KEY SCRIPTURE:1Ti 3:13 KJV “For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.”

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Our key scripture reveals a great truth to us. It says those who use the office of deacons diligently shall purchase for themselves a great degree of boldness in the faith. This simply means serving the Lord in diligence  builds up our confidence in the Lord. The Lord has stated throughout the scriptures that he always rewards those who serve him diligently. Exo 23:25 KJV And ye shall serve the LORD your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee. Now just consider this. If one receives such blessings of the Lord, what kind of confidence would such a man develop in the Lord ?. We know  that when God   shows His power to  a man , he  gets to experience God on a personal level. Daniel 11:32 says, “And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.” This man does exploits for God because he has a personal knowledge of the Lord.

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What does serving God diligently entail? The first requirement is a genuine love for God. Anything done for God without love is empty. 1Co 13:3 KJV” And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.” The apostle says if he sells all he has or offers his life in sacrifice unto the Lord without a true love for God, then it means nothing . You can serve God without love for Him, but you can not love God without serving Him. Love is the main criterion for any meaningful relationship. The service must be sacrificial. To sacrifice is to willingly offer that which is dear to you. Sacrifice also means giving your best. Abel offered his best, and so his offering was acceptable. Gen 4:4 KJV” And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:”Sacrifice involves giving the best of your time, your strength, your money and in effect to place God first in all you do. Please note that God has saved us to serve Him. Every Christian must be serving God in one way or another. You do not have to hold a special title or office before you can render service in God’s house. If the church leadership has not appointed any special role to you, appoint yourself to do something meaningful to advance the course of the church.

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You must serve joyfully. To serve God grudgingly is a curse. Deu 28:47 KJV” Because thou servedst not the LORD thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things;.The following verse says God will allow you to serve your enemy under so much pain and suffering. Serving Him joyfully releases God’s supernatural abundance to you. Serve the Lord in purity. God is Holy, and any vessel that is unholy is abominable to Him. He would have nothing to do with such a vessel. 2Ti 2:19 KJV” Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, let everyone that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”

The Spirit that has been sent into you is called Holy, and so nothing unholy survives in his presence.

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THOUGHT:SERVING GOD IS THE PRIMARY DUTY OF MAN

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FURTHER STUDIES

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2Ti 2:21 KJV “If a man therefore purges himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work”

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Rom 12:11 KJV” Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;”

KEY SCRIPTURE:1Ti 3:11 KJV” Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.”

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The bible requires that the wife of the deacon must be grave,not slanderous, or not a gossiper, sober and faithful in all things. This is a description of a virtuous woman. This instruction places the responsibility on the deacon to influence his wife to become a person of great character. All husbands should take notice that the condition or attitude that their wives portray is, by and large, their cause. Eph 5:26 KJV” That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word.” This statement refers  to how the Lord uses the word to clean up, preparing the church to suit himself. How did Jesus win the heart of the church? By loving  her and giving himself to die for the church. Many men expect their wives to submit to them when they have not demonstrated that love for her.1Jn 4:19 KJV “We love him, because he first loved us.”

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To really understand marriage as Christians, we must learn from the relationship between Jesus and the church. The unfortunate misunderstanding of this is the result of so many suffering and stress-dominated homes. Eph 5:32 KJV “This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.” The relationship between our Lord Jesus and the church is a mystery; likewise, marriage is a mystery. The two become one. The Lord receives a response of submission because He first gave his life for the church. The deacon is supposed to build his wife into the woman who is grave. As we learnt earlier, to be grave means to be honourable, to be honest or full of good deeds. The wife must also not be slanderous, nor should she say things about people that she has no knowledge of. Often, it is the attitude of certain men to slander others before their wives, who likewise go about telling others. If the man is quick to stop her from saying things about issues she has no knowledge about, or she should not talk ill of others, all the slander from her would never result.

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I believe this line of argument I am making in this discussion would be a big paradox to most men. It has been taught that women are often complicated and difficult to handle. Well, I am telling you from the scriptures that, barring whatever complications that you may say it is, it is the duty of the man to make them the kind of person he wants them to become. Eph 5:27 KJV “That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” It is your duty to make your wife what she should become or what you want her to become. Difficult women are often the products of men, just as loving, submissive women are also the products of men. It all begins with a selfless sacrificial love. Dear man, please take time to study Ephesians 5:21-33. This passage in the scriptures is a picture of a truly good  working marriage relationship . The scripture is therefore right when it places the responsibility of having a good wife on the man.

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THOUGHT: DEAR MAN, LEARN FROM THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN JESUS AND THE CHURCH TO MAKE YOUR MARRIAGE WORK

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FURTHER STUDIES

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Eph 5:33 KJV” Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.”

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Eph 5:29 KJV” For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:”

KEY SCRIPTURE 1Ti 3:10 KJV “And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless.”

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The scriptures instruct that the deacons must first be tried or proven before they are officially appointed to the office of deacon. We have discussed earlier  the instructions  that say pastors  must not be given to wine and should not be greedy for filthy lucre. Since the instructions are the same , we would not discuss them for deacons, but would look at the call  for deacons to be proven before being officially instituted as deacons. As we have already seen , he or she must be grave as well as not double-tongued. They should be observed first to see if they actually pass the test. Just observing a person in a church setting cannot reveal some of these tendencies. We saw in our previous study that it takes one to be close to a person to know that one has the trait of being double-tongued. A double-tongued person is basically a deceiver. One needs a very close observation or through the revelation of the spirit to know some of these things.

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The next reason why they ought to be proven is that dealing with people is, at times, very demanding . Especially when it involves rendering various forms of service. Certain people are not able to endure the diverse characters of others. It soon gets on their nerves, and they begin to murmur. The truth is that every Christian with the Spirit of God must not find it difficult to serve. We must know that we do nothing  by our own efforts. The Lord said we must learn from him. He added that His yoke is easy and His burden is light( Matt 11:28-30). What made His yoke easy and His burden light? He depended on the Holy Spirit. Christianity is never trying to do anything by itself. It is an expression of the life of God through men. This is  why the first step into Christ is death to self. This happened  when we were baptised by the Spirit into Christ. 1Co 12:13 KJV “For by one Spirit are we all baptised into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.” Through our baptism into Christ, we were baptised into his suffering and death on the cross. Our old self is crucified.

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I have heard many people say that pastors are suffering quietly, and this applies to other workers for God. This should never be the case. The Lord Jesus could ask for the forgiveness of those who were crucifying Him because the Holy Spirit had taken over. Dear one , if you  have been called into service as a deacon, then it is God who is at work in you both  to  will and do of His good pleasure t. Philip 2:13. All you have to do is joyfully yield yourself into His arms, and He will do the rest. It is a great joy to be carried along by the grace  of God. Now, please note this: anyone who serves  God in difficulty  or with lots of hesitations is not serving the Lord at all. Deut 28:47. Col 3:23 KJV And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men”; Every acceptable service before God must be through the agency of the Holy Ghost. It is only the Spirit who can render sanctified service. The Spirit would also work through us if we are joyful.  

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THOUGHT: JESUS IS THE ONE , TALKING, ACTING AND LOVING THROUGH US, AS WE BELIEVE IN HIM TO LIVE THROUGH US.

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FURTHER STUDIES

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Phi 4:13 KJV” I can do all things through Christ, which strengtheneth me.”

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Gal 2:20 KJV” I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

KEY SCRIPTURE:1Ti 3:8 KJV “Likewise must the deacons be grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre.”

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This time, the scriptures instruct that the deacon should not be double-tongued. A double-tongued person is simply a deceiver. One who tells brother A one thing and says another thing to sister B. It is extremely dangerous for a deacon to have such a trait. Basically,  serpents are creatures with a double tongue. It is the cardinal characteristic of Satan. The bible says he is a murderer and a liar, even the father of all liars ( John 8:44)  .Anyone who is double-tongued is either under the influence of the devil or totally filled with a devil. This person would do lots of harm to the people of God. He would easily divide friends by creating enmity among them. Pro 16:28 KJV” A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends.”

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The church of God is the pillar and foundation of truth and  should not tolerate any person in leadership who carries such traits. Such a one is in the true darkness and has not come to the knowledge of our Lord Jesus.They are fundamentally pretenders or hypocrites who seek the admiration or good books of the pastor.They act like deeply spiritual people and always appear to be very prayerful. The hard truth is that unsuspecting or a brother who does not seek the counsel of the spirit would easily locate a doubletongued lady as a good marriage material, not knowing that he is falling into the arms of Satan in a human form. The same goes for a brother who is double tongued.

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The following are some of the traits of double-tongued brothers or sisters, which would be noticed by those who are very close to them.

1 .The one who is very close to such a person would find out that this person, in his or her private moments, does not honour God’s word as they seem to portray in the midst of lots of people

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2.They normally speak evil of others. This is their highest characteristic.

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3 They easily tell lies. You would  again notice this if you do not accept what they say at face value, but probe further into what they say

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4.Such a person is also a thief who pilfers monies that come to them.

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Church leadership should be careful never to appoint a double-tongued person into leadership. Leadership should not just look at the supposed spiritual gestures but must look beyond them. Put them to the test by assigning them some tasks that demand truthfulness or faithfulness  and see how they perform. Pray intensely about whoever you seek to appoint into leadership.

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Now if you are double tongued, you don’t have to stay that way.As a believer in Jesus every wrong negative traits was crucified with Jesus.There is nothing like a doubletongue with you now that you are in Jesus.It is the Spirit of Jesus who has taken over your life( Gal 2;20, Eph 4:23).Accept that you are indeed crucified with Jesus and your present nature is the very Christ living and acting through you.Maintain a Christ consciousness always.This is the way out of wrong characters.

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THOUGHT:OUR CRUCIFIXION WITH JESUS IS OUR ANSWER TO ALL NEGATIVE LIFESTYLES

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FURTHER STUDIES

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Pro 18:8 KJV” The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.”

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Pro 26:20 KJV” Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.”

KEY SCRIPTURE:1Ti 3:8 KJV” Likewise must the deacons be grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre.”

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The word deacon is the Greek word diaconos , and has the following meanings: one who executes the command of another. They are those who care for the poor by distributing the money collected for them. The place for deacons evolved during the commencement of the church, and the Hellenistic brethren complained about discrimination against them, while the Jewish brethren were the favoured ones . Apostle Peter advised that they choose about  seven men of honest report and full of the Holy Spirit, who would serve the food while the apostles committed themselves  to prayer and the ministry of the word. The role of these deacons makes them examples to others and therefore must have certain acceptable ways to present themselves. The following are some of the requirements that a deacon must have so he can play that role and not be a reproach to the name of the Lord.

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The first qualification is that he or she must be grave or honourable.He must be a person of honour. A man who have high standard in all he does.He should be a man of great conviction.An example of such a man is Uriah the husband of Beshebahwhom king David committed adultery with.King David had wanted him to go to his house and sleep with his wife in order to cover up his sin of adultery.Uriah would  not go. At the first instant he slept with other servants at the door of the King’s palace ( 2 Sam 11:9) Then the king tried to convince him to go to his house.But he said the following.2Sa 11:11 KJV “And Uriah said unto David, The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in tents; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open fields; shall I then go into mine house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? as thou livest, and as thy soul liveth, I will not do this thing.” This man was a servant of great honour.That is what every deacon must be, a person of great conviction who places honouring God before pleasure

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Apostle Peter describes the quality of deacons as people of honest report. Well, that is the same as being grave. Deacons have a great need for honesty , since one of their roles is to handle the finances of the church. I heard a story of a deacon whose duty was to count the offerings that came into the church. This deacon, like Judas, has been stealing some of the money and then hiding it in his socks. A brother gave an amount in foreign currency, but somehow hinted to the pastor about it. That day, the pastor enquired whether they had seen that foreign currency among the notes that were counted . This man said no. One of the elders insisted that they search the brother to see whether he has taken those foreign notes or not. Lo  and Behold, they found the money in his pair of socks . It is always good  to find out how honest a person is before being appointed to be a deacon.

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THOUGHT: DO NOT BE HASTY TO APPOINT DEACONS, BE CERTAIN ABOUT THEIR GRAVITY

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FURTHER STUDIES

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1Ti 3:10 KJV” And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless.”

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Phi 2:15 KJV” That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;:

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KEY SCRIPTURE:1Ti 3:7 KJV “Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.”

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One of the qualifications of the pastor is that he must have a good report of people who relate with him outside the boundaries of the church. One’s true identity often comes from his unofficial roles with others. Firstly the testimony of his immediate family and then from the community in which he lives. The church settings is always a controlled environment. When the pastor arrives at the church premises he is received warmly, and church members speak very politely to him. At home it may be different. There are days that the wife may be hay and hearty and would be extra nice and polite  but other times may be different as a result of all kinds of factors. How does this pastor or this man who is being considered for the pastoral office behave. Does the  pastor to be also retaliate angrily or in a calm disposition react to his wife?

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There are certain young men being considered for pastoral roles, but neighbours close to him have every negative remark about him. He keeps changing ladies almost always. This is a real red light that must warn the board or leaders who are making the decision to enlist him as a pastor. The bible says if these things are not considered, he shall fall into the share of the devil. That is, after finally appointing him as a pastor, these negative traits would show up, and that would seriously affect the work. The report or remarks of people who have been related to him on an unofficial level must be considered. We must also be careful not to take whatever certain people say on face value; it would be proper to cross-check further for the authenticity of what is said.

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There are also some moments when the individual used to have a particular lifestyle but has repented and is living a very reformed life, yet neighbours who do not know still accuse him of his past lifestyle. This is the reason you need to have a dialogue with that candidate to ascertain the truthfulness or otherwise of the stories going on about him. There are other situations where a brother is blessed with unique abilities who genuinely wants to serve the Lord, yet has certain shortcomings. Such a person must be spoken to to determine what the real problem is. In some cases, it would be a lack of understanding of certain truths that might have caused the constant cycle of failure. The moment  he comes to terms with the truth, he is totally free. This person can be accepted into the pastoral office.

Finally, the ultimate check is the testimony of the Holy Spirit. We must enquire from the Holy Spirit to give the final nod before one is appointed or not.

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THOUGHT:THE REPORTS OF NEIGHBOURS ABOUT THE PASTOR IS GOOD  , YET THE ULTIMATE IS TO SEEK THE SPIRIT’S COUNSEL

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FURTHER STUDIES

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Luk 2:52 KJV “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.”

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Act 9:39 KJV “Then Peter arose and went with them. When he came, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them.”

KEY SCRIPTURE:1Ti 3:6 KJV” Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride, he fall into the condemnation of the devil.”

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A pastor should not be a novice. This means he should not be a recent convert to Christ. The scriptures related him to satan who was taken over with pride and so was condemned. A pastor is a leader or one who takes oversight of others. A man who has not appreciated the fact that position does not mean superiority  over others, but a role  God calls one to play for the smooth running of His body. Every mature person knows that each person in the body has his or her role and none is  superior to the others. It is the same Lord working through every one of us. A novice would easily fall for such deception and the trap of the enemy. Pride corrupts so much and leads to lots of foolish decisions.

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When the Israelites came to King Rehoboam, son of King Solomon, to lighten their yoke, yet  he said the following  words to them 1Ki 12:11 KJV “, And now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: “my father hath chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.” The novice king lost all the tribes of Israel but one. When a novice is a pastor, he would make such foolish decisions, and the church may lose most of its members. Another reason why the pastor should not  be a novice is how to handle sensitive matters among the members. Many people have left churches because the pastors could not wisely handle their sensitive matters. Such matters require lots of wisdom coming from similar cases which the pastor might have handled in the past. This is what experience brings to the table. Now, let’s know that old age does not mean maturity.IF he fails to make use of the scriptures that apply to various matters. Heb 5:12 KJV “For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.” The scripture says such people, although they might have aged, are spiritual novices.

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In light of the above, a pastor should  first be one who has lived in the word of God. Heb 5:14 KJV” But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”As the scripture says, such a one has been a word practitioner, and so his senses have developed such that he easily knows right from wrong. He fully knows that Christian leaders are servants of the people and not the Lord’s. Joh 13:14 KJV “If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet.” The master himself put off his garment and washed the disciple’s feet, counselling that the servant is not greater than his master. If the master has washed the disciples’ feet, then every leader or pastor needs that servant attitude to be a leader of God’s people.

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THOUGHT:IT TAKES MATURITY TO BE A SERVANT LEADER.

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FURTHER STUDIES

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Joh 13:4-5 KJV” He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. After that, he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.”

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Mat 18:4 KJV” Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

[2/19, 12:56 AM] S.A: SIMPLE TRUTH

KEY SCRIPTURE:1Ti 3:4 KJV” One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity.”

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Pastors .must rule their homes well. As Christians, we know that there are beings which are unseen, whose agenda is to rule the human heart and to direct  their lives in the way they desire. Joh 13:27 KJV “And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly.” In this instant, Satan, that fallen angel, entered into Judas, a disciple of Jesus, to betray Him. Demons are manipulating many lives to become unruly. Sadly, parents think they are dealing with a bad character , but no, you are dealing with a ruling spirit in the life of that boy or girl. Eph 2:2 KJV “Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:”Pastors and parents, there is a serious contention for the souls of your children. The bible commands you to rule them  rightly.

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How do we win over these devils?

1.Pray diligently for them. Gal 4:19 KJV” My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,” You need to fight for their souls on your knees. As much as you may be interceding for others, remember that your first responsibility is your home. Whatever you do outside  would not mean much if your home is torn apart

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2 Teach them the word of God. Many pastors are never around to instruct their children in the word of God. Children have  a special attachment to their parents and would take whatever they teach them, backed by a genuine love for them.

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The next is a very important aspect, and that is, never curse your  son or daughter because of their wrong actions. I remember each time my boy does something bad that really gets me angry, I would ask him to kneel down while I pray for him. My emotions would be craving for some very harsh words to be said about him. I would rather declare that this negative lifestyle cannot continue with you. You are a very good boy, and you will continue to do good things. After these words, I would. Then, proclaim words of blessings over his life.

Thank God he has grown into a very responsible  young man and is doing so well. Your  words would either allow the spirit of Christ to reign over him or give access to a demon to take over and make him unruly.

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The scriptures teach that we should not provoke our children. Eph 6:4 KJV And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. To provoke means to incite them to rebel. When a father expresses bitterness against his child, using words like ” I hate you and you would never amount to anything good in life. Such words are provocative and would create a sense of anger and defence in this child. He or she would respond with a similar attitude, and by this, you would have completely lost control of your child. The answer to keeping them under your control is to  show the true love of God to them. Love in your heart is always infectious and would stir a corresponding love and submission from them.

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THOUGHT:PASTORS RULE THEIR HOMES BY LOVE AND THE TRUTH OF THE WORD

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FURTHER STUDIES

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1Ti 5:8 KJV” But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.”

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Eph 6:4 KJV” And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”

[2/19, 12:56 AM] S.A: SIMPLE TRUTH

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KEY SCRIPTURE:1Ti 3:4 KJV One that ruleth well hi own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;

One of the  qualifications of a pastor is that he must rule his house well. The state of your home has a great impact on your work as a pastor.Your family reveals who you really are behind the scenes.A pastor with wayward children speaks volumes.Please note that there are instances of waywardness that has nothing to do with a parents negligence but a calculated attack of the enemy to cast a reproach on the father.In such instances the father did everything to raise the child in a godly way, yet he or she went wayward.There are those whose own actions contribute to the disintegrating of their homes.

What are  some of the factors that destroys the home and as a result causes the pastor not to rule his family well.Firstly if the father does not lead the family in common devotions.The growing child must come to understand the need for the family to come together to pray and share the word of God together.This brings to the consciousness of the children the fact that there is a God to whom all must reverence and serve.The teachings of such gatherings prepares the children for a future life of faith and devotion to the Lord

Secondly the pastor must set good example at home.He should show true love for his wife, the mother of his children.Children grow rebellious if their parents are at each other’s throat.Another bad example that parents should  not exhibit is to be telling lies .If the children learn that telling lies is very normal, those children would be problem to themselves later on in  life. Practices like insults, immorality of various forms should not be seen at home..The pastor should show his children Christian disciplines of prayer, reading and studying the word of God.He should stay away from alcohol and actions like smoking..The child of a man who smokes would most likely be a smoker.

Parents should discipline the children when necessary. The bible train up a child in the way that he should go and when he is old he would not depart from it.Prov 22:6 Children must be taught respect for elders, others, politeness, and various courtesies .In these days of information technology, children tendencies to be viewing mobile phones must be controlled.What they watch must be supervised so that they are not influenced by mundane scenes.The Lord said the following about Abraham , that he would command his children after him.Gen 18:19

Certain fathers get so busy such that the children never see him at home.This lifestyle have very serious implications on the children.Parents, the children, do not only need your  money, they need you.Make yourself available to them and their future lifestyle would be properly affected because of your presence with them and the wisdom you would be imparting to them

THOUGHT:FATHER OR PASTOR YOU ARE THE BEST TEACHER AND TRAINER OF YOUR CHILDREN, DO NOT NEGLECT IT.

FURTHER STUDIES 

Gen 18:19 KJV” For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.”

Pro 22:6 KJV Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

[2/19, 12:56 AM] S.A: SIMPLE TRUTH 

KEY SCRIPTURE:Rom 5:17 KJV” For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)”

The Christian life is a supernatural life.It is the life of God expressed through a man.Joh 1:4 KJV “In him was life; and the life was the light of men.”Christianity is not about following certain moral codes or rituals.As  John 1 :4 says the life of God comes into the believers in Jesus and that life is light, that is he has answers to the challenges that assai men.Our key scripture describes this life from God as the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness.He added that ,  this makes us reign in this life. In 2nd Pet 1:3 the scripture said according as His divine power has given us ALL things that pertain to life and gidliness.In all these verses, God has given us a package  that makes us overcomrrs.Glory be to God. We receive this package or life  by faith .We are now  overcomers Light or answers to every negative question that holds men down.

Apostle Peter says in 1 Peter 2: 9, that we are a chosen generation, a holy nation, a peculiar people; ; unique or special people, called to show, demonstrate the praises, victories of God.Hallelujah

From the above there is nothing like defeat, or anything in this life dominating us.Sin or any form of it is NEVER supposed to master over any child of God.All that Satan has, sin , diseases , poverty  and death no longer has the mastery over any christian , and for that matter the pastor. We have received a life called divine life or eternal life.This is a higher life.When we believed on Jesus the overcoming, all conquering life of Jesus was given to us.1Jn 5:13 KJV “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.” This scripture tells us we must KNOW or be conscious of what we have.Our Lord Jesus was very conscious of this life in Him.Joh 5:26 KJV “For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;” Please consider what the Lord said after this statement:And has given Him authority to exercise judgement because he is the Son of man.” Please understand what He is revealing over here. By virtue of the eternal life He has from the father He has AUTHORITY to exercise judgement or rule on this earth. This life is what we also have from believing in Jesus.The result, like Him, is to rule or have authority to judge. 

Dear one to function as a child of God ,we have to constantly maintain a consciousness  of  having a superior life and so we must not think like the people of this life who do not have eternal life. The people of this life are natural carnal subjected to the negative forces around.We are spiritual and must ALWAYS function according to the word of God.Lust would come but we judge it and say I am superior to lust.Greed would show its head yet with the authority we have we tell greed you have no place in me.Sickness  would come, we judge it and say  I am superior to you disease, I refuse to allow you in my body The failure of most Christians is a lack of understanding of these things and also our inability to say NO when darkness come knocking at our door. You .must never fear  any darkness, stand your grounds, and refuse in faith, and it would flee.Some of us resist to some point, and when things do not change we claim we have been defeated.No we are light and are eternally champions of darkness.Focus on your victory and stand your ground till you get it.

THOUGHT: GOD HAS GIVEN US A SUPERIOR LIFE TO REIGN, REFUSE TO BE DOMINATED BY ANY DARKNESS

FURTHER STUDIES 

Joh 8:12 KJV” Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”

Joh 10:10 KJV The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

[2/19, 12:56 AM] S.A: SIMPLE TRUTH