Men, You Are The Pastor, Spiritual Leader

 Of your house. 

Ever wonder what it would be like to be a Pastor? A lot of people think about that from time to time. They come in and hear the message. Watch the Pastor as he teaches and strolls from side to side on the stage. They think I would not mind doing that. Or I bet I could do that. Let's dispel a few myths right off the bat. No. As a pastor, you do not work only one day a week. You can overwork yourself if you are not careful and that would do no one any good. Second, most Pastors HATE talking about money. They are not looking to get rich on your dime. They need your tithes and offerings to run the church. Third, you ARE the Pastor.

Wait, what? Yup. You ARE the Pastor Talking to the men here. As the man, you ARE the Pastor of your house. You are the, 

Spiritual Leader.
Husband and Guide.
Father and Teacher.

Look at God's plan for the family. Let's look all the way back at the very creation of Man.

"Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.” Genesis 2:18

God created woman and then in Genesis 2:24, God created marriage.

"Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh."

God created man, then woman, then marriage. All back in the beginning. Leaving aside the whole fall of man thing for a second, we see that family is the most important non-God related thing on earth. Then again, family is not actually supposed to be non-God related. A righteous living family is all about God. It is so important that it is the fifth Commandment and the first with promise.

"Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you." Exodus 20:12

Here is God's plan for the family. We are born, learn and grow, leave our father and mother, come together, and marry, becoming one. God's plan for us as the man, is that you are the spiritual leader, husband, and guide, to your wife, and father, and teacher to your children. You take care of your wife and children, leading your family and raising your children in the ways they should go.

However, this is one of those teachings that have been twisted, manipulated, and even forsaken, by some churches. It is also not necessarily politically correct. That doesn't change the fact that God has a very clear plan for our earthly family. In Ephesians 5:20-24

"Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands."

More on husbands and wives next time. The buck stops at you. You are IT! You must take up the role. God created you. You are the way you are because God said so. He gave you a wife. I do not know if you know this, but He gave you a wife. If you have not been blessed with a Godly wife yet? Then you have time to learn about your role. If you are married? She is a GIFT from God.

"She is far more precious than jewels." Proverbs 31:10

If you are blessed with children, THEY are a gift from God.

"Behold, children are a gift of the Lord, The fruit of the womb is a reward." Psalm 127:3

This is all for you. It is your responsibility to take care of the gifts God gave you. How do you do this? Be the Spiritual Leader you are called to be. It is your job;

 
Grow closer to God.
Learn His Will and ways.
Provide for and lead the way God leads you to.
Share your wisdom of God and His word with your family.
Always be prepared to BE the Father, Husband, Leader, of your House.
Always be ready and willing to go into battle for your family.

I do not have all the answers. Neither do you. But we do have access to all the answers. {Holding up the Bible} Right here. In your hand.

"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness," 2 Timothy 3:16

If you cannot find something you are looking for in the Word? Ask the one that WROTE the word. Ask "The Word." Ask Jesus.

"If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him." James 1:5

Jesus told us this.

"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened." Matthew 7:7-8

If you are truly seeking to lead your family, and you run into a stumbling block, a "grey area," or something you just flat out do not understand, take it to God. Here is a couple of tips for you. One, there is NO GREY AREA. Zero. Sin and good that was sin and good then are still sin and good today. Right and wrong are still right and wrong. If you see something, or your wife or children ask you something that does not line up with this {Holding the Bible up} it is against God and should be avoided.

You have to take the stand. You have to make tough choices. You have to lead by example. Let your wife see you pray, read the Word, seek advice from church leaders. Let your kids see this. Enact a Bible Study in your house where you can learn together. Pray together.

Love unconditionally. Forgive freely. Teach honestly. Lead by leading the way. Go forth before, and pave the way for your family to follow after. Lead by example and do not be a hypocrite. NEVER say "Do as I say and not as I do." Say "Watch me, and do likewise."

Here is another tip for you. Let your "Yes" be yes. Let your "No" be no. Never say to your family, "we are going to do this or that," then, not do it. Let your word be final and make sure that your family can trust what you say.

I have been blessed with a Godly wife and three, by my wife's birth, and many more, children in my life. I try to NEVER say something I am not one hundred percent sure I am going to do. I grew up with adults who would promise the moon and never even give me a pebble of sand. Tomorrow never came. Later was always that far away. I try to never do that with my family. Jesus even taught us this.

"Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil." Matthew 5:37

Stand up. Step up. Pray. Read. Lead them to the church God leads you to. BE the Pastor of your house. BE the Spiritual Leader you are called to be. God will bless you richly. There will be so much less confusion and chaos. Hurt and sadness. If you take your official, God-ordained role, He will be able to take His. You become the head of your house, and He will become the head of you. He will lead you if you lead them. Be the Spiritual Leader God is calling you to be.

In order to do that, of course, you have to be a child of God. Do you know Jesus as your Savior? Have you been adopted into the Family of God? If not, say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be. Say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us Pray.

"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus's sacrifice for me. I believed He rose from the dead. I repent my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!"

That's it. It really is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in your heart that God hath raised him from the dead, you shall be saved." Romans 10:9. You need to find a Church that God leads you to and be Baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A New Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him."Colossians 3:10

If you want to tell me, or comment, question, give testimonials, or just say "Hi," the Email is opntalk@gmail.com

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. 2 Corinthians 13

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Jesus is Lord!