"I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning." ~ Psalm 130:5-6
BOOST4PASTORS
PROVIDING ENCOURAGEMENT AND HOPE FOR SHEPHERDS OF GOD'S FLOCK
Monday, August 26, 2024
Don't be an Imitation!
Saturday, August 24, 2024
Lead Anyway...
"And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly." ~ Luke 22:61-62"He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep." ~ John 21:17
Thursday, August 22, 2024
The Sting of Criticism...
Monday, August 19, 2024
Selfless Compassion...
"I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it in the Holy Spirit— I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race..." ~ Romans 9:1-3
I attended an ordination service for a good friend some years ago. He was being ordained to the Gospel ministry with a focus on inner city mission work. His brother spoke of growing up near the city and making many visits as a family. One thing he remembered about my friend was the way he wept over the homeless and downtrodden of the city. To this day my friend has unceasing anguish in his heart for the city. He has selfless compassion.
Sincere ministry should be passionate. The passion comes from deep within and motivates us as Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:14, "For Christ’s love compels us..." In the above passage he is also moved by the lost condition of his brothers and he has a passion for their salvation. His passion is so strong that he is willing to be cut off from Christ for the sake of his brothers. He had selfless compassion.
"It is a fair rule of thumb that only that love of neighbor which can also draw people to Christ is truly a reflection of that love for God which is its source." ~ Jeremy C. Jackson
Love them like Jesus my pastor friend,
~ PJVS
Sunday, August 18, 2024
Sufficiency and Devotion ...
... The preacher, above everything else, must be devoted to God. The preacher’s relations to God are the insignia and credentials of his ministry. These must be clear, conclusive, unmistakable. No common, surface type of piety must be his. If he does not excel in grace, he does not excel at all. If he does not preach by life, character, conduct, he does not preach at all. If his piety be light, his preaching may be as soft and as sweet as music, as gifted as Apollo, yet its weight will be a feather’s weight, visionary, fleeting as the morning cloud or the early dew. Devotion to God—there is no substitute for this in the preacher’s character and conduct. Devotion to a Church, to opinions, to an organization, to orthodoxy—these are paltry, misleading, and vain when they become the source of inspiration, the animus of a call. God must be the mainspring of the preacher’s effort, the fountain and crown of all his toil. The name and honor of Jesus Christ, the advance of his cause, must be all in all. The preacher must have no inspiration but the name of Jesus Christ, no ambition but to have him glorified, no toil but for him. Then prayer will be a source of his illuminations, the means of perpetual advance, the gauge of his success. The perpetual aim, the only ambition, the preacher can cherish is to have God with him."
~ 2 Corinthians 3:4-6
May you know the the power of God as you Preach His Word,
~ PJVS
Saturday, August 17, 2024
Hope in God ...
Friday, August 16, 2024
No Scars?
"Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain."
~ 1 Corinthians 15:58 (ESV)
Don't be an Imitation!
"I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than w...
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"When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd." ~ Ma...
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Here are a weeks' worth of random thoughts I came across a few years ago. May they help to keep you strong as they have done for me ... ...
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"To this John replied, “A man can receive only what is given him from heaven. You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Chr...