Leadership

1 November  2012

Luke 22:25-26 And he said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you; rather let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves.

A good leader knows how to follow and to listen in a responsive way to what others say, observing situations so that those that follow the leader are directed in a proper way. So often we find that leaders of today become leaders not because they are natural leaders but rather that they are leaders elected by others based on criteria other than skills to lead. The result of this is that these are institutional leaders whose purpose is often to maintain their position of leadership rather leading for the purpose they are elected and they have no understanding of servant hood.

In the same way within any institution including the church when the focus is on self and maintenance of a leadership position rather than leading to achieve the purpose of why the institution exists then we have lost true leadership. Leaders in any form have been gifted in some way to lead, some in assertion, some in situations, and some through training and skills. In all their common goal is to lead others. Leadership in any form is a gift from God and we are all gifted in this way.

Be encouraged today to recognise your gift of leadership.

David

Point to ponder: You are a leader.

Question to consider: Do you underrate your leadership skills?

God's healing

31 October 2012    

Act 4:29-30  And now, Lord, behold their threatening’s, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your Word, by stretching forth of Your hand for healing, and miracles, and wonders may be done by the name of Your holy child Jesus.

In the name of Jesus Christ be healed. These words are loaded with power, and when we say them in faith we need to expect that the person will be healed. The power is in the name of Jesus, and when we trust and use this with the authority that Jesus has given us then amazing things happen.

Last night at a healing service in Kroonstad, I prayed in this way and the Holy Spirit responded and a number of people were healed and relationships restored. Praise God, for He is faithful and worthy to be praised. What makes this extraordinary? We do for where Christ is healing and signs and wonders should follow, this is normal in a church where Jesus is present through His Holy Spirit. Let us all praise God, Jesus is alive.

Be encouraged today to give thanks and praise for God’s healing in His Church.

Point to ponder: God heals today.

Question to consider: Have you seen a miracle?

Believe

30 October 2012    

John 16:31  Jesus answered them, Do you now believe?

Are you single minded? Do you have a clear and focused view of what God is saying to you in and through His Word? Also is your mind, emotions, spirit and body all in tune with each other in this single minded belief?

These questions are only able to be answered by you. Part of the problem that we all seem to face is that we read the Bible in the context of history and in so doing we limit God’s word in the context of time. Jesus healed others in the past, yet we do not believe that He will heal today. If He sent His disciples out to heal then, He still sends them out today. The level of faith is different and the result is very little faith is found in the power of God’s Word. When we become single minded and we accept His Word in every part of who we are, then we start to live that which we believe. Do you believe?

Be encouraged today to be single minded in Christ.

 

Point to ponder: Believe God’s Word.

Question to consider: Are you single minded in Christ?

Glorify God

29 October 2012    

Revelation 15:4 Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You only are holy. For all nations shall come and worship before You, for Your righteousness's were made known.

The way God has created is amazing, little puppies grow teeth, and so drinking from the mother is limited and weaning begins. Each part of God’s creation has within its own elements perfection and reveals an understanding of the God we worship. How people can think that life is random is beyond what the evidence discloses.

The detail of what God has done must say to you and I that we are part of this detail and so part of the greater plan that God has. So we may feel insignificant and of no value, yet God sees us as very valuable and important to Him. In fact we are so important that Jesus went to extraordinary lengths for us, so that we live for eternity with Him. Our life on this earth is to worship God and enjoy what God has given us. Everything works together in harmony so that all creation brings glory to God.

Be encouraged today to bring glory to God.

 

David

 

Point to ponder: Glorify God.

 

Question to consider: Do you bring glory to God?

The family business

26 October  2012   

Luke 10:4 Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and salute no one on the road.

I wonder what made Jesus say to His disciples when they went out to heal the sick that they should not take anything with them except what they were wearing? I suppose some of them would have tried to take their best clothes and made sure that they had everything they needed for the journey. In this way I think we are all like that.

Going out to heal the sick is a simple business of just going and doing it, but when you have to travel 400km to get there one is inclined to think of contingencies, so one has to think of the extras one may need. At the time of Jesus most of the places the disciples went were not great distances, and we see this change when Paul went on His travels. Besides in those days they wore simple clothes with a cloak that served as a blanket as well as keeping one warm. Today we have clothes for every occasion, so we cannot just get up and preach in everyday clothes, we must put on something special so that we do not offend the audience we preach to entertain.

Be encouraged today to think if your clothes describe you

 

David

Point to ponder: Will clothes make the man.

Question to consider: Are you what you wear?

The family business

25 October  2012  

1 John 2:28 And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming.

The complex question that you need to answer is whether Jesus abides in you, does He live in you, with you and all things we share with Him? Because if Jesus does live in you, then all that you do and say is related the constant awareness of His presence in all things. It is in this that we grow in confidence that when He appears again we will not be ashamed of who we are, because who we are is Jesus in the world.

We are the children of God and as children we are in the Family business, the business that Jesus taught His disciples to be about and through whom we have been taught. This business is to promote the will of the Father on earth and bringing, hope, love and encouragement to others to do the same. We have faith that Jesus rose from the dead and dwells in us in and through the Holy Spirit and so we are about our Father’s business each and every day. When Jesus returns He will find us going about His business not our own.

Be encouraged today to be about the Family business.

 

David

Point to ponder: You have shares in the Family business.

Question to consider: Are you at work in the Family business?

Trust

24 October  2012  

Psalms 31:14 But I trust in thee, O LORD, I say, "Thou art my God."

To have faith is to have trust, so when we have faith in something or someone then we trust in them. So when we are married we are full of faith in our spouse and we trust them with everything, we are faithful. So we know that when we have faith we are able to rely on the trust that we have that all will be right.

The difficulty is that we often loose faith and trust because what we want does not necessarily happen when we want it to happen. This distrust starts as we realise that what people say they often do not mean, so when we are promised something for doing something and then we do not get it, we learn to distrust even our own parents. This brings about a change in  us of unbelief in faith. The problem is that we make God in the image of men instead of men being the image of God. God is faithful and trustworthy, man is not.

So when we understand that we are able to trust God and have faith in Him, then we need to re-learn and grow in faith and trust in Him. The more we trust God the more our faith grows, the more we realise how trustworthy God is.

Be encouraged today to trust God.

 

David

Point to ponder: Trust God.

Question to consider: Do you trust God?