Category: Leadership

A Life that Receives Instruction

Part of the definition of a fool is that they hate instruction and the consequence of a lack of instruction is destruction and death.

Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction.

We would not think of getting an expensive piece of equipment and not read the instructions and yet how much more valuable is our body and soul. It is foolish not to read and study the instruction manual given by the One who made us and has given us clear instructions on how to live. God made us and what He made was good and if we do not know His instructions on how to live then we will bring destruction to ourselves.

Proverbs 5:23 He will die for lack of instruction, And in the greatness of his folly he will go astray.

We will go astray in whatever area that we do not know the Lord’s instruction on how to live. He has freely given us everything we need to know to live life right and to thrive but there is something within us that resents anyone telling us what to do. That which is within us that wants to do it ourselves is our sinful nature. How foolish we are to not listen to our Creator and even more foolish to deny that we have a Creator and that He cares about us.

Psalm 14:1 The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.”
They are corrupt, they have committed abominable deeds;
There is no one who does good.

The Lord speaks to His people and tells them to listen to Him. He has chosen not to MAKE anyone do His instruction or MAKE anyone listen to Him. That is our responsibility. It is wisdom to listen to the Lord and follow His instructions so that we will not die.

Psalm 78:1 Listen, O my people, to my instruction; Incline your ears to the words of my mouth.

We receive instruction by first listening to Him and then we receive His words into our mind and heart and follow His instruction.

Jeremiah 32:33 They have turned their back to Me and not their face; though I taught them, teaching again and again, they would not listen and receive instruction.

It is rebellion against the lord when we refuse to listen to His instruction.

Isaiah 30:9 For this is a rebellious people, false sons, Sons who refuse to listen To the instruction of the Lord;

If you are a true child of the Lord then you will want to listen to His instruction and you will want to live by what He instructs and teaches. Your life will be different and you will be free of many of the struggles of the world, which are sins that ensnare them and destroy them. You will have God’s wisdom and will be a guide to many.

Job 22:22 Please receive instruction from His mouth And establish His words in your heart.

Not only will you receive instruction but you will want others to know God’s instruction and to live according to it as it is in His Word, the Holy Scriptures.

Proverbs 1:2,3 To know wisdom and instruction,
To discern the sayings of understanding,
To receive instruction in wise behavior,
Righteousness, justice and equity;

When you know God’s wisdom, which is in His Word, then you will have instruction in every good course and instruction in wise behavior, righteousness, justice and equity. You will know what you need to do in every situation so that you will not end up being destroyed.

Proverbs 10:17 He is on the path of life who heeds instruction, But he who ignores reproof goes astray.

Do you want to live, and have an abundant life? Then don’t have it your way but live according to His way. Your life will be sweet and you will be on the path of life rather than the path that leads to death and ultimately eternal death.

Proverbs 5:11-13 And you groan at your final end,
When your flesh and your body are consumed;
And you say, “How I have hated instruction!
And my heart spurned reproof!
“I have not listened to the voice of my teachers,
Nor inclined my ear to my instructors!”

Yes, the end for those who do not heed instruction will be groaning and much regret. Their flesh and body will be consumed. In the greatness of their folly they went astray never to return again. They chose their own destiny and will end up in hell for all eternity. It is all because they wanted to go their own way and did not listen to the Words of the Lord. They will themselves realize that they alone are responsible and will have much regret. It is not too late to seek Him and turn to Him for instruction. He will hear your prayer if you are sincerely wrong for neglecting Him and turning away from Him. He will save you and get you back on the path of life. He is abounding in riches for all who call on Him.

Romans 10:12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

The most simple but beautiful prayer is, “Lord Jesus, I have sinned against you. Please forgive me and save me. Please come into my life and make me the person you want me to be. Help me to receive your Words, for You will instruct me and teach me in the way I should go.”

 

 

How to Have A Life with Stability

We all long for stability in our lives. When your world is shaken it is a frightening feeling. The Lord promises His children stability so that no matter what happens in your life you will have a calmness within. You will not have to fear the times present nor the times future.

Isaiah 33:6 And He will be the stability of your times, A wealth of salvation, wisdom and knowledge; The fear of the Lord is his treasure.

The Lord will be your stability and His Word is the foundation of a life that will not be shaken when the instability comes.

Luke 6:46-48 “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them, I will show you whom he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when a flood occurred, the torrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built.

The Lord tells us what to do so that we will not tremble or be dismayed.

Joshua 1:8,9 This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will act wisely. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

The Bible says that what the wicked fears will come upon Him. The wicked have a lot of fears because they do not seek the Lord not listen to His Word. They want to be in control but most of life is out of our control.

Proverbs 10:24 What the wicked fears will come upon him,
But the desire of the righteous will be granted.

The wicked flee when no one is pursuing. Guilt causes a person to run away from life and also to have unfounded fears.

Proverbs 28:1 The wicked flee when no one is pursuing,
But the righteous are bold as a lion.

The Lord says to be strong and courageous. Boldness, strength and courage is what should characterize our lives for we have One who is always with us and will never forsake us.

Hebrews 13:5 …for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,”

When we are stable in our faith then not only will we have much joy but we will bring joy to those who have taught us in the faith.

Colossians 2:5 For even though I am absent in body, nevertheless I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good discipline and the stability of your faith in Christ.

A Life that Is Blessed

Everyone wants to be blessed. The word blessed means happy. When we are blessed we have the face of God towards us. The opposite of being blessed is being cursed. If blessed means that we are happy then being cursed must mean that we are unhappy and that the Lord is against us. The Lord tells us how to be blessed.

Luke 11:27,28 While Jesus was saying these things, one of the women in the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, “Blessed is the womb that bore You and the breasts at which You nursed.” But He said, “On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.”

When a woman in the crowd raised her voice and blessed the mother of Jesus, He said, “On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.” The Lord has given us His Word so that we will do exactly as He says. He has not given it to us just to talk about it but to do it. Jesus took the curse of our disobedience so that we might be blessed by His obedience.

Galatians 3:13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”—

The word curse means literally, “a solemn utterance intended to invoke a supernatural power to inflict harm or punishment on someone or something”. Jesus took the curse which was intended for us and received the punishment of God. He did not do this so that we could live as we please but so that we might be given the opportunity to be blessed by God. It begins by being in a relationship with Him and continues by being in fellowship with Him and following Him.

John 13:17,18 Truly, truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.

Jesus came to serve. The one who loves the Lord will also be a servant and will follow Him. When we follow Him then we will go where He goes, we will speak His Words and we will do what He does.

John 13:12-15 So when He had washed their feet, and taken His garments and reclined at the table again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you.

When we keep His Words and do as He did then the world will see Jesus in us. This is the true meaning of discipleship. The pupil is not above His teacher but everyone after they have been taught will be like their teacher.

Luke 6:40 A pupil is not above his teacher; but everyone, after he has been fully trained, will be like his teacher.

You can not teach someone to do something that you yourself are not doing. Example is the most powerful and effective way of teaching. You can not teach someone else to do something that you are not doing.

Proverbs 29:19 A slave will not be instructed by words alone;
For though he understands, there will be no response.

It is only to the degree that you are observing the Word of God that you can effectively teach and disciple others. People need to see the Word of God lived out and that is what it means to make disciples.

Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

When you hear the Words of God and do them then you are blessed. When you hear the Words of God, do them and then teach others also then you will be a blessing to others and you will be doing what the Lord has called you to do.

Matthew 24:44-47 For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will. “Who then is the faithful and sensible slave whom his master put in charge of his household to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes. Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions.

Not only will you be found faithful here on earth but you will be found faithful when He comes again. Blessed is that slave whom His Master finds doing His Words when He comes again. He says that truly, He will put him in charge of all of His possessions.

 

A Life of a Leader

One who leads in the ways of God will lead others in righteousness and the Bible says that they will shine like the stars in the heavens. This person will be called brilliant because of the insight that the Lord gives to them.

Daniel 12:3 Those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.

A true leader is a servant and the true model for leadership is a servant leader. This is different than in the world where leaders will lord it over others.

Matthew 23:11 But the greatest among you shall be your servant.

This kind of leader will be considered great, not only in God’s eyes but also in the eyes of men.

Proverbs 12:26 The righteous is a guide to his neighbor, But the way of the wicked leads them astray.

This leader will speak forever because they will listen to the truth. Notice it does not say the one who speaks the truth will speak forever but the one who listens to the truth. The Bible says that what you listen to is what you will talk about.

Proverbs 21:28 A false witness will perish, But the man who listens to the truth will speak forever.

The Bible says that what you listen to is what you will talk about. You can tell what a person listens to by what he or she talks about. If you really want to know where a person’s heart is then listen to them talk, not only to you but listen to their conversations when you are in a group with them. Many a young man will become for a moment what you want in order to win your heart but the change will not last if that is not who they really are.

Luke 6:45 The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart.

This is one of the reasons why the Lord says to watch over what goes into your heart.

Proverbs 4:23 Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life.

The only way that you will know the truth is if you know the One who is the Truth. His words are truth and He wants you to know His words.

John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

The Bible is the only source of truth. To the degree that you know the Bible will be to the degree that you know the truth.

II Samuel 7:28 Now, O Lord God, You are God, and Your words are truth, and You have promised this good thing to Your servant.

Finally, who you are is what those who follow you will become. What you get excited about is what they will get excited about. If you don’t get excited about the things of the Lord then don’t expect anyone else to get excited about them.

Luke 6:40 A pupil is not above his teacher; but everyone, after he has been fully trained, will be like his teacher.