5 Things For Tuesday

10 Reasons To Honor

When we HONOR our leaders and others, GRACE flows in our direction. A lack of HONOR limits intended blessings in your direction.

• Honor is RECIPROCAL.
• When you HONOR, HONOR is bound to flow to you.

When the disciples of Jesus came to him, they said, "Master, teach us how to pray. In other words, teach us how to receive heavenly blessing."  Jesus replied and said to them, "If you want the blessings of God from heaven to pour out on you, the first you must do is to HONOR the Father in heaven." (Matthew 6:9) (Romans 13:7)

To DISHONOR your leaders is to dishonor God's grace upon their life. Whatever position your leader occupies, you must give due HONOR to him/her because it's the same HONOR that will come back to you.

10 REASONS TO HONOR

1. Indicates that PRIDE has been dealt with in your heart. 

• James 4:6 - "God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble."

2. Releases more GRACE and ANOINTING upon your life allowing you to RISE.

• James 4:6a - "But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith."

3. Releases LONG LIFE for you in life and ministry.

• Ephesians 6:2-3 "Honor thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth."

4. Gives you VICTORY over the schemes of the devil.

• Your leaders have certain GRACES, not just because of the anointing on their life, but also by virtue of the position they occupy.  They command a certain respect and can also stop certain schemes of the enemy against you!
• JOSEPH is a prime example of this. While he was in command, he was able to stop the punishment of Israel.
• Elisha appealed to Elijah's POSITION in his life when he said, "My Father, My father, the chariot of Israel and the horse men thereof."  Elisha's ANOINTING was stirred up and he was able to command the king to take the bow and arrow and shoot, and he shot; and Elisha declared there would be a three-time VICTORY over Syria!

5. How you RESPOND to the INSTRUCTION of your leader shows how much honor you have for them and the TYPE of VICTORY that will follow you.

6. Your ERRORS and MISTAKES can be easily forgiven and overlooked.

• The example of the SINNER WOMAN, mentioned in Scripture, that brought an alabaster box of ointment and washed the feet of Jesus with her tears.  She HONORED Jesus with a very expensive perfume. Others judged and condemned her, but Jesus saw her LOVE, her HONOR and her REVERENCE for Him and pronounced her sin forgiven and her errors and mistakes bypassed and overlooked.

7. UNITY is released. (Psalm 133)

8. It VALIDATES your leader's leadership in your life.

• John 3:33 - "He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true."

9. It RELAXES those who are leading you, when you're around.

• Your leader is not agitated because of disrespect or face value.  Rather, they know that TOGETHER you will do mighty things for God.

10. It brings RESPECT, HONOR and ACCEPTANCE to your own ministry.

• The world will not honor the church and their ministers until the people in the church begin to honor their own and one another.
• You are responsible for HOW you honor your leader. Their honor is your honor; their dishonor is your reproach.
• Psalm 69:9b - "And the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me."

RESPECT and HONOR are reciprocal. Respect those you are leading and also affirm your authority. (Romans 12:10b "...in honor preferring one another.")

HONOR is a must in CHRISTIAN MINISTRY and LEADERSHIP; no matter the age of your pastor or leader, you must respect and honor them for your own sake, in God's eyes.

Everyone Needs A Shepherd

Because of the odd dimensions of a sheep's body they're 

unable to pick themselves up if they roll over on their backs. 

WE NEED SHEPHERDS!

Why SHEPHERDS are needed...

1. They keep a lookout for predators and protect their sheep from attackers.
2. They care for the wounded sheep and nurse them back to health.
3. They rescue the sheep that become lost or trapped.
4. They spend time with their sheep, guiding them to places of nourishment and rest.

The RESULT?

1. Trust and relationship that keeps the sheep following the shepherd.
2. The sheep are attuned to the shepherd's voice to the point that even if they were temporarily mixed with another herd, at the call of the shepherd, they would separate & follow him.

Pastors are called SHEPHERDS...

1. Their calling and gifting are much like those who care for sheep.
2. They are called and gifted to care for the spiritual well-being of a local body of God's people. 
3. Pastors are first and foremost servants...(servants of God and His bride, the Church.)
4. Pastors are given a mixture of abilities by GRACE that allows them to serve the needs of an entire community.

The Pastor's goal...

1. Reveal the glory of God in Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit!
2. This is achieved by TEACHING the Word of God to the church. (Ephesians 4:11)
3. By teaching the Scriptures to the church, the pastor feeds the "sheep" of God. (1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:6-9)

The Holy Spirit helps the Pastor...

1. ...Humbly teach the church, guid them, protected them and lead them in the mission that God has for His church, namely THE GREAT COMMISSION.
2. ...Keep the Gospel of Jesus Christ at the center of his life and ministry.
3. ...Walk in his place of spiritual authority through the power of the Holy Spirit.

There is a tremendous difference between PREACHING for a church and SERVING as a Pastor. I love Peter's interpretation of this in 1 Peter 5:2-4

"Feed the flock of God which is among you taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away."

SIX BASIC FUNCTIONS OF THE PASTOR...

1. FEED THE FLOCK

• Pastors must TEACH The Word of God.
• There's a big difference between having to say something and having something to say!
• Studying the Word of God is demanding but it is essential to feeding the flock.
• Just any sermon won't do! It must be a message from God's Word that is needed by the body at that time!

2. LOVE THE FLOCK

• It is one thing to be given the title of "pastor" but it is quite another to be give the trust of the people. A good shepherd will give their life for the sheep.
• You cannot fake real love for people! Either you do or you don't!
• Love is always the first step in leading.

3. LEAD THE FLOCK

• The Pastor must seek and share the plan or vision of God for the church.
• The writer of Proverbs tells us that "where there is no vision the people perish." 
• Not everyone wants to be led...but a Pastor must continue to lead!

4. KEEP THE FLOCK TOGETHER

• Resolving conflicts and uniting various personalities under one goal consumes a large amount of energy and time!
• Facing multiple forms of conflict causes many Pastors to want to flee instead of staying and solving the problems.
• To be a part of a significant work of God one will have to weather many storms and trials!

5. TEND THE FLOCK

• Psalm 23 is a good example of what a SHEPHERD does in the lives of his sheep. 
• Shepherds provide general oversight, according to Ephesians 4:12 - to PERFECT the saints for the WORK of ministry.

6. PROTECT THE FLOCK

• A Pastor not only deals with sheep, he must also deal with WOLVES. Paul warned the leaders at Ephesus about the wolves that would seek to destroy the flock. 
• A Pastor must not only PREACH THE TRUTH, he must EXPOSE ERROR. This is why we must reprove and rebuke. One day, Pastors will give an account to God for they they executed their role.

Final thoughts...

There will be times when you will fall over on your back and will need a SHEPHERD to help you back up on your feet. #everyone needs a shepherd.