Pastor Appreciation 10/29/2023  

  James 2:23 King James Version  

23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

  Proverbs 18:24 King James Version  

24 A man that hath friends must show himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

  John 15:13-15 King James Version  

13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

Abraham the Spiritual Pilgrim:

– The life of Abraham was of great importance because he was chosen by God.

– Great seeds were planted in the garden of his heart, which would bring about wonderful results in the future church.

– Abraham was a great leader.

– He was promised and had divine favor.

– Abraham would become a blessing to all the families of the earth.

Abraham obeyed the call of God and pursued a city whose builder and maker is God. Abraham’s most significant events in his career are connected with his journeys.

Today, I honor my Pastors and their family. When I say “Pastors,” I’m speaking of Mike and Betty Richardson. I thank God that Pastor obeyed the call of God. I know his family could say the same. In their hearts, they are thanking God that their dad, mother, or pepaw, memaw heard and obeyed the call of God. If he had not heard the call, they would probably not be sitting here today, and their family wouldn’t be considered blessed. I wouldn’t be speaking to you now, trying my best to honor this family if he had not obeyed the call.

Pastor

– Pastor is chosen by God.

– Pastor is 100% heart and a great leader for the church today and the future.

– Because Pastor obeys the commandments of God, he has divine favor.

– We all can say that Pastor is a blessing to all our families that have come in contact with him. He has blessed us all at one point in our life.

-Pastor and his family are truly a blessing. We don’t know how good we have things until it’s gone or it’s an almost scare at death’s door. Instead of unraveling and pulling apart and falling apart as a family, I watched this family pull together in prayer, casting mustard seeds for a miracle in their own life when the pastor was on the ventilator in the hospital. They allowed the word of God to work for them. Betty had to take the naked truth of God like Abraham and she had to speak life and had to refuse anything less than a miracle. We need to learn from this example and allow God to perform miracles in our own lives today.

– Pastor’s most important events in his career are connected with his journeys. His construction job isn’t his journey, but “his journeys are God, his wife/family, Holland PCG, Bash, Prophets Class, Revivals, Children’s church, and youth.”

(He has devoted everything he has 100% to all this without countless sleepless nights). What a leader we have!

– Just like Abraham, Pastor pursues a city whose builder and maker is God! (He tries daily to push you to also pursue after that same city). This city is for you and me also, but we have to obey God’s commandments and seek and pursue after God. We have to work the word of God and allow the word of God to work for us. The only way to get to this city is to have Jesus in our hearts; we must be saved.

We can call our Pastors Great leaders because they line up with the word of God. They live the life as Christ expects us to do! They sharpen us with the word of God and practice what they preach.

Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend. (Proverbs 27:17)

We can all look back and see how our pastors of this church have influenced us in a hugely positive way. They have challenged us and sharpened our skills for our Christian walk. They never let us give up; they don’t allow us to look back. We have learned to pray harder, push harder, read more, have faithful attendance, and have Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior. Our speech has been bettered by speaking kindly and watching our words, including no church cursing. We have learned not to speak badly about another soul because that could be our family that people talk badly about, and it hurts. Leaders are not ones to boss and downgrade, but they are to teach and see what happens after the lesson. They wait on the sidelines, praying that you keep going, keep moving, and learn the lesson. They are very soft-spoken and ready to catch your fall or give you praise for pushing past the difficult moments.

I believe by looking at this family here today, we can call them blessed. Just like Abraham was considered a friend of God, so are our Pastors a friend of God. Pastor shows himself friendly to the world, not just his congregation only. There isn’t anything in this world he wouldn’t do for each and every one of us or for the Kingdom of God (again I’m speaking of Betty also). There is nothing she would not do for you and the kingdom. Pastor is always the first to try to read, study, or get any information to you of what God has given him. He doesn’t hold anything back to keep it all to himself. He wants you to experience Jesus in every way that he does. He wants the Glory of God spread from person to person, church to church, nation to nation.

My last message that I have not preached yet I speak of Christians shining their light unto the world. I speak of how we can’t shine our light on dim lights. The only way to get the bright lights is by reading the word of God. Jesus is the light. If we pulled together with our pastors and showed appreciation, our light together today could change the world.

We have great leaders of this church today, and I thank God for them. Nothing we do will ever be enough to show how much we love and appreciate them. I will also say any Friend of God Pastor is a Friend of mine today and forever. I pray you make that same decision today like Pastor and his family made and say yes to the call of God on your life. Be a great leader and a friend of God. Allow our Pastors to nurture you, lead you, guide you, as they seek the face of God and help you do the same.

 John 15:13-15 King James Version  

13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 

If you are not saved today, come to the altar and allow Pastor to introduce you to his Friend that laid his life down for his friend (I’m speaking of the Great leader