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Leadership

Having What it Takes (Acts 6)

wait on tables

Acts 6:1-3 says:

Now at this time while the disciples were increasing in number, … 2 So the twelve summoned the congregation of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables. 3 Therefore, brethren, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task.

There came a time in the early church where the Apostles could not do both the practical helps work and be dedicated to the ministry before God. Their solution was to appoint seven men to take responsibility for the practical work, allowing them to remain dedicated to the ministry of the word and prayer.

But these were not simply willing workers that they chose. It is interesting that they chose men who had the qualifications of being “full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom”.

1. To be full of the Holy Spirit is the minimum requirement God sets for people to be consistently used and by Him and effective in His kingdom.

To be full of the Holy Spirit is to be led by the Holy Spirit, to be in tune with the things of the Spirit.

Too often, even in church circles to our shame, we marginalise and neglect the things of the Spirit. Other skills are important. Abilities are important. Gifts are important. But none of those things can cover over a lack in the area of spiritual wakefulness that comes only by the Holy Spirit.

Do we seek people firstly for their gifts and abilities? Or do we firstly seek people who are full of the Spirit.

People full of the Holy Spirit are inclined to grow in God, mature and produce fruit.

2. They needed to people of wisdom. Why did they need wisdom? Because these were people taking on important responsibility. Responsibility requires people who will commit to doing what is right because the benefit of others depends on it.

Life is seldom simple and straight forward. Things rarely pan out as we expect. Because of this simple situations can quickly become complex and complex situations require wise solutions. Whilst the apostles were praying, they needed people who could keep the things of the ministry moving without getting bogged down in complex problems. They needed wise people.

Wisdom shows us what is the right thing to do at the right time. The ministry work of the kingdom always requires the right decisions to be made and the right actions to be taken at the right time. It requires wise people do it’s work.

PRAYER: Lord, fill me today with the fullness of your Spirit and enable me to grow in wisdom. I ask it in Jesus name, Amen

Filed Under: Acts, Devotions, Leadership

What to do When Leading is Hard (Exodus 17)

Strike the Rock

Exodus 17 gives us insight into the leadership difficulties of Moses. In verse 4 it says:

So Moses cried out to the Lord, saying, “What shall I do to this people? A little more and they will stone me.”

If you’ve been in a leadership position for any length of time you too will have uttered this question heavenward like Moses; “What shall I do to this people?”.

You’ve toiled hard, you’ve done what you believe is right to do, you’ve given your best. But still the people you lead are far from where you believe they need to be.

We ask ‘Lord, what am I to do with these people?’ Mercifully, the Lord responds in verse 5-6:

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Pass before the people and take with you some of the elders of Israel; and take in your hand your staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. 6 Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink.” And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.

1. “Pass before the people” – Go ahead of the pack. Take time to get away from the immediacy of your situation and it’s demands and get out ahead. Go the place where you can meet alone with God and in that secret place receive perspective, insight and wisdom for your leadership of the people.

2. “Take with you some of the elders” – Don’t go alone. Who has God put around you? They may not be elders. They may not be who you want them to be. But who do you have? Determine to take the loyal, the faithful and those of strong character with you on the journey.

3. “Take in your hand your staff” – Take what’s in your hand. What has God given you? What has God used in the past? What is God blessing in your life now? Take that with you on the journey and allow God to build with it. Take it also as an encouragement, the Lord “will stand before you”

4. “Strike the Rock” – What is God telling you to do? Do it with radical obedience! Use what’s in your hand and put it to use according to the Word of the Lord to you. Obey the Word of the Lord with expectation for the miraculous. Follow through the faith-filled aggression and confidence and see the breakthrough come as a result.

May Jesus the rock, the Living water be the source of your breakthrough!

Filed Under: Devotions, Exodus, Leadership

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