Pastor Mike Impact Ministries

Michael L Grooms
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  • Spirituality
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A daily chat with Pastor Mike and other resources to encourage listeners to connect with the Word of God and grow in their faith.

  1. 17h ago

    2 Thessalonians 1:3-4 - "Growing Faith in Difficult Times"

    Today we continue our study of 2 Thessalonians chapter 1 bylooking at verses 3 and 4: “We are bound to thank God always for you,brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith grows exceedingly, and thecharity of every one of you all toward each other abounds; So that we ourselvesglory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all yourpersecutions and tribulations that you endure.” When Paul wrote his firstletter to these believers, he had commended them for their faith, love, andhope. Now some time has passed. And Paul has received another report aboutthem. The persecution hasn't stopped. Their problems haven't disappeared. Butsomething wonderful has happened. They have grown.   Paulsays, “Your faith grows exceedingly.” I love that expression. Theirfaith wasn't standing still. It was growing! And interestingly, their faith wasgrowing while they were suffering. Sometimes we think spiritual growthoccurs when everything is going well. But often our greatest spiritual growthtakes place during the most difficult seasons of our lives. When everything isgoing well, it is easy to say we trust God. But when we don't understand whatGod is doing, when our prayers don't seem to be answered the way we hoped, andwhen the road becomes difficult—that is when our faith is tested. And testedfaith can become stronger faith.   James1:3 says: “Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.” Perhapsyou are going through a trial today. Don't automatically assume that somethinghas gone wrong. God may be using that very difficulty to develop something inyour life that could never develop any other way. But Paul noticed somethingelse. Not only was their faith growing, but their love was growing. Hesays: “The charity of every one of you all toward each other abounds.” Theword “charity” here means love. Their growing faith in God was producing agrowing love for one another. And that is an important measurement of spiritualmaturity.   Aperson may know a great deal about the Bible. They may be able to explaindoctrine. They may attend church faithfully. But one of the clearest evidencesthat we are growing spiritually is that we are becoming more loving towardothers. Jesus said in John 13:35: “By this shall all men know that you areMy disciples, if you have love one to another.” And notice Paul's language.Their faith “grows exceedingly.” Their love “abounds.” Thesebelievers weren't satisfied with yesterday's faith or yesterday's love. Theywere continuing to grow.   ThenPaul mentions a third quality: Patience. He says they demonstrated “patienceand faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure.” Theword patience here carries the idea of steadfast endurance. They were stayingfaithful under pressure. They didn't quit. They didn't abandon their faith. Theycontinued trusting God even when following Christ was costly. And Paul was soencouraged by their testimony that he told other churches about them. Thinkabout that! This young church that had experienced so much difficulty became anexample to other believers. Their suffering became a platform for theirtestimony.   Myfriend, we don't always get to choose what happens to us. But by God's grace,we can choose how we respond. Our trials can make us bitter, or they can makeus better. They can drive us away from God, or they can drive us closer to Him.   Andperhaps today would be a good time for each of us to ask ourselves threequestions: Is my faith growing? Is my love increasing? Am I learning topatiently endure the difficulties God allows in my life? The Thessaloniansremind us that spiritual growth isn't measured by how easy our lives are. Sometimesthe strongest faith grows in the hardest soil.

    2 Thessalonians 1:3-4 - "Growing Faith in Difficult Times"

  2. 1d ago

    2 Thessalonians 1:1-2 - "Grace and Peace for a Growing Church"

    Yesterday we began our journey through the little book of 2Thessalonians. Today, let's begin looking at the first chapter, starting withverses 1 and 2: “Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of theThessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, andpeace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” These words mightsound like a simple greeting, but there is a great deal of truth packed intothese two verses. Paul begins by mentioning Silvanus, whom we usually know asSilas, and Timotheus, or Timothy. These three men had been together when thechurch in Thessalonica was established.   Ifyou remember from our study of 1 Thessalonians, Paul had only been inThessalonica for a short time before persecution forced him to leave. Yet inthat brief period, people believed the Gospel, their lives were changed, and achurch was born. Now Paul writes to them again. And notice how he describesthem: “Unto the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and theLord Jesus Christ.” They lived physically in Thessalonica, butspiritually they were in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ.   Whata wonderful description of every believer! We live in a particular town. Wehave an address. We belong to a family and a community. But if we have trustedJesus Christ as our Savior, our true spiritual position is in Christ. Andthat was especially important for these Thessalonian believers because theywere experiencing persecution. Their circumstances were difficult. Theirenemies were real. Their suffering was painful.   Butnone of those things could change their position in Christ. And neither can thecircumstances you and I face today. You may be going through disappointment. Youmay be dealing with sickness. You may be carrying a burden that nobody elseknows about. You may be facing uncertainty about tomorrow. But if you knowChrist, you can remind yourself: I am in Christ. My circumstances maychange, but my relationship with Him does not.   ThenPaul gives them two wonderful words: “Grace unto you, and peace.” Graceand peace. Notice the order. Grace comes first, and then peace. We cannotexperience the peace of God until we have first experienced the grace of God. Graceis God's undeserved favor toward us. We could never earn salvation. We couldnever deserve forgiveness. But God loved us and sent His Son to die for us. Paulwrote in Ephesians 2:8: “For by grace are you saved through faith; and thatnot of yourselves: it is the gift of God.” And once we have received God'sgrace, we can experience God's peace. Romans 5:1 says: “Therefore beingjustified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” First,we have peace with God through salvation. Then, as we walk with Him, wecan enjoy the peace of God in the circumstances of life.   Thatis exactly what these Thessalonian believers needed. They couldn't control thepersecution around them. They couldn't control what others said about them. Theycouldn't know what tomorrow would bring. But they could know the grace andpeace that came “from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” And so can we.Maybe today you are facing something you cannot change. Instead of allowingfear to control your heart, remember who you are and where you are. If you knowJesus Christ, you are in Him. You are surrounded by His grace. And youcan rest in His peace. The world may be troubled around us, but Jesus said inJohn 14:27: “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you.”   Let'spray. Father, thank You for Your amazing grace that saved us and for the peacethat we have through the Lord Jesus Christ. Help us today to remember thatregardless of what happens around us, we belong to You and we are secure inChrist. May Your grace strengthen us and Your peace guard our hearts as we walkwith You today. In Jesus' name, Amen.

    2 Thessalonians 1:1-2 - "Grace and Peace for a Growing Church"

  3. 2d ago

    2 Thessalonians - Standing Firm While We Wait

    Inmany ways, the message of 2 Thessalonians can be summarized in four words: Standfirm while waiting. These believers were waiting for Jesus to return. Butwhile they waited, Paul wanted them to remain faithful. That is still ourresponsibility today. We believe Jesus is coming again. But until He comes, wehave work to do. We are not called to sit around trying to calculate dates. Weare not called to withdraw from life. We are called to remain faithful, servethe Lord, love one another, live holy lives, and continue sharing the gospel.   Thefirst chapter begins with encouragement. Paul tells these believers that their faithwas growing exceedingly and their love toward one another wasincreasing. That is remarkable because they were growing spiritually whilethey were suffering. Sometimes we assume that spiritual growth happens onlywhen life is going well. But often some of our greatest growth takes place inthe hardest seasons of life. Trials have a way of driving our roots deeper intoGod. Paul was so encouraged by these believers that he said he boasted abouttheir patience and faith in all their persecutions and tribulations. Theircircumstances were difficult. But their faith was strong.   Thatgives us one of the first great themes of this letter: Standing firm insuffering. Then, in chapter 2, Paul addresses confusion concerning thecoming of the Lord and the Day of the Lord. Apparently, some people had becometroubled and shaken. There may even have been claims that a message or lettersupposedly from Paul had taught that the Day of the Lord had already come. Paulwanted to settle their hearts. He did not want them living in fear orconfusion. He reminded them that God is still in control of history. There areevents that will take place according to God's sovereign plan. And even whenevil appears powerful, it will not have the final word. Jesus Christ will.   Thatgives us another great theme: Standing firm in truth. Paul tells them inchapter 2: “Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions whichyou were taught.” In other words: Don't be shaken by every new claim. Don'tbelieve every rumor. Don't abandon the truth you have already received. That iscertainly a needed message today. We live in a world filled with information. Everyday we hear new opinions, predictions, theories, and claims. But God's peopleneed to stay anchored in something that does not change: The Word of God.   Thenchapter 3 becomes very practical. Paul talks about prayer. He asks thesebelievers to pray that the Word of the Lord would spread rapidly and beglorified. He talks about God's faithfulness. He tells them: “The Lord isfaithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one.” And thenhe addresses another problem. Apparently, some believers had misunderstood theteaching concerning Christ's return so badly that they had stopped working. Theymay have thought: “If Jesus is coming soon, why bother with ordinaryresponsibilities?” Paul strongly corrects that idea. Waiting for Jesus does notexcuse laziness. In fact, one of the marks of faithful Christian living isdoing our everyday work responsibly. Paul had already told them in 1Thessalonians to “work with your own hands.” Now he reinforces thattruth.   Thatgives us another major theme: Standing firm in daily faithfulness. So aswe begin 2 Thessalonians, I believe there are several questions we should keepbefore us. How do we remain faithful when life becomes difficult? How do weavoid being shaken by false teaching or spiritual confusion? How should thereturn of Jesus affect the way we live today? And how can we continue servingfaithfully while we wait for Him? Those questions are just as relevant now asthey were nearly two thousand years ago. We also need to remember that thesetwo letters belong together.

    2 Thessalonians - Standing Firm While We Wait

  4. 3d ago

    1 Thessalonians 5:23-28 - Faithful Is He Who Calls You

    Today we come to the final verses of 1 Thessalonians. We havetraveled together through this wonderful letter and seen Paul's love for theseyoung believers, their faith in the midst of persecution, their hope inChrist’s return, and Paul's repeated challenge for them to continue growing inholiness and love. Now Paul closes with a beautiful prayer and a wonderfulpromise. Verse 23 says: “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify youcompletely.” Notice who does the sanctifying. “The God of peaceHimself.”   Throughoutthis letter Paul has repeatedly called believers to holiness. But now hereminds us that spiritual growth is ultimately a work God does in us. Wecertainly have responsibilities. We obey. We surrender. We read His Word. Wepray. We turn away from sin. But it is God who is working within us to make uslike Jesus. Paul continues: “And may your whole spirit, soul, and body bepreserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Paul'sconcern is for the whole person. God is interested in every part of ourlives. Our inner spiritual life. Our minds and emotions. And even what we dowith our bodies. There is no part of us that should be excluded from God'ssanctifying work.   Thenverse 24 gives us one of the great promises of Scripture: “He who callsyou is faithful, who also will do it.” What a wonderful statement. Godis faithful. Our faithfulness may sometimes fail. Our strength may fail. Ouremotions rise and fall. But God never changes. Paul does not say: “He whocalled you is faithful, so you had better somehow finish the work yourself.” Hesays: “Who also will do it.” Philippians 1:6 says the same thing:“He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day ofJesus Christ.” God finishes what He starts. The same God who saved youis working in you today. And He will continue that work until one day you standcomplete in the presence of Jesus. That doesn't make us passive. It makes ushopeful. When we become discouraged with our spiritual progress, we canremember: God isn't finished with me yet.   ThenPaul says simply in verse 25: “Brethren, pray for us.” I lovethat. Here is the great apostle Paul asking ordinary believers: “Pray forus.” If Paul needed prayer, surely we need prayer. Never underestimatethe ministry of praying for other people. Pray for pastors. Missionaries. Churchleaders. Family members. Friends. Those carrying the gospel around the world. ThenPaul says: “Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss.” In theirculture this was an appropriate expression of warm Christian affection. Thespecific cultural expression may differ today, but the principle remains: God'speople should genuinely love and warmly receive one another. Paul then commandsthat this letter be read “to all the holy brethren.”  Why? Because this wasn't merely a privatenote for a few church leaders. Paul wanted everyone to hear the Word ofGod.  The letter ends exactly where the Christian life begins and continues:Grace. Verse 28 says: “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be withyou. Amen.” Grace saved us. Grace keeps us. Grace teaches us. Gracestrengthens us. And grace will bring us safely home. What a wonderful way tofinish this letter. When we look back over 1 Thessalonians, we have seenseveral great themes. A work of faith. A labor of love. A patienceof hope. Standing fast in persecution. Growing in holiness. Loving oneanother. And living every day in expectation of Jesus Christ’s return. Butultimately, none of that is possible apart from God's grace.   Andso perhaps the verse we should carry with us as we finish this letter is verse24: “He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.” Myfriend, whatever God has called you to today, you can trust Him. He isfaithful. Whatever trial you are facing— He is faithful. Whatever burdenyou are carrying— He is faithful. Whatever weakness you are strugglingwith— He is faithful. And whatever work He has begun in your life—Hewill complete it.

    1 Thessalonians 5:23-28 - Faithful Is He Who Calls You

  5. 4d ago

    1 Thessalonians 5:19-22 - Test Everything, Hold Fast to What is Good

    Today we come to four short instructions that are especially important in a time when we are constantly surrounded bycompeting voices and spiritual claims. Paul writes: “Do not quench theSpirit. Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good.Abstain from every form of evil.”   FirstPaul says: “Do not quench the Spirit.” The word “quench” is normallyused of putting out a fire. The Holy Spirit is often pictured in Scripture inconnection with fire. Paul is saying, “Do not resist or suppress the work ofGod's Spirit in your life.” How can we quench the Spirit? We can ignore Hisconviction. We can knowingly hold on to sin. We can refuse to obey somethingGod has clearly shown us in His Word. We can become spiritually cold andindifferent. The Holy Spirit desires to work in us and through us. Paul tellsus: Don't put out the fire.   Thenhe says: “Do not despise prophecies.” In the early church, before theNew Testament Scriptures were completed, God used prophetic utterances in aspecial way to communicate His truth. But Paul immediately gives an importantbalance. Verse 21 says: “Test all things.” In other words: Don't believeeverything simply because someone claims it came from God. That is tremendouslyimportant today. Just because someone says: “God told me…” does notautomatically make their words true. Just because a preacher says somethingwith confidence does not mean it is biblical. Just because something appears onthe Internet, television, or social media doesn't mean we should accept it. Paulsays: “Test all things.”   Whatis our test? The Word of God. The Bereans in Acts 17 were commended becausethey received Paul's teaching eagerly but then: “Searched the Scripturesdaily to find out whether these things were so.” Think about that. Theyeven checked the teaching of the apostle Paul against the Scriptures! That is awonderful example for us. Don't simply ask: “Does this sound good?” Ask: “Is itbiblical?” Don't ask only: “Is this preacher popular?” Ask: “Is what he issaying consistent with God's Word?” Don't accept a teaching merely because itmakes you feel good. Test it by Scripture.   ThenPaul says: “Hold fast what is good.” Once something has been tested andfound true, don't let it go. There are some truths we should hold with a firmgrip. Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He died for our sins. He rose bodily fromthe grave. Salvation is by grace through faith. The Bible is God's Word. Jesusis coming again. Hold fast. Our culture changes rapidly. God's truthdoes not.   Thenverse 22 says: “Abstain from every form of evil.” The Christian lifeinvolves both holding on and letting go. Hold fast to what is good. Stay awayfrom what is evil. Sometimes we ask, “How close can I get to something sinfulwithout actually crossing the line?” That is the wrong question. Paul says: “Abstain.”Move away from evil. Joseph demonstrated that in Genesis 39 when Potiphar'swife tempted him. He didn't stay there and discuss the situation. He fled. SecondTimothy 2:22 says: “Flee also youthful lusts.” There are times when themost spiritual thing we can do is simply get away from the temptation.   Thesefour instructions give us a wonderful pattern for spiritual discernment: Don'tresist the Holy Spirit. Don't reject truth merely because it challenges you. Testeverything by God's Word. Hold tightly to what is good and stay away from whatis evil. We desperately need that kind of discernment today.   Let'spray. Heavenly Father, thank You for giving us Your Holy Spirit and Your Word.Help us not to resist or quench the work of Your Spirit in our hearts. Give usdiscernment so that we do not believe every spiritual claim we hear. Teach usto test everything by the truth of Scripture. Help us hold fast to what is goodand faithfully reject every form of evil. In a world filled with confusion andcompeting voices, keep our hearts and minds anchored firmly in Your truth. InJesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

    1 Thessalonians 5:19-22 - Test Everything, Hold Fast to What is Good

  6. 5d ago

    1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 - Rejoice, Pray, and Give Thanks

    Today we come to three of the shortest verses in the NewTestament. But although they are short, they contain enough truth to challengeus for a lifetime. First Thessalonians 5:16–18 says: “Rejoice always, praywithout ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God inChrist Jesus for you.” Three commands: Rejoice always. Pray withoutceasing. In everything give thanks. Let's look at them one at a time.   First:“Rejoice always.” Paul does not say rejoice only when everything isgoing well. He says always. How is that possible? Because Christian joy is notbased primarily upon our circumstances. It is based upon the Lord. Paul wrotefrom prison in Philippians 4:4: “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I willsay, rejoice!” Circumstances change. Our health changes. Our financeschange. Relationships change. But Jesus Christ does not change. Hebrews 13:8says: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” So evenwhen we cannot rejoice in what is happening, we can rejoice in the Lord. We canrejoice that our sins are forgiven. We can rejoice that God loves us. We canrejoice that He will never leave us. We can rejoice that heaven is our home.   ThenPaul says: “Pray without ceasing.” Does that mean we should spend everywaking moment on our knees? Obviously not. Paul himself worked, preached,traveled, and ministered. The idea is that prayer should be the continuingattitude of our hearts. Our communication with God should never be permanentlydisconnected. We can pray while driving. We can pray while walking. We can praywhile working. We can whisper a prayer before a difficult conversation. We canthank God when something good happens. We can ask for wisdom the moment we needit. Prayer should become as natural to the Christian as breathing.   ThenPaul says: “In everything give thanks.” Notice he does not necessarilysay for everything. There are painful things in life for which we do notnaturally give thanks. We do not call evil good. But in everything, we canstill find reasons to thank God. Why? Because we know God is still with us. Weknow He still loves us. We know He can work even through difficultcircumstances. Romans 8:28 says: “And we know that all things work togetherfor good to those who love God.” It does not say all things are good. ButGod can work through all things for our ultimate good and His glory.   Andthen Paul makes a statement we should not overlook: “For this is the will ofGod in Christ Jesus for you.” People often ask: “What is God's will for mylife?” Here is part of the answer. God wants you to be a rejoicing Christian. Apraying Christian. And a thankful Christian. That doesn't require discoveringsome hidden secret. God has clearly revealed it in His Word. Sometimesgratitude changes our entire perspective. We can become so focused on what wedon't have that we forget what God has already given us. Perhaps today weshould stop and count some blessings. The gift of life. Family. Friends. Oursalvation. God's Word. The privilege of prayer. The promise of heaven. Andabove everything else: Jesus Christ.   Nomatter what today holds, if we belong to Christ, we have reasons to rejoice,reasons to pray, and reasons to give thanks. So maybe we can carry these threeshort commands with us all day: Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. Ineverything give thanks.   Let'spray. Heavenly Father, thank You for these simple but powerful instructions.Teach us to rejoice not merely in favorable circumstances but in You. Help usto develop a continual attitude of prayer so that throughout the day our heartsremain in fellowship with You. And Lord, make us thankful people. Even indifficult circumstances, open our eyes to Your goodness, faithfulness, andpresence. Help us to live today according to Your will—rejoicing, praying, andgiving thanks through Jesus Christ our Lord. In His name, we pray. Amen.   Godbless, and may you have a wonderful, wonderful day!

    1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 - Rejoice, Pray, and Give Thanks

  7. 6d ago

    1 Thessalonians 5:14-15 - Ministry to One Another

    Yesterday Paul spoke about our relationship with spiritualleaders. Today, in 1 Thessalonians 5:14–15, he reminds us that ministry is notsomething that belongs only to pastors. Every Christian has a ministry to otherbelievers. Paul writes: “Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who areunruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all.” NoticePaul is speaking to the brethren. These instructions are for the whole church. Thennotice something very important: Paul does not tell us to treat everyoneexactly the same way. Different people have different spiritual needs.   Firsthe says: “Warn those who are unruly.” Some people need correction. Theword “unruly” was sometimes used of a soldier who was out of line. There aretimes when a believer begins walking in a direction that is spirituallydangerous. Love does not simply ignore that. Galatians 6:1 says that if someoneis overtaken in a fault, spiritual believers should seek to restore that person“in a spirit of gentleness.” Correction should never come from pride. Itshould come from love.   ThenPaul says: “Comfort the fainthearted.” Some people do not needcorrection. They need encouragement. The fainthearted are those who have becomediscouraged, fearful, or overwhelmed. Maybe life has hit them hard. Maybe theyhave suffered a loss. Maybe they are battling anxiety about the future. Maybethey simply feel like giving up. Paul says: Comfort them. Come alongside them. Remindthem of God's promises. Sometimes the greatest ministry we can give someone issimply being present and saying: “I'm here, and I'm praying for you.”   ThenPaul says: “Uphold the weak.” Some believers are spiritually weak. Perhapsthey are new Christians. Perhaps they struggle with temptation. Perhaps theirfaith has been shaken. Paul doesn't say criticize the weak. He says: “Uphold”them. Hold on to them. Support them. Help them keep standing. Then comes aphrase that probably applies to all three groups: “Be patient with all.” Thatmay be the hardest part! People don't always change as quickly as we wouldlike. Spiritual growth takes time. And we need to remember how patient God hasbeen with us. Second Peter 3:9 speaks of the longsuffering of God. If God hasbeen patient with me, surely I should learn to be patient with others.   Thenverse 15 says: “See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but alwayspursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.” Our natural reactionwhen someone hurts us is to hurt them back. They criticize us—we criticizethem. They say something unkind—we respond with something unkind. They mistreatus—we want to get even. But Paul says: “Do not render evil for evil.” Jesustaught the same thing. He told us to love our enemies and pray for those whomistreat us. Romans 12 says: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evilwith good.” That is completely contrary to our natural instincts. Itrequires the grace of God. Paul says instead: “Alwayspursue what is good.” The word “pursue” is strong. Don't merely wait for anopportunity to do good. Go after it. Look for ways to bless people. Look forways to encourage. Look for ways to restore. Look for ways to strengthen. Lookfor ways to respond to hurt with grace.   Thinkabout the different people God may place across your path today. One may need aloving warning. Another may need encouragement. Another may need someone tohold them up. And all of them need patience. The Christian life was neverintended to be lived alone. God has placed us in a spiritual family where weare to help one another keep walking with Jesus. So today ask: “Lord, who needsme to come alongside them?” And when He puts someone on your heart, don't justthink about it. Call them. Visit them. Pray with them. Encourage them. Ministerto one another.   Godbless, and may you have a wonderful, wonderful day!

    1 Thessalonians 5:14-15 - Ministry to One Another

  8. Sep 14

    1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 - Appreciate Those Who Serve

    As Paul begins the closing section of 1 Thessalonians, hegives a number of short, practical instructions about relationships within thechurch. Today we begin with verses 12 and 13: “And we urge you, brethren, torecognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonishyou, and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. Be at peaceamong yourselves.” Paul begins by talking about spiritual leaders. Hedescribes them in three ways.   First,they “labor among you.” Ministry is work. The word Paul uses carries theidea of working to the point of weariness. Faithful ministry requirespreparation. Prayer. Teaching. Counseling. Visiting. Encouraging. Correcting. Caringfor people in times of sickness, grief, family difficulty, and spiritual need. Muchof that ministry happens where nobody else sees it. Then Paul says theseleaders are “over you in the Lord.” That speaks of spiritual leadershipand responsibility. A pastor is not called to dominate people. Jesus said thatleadership among His followers should not imitate the authoritarian leadershipof the world. A pastor is a shepherd. He leads. He protects. He feeds the flockwith God's Word. And he understands that ultimately the church belongs to JesusChrist.   ThenPaul says they “admonish you.” Sometimes spiritual leadership requiressaying things people may not necessarily want to hear. The word admonishincludes warning, instructing, and correcting. A faithful pastor cannot simplytell people what makes them comfortable. Paul told Timothy to: “Preach theword!” And then he added: “Convince, rebuke, exhort, with alllongsuffering and teaching.” So how should believers respond to faithfulspiritual leadership? Paul says: “Recognize” them. That means appreciatethem and understand the responsibility they carry.   Thenverse 13 says: “Esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake.” NoticePaul doesn't say esteem them because they are celebrities. Or because they haveimpressive personalities. Or because they preach in large churches. He saysesteem them: “For their work's sake.” The honor is connected to the workGod has called them to do. I have had the privilege of serving in pastoralministry for many years, and I can tell you that one of the greatestencouragements a pastor can receive is simply knowing that his peopleappreciate him, pray for him, and support the work of the ministry.   Hebrews13:17 reminds us that spiritual leaders “watch out for your souls, as thosewho must give account.” That is an enormous responsibility. Pastors willanswer to God for how they shepherd His people. That ought to make us pray forthem. Your pastor needs prayer. He faces temptations. He experiencesdiscouragement. He carries burdens that he often cannot share publicly. Hefeels deeply the hurts and struggles of the people he serves. And sometimes asimple word— “Pastor, I'm praying for you.”—can mean more than you realize.   Butnotice how Paul ends verse 13: “Be at peace among yourselves.” Thattells us something else about healthy churches. They should be places of peace.Churches are made up of imperfect people. That means disagreements will happen.People will have different opinions. Different personalities. Differentpreferences. But our unity in Jesus Christ should be greater than ourdifferences. Jesus said: “Blessed are the peacemakers.” Paul wrote inRomans: “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably withall men.” What would happen if every member of every church determined: “Iwill not be a source of unnecessary conflict.” “I will pray for my leaders.” “Iwill encourage them.” “I will support the work of the gospel.” “And I will doeverything I can to promote peace among God's people.” That would make atremendous difference.   Sotoday perhaps we can do two simple things. First, pray for your pastor andspiritual leaders. And second, ask: “Am I helping create peace in my churchfamily?”

    1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 - Appreciate Those Who Serve
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A daily chat with Pastor Mike and other resources to encourage listeners to connect with the Word of God and grow in their faith.

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