LOVE GOD. USE MONEY. Money is a means of exchange, a morally neutral thing that is useful when rightly used. Yet, the love of money is idolatry. It puts money in the place of God. Rather than saying “in God we trust,” it puts its trust in money. The one who loves money sees serving
HONORING THOSE WHO PREACH AND TEACH THE WORD Elders are to lead and feed the flock. Or as Paul taught, they are to be “good leaders” and “work hard at preaching and teaching.” In return, the members of the flock are to count them “worthy of an ample honorarium.” The Greek word translated “honorarium” has
FOCUSING ON THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD Paul told the young pastor Timothy to avoid focusing on silly distractions and people who might despise his leadership. Instead, he was to give his attention to the ministry of the Word–– its public reading, its “exhortation” (“preaching”) and its teaching. The pastor in today’s church faces
HOW NOT TO ENCOURAGE A TROUBLED HEART There are those who have never experienced loss that think the way to cheer up the one who has is by distraction. However, this response is not only inappropriate, but inconsiderate. The one who would encourage, would first seek to understand the feelings of the hurting, and then
WHAT GOD WANTS God desires that all humanity would be saved. Yet, we know from the Scriptures that only those who believe will receive God’s salvation. The tension between what God “wants” and what we choose is difficult to ease. We tend to overstate one side or the other, either making too little or too
DO YOUR PRAYERS FIND THEIR WAY TO THE LORD? The prophet Jeremiah sent a letter of hope to the Jewish exiles in Babylon. He gave them this message from the Lord, assuring them that the Lord had not forsaken them, nor had He stopped hearing their prayers. If only they would seek Him with all
CAN YOU HAVE TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING? Solomon pondered the question, “Can you ever have too much of a good thing?” In short, his answer was in the affirmative. He advised that you should practice moderation, eating “only what you need,” so that you won’t make yourself sick. But we have a
GET A GRIP ON GOD’S WORD Paul told the Thessalonian believers to “stand firm” and to keep a “strong grip” on the Word of God that he had taught them. Standing firm on God’s Word we build our life on its gospel truth and instruction. Keeping a strong grip on the Word, we cling to
DO YOU WRITE IN YOUR BIBLE? The Lord warned that many so-called prophets had not really heard and studied God’s Word. But Jeremiah was God’s man. He stood in the Lord’s counsel and marked His word and preached it as he heard it. Do you mark God’s Word? Do you take note of what
DO YOU APPRECIATE YOUR PASTORS AND SPIRITUAL LEADERS? The apostle Paul instructed the Thessalonian believers to “give recognition” to those who are leaders in the Lord’s work. The word “recognition” means to show honor and appropriate respect, recognizing their worth and giving them what they are worth. In Greek, the word “honor” also implies financial