Posted on by

fam26 Wise advice for youth version 2.1

Wise Advice for Youth
By David Cox
[fam26] v2.1 ©2023 www.coxtracts.com
You may freely photocopy and print this for non-profit use

_______________

The Way Things Are

Genesis 8:21… for the imagination of man’s heart [is] evil from his youth

Even God Himself recognizes that in this stage of life, the wickedness of the heart begins and really gets going strongly in the human heart.

Youth is a difficult time, whatever the person or his situation. At the age of 13 to 18, the human body undergoes a lot of changes. The hormones start kicking in, and a child becomes an adult. It is a time of transition to an adult which is when the body grows (height) as well as becomes fully functioning. Youth begin to have a sexual life in that they are physically mature enough to have sex, have babies, and they begin to think about this (again their hormones are at work).

Psalms 129:1-2
Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth, may Israel now say: 2 many a time have they afflicted me from my youth: yet they have not prevailed against me.

The Bible speaks to Israel as “from their youth”, afflicted with many things, but fighting to not be drown by them. The remedy for this is the same that God gave Israel, to trust in God, and to seek Him with all their heart, and the frustrations will leave, or they will turn into blessings.

A Time when Everything is New

Job 13:26 For thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth.

When one is a child, their parents decide everything for them, and there is really no problem. But when the person enters the teen years, he thinks he is an adult, and resents everything that others decide for him, from what he is to eat, to what clothes he is to buy and wear, to what household chores he is to do, and all this causes many strong battles between the teen and whatever adult is supervising. It is a pity, but youth is a time of “bitterness and … iniquities” (sins) (Job 13:26). It is important for both the teen and those adults responsible for the teen to recognize this process of becoming an adult, and that both work together as the teen takes on more responsibility and makes their own decisions. One is not without the other.

Proverbs 20:29 The glory of young men [is] their strength: and the beauty of old men [is] the gray head.

Youth is a time of much energy, strength, and activity. They “get bored” very easily because they always want to go, move, have experiences, and do things (but they do not include work in these desires as a rule). To be quiet, calm, and have patience is not normal for youth. On the other hand, the “beauty” of age is its experiences and understanding (wisdom). (They have been down life’s road before and made all these mistakes themselves, in their own life.) Ecclesiastes 11:10b… for childhood and youth are vanity. Teens wrongly invest their energy and life in vain things, which have no eternal benefit, and the aged have wisdom, but don’t have the energy to apply it and use it in their old age. Teens live to experience life, and usually what they invest their lives in is total vanity. What they live for doesn’t have spiritual substance that really is a benefit for them neither here and now, nor in eternity. They want entertainment.

Ecclesiastes 11:9 Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these [things] God will bring thee into judgment. 10 Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth [are] vanity.

God wants teens to be happy (rejoice) in their youth, and to enjoy their youth. But God also calls each teen to always remember that God will judge everything that every person does whether they do good or evil. Those things that are good in His sight, God will reward the person, and for the things that are not pleasing in His sight (vanity and emptiness of spiritual value are the same as sinful here), God will punish.

Ecclesiastes 12:1 Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;

God calls each teen to remember that his life is a trip, and as this pilgrimage begins, then it will run, and then it will be over. In the end, life is not so beautiful and “fun” as it was in the beginning. In the end, we will have to face God our Creator, who gave us this life and all in it, and then we will have to make an accounting with Him. Also notice that there are specific sins for youth, and these are to be afflicted (frustrated), bitterness, sorrow (vexation or anger), etc. These specific sins are what commonly occur among teens in their road to adulthood. These come from not wanting to accept or receive the spiritual guides God has set in one’s life, counselors which God has established to care for and guide teens, counselors like parents, teachers, and pastors that have experience, wisdom, and the principles of God to help them. God commands teens to get rid of these sins, to submit themselves to God, to His principles and commands, and to respect the authorities which God establishes in their life to safely guide them into the ways of God.

Ephesians 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right 2 Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) 3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.

God has put your parents in your life as a divine authority to protect and guide you until you gain sufficient wisdom and experience to make all of your decisions for yourself. This is not to say that they are dictators in your life forever, but your parents are spiritual guides to guide you in the way of God, and to protect you from problems and dangers, especially spiritual ones. When you pay attention to this authority and obey them, then God promises you “wellness” and “long life”. The attitude itself of seeking wise counsel from older people, people who are wiser and have more experience than you in a matter (even though you may be an adult) is a wise character trait that permits God to help you by wise and godly counsel.  Proverbs 11:14 “Where no counsel [is], the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors [there is] safety.” Proverbs 15:22 “Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are established.” Many teens live frustrated lives in agony because they refuse to accept that they simply don’t know about things, they are not all wise, and they refuse to seek sound and wise counsel before making decisions or acting.

Proverbs 24:6 For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors [there is] safety.”

The Main Problem of Teens

A teen’s main problem is that in a way, they are adults with adult problems at times, and consequences that are fully adult problems, and yet in another way, they are children, because they lack the wisdom and experience to deal with these adult tasks. For example, in Proverbs 7, Solomon presents us with the picture of a young man who passes by a harlot, all pretty and advertising herself with offers of sex, and he is easy prey to her. In reflection, it is observed in Proverbs 7:7, that he was “void of understanding.” The teen is marked with the state of “opening his eyes to the world” but still not understanding how all this works, especially the dangers, tricks, traps, and the deceitfulness of sin and sinful men. Proverbs 7:10 And, behold, there met him a woman [with] the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart. Teens are tripped up because of their own character. They see, they want, they take immediately, and without reflection of the consequences or problems that may come of their actions, they act. If something is new, attractive, or desirous for a teen, he wants it, and his reasoning stops right there. God counsels teens that they go slowly with life, analyzing everything in the light of the Word of God to find wise counsel from wise Christians who have experience, wisdom, and personal victory in their own lives.

Be Wise and Learn

Proverbs 1:4 To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.

The book of Proverbs is a book of pure wisdom, given specifically from God to youth, so that they are intelligent and have discretion. Discretion is to handle a thing with a plan, closely examining and thinking through the wisdom or folly of doing it, not just taking things as they happen, but with principles, guidance, and with the purpose of it ending well (for his own benefit and in God’s will).

Proverbs 12:1 Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge: but he that hateth reproof [is] brutish.
Psalms 119:98 Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they [are] ever with me.

It is possible that a teen may be wiser than the most intelligent and wisest adult, but this will only happen when he is totally saturated with the Word of God, and he understands it very well, and follows it with all his heart. Temper tantrums and wild rebellious actions work against this.

Psalms 119:99 I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies [are] my meditation. 100 I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts.

Obeying the Word of God and the will of God are where true wisdom and understanding begin. This commitment to obeying God’s will in all things allows God through the Word of God and the Holy Spirit to guide a person into all wisdom.

Psalms 119:9 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed [thereto] according to thy word. 10 With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. 11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. A wise teen is highly occupied and busy about knowing God’s will and not sinning, obeying God, and following the morality that God imposes over us, and being found pleasing in His sight.

Youth, Trust in God

Psalms 71:5 For thou [art] my hope, O Lord GOD: [thou art] my trust from my youth. 17 O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works.

What gives the blessing of God on somebody is his faith in God. This faith also includes your confidence in God’s counsels, positions, standards, and commandments, that they are wise and useful (beneficial) to you every moment of every day. It is a grave problem of youth (and older people) when they see their own judgment and will as better than God’s instructions on a matter. They see Christianity as a product of their parents, and “that generation” which is not “their generation.” They don’t understand that Christianity is really a relationship with God, with Jesus Christ their Saviour, and that many adults that have no such relationship pretend to be Christians and ruin their own lives and the lives of others around them. Also, they forget that everybody can make mistakes. This happens when one is responsible, but they forget to seek God’s will and wisdom before acting. They forget that everyone, young and old, will have to make account with God one day for everything they have said and done. (Romans 14:12) You are not responsible for other’s actions, but for your own. Trust God, follow Him, believe in the goodness of God, and God’s ways, and you will be happy and blessed always.

Version 1 – 2011

More Tracts from the Family Category

Download Version 2.1

fam26-cox-advice-for-youth-v2.1.pdf (27422 downloads )

Author Pastor David Cox

Pastor David Cox

Posted on by

pc102 Having Integrity and Righteousness before God

pc102 Having Integrity and Righteous before God is an honest discussion of Christian integrity and righteousness.

By David Cox
[cp102] v1 ©2024 www.coxtracts.com
You may freely reproduce this tract for non-profit purposes

We have to understand that salvation is a set of issues. They are all integral one to each other. They are dependent on each other. Going to heaven when we die is one of these issues, but another is the moral change that salvation represents.

Yet another issue is our sanctification, or living godly. We must understand that God saved us because He has a purpose for us to fulfill before we die. That is to announce the virtues of God.

1 Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:

In this matter of our salvation, God wants us to “proclaim the virtues” of God, that is, for other human beings to recognize His moral character. But how? Because we personally and individually live this character in our lives.

It is very frustrating to see that the lives of the brothers are not constant in the good, nor do they have this faith that is the same as constancy, nor are there signs of repentance (which is faith, leaving what is not the will of God, to seek and implement what is).

For this reason, an unsaved person goes to a saved person because he sees victory over sin in his life, and then it is easy to guide him to the Savior. It is because he has the power of God showing it in his life. For this reason, too, they do not pay attention to Christians who have their lives in disaster. Who wants what a Christian has when he is still losing the fight with sin in his own life?

Integrity is to do what is Correct

Proverbs 11:1 A false balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight. 2 When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom. 3 The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them.

The character that a Christian must have and demonstrate to the world is his integrity. The idea is to be “complete,” that is, not divided by different interests and gods (motivations of the heart). He serves God with all his life, trusts in God, and his hope is not in the things of this world, but in his Savior. Things as “insignificant” as a store that has its way of weighing its products with alteration demonstrates the good or bad character of the seller. The heart of the human being is deceitful and wicked (Jeremiah 17:9). And the wickedness of each one will be judged.

God Weighs the Heart

Proverbs 21:2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts.

Proverbs 16:2 All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the spirits. (1 Samuel 16:7 “the LORD looketh on the heart”)

Every person fights as best he can for life and for the good in this life. Sometimes he wins, sometimes he loses, and sometimes he doesn’t even know if he won or lost. But the true Christian is someone who has this concept that God is his Judge, and will reward and punish him one day for everything he does. (Heb 11:6 “he is a rewarder of them”)

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

That is, nothing is overlooked with God. Everything we are and everything we do, God can see to the depths of our soul in His judgment.

2 Chronicles 6:30 Then hear thou from heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and render unto every man according unto all his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou only knowest the hearts of the children of men:)

Jeremiah 17:10 I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

(Discovery is one thing, but punishing us with our own sins is worse.) God judges according to our actions, words, thoughts, attitudes and motives, and worse still, God deals with us in the same way that we are morally. (Matthew 6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.) If one is harsh, aggressive, malicious, in his spirit toward other people, God is going to give the same back to the person. “According to the fruit of his doings,” God is going to give this to the person. So what you want from God, this you must give to others.

Proverbs 24:12 If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works? (Rev 2:23)

The Desire of the Christian Should Be to Be Clean and Holy

Psalms 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Sinful man cannot walk in straight paths, and it is only by submitting to God and obeying His will that we can walk as we should. This implies that the Christian lets the Holy Spirit guide him.

Integrity is the same as righteousness. Integrity is controlling your life to stay in the will of God. Righteousness is walking on this straight path. These two moral qualities are the seal of salvation.

Psalms 25:21 Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on thee. This is so that the saved follows the way of God. (Psa 26:1, 11) Psalms 41:12 And as for me, thou upholdest me in mine integrity, and settest me before thy face for ever.

God promises us that as long as we walk in integrity before Him, He will sustain us and ensure that we enter heaven. This speaks of a constant faith. Faith means that your life conforms to these beliefs and faithfulness, and you never vary from them but are always faithful to walk in them.

Proverbs 10:9 He that walketh uprightly walketh surely: but he that perverteth his ways shall be known. Proverbs 28:18 Whoso walketh uprightly shall be saved: but he that is perverse in his ways shall fall at once.

Integrity is so wrapped up in salvation that they are almost one and the same. A “Christian” who doesn’t care how he or she walks in sin, or how he or she is led astray by other interests, is not really saved. So, to review, integrity is about being whole, complete, and in this context, we are talking about having a commitment to God, your relationship with God. “Fractured” people are people who have a heart divided between God and other priorities.

Mark 12:30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

This is what God wants from us. Notice the “all” and “with all your might.”  To have God and anything else fighting in your heart for your attention, your efforts, your time, your energies, etc. is to be “fractured” or with a deviation that wins against God means you have not understood salvation yet. If one is a new Christian, new to the faith, he needs to understand that he must follow God entirely. To value salvation so much that he is actually saved is to put supreme value on salvation and despise everything else.

Luke 8:14 And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.

Not bearing fruit is like saying that they are going to hell. Recognizing how you are before God is very easy. Are you fractured or are you completely loving God with all your being? The Christian is a person in whom you see that God is in his whole life. He puts God in everything he is, what he does, what he thinks, what he desires, in his goals, in his ways of living. Even a housewife who sweeps the floor well, does so because she sees that even with this little thing, she is worshiping God.

Proverbs 28:18 Whoso walketh uprightly shall be saved: but he that is perverse in his ways shall fall at once.

Job 27:5 God forbid that I should justify you: till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me.

Job 31:6 Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know mine integrity. (Psalm 7:8)

That is, in the example of Job, his integrity was his faith. He never left his walk in integrity, nor left his integrity before God.

Salvation is to make this your Priority

Matthew 16:26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

Jesus placed supreme priority on saving your soul. There is nothing more important, no interest or profit in this world equal to the salvation of your soul. Your actions and interests should reflect this intense interest and priority.

Exhortations for Integrity and Righteousness

Ephesians 4:25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.

People lie because it suits them. A Christian of integrity never says something that he is not convinced is the truth. To say something that is not true is a deception. A Christian does not deceive others for any reason.

2 Corinthians 8:21 Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.

The Christian makes all his life straight, with nobility, honoring the LORD.

1 Corinthians 16:13 Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.

The Christian is an example of being firm in faith, of having strength and virtue (moral strength) in his decisions and in his life habits.

1 Chronicles 28:9 And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.

“Finding God” is dependent on you seeking Him to serve Him with a life dedicated to Him, with a pure spirit, without fracturing your life between interests for God and interests in other things on a par with God.

Download this tract in a PDF printable format

PC102-cox-having-integrity-and-righteousness-before-God-v1.pdf (14175 downloads )
Posted on by

fam15 Always late for the house of God

Always Late for the House of God
By David Cox
[fam15] v1 ©2008 www www.coxtracts.com
You may freely reproduce this tract for non-profit use

_________________

Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Col 4:5

We ask ourselves at times why some of our brethren always arrive late to the house of God. The world we live in grows more complicated and entangled every day, and the demands on our lives and time also grow every day. At times it seems that we will never reach something what appears like peace and tranquility. When we touch on this problem, it is only tip of the iceberg.

We need to take time to reflect and meditate on what we are doing, how we live our lives, and above all, how we relate to our God. The plan and work of Satan is to never allow us peace and calm so that we can reflect, meditate, and order our lives after what pleases God. Continue reading →

Posted on by

ch24 The power of an example

power of an Example

In the power of an Example, I examine the power of spiritual examples, both good examples for good influences, and evil examples for bad influences. This principle is a spiritual principle in the Bible, by which God affects his children through men of God. Likewise, I look briefly at the power of evil examples on others, to trip them up into sin. We touch on Pastors and leaders in the local church, as well as parents’ influence on their children.

The Power of an Example
By David Cox
[ch24] v1 ©2011 www.coxtracts.com
You may freely reproduce this tract for non-profit purposes

Continue reading →

Posted on by

ch41 The marks of a bad minister v1_1

The Marks of a Bad Minister
How to recognize him

How to discern a bad minister
By David Cox
[ch41] v1 ©2011 www.coxtracts.com
You may freely reproduce this tract for non-profit purposes

_______________

Ch41

The Marks of a Bad Minister
How to recognize him
By David Cox

[ch41] v1.1 ©2011, 2024 www.coxtracts.com
You may freely reproduce this tract for non-profit purposes

Matthew 7:20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. 21 Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. 24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

At times, it is difficult to identify who is a true servant of God, and who is not. God has not left us without help in the matter though.

The Marks of an Unsaved Minister

It is interesting that in this minister’s defense before God, (Matthew 7:21-24) that God judged he wasn’t even saved! He defended himself before God in three proposed evidences of his “good minister of God status”: (1) his ability to prophesy, (preach) (2) his power over powers of evil, and (3) his work of miracles and great events. Many in our day want to validate their ministries in a similar fashion. They insist that they are true men of God, exalted ministers of the Highest God, because they have their distinct insight into the mind of God, because their power over demons and evil powers, and most certainly because they impress with what they have done for God, miracles, great works, etc. It is important to note that Jesus in no way tried to contradict what they presented. Perhaps their bragging had some validation in that something notable was on some level accomplished as they claimed. But Jesus’ hard position is that even with signs of great spiritual power; they had nothing to do with God and His Kingdom. Read Matthew 7:21 with great care. The ONLY MARK of a faithful minister is to be always “stuck” on the will of God. “Greatness,” validity, and identification with God is only found in strict obedience to God’s will. Those that exalt God’s will over their own.

Useless Ministers

Matthew 24:48 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; 49 And shall begin to smite [his] fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; 50 The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, 51 And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

In this passage that deals with various parables on service and the child of God, it is very instructive that the evil “servant of God” goes to hell in the end. So we must open the possibility that many supposed ministers of God, preachers, evangelists, or even pastors that exercise official positions in the church, just are not even saved.

The key factor that indicates their salvation is simply their disposition and attitude towards the will of God. The deceiving hypocrite is he who follows his own will in place of exalting the will of God in his life (and ministry) and doesn’t submit to God. These people always pretend to have “biblical ministries”, and they are experts in rhetoric because “they are biblical” or in giving reasons why they are truly “ministers of God”, but if you listen closely, you will see how lightly they respect the Word of God, or how astutely they twist God’s Word to suit their desires, aspirations, and ambitions. They “use” and abuse the Word of God for their own purposes and are not under its authority. True ministers that please God are people who always rely on the authority of Scripture as their authority, but also as THEIR GUIDE,

Jeremiah 3:15 And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.

Those that cause Division and Desolation

Jeremiah 23:1 Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD.

One of the principle jobs of the pastor is to gather sheep. This is in one of two forms, both of which fully apply: (1) the evangelization of the unsaved bringing them into the fold (the local church), (2) To visit and encourage members of their church that have stopped coming, to return and actively participate in the church once again. The identifying mark of a fraudulent pastor is that he divides the church by his brutal actions, his cruel attitude, and in general by his style of leadership (way of doing things) which works against gathering and unity. Unity comes because all think alike, and act with the same spirit, carrying the same doctrine. This is not by forceful imposition by authority figures, but by mutual submission to God’s authority.

The good pastor explains the actual text of the Bible, but he also investigates, defines, and insists on the Scriptures ruling over everything the church is and does. The wicked pastor imposes his own will without respect to nor support of Scripture, except some twisted, unclear mental gymnastics. The will of God is grossly abused, mistreated and misrepresented. Jeremiah (Jeremiah 25:34) refers to their days of “slaughter”, which is to die and not live. The sheep ought to have a spiritual life within them, and the good pastor will promote this. The bad pastor destroys and kills this spiritual life among his sheep. He undermines, disrupts, and cuts off this spiritual relationship between believer and God (spiritual death). He takes the place of God in their lives.

Leadership by Force and Imposition

Jeremiah 23:2 Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the LORD. 4 And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the LORD.

The style of ministry of a wicked, ungodly pastor is very particular. He scares people with sharp, loud (notorious) actions with lack courtesy and love towards them. He imposes on the brethren, and his objective isn’t to correct sin, but to impose and ingrain his own authority over the people of God. The idea in verse 4 is that (1) they use fear – which is the anticipation of some bad interaction with the pastor. (2) They cause the sheep to be dismayed, which has the idea of submission by means of dragging or violent force, fear, or confusion. He is marked by his leadership style of cruelty, unthinking actions, and an uncaring attitude towards his sheep, anything as long as they obey him. (3) Be lacking – This word is the opposite of pastoral visitation, where the pastor inspects and then handles whatever need they might have. This is totally and importantly lacking.

Errors and the Erring

Jeremiah 50:6 My people hath been lost sheep: their shepherds have caused them to go astray, they have turned them away [on] the mountains: they have gone from mountain to hill, they have forgotten their resting place.

There is a specific way in which we sheep should walk, and this is the way of God which Jesus showed us. It is to be spiritual, have faith, and depend on God, and is to complete the work of God on earth. A false pastor is somebody who guides the sheep (he is a pastor), but not in the way of God, and this results in a road that isn’t in the will of God.

This kind of pastor doesn’t bring the unsaved into a saving relationship “with the Master” (the bad minister isn’t saved himself), but rather he collects people to obey his rule and authority stolen from God. This wicked pastor isn’t laboring in intercession and prayer for others, nor does he have compassion and love for those in error, sin, or the unsaved. He may be very astute (usually is), but his presentations, teachings, sermons don’t show great insight and understanding into Scripture, rather they are tools to build his empire.

A true man of God is concerned that others submit to God’s will, and rebuke of sin and repentance from sin are regular objectives of their ministry (moral change). The false prophet is greatly disgusted over all this, and he will make false repentance over meaningless issues, and he regularly pleases himself with indulgence into sin of some kind. But his prime objective is that everybody follows his will, nobody can think or discern God’s will except the pastor.

Rather than understanding Scripture for themselves, the wicked pastor confuses the issues that most press against his own personal sins, distracting, detracting from the importance of him repenting of his own sin. He substitutes tradition (“we have always done it this way”), authority of his office (“I am pastor, and I call the shots here”), or he appeals to popularity. A good pastor preaches sermons to himself first, and having repented himself first, and makes it a great sermon for all. You can mark the bad pastor by his drive to change the traditional, New Testament presentation of what “church is” to a modern version that is more accommodating to our tastes. Reverence, worship, and exposition of God’s actual words are replaced with an entertainment type attitude and environment, where “judging and rebuking sin” is not seen nor present except in unbiblical ridiculous ways.

John 6:28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? 29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

The work of God focuses on the person of Jesus Christ, our Savior but also in the spiritual image of Christ. We should imitate Christ. Paul presents this command (Ephesians 5:1).

1 Corinthians 11:1 Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.

Philippians 3:17 Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.

Hebrews 13:7 Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.

Ezekiel 37:24 And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them.

“Why” God gives good shepherds “according to the heart of God” (Jeremiah 3:15) to the sheep is so that they can direct the sheep INTO God’s way, God’s will, obeying God. Churches today get involved in all kinds of foolishness except the actual work of God as presented in Scripture, evangelism in the street, prayerful intercession, exposition of Scriptures… A bad pastor will “tend away from these things,” not following Christ’s example.

Feeding themselves

Ezekiel 34:2 Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel…Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks? 3 Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: [but] ye feed not the flock. 8 As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat to every beast of the field, because [there was] no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock;

Wicked pastors tend to feed themselves, not entering into personal sacrifice, personal risk or adversity, but they seek the “easy life”. They want others to give them a good economic life, but they don’t do the real work of God the right way. Spiritual fruit and abandonment of sin are not the natural products of their ministry or life.

Download

ch041-cox-marks-of-a-bad-minister-v1_1.pdf (33536 downloads )

More Tracts from the Church Category

Author Pastor David Cox

Pastor David Cox

Posted on by

doct04 Hell and Heaven, Hades, & Paradise

Hell and Heaven with studies on Hades, Paradise, Heaven and the Pit
[d04] v1 ©2005 www.coxtracts.com
You may freely reproduce this tract for non-profit use.

The themes of punishment and judgment are mentioned some 234 times in 264 chapters of the NT. It is interesting that we know more about hell through the teaching of Jesus Christ than any other person or source. It occupied a very important place in the mind of Christ, and he warned those who would listen so that they would avoid that place and the punishment that is there.

Continue reading →

Posted on by

pc30 Discerning the Will of God

discerning the will of God

Discerning the Will of God

Discerning the will of God
Por David Cox

discerning the will of God[cp30] v2 ©2011 www.coxtracts.com
You may freely reproduce and photocopy this tract

Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

They asked King Alphonso 1st the Great, King of Aragon and Pamplona, “Who is the person most happy in all the world?” He answered “he who has abondoned himself giving himself over to the will of God, he that accepts all thing, blessings or adversity as coming from God’s hands.”

Those who are truly happy are those that encounter satisfaction and joy in the idea that they have complied with the will of God the Father, whether it is involved with pleasure and personal blessing, or with suffering and affliction. Continue reading →

Posted on by

pc10 Sexual Purity

Sexual Purity
By David Cox
[PC10] v1 ©2008 www.coxtracts.com
This tract can be freely copied for non-profit use.

__________

It is not an impossible fight!

1Pet 2:11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;

Gal 5:17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

With the increase of pornography and the constant lowering of standards, sexual temptation has become one of the principal problems for Christians. It is a spiritual fight so intense that almost every Christian has it. This fight is not impossible to win, but it is very difficult.

Continue reading →