And the Lord said to Samuel, “Heed the voice of the people
in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you,
but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.”
1 Samuel 8:7
The Israelites were to be a nation unlike any other. Every other nation had a king or ruler, but Israel's king was to be God Himself! Still, the Israelites complained that they wanted to be like other nations and have an earthly ruler, choosing human wisdom over God's leadership.
There is much discussion these days about leaders and managers. According to popular teaching, leaders have the vision. They set goals for people or organizations to follow. Managers handle the day-to-day marshaling of resources under their charge. In the Christian life, God is the leader of our lives, our families, and our churches. God sets the direction; He establishes the priorities; He provides the resources. We are the managers. We take what He gives us and do with it as He directs.
The biblical term for leader is Lord. As our Lord, Christ has the authority to reveal the direction for our lives. As Lord, He chooses our careers, leads us to our marriage partners, and helps us set our daily priorities. We are to be good managers of the mind, body, and spiritual life He gives. He is the Lord of our families. He knows what is best for our children. He knows how to make marriages strong. Our responsibility is to obey Him as He leads our families to Christlikeness. Christ is the Lord of our church. He takes responsibility for expanding it (Matt. 16:18; 1 Cor. 12:18). Only He knows what is best for our church. Our task is to faithfully perform the role He assigns us. Follow your Lord and trust Him alone. - Blackaby Experiencing God Day by Day
So much is said both in social media and the workplace about leaders and leadership. So many places that I have worked, it's pretty much expected to work your way up the leadership ladder.
Not everyone was meant to lead. As God has been working on and through me, He has been changing how I think in regards to leading. To be honest I ran from it years ago. At that time, I hated what I saw in the management of that moment, wanting nothing to do with how I became towards others when thrust into that role.
Upon that shocking-to-me revelation, God took me places to learn what leading is about. Suffice to say it no longer has the effect on me that it used to.
My prayerful plea in the mornings on my way into work is that Jesus would have control over my mouth and actions. That I would shut up when necessary. That He would guide and direct as I helped fill in as a leader. Not my wisdom but His be used.
The only true leader is Christ Jesus. The only leadership vision worth looking to comes from Him who knows all the possible outcomes and consequences. Only Jesus can see what will happen before it does.
Jesus knows your every thought before you have it. Jesus knows your every intent before you are even aware of it yourself.
In Isaiah I was reading about the siege at Jerusalem. The King of Assyria sent a rather large number of troops to take Jerusalem. That man's thoughts were that he had Jerusalem surrounded and that victory was his, it was only a matter of how long he wanted to drag out the battle.
Was the Lord Jesus surprised by his arrival? Hardly. Jesus was not concerned about that army. He was waiting on His people to rely on Him. The handling of the situation was worked out long before that army set foot in Israel.
Our ability to lead isn't on us. What's on us is to trust the one who has the Plan for our lives.
Some in business leadership and political leadership believe they roll the dice and they control the outcome through devious and corrupt ways. God is hardly surprised. God is not mocked, whatever a man sows he shall reap.
In the last 10 months so many so called leaders in every facet of everything from news to business to government believes they are the leaders to follow. Even my company's President makes loud boasts that are not in line with the God of the Bible. No different than the others in this world.
Only Jesus knows and only Jesus leads.
Christ is the head of the true Church. Not of the various denominations that have broken off and claim association with the God of the Bible, all the while compromising the Word of God. You cannot negate the Word of God to gain favour with man. You cannot claim to be leading God's people while condoning and being accepting of what He says is sin. When Jesus says nobody who is a certain way will ever inherit the Kingdom of God nothing any so-called priest or prophet or Pastor will ever say will reverse that.
Jesus is the example of true Leadership. No one else comes close. All rule and authority belongs to Him.
If you want to lead, or have to lead, follow His example. Seek His wisdom in your decisions. Lean not on your own understanding in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight. Proverbs.
Worldly leaders are indeed established by God and removed by Him. Scripture is clear on that. God establishes His plans for you and I when we look to Him for the direction to go and obey. God establishes you the same as any world leaders. He can remove you from leading if you are not obeying.
Look at what motivates you today. Because if it isn't at all to fully obey Jesus then you are self serving. You are looking for what magnifies you and not Him.
At the end of all things, after the final judgment of everyone, no matter what, Jesus Christ WILL BE Lord over...ALL.
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