Does Jesus care? OH YES, He cares!

I want to say first off that I know we have many faithful men of God working as pastors, deacons and elders in

our churches.  I am so thankful for them. 

Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
I Timothy 3:12

For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee: 

If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.

Titus 1:5 - 6

Do we believe this?  Is this a new testament concept that really matters?

Does Jesus even care about these qualifications? Oh Yes! He cares.

How far we are falling short of the glory of God. . .yes, how far we are falling short. . . 

deacons ruling well their own houses well. . .

sounds like God has some "homework" He wants completed

before he hands out diplomas or deacon-ships.

If I understand this right, the Lord doesn't even want you put in position to

take care of His people and their problems if you

can't be the head of your own home. . .if you can't raise

godly children who don't go around

causing problems for the church or grief for the community.

This morning in the church service I was thinking about judges.

Judges in the USA have changed over the years becoming

more and more liberal. . .just one little step at a time.

First they allow one rule of the Constitution to be broken

and then another and another until they no longer even

stand for what the writers of the document intended.

In the church we have judges too.

Some are placed in position by the Lord, others appointed by man.

Some are good solid law keepers. . .

Others are liberal and just let this little sin pass. . .

then that little sin isn't so bad either. . .and then, well you got the picture.

 "Judges" (ministers) in the church 

should be sure to qualify at home first. . .why?

people watch their children and see what kind of values

their children have. . .not just how they look at church but

how they live in their homes.

These judges are very important, because each time they

consider their "own ideas/thoughts" to be more

just than God's written Word. . . they allow sin to creep in.

By giving sin a "friendly" nod. . .they are destroying the Law.

Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.

Matthew 5:17

Little by little they are putting more value on sin

than on righteousness.

If we fail to love our own children enough to correct them,

our children will fail to believe God's Word is the bottom line

in truth.

I think these scriptures are saying,

If God can't trust us to raise our own children and keep our own house,

then I don't think He'll trust us to raise "His Family".

We might go ahead and try to lead but we won't be leading them out of sin.

It just seems like God really cares about our home life.

We really need to start searching our hearts.

If a church hasn't grown in years is it because

the pastor is raising the church just like he did his children?

Are all the successful churches pastored by someone

who is the husband of one wife, with children who

are following after the Lord?

Even a good man who loves the Lord can fail to train up a child in the way it should go. . .

but it seems like God puts a high value on how we are able to train them if we are to have a position of leadership..

I was thinking about this because in our homes the father is like the judge.

He makes the final decisions about what kids can and cannot do.

He knows what is harmful to his children. . .and he knows what should be allowed.

A good father wants his children to grow up to be strong men and women.

He wants them to be healthy.

He desires for them to have character qualities that will bear good fruit.

A father is willing to correct a child when a mother will feel sorry for it.

A father will allow a boy to try to jump off a fence when a mother will panic for his safety.

Fathers are very important if you want a balanced child.

A father will take the time to "show" a child how to climb a tree or ride a bike.

A really good father will invest quality time into his home and family.

A really good pastor will invest quality time in the church and the family.

He will make sure the table is never bare.

But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

1 Timothy 5:8

Anyway, just my thoughts. . .searching for truth to light up all the dark places in my life. 

I am thankful for my pastor.  krp

Here's a little clip of some of God's men just praising Him before service.