Each congregation is to appoint mature men who are responsible for the spiritual well-being of the church (Acts 14:23). These men are good leaders of their own families, self-controlled, patient, holy, and strong in the Word (Titus 1:5-9). Their responsibilities include being examples to the flock (1 Pet. 5:2-3), watching and warning the flock (Acts 20:28-31), and keeping watch over souls (Heb. 13:17). In addition to these important roles, they are to serve because they want to not because they have to (1 Pet. 5:2).

Neal and I have served under elderships in three different works in our ministry. This has allowed us to see much of their work up close and personal, and I can tell you, theirs is a 24-7, often difficult, and sometimes thankless job. They receive criticism from people who don’t have all the facts. They are usually the first to receive blame when problems arise in the congregation. And many of their tasks are not for the faint of heart. No wonder Paul wrote that they are “worthy of double honor” (1 Tim. 5:17)!

“Respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord” (1 Thess. 5:12). This is truly an easy command. I know elders who literally stay up all night praying for individuals. I’ve seen elders drop everything at any hour to help someone in need or show up for a baptism. I know elders who give out of their own pockets when someone is struggling. I’ve seen elders shed tears when sharing difficult truths or helping members through tragedy. Far from feeling lofty or overly important, our humble shepherds put their hand to work that brings no glory or recognition. They truly care for souls. They love people. They take their job seriously. They strengthen others. They encourage the weak. They pray without ceasing (1 Thess. 5:14-17).

God organized the church this way for our benefit. His shepherds lead us to Him, patiently, lovingly, courageously. How can we encourage them back? Pray for them (and their wives!) every day. Encourage them as often as possible. Thank them for their diligence. Trust them when they make decisions we don’t understand. And ask them how we can help.

To adapt something my son, Dale, said…”They’re not perfect, but they’re perfect for the task God has called them to do!”

“Esteem them very highly in love because of their work.”

(1 Thess. 5:13)

By Kathy Pollard

When I was a little girl, we had a beautiful candy jar that had belonged to my grandmother. At Christmas, my mother would fill the jar with hard candy. I looked forward to being allowed to have a piece or two, of course, only with permission. One day I decided I would try to sneak a piece of candy without my mother’s knowledge, much less permission. When she went to the back of the house, I quietly went into the kitchen to the shelf where she kept the jar, quietly took off the lid, and got my piece of candy. Then I hid under the bed to eat it. A little later, I asked if I could have a piece of candy, but the answer was no. My mother explained that I had already had a piece. How did she know? She probably heard me replace the lid on the candy jar. The sound of glass lids being replaced is hard to hide. Maybe I just looked guilty. The point was that she knew, and I was convinced she knew everything I did, good or bad.

We sometimes forget that God knows everything we do. The Bible shows us clearly that He knows what we are doing, what we are thinking, and why we behave the way we do.

From the beginning of time, God proves that He knows all. In the Garden of Eden when Eve and then Adam ate of the forbidden fruit, God knew what they had done. They hid themselves, but they could not hide from their creator.

In Genesis 18, when the Lord and the two angels visited Abraham, they told Abraham that Sarah would have a son. Sarah laughed to herself (verse 12), and the Lord told Abraham that she had laughed. He knew, because He knows all things.

In First Samuel 15, God gave specific instructions to King Saul about the destruction of the Amalekites. He was told to completely destroy them, all of them. Saul, because of his greed and desire for power, took King Agag, the choice animals, and other spoils from the battle. God knew what Saul had done, and He sent Samuel, the prophet, to carry the message of his rejection as king.

In Second Samuel 11, David’s sin of adultery was witnessed by God. The Lord sent Nathan to confront David, and that which David thought was hidden was brought out into the open.

Jesus often surprised the Pharisees and Scribes with His knowledge of what they were thinking. We can read His challenge to them when He healed the palsied man in Luke 5:22-23, when He healed the man with the withered hand in Luke 6:8, when He was casting out demons in Luke 11:17, and when they tried to trick Him about paying taxes in Matthew 22:18. Each time, He knew exactly what they were thinking, and He let them know that He had full knowledge of their thoughts as well as their actions.

In Acts 5, Ananias and Sapphira tried to hide their true motives for contributing money from the sale of their property. Not only were their motives not right, but they lied about the amount of money they received from the sale. God knew the truth, and He equipped Peter with the knowledge of their lies. Both died.

David gives us a clear picture of how the Lord knew His heart. He says in Psalm 139, “O LORD, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether.”

David gave a charge to his son, Solomon, when it was confirmed that Solomon would be king in his place. “And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever” (Second Chronicles 28:9).

When the Lord foretold the restoration of Israel, He said, “For my eyes are on all their ways. They are not hidden from me, nor is their iniquity concealed from my eyes” (Jeremiah 16:17).

The Lord has always known our thoughts. He has always known our actions. He has always seen our secret behavior. Solomon says in Ecclesiastes 12:14, “For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.”

Sandra Oliver

Practical Applications of This Great Book.
1. Let brotherly love continue. (v. 1)
2. Forget not to entertain strangers. (v. 2)
3. Remember those in bonds. (v. 3)
4. Remember the suffering. (v. 3)
5. Be without covetousness. (v. 5)
6. Be content in life. (v. 5)
7. Remember your rulers. (v. 7)
8. Be not moved away from sound doctrine. (v. 9)
9. Follow Christ’s example. (v. 13)
10. Offer sacrifice of praise. (v. 15)
11. Forget not to do good. (v. 16)
12. Forget not to fellowship (communicate). (v. 16)
13. Obey and submit to your rulers. (v. 17)
14. Pray for your brethren. (v. 18)
15. Listen to the brief word of exhortation
(this letter to Hebrews). (v. 22).
16. Salute your rulers. (v. 24)
Conclusion: Christ is better than Moses. Grace is better than law.
The Point: Be faithful; don’t fall away; stay with Jesus; be in church regularly; and make disciples.

Matthew 8:8b and 10 – “But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. . .                            When Jesus heard this, He was amazed, and said to those following him, ‘Truly, I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith!’”                                                    

Mark 6:6 “He was amazed at their lack of faith.”

There is a popular t.v. show I watch where singers compete in blind auditions for a coveted spot on a superstar’s team. In my opinion, every competitor possesses incredible vocal talent, and I am always stunned when one of them is deemed unworthy of being chosen. But I suppose superstars are not easily impressed by the talents of others.

Since superstars are rarely wowed, have you ever wondered just how difficult it might be to impress the greatest legend of all time – Jesus? Remember, Jesus helped create the universe. Jesus is part of the majesty of God. Jesus lives in paradise. It would seem futile to attempt to “wow” the Savior. But scripture records Jesus the Christ, the King of the Universe, the Beloved Son of God was twice amazed!

So, just what amazed Jesus two times?

Scriptures records both involved FAITH!

Once, a Roman Centurion sought Jesus with a request to heal his paralyzed servant. This soldier believed with all his heart that only one word from the Christ would achieve the impossible and restore his servant’s health. Scripture says,

“When Jesus heard this, He was amazed, and said to those following him, ‘Truly, I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith!’” (Matthew 8:10)

The man’s unwavering, unprecedented “great” faith astonished Christ!

But Jesus was twice amazed, so what caused the second?

When Jesus returned to His hometown, to the people who should have loved Him deeply, they scoffed at His deity and were offended by His power. Sadly, scripture records Jesus “was amazed at their lack of faith” (Mark 6:6). What a tremendous hurt to the Savior this must have been from those He held dear.

Today if we seek to amaze Jesus, remember it is all about our faith! A heart filled with mountain-moving faith amazes our Savior. But so does a life void of praise and worship. So friend, make sure you bear witness to His great love and power. Live each day mightily knowing “With God, all things are possible.” And seize every opportunity to profess Jesus as Lord. Then, may our lives amaze Jesus, the greatest superstar of them all!

Father God, may we amaze you every day with our unwavering faith in who You were, who You are, and who You always will be.

Blessings of Faith,

Rita Cochrane

“Be constant in prayer” (Rom. 12:12). “Continue steadfastly in prayer” (Col. 4:2). “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17).

When you faithfully attend worship, you are continually led in prayer. When your family goes to Bible classes, you and your children are probably led in prayer. When ladies get together for Bible studies and ladies’ retreats, prayers are shared. When teens participate in their special events, they pray together. When someone makes a need known, the church prays on their behalf. The elders pray for your congregation and your congregation prays for your elders. When you meet for any kind of fellowship, you pray together. And, of course, you probably pray for others throughout the week, and others are praying for you.

Have you heard a prayer that left an impression on you? I think of a sterling gentleman in his 90s named Johnson Kell. You could almost feel the anticipation of the whole congregation as he slowly made his way to the pulpit. His prayers were tender and thoughtful, and often accompanied by tears. I think of Loretta Carver, who said something in a prayer during ladies’ Bible class that I’ll never forget. She said, “Lord, sometimes we draw away from You and forget how much You love us.” I actually lifted my head and looked across the room at her because I was so struck (and comforted) by the fact that someone as sweet and faithful as her struggled with that, too. These two individuals are no longer with us but their prayers still impact me.

There are so many reasons to be thankful for all of those prayers being offered up:

• Prayer is powerful and effective (James 5:16).
• It’s comforting to know that someone is “remembering me to the Lord,” as the old song goes (Eph. 6:18).
• Prayer strengthens us, individually and as a congregation (Rom. 8:26-27).
• Prayer draws us closer together (Rom. 15:5-6). Think of all the people you’ve heard pray…young, old, new Christian, or seasoned saint. When they prayed, you saw a glimpse into their heart.

Prayer is a beautiful gift from a loving Father to His children. I hope you soak them in when you’re with your church family, and carry them with you when you’re apart.

“You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.”

(2 Cor. 1:11)

By Kathy Pollard

by Cindy Colley.

In 1 Samuel 24, David had this amazing opportunity to kill his foe. Saul went into a cave to relieve himself. At the risk of being graphic, it looks as if, in doing this, that he was squatting or sitting. Afterward, he rose up. Before he did rise up, though, David, who was apparently already hiding in the cave, stealthily crept over and whacked off a piece of Saul’s clothing.

Here we have the morally faltering king of Israel, caught by the one He’s zealously trying to kill—caught quite literally with his pants down—and finding that he was utterly at the mercy of David for his life in that cave. It’s an incredible story for your family Bible time!

You remember the reason for David’s restraint. He told his men, who wanted him to complete the fatal task, “I will not put out my hand against my lord, for he is the Lord’s anointed.”

The Lord’s anointed. David, the one revered by the Pharisees (and all Jewry) even today, would not put his hand on Saul’s life because He was God’s anointed. Yet the Pharisees lived in the Judean world with the most highly favored, anointed One that God had ever chosen (Acts 10:38). Jesus was prophet, priest, and King of kings. He was God. And the Pharisees could not wait to get Him to the Roman cross. Had it not been for the Roman rule over them (and the prophecies to be fulfilled), they would have likely killed King Jesus long before Calvary. They killed the anointed One.

You and I can do it, too.

Hebrews 6:4-6:

For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt.

Have you once been enlightened about the Lord? Do you know His story? Have you tasted salvation? Have you known just how good the Word of the Lord is in your life? Did you once rest in knowing the power and sovereignty of the anointed One?

What happened? Have you remained loyal to the Anointed? Or have you walked away? If you have walked away, as scores that I know have done in recent years, you have “put out your hand against the Lord’s anointed.”

You have crucified Him afresh.

Cindy Colley

Christians are to be the light of the world and the salt of the earth and we should be anxious to let that light shine. There is a difference between shining your light and letting it shine. Jesus said let it so shine (Matt 5:16) and that should be a natural response to desire to share the message of Christ on a regular basis when possible. The apostle Paul said it this way, I am debtor to every creature …I am ready to preach the gospel …and I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. So…let us get tuned-up and revved up and go share the greatest story ever told.

Tonya Olivas