...As Leaders... January 26, 2014 Todays Prayer Dear Jesus the mediator to the Father in Heaven, Thank You for the people You have placed in my life as mentors, my Late Pastor Edward Harris being a major one, to look up to as examples. I pray that You would help me to live life in such a way, and to grow stronger in faith and more spiritually mature, so that I may be a Godly example to others. Show me if there is someone who needs for me to be a mentor for and to them. Minister through me to guide and instruct those persons to offer spiritual nurture and encouragement. Please forgive me for my sins and shortcomings; for the times I did not use the opportunities You gave me to the fullest and best purpose. Thank You for allowing me to start afresh today. Within this day Jesus, lead...guide...direct and strengthen me that I will make and be the change NOW! Thank You for the lessons I have learned. Most of all, thank You for being there with me through it all and for carrying me all the way. Lord Jesus and my heavenly Father, thank You for my help meet...Genesis 2:18, my lover and friend-my wife...Thank You for her strength and abilities given by You. Continue to be her support and guide in a time such as these...Allow us to continue the growth in You that You have begun...Let not anything even attempt to destroy or come between us in any shape, form nor fashion...help us to remember too, Gods Demand For Obedience and Acceptance of His call... Thank You for hearing my prayer and for working in all of our lives. In Jesus name I pray and praise You. Amen January 26, 2014 Todays Devotional Good Morning All, Passing The Test... 1 Samuel 28: 13-25 (topic using these verse 17-25 KJV) 13 And the king said unto her, Be not afraid: for what sawest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth. 14 And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground, and bowed himself. 15 And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do. 16 Then said Samuel, Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing the Lord is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy? 17 And the Lord hath done to him, as he spake by me: for the Lord hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and given it to thy neighbour, even to David: 18 Because thou obeyedst not the voice of the Lord, nor executedst his fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore hath the Lord done this thing unto thee this day. 19 Moreover the Lord will also deliver Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines: and to morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me: the Lord also shall deliver the host of Israel into the hand of the Philistines. 20 Then Saul fell straightway all along on the earth, and was sore afraid, because of the words of Samuel: and there was no strength in him; for he had eaten no bread all the day, nor all the night. 21 And the woman came unto Saul, and saw that he was sore troubled, and said unto him, Behold, thine handmaid hath obeyed thy voice, and I have put my life in my hand, and have hearkened unto thy words which thou spakest unto me. 22 Now therefore, I pray thee, hearken thou also unto the voice of thine handmaid, and let me set a morsel of bread before thee; and eat, that thou mayest have strength, when thou goest on thy way. 23 But he refused, and said, I will not eat. But his servants, together with the woman, compelled him; and he hearkened unto their voice. So he arose from the earth, and sat upon the bed. 24 And the woman had a fat calf in the house; and she hasted, and killed it, and took flour, and kneaded it, and did bake unleavened bread thereof: 25 And she brought it before Saul, and before his servants; and they did eat. Then they rose up, and went away that night. When God anoints a person, a pattern of testing appears to take place at specific times in the leaders life. God often takes each leader through several major tests to determine if that person will achieve Gods ultimate call on his or her life. The persons response to these tests is the deciding factor in whether they can advance to the next level of responsibility in Gods Kingdom. Control - Control is one of the first tests. Saul spent most of his time as king trying to prevent others from getting what he had. Saul never got to the place with God in which he was a grateful recipient of Gods goodness to him. Saul was a religious controller. This control led to disobedience and ultimately being rejected by God because Saul no longer was a vessel God could use. Bitterness - Every major character in the Bible was hurt by another person at one time or another. Jesus was hurt deeply when Judas, a trusted follower, betrayed Him. Despite knowing this was going to happen, Jesus responded by washing Judas feet. Every anointed leader will have a Judas experience at one time or another. God watches us to see how we will respond to this test. Will we take up an offense? Will we retaliate? It is one of the most difficult tests to pass. Power - Power can be the opposite of servant-hood. Jesus had all authority in Heaven and earth, so satan tempted Jesus at the top of the mountain to use His power to remove Himself from a difficult circumstance. How will we use the power and influence God has entrusted to us? Do we seek to gain more power? There is a common phrase in the investment community, He who has the gold rules. Jesus modeled the opposite. He was the ultimate servant leader. Greed - This is a difficult one. Money has the ability to have great influence for either good or bad. When it is a focus in our life, it becomes a tool of destruction. When it is a by-product, it can become a great blessing. Many leaders started out well - only to be derailed once prosperity became a part of their life. There are thousands who can blossom spiritually in adversity; only a few can thrive spiritually under prosperity. As leaders, we must be aware when we are being tested. You can be confident that each one of these tests will be thrown your way if God calls you for His purposes. Will you pass these tests? Ask for Gods grace today to walk through these tests victoriously. Be Blessed...
Posted on: Sun, 26 Jan 2014 12:36:05 +0000
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