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| Pastor Joshua Teis |
This is an outsourced post from Ministry127.com by Pastor Joshua Teis of the Southern Hills Baptist Church.
Brother Joshua’s Bio:
Joshua Teis surrendered to full-time ministry at the age of fifteen. Pastor Teis planted Southern Hills Baptist Church in Las Vegas, Nevada, five years ago. Southern Hills Baptist Church has experienced the blessing of God with tremendous growth and many souls saved. Continue reading
Dr. Dan Reed was born in Birmingham, Alabama in 1951. He was saved at the Woodland Avenue Baptist Church in 1973 while studying engineering at Auburn University. Sensing the call to preach in 1973 he enrolled at Tennessee Temple College under the ministry of Dr. Lee Roberson. Finishing his B.A. in December of 1975 he was called to Emden, Missouri , a town of 61, to pastor the Community Baptist Church. Pastor Reed has started two churches and two Christian schools during his 33-year ministry. He is currently the pastor of Harvest Baptist Church of Acworth, Georgia. (Learn more about Dr. Reed HERE)
Scripture Reading: Genesis 16:4,5, Luke 18:9, Proverbs 11:12
Text: Proverbs 11:12 “He that is void of wisdom despiseth his neighbor; but a man of understanding holdeth his peace.”
The book of Proverbs is a contrast between wisdom and foolishness. Solomon says that a man who hates or despises his neighbor is foolish, or lacks wisdom. I think it was Booker T. Washington who said, “No man shall so degrade my soul as to make me hate him.” Hatred, which is another word for “despise,” brings the one hating to a much lower level than the one he hates. The main reason people hate, Solomon says, is that they lack wisdom. Really it is our selfishness which causes us to despise someone. When someone does not respond to us the way we think they should, when they treat us in a way we perceive as disrespect or disdain, or maybe they just neglect us and pay us no mind at all, then we tend to despise them. We are the center of our universe and we tend to judge people not by who they are but by how they treat us! Solomon goes on to say here that a man of understanding is silent when people do things that offend him. The reason he is silent is because he knows people and understands first, I am no better than anyone else, and second, if someone mistreats me, they deserve my pity and my prayer, maybe my instruction, but not my hatred. What is that wisdom that keeps us from despising others?
(1) We are all made in God’s image- Every human being is made in God’s image and thus, his differences are put there by God. To despise another human being is to despise God. Should the rabbit despise the turtle because it is much slower? Should the giraffe despise the deer because it cannot reach as high? “Who art thou that judgeth another man’s servant, to his own master he standeth or falleth.”(Romans14:4) We must judge right and wrong, of course, but we must never despise another human being made in God’s image.
(2) Another reason people despise others is because they have a false standard of righteousness. Jesus told the parable of the self righteous Pharisee and the publican to those who “trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others.” The Pharisees had set up a false standard of righteousness. Jesus said about them, “they say and do not.” They were hypocrites. Hypocrisy loads men with guilt which causes people to be cruel to each other. A man who is dirty already doesn’t mind getting dirtier. People who live with perpetual guilt because they have set up a standard they themselves do not keep are usually very hard on other people, even despising them.
(3) Jealousy causes people to despise each other. Hagar despised Sarai after she conceived because she was jealous. Jealousy is as cruel as the grave. Scripture says, “Who can stand before envy.” Jealousy caused Saul to chase David like a hound for ten years. At times Saul wanted to repent but could not because, “Who can stand before envy.” Jealousy caused Cain to murder Abel because God accepted Abel’s sacrifice and rejected his. The Pharisees delivered up Jesus because of envy. Jealousy causes hatred and according to Jesus, hatred is the root of murder (Matthew 5:21,22).
If there is anyone in this world you despise, it shows you lack understanding! I am not commanded in the Bible to like everybody, but I am commanded to love even my enemies. To love my enemies means I must treat them biblically!
Questions to Ponder
1. The scripture says that Saul “eyed David from that day forward.” What does that mean and what caused Saul’s jealousy and resentment of David? (I Samuel 18)
2. How do we conquer the emotion of jealousy? I Thessalonians 5:18
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There are numerous issues in the ministry which a pastor will face that will cause mourning. Being that each of us are unique, the scope, and severity of those things will affect us differently. In view of this, how many pastors really grieve and mourn over sin?
Though sin is irritating, can disrupt a pastor’s plans, and will bring division to a church, pastors should mourn over sin for more than what happens to them and how they are personally affected. Rather, the pastor should take this and let it fuel his passion of God. He should ask himself the question, “How does God feel about this?”
Personal sinfulness should concern the pastor. He should not think that he will escape the consequences of his actions. Sins left unchecked in his life can lead to worse sins and worse actions. Sooner or later, his sins will deepen and cause damage to his public ministry.
The sins of others, public or private often are known by the pastor. Usually, they are more of an aggravation, but this should not be what causes a pastor to mourn. The pastor should be shedding tears of remorse over the fact that people have sinned against God and they are hurting themselves and those around them.
The Old Testament prophet named Daniel is a classic example of one who mourned over his sins and the sins of others. We find that is was during a time of mourning, fasting and prayer that God blessed Daniel in a mighty way. In fact, we are rewarded today because of the fruit of his prayer meeting with God that day. This episode is found in Daniel chapter nine. The keystone in the archway of prophesy was revealed to Daniel as a result of his diligent Bible study and brokenness over the sins of Israel.
It certainly stands to reason that if more people, especially pastors, were to mourn over sin as exhibited by Daniel, then God would see fit to bless us more than we are experiencing now! It should also be noted that as we mourn we should repent. Pastors should herald God’s Word, but should also heed its message! Mourning precedes repentance, but repentance does not always precipitate from mourning. Until sin is exceeding sinful once again, we are doomed to repeat our vile acts against God.
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