometimes not so subliminal) message of prosperity that went out with it. This is a trap that prospective pastors and those who are in the ministry need to be aware of. Money must not constrain us, rather it must be the “love of Christ that constrains us,” (2 Cor 5:14) and a heart that is broken for the lost, and sorrowful over the strugglers, the stragglers, the wounded, and the wanderers in the flock. If a pastor is overly concerned about finances, he is apt to compromise the message, because when the ears of the flock are itched by the pastor the hands of the sheep are freed up to reach for the wallet. The Apostle Paul is a great role model here as he went out of his way to not be a financial burden to others (2 Cor 11:9) and no one ever accused Paul of compromising the message. At the same time he reminded the church: "You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain," and, "The laborer is worthy of his wages." (1 Tim 5:18) Church, you have a responsibility here to take care of your pastors. See to it that their financial needs are met. Pastors you have a responsibility to preach the uncompromising message handed down to the church by the Apostles of Jesus Christ. See to it that the flock's spiritual needs are met, and don't be obsessed with financial gain..

Don't Line Your Pockets With Pretense!

# 86 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 1Ti 3:2,3 “A bishop (pastor) then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; 3 not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, Next on the list of qualifications for those who would serve in the office of pastor is he must not be “greedy for money.” The King James says “greedy of filthy lucre, ” and the idea is that the candidate for the office of pastor must not be one who is shameless when it comes to lining his pockets. The financial dealings of the pastoral candidate must be above board. Again, this is a benchmark for all followers of Christ. Jesus told us in Lu 16:10 "He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. 11 "Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? 12 "And if you have not been faithful in what is another man's, who will give you what is your own? 13 "No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon." The “least” that Jesus is referring to here is “mammon,” and what makes mammon the least is in the end it rusts, moths eat it up, and it is burned up with fire on the Last Day! It is temporary! You cannot serve God and mammon. Only one can be your master. So, Christians and “pastors” ought to have an eternal view of mammon. One can see how important this is for the one who serves as overseer. There are many people who are hurting and some of them have money and it is easy for one serving as pastor to abuse this position of trust and use it to line his pockets. Jesus warned us of this in Lu 20:46,47, "Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, 47 "who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation." Wow! Who's got the greater condemnation? The one who lines his pockets by using pretense! Pastor! Be on guard for this one and constantly check your motivation for serving.

Domestic Violence

# 85 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 1Ti 3:2 A bishop (pastor) then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; 3 not given to wine, not violent, Next on the list of qualifications for those who would serve in the office of pastor is he must not be “violent.” The King James says “no striker.” The Greek word comes from a root that means to “flatten out” or “pound.” The picture I get is of my mother preparing swiss steak for our family meal. She would take the edge of a saucer and pound that meat and flatten it out in order to tenderize it. The meat was pounded into submission. So the pastoral candidate is not one who is apt to try and win an argument or silence others by pounding them into submission with his fists. Of course as with these other qualifications, this is true for all followers of Christ. Violence is never a proper response for a Christian. Why is this important for a pastor? Because this kind of violent behavior is unacceptable among the sheep and if the shepherd thinks it's acceptable how can he seek to stop it among his individual sheep? Let's say a member of a congregation was arrested and charged with physically beating another person. Should the church look the other way or take this man to task, following the rules of church discipline as laid out in Mt 18? Of course you should confront him with this sin of harming a neighbor. But what if this man, who professes to be a Christian, is striking his wife and/or children in a violent manner? Should not he be confronted as well? This issue of domestic violence is not restricted to the world. It is in the church with estimates of 1 in 4 homes affected by it. This is a lump in the carpet that needs to be addressed. It starts with the leaders of the congregation they are not to be violent men, and as leaders, they ought to have policies in place to deal with the matter. May I close today by encouraging congregations to take the time to prayerfully discuss the matter and come up with a biblical plan to handle domestic violence when it occurs in families in the church! Victims AND perpetrators need help! See that they get it!

A Pastor Must Not Be Sloshed

# 85 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 1Ti 3:2 A bishop (pastor) then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; 3 not given to wine, Next on the list of qualifications for those who would serve in the office of pastor is he must not be “given to wine.” The phrase in the Greek is restated as “one who is not staying near wine.” He is not to engage in tippling. (That is, to be a habitual drinker who drinks continuously,) And Strong's Concordance adds that he is not to be a toper (a drunkard.) Again we see some of the same behavior expected of pastors is the same as that expected for all followers of Christ. But tippling? Toper? Let's call it what it is, drunkenness! Drunkenness is a sin plain and simple. Eph 5:18 says, “And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,” And on a much more serious note, 1Co 6:10 tells us that neither “thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. That's the bad news, but v11 tells us the Good News because it says, “And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.” As followers of Christ, you are no longer identified by your sins. You may still struggle with them, but you have godly sorrow over them and continue to resist them, resting in the fact that they no longer identify you! The pastor who struggles with alcohol can take heart from all others who struggle with this sin, it is forgivable for sure, but until it is no longer an issue with the pastor, it disqualifies him from holding the office. A pastor must not be given to wine. A shepherd must always be unimpaired, ready to aid the individual sheep of the flock at any moment of the day or night, and face it, you can't do that if you are sloshed.

The "We'll See" Is the Mark of A Gifted Teacher.

# 84 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 1Ti 3:2 A bishop (pastor) then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; Next on the list of qualifications for those who would serve in the office of pastor is he must be able to teach. This teaching is one of the spiritual gifts that the writer of Romans mentions in Ro 12:6,7 “Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; 7 or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching;” This doesn't mean that the person with this gift MUST be a pastor, it is just a necessary qualification for one who desires to shepherd a local congregation. There are gifted teachers who lack the other necessary qualifications to be a pastor, but they certainly can be used to help educate the flock! So, how can you tell if someone has the gift of teaching? About the only way one can tell is by observing those being taught! Do the students “get it?” Are they able to explain to others what they have been taught, or more importantly do they display their grasp of the material in day to day living? I am married to a gifted teacher and my daughter is also gifted in that area. It warms my heart to hear the stories of how their former students are progressing in their studies after they have left their middle school classes. Simply by observation I know my wife and daughter are making a difference in the lives of their students. Some have told me that I have the gift of teaching and I like to think I do, however I will never forget a lesson I learned from another pastor. He was standing at the back of the church after the service and shaking hands of the parishioners as they left the sanctuary. One by one they said, “great sermon pastor,” to which he replied, “We'll see.” The “we'll see” is the true mark of a teacher. It's what the students do after leaving school that determines whether the material covered was properly communicated.

Some Extra Thoughts On Spiritual Hospitality

# 83 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 1Ti 3:2 A bishop (pastor) then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, Next on the list of qualifications for those who would serve in the office of pastor is he must be hospitable or given to hospitality which is defined as welcoming strangers. First of all, let me remind you that ALL Christians are encouraged to cheerfully welcome strangers, this is not something relegated to pastors alone. 1Pe 4:9 says, “Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.” and in Heb 13:2 we read, “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.” What does hospitality look like? How can it be measured? The best biblical example is that of Abraham in Ge 18:2 So he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing by him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them, and bowed himself to the ground, 3 and said, "My Lord, if I have now found favor in Your sight, do not pass on by Your servant. 4 "Please let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. 5 "And I will bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh your hearts. After that you may pass by, inasmuch as you have come to your servant." They said, "Do as you have said." 6 So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, "Quickly, make ready three measures of fine meal; knead it and make cakes." 7 And Abraham ran to the herd, took a tender and good calf, gave it to a young man, and he hastened to prepare it. 8 So he took butter and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree as they ate. I would suggest to you that this kind of physical treatment of others is very important, but there also may be a deeper spiritual lesson for us as it regards the pastor. The pastor is the “Abraham” of the congregation. Bent on refreshing all his guests with the gospel of Jesus Christ, washing their feet of their accumulated dirt of sin, through the declaration of forgiveness, and his heart is gladdened like Abraham because he has the bread of life and the meat of the word of God to place before them, for strength for their continued journey.

Not A Disturber of the Peace

# 82 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 1Ti 3:2 A bishop (pastor) then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, Next on the list of qualifications for those who would serve in the office of pastor is he must be “of good behavior,” Well this seems kind of silly. Of course he must be of good behavior, we can't have a little brat running around shepherding the people of God! Well, as you probably have guessed, there is more to these words than rebellious behavior. The Greek word used here is “kosmos,” from which we get the word cosmos, which is defined as an “orderly, harmonious systematic universe.” It is the exact opposite of “chaos.” A pastor then must be one who has his “act” together. The biblical commentator Lenski says “a pastor's whole make-up should be “orderly,” spiritually, mentally, and in his habits.” This word then speaks of stability. A pastor must be spiritually stable, not apt to chase after doctrinal shadows. “Oh look, here's something new we should believe!” In other words, he must have unwavering trust in the doctrine, and steadfast faithfulness to the doctrine handed down by the Apostles! He must also be mentally stable, with full use and control of his mind. And he is also to be one with observable stable behavior. This speaks of outward conduct that is “orderly” as opposed to “disorderly conduct.” Think of people arrested and charged with disorderly conduct. What is this catch all crime? Most of the time it is a matter of disturbing the peace. The pastor should be a model law-abiding citizen (as long as the law of the land doesn't contradict the Law of God,.) The only peace a pastor should disturb is the false peace of a contented sinner!

Measured Responses

# 81 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 1Ti 3:2 A bishop (pastor) then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, (1 Ti 3:2) Next on the list of qualifications for those who would serve in the office of pastor is he must be sober-minded. When we think of the word sober today, we think in terms of someone who is free from alcohol. Often a recovering alcoholic may say something like “I've been sober for 5,10, 15 or more years!” May I just say congratulations to those recovering alcoholics who have achieved any level of sobriety! And I encourage you to keep at it! As I went through my own struggles with alcohol abuse many years ago, one of the things they taught me in my court ordered alcohol assessment class was that after just two beers, the alcohol affects that part of the brain that gives you the ability to say no. This realization was a huge breakthrough for me, because now I understood why I couldn't just stop at two. If someone would say, “have another, my “no” switch was turned off and so I would! And then I'd have another and another...well, you get the idea. You see, sobriety in any shape and form is all about self-control, and that is one of the qualities that needs to be evident in the pastoral candidate. The pastor must have sound cognitive faculties. He must have controlled thinking that allows him to act with checks and balances. He is able at all times to run circumstances past that part of the brain that gives him the ability to say no. His passions and desires are under control and he is able to give a measured response in all situations. Let me give you a quick example from the Good Shepherd Jesus Christ. Many people assume when He cleansed the temple the day after Palm Sunday that He just went off against these rip-off artists, but the fact is He was perfectly sober-minded about it. We read in Mr 11:11 “And Jesus went into Jerusalem and into the temple. So when He had looked around at all things, as the hour was already late, He went out to Bethany with the twelve.” It was the next day that he took His measured response and cleaned out the temple. This then is the quality to be sought in the pastoral candidate. He must be one who is under control. Lord, help us to be sober-minded today. Help us to measure our responses to life's circumstances today.

Don't Be Chasing Butterflies

# 80 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 1Ti 3:2 A bishop (pastor) then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, (1 Tim 3:2) Next on the list of qualifications for those who would serve in the office of pastor is he must be temperate. When's the last time you heard someone described as temperate? We just don't use that kind of language anymore! The word means vigilant! What a great word for one who would serve as the shepherd of a flock! For 1Pe 5:8 reminds us to, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” A shepherd is always on guard for wolves who will attempt to sneak into the flock and steal away sheep with false teachings! Paul speaking to the church at Ephesus in Ac 20:28-31 says, "Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. 29 "For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 "Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. 31 "Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears. Yes, pastor, you must be of the type that is vigilant! Ever watching for the poison of false doctrine and the leaven of sin showing up in the lives of your sheep. So how can you tell if a person is vigilant? It's fairly simple. Are they spending time in the Word of God? How can someone be watchful of false doctrine and sin if they are unschooled in the teachings of the Word of God? Secondly, what does their lifestyle look like? Are they sloppy when it comes to seeking to live in accordance with the Word of God? Are they slow to confess their sins? How about humility? Is it evident in their actions and approach to God? Still another clue is how they handle what is trendy. Do they chase after trends like a child chasing a butterfly, or do they stick to the basic teachings of the apostolic doctrine handed down through the ages. Techniques of teaching and preaching may change with the times, but the message must not be altered! A shepherd who gets caught up in butterfly chasing ceases to be vigilant and puts the sheep at great risk. No wonder the Apostle Paul never ceased warning about this with tears! Do you aspire to be a pastor? Then be watchful and start by being watchful and teachable in your own life, and if you are going to chase after anything, let it be God!

Divorce and Remarriage and the Pastor

# 79 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 1Ti 3:2 A bishop (pastor) then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, (1 Tim 3:2) We have been addressing the matter of the sin of adultery and those who would seek to serve as pastors. A line has been drawn in the sand, and those who have converted to Christianity and therefore have left the culture of sexual promiscuity must leave that lifestyle behind! NO MORE ADULTERY OR UNCHASTE SEXUAL BEHAVIOR FOR FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST! But adultery, by biblical definitions, shows up in many different forms. Unfaithfulness to one's spouse being the most obvious and then the not so obvious admonition from Jesus in Mt 5:28, "But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” The biblical sin of adultery is also linked to divorce and remarriage. Jesus says in Mr 10:11, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her. And in Lu 16:18 "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced from her husband commits adultery.” And in Ro 7:3 we read, “So then if, while her husband lives, she marries another man, she will be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that law, so that she is no adulteress, though she has married another man.” No wonder the marriage vow typically states “till death do us part,” and no wonder Jesus says in Mr 10:9 "Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate." What are we to do with divorce so rampant in the church? First of all, many times divorces are obtained due to past cultural influence and ignorance of what the Bible has to say about it, much as the cases involved in the days of Timothy and Paul. What did the people in these early churches do? They likely confessed their sin and then drew the line in the sand that said: NO MORE ADULTERY OR UNCHASTE SEXUAL BEHAVIOR FOR FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST! How does this matter of divorce and remarriage apply to modern day pastors? I think that's a question that needs to be prayerfully answered by the congregation who is calling the pastoral candidate to serve them. As in all things, search the Scriptures and pray, then follow the course of action as indicated by the Holy Spirit.