How’s Your Mood Today?
Marvin Yoder

Marvin and his wife, Leah, are the founding pastors of LifePointe Church in Mattoon, Illinois. Marvin is a graduate of Rhema Bible Training Center and is also enrolled in the MDiv Program at Oral Roberts University. Marvin has a rich ministerial background, having pastored several churches, working in Christian education, and traveling extensively as an itinerant minister. Prior to starting the church in Mattoon, Marvin was heavily involved in staff at Rhema, serving as an instructor, Dean, and as an Associate Pastor. Marvin has authored several books and study guides, including Movin’ On Up and The Traveling Minister’s Handbook. Marvin and Leah have three children, Christina Anne, Nichole Joy, and Audrey Danielle.

One Sunday, a man decided to sleep in, and soon his pretty wife came in to wake him.
“Time to get up,” she said. “It’s time to get ready for church.”
“I don’t want to go to church,” mumbled the man. “Give me three good reasons why I should go.”
“Well,” replied his patient wife, “number one, the Bible says you should; number two, your family needs you to go with them, and number three, you’re the pastor!”

God has appointed some people to be leaders and ministers who are out in front of the people, leading the way. From reading the Bible we can see that God expects more out of leaders and ministers than the people that follow them.

As leaders and ministers, we have specific duties and tasks that need to be done at certain times. The sound man must be ready to mix a good sound during rehearsals and during the service. Children’s ministers must be ready to teach the little ones when they walk in the door. Greeters must have a smile on their face when they go to the door. And the pastor must be ready to lead the service whether he feels like it or not.

King Solomon said, “An intemperate leader wreaks havoc in lives; you’re smart to stay clear of someone like that. Good-tempered leaders invigorate lives; they’re like spring rain and sunshine.” (Proverbs 16:14-15, MSG)

As leaders and ministers, we don’t have the luxury of being in a bad mood or have a bad day where we blow off the people around us and lose control of what we say and do. We can’t cancel the services just because we aren’t in the mood, or are having a difficult day because of something.

We have all been around people who have significant mood swings so that you don’t know from day to day what you will find. These type of people are difficult to work with, and even harder to follow if they’re in a leadership position. People who are moody and not even-tempered are undependable in crisis or pressure situations. They do not have the capability to withstand the pressure and think clearly to determine what needs to be done.

When the Apostle Paul got saved, he was a young hot-head who liked to argue and debate the Scriptures, and in Jerusalem he “ran afoul of a group of Hellenists—he had been in a running argument with them—who plotted his murder. When his friends learned of the plot, they got him out of town, took him to Caesarea, and then shipped him off to Tarsus. Things calmed down after that and the church had smooth sailing for awhile.” (Acts 9:29-31, MSG)

Much later in life, he had developed into a steady leader and minister. In the light of predicted hard times and imprisonment as he again went to Jerusalem, he stated that “. . . none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.” (Acts 20:24, NKJV)

A leader or minister who is even-tempered and not moody will provide the following to the people:

• It gives hope to the people.
• It helps to eliminate fear in the people.
• It gives them a role model to imitate.
• It encourages the people’s faith in God.
• It gives the people a glimpse of what they could become.

Today let us ask God to help us be even-tempered leaders and ministers so that we can be effective in ministry and make a difference in people’s lives.

Mood Quotes

• No man is free who is not master of himself. – Epictetus
• The Christian life is not a constant high. I have my moments of deep discouragement. I have to go to God in prayer with tears in my eyes, and say, ‘O God, forgive me,’ or ‘Help me.’ – Billy Graham
• I don’t wait for moods. You accomplish nothing if you do that. Your mind must know it has got to get down to work. – Pearl S. Buck, author

Discussion Questions

• Can you identify some trigger points that change your moods from good to bad? Or from bad to good?
• How do you change your mood from bad (unproductive, self-centered) to good (productive, and pleasant to others)?

What moods have you conquered in your Christian life that had ruled you, but now you are in control of them?