Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.
Hebrews 12:14, ESV
Our God of peace who brought us peace requires us to also live in peace with others, and He gives us the Holy Spirit to move His peace through us.
Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.
Psalm 143:8, ESV
Our Lord sends His Holy Spirit to guide us in all truth and obedience, helping us grow in love and faithfulness to each other and God.
Our little congregation is blessed with a few elders who all preach (giving our Pastor Scott a Sunday off each month.) Our church tends to get guest music leaders!
I happen to be the guest preacher for a couple other smaller churches every so often, one of which we sent one of our elders to when their pastor of 35 years retired and they needed someone.
I don’t think many people realize the unique stress guest preaching can cause. The speaker can offer a one-off message (possibly even one preached before somewhere else), but the faithful preacher wants to know the hearers were blessed, that spiritual growth was offered, and that the home pastor is honored.
I was the fourth guest for our old elder after he took over that little country church. Apparently, the first three made that congregation very hesitant to have new people come in! They were either arrogant know-it-alls and/or spiritually abusive. Praise God I have been asked back seven more times already! (They even offered to have me step in to replace our guy when he needs to move on, especially as they hope to bring on a full-time pastor. He is currently paid as a missionary by our congregation.)
Of course, we also have to think about the hearers when a guest preaches. So let us pray for the guest, the congregation, and the pastor while he is gone!
Daniel
This Sunday at Church I want to encourage you to do the following: Pray for your church’s future guest speakers. Last few years it seems its been harder to find guest speakers for my local church. There’s many reasons for that. I think many fellow alumni from the Seminary went to are also also busier […]
This Sunday at Church: Pray for your church’s future guest speakers
“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”
Isaiah 43:18-19, ESV
We are not bound to the Law of Moses with strict rules and sacrifices, for the perfect sacrifice was made. In Christ, we now seek to love God who indwells us by His Holy Spirit and helps us.
Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honor.
Proverbs 21:21, ESV
We know God’s love for us because He calls us to the pursuit of righteousness, and as we seek He gives us eternal life and righteousness through His Son.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you”
Matthew 5:43-44, ESV
We know we have God’s love when we can love like Him, when we can love those who insult and threaten us, even those who have harmed us.
For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.
Habakkuk 2:14, ESV
We know God’s love for us, for He has promised to redeem all of Creation. Let us join in His redemptive work and carry the knowledge of Christ to all people.
whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.
Romans 3:25, ESV
We know God’s love for us because only He is righteous, yet He died for our unrighteousness.
Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out
Acts 3:19, ESV
We know God loves us because of His forgiveness when we begin thinking about our need for salvation in Christ and desire to change. He is faithful.
On this day 23 years ago, at 6:46 PM CST, I bent my knee to Jesus as Lord and Savior. (If you do a search on this site for “birthday”, you will see the various explanations.)
I like to call it my Re-Birthday, as we call faith in Christ being born again. This comes from John 3 and 1 Peter 1.
I am super involved with the spreading of the faith and growing others in their faith, whether as one of the pastors at church, leading Bible studies, or teaching Christian Worldview to college students (and others in many other ways).
Care to join me? 😉
Also, it is my mother-in-law’s birthday, so join me in wishing her a happy and blessed day! If not for her, I would not have my wife!
God bless you, and remember that Jesus Christ is the reason we live and move and breathe and have meaning!
a simple man of God 