Pastor Appreciation Month: Day #1

Pastor Appreciation Month: Day #1

October is Pastor Appreciation Month. Take time today to express to your pastor how much he means to you.

2 Thoughts Concerning the Pastor’s Life.
II Timothy 2:15, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

Effective ministry consists not of fads or gimmicks, but of faithfully preaching the truth; and faithful preaching requires great personal discipline and sacrifice.

“2 Thoughts Concerning the Pastor’s Life.”

I. A Dedicated Sanctified Life
The Man of God Must Be:

1. A Converted Man – He must be a saved.
2. A Called Man – The call of God is High, Holy, Heavy, Heavenly.
3. A Committed Man -To the Saviour, the Scriptures, the Service.
4. A Compassionate Man –Wise as a serpent but harmless as doves.
5. A Content Man – He must not be desirous of money.
6. A Courageous Man –The ministry is a battleground, not a playground.
7. A Careful Man –Good preachers fall because they were careless.

Here are a few areas where men of God are prone to fall.

• With their finances.
• With their family.
• With the females.
• With their folly.

The books of I and II Timothy and Titus deal with the pastor and the work of pastoring. The word “thyself” appears six times in I Timothy, two times in II Timothy, once in Titus. Total the word appears eight times. The number eight is the number of new beginnings, and these eight things could cause a new beginning for any man of God. A good text would be, “What to do with Yourself.”

1. I Timothy 3:15, “…that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself.”
2. I Timothy 4:7, “…exercise thyself rather unto godliness.
3. I Timothy 4:15, “Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them.”
4. I Timothy 4:16, “Take heed unto thyself.”
5. I Timothy 5:22, “…keep thyself pure.”
6. I Timothy 6:5, “…from such withdraw thyself.”
7. II Timothy 2:15, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God…”
8. Titus 2:7, “In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works.”

If you have a pastor who studies and preaches the Word of God, give thanks to God. But if you have a pastor who doesn’t, then find one who does.

II. A Devoted Study Life
A pastor must have a desire to study. He must be a student of the Bible. Paul commands Timothy to Study (II Timothy 2:15). There are two ways to read and study the Bible. These two study methods must go together to build the believer's life.

1. There is Diligent Study.
This is a consistent, daily, and prayerful reading of God's Word while allowing the Holy Spirit to speak to us through the Bible as we read. This type of study is important and must be maintained. However, we must go beyond simple devotional reading in our Bible study. The Christian who studies the Bible must be a workman (II Timothy 2:15). Bible study requires effort. It takes work to dig the riches out of God's Word. But is a delightful work. David said, “Mine eyes prevent the night watches, that I might meditate in thy word” (Psalm 119:148). The word prevent used here means "to precede or hasten." Early and preceding the watchman's awaking cry, David wakes up and gets into the Word of God. A workman of the word must be diligent, digging deep into the riches of the Bible.

2. There is a Delightful Study.
Our text states that a pastor who stays in the Word of God will be a workman “…that needeth not to be ashamed” (II Timothy 2:15). Many have been shamed by sin and situations that are contrary to the Bible's teaching because of their failure in this matter of Bible study. However, Bible study is a delight to the soul. David said of the blessed man, “His delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night” (Psalm 1:2). He can't get enough of it! He delights in it! Such a pastor “...shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper” (Psalm 1:3). A tree planted by the river has a constant supply of water and is stronger and more fruitful than a tree planted in a drier place. Those who are planted by the river of God's Word need never worry about the dry seasons. The droughts of this world have no effect on the pastor who delights in God's Word. “Unless thy law had been my delights, I should then have perished in mine affliction” (Psalm 119:92). David, through all his trials and tribulations, stayed by the Word, and, as a result, experienced victory. The river of God's Word never runs dry, and a tree planted there will be permanent and productive.

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