Encouraging the Pastor

2 Timothy 1:1-6

Do you attend church? If so, God has placed a person in your life who wants to train you in righteousness and speak the truth. He does this even when you don't want to hear it. You're blessed to have a pastor who loves you and cares about your spiritual well-being. He needs to know you care about him, too.

Many churchgoers neglect to encourage the pastor. But caring for him is part of being in the body of Christ. In his second letter to Timothy, the apostle Paul models the way we're to encourage those who minister:

First, tell your pastor you appreciate him. There's nothing more uplifting to a person's heart than to know someone else cares. Words are certainly valuable. But actions speak even louder. So look for ways to demonstrate love for your preacher.

Second, express confidence in the pastor. Let him know you recognize the sincerity of his faith and appreciate his commitment to speak scriptural truths.

Third, affirm the call of God on his life. Work with your pastor. Respond to him in a way that shows you understand he's been called to minister and has God's hand upon him. And when you experience the Lord working through him, let him know.

Above all, pray for your pastor. Don't assume that others in the church are praying or that a spiritual leader doesn't need prayer. The opposite is true. The Devil wants to prevent effective ministering. You can help defend the minister who loves you.

The two of the most difficult sins to resist

the two of the most difficult sins to resist are: PRIDE and SEXUAL IMMORALITY. They are both SEDUCTIVE.

PRIDE says "I deserve this."
SEXUAL DESIRE says "need this"

PRIDE appeals to the empty minds, while
SEXUAL ENTICEMENT to the empty hearts.

I - PRIDE is thinking more than highly of our wisdom and desire tahn of God's. If we think we know better than God or feel we have no need of God's direction, we have fallen into foolish and disastrous pride.

PRIDE is the inner voice that whispers, "My way is best." It is resisting God's leadership and believing we are able to live without God's help.

PROUD people take little accounts of weaknesses. They think they are above the frailties of common people. Ironically proud people seldom realize that pride is their problem, although averyonr around them is well aware of it.

II SEXUAL IMMORALITY

SEXUAL IMMORALITY is a temptation that is always before us.
It is difficult to withstand because they appeals to the
normal and natural desires that God has given us.
No one should under estimate the power of sexual immorality.
It has a power to destroy us physically and spiritually.

SEXUAL IMMORALITY of any kind is against God's law.
It is extremely dangerous :
- it destroys family life
- it erodes a person's ability to love
- it degrades human beings and turns them into objects
- it can leads to disease
- it can results in unwanted children

SOME STEPS ON HOW TO AVOID SEXUAL IMMORALITY/SINS

1. Guard our mind. Don't read books, looks at pictures, or encourage fantasies that stimulates the wrong desire.

2. Keep away from settings and friends that tempt us to sin.

3. Don't think only of the moment - focus on the future. Today's thrill may lead to tommorow's ruin.
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God is more than willing to pour out His heart and make known His thoughts to us.
To receive His advice, we must be willing to listen, refusing to let pride stand in our way.
Only when we eliminate pride can God help us become all He meant us to be.

God wants to protect us from damaging ourselves and others, and so He offers to fill us -- our loneliness, our desire -- with Himself.