Some time ago a longtime pastor friend from another church was confiding in me about both the highs and lows of leading a congregation. Because of his genuine sadness over the lows, I joked with him that I was going to do a Bible study entitled How to Kill Your Pastor.
My friend, seeing the veiled humor in the concept, shared that thought with another fellow pastor, who quickly responded; “When can he come teach this at my church?”

Will a man rob God?
This is the question God’s messenger known as Malachi asked the remnant of Israel beginning around 425 B.C.
Malachi, whose name literally translates as “My Messenger” warned the Jewish priest and the people of Israel that God was not pleased with their halfhearted worship of Him. Malachi was the final writing prophet in the Old Testament and his message is appropriately placed last.

Fishing on the wrong side of the boat
John 21:6 KJV [6] And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.

Being a natural-born card-carrying smart aleck, I simply love one-liners, especially catchphrases. Catchphrases are the basis for most advertising and the purpose is to quickly grab our attention.
The best one-liners stick in people’s minds and when heard we will associate the phrase with a particular product, brand or even an idea. The end goal of branding is to create consumer loyalty to a particular product or concept.

The common theme of all the messages I have heard preached lately, all by different ministers, pertain to the need for REVIVAL!
I could caption some of the messages like this: “Cast the net on the right side of the ship” from the book of John, Chapter 21; “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me,” found in the book of Psalms Chapter 51.

“Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.” This statement is part of Paul’s closing instructions from his letter to the Churches in the region then known as Galatia.

I just want to take a moment to write down some random thoughts that come into my mind as I meditate upon Psalm 23. I have pasted the text below and will comment after each verse.
Psalm 23:1-6 KJV; A Psalm of David. David knew a lot about sheep and shepherding. In 2 Samuel 7, as David sits in his palace admiring its splendor, Nathan the prophet reminded David where God has brought him from. “Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel:”

A hero is a person, real or imaginary, noted for feats of courage or nobility of purpose—especially one who has risked or sacrificed his or her life.
Our need for a hero is so strong that in the absence of a real person we will invent fictional characters to satisfy our need to be rescued. Sometimes we will elevate a gifted athlete, actor or other famous personality to hero status irrespective of any actual heroic sacrifice, simply because we need a hero.

James 4:4 KJV
[4] Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
I really enjoyed writing the first two parts of this series on friends, but in all honesty, I have dreaded writing this last part. It is not my intention to offend or condemn anyone, but if the Word of God offends you, well, then take it up with Him. That being said, Jesus said many people would be offended because of the words he spoke and the things he did.

James 2:23 KJV
[23] And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
I can’t read James 2:23 without the simple lyrics of “I Am a Friend of God, by Israel Houghton and Michael Gungor, playing in my mind. It’s the kind of lyric that can get stuck on replay in your mind for hours. Which in this case is probably not a bad thing, especially if we associate it with the scriptures the lyrics are based upon.