FARMVILLE PASTORING

I've never liked video games so much. When I was little I had a videogame of ten sets of stick and square figures on the TV set. It was a beep beep,  and soon it became uninteresting. Or was I too small to like it? Oh how many mornings I preferred the company of Lewis' Edward, Lucy Susan and Edmund. I lived their adventures many times. I also enjoyed learning about strong character traits in Di Amici's while reading Heart - A student diary. Later, A wrinkle in time by Madeleine L'Engle made me laugh, while Harper Lee made me cry in To kill a mockingbird. I enjoyed reading about character. I enjoyed grooming and watching my own character traits being shaped. Growing barefoot on the grass, I spent my time learning from books, keeping pets, drawing, doing my chores, and actually being blessed to learn from the company of my family. The weather in Jaú, where the earth is purple, or in the farm in Bocaina, where the people talk funny, or even in the young Brasilia, which has the widest skyline in the world, and widened my horizon as I grew from small to a less small. So, the adolescence in the States - ah, how I loved the Bend Terrace, at 301 Bent Road, often called the Greenwood Estate. Always playing, always happy. Always accompanied by animals and pets.

As a pastor, many years later, fully grown, and yet not fully mature, I learned to play a social media game - which had a version of me living on a fictional farm. He had to click on the screen to plant seeds, harvest the crops and build houses and sheds. Ah! I had gifts to send to friends. And cows to milk, and goats to brush, and pigs to look for truffles ... And I had so many friends in that vile farm ... I can even bet there's someone reading this article that was my farm friend ... It was fun, but it took a lot of time. I already lived in the Refúgio, which is rural property and at that time I even began to neglect my work on the farm.

One morning, on the real farm, Marcia woke me with terrible news that in the night our dogs attacked the sheep, wounded a few, and killed the most. What happened was that our neighbor's dog (the children called him Crú- Portuguese for RAW) broke free and chased our sheep and taught our German shepherds to "hunt and mutilate the flock." Some of the wounded sheep were so torn that they did not survive all day. The few who remained unharmed were so frightened that they could not even stay close to our place. So what do video games, books, and pets have in common? They are all great activities that can take our time and even teach a little wisdom. Go there...

In the last years of my ministry, being sent to the mission field in Japan, I have learned some very real lessons.  How to care for my flock and to prepare their hearts, there are two verses that are central to the shepherd's heart in order to relieve the pain inflicted on all of us by the neighbor's dog as he breaks our fences and even teaches our own shepherds to hurt the sheep.

These verses are from Jesus, and from the great and first shepherd, Peter. Every shepherd carries these words in his heart.

I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. But the mercenary, and that which is not a shepherd, of whom the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep, and flees; and the wolf snatches them and scatters the sheep. Now the mercenary fleeth, because he is a hireling, and careth not for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and I know my sheep, and of them I am known. "John 10: 11-14

Feed the flock of God, which is among you, taking care of him, not by force, but willingly; nor out of greedy greed, but out of spirit; Not as having dominion over the inheritance of God, but as an example to the flock. And when the High Shepherd appears, you will attain to the incorruptible crown of glory. 1 Peter 5.2-4.

SHEPHERDS HAVE
PASSION FOR THEIR FLOCK - "I am the good shepherd ..." Like the heroes in my books, who love what they do, being a shepherd means loving the sheep. The simple fact is: to serve faithfully and to love the church.

Pastors care about you! You are in your mind and in your heart day and night. A true shepherd understands what Paul said: "In addition to outward things, the care of all churches oppresses me every day." 2 Corinthians 11.28.

You are important not only because of what you do in ministry, but because of who you are. You value them because they see you through the eyes of Jesus. True shepherds are not the servants of whom Jesus spoke, "When he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and flees ... The man flees because he is an employee and does not care for the sheep." John 10: 12-13. They love it a lot to do this.

SHEPHERDS WANT SO
MUCH MORE FOR YOU - A pastor waits, prays and works because he believes he is the best for you. They get hurt when those they love make the wrong decisions and face the consequences that can accompany them for years. They hurt because many have an informational understanding, but not an understanding of the heart of the scriptures. People know the contents of the Bible, the stories and the main teachings, and they can quote the scriptures. But they are often like the priest and the Levite in the story of the good Samaritan. They were the most highly trained religious people in their day, but they left the man dead. They have lost the purpose of living.

A good shepherd wants you to experience a life transformation, not just to become religious. They yearn for the Word of God to transform their lives. They want Romans 12: 1-2 to become alive in you. They want that: "... present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your understanding, that you may prove what is the good, acceptable, and perfect will of God. "

SHEPHERDS LIKE
BEING THEMSELVES - A shepherd's life is almost like an aquarium. As the old song says, "We're just two lost souls
Swimming in a fish bowl. Year after year. Running over the same old ground" Unfortunately, there are well-meaning people in the same aquarium who think they know what's best for them. They have an attitude that betrays the thought that it is a mission to break, mold or tame the spirit of shepherds. There were people in the churches where I pastored, claiming to have the ministry of breaking the pastor. To this day, it seems that some sheep think so.

Instead, give them the gift of freedom to be themselves, to talk in a funny way, to have a bald head or not, a big fat old belly or a ripped body, and whether he is tall or short, he is the shepherd whom God gave him. Each pastor has a unique personality and a set of talents. If it is biblical and God-fearing, it may be a little less like what you have in mind for a pastor.

Never forget that your pastor is not what you want him to be. He will never be the shepherd of the internet. He will not be the shepherd on the other side of the fence. He is the one that God created, and if you allow him, he will feed you, bring you water, protect you and take care of your wounds. This is a great gift that will bring great dividends. This is material from very productive ministries.

SHEPHERDS WANT
PROTECTION FOR THEMSELVES 
AND THEIR FAMILIES - Pastors may say that there is a huge difference between the feeling of the person firing the weapon and the one being shot. They can because most of them have already been shot. Imagine telling a person all that bad you see in her being while in front of his wife and children. Yes, until today this has been happening in several places. It happened to me last week. Be careful that you are not the critic on duty.

When I started my first chicken coop about twenty-five years ago, I learned a little about chickens. If one of them has a wound, the others will peck at the wound until the chicken turns to chick-a-fillet  (the expression of the field indicating the death of the chicken) and the chicken is ready for the pot. You could say that the one who killed her was the last to peck at the wound. The reality is that all who pecked had a share in their death. The sad fact is that pastors leave churches and ministries because they were pecked to death.

If you have problems with your pastor (and this can happen), go personally to him, with kindness, humility and love. Do not take your problems to others. I often hear pastors say, "I wish they would know that I am human. I get hurt, I get discouraged and I do not have all the answers. " Above all, give them the benefit of the doubt. 1 Timothy 5:19 says, "Do not accept an accusation against the priest, but with two or three witnesses." Be a shelter for them and your family. Do not give space to the enemy!

SHEPHERDS ARE IN NEED
OF ENCOURAGEMENT - At Refugio, every time my dogs bark, I go out to check what is happening. As my watchdogs rush back and forth to warn me of any disturbance, I always stroke their necks, as if to say, "Thank you, friend, your warning means the world to me," even if seemingly useless barking becomes a nuisance . I'd rather be bothered by my shepherds twenty times in a single night, than having the thief, the invader, or even the neighbor's dog doing what and whom I love.

Encouragement is one of the greatest gifts you can give a pastor. Prayer, encouragement, and acts of kindness mean more than you will ever know. When criticism comes, do not be quiet, but speak in the name of the pastor. Defend your pastor! High doses of encouragement counteract the incessant flight that comes to those who shepherd. Today, on my mission in Japan, I feel very encouraged when I receive this from several people. Our church's administrative board usually says to me, just as I tell my dogs, "Thank you, pastor" (I'm crying when I write, so I'm going to put a joke here) If they scratch my neck, I think I might as well wag a tail a little bit! (Oh Boy!)

Pastoral ministry is a complicated and difficult profession. Pastors are expected to be well-informed about scripture, leadership, conflict management, psychology and sociology, accounting, project design and construction, counseling, current events, history, politics, ethics and technology, medicine (seriously, people ask for medical advice); can be overwhelming. Your words of encouragement will help your pastor feel that you are making a difference to the kingdom.

There is no real way of describing the ministry. It is demanding. It's 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Many try to rest on Monday, but they simply can not! It involves things that can't be shared. Most pastors will not go around and say what they all did this week because it seems so selfish.

Let me share what a friend in the ministry faced during a normal ministry week. He said, "I made a funeral for a man I did not know, but I herd his family. I preached on Sunday. That takes everything from me. I had several meetings (one was not well, so I was tense all day). When I got to the office on Tuesday, someone was waiting to talk to me. They told me everything that was wrong in the church. I felt drained. Later that day, I had a counseling session with a woman whose marriage is not going well. Wednesday I discovered that a church leader had a moral failure. It's my daughter's birthday and I have to find a way to file it. "

Then he went on to share how he loved his people. Do you think this pastor could use some encouragement? Make sure your pastor takes a vacation, has time to recharge and has learning opportunities. These things not only encourage, they also benefit you.

There is a Brazilian saying that motherhood is like dying in paradise. This is also true in the sacred ministry. Pastoral ministry is a kind of sweet agony. We love and hate sometimes. However, for those who are called, there is no escape. It's not a video game; it is not a favorite pastime of a child mind. What we pastors do in the ministry is the orientation to life and death. There are friends to share our spiritual gifts and they are not virtual avatars. They are people with bodies and hearts. 

They are sheep that suffer at the hands of the enemy. Sheep that in a single night are broken and murdered to the crooked and the right. They are the treasures to be sought in heaven, not in man made of cybernetic clouds. For there is where we have to keep our minds. We are obliged to follow the call of the Good Shepherd. We feel like Jeremiah 20: 9: "... but it was in my heart like a burning fire, shut up in my bones; and I am weary of suffering, and I can not do it. "And to those who are guided in the Word of God, this same Word says in Hebrews 13.7,17" Remember your shepherds who spoke to you the word of God, of which he imitates, looking at his way of life. Obey your shepherds, and submit yourselves to them; because they watch over your souls, as those who will give account of them; that they may do it with joy and not with grief, because it would not be helpful to you. "

THE SHEPHERD PLAYING
FARMVILLE - "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but, wishing to tickle their ears, they will accumulate teachers according to their own desires, and turn their ears from the truth, and they will turn aside to myths" (2 Timothy 4: 3-4).

Scratching the ear is very profitable and popular. If you doubt it, wait outside a typical church on a Sunday morning and listen. "I like the way he preaches." "He makes me feel good." "I do not like what I hear." "I'm not sure what it is about that preacher, but I do not like him." carapuça. "" I felt that was sent to me! "I like it, I do not like it, I feel it, I do not feel it.

What I want in a church. What we're looking for. Why do we think about leaving?

And so on, ad infinitum. People want what they want. And with the availability of churches of all stripes and colors - varieties of sizes, architecture, programs, music, preaching, doctrine - no one needs to stay where they are unhappy. So they keep moving. With enough time and practice, such as a computer click, we want to see our own CHURCHVILLE thrive by following our recipes, relating well to friends. While I did this, my real sheep suffered and were mutilated.

In a classroom, the children wrote an essay about summer vacation. Johnny was giving a dorn hard time to do well on it. The final essay came out like this: "Although my holidays were so much fun - on the beach, going to the movies, playing ball and spending time with my family and my cousins on the farm - I could not wait to go back to the learning rooms. I missed my amazing school, my wonderful books and my excellent teacher. I'm very happy to be back. "He handed it to her, then stood there while the teacher read. She says, "A-PLUS!" To which Johnny responds, "Thank you, ma'am." When he leaves the room, he turns to his little friend and says, "As the years come and go, we learn to do what he sells." (Oh Boy)

And so pastors continue to study "what people want in a church." And lay leadership continues to ask the congregation, "What do you want in a pastor?" Click here for a pastor more like that on the internet!

Many pastors have discovered what they sell and have decided to offer a constant menu to their congregations. This is driven by many things: personal ambition, job security, attracting crowds, increasing budget, being noticed and admired.

The flesh longs for what it wants. The Gospel of Scratching Ears says that shepherds should speak beautiful words, never rock the boat, and choose only the doctrines with which the hearers agree. Or better yet, completely avoid doctrine and stick to topics that will surely draw a crowd. "How to be a winner in a losing world." "How to overcome your low self-esteem." "How to be popular and still please God." "How to romance your spouse." "How to have perfect children."

A SHEPHERD'S  MESSAGE
IS SOMETIMES SO NASTY - In his last warning to the church - specifically to the young pastor Timothy, but through him to us - Paul suggests that sound doctrine can be unpleasant to the ears. The truth of God preached by a faithful disciple of the Lord Jesus does many things ...

"It rebukes our egocentrism.
"It holds us to a higher standard."
"It's like surgery or medicine, because in the short term it can be painful, but the result is health.

That is why only courageous leaders should be chosen by the churches. They understand these things and are willing to pay the price. Others are not. Do you know when you say something in confidence and the preacher goes and reveals to everyone what was said in secrecy? Horrible, right! There is a difference between what one should treated in the pulpit and what one should suffer in secrecy. Dr. Jorge M. Johnson, PhD in Homiletics, taught in the classroom:

Knowing firsthand failures in the financial, professional, and family hopes of your sheep. Knowing the pains and afflictions of those entrusted to you is the factors that will help you know how to preach. This will help you choose the right texts and the right emphases in explaining these texts. It is rather too,  make a public treatment of what you have been told in private. NEVER mentioning names and giving no indication of who it is, but treating from the altar of the pulpit that wound that seems to have no cure. This is what makes preaching a ministry, not simply an exercise.

No one likes to listen to their particularities spoken of in the pulpit ... It is not to tell the story of others, nor to give examples, but to apply the measure of the Bible to the specific wound ... TO TREAT does not mean to speak or expose, or to wash dirty laundry in public ... It's not reporting someone's actions. TO TREAT means to biblically diagnose a disease. It is to apply remedy and recommendations coming from diligent studies and honoring the Word of God. It is to be the innkeeper on the road to Jericho.

"Master," the disciples said, "are you aware that the Pharisees were offended by what you said?" (Matthew 15) "Leave them alone," said the Lord.

BOLD LEADERS
WANTED - Needless to say, pastors and other ministers must be men of courage. But in the same way, lay leaders, elders, deacons must be people of strength and steadfastness.

-These leaders will encourage the pastor to preach the truth, even if it hurts.

"These leaders will support the pastor when he preaches the truth without a veneer and is receiving criticism. They should remind God's people that "no correction for the present time seems pleasing ... but then produces the peaceful fruit of righteousness" (Hebrews 12: 11).

-These leaders will tell members of the congregation that they are causing conflict over what the pastor is preaching. If the man of God is telling the truth and being faithful, the lay leadership must have the courage to be with him.

"These leaders will even allow some unhappy members of the church to leave when they can not get what they want." They will not blame the pastor for driving them away. Anyone who does a quick reading of the Gospels will see our Lord let people leave him because they could not accept his truth. And he did not blame himself or question the message he was preaching.

The Lord God has given me great honor in allowing me to speak to the lives of my congregation in Japan in the last four years. I am grateful for the privilege I have of serving Jesus Christ with them. I am praying that we may have great days ahead as we march in difficult times.

Accept these words, which I shared with my heart as I prepare the flock to meet the GOOD SHEPHERD, Jesus Christ the Lord. Pray for your leaders, my friend. And stand by them, especially when they are criticized. If they are faithful then be faithful too.

CAUTION, CHURCH AHEAD!

Twenty years ago (December 1998), Márcia and I made our way to the most wonderful honeymoon we've ever had (our only one). We were traveling from Brasilia to Porto Seguro, in Bahia, Brazil. On the way, through dangerous hills and steep curves, as we ventured into the sea, we had our first experience of fear together in the Atlantic rain forest; When the high road turned into low roads, between screams and scares, we laughed at the signs and posts we saw on the way. The first one was normal: "Watch out, danger ahead". Okay, this post is known, it was okay, I supposed. But they kept appearing on the road, something to be taken more seriously (and laughable at the same time).
The next signs warned: "Defects on the track" and "Driver, do not be deceived, this road is very dangerous." - And then: "Attention - Wet Tracks– Use headlights and keep your distance." The laughter started, and I was already worried about the signs of accidents already etched on the bumpy asphalt. "Holes on the road - The next one: "Check the brakes for God's sake!" And one that made us think a bit more ... "Animals on the way - idiots on the wheel - REALLY”. - Worse than that! "For safe passage: only if you are sure that another car isn’t coming" and even more an insult: " Do not drive like an animal, the critters thank you!" and also "For God's sake - Do not run, do not kill, do not die! "If you drink, go to sleep, don’t go driving." If you did not appeal to God, some Bahiano must have suggested the next post, which read: "THE DEVIL TEMPTS - THE KNIFE COMES: When driving in the rain, please do not invent" - - And finally: "Respect the signs, you are the ones to get there".

Those signs really were there. I do not know if they were part of any campaign to steer drivers in a safer direction or if the traffic engineer had the feeling of making those warnings very frank. In fact, I eased my foot off the pedal and paid close attention to the signs and what they alerted me to. We arrived safely to our destination, and we lived to tell this story about the way there, twenty years later (and we lived happily ever after…).

Twenty years as an ordained minister of the Word and the Sacraments, I sometimes think I should have signs for the ministry that they say CAUTION, CHURCH AHEAD!, that is the reason for the title of this article. The title of this essay may seem rather unusual. After all, we would assume that the church was a safe place, right? However, unfortunately, the church has been at times a place where many have experienced wounds instead of healing. In fact, statistics show that a large percentage of people who stop attending church do so because of some kind of offense or prejudice to the accidental feelings that happened there. Sometimes this is because of the insensitivity of the church; other times, people are to blame for being too sensitive or, for some spiritual handicap, susceptible to misunderstanding.

In any case, it is sad that such experiences occur because the church is an indispensable part of the believer's life. Not only does it provide a place to worship, serve, and learn about God, but it is also a community where believers can practice love toward their brethren, as the Bible requires; "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin" (1 John 1. 7)

Whatever you do, don’t give up on the church. That, being engaged to Christ, it is the only agency of the heavens on earth. God requires you to be faithful to Him and be accountable to your spiritual leaders. (See Hebrews 10.25, 13.17). On the trip to our honeymoon, giving up was never an option. Márcia and I were sure that our first time together would be worth every fright or obstacle. If you were injured in the church, you shouldn’t run away - but equip yourself with the protection of the Word of God. You may not be able to prevent offensive things from happening, but by applying the principles of God you can prevent them from hurting you. "(Psalm 119. 165) There is much peace in those who love your law, and there is no stumbling block to them. Just as Márcia and I read the warnings on the way to our honeymoon, there are warning signs that Christians should read as they enter the local, visible church, which is the vehicle the elect must follow on the only way, truth and life, that is Christ: and no man comes unto the Father, but by him: (Jesus said unto him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no man comes unto the Father, but by me.

Perhaps if someone read the following signs of warnings and ordinances along the way, he could experience true happiness and fulfillment of God's promises.

"Defects on the track"
The definition of disappointment is "failure to meet a person's expectations". Do not expect things from the church or pastor that they cannot keep, or the Bible does not teach. Many expectations have to do with preconceived "traditions" that we come to be associated with a church, perhaps another fellowship that we attend or grow, etc. It is a good idea to meet the pastor and ask what you can expect from your ministry and church. You cannot expect the safety of an interstate or a federal highway confined on a small side road.

Avoid developing unrealistic expectations of the church- "O my soul, wait only on God, for my hope is from him." (Psalm 62. 5)

Occasionally, people are disappointed when they discover that their church cannot meet all their earthly needs. Most pastors and churches try to help people in every possible way - especially those in need during crises and emergencies. But some people expect the church to meet all of their material needs or pay their bills as the early church did. Unfortunately, this is simply not possible unless all agree to sell all their property and possessions and deliver them to the church as the first believers (Acts 4. 34-35). Most churches would be blessed if everyone simply gave their tithes. However, statistics show that only a small percentage of churchgoers give full tithe regularly.

Nor is it realistic to expect the pastor to spend all his time with you, to participate in all social functions or to show him constant attention. Instead, learn to put your expectations in God - He will always be faithful to His promises in His Word, and will never disappoint you.

"Driver, do not be deceived, this road is very dangerous"
Realizing that any human being can fail, the degree of trust we place on people should be limited and will depend on their background. "Thus said the Lord, Cursed be the man that trusts in man, and makes flesh his arm, and turns away his heart from the Lord." (Jeremiah 17. 5) Often we look at the first part of this verse, and forget the we must not put our trust in people, And yet, we can not fail to trust in God. One of the things we trust in the Lord is that he surrounds us with people who are transformed by his Spirit, the more we know the character of a person and the history of his behavior, we can determine how reliable he is. This is one of the reasons the Scriptures tell us to meet our pastors and spiritual leaders - so from their godly lifestyle we can rely on their leadership. " And we beseech you, brethren, to acknowledge them that labor among you, and who stand before you in the Lord, and admonish you "(1 Thessalonians 5.12)

Don't place your absolute trust on people - Wake up to the fact that everyone is human and will fail you at some time or another. Even the pastor will make mistakes. The only one on whom you can rely entirely, without fail, is God.

There is a difference between "love" and "trust." It is possible to love and forgive someone without placing an absolute trust in them. To illustrate this, let's say there is a school bus driver with drinking issues. One day, while carrying a load of children, he becomes intoxicated, destroys the bus, and kills them all. As the sole survivor of the accident, he turns to the church to seek God's forgiveness for this horrible act of irresponsibility. If he repents of his sin, will God forgive him? Absolutely. Should the church love and forgive this person? Of course! What if he volunteered to drive the church bus for us? Do we trust him? No way! It would be unthinkable to put a person in the driver's seat who has shown recent negligence. We certainly love him and forgive him, but because of this man's weak history, we cannot risk the lives of our passengers. During a long period of sobriety and safe driving, this person can prove that he is again trustworthy. Especially, if the road is so difficult, dangerous and tortuous, like the road to the honeymoon.

Remember that love and forgiveness are granted unconditionally, but trust must be "won". Trust is gained in the actions of a person. Surely we can and should trust people who demonstrate a trustworthy behavior, but as all men have the potential to fail, we should never place an infallible sense of trust in anyone except God.

"Attention - Wet Tracks - Use Headlights and Keep your Distance"
The Bible teaches that all Christians must "speak the same thing" so that there is unity in the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 1.10). The only possibility of such a union is when Christians focus on the common ground that is Christ and His Word. That is, we need to "say what the Word says", let the Word speak for itself and not try to promote diverse opinions about it (the track is wet, raise the headlights!). In the scriptures we see that Paul instructed Timothy to "preach the Word," not his opinions (2 Timothy 4. 2). A preacher must be a deliverer of God's message, not a commentator. This is the work of the Holy Spirit (1 John 2.27).

In the past, news media were obliged to abide by a very strict code of ethics. They should report the facts of the news accurately, without adding their opinion or comment. However, over time, the story has become less factual and more opinionated - corrupted by rumors and gossip, rather than real information. Reporters have evolved into commentators, who manipulate what people think about the news. Like reporters, preachers need to fix the facts on what the Bible says, and what Scripture demands.

Concentrate on the common ground- "But I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye should all speak the same thing, and that there be no dissension among you; but be united in one mind and in one mind. "(1 Corinthians 1.10)

Avoid becoming highly opinionated. Opinions are the interpretations and ideas of men, which, if pressed constantly on other people, can cause division or promote debates and sinful disputes (Romans 1.29). People with opinions tend to get hurt when others disagree with them.

Of course, every believer has his own convictions about many things, but if you continually try to push your thoughts down the throat, the conflict will eventually arise. Avoid controversy over passages that may seem vague and encourage many interpretations - Remember, Bible interprets the Bible. We have a free examination of the scriptures, but neither the church nor the shepherds (much less the Pope) nor anyone else has the right to say, "As I see it." This bravado should be a warning sign to keep the distance from who says it. Stand firm in those common basic truths - Jesus, his life, death and resurrection - and do not add to what the Word of God says. "The whole Word of God is pure; a shield is for those who trust in him. Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you and be found a liar. "(Proverbs 30. 5-6)

"Holes in the road – FOR REAL"
It is noteworthy to consider that the apostle Paul openly confessed that he was not perfect. Like us, he experienced struggles in his flesh to do the right things. If one of the leading writers and apostles of the early church admitted this, it should not seem too strange if we find other brothers and sisters in the church struggling with imperfections as well.

Since churches are made up of people like you and me who have imperfections, there will never be a perfect church (that's why we call it a militant Church, not a Triumphant Church). Unless people understand this, they will have an unrealistic view of the church and will eventually become disillusioned and hurt.

Do not expect any church to be perfect - "For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, there dwells no good thing: and the will is in me, but I can not do good. I want, but the evil that I do not want this I do. "(Romans 7.18, 19)

One of the church's ministry jobs is to help perfect the saints - as a spiritual hospital where people go to improve. Instead of resenting people in the church for their failures, be thankful that you are trying to grow in Christ to improve. Not just learning HOW to love, but learning to love and accept people for who they are - they are no more perfect than you.

As it has been said of beauty, imperfection is in the eyes of the beholder. A person with a negative attitude can find fault wherever he wants. In contrast, the person with a positive outlook can always find good and beauty in things. The well-adjusted person in the church should look for good and encouraging things, as the Bible teaches (Philippians 4.8). Those who live on the negative or continually encounter failures in the church will end up hurting themselves.

"Check the Brakes For God's sake!"
Have a humble and gentle attitude like Christ (Matthew 11.29, Romans 12. 3). Besides being unpleasant, pride and arrogance will prepare you for a fall (Proverbs 16.18). Do not promote yourself, campaign or strive to get a nominated or elected position. God is the one who puts people in such positions, and, unless he does, stay away from that competition. Lift up the Lord in everything he says and speaks. Do not gossip or talk about yourself. "He who speaks of himself seeks his own glory; but he that seeks the glory of him that sent him, the same is true, and in him is no unrighteousness. "(John 7.18)

Do not seek to promote yourself or your own agenda - "Do not lift up your haughty brow or speak with a stiff neck. For from the east, and from the west, and from the wilderness, there is no exaltation. (Psalm 75.5,6)

Avoid the trap of assuming that your opinions are always divinely inspired or undisputed. Share your suggestions and ideas with church leaders, but do not press your opinions or personal agenda. Sometimes people feel that all their ideas come from God. They may try to add force to their suggestions or complaints by saying "God told me so." In fact, God speaks to his children, but you will not be the sole source by which God reveals Himself in a matter. If your opinions really come from God, the Bible says others will testify to this, especially their pastors and leaders (2 Corinthians 13.1, 1 Corinthians 14.29). (You will not even have to call on God's name - they can tell you if your ideas came from him.) Be careful, so you will not find yourself using his name falsely, a very dangerous thing - Exodus 20. 7). Ministers and pastors are representatives in an orderly chain of command, and if they want to bring something to a church, they will testify with those responsible.

"Animals on the track - Idiots on the steering wheel – FOR REAL"
When you go to church, you should try to disassociate it from the other personal problems you deal with. Most hurt feelings in a church result from wounds and sensibilities that people carry with them. This kind of emotional distress can create "distorted perceptions" that may prevent you from seeing reality in the same way as others. Things such as low self-esteem, child abuse, marital problems, personal grievances, family conflicts, a root of bitterness, health problems, or job dissatisfaction can distort your interpretation of words and actions. You may imagine that people do not like you (paranoia) or misinterpret well-meaning words as if they were an offense.

Avoid blaming the church for personal problems- "Thou shalt keep in peace him whose mind is steadfast in thee; because he trusts in you. "(Isaiah 26.3)

Trivial problems will seem like big problems. The guilt for unhappiness can be transferred to the church, its leaders or specific people. You can attack others or be quick to find fault in the church. Remember this: do not jump to conclusions about anything, because things are usually not as bad as they seem.

"For safe passage: only if you are sure that another car isn’t coming"
Many injuries can be avoided if we realize that people often respond to how we treat them. Take a close look at the way you say things, or even how much you talk. "For out of much concern do dreams come, and the voice of the foolish of the multitude of words." (Ecclesiastes 5: 3). Do not be rude and impolite. Check your attitude so you're not arrogant and overbearing - people will be turned off and will try to avoid you. There are people who say: I'm just honest! "So I answer," Be honest, but do not be uneducated "

Treat others as you wish to be treated - "Therefore whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, do to them also, for this is the law and the prophets." (Matthew 7.12)

Humans tend to be "reciprocal" creatures. That is, they reflect the way they are treated. That's why Jesus gave us the golden rule: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." The way most people interact with you is a direct result of how you interact with them. If you have a frown on your face, you will not get many smiles. If you offer sympathy, it will usually be offered back (Proverbs 18.24). Be gracious, encouraging and a blessing to others. If you have a negative and critical attitude towards people, it will tend to be critical of you. "Judge not, and ye shall not be judged; do not condemn and you will not be condemned; let loose, and they will let you go. "(Luke 6.37)

"Do not drive like an animal, the critters thank you!"
The lack of proper respect for authority is a common problem nowadays. People do not want to hear about what to do or be corrected if they are wrong. This is one of the reasons why the modern church is producing so many immature believers. When some people hear something they do not like, or are corrected in some way, they just pack up and go to another church, or they jump from church to church until they find one that says things they like to hear. "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but in their ears they will heap up to themselves teachers according to their own lusts "(2 Timothy 4. 3)

Have a receptive and cooperative attitude - "Obey your shepherds and submit yourselves to them; because they watch over your souls, as those who will give account of them; that they may do it with joy and not with groaning, because it would not profit you "(Hebrews 13.17).

The Bible teaches believers to be cooperative and submissive to their spiritual leaders - something that is not possible, unless the believer is committed to a church and accountable to a local pastor. The responsibility to a godly pastor is part of God's order for the spiritual growth of every Christian. The Word of God gives the pastor authority to organize and maintain church order, and to teach the truth of God, to correct and discipline as necessary to keep his flock accountable to biblical principles. In Paul's encouragement to the ministers, he declared: "That you preach the word, urge in season and out of season, reprehend, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. (2Timothy 4.2). (See also 2Timothy 3.16, Titus 2.15, 1Timothy 5.20.)

As long as you are part of any particular church, you must accept that the pastor and leaders are in charge. Regardless of how disqualified you may think them to be, God recognizes them as the authority in that body and will hold you accountable for that burden. Consequently, God burdens you for respecting their authority, praying for them, and cooperating - not being rebellious and disobedient.

Be always cooperative, willing to humiliate yourself. If you have a rigid and inflexible attitude in the church, you will probably get hurt.

"For God's sake, do not run, do not kill and do not die!"
Do not speak evil of anyone! Once, when Paul was punished for preaching the gospel, he unknowingly condemned Ananias, the high priest, who had commanded the apostle to receive the scourges. However, when Paul realized who he was, he apologized for speaking against Ananias, knowing that it is forbidden to speak against the representative of God - despite the fact that Paul's treatment for Ananias was wrong (Acts 23.5). It is a serious matter to "touch" the anointed ones of God - be it with our words or our actions. Although today we no longer have the figure of the anointed as the priestly figure, for the HIGH PRIEST has received the title of the anointed. The Old Testament principle of respect for leaders remains in force. Imperfect as they may be, they are their representatives. "He did not allow anyone to do them wrong; Yea, he rebuked the kings for their sake, saying, "He did not allow anyone to oppress them, and rebuked kings for their sake, saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do not afflict my prophets" (Psalm 105.14,15) and still "They came out of us, but they were not of us; for if they were of us they would be with us; but this is to make it manifest that they are not all of us. And ye have the anointing of the Holy One, and ye know all things. I did not write to you because you did not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie comes from the truth. "(1John 2. 19-21)

Do not oppose or hinder the church - "These six things the Lord hates, and the seventh his soul abhors: Haughty eyes, lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, Heart that makes perverse thoughts, feet that rush to run to evil, the false witness who utters lies, and he who sows strife among brothers. "(Proverbs 6. 16-19)

One of the things that God least likes is one who sows discord, those that create division and conflict in the body of Christ. Do not be gossipy, itchy or quarrelsome. If you are dissatisfied with the church in any way, offer your help to make improvements, pray for it or, as a last resort, find another church that you are most happy with - but never become a source of unrest or hindrance.

If a minister did something wrong in any way, do not incriminate yourself by responding in an anti-biblical way - do not attack, retaliate with rumors against him, or run behind him. You should go and confront him in private, according to the scriptural form described in Matthew 18. 15-17. If the first and second attempts do not bring a solution, bring the matter to the spiritual body, such as the church board, council, session, presbytery or denominational superintendents to which he answers - any correction or discipline should be left to them. Keep in mind that an accusation against a minister is a serious matter and will not be accepted unless other witnesses can prove the matter. (1Timothy 5.19).

When things are not as they should be in the church or with their leadership, there are honorable ways to help promote improvements or resolve iniquities. However, it is unethical to oppose the church or to attack its leadership, and the people who do will probably end up hurt, bitter or possibly worse.

"If you drink, go to sleep, don’t go driving"
When someone offends you, Jesus says that you must first go to him or her and confront him privately. Most offenses in the church result from misunderstandings, and many could be quickly resolved if the offended parties went to the source and found out the facts. Unfortunately, some offended people only absorb the offense silently, as they become bitter and resentful. It is important, and a matter of obedience to his Word, that such matters be confronted, so that (1) you do not become bitter and withdraw from the church, (2) that the offender is blamed and does not repeat their offenses, which could harm the faith of others, and (3) that the perpetrator of sin could be reconciled to God. If they do not cooperate with your first private effort, you should try a second time, taking witnesses with you. Finally, if it does not succeed, turn it over to the leadership of the church.

Be committed to frankness and truth - "If your brother sins against you, go, and rebuke him between you and him alone; if I have heard thee, thou hast gained thy brother; But if he does not hear you, take with you one or two, so that through the mouth of two or three witnesses the whole word may be confirmed. And if you do not listen to them, tell the church; and if he does not listen to the church, consider him a Gentile and a tax collector. (Matthew 18. 15-17)

You should never take one side of a story and accept it as fact without checking it with the other party. There are always two sides to a story. The scriptures address this same problem, that before we believe a rumor, we must investigate carefully, to verify all the facts. "... Then you must ask, seek and question earnestly ... whether it is really true and certain that such an abomination has been committed among you..." (Deuteronomy 13.14).

No doubt it is not possible to have a relationship with a group of people without any misunderstandings and occasional offenses. And unless you commit to confront these issues in the manner described by Jesus, you will be injured in the church.

Be dedicated to love and forgiveness - "He that loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no scandal." (1John 2.10)

Christians will avoid many problems if they only commit to unconditional love for their brothers. The practice of loving the brothers - all the brothers, not just the kind - prevents us from stumbling. Never forget that Jesus rejoices in prayers for our brethren in Christ. Do not accuse your brother of being a stumbling block. Just do not stumble into it! When we love even the "least" of our brethren, Jesus accepts this love for himself (Matthew 25.40). You cannot love the Lord more than you love the least of the little ones in the body of Christ. "If anyone says, I love God and hate his brother, he is a liar; for he that loves not whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?"(1John 4.20)

Be quick to forgive and not hold a grudge. Lack of forgiveness and bitterness is one of the biggest reasons people get hurt in church and probably the biggest cause of apostasy. Remember that unforgiveness is one of your greatest enemies. If you refuse to forgive, it will result in God not forgiving your sins and means that you have never been chosen by God! "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, your Father will not forgive your trespasses. "(Matthew 6.14-15)

" THE DEVIL TEMPTS - THE KNIFE COMES: When driving in the rain, please do not invent "
One of the great characteristics of the body of Christ is to take care of the burdens and sufferings of the other. However, as we seek to comfort and encourage friends who have been offended, we may be tempted to take their offense against another person. In solidarity, we tend to take their part against the pastor, the church, or whomever one blames as the offense. This is very foolish and unscriptural thing to do, considering that your friend may be the cause of your own offense. Your hurt feelings may be due to a misunderstanding, a difference of opinion, your own rebellious attitude, emotional instability - or it can be childish and immature. There are always two sides to a story, do not develop an opinion based on just one side or without all the facts.

Do not let yourself be enveloped by the offenses of others - "Lord, who shall dwell in thy tabernacle, which shall dwell in thy Holy Mountain, who walks honestly, and does righteousness, and speaks truth in his heart., nor do evil with his tongue to his neighbor, nor accepts any reproach against his neighbor "(Psalms 15.1-3)

Sometimes offended people seek the sympathy of naive listeners. It is true what is said that pain loves solidarity! They will defend your case by shedding your bloody heart of injustice. Their purpose is to seek out people who will help them, support their opinion and defend their offense against the other party. You should love and encourage a friend with hurt feelings, but reserve your opinion for yourself and bring your concern to God in prayer. Avoid taking sides to not be a participant in the sins of other men, or you also take offense and hurt the church.

“Respect the signs, you are the ones to get there".
Feelings of personal focus of a sermon may occur if people are (1) under conviction on a specific subject, (2) especially self-conscious, (3) under emotional distress, (4) if they spend a lot of time counseling with the pastor, or (5) whether he has already corrected them or hurt their feelings in any way. Have in mind; from the pulpit, a preacher does not focus his attention on only one person. His concern is with the wide range of people present.

Do not personalize everything that is preached - Obviously, every pastor preaches in the hope that everyone will take the message personally and apply it to his or her own lives. "If the shoe fits, wear it." However, there are always some who think the minister is pointing out his sermon specifically for them. This is a common misunderstanding, which causes people to get hurt.

Occasionally, people think the pastor focuses on them, just as they focus on him. When a pastor stands in front of a congregation week after week, he develops a sense of intimate friendship with his listeners - they get to know the personal details of his life, his family, and other characteristics. However, even if the shepherd knows every person in his flock, it is not really possible for him to focus on each one with the same detail. It's easy for dozens of people to know you well, but it's not realistic that he knows dozens of people in the same way. Consequently, some develop the illusion that the pastor focuses on them when he preaches - that he remembers his personal details in the same way that they remember the pastor's details. But the pastor has many other people to consider. He holds counseling sessions with dozens of people, hears dozens of problems and similar details. He is not likely to separate someone and preach to them as he tries to minister to the whole congregation. If there is something specific that the pastor needs to say only to you, he will personally deliver it in private - not in subtle hints of his sermon. This is also true of what he writes. It's not about you, but it's all about you! Again, if the she fits, wear it! 

Moreover, it is the work of the Holy Spirit to customize the Word of God for us, so that we may examine ourselves and seek our own hearts. When the Lord is dealing with us in His Word, it may seem that the pastor is speaking directly to us. Sometimes the Holy Spirit can even guide the preacher to unconsciously say things that may belong to us. The best attitude to have is to listen to each message objectively. In every Bible sermon, God has something to say to all of us. Be open to whatever the Lord says, willing to accept your correction or guidance. Defensiveness is usually a sign of resistance to conviction.

My prayer is for these principles to help you and encourage you in your relationship with the church. If you have been injured or simply walked away, I ask you to find the grace of God to forgive those who may have hurt you and return to the fellowship of God's people. As challenging as it sometimes seems, the church is Christ's plan for his people, and that's where he will develop and mature you into a fully equipped disciple of his kingdom.

HOW TO CRITICIZE AND ACCEPT CRITICISM - (CHECK YOUR OWN AND BE GODLY WHILE POINTING OUT OTHER PEOPLE’S HALITOSIS.)

Have you ever noticed that when a friend or someone close to you has bad breath and you try to offer him a mint or some candy, they never accept it? I think this is because we are never very self conscious or want to avoid an embarrassing situation.

We all go through things like the uncomfortable feeling that our breath is not so fresh. Millions of dollars are spent by many people each year on mouthwash, mints, and other devices to protect colleagues, friends, and family from an offensive breath of a jaguar (as it is said in Brazil).

Keeping the breath fresh, however, does not always depend on a trip to the personal care sector of the local store. It may require radical treatment, even a surgical intervention! Whatever the cause of halitosis, the first step is to be prepared to discover your problem before it becomes a problem for another person. As disturbing as it may be, a friendly warning should be well accepted, coming or going.

This is also true of giving and receiving criticism. Recently a great friend noted that the worst defect in someone is one that the person himself does not perceive. Andre is right. My answer was that the solution would be to develop friendships that would enable friends to inform us about our faults and, us, theirs. Always the truth in love.

When I first arrived in Japan, someone from my congregation pointed out several flaws in both my preaching and myself. The funny thing was that the man had the worst breath in the parish! Instead of retaliating or trying to defend myself as I would in the flesh, I submitted to the Word. I looked at the old Japanese man and said, "If what you say is true, would you mind praying for me?"

Before we are harsh in judging our modern scribes and Pharisees, let us pause and look at our own legalism. Many of us Christians today go to church to find fault, gossip and critique. Warren Wiersbe, in his book Angry People, wrote:

An incident in the life of Joseph Parker, the great British preacher, illustrates this tragic truth. He was preaching at the Temple of the City in London. After the service, one of the listeners approached him and said: Dr. Parker, you made a grammatical error in your sermon. He then proceeded to point the error to the pastor, Joseph Parker looked at the man and said, "And what else did you get out of the message?" What an appropriate rebuke!

Last year while traveling abroad, I preached to a different cultural audience from mine, and I learned something new. I thought I was doing very well, but I was alerted to something I was not seeing. At the end of a Sunday morning service, a gentleman came to me, and said, "Reverend, I really enjoyed seeing your excitement and your Bible knowledge is really remarkable!" With that said, he handed me his business card with a note on the back: "You will lose the attention of the locals if you continue to shout and change your voice during preaching!" I was so angry! He burst my bubble! There I was, thinking I had rocked, and someone's telling me I'm wrong! (Oh Boy!) So I turned the card to see who he was, and on the other side was his name, the logo of a famous multinational company, and his position as Communication Specialist. Then I stopped and thought: this guy knows the subject; he applied the PPM on me! Something I had studied many years before, also long forgotten. PPM (Plus-Plus-Minus) is a technique for discussing or criticizing ideas. The basic rule: You must declare two positive points before declaring a negative point. This counteracts negativity, forcing the listener to focus first on the positive side of an idea. This practice is used in group dynamics. PPM encourages timid people to come up with ideas without fear of a barrage of criticism.

One of the rarest of management skills, and the most difficult to learn, is how to criticize constructively. Constructive criticism shows consideration for other people's feelings, invites suggestions, and attracts cooperation. When one can not find out how to criticize something constructively, the wiser thing to do is to keep one's mouth shut until one formulates a thought that exalts and edifies the criticized. Here's how Paul began the letter to Philemon: "All the good things that are in you, in Christ Jesus."

The criticism that begins by attacking and putting people in the position of having to defend themselves often transforms small problems into major offenses. Usually, the best way to start is with simple, friendly questions, questions that will give people the opportunity to explain their position without being offended and unaffected. Then, after listening carefully, suggest the changes you would like them to make; whatever they may be; and see what they think.

Do not require an immediate decision if it is not necessary, or if there is still substantial disagreement. Ask them to think about it. Tell them that you will also think about it. Later, if you still believe in the changes you want to make, join them again. Explain that you have thought carefully and still believe the idea is worth trying. Tell them that you have an obligation to give them a fair shot, and you are counting on them to do the same.

Another important point; when we have to criticize or question someone's actions or ideas, let's always look at his or her face. Discussing affectionately with the person involved produces bonds of tenderness. Talking openly to those we criticize is more honest and elegant than talking behind their back. Do not let him or her hear your secondhand criticism.

Do not write or say anything you do not subscribe to below. If you get a negative and anonymous rating, ignore it! If they are not willing to sign your name, it is not worth reading. Do not give importance to anonymity. Anonymity is immoral. A pastor received anonymous note with nothing but the word "FOOL!" written on it. The next morning he entered the church and said, "I've received many scraps without signatures before, but this is the first time I have one where someone forgot to write the note and only signed his name!"

For many of us, just hearing that someone said negative things about what we said or did can trigger acute emotional distress. It is as if the accusation, no matter what the merit, immediately penetrated our defenses, causing substantial damage to our self-esteem, that is, our vanity.

When we respond to criticism in a biblically correct way, we will no longer need to be victimized. We can experience firsthand one of the great promises God gives us in Scripture:

Every tool that is prepared against thee shall not prosper, and every tongue that shall rise up against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn; this is the inheritance of the servants of the Lord, and his righteousness which is from me, saith the Lord. (Isaiah 54.17)

Accepting criticism

Criticism is always difficult to accept, but if we receive it with humility and desire to develop our character, we can obtain the profit of piety. How not to accept the peppermint balloon? Only a fool does not profit when he is reprimanded for his mistakes.

When criticized, we should ask ourselves if the criticism contains any truth. If the answer is yes, we should learn from criticism, even if it does not have the right motivation and right spirit. Here are four suggestions:

(1) Listen to your friends - Face the matter immediately, and take it to God, asking him to remove all resentment or desire from criticizing. What's more, let him teach you the lessons you need.

(2) Check Your Breath - Remember that we are all great sinners and that the one who criticized us does not even know the beginning of our problems.

(3) Take the mint - If you have made a mistake or committed a sin, humiliate yourself and honestly confess to God and anyone you have hurt.

(4) Wash your mouth - Create a daily habit of willingness by learning again that you are not infallible and that you need the grace and wisdom of God every moment of the day to continue on the right path.

When we are criticized, let us accept what is true and act accordingly, making us stronger people.

Now as to him that is sick in the faith, receive him, not in strife with doubts. For one believes that one can eat everything, and another who is weak eats vegetables. He who eats does not despise what he does not eat; and he that eateth not, let him not judge what he eateth; because God received him for his sake. Who are you, who judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls. But he will be steadfast, for God is able to sign him. Romans 14. 1-4

When your critic's nose is completely wrong ...

Recently, a friend confided a "case." (And here I tell the world with the commitment to show the miracle but no, not the saint.) After a visit to the bathroom, when he bent to lift his pants, his tie and badge were accidentally dipped in the toilet before flushing, thus soiling his badge and tie without him noticing. Do not ask me how. As he continued through the day, he made several accusations about the breath or body odor of other people, only to then realize that the stench coming from himself. Sometimes people criticize and make comments as a way to deal with their own faults and shortcomings. Sometimes people comment and campaign for critical remarks, just out of sheer evil in their hearts.

The prophet Nehemiah was doing an effective job of rebuilding the destroyed walls of Jerusalem. His determined team was on schedule to complete the task in less time than expected. He had enthusiastic support from the vast majority of his people. However, Nehemiah was also the target of vicious criticism.

Two local residents, Sambalat and Tobiah, despised the Jews and mocked the wall. "Even a fox could knock him down," they said. When Nehemiah refused to intimidate or be distracted by this ridicule, Sambalat and Tobias expressed a dissatisfaction in his letter, and called for a meeting to discuss his objections.

Nehemiah's response was classic. He basically said, "I'm doing an important job and I do not have time to hear your complaints." This was not arrogant-it was clever. It was not irreverent - it was the wisest use of his time.

In my time as pastor, I had to learn to deal with criticism. In my younger years, any disagreement would bring me down. Friends and family spent considerable energy caring for my wounded ego. But eventually, experience and Scripture helped me deal with criticism more effectively.

Perhaps some younger Christian leaders can benefit from some of the lessons I've learned.

All effective leaders are criticized. If you are at the front line of the battle, you will probably be hit. It's that simple. We are involved in an intensified spiritual warfare and the enemy becomes increasingly malicious and stingy. One gets the impression that if the world only proves that Christians are false, they will feel justified in their unbelief.

If you dare to speak the truth of God or try to lead the people of God, you will be attacked and labeled as zealous, hypocritical, or foolish. Be safe! Hang on cowboy, for the bull is tough! Or as my brother would say, "Stiff upper lip, Danny, be British! Oswald Sanders, in his classic book Spiritual Leadership, suggests that maturity is moving from thin skin and hard heart to a soft heart and hard skin.

Consider the source. Is it a small, mean person who's complaining or someone you respect? If it comes from someone you have in high regard, evaluate carefully. Perhaps the Lord is using them to point out a blind spot in your life or work. However, if criticism comes from a Sambalat or Tobias of insignificant mind, then it is not worth the time and effort to answer it.

Evaluate the objection. If the review has any validity, receive it gracefully and make the necessary adjustment. If it does not, ignore it and move on.

If during a dream, you are going to the bathroom, wake up! That is a trap! It's the same trap, responding to petty criticism. The critic is too angry to hear reason. They just want to vent. It is a waste of time to respond to grossly false criticism, and generally gives more validity to objection than it deserves. And the one who gets dirty when you wake up is you!

Keep your focus on the ultimate goal. Do not murmur and grumble about critics. This takes your mind off your primary responsibility. Do not let Satan distract you from what needs to be done.

Our task is to please Christ, not men. His is the only opinion that matters. People are so fickle. The same people who criticize you today may be singing your praises tomorrow.

Find a way to get it out of your mind. If I can not get a criticism out of my mind and it is affecting my mood or distracting me, I write exactly what I would like to say without any concern to be kind.

However, I do not immediately send this communication unattended. I wait a day or two and never finish sending it in its original form - and rarely mailing it.

But, venting my feelings in a letter, I took them out of my head and entered the computer screen. So it's easier to forget and focus on the task at hand again.

Get bolder. The temptation is to become timid and completely avoid controversy. That's what the enemy wants! But Jesus warned: "Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words shall be ashamed of the Son of man, when he shall come in his glory, and in that of the Father and of the holy angels" (Luke 9.26)

Do not let the intimidating tactics of the enemy intimidate you. Speak the truth in love, but speak the truth. King David exhorted, "Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he redeemed from the hand of the enemy" (Psalm 107. 2)

First-century Christians were threatened with prison and death if they continued to speak about the resurrected Jesus in public. They did not back down or become more cautious. They prayed: "Now therefore, O Lord, look upon their threats, and grant unto thy servants that they speak with all boldness thy word; While you stretch out your hand to heal, and to do signs and wonders for the name of your holy Son Jesus. And when he had prayed, the place where they were gathered was moved; and all were filled with the Holy Spirit, and boldly proclaimed the word of God "(Acts 4.29, 31).

Give thanks to God for the persecution. Jesus exhorted us when persecuted to "Blessed are ye, when they revile and persecute you, and tell you all the evil against you for my sake. Rejoice and rejoice, for great is your reward in heaven; for so persecuted the prophets which were before you. "(Matthew 5. 11-12) When we can praise God and be thankful for all the criticisms, we know that we are growing in spiritual maturity and following in the footsteps of prophets like Nehemiah.

When criticism comes in the form of accusations of something you've done in the past, remember something that my dad says when he gets criticized. "Both God and Satan reminded me of my past sins, your criticism, is the third time I hear about my mistakes, what side does your criticism come from?"

On a walk with a group of Boy Scouts, we learned to deal with the critiques in life, the misgivings of the stingy and the challenges of the great and mighty as we sang a marching song that said:

Coconut break, coconut break,
on the slope of the mountain,
Boy Scout,  you break your coconut,
and then go back to work.

Believe me if you will
what on top of that hill
has three meters of sausage,
running after a dog.

Coconut break, coconut break,
on the slope of the mountain,
Boy Scout, you break your coconut,
and then go back to work.

I went down the Sugar Loaf hill, 
seized on a string,
I risked my life,
but I saved the Scout Girl.

For you to talk to me,
Wash your mouth with coconut
For your mouth is smelling
something like a vulture's gut

Coconut break, coconut break,
on the slope of the mountain,
Boy Scout, you break your coconut,
and then go back to work.

Let them criticize, at first we break the coconut, but then, we go back to work.

DCG

The Truth about Supermen and Super Christians

If Superman and Mighty Mouse got into a fight, who would win? The boys asked this in the hit movie Stand By Me, by Rob Reiner, 1986, but there was no conclusive answer. Searching the Internet, I found some interesting answers.

A fan of superheroes said: "Mighty and Super are synonymous, so if you have (Super) (Man) and (Mighty) (Mouse) you can cancel the" super "and powerful, which leaves you with Man and Mouse. Of course the man usually wins, but the mouse can win 2/10 times. "

Yet another reader posted, "Let's just say that, by the argument, Mighty Mouse's power level was on the same level as Superman's. All Superman would have to do was keep the fight long enough for Mighty Mouse to burn his electric pill. So the MM is just an ordinary mouse. "

"The Mighty Mouse is so superior, he has its own song. Then he would beat Superman enough to make him to say “Uncle!”." Said another...

Some other fans commented, "I do not think Mighty Mouse can move on its own."

Corey Feldman, in portraying Teddy in the film, said: "Superman is a real guy. Mighty Mouse is a cartoon. No way a cartoon could hit a real guy. Stupid question Vern. "(I always stay on Teddy's side.) Superman! I love the fact that Teddy said he's real. He's real! (Oh, Boy!)

Even the wisest of the boys on those train tracks could not get it right! Their arguments were all flawed. They thought Superman was real, so it was not even a cartoon.

Lately, I have seen many of these kinds of comparisons and faulty questions about Christianity. Many today, are fighting over who is a better Super-Christian or a Super–Pastor. They debate over the “who is who” title in the evangelical arena and the one which, can get more likes in the extra-biblical gospel doctrines. There seems to be a continuing competition to see who is right. In the end, the question we ask is who will win in a fight, and the wisest answers we can give is an argument against the reality or authenticity of many godly men and women who live, learn, and teach about Jesus as the true head of God’s church.

A member of my church recently posted a picture showing a bunch of different superheroes from different universes sitting with an image of Jesus and the phrase "That's how I saved the world..." written under it, as if Jesus were speaking with his superhero friends.

Another popular post I saw on Facebook was a video of many superheroes bowing and showing their respect for the cross. I have a problem with that. It is not just the breaking of the second commandment, but it is the fact that we are comparing Jesus to fairy tales or comic book heroes.

Although these childlike comparisons seem to be popular today, we can see in church history that they have always been present in our midst.

AN OLDER SUPERHERO
The Church loved the radical Super-disciplines of Simeon. They admired his austere lifestyle. He was canonized as a saint in the Coptic Orthodox, Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches. Cities fought for his body so that sacred relics could be parceled out from his remains. Shrines were built around his last pillar, which ruins’ remain to this day not far from the modern city of Aleppo.

Some years after the beginning of the 5th century AD, a 13-year-old Turkish shepherd developed a zeal for Christianity while reading the Beatitudes. About a year later, he entered a monastery and began practicing these extreme forms of self-deprecation that he was asked to leave. For a year and a half, he locked himself in a small hut from which rumors spread that he had spent a whole Lenten season without eating or drinking. As the fame of their superpowers spread, crowds began to visit this renowned Holy Superman (as Robyn would say) to seek his prayers and advice.

But many people stopped their contemplations. Then Simeon decided to climb up on a tower among the ruins of an ancient city, where he could escape even more from worldliness and temptation. There he lived - five feet off the ground for many years until he began to build higher towers. He spent his final years in a 20-foot tall tower in his constant desire to prove his devotion to God through his punitive lifestyle to his own body. Reverence for Simeon grew. He inspired many imitators committed to seeking holiness and purifying their worldly temptations.

I'm talking about Simeon Styllite; who is just another example of our human tendency to turn Paul's admonitions into the small church in Colossae completely upside down. Simeon and all who followed him were great examples of believers who had only "a partially learned Christ." They understood something of Jesus Christ, but they failed to see the full truth about him and the obvious implications of trusting in Christ. This is the main theme of Paul in almost all his letters; those whom he writes have to be a little savior. In the same way, many of us too are often making Christ, something smaller than he really is.

In our day and age, all you need to do to see this problem is to search the religious sites and gospel pages to be impressed by the ingenuity of the people who send money to support the modern Phrygian gurus, promising health and wealth and blessings of life in exchange for financial sacrifices. They are teaching a half-hearted Christ, leaving their followers open to all sorts of religious teachings that "sound" right while they are anti-Biblical and deeply sinister.

Paul's concern with the small congregation at Colossae was that they knew Christ only partially. Then he writes to draw them back to the fullness of their union with Christ. He writes in Colossians 2: 9-10, "For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority. " You need no teaching that insists on adding other things to your faith to get any personal feeling of "fullness". But the Colossian gurus offered what appeared to be simple solutions to such felt needs.

LIVING A SUPER-BELIEVING LIFE (Colossians 2.16-19)
There seemed to be only certain things necessary to gain fullness-certain simple and capable disciplines that needed to be exercised. And we are all very naive. Evangelical Christians always seem to be looking for a quick and easy way to experience greater spiritual wholeness. "Fullness" was one of the keywords of propaganda for first-century gurus, just as "higher life" or "true spirituality" or "holiness" or "winning walk" became modern keywords of the evangelical market of our days. Here in this text, we have an idea of the kind of super spiritual discipline that can be sold in the Lich Valley in Paul's day.

BEVERAGES, JUICES, DIETS AND DAYS (Colossians 2.16-17)
The first higher life program on the menu involved keeping diets restrictive and celebrating certain days. Dietary restrictions and observance of the days of fasting and feasting ruled the lives of the Jews. The Mosaic Law contained no drink restrictions (other than a prohibition against drunkenness), suggesting that this was not an entirely Jewish set of sacred rules. However, it seems that the gurus were teaching restrictions on kosher foods and Jewish feasts and fasting days as a means of improving one's Christian experience. Remember that just a few centuries before the time Paul wrote, Jews were willing to die instead of eating an impure diet or skipping a feast or a day of fasting.

The social pressure of these passionate diet and day advocates would have been enormous. "Besides, what harm could it do? Maybe this will improve my religious experience. " We may think in our day about social pressures in militant evangelicalism to maintain a certain set of political beliefs, or to educate their children in a certain way, or to use only the "best" Bible translation (whatever it is in your church circle). Weather or not someone can clap their hands or use humor for the Biblical exposition.

The checklists for more complete Christian experiences are endless today. Some advocate "biblical diets" and natural healing remedies as part of the improved spiritual experience. The damage is not in things or in the programs themselves. If you like essential oils and the Daniel Diet, it's good for you! The evil lies in accepting the subtle idea that anything or any program can bring you a fuller spiritual life than you already have in your union with Christ.

The diets and days of the Old Testament were shadows cast in time by the body (substance) of the Lord Jesus Christ. "You do not need to look into the shadow," says Paul, "because Christ has come in all its fullness!" Paul sums up his commandment not to be judged by such things, "These are a shadow of things to come, to Christ ". It echoes the description of the author of the ceremonial law as a shadow of the heavenly realities (Hebrews 8.5).

I heard from Albert Mohler an illustration for this subject: "Many of you have already been away from the family. Maybe you took a picture of your family with you, and every now and then you would look at that photo. But when you came home, you could hug your wife and your children. Why do you want to hug and kiss the picture? "The types and shadows thrown back by Christ are just figures; you have the real substance of Christ.

LOOKING FOR ANGEL’S FEATHERS (Colossians 2.18-19)
"Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you. Such a person also goes into great detail about what they have seen; they are puffed up with idle notions by their unspiritual mind. They have lost connection with the head, from which the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow... "  Then the program of the Phrygia super spiritual disciplines was a strict self-denial, perhaps in the order of Simeon Styllite. This kind of bodily torture probably made the sufferer worthy to enter the kingdom of angels and learn the deeper truths of the spirits who were there. Only the truly "self-righteous" practitioner was apt to receive the deeper truth of angelic beings, so said these false teachers.

In later centuries, the churches in this region persisted in the worship of the angels. The Synod of Laodicea in 363 AD condemned the practice. But in the ninth century, it was again considered pious to worship the angels; It was invented a tradition that the Archangel Michael had diverted a torrent and caused other natural disasters of the region. It makes you want to hit your head and ask, "How stupid can these people be?" The answer is the same as Teddy's: This is a stupid question, Vern ... "- As stupid as you and I when we put ANYTHING above the fullness of our union with Christ! 

All these forms of strict super-disciplines only gave the appearance of humility. Paul literally says that these gurus are "lacking in humble spirit and godliness" and are "being conceited by the mind of the flesh" (v. 18). Our sinful nature, our flesh, our old Adam is desperately drawn to keep all kinds of man-made rules that make us feel better about ourselves and offer us a super-sized spirituality.

Compare the gurus of "the most complete knowledge" with Paul, who was caught up in heaven where he heard things that one can not speak - obtaining the highest, fullest, and most profound knowledge (2Corinthians 12. 3-4). Then he writes, "And that I might not be exalted for the excellence of the revelations, a thorn was given to me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to slay me, that I might not be exalted." (2Corinthians 12.7)

The flesh, the old Adam, loves to steal the glory of the work that Christ does in us. Imagine how much more do the false teachers, without Christ, loving the self-glory and worship of their followers seeking a fuller life through deeper knowledge.

That is why so many pilgrims of the fifth century traveled to seek Simeon Styllite; they thought he had the deepest and most complete truths. Why? Because he was an excellent self-sufferer, he certainly ought to have been more worthy of receiving great messages from God. But the doctrine of the fullness of Christ utterly obliterates the desire of the ancient Adam for spiritual glory. The fullness of Christ utterly obliterates the secret wisdom of supposed holy and insane men. If you are trusting in Christ, Paul says, "Let no one decide for you... "Because you are already filled with Christ. Thus, the whole Church grows with a growth that comes from God, not from human regulations and programs.

Paul wants you to know every time you listen to a teacher speak, there are three questions to ask yourself. First, ask yourself who is being exalted in the message? Does it draw you to the speaker, or does it draw you to focus on yourself, or force your heart's ears and eyes to Christ? Who is great, gracious and glorious in the message of this master? Second, what is the teacher NOT saying? Is there anything missing in the message? In Phrygia, what was absent from the message was the focus on the fullness and glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. Finally, what is the effect of teacher education? The effect in Phrygia was that the gurus were full, but the body of Christ was not built to grow with the growth of God. Some, without any preparation, repeat teachings as parrots, causing a temporary impact that generates scourges and pains for many years to come. When a person calls himself a teacher, he has a source of dubious and often deceitful knowledge, and must be examined in the light of Scripture.

HUMAN OBVIOUS REGULATION (Colossians 2.20-23)
In the last three verses, Paul sums up the teachings of those gurus. First, it reminds us that these self-focused checklists are part of the elementary principles of the world. They are part of the satanic philosophy that something unlike God is necessary for the fullness of humanity - like that beautiful fruit hanging from the tree of judgment in Eden. The apostle describes the programs of the false teachers in a series of three negative rules.

Since you died with Christ to the elemental spiritual forces of this world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its rules: “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!” These rules, which have to do with things that are all destined to perish with use, are based on merely human commands and teachings.; Colossians 2: 20-22

Man, not by God, makes these rules because they focus their attention on the earth and not on the one who has risen, and ascended into heaven, being fully glorified, our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul gives us some significant marks of the false teachings in verse 23.

First, Paul says that false teaching "will indeed have a resemblance of wisdom..." False teaching will provide a way to keep your life seemingly solved. It will offer a way to organize the old Adam, the flesh, so that sin becomes less visible and outward. It can offer freedom against debilitating depression or freedom from an addiction. It can offer a new purpose for your disorganized life. You can promise feelings of peace in a world of chaos. You can make yourself into a Super Believer. It can make you grow. But remember: He must increase and I must decrease. (John 3.30) But false teachings will not have the glorious focus on the fullness of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

It will be a religion made by yourself and for yourself. It will be a religion invented around you and about for you. This is not simply the religious culture of the world of the first century or of the world of the twenty-first century. This is the dominant religion of all mankind from the moment Adam chose self-realization above the fullness of God. Self-taught religion is the elemental principle born in the Garden of Eden and, in the category of fall, programmed into the DNA of all mankind.

The function of all your self-made religions is to help people manage themselves to make progress in life. It's about self-discipline, self-education, self-improvement, and self-success. But Jesus commands us to come and die for the ego and live for his honor and glory.

I still mostly think of Heaven as the place where all my problems will disappear and where in fact, I will finally glorify God perfectly for all eternity. Heaven is still the place of personal improvement rather than the place to fully experience the reason for my creation - to glorify God and to enjoy it forever.

I recently saw a video announcing a church and it’s Bible institute, and the catch phrase was: "Because the most important thing for the Christian is to gain knowledge!" (Oh Boy!) That's a blatant lie! The flesh does not need self-improvement; the flesh must die. The most important thing for the Christian is to glorify God and to enjoy it forever! It's the first question in the catechisms! Even Corisco, my late parrot, knew that! (Seriously, I taught the Catechism to him)

Note that false teaching not only seems wise and is done by itself but also has a focus on the body in the form of asceticism and severity for the body. It is the religion of "do not do this and do not do that". Asceticism is a philosophical doctrine that defends the abstention of physical and psychological pleasures, believing to be the way to achieve perfection and moral and spiritual balance. The gurus and their followers thought they were offering God a voluntary addition to their basic requirements-a super-disciplined devotion through which they hoped to gain superior deity, approval, and rewards with a higher lifestyle. But Paul warns that no matter how "evangelical" or "Jesus' language" a false teacher sprinkled in false teaching, it will never be of any value in stopping the condescension of the flesh and sensuality.

How did God restrain Paul's desire for the glory of the flesh after Paul heard the deeper divine revelation? He gave Paul a constant affliction by which the grace of God was sufficient by itself. In other words, God chose the way Paul would suffer. Paul was not famished. Paul did not lock himself up in a cell so small that it only fit him, as Styllite did. Paul did not sit on top of a 10-meter tower for the rest of his life.

It was not some self-imposed method; no method of suffering that made Paul seem humble in the face of all the secret revelation he received. No program that Paul could have done for himself would have humiliated him. God poured out situations completely beyond his control, so that he would be in constant dependence on the fullness of Christ for the glory of Christ alone. Believers have no reason to be arrogant. But if you're arrogant, it's because you have not suffered enough yet in situations totally beyond your control.

Paul urges us to question whether the teachings we receive increase the burden of death in my life, or serve merely to disguise my sins? Do these teachings build or destroy fellowship of the church? Do these teachings enslave me to the teacher, pastor, coach, or guru? Do you focus on man-made regulations or the glory and honor of the Lord Jesus Christ? Is it in the Bible or is it in the throats of someone who knows how to speak well?

The great tragedy of many of our lives is that we seek ANYTHING apart from Christ - any means other than His fullness and our union with Him - to administer our self-constructed religion. But Paul commands us to fix our gaze only on Christ, because all we need is in Christ and everything is ours through our union with Him.

Our old Adam loves lists of things to do to administer the flesh, for such lists have the appearance of wisdom. But the list of Paul (of Christ) is small: fix your heart and your mind in Christ. The apostle will continue to show us through commandments far beyond our ability to follow that the only way to make real progress is "Step number one: it's all about Jesus."

All the fullness you need is found in the Lord Jesus Christ. True pleasure cannot be found in the self; the "I" is desperate to turn everything around him into a mere appendix or reign of his own controlling ego. True pleasure can only be found outside of you and in Christ alone.

The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.  
(Hebrews 1.3,4)

It can be a wonderful thing to have role models and mentors to help guide us as we navigate the twists and turns of life. God created us for relationships - with Him and with others - and we can learn a lot from those around us. It may also be worth cultivating our creative skills and inventing characters and figures so that we can tell the story of the redemption of evil and wrong. Lewis and Tolkien were very accurate when they added characters like Lucy and Frodo Baggins to our cognitive archives. We must keep in mind, however, that our models are also human. We must be aware that the superheroes of fiction are as finite as their authors. And that before inventing the comic book characters, false teachers and teachers like Nietzsche already permeated thought and brought a strange struggle to the Christian wrestling mat. If we place our complete faith in someone here on earth, or in the pages and pixels of different universes, it is almost a guarantee that we will be disappointed in one way or another.

We need to be aware and make sure that no one else is controlling us with the teachings of this world. Looking at someone who is truly committed to following Jesus and the Word of God is a good place to start, but no human being is completely exempt from falling into temptation or from being stuck with the things of this world.

So, is there anyone we can look at with full faith? Yes! We can look to Jesus for strength, wisdom and guidance in all things. We can read the teachings of God and compare what the world wants us to believe against what the Bible says. Jesus wants us to be anchored in the truth and He will help us get there if we seek Him. We can certainly learn from those around us and our relationship with others can bring many blessings. But let us not forget that the image of God in Christ is holy and incomparable to any other creature. Real or fictitious.