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?
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In scientific equations there are certain elements that cause certain reactions. If those elements are not present, you do not have what you intended. For instance, if you take hydrogen out the equation of H2O, you will not have water, one of the most essential combination of elements in the universe.
FAITH
... is the essential element for the believer. And faith, in itself, has several parts ...
All of us appreciate a good accounting system, even if we are not the ones administering it. You are grateful when you go to a store, that they will only charge you what is advertised. In business, you want to know how things will be recorded and have a clear understanding of what will be done, particularly when it’s your money that is involved.
God has an accounting system and Paul, when finally enlightened, realized that it was completely opposite of what he had operated under for years.