April 14, 2017
It doesn't take much for a leader to make a bad decision that can affect people for years. The tragedy is, that for a Christian leader, it doesn’t have to be this way.
Joshua found this out the hard way. He and his leaders were having great success as they conquered the enemies in the Promised Land.
They were so successful that the Gibeonites knew they would be next. So, they deceived them by putting on old clothes, going to the Israelites and telling them they came from a far land and wanted to strike a covenant of peace. Israel made a deadly decision which allowed the Gibeonites to become a thorn in their side for decades.
THE FATAL STEP
""So the men of Israel took some of their provisions, and did not ask for the counsel of the Lord."" (Joshua 9:14)
God was waiting and would have exposed this lie if the Israelites had just taken time to ask Him. They assumed that things were fine and underestimated their enemy.
A leader can't afford to assume anything. He is charged with the responsibility to oversee his home and all those entrusted to his care. It is a serious and sacred task.
God has made Himself accessible to any leader who will take the time to listen to Him. He has given us His Word, His Spirit, and His church as a three-fold means of discovering His will.
He will give the leader excellent direction if asked. Not only are the lives of people, but also God’s glory is at stake.
Are you making some assumptions right now? Headed into a place of blind defeat, simply because you are not asking for the counsel of the Lord?
January 21, 2025
We must cooperate with God in ways that make it so. We should be careful that it is nothing less … that we are creating an environment where people are encountering God and communing with Him. A place alive with His presence.
January 20, 2025
Look back over your life with eyes of faith as much as you can, and realize the magnitude of what God has done for you, the comprehensiveness of His work in and through you … and give Him thanks.
And then rise up and walk in humility today before your God.
January 17, 2025
The one who does what invites the presence of God into the situation has the ultimate reward.
