Is the watchman at his post!

Habakkuk 2:1 “I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved.”

The prophet here says “I will stand upon my watch…”, the word “watch” means – an office to observe, keep, safeguard, and be in charge of – therefore the watchman of today would be the pastor. The Pastor of a church is the “under-Sheppard” and the “overseer” of the Lords churches and therefore he is the one that Jesus Christ the Head of the Churches has appointed to watch-care over His beloved church. Some today fail to understand what the work of a Pastor is, they believe it is just to preach but it goes much deeper than that, for example the sheppard of a flock of sheep keeps watch over them that no harm comes to them and while the Sheppard (Jesus Christ) does exactly that it is the job of the under-sheppard to tend to them. This is a very important appointment and should not be taken to lightly as some today do.

This is a work that requires the cooperation of us all, which is the entire church. If we properly understand the bible it is a tool that teaches us, reproofs us - which means it keeps us from errors and heresies, it corrects us - that is it teaches us what sin is and tells us to refrain from it, and it instructs in righteousness. When your Pastor “snoops” around or asks questions about your life it is not that he is entering an area where it is none of his business it is that there may be something in your life that needs a little correcting. If church members will not allow their under-sheppard do his work which the Lord has appointed him then the Sheppard Himself will tend to you. Each and ever church member is obligated to Lord Jesus Christ first, and secondly the Lords church to keep from error and if not then the Lord will deal with you and also the church will deal with you. It is not that the Pastor or the church enjoys discipline but all must understand that Baptist churches are not open churches that will allow just anyone being a member. The entire membership has an obligation to the Lord and His church to live good lives. A good church member love and works with their Pastor and not against them.

The good “watchman” stands in the tower and keeps his flock under-guard from sin. The Lord told the church “A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.” Galatians 5:9 and therefore it is the Pastor that has the duty to tend to these issues. It is he that teaches, prays, and watches over the Lords flock and if we fail as pastors then the church may very well fail and Jesus Christ will hold us pastors responsible. However with that being said if a church fails to allow the pastor to do his job and she fails then they will be held responsible. Church members must understand that God works through His pastors and therefore their opinions should be taken very seriously by the church. He is your leader and your over-seer and if a church fails to take his opinion seriously then they are failing to obey God. While it is true that the pastor is not the lord over the church he is a Christ appointed man to lead and watch over the church. Church members that love their pastors and works with their pastors will see a sweet communion between the Head (Jesus Christ) and the church.

God’s Greatness Is Unimaginable!

“O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! (34.) For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? (35.) Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? (36) For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.” Romans 11:33 – 36

The Psalmist said “Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.” Psalms 40:5 Both Paul and the Psalmist remind us just how great and wonderful Jehovah God truly is to us-ward. Paul said “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God…” The two words “depth of the riches” describes to us just how deep and wide the wisdom and knowledge of God truly are. So many today belittle God, every time they preach they belittle God. The most asinine statement I have personally heard is “God can’t change your will, only you can do it”. But the scriptures describe salvation different, the scriptures declare that it is man who cannot change his own will, and God must change it. Paul declared in 2 Corinthians 4:4 “In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” If Satan has the lost blinded then it is Satan that must be defeated and over powered in order that the blinders are removed. We cannot remove the blinders and defeat Satan on our own; therefore there must be a greater power to save the lost. Paul said in 2 Corinthians 4:6 “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” The word “commanded” means - to speak or grant – meaning it is God who commanded that the blinders of Satan be removed. It reminds us of creation, God said let there be light and there was light. There was no light without God commanding it just as there is no salvation unless God gives it. Even though people believe they have power over themselves, but in reality man has no power over himself, and therefore he cannot and will not choose good over evil. Jesus said in John 3:19 “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” Men love darkness more than good because it is who they are, and a dog cannot change himself into a cat. Only God can change a dog into a cat and only God can change a man that loves evil to love good.

This is why the greatness of God is unimaginable, because God saves sinners. The eleventh chapter of Romans deals with the return of Israel to where God wanted them in the first place, carrying the word of God. This is the reason Paul was so enthused in our text scripture, God has promised the return of his beloved Israel, and God was going to bring it about. Israel will never return on their own, but God can and will return them to His work. Words cannot be uttered to describe the greatness of God, because it is beyond measure. This is why people when attempting to figure out how God accomplished a miracle they cannot, because it is beyond our understanding in the flesh. “…his ways past finding out!” The only thing we know and understand is “For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.” Everything is to His glory, everything should praise Him in the end. If something praises us it was done in vain. Man must understand, it simple is not about us but rather all about God. It is “of Him, through Him, and to Him” and what you will hear in most pulpits today simply do not meet these standards. God is sovereign and those that believe in a sovereign God give all glory to God for all things, not simply in words but in action. And beloved, this is why, The Greatness Is Unimaginable!