The Power of Change: Before You Wreck Everything
Wisdom Scripture
Genesis 3:6
"When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it."
Wisdom Quote
"True wisdom—the wisdom of God—is found in the proclamation of the gospel, is empowered by the Spirit (1 Cor 2:4, 5, 13; 12:8; 2 Cor 1:12) and focuses on the cross of Christ (1 Cor 1:17, 21, 30; 3:19). Those who know Christ by faith have the 'power' (1 Cor 1:24) and 'wisdom' (1 Cor 1:30) in its fullness." [1]
Insights: Before You Wreck Everything
You never think it will happen to you. Then you see a pastor with a successful ministry destroy his life. Why?
The threats are no mystery. Ancient and familiar, they are terribly seductive: money, sex, and power—often accompanied by lying and deceit.
Why do pastors and elders let it go so far?
You know why. Because you dare not confess your lust or greed. You could lose your job. At the very least, you would ruin your reputation.
How could a pastor gamble away his savings? Get drunk? Watch porn? Enter into an emotionally intimate relationship? Click on links that lead to explicit images? Take content from another pastor’s sermon without attribution—lying, plagiarism?
I’ve walked with pastors who have wrecked their lives. The damage is tragic and severe. I’ve served on accountability teams for fallen leaders. I’ve counseled men and women who stole from their church, had affairs, visited prostitutes, and more.
Before sin destroys you—before you wreck your marriage, your family, and your church—deal with your sin seriously. Address head-on whatever secret sin threatens to grow into a terminal cancer in your soul. It may be a small seed now, but if you do not deal with it, it will overtake you.
I urge you: for the sake of Christ—His name and His mission—for the sake of your life and your family, your church and your ministry, attack your secret sin aggressively, urgently, right now.
