Many worldly men have large followings. Many false teachers have large followings. Large followings aren't always a sign of unfaithfulness, but they can provide a false sense of fruitfulness.
Be careful. See that you're faithful to God, whether your following is large or small.
The living creatures nearest in proximity to Gods throne are the blessed ones with multiplied eyes all around and within so as to increase the dimensions of their gaze upon His beauty. One cry emerges from such a magnificent sight...Holy, Holy, Holy!
All the repentance, all the rest, all the endurance you need to walk faithfully with God are found in Christ, the Fountain of life. You need only to come to Him this morning, child of God. He is altogether sufficient.
It's a shame that most of the failed Trump prophets who guaranteed that he would serve 8 consecutive years in the White House never repented or acknowledged their errors. But perhaps some have learned their lesson, as they've been pretty silent this time around. Hopefully, they've also learned that predicting presidential elections is not a primary function of NT prophecy. Prophets who were hearing the voice of the Lord in 2020 would have been rebuking us for our carnality and divisions and exalting of political leaders rather than making bogus election predictions (and remember that some of these "prophets" guaranteed that Biden would not be inaugurated).
True spiritual fathers will be friendly and brotherly. They will not be aloof, arrogant, or rude. But neither will they be yes-men or pushovers. They will shoulder responsibility and exercise godly authority.
If you want a pastor to be merely chummy and not to call you to surrender to God’s Word, you will have to settle for a counterfeit— a weasel of a minister; a capitulator and coward. One who loves to be loved more than to love Christ and His church.
That is not the kind of pastor to follow— not any more than you should follow the cold and professional kind. You don’t need a pastor who bends when the winds of change blow. You don’t need a pastor who tells the world what it wishes to hear. Frankly, you don’t need a pastor who simply tells you what you want to hear. You need pastors— as well as fellow members in the church— who will tell you what God would have you to hear. And so do I.
Faithful shepherds will be kind, patient, happy but sober men who take their role of preaching Christ and caring for His flock very seriously.
The local church, therefore, governed according to Scripture and led by the Holy Spirit, is a profound means of grace. Do not “do Christianity” without it.
Peter: “So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.”
It is a solemn, sweet, and sacred task to shepherd the flock of God, brothers. May the Lord keep us and equip us to be faithful to the end, for the sake of His people and the hallowing of His Name. To paraphrase Spurgeon, “We have a great need for Christ, and a great Christ for our need.” And apart from Him, we can do nothing.
I had an issue with my flight this weekend on @united from MCO>ORD and back. Over the three days I spoke to TWELVE different United employees trying to get answers and get it fixed.
It’s absolutely ridiculous that I still have no answers as to why there was an issue. #dobetter
The tension of the days has revealed that walking deeply with the Lord is no longer a supposed luxury, but a necessity. We must know Him intimately for ourselves. We must be filled with His Spirit.
A church that does not look/act/think/sound like Jesus is probably not the church. Christ is the only legitimate measure of an authentic church. #reJesus#Christlikeness
“The next morning, Jesus got up long before daylight, left the house while it was dark, and made his way to a secluded place to give himself to prayer.”
Mark 1:35 TPT
❤️🙌🏾🔥
“Your life should be devoted to seeking the fullness of Christ’ supremacy and the depth of Jesus’ kingship… which cannot fully occur outside of family and community settings.” @rjgladstone