A Monday Post for the Flock

A Juniper Tree - like the one that Elijah (my favorite Old Testament character; duh) sat under and prayed to die (1 Kings 19).
 

Mondays can be cruel to pastors; especially if they aren't happy with the day before. I imagine that many of the 1500 or so pastors that quit each month do so on a Monday. So I urge you to pray this for your pastor(s); that he will, in keeping with the Apostle Paul's instructions in the pastoral letters: 

1. Stay where he is (1 Tim 1:3)
2. Protect the church from false teaching (1 Tim 1:3-4, 6:6; 2 Tim 1:13-14; 2:25; Tit 1:9-13, 2:15)
3. Keep the faith & a good conscience (1 Tim 1:19, 4:16, 6:12-14)
4. Pray (1 Tim 2:1-2, 8)
5. Lead men and women to embrace their God-given roles (1 Tim 2:9-12; Tit 2:1-6)
6. Enforce pastor/elder & deacon/deaconness positions, qualifications & rewards (1 Tim 3:1-16, 5:17-22; Tit 1:1, 5-9)
7. By laboring in, striving toward, taking pains with, being absorbed in, & paying close attention to, keep and teach sound doctrine (1 Tim 4:1-16, 5:1-7; Tit 2:1, 7-8)
8. Avoid foolish controversies & lead others to do the same (1 Tim 4:7; 2 Tim 2:14, 23; Tit 3:9)
9. Discipline himself for the purpose of godliness & be an example of it (1 Tim 4:7, 12, 6:11; 2 Tim 2:19, 22, 3:14-15; Tit 2:7-8)
10.  Give attention to the public reading, teaching & preaching of God’s Word (1 Tim 4:13, 16;  

2 Tim 2:15, 4:2; Tit 3:8)

11.  Exercise his spiritual gifts (1 Tim 4:14)
12.  Relate properly to all within the congregation (1 Tim 5:1-16; Tit 2:6)
13.  Perform church discipline (1 Tim 5:19-22; Tit 1:9-13, 3:10)
14.  Keep an eye on his health (1 Tim 5:23, 4:8)
15.  Teach his people to submit to their authorities (1 Tim 6:1-2; Tit 2:9-10, 3:1-2).
16.  Instruct the rich on the danger of trusting their wealth & on its good use (1 Tim 6:17-  19)
17.  Not be ashamed of Jesus, but embrace suffering to follow Him (2 Tim 1:8, 2:3, 3:1, 4:5)
18.  Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus (2 Tim 2:1)
19.  Teach the teachers who will then teach others (2 Tim 2:2)
20.  Think about what Scripture texts mean (2 Tim 2:7)
21.  Remember Jesus Christ (2 Tim 2:8)
22.  Be sober in all things, do the work of an evangelist & fulfill his ministry (2 Tim 4:5)
23.  Seek God for a tamed tongue (2 Tim 2:16; Tit 2:7-8, 3:8)
24.  Keep an eye out for trouble-makers (2 Tim 4:14-15)
25.  Be diligent to meet pressing needs (1 Tim 6:18-19; Tit 3:13-14)
26.  Help other pastors in a timely manner (2 Tim 4:9-13, 20; Tit 3:12)
27.  Establish order in the church (Tit 1:5)