What Does Your Pastor Say About You?

Devotions from Colossians by Darrell Lingerfelt

1:7 As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellowservant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ;

  8 Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.

Our devotion today comes from verse 8 which is a continuation of Paul's accolades for Epaphras, a faithful minister of Christ.

Notice that Epaphras does not take any accolades for himself. All he has spoken of is the Saints of Colosse. He has come as a proud "poppa" to Paul declaring the precious fruit produced by the Colossians. He has told Paul of their faith in Christ Jesus, their love for all the Saints, the fruit that has been brought forth, their love for Paul, and the fact that all of this was done in genuine Spirit love. Epaphras hasn't spoke of his labors, but based on the resume of the Colossians, Epaphras has indeed been a faithful minister.

Epaphras has much of which to be proud. But Epaphras was wise and knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that this was the good work of the Lord Jesus Christ among him and the Colossian Saints. Truly, that is the admission of all true men of God. They know the truth of their labors. They know that they are operating by the sure mercies of Christ and the faith which He lives in the Saints. True Saints know the same. They take the Apostle Paul at his word in Galations 2:20, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." And all ministers and saints of the Gospel have this same oath before God and men.

However, let us speak of ourselves in this hour. What of the pastor at your church? Does he with joy speak of your fruit and that of the Saints at your church? Or does he go home and lay in the floor with tears streaming down his face because of the ill treatment given to our Lord and Savior by mean-spirited children who claim to be adults and children of God? Does he dread each time he labors with you? Does he have to conjole his wife and children who have been maligned by the likes of mean church attenders? Does he request prayer for you from the negative or the positive, meaning, does he request prayer for you to stop acting foolish, or does he request prayer for your spiritual work continuation? Only you know. You know the barbs and arrows thrown at your pastor. You know the snide remarks that have fallen from the slithering tongues of serpents disguised as saints. You have heard the foul reports, the mean attacks, the gossip of silly men lead captive by silly women lead captive of Hell. 

I beg and plead with you this hour that you consider the Colossians good report given by their pastor and beg and plead with God that that be your resume. Treat your pastor well. Treat all men of God well and God will bless you abundantly. Muzzle not the ox that treads the corn and he will work for you with tender words, expectant fervant pleadings before the throne of God, and sweet words of comfort when you need them. Bless be the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ who abundantly worked through Epaphras to work abundantly among the Colossian Saints. May we have the same done for us that the man of God may go forth with rejoicings of the fruit born produced by us. I sure would hate to know that my pastor had no spiritual good thing to say about me. I would hate to know that he is pleading for the Lord to change me from some vile way, rather than praying, "Father, strengthen your dear child that labors for you." What about it?