260 in 2012 DEVOS - Day 227 - 1 Peter 5: Ten Commands

Ok, so this is a cool chapter in which I find 10 commands. The first four commands are to leaders, the fifth to youth and the rest to everyone. Paul begins with an appeal and by putting himself on the same level as the other leaders in the church. Real leaders are those who serve alongside us not over us and real leaders keep their priorities in check! 1. BE Shepherds: (2a) The first & foremost responsibility of a pastor/shepherd is to care for his flock. This is an AWESOME responsibility! Too often today, the role of pastor is replaced by religious entrepreneurs with business plans. GOD wants shepherds! 2. BE Willing: (2b) God calls those who WANT to shepherd, not people who feel they “have” to. Don’t sign up for stuff at church just because no one else is. Sign up because you WANT to and God will bless you! 3. BE Eager to Serve: (2c) Ok, if you’re in ministry for the money, you’re an idiot! I’m a pastor (yes, youth pastors are REAL pastors) because I can’t do anything else! I don’t mean I’m unskilled to do anything else, what I mean is I can’t because deep down I know God wants me pastoring students and I’d be miserable doing anything else because it would be outside God’s will for me! 4. BE Examples: (3) No one likes to serve a boss who gives them all the cruddy jobs. Jesus never asked His disciples to do anything He had not already done or was about to do with them. The same should be true of shepherds/pastors. We are to serve alongside as examples. 5. BE Submissive: (5a) Pride keeps young people from listening to older and older from trying to understand the young. Period. 6. BE Humble: (5b-6) God’s mighty hand is big enough to trust our lives with! 7. BE Worry-Free: (7) We are to give God all our anxiety because we are His personal concern (Phillips translation). Then we can truly have “hakunna matatta”!~ 8. BE Self-Controlled: (8) God’s people are to exercise both restraint and discipline. “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age…” – Titus 2:11-12 9. BE Alert: (8) Throughout the Bible we are continually reminded to be ready, not caught off guard and to stand firm. The enemy Satan is constantly trying to catch us! 10. BE Intimate: (14) Ok, this doesn’t necessarily mean we’re to go around kissing everyone! It was a cultural sign of affection, intimacy & love for another. The Bible says unbelievers will know we are Christians by our LOVE for one another. This Love is what ought to attract people to Jesus! SO WHAT?! *As a pastor/shepherd, caring for students & families at Grace Chapel in Castle Rock is an enormous responsibility that I do not take lightly. It’s also one I need help doing. As a result, every student in our ministry is prayed for daily and is shepherded as well. I’m not the parent, but I will have to give an account to God some day for the students He put under my care, and I want to do that well. How about you? Who are you in charge of caring for? *I’m cool with sign up lists – every church has them. But you won’t get a guilt trip from me if you don’t sign up. Those who WANT to serve are so much more pleasant to work with. Maybe, if people don’t sign up for something, could it be that God is saying not to do it?!~! Novel thought huh?!~! *Finally, vs 7 was one of the first verses I memorized as a new believer. It has been such a comfort to know I can release all my “crud” to God and trust Him with it. I believe it has saved me many an ulcer! I encourage you to do the same right now! We ARE God’s personal concern!