1 Thessalonians 2:6 (KJV) Misplaced Glory Weakens a Church

1 Thessalonians 2:6 (KJV)

Nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others, when we might have been burdensome, as the apostles of Christ.

 

I am reminded of something I read in one of Charles Spurgeon’s books. He wrote that depression is the lot of the preacher because God will not share His glory.  

 

In the case of our text, the Word of God claims that giving glory to the preacher is a burden to the church. The context, I believe, connects this with material support—the financial supply of the preacher. Paul labored with his hands so as not to be this kind of burden to the church.  Others claim that the glory implied is honor, applause, or authority. Albert Barnes suggests that all these meanings would be implied.  

 

A pastor does carry a certain degree of authority, and the pastor has a biblical right to financial support. But both of these ought to be given freely.[1] If they are expected or demanded, they become oppressive and draw attention (glory) away from God.  

 

• Truly, few things are as burdensome as a godless religious system but, 
• There is nothing so liberating as beholding the glory of God.

 

#GloryToGodAlone  #PreachersHumbleService  #BiblicalAuthority  #FreeWillGiving   #GodCenteredFaith  

Misplaced Glory Weakens a Church: Keys to Keeping Focus on God’s Glory

 

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[1] I am of the opinion that honor and applause ought to be given rarely, sparingly. The human ego is too drawn to them to get much of a diet of them. This, however, does not mean people should feel free to disparage or disrespect the preacher.

• Are you keeping the focus on God’s glory in your life and ministry?

• Intentionally shift the spotlight back to Him in your actions and conversations this week.

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To my readers:

Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

For this and, more than 6400 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

My books, and other resources, are available at:
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1 Thessalonians 2:6 (KJV) Misplaced Glory Weakens a Church

1 Thessalonians 1:9 (KJV) When Testimony Travels

1 Thessalonians 1:9 (KJV)

For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;

 

Witness the great cycle of Christian testimony: 

·       Everywhere Paul went, he would have told the believers about those in Thessalonica. 

It turned out he didn’t have to. 

·       The Thessalonians were so active in their witness for Christ that their testimony had spread abroad.  

·       In fact, everywhere Paul went, the believers were telling him about the Thessalonian believers.  

·       Paul had no one to tell, except to write back to those in Thessalonica and tell them about their own testimony.  

 

And here is their testimony: “ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God.”  

·       They had been idolaters, worshipping idols.  

·       They turned away from them to God. That’s repentance.  But 

·       They did more than turn to God. They turned to serve Him.  

 

It might be said that none have truly repented unless their repentance leads to service.  

 

#ChristianWitness  #TestimonyOfFaith  #TurnToGod  #RepentAndServe  #ThessalonianBelievers  

When Testimony Travels: How to Inspire Others with Your Faith

 

• How are you planning to make your testimony speak for itself this week?

• Think on your actions and see if they truly align with your words.

👉 Join our community in studying God’s Word and strengthening your faith.

To my readers:

Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

For this and, more than 6400 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

My books, and other resources, are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Join me at Daily Visits with God Podcast
https://marvinmckenzie.substack.com/

Merch at my Teespring store https://macz.creator-spring.com/
Be a witness with hats, mugs, t-shirts, sweat shirts, and more

Let’s have coffee?
The link to Ko-fi  is an opportunity to support this effort to reach a world of souls with the Word of God. I would appreciate any gift you can give. 

1 Thessalonians 1:9 (KJV) When Testimony Travels

Exodus 4:10 (KJV) Stop Looking for Perfection in People

Exodus 4:10 (KJV)

And Moses said unto the LORD, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.

 

God uses flawed people. That should not surprise us. We know all too well how flawed we are, yet we often forget.

 

(By way of illustration) It’s amazing how many Christians focus on Donald Trump’s flaws, as if expecting our leaders to be better than us. No one claims he is perfect—no one is. That’s not the standard we should be using. Kamala Harris is flawed too, but that’s not the issue. We shouldn’t be seeking someone who is without flaw; instead, we should ask whose record most closely aligns with Biblical truth. In that regard, Donald Trump stands out by a landslide.

 

Moses was flawed, so much so that the Lord became angry with him. But that didn’t stop God from using him. When Moses asked how the people would know God had appeared to him, the Lord gave him three signs:

 

His staff turned into a serpent. 

It wasn’t a harmless snake either—Moses fled from it. But when God told him to, Moses grabbed it by the tail, and it turned back into his staff. Obedience to God doesn’t mean we’re without fear; it means we fear the Lord more than anything else.

 

His hand turned leprous.

The Bible says there should be two or three witnesses. God told Moses that if the people didn’t believe the first sign, some would believe the second.

 

God gave a third sign. 

Moses didn’t see this one demonstrated. God simply told him what to do if the first two signs didn’t convince them. Sometimes, we need to stop asking God for constant demonstrations of His presence and simply trust what He says. It’s a wicked generation that demands proof beyond what God has already given. The Bible is true historically, scientifically, and naturally. Three-quarters of its prophecies have been fulfilled perfectly. Moreover, the resurrection of Christ is so well-documented that only blatant bias could cause someone to deny it.

 

·       Stop looking for perfect Christians.  

·       Stop demanding more proof from God.  

Start right now believing what He has already said and shown to be true.

 

 

#BiblicalTruth  #GodUsesFlawedPeople  #TrustGodsWord  #BelieveNotProve  #FaithOverFear  

Stop Looking for Perfection: Three Biblical Proofs We should Trust

 

• Are you letting flaws hold you back from fully trusting God?

• Focus on faith embrace what God has already revealed.

👉 Join our community in studying God’s Word and strengthening your faith.

To my readers:

Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

For this and, more than 6400 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

My books, and other resources, are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Join me at Daily Visits with God Podcast
https://marvinmckenzie.substack.com/

Merch at my Teespring store https://macz.creator-spring.com/
Be a witness with hats, mugs, t-shirts, sweat shirts, and more

Let’s have coffee?
The link to Ko-fi  is an opportunity to support this effort to reach a world of souls with the Word of God. I would appreciate any gift you can give. 

Exodus 4:10 (KJV) Stop Looking for Perfection in People

Colossians 4:8 (KJV) How to Build Strong Ministry Teams

Colossians 4:8 (KJV)

Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that he might know your estate, and comfort your hearts;

 

God’s employment of teams is a fascinating thing. Think of it. At first, Barnabas opened doors for Saul of Tarsus. When God initially called them into missionary work, it was “Barnabas and Saul.” But it didn’t take long before the dynamics of the team changed, and it became “Paul and Barnabas.” Paul and Barnabas disagreed about Mark’s involvement in the second missionary journey, leading them to split teams. From there, we see Paul utilizing a number of team members: Timothy, Titus, and in this case, Tychicus. The Bible says Paul “sent” Tychicus to Colosse.

 

His team members were obviously volunteers. Though the Bible indicates that Paul would work secular employment when necessary to provide for himself and his team members, it would be a stretch to call them his employees. Paul used terms like “fellowservants in the Lord.”

 

Paul sent Tychicus to Colosse for three purposes:

To tell them his estate[1]

That believers care for one another, knowing how they fare, seems fitting and appropriate. We are, after all, brothers in the Lord.

 

To learn of their estate

It is interesting that Paul didn’t say he sent Tychicus to report back to him about the estate of the believers in Colosse, but that Tychicus should himself know their estate. Paul sent Tychicus, but Tychicus was his equal. Tychicus had as much interest in their estate as Paul did.

 

To comfort their hearts  

This could be said to be the work of ministry. I think it can take on many forms: sometimes comforting words, sometimes doctrinal words, sometimes cheerful words, and at times even words of correction. Ultimately, the purpose of ministry is never to cause harm or injury but to bring comfort. The best comfort is that which brings us into reconciliation and peace with God.

 

#BiblicalTeamwork  #FellowservantsInChrist  #ComfortInTheGospel  #MinistryPurpose  #ChristianBrotherhood  

How to Build Strong Ministry Teams: Examples of Biblical Teamwork

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[1] Colossians 4:7 (KJV):  

All my state shall Tychicus declare unto you, who is a beloved brother, and a faithful minister and fellowservant in the Lord. 

 

• Are you actively supporting your fellow believers in their journey?
• Reach out to someone in need this week and offer encouragement or help to strengthen your fellowship.

👉 Join our community in studying God’s Word and strengthening your faith.

To my readers:

Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

For this and, more than 6400 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

My books, and other resources, are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Join me at Daily Visits with God Podcast
https://marvinmckenzie.substack.com/

Merch at my Teespring store https://macz.creator-spring.com/
Be a witness with hats, mugs, t-shirts, sweat shirts, and more

Let’s have coffee?
The link to Ko-fi  is an opportunity to support this effort to reach a world of souls with the Word of God. I would appreciate any gift you can give. 

Colossians 4:8 (KJV) How to Build Strong Ministry Teams

Colossians 3:9 (KJV) The High Calling

Colossians 3:9 (KJV)

Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;

 

In the body of my flesh, there are a few things the Bible teaches that I wish it didn’t. 

 

·  I wish, for instance, the Bible taught that when a person puts off the old man and his deeds, it would be impossible for him to lie.  

·   I wish the Bible taught that the things listed in verse 5 were supernaturally mortified: “fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry.”  

·   I wish the Bible taught that the things listed in verse 8 were put off automatically at the moment of salvation: “anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.”  

 

Conversely, I wish the Bible taught that, at the moment of salvation, when we have put on the new man, we would have also put on the things listed in verses 12-14: “bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering, forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, charity.”  

 

But that is not what the Bible teaches.  

 

The Bible teaches that when we put off the old man and put on the new man, we have only begun the work of undressing and dressing.  

·       We haven’t attained.  

·       We are not perfected.  

·       We still have a long way to go.  

Philippians 3:12-14 (KJV)  

Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.  

Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,  

I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."  

 

We take a lot of heat in this world—some of it of our own doing and some of it because of the misperceptions of others—because we’re so far from the mark. 

 

But this is no reason to get discouraged or quit.  

 

It just means we must keep pressing forward.

 

#SanctificationJourney  #PutOffTheOldMan  #PressTowardTheMark  #TransformationInChrist  #KeepPressingForward  

The High Calling: Three Steps to Spiritual Growth  

• Are there specific old habits you're working to overcome?
• How might you actively seek support from others in your growth?

👉 Join our community in studying God’s Word and strengthening your faith.

To my readers:

Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

For this and, more than 6400 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

My books, and other resources, are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Join me at Daily Visits with God Podcast
https://marvinmckenzie.substack.com/

Merch at my Teespring store https://macz.creator-spring.com/
Be a witness with hats, mugs, t-shirts, sweat shirts, and more

Let’s have coffee?
The link to Ko-fi  is an opportunity to support this effort to reach a world of souls with the Word of God. I would appreciate any gift you can give. 

Colossians 3:9 (KJV) The High Calling