Morning Devotional August 27, 2017

John 21:15-17

“15So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
16He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
17He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.”


Pastors, are you feeding the Lord's sheep today? Will you stand and proclaim the Word of God to the people our Lord has entrusted to your care? Will you remind the Lord's people of His commandments and the consequences of not following those commandments?
II Timothy 4:2 “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.”
Child of God, will you go where the truth is taught? Will you make the extra effort even when there is no true church in your town or area? Or will you give in to the ways of the world? Will you flock to the first building you see that has the word church in the name? Will you follow the entertainment crowd?
Church members, are you faithful with your attendance? What about your tithe and offering? Does your pastor know how much he is appreciated he is by the people God has given to his care? Or are you a backslider? A trouble maker in the church? Are you one who is constantly trying to undermine the pastor and elders because they preached on your pet sin?
Pastors have an awesome responsibility. They have been entrusted with the care of the Lord's local flock. Yet so many pastors never understand the full importance of their position and therefore never take their position seriously. While parishioners sit back and laugh and the mistakes they see in their pastor and ridicule him for the doctrines he teaches from God's Word that they disagree with.
We have a people today in the Lord's churches that prone to follow the lust of the world before they will follow the commandments of God. Many a pastor has been silenced from teaching the whole council of God because he is afraid of the people. Many a church member have over stepped their bonds and taken the leadership of the pastor and made it a mockery.
Many of the Lord's churches are entrenched with the world and have no desire to follow God. They follow the “IN” crowd. The crowd of spoiled brats that our forefathers warned about. Like the Israel and Judah in the book of Jeremiah, they have committed spiritual adultery with the religions of the world. They have bowed down to Baal during the week and on Sunday claim to come to worship the Lord. Is God hearing their prayers? Will He listen to a people who have left their first love?
O pastors, I encourage you to stand firm. Preach the Word in all boldness. When the people seem to not listen or refuse to hear, preach the Word of the Lord anyway!
O Christian, if you are not in a church that preaches the truth, leave now and find one that does! Flee all teachers of false doctrine. No church close by? How far are you willing to drive? Is driving a distance not an option? Pray the Lord makes a way.
O church members, support your pastor! Let him know how appreciative you are for him. If you have a disagreement with something he is teaching, go to him, but be ready to present scripture for what you believe is true. If you have no scripture maybe you should consider that he is right and you are wrong. Study these matters before you complain.


Praise ye the Lord!!!

Stephen McCool Sr.