GOD’s Leadership Style

1 Kings 12: ⁷ They replied, “If today you will be a servant to these people and serve them and give them a favorable answer, they will always be your servants.”

⁸ But Rehoboam rejected the advice the elders gave him and consulted the young men who had grown up with him and were serving him. ⁹ He asked them, “What is your advice? How should we answer these people who say to me, ‘Lighten the yoke your father put on us’?”

¹⁰ The young men who had grown up with him replied, “These people have said to you, ‘Your father put a heavy yoke on us, but make our yoke lighter.’ Now tell them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist. ¹¹ My father laid on you a heavy yoke; I will make it even heavier. My father scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions.’”

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Gruff, pushy and cocky were my observations of those who made it to the top. It seemed as if the mental bullies made it, while the faint at heart could only sit back and be destroyed. Something had to be done.  I took a deep breath and slathered a thin layer of toughness on the outer shell of my personality. It worked!

I then began to toughen up my shell to face those who were arrogant and annoying! One day I realized I was on my way to becoming them in order to fight them.

• Just because I have the title, doesn’t make me a leader.
• Just because I am in charge, doesn’t mean I can force people to do my bidding.
• Just because I am the designated leader, doesn’t make my leadership style better.

My tough exterior was slightly misguided.  I thought I had to become tough “like” the bullies instead of recognizing where true power comes from.

• GOD wants me to be as wise as a serpent but harmless as a dove.
• GOD wants me to recognize true power as being the person who knows when “not” to use it.
• GOD wants me to rely on HIS power and let HIM fight the battles instead of thinking I have to do all of the fighting.

The toughness GOD wants me to have is dexterity to stay with HIM when I think I should handle the situation on my own. GOD wants me to remain strong in faith rather than relying on what I can see, touch or feel. HE wants me to follow HIS ways which are the ways of a servant. This sounds counterproductive, but GOD’s ways always yield fruit.

• Are you the faint at heart?
• Do you lack faith?
• Can you toughen up your faith in GOD which will give you a different kind of toughness?
• Can you stop trying to be like people and focus on your growth in GOD?

GOD looks at attitude

1 Kings 11: ⁴ As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been. ⁵ He followed Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and Molek the detestable god of the Ammonites. ⁶ So Solomon did evil in the eyes of the Lord; he did not follow the Lord completely, as David his father had done.

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⁹ The Lord became angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice. ¹⁰ Although he had forbidden Solomon to follow other gods, Solomon did not keep the Lord’s command. ¹¹ So the Lord said to Solomon, “Since this is your attitude and you have not kept my covenant and my decrees, which I commanded you, I will most certainly tear the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your subordinates.

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“Say you’re sorry” were the scolding words of a neighbor’s mother.  I laughed at her kid for multiple reasons. I mean the other kids were laughing, but I was a close neighbor. “Giggle, giggle, I’m sorry” came out of my mouth. The neighbor quickly recognized my attitude of non-remorse and said “I’m going to tell your parents.” “Wait… I’m sorry!” Wow, I didn’t even do anything! This ruined my day, I thought to myself!

Okay, that was a very mild example of doing something with the wrong attitude, but how does this translate into larger things?

·         When I work with a bad attitude, my product comes out poorly.

·         When I serve with a bad attitude, the recipient doesn’t feel served.

·         When I reject what GOD said to do because I simply don’t like the rule, I face GOD’s consequence.

We are all under grace and I am saved from eternal consequence, but that does not give me a license to do what I want. I am GOD’s creation and HE wants me to act like I am. I shouldn’t pout at HIS decree nor should I fret over where HE has me. My attitude should be that of “gratitude.”

·         Are you excited about where GOD has you?

·         Do you think HE is wrong for placing you where you are?

·         Can you accept where you are and grow your gratitude?

Recognizing Where Talent Comes From

1 Kings 10: ⁴ When the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon and the palace he had built, ⁵ the food on his table, the seating of his officials, the attending servants in their robes, his cupbearers, and the burnt offerings he made at the temple of the Lord, she was overwhelmed.

⁶ She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true. ⁷ But I did not believe these things until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half was told me; in wisdom and wealth you have far exceeded the report I heard. ⁸ How happy your people must be! How happy your officials, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! 

⁹ Praise be to the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on the throne of Israel. Because of the Lord’s eternal love for Israel, he has made you king to maintain justice and righteousness.”

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As the fancy cars pulled up, I marveled over the list of names who paraded in the caravan.  The CEO and top officers met with Wall Street and the media was there in full. I sat there with my eyes opened wide as their smooth answers flowed from their lips. Someone mentioned, “Millions of dollars are sitting on that stage right now.”

I then got intimidated.  How was I going to ever reach that?  My career seemed hopeless so I went back to my cubicle and pouted.

• When I think I am responsible for reaching the top, I can get intimidated.
• When I set my goal on being at the top with my own skills, I can get intimidated.
• When I look at others with envy, I can get intimidated.

Sometimes I see the rich and famous and wonder, “How did this person get where they are?” “I mean they can’t think their way out of a wet paper bag” is usually my envious insult. “And besides, they aren’t even using the money to glorify GOD” is my added judgment. BUT GOD wants me to act different.

• GOD wants me to praise HIM for someone else’s talent.
• GOD wants me to be excited to see how HE raises people up to places only HE can reach.
• GOD wants me to recognize the talent HE has given me and be excited about where HE has me.

“Get rid of the envy and strap on the excitement” is what GOD says to me. Being excited about life rids me of complaints and generates enthusiasm, encouragement and euphoria!

• Are you complaining?
• Do you have a negative view on life?
• Can you praise GOD for someone else’s talent?
• Do you recognize the talent HE has given you?
• Can you accept where GOD has you?

Obedience is a condition

1 Kings 9:³ The Lord said to him:

“I have heard the prayer and plea you have made before me; I have consecrated this temple, which you have built, by putting my Name there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.

⁴ “As for you, if you walk before me faithfully with integrity of heart and uprightness, as David your father did, and do all I command and observe my decrees and laws, ⁵ I will establish your royal throne over Israel forever, as I promised David your father when I said, ‘You shall never fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.’

⁶ “But if you or your descendants turn away from me and do not observe the commands and decrees I have given you and go off to serve other gods and worship them, ⁷ then I will cut off Israel from the land I have given them and will reject this temple I have consecrated for my Name. Israel will then become a byword and an object of ridicule among all peoples.

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GOD is pure. HE has set HIS purity in motion and does what HE says.  HE demands HIS creation remains innocent, sinless and loving. Unfortunately, my birth has a defect.  I am born with a sin nature that I cannot remove. No matter how hard I try, I cannot remove this sin nature nor can I buffer it to a point where it’s under control.

GOD is love. GOD THE SON volunteered to take my eternal consequence and many times HE removes my consequence here on earth. HE does, however, chasten me when I do wrong. JESUS became human, was murdered by HIS own creation and was raised from the dead. HE did all of this out of love.

GOD is power. Everything GOD has said will come true. There is nothing that can stop HIS decree. Once HE said HE will curse something then there is nothing that can stop that thing from being cursed. On the contrary, once HE said HE will bless something (me) then there is nothing that can take that blessing away from me.

GOD’s unconditional love enables me to follow HIS rules. The more I follow GOD the better our relationship.

A prayer for today

1 Kings 8: ⁵⁶ “Praise be to the Lord, who has given rest to his people Israel just as he promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promises he gave through his servant Moses. ⁵⁷ May the Lord our God be with us as he was with our ancestors; may he never leave us nor forsake us. 

⁵⁸ May he turn our hearts to him, to walk in obedience to him and keep the commands, decrees and laws he gave our ancestors. 

⁵⁹ And may these words of mine, which I have prayed before the Lord, be near to the Lord our God day and night, that he may uphold the cause of his servant and the cause of his people Israel according to each day’s need, ⁶⁰ so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the Lord is God and that there is no other. 

⁶¹ And may your hearts be fully committed to the Lord our God, to live by his decrees and obey his commands, as at this time.”

I have talent

1 Kings 7: ¹³ King Solomon sent to Tyre and brought Huram, ¹⁴ whose mother was a widow from the tribe of Naphtali and whose father was from Tyre and a skilled craftsman in bronze. Huram was filled with wisdom, with understanding and with knowledge to do all kinds of bronze work. He came to King Solomon and did all the work assigned to him.

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“You are good with math” is the one tiny statement that spring-boarded my career.  If it wasn’t for that statement, I never would have gone into the career I went into.  Looking back, I wasn’t really “good” with math, but somehow I was able to enter the world of technology. “Somehow.”

• It is GOD who gives me talent.
• It is GOD who gives me skills.
• It is GOD who gives me purpose.

GOD gives each person a unique talent that only they can do. Sometimes it is wasted in the pursuit of money so the talents and skills blend in and look similar, thus competition begins.  GOD sees me as an individual and has granted me an exquisite assignment that only I can accomplish.

I am sent to be at the right place, at the right time to say the right words to the right person. Only I can do this, no one else. All of the situations and circumstances of my life are unique to me and only my words can penetrate the heart of the one person I was put here to communicate with.

God has given me a mission and I shouldn’t waste it.  I have a finite time to be on this earth. I should use some of it to further GOD’s kingdom with the talent HE has bestowed on me.

• Where do you think your talents come from?
• Do you feel you are “self-made?”
• Can you give GOD credit for your skills?
• If you feel you have no skills then can you ask GOD to show you what your special purpose is?
• Won’t you stop trying to be special and realize your are special to GOD?

My controversial “building” view

1 Kings 6: ¹¹ The word of the Lord came to Solomon: ¹² “As for this temple you are building, if you follow my decrees, observe my laws and keep all my commands and obey them, I will fulfill through you the promise I gave to David your father.¹³ And I will live among the Israelites and will not abandon my people Israel.”

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I recently visited the church of my youth.  The pastor was still the pastor and the building was still the same. By the way, I am a million and a half years old. What I remember is there were two envelopes in pockets in the pew, one for tithing and one for the “building fund.”

I traveled to many churches and many have had this “building fund” or “building expansion project”. Then one day, as I was sitting on a bus in another country, I saw people dressed in white robes sitting in a field. I asked the guide “who are they?” “They are a building-less church who meets out in a field to worship GOD” he responded.  Ever since then I wonder what a building fund is.

• GOD wants us to make sure we gather together to pray for one another.
• GOD wants us to make public declarations of our allegiance to HIM.
• GOD wants us to make it easier for those who cannot do for themselves.

There are many other reasons to gather together and we need buildings to avoid being interrupted from the elements. I agree with having a building, but when the building is the only focus I have a problem with it.

• GOD says “Follow my decrees”, which doesn’t need a building rather it needs my temple.
• GOD says “Observe MY laws”, which doesn’t need a building rather it requires my mind.
• GOD says “Keep all MY commandments and obey them”, which doesn’t need a building rather it needs my determination to follow HIM.

GOD wants me. HE said “What building can contain ME?” HE does however want me to gather regularly with groups of people to pray, rejoice and help others. HE also wants me to receive help when I run out of faith and feel low. My fight is no longer with buildings. My job is to connect with those HE sends to me.

• Are you alone?
• Do you think can walk life by yourself?
• Should you gather together with others for prayer and confession?
• Won’t you focus on GOD rather than on buildings?