September 22, 2022
In the house of the righteous there is much treasure, but in the revenue of the wicked is trouble. Proverbs 15:6
As the Reformation marches on, more & more people are hearing the gospel message in its fullness. In addition, a counterbalance to the unprecedented apostasy in these last days is the fact of unprecedented access to the Bible. Praise God for faithful individuals who will check out for themselves the claims of the Creator upon their lives (Acts 17:11). And praise Him for our faithful pastors who study the whole of God’s Word and present the everlasting gospel (Revelation 14:6). Long before the advantages of modern technology, Paul was used of God to powerfully speak and write the full message of salvation in Jesus to the nations:
For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God. Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. Acts 20:28
Godly leadership is essential in the collective life of God’s people. This is by divine design, for He has made us social beings. There is no substitute for true fellowship within the community of faith. Biblical history records for us the details of individuals who chose to love and obey the Lord. Their obedience elevated them to positions of excellent leadership and have ushered blessings into the lives of countless people since—far beyond the imaginations of Noah, Abraham, Joseph, Moses, and all of the others.
Today there are church leaders motivated by thankfulness towards God and deep affection for His faithful shepherds in the past who “swam against the current” to align themselves with divine instructions. Clearly His Spirit strengthened and guided them. In every age and stage, faithful leadership has greater potential than we might imagine to affect lives for God’s kingdom and for His glory. Let us thank God for our pastors and lay leaders who live to honor God, making clear distinctions between right and wrong, holy and unholy, clean and unclean. Everyone is given free choice for themselves, but the influence of godly leadership is priceless beyond measure. In these last days, our enemy knows his time is close to the end (Revelation 12:12). Therefore, he is frenetically at work to mislead and deceive as many as will listen to his counterfeit messages. But the good news is that the pure gospel is being sounded out in sharp contrast to the errors.
And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come. Matthew 24:14