“And I will give you shepherds according to My heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.”
God…
has declared the role and office of the overseer, bishop and pastor to be divinely ordained by him. We are strongly urged to esteem our local assembly leaders “very highly” for their work’s sake.
Seeing the Pastor in the manner that God does is important to our spiritual maturity and to the overall work of the local New Testament church. God has called these leaders out to oversee, lead, feed, disciple, teach, care for, comfort, love walk along side with and shepherd his people that they may be free to be about the Father’s business.
During the next seven days, let join together and encourage one another to esteem the under-shepherd of God here at our local assembly in prayer..
Day 1 – Jeremiah 3:15 “And I will give you shepherds according to My heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.” Father, thank you for the pastor, the shepherd you’ve given us to feed us, guide and care for us. Give him the wisdom, energy and strength to do as you have called him.
Day 2 – Hebrews 13:17 “Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.” Father, remind us of our responsibility to subject ourselves to your authority by subjecting ourselves to his pastoral authority. You have assigned and called him for this work and we have been called and assigned to obey them.
Day 3 – Ephesians 4:11-12 “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ”. Father, thank you for the gifts that you have us, your body, your church. He is given to us to help mature and grow us up in you by teaching and equipping us as you desire.
Day 4 – Acts 20:24b “…so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.” How would you like for us to finish our own course, Lord? Help us to serve our calling in obedience to your will. As you had assigned Paul, you have assigned our Pastor and you have assigned us. Our calling and election is made sure (2 Peter 2:10) when we are deliberately and willfully all about our Father’s business.
Day 5 – I Timothy 3:4-5 “one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?) If a pastor cannot properly handle the affairs of his own house, he does not qualify to lead God’s people. Father, lead us to be a blessing to the Pastor of our local assembly and his wife and his family. Let us see them as his priority and move towards allowing him time with them by being in our individual places and roles of ministry and be found faithful. May we help by protecting and defending him and family against those busybodies, backbiters and lovers of evil communication by rebuking them showing the dangers of wrongfully accusing “God’s anointed” (Heb. 13:17b).
Day 6 – I Peter 5:2 “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”. Father, thank you for the word that you have given him to give to your people. Thanks for the clear teaching and understanding we have received from his hours of labor in the word. Thank you, Father, for feeding us through your servant who has been faithful, diligent and studious in knowing your word.
Day 7 –I Timothy 3:1 “This is a true saying, if a man desires the office of a bishop, he desires a good work“. Serving the Lord is a good work. Being about our Father’s business is a good work. Father, may we never forget or to remind our Pastor of the “good work” of caring for the flock. May we always seek to please you in our personal lives, finding excellent fellowship with our church family (Ps. 16:3, Ps. 84:10) and supporting the work of our Pastor.
Follow up your time in prayer with a time of service using the gifts and talents disbursed among you as the Lord has given. As the theme of “Team Berea” speaks, we are all endowed with individual gifts suited and fitted for our individual roles to fit within the body of Christ. May we find ourselves faithful, accountable and teachable (F-A-T).
