Seek God's Counsel in Leadership
Joshua 9:14: "And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD."
The enemy comes in many disguises! Have you ever noticed how the devil will always come at you in your weak spot? I see here a parallel between what happened to Joshua's leadership and what happens to many of us serving as leaders in the ministry today. Just as these people played on the sympathy of Israel, so we are to watch for those who come to us playing the part of the needy just to secure a position which undermines our leadership and weakens our effectiveness.
I believe this is one reason young Timothy was given this warning in 1 Timothy 5:22: "Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men's sins: keep thyself pure." This is a lesson we must learn. We should not trust what God does not approve! Even the disciples were instructed to be "wise as serpents, and harmless as doves" in Matthew 10:16. This is a delicate balance to maintain in ministry. It's not easy learning how to encourage someone to serve the Lord on one hand while on the other hand holding them back until they are at last approved of God.
Many who have attempted this have yielded to the temptation of going to one extreme or the other; either they were so cautious with others that they allowed them to serve in areas they had no business serving for fear of hurting feelings, or else they were so careless that they ran someone off who otherwise would have been a great asset to the ministry. How do we find balance, and know when to trust and when not to? The answer is found in the text! Here it is: Just ask God! If we don’t, we'll make a pact with the enemy, all the while thinking the enemy is our ally!
If you find yourself in a position of leadership where you are the one doing it all, do not be quick to give up one of your tasks to the first person to come along and say they'd like to help! It's always better to want something you don't have than to have something you don't want! Serve the Lord with gladness and singleness of heart, and God will strengthen you for all of your responsibilities! Your day will come when God will send the right person or persons along to help you in the ministry, and if you'll inquire of the Lord, He'll let you know when that is and who it is! Until then, remember that, as always, godliness with contentment is great gain!
~ Pastor Gary Caudill
The enemy comes in many disguises! Have you ever noticed how the devil will always come at you in your weak spot? I see here a parallel between what happened to Joshua's leadership and what happens to many of us serving as leaders in the ministry today. Just as these people played on the sympathy of Israel, so we are to watch for those who come to us playing the part of the needy just to secure a position which undermines our leadership and weakens our effectiveness.
I believe this is one reason young Timothy was given this warning in 1 Timothy 5:22: "Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men's sins: keep thyself pure." This is a lesson we must learn. We should not trust what God does not approve! Even the disciples were instructed to be "wise as serpents, and harmless as doves" in Matthew 10:16. This is a delicate balance to maintain in ministry. It's not easy learning how to encourage someone to serve the Lord on one hand while on the other hand holding them back until they are at last approved of God.
Many who have attempted this have yielded to the temptation of going to one extreme or the other; either they were so cautious with others that they allowed them to serve in areas they had no business serving for fear of hurting feelings, or else they were so careless that they ran someone off who otherwise would have been a great asset to the ministry. How do we find balance, and know when to trust and when not to? The answer is found in the text! Here it is: Just ask God! If we don’t, we'll make a pact with the enemy, all the while thinking the enemy is our ally!
If you find yourself in a position of leadership where you are the one doing it all, do not be quick to give up one of your tasks to the first person to come along and say they'd like to help! It's always better to want something you don't have than to have something you don't want! Serve the Lord with gladness and singleness of heart, and God will strengthen you for all of your responsibilities! Your day will come when God will send the right person or persons along to help you in the ministry, and if you'll inquire of the Lord, He'll let you know when that is and who it is! Until then, remember that, as always, godliness with contentment is great gain!
~ Pastor Gary Caudill