So I have heard you have this idea,
Being a great preacher of the Lord,
You see yourself before a big crowd,
Raising high your Christian sword.
Your heart is so filled with emotion,
Seeing how your words they admire,
But I have to ask you a big question,
Is that really the Lord’s true desire?
Now wanting to serve Jesus Christ,
Is truly a very noble vision indeed,
But you also need to be so careful,
That your own ego it does not feed.
When the Lord spoke of greatness,
He stated it was to be servant of all,
It’s not seeking our own recognition,
But serving with humility God’s call.
If you just desire the praise of men,
While before a big crowd you stand,
Your motive for preaching is wrong,
It is important that you understand.
So just make Jesus front and center,
Because He alone is God’s true Light,
And if you follow this my suggestion,
Then all your preaching will be right.
“Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous . . . Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;” 1 Timothy 3:3, 8, KJV
“For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre . . . Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake.” Titus 1:7, 11, KJV
“Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;” 1 Peter 5:2, KJV
Note: According to Thayer’s Greek English Lexicon, the phrase “filthy lucre” is derived from the Koine Greek word “aischrokerdes”, the definition of which is “eager for base gain, greedy for money”.
Please also refer to the KJV Bible Verse List called “Jesus and the Moneychangers”, which you can find at the following URL:
“God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, BY WHOM ALSO HE MADE THE WORLDS;” Hebrews 1:1-2, KJV
“Through faith we understand that THE WORLDS WERE FRAMED BY THE WORD OF GOD, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.” Hebrews 11:3, KJV
“Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; WANDERING STARS, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.” Jude 1:13, KJV
NOTE: In Jude 1:13, the phrase “wandering stars” is derived from the Koine Greek words “planetes aster”. As I explain in the article entitled “Other Planets and the Flat Earth Theory“, this is the phrase which ancient Greek astronomers used to describe the planets which wandered amongst all of the other stars of the heavens. You can read this article at the following URL:
It is odd, but even in their great destructive power, we find volcanoes, earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, typhoons, etc., awe-inspiring. The tremendous power which God has imbued in the natural creation demands our respect.
“Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” 2 Timothy 3:12, KJV
“And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” Romans 5:3-5, KJV
“We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth; So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:” 2 Thessalonians 1:3-4, KJV
“My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” James 1:2-4, KJV
“For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.” 1 Peter 2:19-20, KJV
“Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.” Revelation 3:10, KJV
“He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.” Revelation 13:10, KJV
“Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” Revelation 14:12, KJV
